Superb safari lodge in Idube Game Reserve, in the west region of Sabi Sands
Lovely open lounge, dining boma, thatched bar, shop, deck, gym, swimming pool
Nine charming chalets and two sumptuous suites
Great game drives, bush walks, village tours
You might be lucky enough to see leopard while out on game drives, as well as a wealth of other wildlife!
All Big Five mammals live in the reserve, as do cheetah, wild dog, giraffe, zebra, and antelopes such as waterbuck, kudu, impala, and nyala.
There is a lot of birdlife too – in total, over 300 species – so if you are a keen birder, do not forget to bring your binocs!
As Idube is a private reserve, the Lodge is able to offer night drives – keep your eyes open for prowling lion, jackals, civets, bushbabies, mongooses, and hippos wallowing in the water.
Walking safaris are available in the morning, providing amazing opportunities to check out all the little plants and insects in Idube, or to follow in the footprints of a large animal such as rhino, in the company of a skilled tracker!
Another way to get close to the wildlife is to go down into the Lodge’s underground hide.
This is near Shadulu Dam, a popular place for a variety of species to quench their thirst!
Finally, Idube Lodge offers village tours, where you can visit the local school and pre-school, enjoy some singing and dancing, watch some food prep, taste some food, and take a trip to the local museum.
Other excursions are possible too, such as elephant education, so do ask us for the latest info!
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
The property stands in the south-east of the Sabi Sand Reserve , within a small area of forest. Visitors opting to land at the nearby airstrip are transferred to the Lodge by Land Rover, driven by a member of staff. Alternatively, you can be picked up from Kruger Mpumalanga Airport, or you can self-drive from Johannesburg or Pretoria, a journey of about five-and-a-half hours. The Lodge is set within its own garden, featuring lawns and tall trees.
The communal buildings are sturdy in style, with brick walls and either thatched or tiled roofs.
Inside the lounge, there is plenty of comfy seating around coffee tables, as well as a cosy fireplace, a few bookshelves, and a satellite TV. The dining room contains upright chairs around chunky wooden tables and some interesting wall art to admire while you tuck in to your meals! Food and drink is also available on the Lodge’s dining deck and in the delightful dining boma. You can head to the outdoor bar as well, to enjoy a drink in a classic safari setting. It is not uncommon for warthogs and nyalas to trot through camp, while the trees attract monkeys and squirrels! The swimming pool, just a short walk from the bar, is also in a fabulous location for watching wildlife. Flanked by sunloungers under parasols, this is the perfect place to cool off in the heat of the day. With a curio shop and gym too, the Lodge is very well appointed overall!
Guest accommodation consists of nine safari chalets and two suites, called the Makubela Suites.
All chalets are positioned in the shade of trees. They have brick walls and tiled roofs. A few steps lead up onto the deck, which is a lovely location for guests to sit and take in views of the reserve. Inside, each chalet is individually decorated, featuring a double bed or twin beds, bedside tables and lighting, a couple of easy chairs and a coffee table, a desk and chair, ample storage space, air conditioning, a fan, tea- and coffee-making facilities, mosquito nets, and mosquito gauze around the windows. The en-suite bathrooms contain a flush toilet, twin washbasins, a bathtub, a shower – and there is an outdoor shower too! The Makubela Suites are also pretty special. Accessed via a wooden walkway, each has an entrance hall, a bedroom and lounge area, and all the amenities of the safari chalets in addition to a mini-bar! The suites have sliding doors that open onto a private patio complete with sunloungers and plunge pool. This is a great spot for viewing the local wildlife.
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