THE Rock View Lodge is a well-known name among nature lovers and frequent travellers of the Rupununi. The beautiful assortment of lodges, among the trees and surrounded by mountains and red dust of the region, makes Rock View perhaps one of Guyana’s most attractive tourist destinations.
But hundreds of people have ventured to the Rupununi escape for more than sightseeing and a taste of Guyana.

Found just outside of Annai, Rock View was built on the principles of sustainability and family. Crafted by Englishman Colin Edwards, Rock View Lodge has been redefining tourism in the region for more than thirty years.

Born to a Welsh father and a Basque mother in post-World War II Europe, Colin’s childhood experiences shaped his future path. No stranger to diversity and travel, Colin was taught the importance of people and place at an early age by his parents, who were frequent travellers throughout Europe.

These early years of travelling, meeting new people, and having new experiences is what he says would later captivate him about Guyana. As he stated, “As a child, we would travel to faraway places and stay in humble lodges, farmhouses, vineyards, but never in big hotels. My parents’ love was for the mountains, the lake district, the farms of the Isle of Skye, and this created in me an understanding of the value of being in contact with nature and the people who live in a natural environment.”

The journey to Guyana
Edwards arrived in Guyana in 1969 as a volunteer. Young and adventurous, he came to the Land of Many Waters with purpose. Although having spent time in countries like Germany, Peru, and Panama, Guyana seemed to have something special about it. Whether it was the rolling hills of the savannah or the warmth of the Guyanese people, Edwards soon decided to settle down in Guyana.

He was not captivated by just the sights, sounds, and tastes; however, Colin came as a part of Guyana’s early agricultural venture. “I came to Guyana in 1969 as a VSO with Voluntary Service Overseas to work with the Ministry of Agriculture in the Northwest District of Guyana with the objective of settling farmers through the cooperative system to involve themselves in agricultural activities,” he said.

Building Rock View Lodge
His vision for Rock View Lodge was clear from the beginning. He had visited hotels and lodges around the world, and he wanted to create something different. One of the things that is striking about the Rock View Lodge is how in tune it appears with nature. A series of small lodges and buildings seem to have become one with the neighbouring dark green foliage.

This is because Rock View is a part of the Rupununi, built among the trees. Rock View has a sustainable and environmentally-safe approach, with all natural avenues having been explored. “The prime objective is that our niche market is for community tourism benefit besides, of course, protecting the biodiversity of our rainforest.”

Edwards recognised the need for economic diversification in Indigenous communities as well. One of the reasons that Rock View has become such a big part of the region is its involvement with local communities. Colin and his family work alongside Amerindians to better understand the land and region.

This has translated into people from the surrounding areas working with Rock View Lodge. Colin sees tourism, specifically agro-tourism, as one of the best ways to build and diversify the economies of Rupununi communities. “Our Indigenous people live a lifestyle of subsistence through farming, hunting, and fishing. What we have learned in the Rupununi is that agriculture and tourism are the main sustainable economic activities,” he said.

A family approach to business
What sets Rock View Lodge apart is its approach to staffing. Rock View feels like home, because the people there are like family. “Our staff are not employees; our staff are family. I have a member of staff who’s been working here since Day One, 30 years. Her children, her husband, and the father of that staff were my first foremen. So you create a relationship with people that is not employer-employee. It’s family; it’s a love for each other,” said Colin.

Future vision
Edwards remains optimistic about the future of agro-tourism in Guyana. As steps continue to be taken on the governmental side, Colin continues to work with local leaders to develop agro-tourism in communities. “The sky is the limit. Agro-tourism has an endless horizon of activities to pursue in Guyana and, in particular, the Rupununi. So this is my dream: If we can help others on the way through communities and the private sector with the support of the GTA and the Ministry of Tourism, we will put Guyana foremost in agro-tourism as a niche market,” he said.

Colin is simply someone who saw the beauty of Guyana, and made the bold choice to stay and develop a place where others could come to see the beauty of the Rupununi. As he shared, “Having been brought up in a big city, to learn and understand the happiness and the simplicity of life of people who do not have wealth and material well-being, are as or if not happier than the people who are rich in a different way. This had an incredible impact on me.”