Gaborone Game Reserve

Gaborone Game Reserve covers around six hundred hectares inside the city, established in 1988 and small enough to drive round in an hour. It holds white rhino, eland, gemsbok, wildebeest, impala and warthog, and a dam with a hide draws waterbirds. It is not a substitute for the parks but it is a genuine reserve rather than a zoo, and for anyone with a spare morning in the capital it is the easiest wildlife on offer.

What you actually see

• The white rhino - the reserve's largest animals, in a small population.
• The antelope - eland, gemsbok, wildebeest and impala across the grassland.
• The bird hide - a hide over the dam with waterbirds and waders.
• The city setting - a reserve entirely within the capital's boundary.

When to go

April to September is the dry season and the most comfortable. Early morning and late afternoon are when animals are active. The reserve closes in the middle of the day in some seasons.

Honest expectations

It is small and an hour covers it; visitors expecting a safari will be underwhelmed. Roads inside can be rough after rain. Animal numbers are modest and sightings are not guaranteed.

Nearby

Kgale Hill is southwest, and Mokolodi is south of the city.