THE MARVEL OF AFRICA

Spectacular scenery, tranquil terrains, and impeccable hospitality—Botswana promises more than just an adventure.

- BARBARA KRAUS

Our first encounter with a herd of elephants left us teary-eyed. Since childhood, elephants have been our favourite animals. These wonderful giants have impeccable memory, and have the ability to distinguish between the good, the bad, and the dangerous. Lost in our thoughts, a giraffe makes an appearance from behind us, blinking twice with heavy eyelids decorated with long lashes. ‘Enjoy the beauty of the moment, but keep your distance,’ she gently warns with her gaze, and turns to the delicate jasmine-scented Kunzea flowers, which are also called the poor bush because it grows on the sparsest of soils.

It is spring in Botswana, and the first day of our safari in Africa. Our flight from Johannesburg to Maun (a small town in the Batswana) took two hours, where upon landing, the hot winds seemed to curl our hair. Going forth in our travel, we switched to a smaller propeller plane with amusing pilots. Eventually, we landed in Kasane, which is far up north where the landlocked country borders Namibia and Zimbabwe. Our first camp was situated deep within the Chobe National Park— it is the oldest national park in the country which spans thousands of square kilometres, and is the most secure in Africa. Botswana has a population of 2.2 million people, making it one of the most sparsely-populated countries in the world. We realise the enormity of wild animals in Botswana en route to the camp...