Location: Central Botswana
Area: 2500 km
Khutse Game Reserve is a protected area in central Botswana just outside of the nation's capital. The name Khutse Game Reserve is derived from local native Sekwena language (local dialect of Tswana) word "Khutse". It is translated as "where one kneels to drink". Khutse Game Reserve covers an area of 2500 square kilometers. Khutse Game Reserve was formed in 1971 by the government that nationalized this dry and largely uninhabited (by humans) land.
Khutse borders the Central Kalahari National Park to the north, and there are no fences between the two, allowing animals to roam freely. The landscape is typical of the Kalahari: rolling grasslands, petrified dunes, dry riverbeds and salt pans (pans) that only fill with water after heavy rains. The park is part of an ancient river system that once flowed north-east, feeding the prehistoric Makgadikgadi Lake. Today, all that remains of this system are dry valleys and picturesque pans such as Motailane, Morestwa and Molose, which attract animals during the rainy season.
Khutse's fauna is typical of desert ecosystems. The park is home to antelope (springbok, gemsbok, kudu, wildebeest), giraffes, ostriches and small mammals such as meerkats and ground squirrels. Predators include lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and the occasional brown hyena. Although the density of animals is lower than in better-known parks such as Chobe, the pans become a concentration of wildlife after the rains, improving the chances of sightings. The birdlife includes around 150 species, notable among them being the secretary bird, ostrich and kori bustard.
Khutse has a semi-arid climate, with hot summers (October-March) when temperatures can exceed 40°C, and cooler winters (May-August) when nights can be cold (down to 0°C). Rainfall is rare, averaging 150-300 mm per year, and falls mainly from November to March, bringing life to the landscape and attracting animals to the waterholes.
Khutse is a place for those looking for a secluded and
authentic safari. Due to its proximity to Gaborone (3-4 hours drive), it
is popular with locals as a weekend getaway, but on weekdays it is
usually quiet. The roads in the reserve are sand tracks, accessible only
by four-wheel drive (4x4) vehicles. The main routes are centered around
the pans, including the short northern circuit (24 km) and the longer
route to Morestwa Pan (about 120 km round trip).
There are no
lodges in the reserve, only campsites (about 25 sites in total) located
at the main pans such as Khutse, Molose and Morestwa. Facilities are
minimal: a pit toilet and a bucket shower, no water or fuel, so visitors
must be completely self-sufficient. Sometimes water can be collected
from a borehole at the entrance, but this is not guaranteed.
Khutse is located on Bakwana lands, and on its outskirts live the San and Bakgalagadi communities, the indigenous people of the Kalahari. They sell traditional crafts and arrange guided walks with San, adding a cultural dimension to the visit.