Mokolodi Nature Reserve
Overview
Botswana Parks
Anthony is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Botswana.
Mokolodi Nature Reserve is a small, private park on the outskirts of the capital city of Gaborone. When compared with other Botswana parks and reserves, it’s nothing special, but it’s worth visiting if you’re in the area. Day visitors can drive themselves in the reserve, or book a two-hour, open-vehicle day or night game drive. Mokolodi also has a white rhino breeding program and a wildlife sanctuary that supports sick or injured animals.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
The reserve is home to a variety of animals, many of which are semi-tame. Wildlife includes zebra, hippo, kudu, gemsbok, impala and waterbuck. The star animals in the park are white rhino and giraffe.
Scenery
While Mokolodi may lack the natural drama of parks and reserves in northern, central and southern Botswana, its location just 12km/7mi from Gaborone makes it a nice retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city. The scenic highlights here are a lake on the reserve and the rolling hills that extend to the horizon.
Activities
Mokolodi offers a first-class range of activities, as long as you book in advance. Both white rhino and giraffe tracking are possible. You can also drive through the cheetah enclosure, followed by an educational talk with a ranger. Other activities include night drives, which arguably offer better wildlife sightings than are possible by day (including serval, brown hyena and honey badger). You can also enjoy horseback riding, guided walks, and mountain biking along three designated trails.
Weather & Climate
Mokolodi enjoys a rather pleasant winter (April to October), 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 wildlife watching at these times. Summer (November to March) is a wet and hot affair, made bearable mainly because of the low humidity.
Best Time To Visit
You can usually watch wildlife in Mokolodi throughout the year. The weather is rarely extreme, and the reserve is small enough to be easily navigable. It’s only when the rains arrive (November to March) that game drives may be challenged by the odd downpour and muddy roads. Spotting animals is easier in the dry months (April to October), however, when the undergrowth thins out. Note that the reserve sometimes closes for a few weeks during the wetter months, between December and March, so check before driving out there then.
