TWENTY-three-year-old Steve Balgobin is still haunted by the raw beauty of the Rupununi.

His is an experience typical of many who just cannot be bothered, or afford, to take the time to travel the length and breadth of this beautiful land of ours and appreciate its breathtaking beauty.
It happened earlier this month when he touched down at the Annai airstrip, just a stone’s throw away from the Rock View Lodge, where he was headed.
Shocked is but putting it mildly his first reaction to the scenery before him; he just couldn’t believe his eyes that his own Guyana could actually be this beautiful!
The Rock View Lodge is nestled between the Amerindian villages of Annai and Rupertee in the North Rupununi Savannahs of Guyana, way up in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) where the foothills of the Pakaraima mountain range meet the tropical rainforest.
An IT person by profession, Steve had undertaken the two-day journey with his colleague, Randy Kirton, so that together they could set up a point-of-sale system at Rock View’s ‘Oasis Service Centre’.
The system at reference is one used by the business community to sell items. It has a cash drawer, a receipt printer, a computer system and a scanner.
As Steve explained, “I sell QuickBooks, POS V9 along with its components. I configure, maintain and install.”
But what started off as a work-related trip soon turned into quite something else for Steve, so mesmerized was he by the surroundings of Rock View Lodge with its scenery that was “Oh my God” so breathtaking. Furthermore, the environment was relaxing, quiet and peaceful, he said.
Steve met owner/general manager of Rock View Lodge, Mr. Colin Edwards, whom he described as the best host ever. Edwards is a British national who has been in Guyana for some years now.
After they completed their work, Steve said he and Randy were taken on a nature walk in the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountain Range, which was a 10 minutes drive from Rock View Lodge.
Steve recalled that the food offered at this location was excellent. Everything that they offer to eat is produced right on the farmstead close by Rock View Lodge. They even rear their own chickens, and a fish called tambaque. There is also a turtle pond.
The destination, surrounded by many palm and fruit trees, offers horseback riding, fishing, nature walks, and canoeing. There is also a swimming pool and an area that can be used to playing football and volleyball.
“I didn’t even know Guyana was so beautiful,” said Steve, who works in the Management Information System (MIS) Department of the Guyana National Newspaper Limited, here on Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park. And so he wanted to share his story with us!
Meanwhile, the Iwokrama International Centre Field Research Station, the Canopy Walkway, the 14 villages of the indigenous Makushi people, excellent birding locations and other resorts such as Karanambu Resort and Cattle Ranch are easily accessible from Rock View, which may be reached by air or road from Georgetown.
Evenings may be spent in the old family ranch-house with a fine art collection, library and good music. All buildings have electricity, and running water from a deep well. Wireless Internet access is available for several hours each day across most of the property.
The grounds are beautifully landscaped with hundreds of palm, fruit and flower trees that enhance the natural beauty of the rolling hills and savannahs, the Rupununi River and wooded mountains nearby.
The Rock View Lodge, together with the Village of Surama, is featured in “Green Places to Stay”, a U.K. tour guide published by Alastair Sawday, which recommends inspiring places worldwide that are striving to be environmentally and socially responsible.