Overview

Lubbesrust Farm is one of Southern Africa's best-kept secrets — a 20,712-hectare fenced private wilderness in Botswana's Tuli Block that offers something almost impossible to find in today's safari industry: complete, uninterrupted exclusivity. When you book Lubbesrust, the entire property is yours. No other guests, no other vehicles, no shared game drives. Just you, your group, and over 50,000 acres of pristine, untouched bushveld.

The Tuli Block is a strip of freehold farmland running along the northern bank of the Limpopo River in eastern Botswana, where three countries — Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe — converge. This is ancient land, shaped by the great rivers that have carved their way through sandstone and basalt over millions of years. Lubbesrust sits within this corridor, its 20,712 hectares encompassing a remarkable diversity of habitats: mopane woodland, riverine forest, open grasslands, rocky kopjes, and seasonal pans that attract concentrations of game throughout the year.

What makes Lubbesrust truly exceptional is the combination of genuine wilderness and genuine luxury. This is not a game farm or a converted cattle ranch — it is a fully fenced wilderness area that has been managed for conservation, with natural game populations roaming freely across the property. Yet the lodge facilities rival anything in the region, with luxurious accommodation, superb food, and attentive, personalised service delivered by a dedicated team who are there solely for your group.

For more on the Lubbesrust experience, read our Lubbesrust Farm blog post.

Wildlife & Activities

Lubbesrust's 20,712 hectares support a healthy, naturally balanced population of game. Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, kudu, impala, waterbuck, and eland move freely across the property, along with warthog, steenbok, and duiker. Predators include leopard, brown hyena, and jackal. The property is home to a variety of smaller species too — from aardvark and porcupine to honey badger and African wild cat — the kind of animals you rarely see on busier reserves because they are shy, nocturnal, and easily disturbed by traffic.

The exclusivity of Lubbesrust transforms every game drive into a private experience. Your guide tailors each outing to your group's interests, spending as long as you like at a sighting without any pressure to move on for other vehicles. Want to spend an hour watching a herd of giraffe browse at sunset? At Lubbesrust, that is not just possible — it is the norm. The absence of other guests means the animals are calm and undisturbed, resulting in more natural behaviour and more intimate sightings.

Guided bush walks are a highlight, led by experienced trackers who read the landscape the way most of us read a book. Walking through the mopane woodland, following fresh leopard tracks along a dry river bed, pausing to examine a dung beetle or identify a raptor overhead — this is safari at its most elemental and rewarding.

Birding at Lubbesrust is exceptional. The variety of habitats across the property supports a rich diversity of species, from large raptors like martial eagle and brown snake eagle to colourful bee-eaters, rollers, and barbets. The riverine areas are particularly productive, with kingfishers, herons, and African fish eagles regularly sighted. Serious birders will appreciate the quiet — without vehicle noise and tourist chatter, you hear birds that you would miss entirely on a busier reserve.

Stargazing at Lubbesrust is in a class of its own. With no light pollution for hundreds of kilometres in any direction, the night sky here is breathtaking. The Milky Way arcs overhead with a clarity and intensity that most people have never experienced, and on clear nights the sky feels close enough to touch. Several guests have described it as the single most memorable part of their stay.

The pace at Lubbesrust is entirely your own. Sleep in and take a late morning drive. Spend the afternoon by the pool. Head out for a sundowner drive and stay out until the stars come out. There is no schedule, no programme, no pressure to be anywhere. The property and its staff exist entirely for you.

Lodges & Accommodation

Lubbesrust's lodge is designed as an exclusive-use property, meaning your group has the run of the entire facility. The accommodation is luxurious without being ostentatious — think polished concrete, natural stone, large glass panels framing the bush, and deep verandahs where you can watch the sunset with a drink in hand.

Spacious, air-conditioned suites feature en-suite bathrooms with both indoor and outdoor showers, quality linens, and views across the property. The main lodge area includes a lounge, dining area, bar, and swimming pool, all designed to maximise the connection between indoor comfort and the wild landscape outside. Meals are prepared by a dedicated chef and can be served anywhere — in the dining room, on the deck, around a fire in the boma, or at a bush dinner set up in a clearing under the stars.

The exclusive-use model means that every aspect of the experience is tailored to your group. Meal times, game drive schedules, dietary requirements, special celebrations — everything is arranged around your preferences. For families with young children, this flexibility is invaluable. For couples or small groups seeking absolute privacy, it is unmatched.

Getting There by Air

Lubbesrust is remote by design — that remoteness is central to its appeal. By road from Johannesburg, the journey takes six hours or more, involving the N1 north through Limpopo, a border crossing into Botswana at either Pont Drift or Martin's Drift, and then rough gravel roads through the Tuli Block to the property. It is a full day of travel, and the border crossing alone can consume an hour or more depending on the day.

By charter flight, you are there in approximately 1.5 hours. Lubbesrust has its own private airstrip on the property, which means your aircraft lands on the farm itself. From touchdown to a drink on the lodge verandah is a matter of minutes. There is no transfer, no road journey, no transition — just a short walk from the strip to the lodge while the bush unfolds around you.

Angel Gabriel Aeronautics operates direct charter flights from Johannesburg (OR Tambo and Lanseria) to Lubbesrust's private strip. Our fleet includes aircraft perfectly suited to the farm's airstrip, from single-engine turboprops for smaller groups to larger aircraft for family parties. We handle the flight planning, border clearances, and all logistics — you simply arrive at the airport and we take care of the rest.

The fact that you fly directly into Botswana eliminates the border crossing entirely. No queues, no vehicle documentation, no waiting. Immigration is handled as part of the charter process, and you clear formalities on arrival at the airstrip with a minimum of fuss. For many guests, this alone is reason enough to fly.

Why Fly Private to Lubbesrust

Lubbesrust is the kind of destination that exists precisely because it is hard to reach. Its remoteness ensures its exclusivity, and its exclusivity is its greatest asset. But remoteness by road and remoteness by air are very different propositions. A six-hour drive with a border crossing is a deterrent. A 90-minute flight to a private airstrip is an adventure.

Flying private to Lubbesrust is not just about saving time — although you save an entire day in each direction. It is about arriving in the right frame of mind. Step off a small aircraft onto a bush airstrip, breathe in the warm Tuli air, hear the call of a francolin in the scrub, and you are immediately present in a way that six hours on the N1 simply cannot deliver.

For groups booking the property for a special occasion — a milestone birthday, an anniversary, a family reunion — the charter flight becomes part of the experience. The excitement of flying over the Limpopo River, watching the landscape shift from farmland to wild bush, and then circling over the property before landing on the private strip sets the tone for everything that follows.

Lubbesrust also pairs naturally with neighbouring Mashatu Game Reserve for a multi-destination Tuli Block itinerary. Spend three nights at Lubbesrust for the exclusivity and intimate game viewing, then hop across to Mashatu for the big elephant herds and the photographic hides. We can build the itinerary seamlessly, with short inter-reserve flights or ground transfers arranged to maximise your time in the bush.

Request a quote for your Lubbesrust charter, or explore our full range of charter services to plan your exclusive Tuli Block safari.