Khutse Game Reserve
Overview
Botswana Parks
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the Botswana & Namibia guide.
Khutse Game Reserve is a popular weekend retreat for Gaborone residents. It is adjacent to Central Kalahari Game Reserve, and it has the same arid habitat. There are no fences between the reserves but wildlife densities are lower in Khutse. This place is more about getting away from the city for a couple of days and getting a taste for the Kalahari than intensive wildlife viewing.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
Common antelope species include springbok and gemsbok. Other animals to look out for are giraffe, wildebeest, kudu and hartebeest. The most common predator is the black-backed jackal, but lion, leopard and cheetah are all present as well. The desert-adapted brown hyena can sometimes be spotted in the early morning or late afternoon.
Scenery
The park is a good example of Kalahari habitats, incorporating grassy plains, pans, dry riverbeds and fossil dunes. The stark scenery is particularly appealing at the end of the day when the sun is low in the sky and the shadows are long.
Weather & Climate
Each year at Khutse is equally divided into a Dry season (April to October) and a Wet season (November to March). Water evaporation in the park accelerates in June, with precipitation at its lowest the following month, and by October the park is crying out for rain. The Wet season begins with the odd shower, but by January, thunderstorms are replenishing the park’s water stocks.
Best Time To Visit
The Wet season (November to March) is the best time for wildlife spotting in Khutse. After the rains have broken, animals flock to the filled-up pans to quench their thirst, which makes for quite a spectacle. This is also the time of year when babies appear, which attracts the attention of local predators.
