Say hello to Stranger at Lukimbi Lodge

Stranger's friend.

Not even five minutes into our drive we see a female leopard along the road. Nick is beside himself with excitement. He behaves like someone at the airport welcoming back a lover from a long trip away. We watch as she ignores him and our stationary vehicle before entering the long grass.

A few moments later and we're in the thick of a large breeding herd of elephants. Nick is sitting on the door again decoding their behaviour. "See, when they lift their foot like that they're listening to us" he explains that their feet are so sensitive to vibrations when touching the ground they pick them up for some quiet. A youngster decides to compete with Stranger who is sitting on the jump seat of our vehicle. The young elephant eyeballs him and flaps his ears at Stranger. Stranger flaps his arms back. For the moment Stranger retains the upper hand. The nine of us begin to breathe again.

You won't have to worry about the burn

The 16 suites are very spacious and comfortable.

The Kruger National Park has an eight-year controlled burn cycle. Luckily for you, Lukimbi won't be burned for another eight years. The scorched earth and the smell of smoke detract from our experience of being in an area that is typically pristine.

Lukimbi lodge is a five hour drive from Johannesburg. We met South African couples who'd dashed in for the weekend and others who had combined a conference with a bush experience. They're also set up for weddings and have a chapel and a wedding/conference organizer on the staff.

There's nothing better after a day checking out the locals than relaxing in a hot bath.

We were unexpectedly impressed by the food. The South African chef had worked in ski resorts in Switzerland and the cuisine at breakfast and lunch was a delicious and healthy Mediterranean buffet. Rather than serve a substantial afternoon tea as most lodges do, a late lunch is served at 2pm - and that makes sense to me. Aside from the boma braai evening, dinner was an elegant affair with multi-course set menus. There's a special wine list (recognised by Diner's Club for two years in the running with a Platinum award) and consequently a well stocked cellar.

A little too 'Lost City'?

This is only five hours or so from Joburg.

Although I liked the triple-volume main sitting area, I found the architectural and decorating style at Lukimbi too similar to the faux-rock-look of The Lost City. The 16 suites are very spacious and comfortable with a feature bath and large windows from which the valley and river below is wonderful to watch.

While many lodges offer a fully inclusive rate, and Lukimbi is unquestionably more affordable than the high-end deluxe lodges, (according to their website, low-season rates from R7000 per suite which increase to R9000 during peak season) after the final tally of all drinks (including water and soft drinks) is billed for, it isn't as a great a deal as expected.

There are child-minders as well as programmes designed for children.

For more information go to www.lukimbi.com or call +27 (0) Lukimbi Safari Lodge 11-431-1120.