Thrilling, refreshing sightings at the Big Valley Game Lodge

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Sunday October 1, 2023 06:00

 

With a fantastic range of animals and experiences for individual safari lovers, campers and the whole family to enjoy, one is sure to love their day at the Big Valley Game Lodge.

Situated in the picturesque hills between Botswana and the South African border, the Big Valley Game Lodge offers an opportunity for natural wonder a little over 100km away from the city.

A recent visit to the place was just refreshing, especially being the first time for one. The visit was at an invitation by the lodge management as they want to embark on a path to rebrand and grow the place, therefore looking for feedback from stakeholders. Driving there, one already felt good, especially at the opportunity to unwind and shrug off the deadline blues of the previous night. As someone who enjoys the bush adventure, I was really looking forward to the day and couldn't wait to engage in the activities.

The lodge is set up for clients to experience the natural wilderness. But the first thing upon arrival that caught my attention was the amazing view, from both the lodge's side and the hotel. It is just scenic and breath-taking.

With the lodge and the hotel, the place caters for people who love a mix of both the safari and luxury experience. In total, there are 120 rooms broken down into 64 Deluxe, 40 Luxury, 10 Executive and six Family rooms. There are also 25 camping blocks for those who enjoy the camping experience.

The rooms are comfortable and the menu is fairly varied and deliciously prepared. Of course, it would not provide a complete wilderness buffet without game meat prepared in different kinds. Besides the food, we were treated to a game drive. Whilst the game drive happened in the late morning when it was already hot, we were lucky enough to get sightings of different animals right away without a struggle. Animals such as kudu, giraffe, ostriches and impalas are some that come to mind. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we could not do lion viewing, and that became a big disappointment having not seen a lion in my entire life. I was really looking forward to this one moment.

The successful game drive was then followed by an exhilarating time at the zipline. The zipline provides an adrenaline-charged experience. While I was skeptical about taking part in this game, in the end, it was worth it and I wished I could do it again.

There are also the boats unfortunately, we could not get to experience them but had the joy of doing quad biking to complete our day at the Big Valley Game Lodge.

Whilst this is surely a place one recommends for chilling and relaxation, there are areas that the hotel management could address. These include providing smooth and continuous service between dining, conferencing and lodging in order to increase one’s overall enjoyment of stay there. The access road may not be favourable for clients not driving off-road cars, especially during the rainy season. However, it might provide a soothing experience for those who love off-road terrains. Another issue is the access to the network which is often disrupted. Otherwise, the Big Valley Game Lodge is a perfect place for a weekend getaway to enjoy the wilderness and take part in fun activities.