Bimichi Eco Lodge

Nov 05, 2023 Features / Columnists, News, Waterfalls Magazine

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– a tourism destination borne out of university field trips  

Waterfalls Magazine – As Guyana celebrates Tourism Awareness month, a new tourist destination within driving distance from the capital city has opened its doors, offering visits scenic views and experiences to remember while connecting with nature.

Bimichi Eco Lodge which sits at the village of St. Cuthbert’s Mission off the Soesdyke-Linden Highway has been in operation since 2014 and came into fruition after several visits following field visits by students of the University of Guyana. The lodge offers visitors a host of activities including canoeing, archery, artisanal crafts and unique opportunities to connect with nature.

Abigail Ally, who runs the facility along with her parents, told The Waterfalls that the lodge has its origins around 2014 when students would camp out in the area at her parent’s residence where there was a benab. At the time, a lecturer who led the students on a trip mentioned the idea of a lodge to her parents. “ For students who want to do field trips, it was an opportunity to go to another place to escape the city and two, its accessibility makes it easy to visit,” Ally said, noting that the 2014 visits of the students was significant to the project’s fruition. “From time to time, they would make a field trip to the lodge,” Ally said.

She said too that her mother and father, who worked in the nursing and forestry sectors for more than 30 years each, had attained retirement and as such, the project was ideal for the duo to explore.

Ally said that it is a family-oriented project and she noted that her personal change of career and academic plans contributed to the project’s birth.

She recounted that she was pursuing studies at the University of Guyana when she had a change of heart and decided to return to St. Cuthbert’s Village where she was born and raised. She said she spent some three to four months reflecting on life and while there, she received a call about a job in the aviation sector at Air Services Limited (ASL).

Ally said her cousin had applied for the job; however, she was not successful. “My cousin told them about me and then former general manager, the late Fazal Khan offered me the job,” she said.

She recalled starting the job on April 1, 2004 and she noted that she worked in a junior role at Air Services Limited.  While at work, Ally said that she thought about pursuing studies at the University of Guyana once more. This time, she decided to pursue studies in the field of tourism and graduated successfully in 2014.

Ally then started her own family and she decided to spend quality time with her daughter instead of sending her off to play school. She said that it was around that time that the university students were making visits to St. Cuthbert’s Village.

Building a lodge 

 Ally recalled the first batch of students camped out under tarpaulins during their first trip to the area. However, to make them more comfortable, she and her parents decided to construct a lodge, which she described as a small building with three rooms; two single rooms and one double room. The building accommodates eight persons.

She said there were hammocks for visitors as well. She said as time passed, they constructed another building since the calls started to become frequent as people had an interest in overnight trips and making day travels to the community. “In total, we have seven rooms and we can accommodate 16 guests for overnight trips and 30 guests for day trips,” she said.

Ally said she has been utilizing her tourism study knowledge to develop the business along with key inputs from her parents, Amanda and Joshua Mahadeo as well as her husband, captain Mohammed ‘Joey’ Ally.

‘Bimichi’

The business was registered in 2018 and received their tour operator licence in 2021 from the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

She said the name ‘Bimichi is an Arawak word meaning hummingbird. She noted that her grandfather was part of a guitar band many years ago and his “call name” was ‘Hummingbird.’ As such, the family decided to relive his memorable time by utilizing the name for the business.

Ally noted that she has been taking part in training sessions with the GTA and she noted that one of the highlights of the business occurred in 2021 when the tourism body launched Tourism Awareness Month at the lodge.

In terms of visitors, Ally said each year around July, people would make bookings for the highly anticipated heritage day event at the village in September. The business is usually booked out weeks in advance, she noted, given the popularity of that day at the village when hundreds of visitors would converge there.

Ally said she manages the social media accounts of the business from the city and she would try her best to accompany visitors to the village although this can be a challenge given her day-to-day work and family commitments.

In future, she said the lodge will host a ‘Pakuri Fin and Feathers’ adventure event as well as bird watching activities sometime this month. “This would be a new package where visitors   can experience birding, fishing and boat tours,” she said.

In addition, the lodge plans to host culture-based events as well as more recreation activities to boost its already packed calendar. “One of the plans I have for the business also is for it to operate in a sustainable way and to support community development in our village,” Ally said.

Ally said too that given its roots, the lodge will host visits by university students at its farm where there are over 40 species of trees. “So for university students,  it is an education tour and there is much for them to learn, “ she added.

She said she is usually touched by the feedback given by visitors, both in person and in the lodge’s registry. “That makes you want to do more and to just keep going and improving the product and serviceability,” the excited Ally added.

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• Bimichi Eco Lodge, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, Tourism Awareness month, University of Guyana, visitors

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