KHAMA RHINO SANCTUARY
General
One of Botswana's smallest reserves, the 4300 hectare Sanctuary was established in 1989 with the aim of facilitating the reintroduction of White Rhino into Botswana after their numbers had been severely depleted by poachers. The Sanctuary provides perfect habitat for the grazing White Rhino with 2 large grassveld pans, as well as good habitat for the their browsing relatives the Black Rhino.
What to see and do
The Sanctuary's roads are well maintained and sign-posted making them suitable for self-drive game viewing. Buy a copy of the map at the Entrance Gate and follow the signs to find your way round the Sanctuary. Alternatively you could book one of the guided game drives.
There is a picnic site near the entrance gate with toilet facilities and braai stands. There is also a restaurant located near the entrance gate. A swimming pool has recently been built here as well as two new chalets.
Wildlife
To date, 14 white rhino have been translocated into the Sanctuary. The first four arrived in February 1993 from northern Botswana and were released to roam free within the Sanctuary. The Rhino settled well and have since bred successfully. Currently there are over 30 white rhino in the Sanctuary. The KRS is also home to two endangered Black Rhino.
Apart from the main aim of reintroducing White Rhino into Botswana, the KRS also sought to reintroduce other wildlife which had disappeared from the area due to human pressures. To this end a number of species have been introduced to the KRS such as Blue Wildebeest, Burchell's Zebra, Eland, Gemsbok, Springbok and Giraffe and these animals are commonly seen. As well as these animals that have been reintroduced the KRS also has many species that were resident in the area and these have flourished since the Sanctuary was established such as Kudu, Steenbok and Common Duiker as well as many of the smaller mammals.
Accommodation
Situated to the South of the Sanctuary, in a grove of Mokongwa trees, and only a short drive from Serwe Pan, Mokongwa Camp has 5 chalets, each sleeping 4 people, and 13 campsites. The chalets have toilets and showers en-suite with hot water; bedding and towels are provided. They also have braai facilities, a fireplace and basic cooking equipment. The central feature of each site is a large Mokongwa tree providing character and shade. The campsites have a braai stand, a tap with birdbath and are served by two ablution blocks each with male and female showers with hot water.
Photos
See below for a selection of photos taken in the Khama Rhino Sanctuary: