The Mokodoli Nature reserve is located near the Gaborone town which is the capital city of and it is a privately owned game reserve which was opened up in the year 1994 to protect the wild life in Botswana. They offer many tours especially educational ones that are held so that the people in the country are taught the importance of conserving wild life. It is a home to many animals that have been rescued from poaching either injured or not and they are given a home and as the years go on, the number of animal species in the reserve have greatly increased.
Enjoy game drives through the Park, these are carried out mostly during the dry season as it is the one time that you will get to see the many animals moving across the reserve in search of food and water. Some of the animals that can be viewed while on game drives in Mokodoli include gemsbok, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, antelopes, elephants, reed bucks, waterbucks, leopards, impalas, kudus, porcupines, spring hares among others. The game drives are carried out with the help of a tour guide who will give you a brief history about the animals that you will see and the reserve itself.
For all those that want to travel with their children to Botswana, the best place to visit is the Mokodoli Nature reserve. It is a very convenient to get because it is located just 30 minutes away from the airport making it easy for one to get to the reserve. The park offers tourists many activities like game drives, trekking, nature walks and the reason as to why it is good for families is that the drives through the Park take a maximum of only six people.
The Mokodoli Nature reserve does is more of like a zoo and although it does not give off the feel of the African wilderness like the rest of the Nature reserve, it is still a very good destination for tourists due to the many activities and sights that you will see when you visit. The Mokodoli Nature reserve opens at 7:00 in the morning and closes at 6:00pm every day and it is open to all irrelevant of the years. Below are some of the sights and activities that you can carry out while in the Mokodoli Nature reserve.
Go for night drives through the reserve, it takes about two hours for one to drive around the Mokodoli Nature reserve and this is the only way that you will be able to see the nocturnal animals that hunt at night and not forgetting the birds. Some of the nocturnal animals that you get to see during the night drive include the brown spotted hyenas, aardvark, porcupines, wild cats and many more others. The game drives normally start at 7:00 in the evening and it is always two people per drive unless when you have a van that carries more than five people.
Enjoy horseback riding in the Mokodoli, there are several horses that are found within Mokodoli that have been trained so that tourists can use them easily and the horseback rides are for only those that are professionals at riding. There are several routes that you can use for horseback riding but just know that this gives you an opportunity to explore the whole reserve and get a close look at the animals as you ride through the Mokodoli nature reserve.
Go for giraffe trekking in the reserve, this takes about three to five hours and it is done with the help of a tour guide. Since it is an activity that involves walking long distances and therefore you should be well prepared with good hiking shoes, enough bottled water and appropriate clothing since it is mostly done during the dry season. It is not advisable for all those who are below 14 years to go for this trek and although it is a bit hard for one to spot these animals, it is an extremely good way for one to explore the whole reserve while viewing other animals as well.
Photo safaris within the Mokodoli nature reserve, this is a perfect place for one to take photos of the wild life close up as it has many wild life animals that have been brought to the reserve after being rescued. You will need hides and an extremely good camera in order for you to take the best photos of the whole reserve.
Nature walks within Mokodoli, the landscape that is found within the Mokodoli nature reserve makes the nature walks more exciting and entertaining. The animals and birds that you will be able to see while on the walks, the hills that are covered with vast vegetation and the way it is easy to take these guided walks with an experienced tour guides makes it one of the top activities that are carried out in the Park and the good thing about this is that you can go for the nature walks with your family. Do not forget to pack some water for your nature walks and make sure that you follow and do whatever the tour guide tells you to do to avoid accidents.
Go for Rhino trekking, just like giraffe trekking this is also done on foot and one of the most anticipated activities that are carried out in the Mokodoli nature reserve. The Rhino trekking normally starts at 7:30 in the morning and takes about five hours to complete. It is not an easy task as it is extremely hard for you to spot the rhinos as it might take you long hours before you spot any but it will give you an insight on how to survive in the wild and explore the reserve at length. Some of the things that you will need when it gets to rhino trekking include hiking boots or shoes, light clothes, bottled water, snacks and a tour guide who will take you through the rhino trekking experience.
Cycling through the Nature reserve, there are several bike that are always up for hire within the National park and it also has about three routes that were designed for cycling. Cycling through the Mokodoli is the best way to explore the whole reserve because while riding, you will get to see the different parts of the park which cannot be reached while driving and you also get to see the animals closely while riding by. Do not forget to carry water, knee and elbow caps and a helmet for protection but note that you will not be allowed to go for cycling if you do not have a tour guide with you.
Enjoy the bush brunches that are provided within the Mokodoli Nature reserve. If you ever want to know what it feels like to eat while watching the different wild life species that roam through the reserve. The brunch is normally served up to ten people and it includes all the nice food that is prepared by the camps in the reserve.
Visit the reptile sanctuary in Mokodoli, there are several reptiles that are located within the sanctuary which was set up to protect the snakes in the country. You will be able to see the reptiles that are both poisonous and those that are harmless and the sanctuary also doubles as a home to many injured animals. The injured animals are brought to the sanctuary and cared for and when they are better, they are released back to the reserve for tourists to see but you can also still visit the sanctuary and see the beauty that Mokodoli has to offer.
The Mokolodi Nature reserve is just 17 kilometers from Gaborone making it a quick and easy destination to get to. If you are driving from Gaborone, it will take you about two hours to get there and you can either hire a car and drive yourself to the Park or go with the van that is provided by the tour company that is taking you around Botswana. There is also a rest camp when it comes to accommodation facilities that was set up by the management that runs the Mokodoli Nature reserve and it offers tourists with lunch and breakfast meals that are both local and international , private rooms and a great view of the animals that habitate within the reserve.
When to visit the Mokodoli Nature reserve
The Mokodoli Nature reserve is a good place to visit all year round although the best time for one to visit depends on the activities that you want to tick off your bucket list when you get to the reserve. The best time is between the months of May to September which experience the dry season and it is also the peak season as it sees many tourists pouring into the reserve to explore and see the wide number of wild life species that habitate within the Mokodoli Nature reserve.
Mokolodi is a private game reserve located near Gaborone the capital of Botswana. The nature reserve is managed by Mokolodi Wildlife Foundation which is basically into conservation and education at the reserve.
Wildlife
The reserve occupies an estimated 30sq km since its establishment in 1994. The reserve provides a home to orphaned animals and a variety of wildlife rescued from poachers.
Through the years, many animals have been collected from all parts of Botswana and today the reserves has species like kudu, spring hares, leopard, impala, ostrich, white rhino, sable, porcupines, roan antelope, cheetah, zebra, gemsbok, many red hartebeest, mountain reedbuck, giraffe, elephants and waterbuck among other mammals.
Activities
There are plenty of adventures and educational tours conducted at the reserve. There are safari game drives, game walks led by trained guides, rhino tracking excursions, horse back safaris, Night game drives and sundown cruises on  the dam among others. The reserve has well maintained system of safari tracks and trails best used in the dry season.
The reserve opens at 8h00 and closes at 16h00 with different rates and prices for activities above. There is an option of joining the conservation team at Mokolodi.
Getting there
The reserve is located 10km from the capital Gaborone in Mokolodi village. Follow the signpost on Lobatse highway and branch off on the junction at Mokolodi village. It is just 3km from the village to th main gate at Mokolodi Private Game reserve.
Accommodation
The Wildlife foundation at Mokolodi runs a rest camp (Alexander Smith Traditional Rest Camp) in the park with self catering options,m bed, breakfast, showers and game viewing deck. Near the water dam are five rustic chalets nested on a high rock in the centre of the park with mosquito netted beds, toilet, and hot water showers. There is a restaurant near the camp and at the park’s main gate with meals and diner.