Africa Travel Week
Ritsako Game Lodge

Ritsako Game Lodge

Ritsako game lodge, an oasis of luxury, peace and tranquillity is located in the heart of the Dinokeng Game Reserve. If you are looking for a getaway, conferencing facility, wedding venue or team building the lodge has an array of offerings.

Q&A with Poppy Zinyana 

How did the idea for your business come about?  

I fell in love with the Dinokeng Game Reserve on a private visit and it happened that there was a property for sale and went for it. 

How did you come up with the name for your company / experience? 

It’s a Tsonga dialect of the word happiness. It brought joy to my ears, and I named it accordingly. 

Who is your ideal customer and why? 

Anyone, no matter the age, who wants a quick city escape to an oasis of luxury of peace and tranquillity in the midst of the Big Five. 

Why do you offer the very best experience / product for your customers? 

We want our customers to experience true hospitality and continually return as we treat them as an extension of the Ritsako family. 

What is your greatest hope for your business? 

That it gets economically revived and continues to grow at the rate which it was growing pre-pandemic. That the product makes its mark in the game reserve and continues to be known locally and beyond the borders. 

What has been the most satisfying achievement in your business? 

To win the provincial Lilizela Award in our first year of operation. We got to showcase the product offering at major local industry events including two international shows and were also able to stay open in challenging times. 

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who want to get into tourism? 

  • Have passion for the industry and your product 
  • Networking is key 
  • Offer an amazing experience that will make people remember how you made them feel 

If you could have a do-over, what would you do differently? 

I would build an amazing deck area from which my travellers can view the big Five and also have an inhouse Spa facility. I would love to have the capacity to offer our own game drives. 

Africa Travel Week

Africa Travel Week (ATW) focuses on inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism, luxury travel, LGBTQ+ travel and the MICE/business travel sector as well as travel technology. Shows include: ILTM Africa, WTM Africa, EQUAL Africa, ibtm AFRICA, Travel Forward, Sports & Events Tourism Exchange and African Tourism Investment Summit.