About Lush Private Lodge

Lush is a Lupini family-owned and managed boutique private game lodge, set within the Black Rhino Reserve of the greater Pilanesberg National Park and run on Italian hospitality, offering luxury accommodation, dining, and safari experiences.

Lush, tucked into a wooded hillside, holds you in the bush and in the moment. Five individual, luxury suites afford the privacy of home, while the main lodge, run on Italian hospitality, ensures you are very well taken care of. Life in an unspoilt wilderness, free of everyday concerns, creates a sense of wholeness. All at once you are in tune with the beat of the wild, belonging back in nature.

Lush is set on Black Rhino Game Reserve – a private concession within the malaria-free Pilanesberg National Park. Traversing rights over the 55 00ha (135 000ac) assures guests an intimate – and unique – safari experience, with the chance to see all of the Big Five and the endangered African wild dog.

The Lodge Overview

Lush is a contemporary lodge, shaped around the environment. Minimalistic décor and natural finishes put the focus on the view, at once drawing guests to outdoor living spaces.|3 Bush-facing Suites and 2 Mountain-facing Suites, designed with privacy and every comfort in mind, each include: an emperor-sized bed (convertible to a ¾-bed set); pause area (incl. Smeg minibar and Nespresso coffee machine); in-room freestanding bath; en-suite shower room; open-air shower; range of deluxe body products; furnished deck; and private splash pool|Main guest area, run on traditional Italian hospitality, with: a bar; open-plan dining/ lounge area; outdoor lounge; and wrap-around viewing/dining deck • African boma, for social outdoor dinners, with: a barbeque; central firepit; and dining tables|Lush Boutique, with a range of select items – including the lodge’s blend of fairtrade coffee – for guests to take home something of their time here

*Please note: only children 10 years and older are welcome; age restriction is revisable if the lodge is booked out exclusively.

THE SUITES – LUXURY IN THE BUSH

Choose from three Bush-Facing and two Mountain-Facing Suites, distinguished only by their views. Covered walkways lead to each, interspersed between the trees and with their own private entrances. Wilderness-inspired interiors, innovative use of space, and extended fold-back glass doors mean you feel immersed in nature even when in your suite. Their décor gives a nod to the Lupini’s Italian heritage, though much of the furnishing is local, supporting South African artisans. Designed with every comfort in mind, your Suite is not simply a base from which to explore the surrounds, but a living space.

Room Features

• Emperor-sized bed, convertible to ¾-bed set, with down duvet and pillows
• Pause area with well-stocked Smeg minibar, and Nespresso machine and coffee pods
• In-room, free-standing bath with a view
• Walk-in rain shower with botanical-infused body products
• Open-air shower made private by curved walls and bushveld foliage
• Bathrobes of terry cotton and full-length
• Hairdryer with two speed and three temperature settings
• Air-conditioning, personally adjustable
• Private splash pool and deck, with cushioned loungers and two-seater table

About Pilanesberg National Park

The Black Rhino Game Reserve is a private concession situated within the malaria-free greater Pilanesberg National Park (55 000ha/135 900ac). The park, encircled by the hills of a volcanic ring-dyke complex and containing both Kalahari and Lowveld biomes, is a wilderness Eden. Nearly all animal species endemic to Southern Africa are to be found here.

The development of the park is considered one of the most ambitious projects of its kind anywhere in the world. It began with Operation Genesis in 1979, which game-fenced the area and reintroduced long-vanished wildlife. Today, Pilanesberg is home to over 7 000 animals – including all of the Big Five, 25 other mammal species, 350-plus kinds of birds, and innumerable reptile and insect species.

As a guest of Lush, you are assured a private – and unique – safari experience, with the rare opportunity to possibly see the unique black rhino. The lodge has traversing access to the entire Pilanesberg National Park, including the Black Rhino Game Reserve and the park’s limited-access Wilderness Area – established for the protection and breeding of this critically endangered animal, threatened by poaching.

Other successful park conservation initiatives are the Brown Hyena Project and Cheetah Project. The brown hyena is classified near threatened and is at risk due to the mistaken belief that they are harmful to livestock. The cheetah is currently classified vulnerable ­– though there is call for its reclassification as endangered – and is under threat from poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.

Lodge Features

Additional Activities

Lodge activities:

• Twice-daily safari game drives, with coffee/sundowner stops.

Nearby activities:

• Pilanesberg hot-air balloon safaris; golf at Sun City’s championship Gary Player and Lost City golf courses. (Arranged on a request basis only and attract an additional cost)