A true bush and game lodge, Dithõlõ – which means ‘place of many kudu’ – is located in an 1100 hectare, malaria-free private game reserve just 60km from Bela Bela. It offers a luxury safari experience through its four-star chalets.
These facilities are complemented by a private lounge, heated pool, bush boma, themed pub, day spa services, wedding venue and fully equipped conference venue, all of which make Dithõlõ ideal for both intimate bush weddings and private corporate teambuilding events. 
Activities on offer include guided game drives on one of the game viewing vehicles through the reserve, which is home to more than 1200 animals, including buffalo, the resident hippos that lounge around in the watering hole just beyond the viewing deck and a large variety of antelope, including sable, and zebra.
The lodge is located just two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Johannesburg and 90 minutes’ drive from Pretoria, positioning it as the perfect getaway for people living in and around these major cities.
Franz Gmeiner, Orion Hotels CEO, says this is the market the lodge will now specifically be looking to tap into. “We want more South Africans to be able to enjoy an authentic, luxury bush experience, so we’ll be running regular specials targeting residents who can’t always afford the dollar prices charged by some private game lodges,” says Gmeiner.
Orion has appointed a professional management couple with extensive hospitality and game industry experience to manage the lodge, and will soon appoint a head chef to the kitchen. Aside from this, all functions at Dithõlõ remain the same.
Dithõlõ Lodge and Wildlife Estate brings to four the number of properties run by Orion Hotels in Limpopo, and diversifies its portfolio in the province, which also includes the five-star Coach House Hotel and Spa near Tzaneen; four-star Euphoria Golf Estate, Hotel & Spa in the Waterberg; and three-star Magoebaskloof Hotel in Magoebaskloof.
The Orion sales executives will market the property together with the other 13 properties that make up the group’s attractive hotel portfolio.
Orion Hotels is continuously on the lookout for more opportunities in the hotel industry via management contracts, leases or outright purchase. Being associated with the listed Orion Real Estate Ltd, the group has a robust balance sheet which sets the platform for dynamic growth.
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