Kruger to Chobe

Game drives go out in the early morning and late afternoons in open safari vehicles. Our guides love to share their extensive knowledge, and work closely with our Shangaan trackers to get the best sightings. There is great communication between the two and our trackers are encouraged to share their knowledge of local uses of herbs and trees, animals and birds.

We can follow the Big 5 off road in careful, controlled circumstances, an experience guests love. Guests are able to get really close to the animals and experience truly fantastic photographic opportunities. Some of the highlights of these drives is the coffee stop in the morning and sundowner time in the evening, when guests can stretch their legs, admire their surroundings and recall exciting moments from the safari.

Lukimbi's walks offer the opportunity to look at and learn about the smaller things and just to appreciate the special smell of the African bush, listening to the calls of the many species of birds. Walks are generally taken after breakfast and guests are always accompanied by an armed ranger. It is true wilderness as the 15 000 ha area is utilised by Lukimbi Safari Lodge's guests alone.

After breakfast, you drive with your guide just 10 to15 minutes to the Crocodile River (located within the Kruger National Park, where we are the only Lodge to be granted access). This makes for a very personal and exclusive experience.

The Crocodile River is magnificent. The landscape dips into bold granite rocks flanking the water, and the sounds you will hear are as impressive as the sight. A cacophony of birds singing, tweeting and calling, coupled with running water and reeds blowing in the wind, with hippos honking loudly in the foreground all make for a heady combination. You will be entertained by crocodiles sunning themselves on the riverbank and the general game that comes to the water’s edge to drink.

It’s a beautiful experience sitting in silence, breathing fresh air and forging a very personal connection with the wild – and yourself…. This walk is more about appreciating the environment of the Crocodile River, and is less about physical exertion.

It is generally warm enough to swim 10 months of the year, the brave will use the pools all year round.
The main pool has a refreshing waterfall and a spectacular view of the bush and river bed.

If you enjoy a little pampering and ‘TLC’, reserve a treatment in our Spa (including beauty & grooming, facials and massages). We use a range of products by a South African company which uses only organic ingredients.

Our gym is stocked with a range of essential equipment, and the view over the river and pool from the gym is motivating.

Our charming Baroque-styled chapel may be booked by couples looking for an extra special wedding venue.

Alternatively, couples might choose to be married under a Jackalberry tree, serenaded by an African choir. The bridal party is driven to the wedding site by safari vehicle - certainly an unusual way to make an appearance.

At Lukimbi, we are able to arrange the formal side of proceedings, assisting with the legal documentation on the day.

And when it comes to theming, flowers, your wedding cake, DJ and gourmet cuisine - everything is in the hands of professionals.

Lukimbi Safari Lodge accommodates 32 people. Suites must be reserved for a minimum of 2 days for weddings of over 6 people.

If you have been dreaming of an unusual honeymoon destination, Lukimbi is the place. We offer the romance of a suite with a kingsize bed, draped by a high canopy of gauzy netting.

Celebrate your marriage with a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine on your private deck overlooking the river. You will be served a superb dinner for two at one of our mystery venues.

Enjoy game drives and walks in the company of other guests, but back at the lodge you will be given the opportunity to enjoy it all alone, or in the company of staff and guests. We will arrange it just the way you'd like to remember your honeymoon forever.

Please remember to advise us that it is your honeymoon when booking, when possible, you will be given a free upgrade to one of our ultra-luxury suites, complete with private pool. Otherwise book one of the premier suites in advance.

For children under 12, babysitting is available from 07h00

The Safari Play room is available from 08h00 - 13h00 and again during the evening game drives (15h15 - 19h30)

A supervisor is present at all times. Safari beds and cots are available on request.

Activities include;
* Game drives
* Bush walks
* Plaster casting tracks
* Arts and Crafts
* Treasure hunts
* Interactive sessions with rangers
* Special boma dinners
* Kids' dinners and picnics.

All children love to swim; for the younger ones there is a special shallow kids pool.

The older ones will enjoy the water flowing across the rocks, where it finally drops into a waterfall. There they can enjoy the adventure of sitting behind the cascading water. If they are lucky, they will be able to watch elephants drinking from the pools in the river bed nearby.

Families with children under 8 years must reserve their own private vehicle.

Guests staying at Lukimbi are permitted to play golf at the nearby prestigious Leopard Creek Country Club.

Designed by Gary Player, this is one of South Africa's best known golf courses and only guests from a few select establishments can play there.

Transfers to and from Leopard Creek can be arranged and the transfer time is only 45 minutes through the Kruger Park.

Reservations need to be made in advance through our reservations office.

There is an early morning game drive and a late afternoon / evening game drive over an area of approximately 24700 acres (10 000 hectares).

Guests can expect to see some, if not all of the Big 5, as well as many other species of game and some of the over 300 species of birds.

Animals are usually seen from very close quarters, the sighting is professionally handled and controlled. Drives are normally 3 to 4 hours long, with a stop along the way for tea, coffee or sundowners. Idube is particularly well known for the frequent and excellent sightings of leopards - a photographer's dream come true.

After breakfast, a morning walk with a professional guide is offered. As well as viewing some of our usual game, this is a great opportunity to view smaller creatures close-up as well as many beautiful African birds. Otherwise guests can relax around the pool or on their decks.

Idube is a birder’s paradise, both at the lodge itself and on safaris and bush walks. There are over 400 species of birds for guests to discover and photograph throughout the reserve.

During your stay, you might be lucky enough to see ostriches or the endangered ground hornbill. Our visitors are also fascinated by our many species of raptors including vultures and eagles.

Idube Game Reserve is home to the Big Five—lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo, with thrilling leopard sightings often being the highlight of our visitor’s stays.

An extensive array of wildlife can seen throughout Idube’s traversable area and these include giraffe, impalas, zebras, wildebeest, hyaenas and jackals, to name but a few. Both crocodiles and hippos move long distances to find new dams or to move to a river, so it’s always a nice surprise when they are spotted.

We have an extensive array of experiences for our guests to enjoy, including romantic dinners for couples, unique group events, fine dining which is highly reviewed on TripAdvisor, a swing bridge leading to a hide where you can view animals, pools for you to cool off in, a gym, spa, a lovely bar with an extensive South African and International wine list, lounges and gazebo to relax in, as well as a firepit to gather around, and curio shop. Our website at idube.com will give you even more information.

No Chobe safari is complete without experiencing the beauty of the Chobe River and its incredible wildlife by boat.

The riverboats are specifically designed to ensure each passenger can take in the magnificent Chobe views in complete comfort from anywhere on the boat. Owing to the flexibility in seating arrangements and the flat deck, the boats are ideal for keen wildlife photographers, with ample space for equipment and the freedom to photograph from any angle.

Unlike any other water-based activity in Botswana, the game viewing while on a river safari in Chobe is unsurpassed anywhere in Botswana. Elephants line the water’s edge, hippo congregate in lagoons, hundreds of antelope and giraffe make their way to the water and sightings of predators along the river banks are common.

All of the boats at Chobe Game Lodge are solar-electric powered boats – a clean and quiet way to enjoy a boat safari and another first for tourism in Africa.

Owing to the location of Chobe Game Lodge inside the Chobe National Park, early-morning game drives set off as soon as the park opens, giving you the best chance of tracking predators while they are still active. The afternoon drives depart the lodge in the late afternoon (the exact time is dependent on the season), only returning at park closure time after sunset, thus maximising the time you spend out in the park to enjoy those special sightings.

The drives follow the course of the Chobe River as your experienced guide interprets the bush signs and tracks in search of the resident wildlife. Elephant encounters are common and huge herds of buffalo abound. The ever-present impala and the majestic giraffe are both common residents, while sightings of the puku antelope are also on offer. Predators are plentiful in the northern region of the Chobe National Park, and excellent sightings of lion, wild dog and leopard are to be had.

The Chobe Game Lodge vehicles are open 4WD game viewers redesigned to make your trip comfortable and your viewing experience astonishing. Included in the fleet are several silent, CO2 emission-free electric vehicles designed to further enhance your Chobe safari.

Birding is spectacular with Schalows turaco, barred owlet and white-browed coucal resident in the gardens as well as rosythroated longclaw, western-banded snake-eagle and hooded vulture among a few of the 450 species of the Chobe region.