Khutse Game Reserve: A Kalahari Retreat

Khutse Game Reserve, meaning 'place where you can kneel down and drink' in Setswana, offers an authentic Kalahari experience. Established in 1971, it is the second game reserve in Botswana to be established on tribal land. This 2,500 sq km reserve shares an unfenced border with the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) to the north, creating a vast, uninterrupted wilderness. Khutse's landscape features rolling grasslands, dry riverbeds, fossil dunes, and grassed and bare pans, remnants of an ancient river system that once flowed into Lake Makgadikgadi.Khutse is known for its tranquil atmosphere and diverse wildlife. Commonly sighted animals include springbok, gemsbok, giraffe, wildebeest, hartebeest, kudu, black-backed jackal, steenbok, duiker, lion, leopard, cheetah, and the endangered brown hyena. The best time for wildlife viewing is during the wet season (December to March) when animals congregate around the pans. However, the dry season (May to October) offers excellent predator sightings. Game drives are centered around the pans, including Motailane, Moreswa, and Molose.Visitors can explore Khutse on self-drive safaris and camp at designated campsites. There are several loop trails, including a shorter 24 km northern loop around Sekhushwe and Mohurusile pans, and a longer drive to Moreswa Pan (64 km from the headquarters, or a 120 km loop). The San and Bakgalagadi peoples live in small villages on the reserve's edge, offering opportunities to purchase traditional arts and crafts. Khutse is easily accessible from Gaborone, making it a popular weekend retreat.