Botswana and the circle of life
I want to go
Africa traps you and Botswana, makes you fall in love with it.
The beauty of its geography has a lot to do with the Kalahari Desert, but above all, with the majestic Okavango Delta, in the north of the country. Here, the Okavango River, one of the largest in Africa, flows southward with the waters of the rains of Angola and causes one of the greatest spectacles in the world, flooding these lands instead of continuing to the sea, creating a true natural wonder, the Okavango Delta.
It then becomes the ideal place for an immense variety of fauna and allows you to cross it on water, aboard typical boats, the "mokoro", or in motorboats, something very unique in Africa. Although the water is not abundant, as was the case during my trip, the experience is absolutely spectacular.
Botswana is the land of the Tswana, descendants of the Bushmen tribe, nomadic hunters and gatherers, and this past is very present in their culture and in their knowledge of nature, as well as in the millenary rock paintings that are preserved in their rock walls. The Tswana are a very friendly people, who respect and venerate their land, something that has led them to protect their territory and turn a large part of it into protected and conservation parks.
Botswana is a country that has been able to transform itself in an extraordinary way, becoming since 2006 one of the most stable countries in the world and offering the traveler an incredible wildlife spectacle and some of the most intimate and exclusive accommodations in Africa.
Located in southern Africa, between Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, it is one of the least densely populated countries in the world with a large extension of territory, making it a paradise for those who want to enjoy a safari in an intimate way and very close to the wildlife and local communities. Its accommodations, few and very exclusive, are very respectful of the environment and are architecturally adapted to minimize their impact.
Starting my adventure in Botswana in one of these extraordinary lodges, Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, in the heart of the Okavango Delta, has been a privilege.
Descending from our light aircraft and meeting the friendly and smiling greeting of our private guide already puts us in a good mood. He introduces himself and his assistant and assures us that we are going to spend some unique days. And he is right. After occupying our beautiful room, with unspoiled views of the savannah and take a dip in our private pool, a first safari full of emotions awaits us.
We leave in our 4x4 equipped with everything necessary to enjoy the experience and the scent of the savannah at dusk envelops us. Everything smells of nature in its purest state after the rainy season that has just ended.
Suddenly, the image of a beautiful lioness appears behind a tree, next to us. And then another one, and then her cubs, and the adolescent lions, and more lionesses. Up to a total of nine lionesses.
They are waking up and getting ready to go hunting, as soon as the sun sets. It is an emotion that cannot be explained in words.
Their precise and majestic movement impresses, how they position themselves one after the other, following the steps of the most experienced ones. We imagine that the night is going to be very busy!
It is our first day in Botswana and we have started with strong emotions.
But the morning of the next day would be even more exciting. During breakfast, early in the morning, our guide explains that they have heard several lions hunting for buffalo, they must be close by. We go out to look for them and there they are, very close, and they are working hard with the freshly caught game.
It is a striking image, reflecting the circle of wildlife in its purest and truest state.
The ritual of the lion brothers, taking turns guarding, feeding, covering their kill to deter other competitors, is priceless.
It is important to highlight the great preparation of the guides and the team of people we met. They have been able to show us the richness of their land and tell us wonderful stories, while they prepared delicious cocktails at sunset, in front of a natural water pool full of hippos.
Something I especially liked about Botswana is the great variety of landscapes and wildlife we encountered.
At Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, in the heart of the Savute Channel region, the experience was very different and beautiful at the same time. With a large concentration of elephants, but also with a good number of leopards, birds of all kinds, families of lions, giraffes, it is a place of more arid landscapes, but also with small rocky mountains. Rocks on which the Bushmen left their mark, in the form of rock paintings, recounting their passage to the south, with drawings of the animals they encountered.
It is a luxury to stay in a place where incredible things happen at the doorstep of your room.
And at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, you experience that every day. Our room, whose terrace literally faced the small river that surrounds the lodge, was the ideal vantage point from which to contemplate a natural setting where dozens of animals came daily, morning and evening, to quench their thirst. The photographic opportunities there are incredible and each one more beautiful.
Botswana, where absolutely everything is connected, nature, fauna, flora and communities, is a place where observing the circle of life is an exciting and unique experience.
Its strategic location also allows combining this destination with nearby countries, as in our case, Zambia and Victoria Falls.
We decided to cross over from Botswana to Zambia by road on this occasion, although it is very easy to connect by air Botswana with Livingstone, the city from which to move comfortably to Victoria Falls. Moving by road gave us the opportunity to cross the spectacular Kazungula Bridge, which connects Botswana with Zambia.
This bridge is located in one of the most interesting geographical points on the planet, over the Zambezi River, the source of the falls, from which Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia can be seen on a clear day.
The traveler and explorer Dr. David Livingstone came across Victoria Falls in 1855 and its history has always fascinated me. Being in front of them has been a great experience.
Staying in the vicinity of Victoria Falls National Park is important because it allows you to be able to come and go as often as you like and avoid the peak times for visitors.
Royal Livingstone Hotel, elegantly situated in front of the majestic Zambezi River, an amazing place where zebras, giraffes and antelopes happily stroll through its gardens, is one of those places.
The hotel evokes the elegance of the Victorian era and its Traveller's Bar is an ideal place to have a good local beer while enjoying the views over the Zambezi River.
The pleasant walk from the hotel, just a 15-minute walk from the entrance to Victoria Falls National Park, offers some original moments, as you walk past giraffes and antelopes approaching the gardens to enjoy the delights of trees and plants.
Long before arriving at the park, you can already hear the impressive roar of the waterfalls, whose fall of up to 107 meters high and its flow of 1.1 million liters of water per second, make it one of the most spectacular curtains of water in the world.
The multitude of rainbows they generate is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. You have to be prepared to come out of there soaking wet, though, impossible to avoid it!
The spectacle is worth it.
The visit of the falls can be spaced at various times of the day, and even fly over them by helicopter.
Observing such a spectacular natural phenomenon, from so close, makes you greatly appreciate the extraordinary planet we live on and the importance of taking care of it and respecting it.
Africa is extraordinary and I can't wait to go back again!
