Mokolodi Livin’

By Katy Osborn

This morning we left the glitzy high-rises of Gaborone for two days in in the bush of Mokolodi, a small nature reserve located about 15 km south of Gabs. Founded in 1994 to fund environmental and conservation education for the children of Botswana through tourism revenue, Mokolodi is home to over 50 species of large mammals and 300 species of birds. It also operates a national breeding program for White Rhinos, a reptile park, and serves as the home base of Cheetah Conservation Botswana.

We’ve been told by many a Motswana that a trip to Central Kalahari Game Reserve or the Okavango Delta to the north is a must for visitors to Botswana — particularly if you want to complete the Big 5 (wild African Elephants, Lions, and Cape Buffalos aren’t found in Mokolodi). Still, our first short game drive around the nature reserve has us far from disappointed. Below are photographs of just a few of many sightings — kudus, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, and some Globalistas exploring new terrain — and we’ve only scratched the surface.

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Then again, our favorite animal so far may be NewYear, the gargantuan potbelly pig wandering the grounds of our backpacker lodge alongside an entire cast of chickens and dogs. He’s not quite as photogenic as some of our other Mokolodi friends, but we’ll take the entertainment!

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