Mokolodi Nature Reserve
Overview
Botswana Parks
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the Botswana & Namibia guide.
Mokolodi Nature Reserve is a small, private reserve on the outskirts of Gaborone. Day visitors can drive themselves in the reserve, or book a two-hour, open-vehicle day or night drive. Tourism is only one of Mokolodi’s operations; it also has a white rhino breeding program and a wildlife sanctuary that supports sick or injured wildlife. Activities include rhino and giraffe tracking.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
The reserve is home to a variety of animals, some of which are semi-tame. Wildlife includes zebra, hippo, kudu, impala and waterbuck. The star animals in the park are white rhino and giraffe – both can be tracked as an activity and a drive through an enclosure with two cheetah can also be booked. Night drives provide a chance to see a brown hyena or honey badger.
Scenery
Just 12km/7mi from Gaborone, the reserve is a nice retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. There is a dam on the reserve, and rolling hills extend to the horizon.
Weather & Climate
Mokolodi enjoys a rather pleasant winter (May to September), with hardly any rain and plenty of sun. It does get chilly at night and early in the morning, though, so warm clothing is a must if you’re going wildlife watching at these times. Summer (October to April) is a wet and hot affair, made bearable mainly because of the low humidity.
Best Time To Visit
You can go wildlife watching in Mokolodi at practically any time of year. The weather is rarely extreme, and the reserve is small enough to be easily navigable. It’s only when the rains arrive (October to April) that game drives may be challenged by the odd downpour and degraded roads. Spotting animals is easier in the drier months, however, when the undergrowth thins out.
