If heaven existed on earth, you’d find it in Botswana. The concept of bucket list trips have become a cliche at this point — a conceit seemingly created for endless listicles of places to see before you die. But if there was ever a part of the planet that must be seen to be believed, that is truly transcendent in the way that all travel aspires to be, it would be here, in the deserts and waterways of Southern Africa.
I embarked on my first Botswana adventure this past spring with Natural Selection, a collection of safari lodges dedicated to preserving not only the nature and the wildlife of the surrounding regions, but the communities and culture, as well.
And it was under these African skies that I truly experienced a greater connection to the world at large, and to myself, to my own place on this earth. Though, of course, that feeling may be inevitable in such an ancient and magnificent landscape.
“Southern Africa is the cradle of mankind,” explained Villa Moatshe, my first safari guide in the Kalahari Desert. “If you look at the history of the many million years of evolution, my ancestors and your ancestors evolved from this land. So, you’re coming home.”
“Welcome back.”
Kalahari Desert
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
“Welcome to The Great Nothing,” Villa said to us as we loaded into the back of his open-sided 4x4. “We call it The Great Nothing because when you come here looking for big game, you’ll most likely find nothing. But then, instead, you’ll discover the smaller things.”
What I discovered in Jack’s Camp is far from nothing. Though we weren’t beginning our trip in the Okavango Delta, we were starting in the iconic Makgadikgadi salt pans, located in the central part of the country.
“When you see Botswana from space, you can see two physical features: The Okavango Delta, and the Makgadikgadi pans, that’s how large they are,” explained Villa.
At night, my sense of the vastness of my surroundings was truly overwhelming. The sky was so large, that when the sun would set, it only covered a tiny portion of the sky, a mere corner. The lack of light pollution was astounding.
“Look around you, and you will see not a single artificial light,” said Villa. “That’s how blessed we are in this area.”
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
Lightning in the distance would illuminate the stark gathering of trees, and the green structures of our camp. And it was amidst this expansive nothingness of sky and land that we stayed in Jack’s Camp, a legendary safari retreat outfitted in luxurious Old Africa style, with lush tents adorned with heavy fabrics, wooden furniture, and decadent canopied beds. The camp was established in 1962 by Jack Bousfield, and is now run by his son, Ralph, who keeps his father’s vision alive in both spirit and decor. Framed photographs of the Bousfield family, as well as close friend Peter Beard, adorn the walls, and an extensive collection of African artifacts line the interiors of the tents.
Dinner was served family-style, and part of the intoxicating nature of the trip was the exposure to the endlessly fascinating fellow guests, not to mention the local guides. One morning, we rose early to greet the meerkats, who were entirely unperturbed by their human companions, circling us as they exited their holes beneath the ground. During the days, we set out on game drives and embarked on bush breakfasts, and lounged poolside.
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
On our last day, we embarked on a nature walk with the Ju/’hoansi, a community of one of the oldest civilizations in southern Africa, with one of the most ancient cultures in the world — their ancestors lived in the region for over 200,000 years. “They are our teachers,” explained Aleksandra Orbeck Bousfield, who spearheads this research. “You don’t just go to look at them, you go and learn with them.” Our afternoon was spent learning about the surrounding nature, and experiencing traditional dancing and crafts and their indigenous knowledge is being preserved by the Wisdom Academy at Jack’s Camp.
“When their hunting and nomadic lifestyle was taken away from the Ju/’hoansi, you get an erosion of culture, of identity,” she explained. “We’re giving a modern home for ancient knowledge and wisdom.”
This program was one of many I would discover on my Natural Selection safari that was focused on the people of southern Africa, not just the wildlife. From preserving ancient traditions and cultures to empowering modern-day initiatives for employment in local villages, and alleviating the human-wildlife conflict, I truly felt like my tourism dollars were giving back — 1.5% of every booking is devoted to such causes.
Okavango Delta
Tawana / Tiludi / North Island
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
When I boarded my safari plane for the Okavango Delta, I was shocked to see from the sky just how much I felt I was arriving on another planet. Palm trees dotted the landscape, riverways snaked through lush forests and open plains, while elephants and giraffes roamed the grasslands. If the Garden of Eden existed on earth, I’m pretty sure I’d found it here.
My first stop was the Moremi Game Reserve, for a stay at the gorgeous Tawana camp, where I stayed in one of the eight stylish suites, designed with local accents that reflect the local culture and the natural setting. The spiraled entryway was modeled after a yikuku fish trap used by the Mbukushu people, and elephant walks led to each individual bungalow, where private plunge pools looked out across the magnificent delta.
We were picked up at the airstrip by our next guide, Jonase Kamere, who proved to be as insightful and delightful as Villa — and all our guides to follow on the trip. Many visitors do multiple lodges during their Botswana trips, and Natural Selection is perfect for experiencing a range of locales without over-worrying about the logistics, as they ferry you from camp to camp by open-top Jeeps or tiny safari planes.
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
The stark difference in landscape was astounding, with vibrant green plains and trees, and termite mounds that resembled sandcastles. These un-heralded creatures play a significant role in the landscape: “If it weren’t for termites, the delta would look like the Amazon,” said Jonase. I learned that the white egrets were called “angel birds” because of their bright, pristine feathers, and that the guinea fowl were known as “Delta chickens.’
“Africa is Africa, everything has meaning,” Jonase explained. As I found in the Kalahari, the bush breakfasts and sundowners were simply spectacular — and, as the days wore on, I became more of a local. Particularly when I ordered a double Gin + Tonic at breakfast (mind you, I’d been awake for six hours by then. “Now you sound like you’re African,” Jonase told me. “In Africa, we don’t do singles, we do doubles or quatros.”
I learned about Wild Entrust, the initiative to protect wild dogs, which is in keeping with Natural Selection’s conservation-based tourism. I watched the magnificent sunset by a river bank, and on the final night, I saw the enormous, silent outline of an elephant as he circled the bonfire, heading west towards the outskirts of the camp. It felt like watching a whale move underwater, a true otherworldly encounter with the sublime.
I found the campfire experience to be an important nightly ritual when I next arrived in Khwai Private Reserve, for a stay at Tiludi.
“In Africa, we believe fire brings warmth and togetherness,” said camp manager Leatile Sam Seikanom. “That’s where we do a cultural exchange and learn more about life in Botswana.”
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
It was here that I experienced more of the wonderful wildlife, including notable lion and elephant encounters, and developed a greater understanding of the cultural life of the surrounding regions. We embarked on a village tour of Khwai, where a visit with a traditional healer was nothing short of enlightening. Forget dollar psychics in the East Village, this healer had a line outside of other local visitors from Botswana, and identified issues and strengths in your life, while prescribing cures. (Reader, he accurately predicted my near future).
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
A boat ride later that afternoon through the waterways was simply magical, with the sunset reflecting on the river, upon which floated glistening tadpoles and water lilies, and the spouting heads of dozens of hippopotamus, eyeing us warily as we made our way across the water. Afterward, we retreated to the airy, tree-house style safari lodge, which overlooked the 200,000 hectares of pristine wilderness and emerald forests.
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
I could have stayed there forever, though we headed north for our last safari lodge on the trip, checking in at North Island. It was here, upon the waterways of the northern Okavango Delta, that we finished our trip in paradise. This elegant camp is located in one of the most famed wildlife-watching destinations on the planet, with three tents on elevated planets overlooking the lagoon. We set out on makoro canoe rides, an ancient practice in the delta that redefines slow travel, allowing the spectacle of the surrounding beauty to wash over you as the sun sets.
(Photo provided by Katherine Parker-Magyar)
On our last night, after sundowners, we were headed home in our safari jeep, making our way through the tall grass, when the bright yellow eyes of a lion shone further down the path. The animal languidly approached the vehicle, looking within, before passing us by and disappearing into the darkness. Another brush with the beauty of the wild, another chance moment of feeling thrillingly, terrifyingly, alive. How lucky we are to share this planet with such magnificent creatures, and how lucky we are that — in this overdeveloped, globalized, world — Botswana exists.
Though I know I’ll keep a part of the country and its spirit with me forever, I still can’t wait to return. That’s the other thing that’s wrong about the ‘bucket list’ — when something is just so spectacular, you’ll simply have to visit more than just once.
