Home > Khutse Game Reserve
Khutse Game Reserve is a 2,500 square kilometers and neighbours the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Khutse Game Reserve was opened in 1971, on Bakwena tribal land. Being close to Gaborone, the Khutse Game Reserve is a popular weekend destination for local visitors. The area is characterized by fragile vegetation, and undulating plains of dry Kalahari bush savannah. This meant there was hardly any human habitation in the areas. Those who did reside in the area were hunters and gatherers for food. Khutse is a protected area where development has been kept to a minimum and where the wilderness atmosphere has been carefully preserved. Khutse is known for its peace and quiet as well as for its bird life with over 150 different species having been recorded.
Access to the Khutse Game Reserve:
From Gaborone, the Khutse Game Reserve is approximately 210 km from the city. Driving is on varying road conditions and it can take up to 4 hours to drive. The first 50 km from Gaborone are on good tarred roads, to Molepolole, where you turn right following signes to Letlhakeng. Drive 61 km too Letlhakeng where the tarred road ends at the traffic circle. Follow the green sign to Khutse on a sandy road. Please note that a 4×4 vehicle is necessary as the sand is loose and deeply rutted, particularly during the dry season from May to November. About 25 km from Letlahkeng is a village called Khudemelapye, where the feeling of an oasis is given due to the fine trees. Drive for another 36 km to the last village, Salajwe, before reaching Khutse. Basic supplies can be purchased here. Please continue to follow the green Khutse sings. Upon reaching the gate of the Game Reserve you need to check in and pay national park fees. Please note that there are no filling stations or shops within the Game Reserve. Please make sure you have enough fuel with you, as well as enough food and drinking water. Non drinking water can be obtained from the wildlife camp.
Wildlife:
Khutse Game Reserve has an extensive mineralized pan system which provides an important habitat for wildlife. Herbivores are attracted to graze on the grasses of the pans and drink the mineralized water during the rainy season and to lick salt during the dry season.
Most types of desert herbivores can be seen here but they are mostly found around the pans or at Molose Pan where water is pumped from a borehole. Boreholes have been established at certain points within the reserve as a form of attracting the wildlife to stay in the area throughout the year. These herbivores in turn attract predators such as lion, cheetah, leopard and hyena.
Visitors to Khutse should not expect to see large concentrations of game, however, game that can been seen are giraffe, gemsbok, red hartebeest, eland, kudu, wildebeest, springbok, steenbok, grey duiker, lion, leopard, cheetah, brown hyena, black backed jackal, bat-eared fox and wild dog as well as other smaller animals. There is a wide range of birdlife from ostrich and kori bustard to smaller birds. Enough birdlife to keep the avid birder busy.
Accommodation:
There is 1 lodge situated just inside the Khutse Game Reserve very close to the entrance gate of the park. The lodge is called Khutse Lodge.
There are public camp sites, some of which have pit latrines, and the others not.
Camp sites within the Khutse Game Reserve:
o Khutse I and Khutse II Pans:
Main concentration of camp sites are grouped here between the 2 pans. Communal camping ground with a centrally placed pit latrine.
o Moreswe Pan:
4 Camp sites with pit latrine and a small saline waterhole
o Mahurushele:
1 Camp Site near the edge of the pan and has no facilities
o Sekushuwe Pan:
1 Camp site under a large camel thorn acacia, and has no facilities
o Khakhe Pan:
4 Camp sites on the dune overlooking the pan, and has no facilities
o Molose Waterhole: 3 Camp sites with no facilities
o Moresave Pan
*Please note that reservations for public camping sites must be made with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks.
Their contact details are as follows:
Maun office:
Tel: (+267) 6861 265
Fax: (+267) 6861 264
Gaborone office:
Tel: (+267) 318 0774
Fax: (+267) 318 0775
When you travel between Molose Waterhole and Moreswer Pan you will come across a sign that appears in the middle of nowhere. This is the point of intersection with the Tropic of Capricorn.
Notes:
o When camping, please make sure you burn all litter that can be burnt.
o Litter that cannot be burnt, please take with you and deposit at the Wildlife Camp upon your exit, if possible.
o When having made a fire, please bury the ashes.
o When driving in a national park, please drive only on the tracks.
o Do not go off road.
o No night drives are permitted within a national park.
o Please camp only at designated campsites.
o Consideration for other peoples as well as for the environment should be of paramount concern