A Return to Stillness in Botswana

“All I wanted to do was get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.”

— Ernest Hemingway

Travel Sommelier’s Rae reflects on how a stay in one of the world’s last great wildlife sanctuaries shifts perspective:

Being in Botswana was extraordinary and deeply grounding—a true disconnection from the outside world. Even sitting in the game drive vehicle in complete silence felt meaningful, simply watching animals exist on their own terms. Presence was enough.

Each morning, my steps slowed. I thrilled to spot another exotic bird I had never seen or a pair of baboons playing nearby. Over time, these encounters became as familiar as a squirrel running by—astonishing in itself.

Sleeping in Botswana is simply better. The air smells purer, senses feel sharpened during the day, and by nightfall, your body is ready for deep, restorative sleep.

I never once felt the urge to check my phone. My nervous system reset naturally. During sundowners, we stood quietly, watching the sun sink below the horizon. It was one of the rare moments we deliberately reached for our phones—to capture that final, glowing image of the day.

One evening, what looked like glittering stars in the river turned out to be crocodiles, moving silently in the dark. Just, wow. On the final day, I watched an elephant just an arm’s length from my pool deck, calmly pulling leaves from a tree. By the end of safari, fear had given way to connection. Our guide smiled: “Oh, so you got to watch some Bush Television!”

In Botswana, you meet the mighty Okavango Delta—hippos splashing, elephants crossing framed by zebra, wildebeest and giraffe grazing along the waterways. It is a place that stays with you, long after you leave, reminding you what it feels like to be fully present.

This is the alchemy Travel Sommelier creates. Moments unplanned, yet perfectly designed to bring you back to yourself.