Botsalano Game Reserve

About Botsalano Game Reserve

Meaning ‘friendship' in Setswana, the Botsalano Game Reserve lies just north of Mafikeng close to the Botswana border on the South African side.

Did you know? Botsalano Game Reserve is the site of one of the oldest volcanic craters in the world that extends through the park into Botswana.

The game reserve essentially breeds antelope and other mammals to stock reserves in South Africa. The 5 800 hectare Botsalano Game reserve is mainly Kalahari thornveld and wide open grasslands with smatterings of acacia and karee woodlands.

Well over 2 000 head of Wildlife and some 200 different bird species make Botsalano Game Reserve a popular destination for game and bird viewing.

Catching a glimpse of the white rhino is without doubt a highlight of the reserve, but the access to mountain biking and hiking trails - there is an extensive network of tracks - which allows you to wander the bush at random, making little contact with other people staying in the three basic camp sites at Botsalano, is another reason to head this way.

You can spend days potentially roving the bush in this manner, a decided incentive to those who enjoy getting back to basics and roughing it a little - the camp sites are by all accounts rather basic, with only toilets, water, showers and braai areas at your disposal. But sunsets at Sentry Hill are worth any amount of slumming it.