Trip of a lifetime

We just returned from a week at Lubbesrust and it was an experience we will never forget. We booked it through THIRDHOME less than one month before we departed for Botswana, and things went perfectly. Great communication from the hosts, with all the information we needed for the trip. The description and photos of the accommodations were exactly as advertised, and we could not have been more pleased. A personal luxury resort in the middle of Africa with everything taken care of by the staff. Kelly and her team treated us to excellent food every day, kept our rooms clean and stocked with beverages, washed our clothes when needed, and provided anything else we needed. Maifala took us out twice a day on safari and every day was the adventure of a lifetime. He taught us so much about the animals and the area while making every trip enjoyable and fun. We saw every animal that we expected to see and were amazed at how close we could get to their natural habitats. If an African safari is on your bucket list, this could be the place for you. ”

Perfect in every way!

Our two week stay at Lubbesrust was truly the experience of a lifetime, absolutely everything exceeded our expectations! Our accommodations were over the top, comfortable beds, beautifully and thoughtfully furnished, each one of the four private lodges has its own water hole and viewing platform and the outdoor showers are an absolute delight! Maifala our nature guide was very knowledgeable, charming and accommodating in every possible way, Kelly the cook prepared wonderful meals, and the main lodge was a great place to relax and go for a swim. The best option for getting to Lubbesrust Lodge is to fly to Johannesburg and take a morning connecting flight to Gaborone and contract Phalalo to drive you to the lodge, a bit long but pleasant 5 1/2 hour drive on a good quality paved road, but I assure you it is well worth it! (Phalalo’s contact information is in the online Lubbesrust brochure.) Last, but not least, Lubbesrust is an excellent value as compared to other lodges, and we saw all of Botswana’s wildlife except for cape buffalo and hipos which had been sighted by the previous group. ”

Lubbesrust Lodge, Botswana

The Lodge facility is lovely. It is very open and welcoming overlooking a watering hole thatattracts many animals. The staff provides very good service while the guide is forthcoming, knowledgeable and always available for rides or walks. The experience in the safari is unique because there are very few, if any,other vehicles on the reserve. One draw back is that the vehicle must stay on the roads and cannot go after animal sightings not visible from the road. That said we experienced a good variety of sighting including leopards! The food is adequate, just don’t expect anything but ordinary fare.”

The pool is a beautiful infinity design that overlooked the water hole where lots of wildlife could be viewed.

This property was very comfortable and well appointed. It was not close to an international airport, so after landing we spent an additional 9 hours in a transport van to finally arrive at Lubbesrust (literally in the middle of the bush). Upon arrival we were greeted by the entire staff who introduced themselves and welcomed us to the compound. There is a main lodge where all of the meals are served, the pool and a fire pit are also found here. The pool is a beautiful infinity design that overlooked the water hole where lots of wildlife could be viewed. Kelly was the cook, and I just want to say that the butternut squash soup was fantastic! We had one person in our group with a gluten allergy, which she was able to accommodate (note it in the paperwork they send you before you arrive). Breakfast was optional and was serve yourself (cereal and/or yogurt). The other meals and snacks were cooked and provided by Kelly, meaning no work for you! Maifala (pronounced My-fa-la) was our guide for the game hunts and he really knew what he was doing! An excellent tracker and he was very knowledgeable about the plants and animals. He answered all our questions plus some we didn’t ask, but we were always interested in hearing what he had to say. He had a sharp eye, he was able to spot a chameleon in a bush, at night, without the benefit of a flashlight, while driving by it (he backed up to show us) - wow. The days found an easy rhythm with an early morning (6 AM) game hunt followed by lunch, with free time (for a nap!) before the late afternoon game hunt that ended at a beautiful spot for sunset pictures. When we arrived back at the lodge a fire had already been started and drinks were served fireside while the dinner table was set. There were lots of animals to be seen on the game hunts including giraffes, zebra, impala, elephants, wildebeest and Rhinos; did you know a bunch of zebra is called a dazzle? Maifala did. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any of the lions and although we saw the tracks of a hippo we didn’t see that animal in the wild either. It was enjoyable riding around in the safari vehicle, which has no roof and allows you to see everything without restriction. The housing was very modern and well appointed. Each of the minor lodges were meant for 2 people, we stayed in the Matshwane Lodge. It had a small ‘coffee bar’ type kitchen including a refrigerator, hot water kettle and a few dishes for personal use (all the cooking happens at the main lodge). It also had a small sitting area including a comfortable couch overlooking the deck. The bathroom had double sinks and a large soaking tub, a walk-in shower, and an outdoor shower (loved it!). The king bed was very comfortable – we slept great every night. Make sure to bring a type M converter to charge your computer (3 prongs in a triangle shape)! USB ports were next to the beds for smaller electronics. The wifi worked well. You can pack light because the service here is so amazing they actually washed several loads of clothes for us! Each of the smaller lodges have their own deck and a viewing platform; ours overlooked a watering hole; you can see lots of birds and sometimes some of the larger game like zebra and giraffe. We loved our time here and would definitely recommend it to other travelers who are looking for outdoor adventures and viewing wild animals in their natural environment. Be prepared for the long trip to get there, but once you are there it is comfortable and the staff provides outstanding service! If you want an outdoor experience while being pampered by a staff who have thought about your every comfort – this is the place for you! ”