Molopo Game Reserve

Wildebeest at Molopo Game Reserve

This is one reserve about which people remain relatively schtum, not only because it lies north of Vryberg in a part of South Africa that is rarely visited, but also because of peoples’ reticence to share with others such a gem of a holiday destination. Do that and you are assured of finding it besieged by every man and his dog. That said, we’re letting you in on the secret ...

Molopo Game Reserve is a 24 000 hectare game reserve set right up against the Botswana border in the far western corner of the North West province. The nearest village here in the heart of the southern Kalahari, is seven kilometres away, called Vostershoop, and the Molopo Game reserve promises flourishing herds of wildebeest, gemsbok, eland, red hartebeest, kudu, zebra, waterbuck, springbok, duiker, and even the warthog puts in an appearance. On the predator’s list you’ll find the cheetah, hyena, caracal, the African wildcat, honey badger and black-backed jackal.

The Molopo Game Reserve is particularly beautiful – gently sloping red Kalahari dunes studded with bushman grass forms an ideal backdrop for the animals that make Molopo their home and they combine for an atmosphere of wildness. The bird list reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the bird kingdom. As there is little chance of meeting a large predator, walking is allowed at Molopo Game reserve, which is an extra bonus and adds to the element of solitude. The only downbeat aspect is the reserve’s offer of hunting, but the game here is a little livelier than at some similar reserves, offering some hope that animals are a little more elusive. The fossilised Phepane River bed, which can also be explored, is another special feature of the park.