{"id":29273,"date":"2023-04-25T18:49:09","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T00:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/?p=29273"},"modified":"2025-08-10T14:44:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T20:44:04","slug":"leroo-la-tau-safari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/leroo-la-tau-safari\/","title":{"rendered":"Leroo La Tau, a Botswana Safari Lodge"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"29273\" class=\"elementor elementor-29273\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-12b5206e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"12b5206e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-427fdf97\" data-id=\"427fdf97\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f20672f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f20672f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>BOTSWANA<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-556f7624 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"556f7624\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b320e3a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4b320e3a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Botswana&#8217;s Makgadikgadi Pans are a gem for viewing incredible birds and wildlife, and with lucky timing, Africa&#8217;s second-largest zebra migration<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ba458f7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5ba458f7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-31ef329e\" data-id=\"31ef329e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc6c008 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cc6c008\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>P<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">erched at the edge of the Boteti River, Leroo La Tau Botswana safari lodge offers a front-row seat to a parade of wildlife. From the verandah of my room, I watch an elephant wade up to her <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">wrinkly knees, trunk<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> swinging with enthusiasm. A smirking crocodile suns himself at the river\u2019s edge, seemingly uninterested in the yellow-billed storks fishing for lunch nearby. Balanced on spindly legs they make<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">quick jabs into the river with their arrow-like beaks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I could have happily lounged there all day. But you don\u2019t spend your safari on a verandah, no matter how incredible the view. Botswana\u2019s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park awaited.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-57db8f0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"57db8f0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-entry.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29345\" alt=\"The entry area at Leroo La Tau Safari Camp in Botswana. It features a vaulted thatched roof at sitting area and a dramatic photo of the zebra migration. Colors are brown with turquoise accents.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-entry.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-entry-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-entry-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-entry-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-entry-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">The striking entry lounge at Leroo La Tau safari lodge<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf247f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cf247f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Highlights of Leroo La Tau Botswana Safari Lodge<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f67bb4f elementor-widget elementor-widget-eael-feature-list\" data-id=\"f67bb4f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"eael-feature-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"-icon-position-left -tablet-icon-position-left -mobile-icon-position-left\">\n\t\t\t<ul id=\"eael-feature-list-f67bb4f\" class=\"eael-feature-list-items circle stacked  eael-feature-list-vertical\" data-layout-tablet=\"vertical\" data-layout-mobile=\"vertical\">\n\t\t\t                <li class=\"eael-feature-list-item elementor-repeater-item-34b37af\">\n                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"eael-feature-list-icon fl-icon-0\">\n\n\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-gem\" viewBox=\"0 0 576 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M464 0H112c-4 0-7.8 2-10 5.4L2 152.6c-2.9 4.4-2.6 10.2.7 14.2l276 340.8c4.8 5.9 13.8 5.9 18.6 0l276-340.8c3.3-4.1 3.6-9.8.7-14.2L474.1 5.4C471.8 2 468.1 0 464 0zm-19.3 48l63.3 96h-68.4l-51.7-96h56.8zm-202.1 0h90.7l51.7 96H191l51.6-96zm-111.3 0h56.8l-51.7 96H68l63.3-96zm-43 144h51.4L208 352 88.3 192zm102.9 0h193.6L288 435.3 191.2 192zM368 352l68.2-160h51.4L368 352z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-content-box\">\n                            <h3 class=\"eael-feature-list-title\">Boteti River Setting<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"eael-feature-list-content\">Leroo La Tau is perched on the western bank of the Boteti River, north of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.  From here there are spectacular views of the abundant wildlife that comes to drink from the river, particularly during the dry season when water is scarce.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t                <li class=\"eael-feature-list-item elementor-repeater-item-ca74641\">\n                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"eael-feature-list-icon fl-icon-1\">\n\n\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-gem\" viewBox=\"0 0 576 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M464 0H112c-4 0-7.8 2-10 5.4L2 152.6c-2.9 4.4-2.6 10.2.7 14.2l276 340.8c4.8 5.9 13.8 5.9 18.6 0l276-340.8c3.3-4.1 3.6-9.8.7-14.2L474.1 5.4C471.8 2 468.1 0 464 0zm-19.3 48l63.3 96h-68.4l-51.7-96h56.8zm-202.1 0h90.7l51.7 96H191l51.6-96zm-111.3 0h56.8l-51.7 96H68l63.3-96zm-43 144h51.4L208 352 88.3 192zm102.9 0h193.6L288 435.3 191.2 192zM368 352l68.2-160h51.4L368 352z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-content-box\">\n                            <h3 class=\"eael-feature-list-title\">Newly Renovated Luxury Cabins<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"eael-feature-list-content\">Luxury chalets are built on raised wooden platforms with huge balconies, offering expansive views over the river and the plains. Each of the 12 chalets is designed to provide comfort while blending into the natural surroundings. Wonderful en-suite baths offer excellent views as well. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t                <li class=\"eael-feature-list-item elementor-repeater-item-8210b9b\">\n                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"eael-feature-list-icon fl-icon-2\">\n\n\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-gem\" viewBox=\"0 0 576 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M464 0H112c-4 0-7.8 2-10 5.4L2 152.6c-2.9 4.4-2.6 10.2.7 14.2l276 340.8c4.8 5.9 13.8 5.9 18.6 0l276-340.8c3.3-4.1 3.6-9.8.7-14.2L474.1 5.4C471.8 2 468.1 0 464 0zm-19.3 48l63.3 96h-68.4l-51.7-96h56.8zm-202.1 0h90.7l51.7 96H191l51.6-96zm-111.3 0h56.8l-51.7 96H68l63.3-96zm-43 144h51.4L208 352 88.3 192zm102.9 0h193.6L288 435.3 191.2 192zM368 352l68.2-160h51.4L368 352z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-content-box\">\n                            <h3 class=\"eael-feature-list-title\">Wildlife Viewing Riverbank Hide<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"eael-feature-list-content\">A special feature for photographers and anyone who wants to relax and watch wildlife from a \"hidden front-row seat\" at the riverside. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t                <li class=\"eael-feature-list-item elementor-repeater-item-80dfa4f\">\n                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-icon-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"eael-feature-list-icon fl-icon-3\">\n\n\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-gem\" viewBox=\"0 0 576 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M464 0H112c-4 0-7.8 2-10 5.4L2 152.6c-2.9 4.4-2.6 10.2.7 14.2l276 340.8c4.8 5.9 13.8 5.9 18.6 0l276-340.8c3.3-4.1 3.6-9.8.7-14.2L474.1 5.4C471.8 2 468.1 0 464 0zm-19.3 48l63.3 96h-68.4l-51.7-96h56.8zm-202.1 0h90.7l51.7 96H191l51.6-96zm-111.3 0h56.8l-51.7 96H68l63.3-96zm-43 144h51.4L208 352 88.3 192zm102.9 0h193.6L288 435.3 191.2 192zM368 352l68.2-160h51.4L368 352z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"eael-feature-list-content-box\">\n                            <h3 class=\"eael-feature-list-title\">Remote Location<\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"eael-feature-list-content\">You'll have to fly in by plane but unlike other more accessible safari lodges, this means you'll encounter fewer visitors to Makgadikgadi National Park. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-177365a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"177365a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-family-suite-lesh-camp-manager-878x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29346\" alt=\"The family room at Leroo La Tau safari lodge. With camp manager Lesh standing next to a table with a map of Africa behind.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-family-suite-lesh-camp-manager-878x1024.jpg 878w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-family-suite-lesh-camp-manager-257x300.jpg 257w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-family-suite-lesh-camp-manager-768x896.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-family-suite-lesh-camp-manager-150x175.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-family-suite-lesh-camp-manager.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Camp Manager, Lesh, in the family guest room at Leroo La Tau.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34df096d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"34df096d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why a Botswana Safari? <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ee759e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7ee759e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Botswana was an easy choice for my first African safari.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Its geographic diversity creates more varied habitats than anywhere else in Africa: parched desert and vast salt pans, lush wetlands and waterways that meander through the Okavango, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. Additionally, seasonal flooding prompts Africa&#8217;s second-largest zebra migration and provides a significant breeding site for flamingos.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Botswana is a country of just over 3 million people, one of the most sparsely populated places in the world. And among African countries, it&#8217;s one of the most politically stable\u00a0with a history of peaceful democratic elections since its independence in 1966.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b907820 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b907820\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e3531e1\" data-id=\"e3531e1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7939404 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7939404\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29350\" alt=\"Susan Heinrich in a safari jeep holding a camera. She&#039;s in Botswana in the Magkadikgadi Pans National Park.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">On a game drive in the Magkadikgadi Pans National Park<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1664b4a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1664b4a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Its low-density tourism model has enabled it to limit development, and the problems of over-tourism found in some other African countries. \u00a0About 40% of the country is a protected area, and 17% of that is national parks and game reserves. (National parks are designated and controlled by the government, while game reserves are often tribal lands that are leased to safari operators.)\u00a0<\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pristine wilderness surrounding Leroo La Tau was everything I imagined, with one exception; I thought a safari meant &#8220;peace and quiet&#8221; \u2014 instead it was delightfully noisy. Some wildlife sounds were easy to identify: zebra bray like a donkey and wildebeest moo and bellow like cattle. But hippos \u2014 their vocal <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">repertoire<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was unmatched: grunts, rumbles, honks, and moans.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db2f1cd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"db2f1cd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hippo-botswana-safari-819x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-39747\" alt=\"A hippo is standing in water with a bird on its back.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hippo-botswana-safari-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hippo-botswana-safari-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hippo-botswana-safari-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hippo-botswana-safari.jpg 924w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cfd25e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cfd25e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A group of hippos, fittingly called a bloat, create a cacophony that can reach 115 decibels, as loud as the thunderstorms that paint the Botswana sky purple. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add to all that a symphony of bird calls, a collaborative performance between the locals and the summer visitors. Between November and April (Southern Africa&#8217;s summer) birds migrate to Botswana from as far away as Europe, to escape the cold and enjoy the plentiful food supply. It turned out that Botswana was a noisy place.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On my first night at the lodge, a noise from just outside my room woke me from a jet-lagged slumber. I recognized the low, rumbly growl of a lion, even before I was fully awake. Did I mention I was traveling alone?<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-78d0728 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"78d0728\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a49199f\" data-id=\"a49199f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a6f869 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6a6f869\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-desert-delta-safari-jeep.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29375\" alt=\"Susan Heinrich sits in a safari truck with another guest and her guide, Ollie, with the sun setting beyond.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-desert-delta-safari-jeep.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-desert-delta-safari-jeep-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-desert-delta-safari-jeep-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-desert-delta-safari-jeep-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">A beautiful sunset on my first day of safari in Botswana.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f04ab90 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f04ab90\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My heart thrummed in my chest, and I thought back to my room tour the previous afternoon. The Camp Manager, Lesh, had provided my orientation and explained that Leroo La Tau has no phones. Instead, in case of an emergency it had \u2014 it took me a second to recall what he said I should do if I needed help \u2014 it had an &#8220;emergency horn&#8221;, one in each room. I peered through my mosquito net to the wardrobe where the horn was stored. After considering my options, I reasoned that a lion <i>outside<\/i> my room did not warrant waking the staff.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leroo La Tau has a fence to keep elephants out, they can do a lot of damage to a camp, but everything else roams freely. For that reason, guests are never permitted to walk around the camp on their own after dark, and must be accompanied to and from their rooms between sunset and sunrise.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55b1bf2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"55b1bf2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-safari-style-bush-plane.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29043\" alt=\"Susan Heinrich leans against the side of a small 6-seater airplane while on safari in Botswana. She wears a beige linen shorts romper and is holding a hat.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-safari-style-bush-plane.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-safari-style-bush-plane-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-safari-style-bush-plane-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-safari-style-bush-plane-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">A beautiful day at the Leroo La Tau airstrip<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a850977 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a850977\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A Botswana Safari with Desert &amp; Delta<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e71ffe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8e71ffe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leroo La Tau is one of nine lodges in the country operated by <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/desertdelta.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Desert &amp; Delta Safaris<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">,<\/span> a Botswana specialist with upscale properties located in the country&#8217;s most scenic regions. The lodges are managed by Botswana citizens, and notably, women work in many roles within the company, including as safari guides at the well-known, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chobegamelodge.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chobe Game Lodge<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Guiding has historically been the purview of men in Africa, but that is changing.\u00a0 <\/span>At Leroo La Tau, Rose and Onka (both women), assist Lesh in management.\u00a0<\/p><p>Botswana is located in Southern Africa, directly north of South Africa, and also borders Namib<span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">ia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">Like many Botswana safari lodges, Leroo La Tau is in a remote location. <\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-size ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">The Magkadikgadi Pans\u00a0region is located in the dry savanna of the Kalahari Desert and the camp is\u00a0reached by about a 45-minute flight from the town of Maun, considered the gateway to safari adventure in Botswana. Flights are also available from Kasane, further north. (I reached Maun via a direct flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-aab814f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aab814f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6c24806\" data-id=\"6c24806\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-693aaa3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"693aaa3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-30401\" alt=\"Leroo La Tau safari guide, DR, stands next to a safari jeep in Botswana\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f7e1bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9f7e1bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flying in was remarkable, an endless panorama of green \u2014 grassy plains mixed with scrubby trees and scattered patches of blue where elephants gathered for a drink. A narrow line of runway appeared ahead of us and with a couple of bounces, we touched down in the heart of a remote paradise.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was met at the airstrip by\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">DR, <\/span>a friendly Leroo La Tau guide with a great sense of humor and infectious laugh. When we left the paved road and turned into the bush he told me that today&#8217;s ride came with a complimentary African massage \u2014 the experience of being jostled about as we bumped along the dirt path. He also kindly corrected my pronunciation of &#8220;Makgadikgadi&#8221;, when I took a photo of the sign that marks the entrance to the national park. My clumsy attempt had us both laughing.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e8d485d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e8d485d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-giraffe.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29615\" alt=\"A giraffe stands among trees in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-giraffe.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-giraffe-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-giraffe-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-giraffe-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-giraffe-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1011905 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1011905\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Botswana's Makgadikgadi Pans &amp; National Park\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b95acd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2b95acd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Botswana&#8217;s salt pans were once a vast lake; over time the water evaporated and left<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 12,000 square kilometers of mineral-coated expanse. It is among the largest salt pans in the world, and the white color makes it visible from space. <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guests of the lodge who stay at least three nights have the option of<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a<\/span> Makgadikgadi Pans sleep-out <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">experience (available July 15 to October 31) or a\u00a0<\/span>Nxai Pan day trip,<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0available year-round.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t do either on this visit, but I loved\u00a0<\/span>Makgadikgadi<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0so I hope to return with my family and experience the otherwordly landscape of the salt pans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">During the African summer (the rainy season) the pans attract thousands of birds, including many migratory species, the flamingo among them. The Pans are also known for their towering baobab trees.\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is a protected area within this region and was established in 1992. It is home to an incredible array of wildlife, making the location of Leroo La Tau, just outside the park, ideal.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c626d3f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c626d3f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-national-park-wildebeest.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29351\" alt=\"Several wildebeest walk into an open area in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-national-park-wildebeest.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-national-park-wildebeest-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-national-park-wildebeest-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-national-park-wildebeest-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Wildebeest in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f278a5 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9f278a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">DR escorted me to meet up with my guide, Ollie. He and some guests from Switzerland were waiting\u00a0in a jeep at the park entrance. After quick introductions and the organizing of camera equipment, we made our way into the park. It was more lush than I imagined. Colorful birds swooped around us and Ollie stopped the jeep so we could take pictures, identifying and narrating the story of each bird as clicked our cameras.\u00a0<\/p><p>At Leroo La Tau, your guide is your host for the entire trip. They wake you up (very early), share meals with you, guide your exploration which includes answering your many questions, and even take photos of you, upon request. As the sun begins to sink, they set out the sundowner and teach you that in Botswana, you toast a perfect day with the word &#8220;Pula&#8221;.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ceae95c elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ceae95c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-park-safari-male-elephants.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29423\" alt=\"In Botswana&#039;s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, two male elephants stand in the Boteti River, visible at a distance. The sky is bright blue.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-park-safari-male-elephants.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-park-safari-male-elephants-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-park-safari-male-elephants-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikagadi-park-safari-male-elephants-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">My first wildlife sighting in Botswana<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b6383b3 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b6383b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During my &#8220;African massage,&#8221; DR had asked me what animal I thought I&#8217;d see first. I didn&#8217;t have a strong feeling about this so said the first that popped in my head &#8211;\u00a0 &#8220;elephant&#8221;. I knew that Botswana had the highest concentration of elephants in Africa.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Ollie drove along a grassy ridge, a view of the river came into view where a group of five \u201cbachelor elephants\u201d were enjoying a sundowner of their own, in the Boteti River.\u00a0 (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The river that runs in front of Leroo La Tau also winds through the national park.) <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ollie explained that male elephants often pal around in groups, especially young males. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The elephants were a distance from us but seeing such majestic animals in a beautiful setting, the winding blue of the river with the green vista beyond, warrants the clich\u00e9, breathtaking. I had guessed correctly \u2014 elephants!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-350bd5d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"350bd5d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b6971ae\" data-id=\"b6971ae\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2fcc335 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2fcc335\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikgadi-national-park-zebra-migration.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29399\" alt=\"A large herd of zebra are visible next to a watering hole, with some standing in it, in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana during the annual zebra migration.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikgadi-national-park-zebra-migration.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikgadi-national-park-zebra-migration-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikgadi-national-park-zebra-migration-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/makgadikgadi-national-park-zebra-migration-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6ac30f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e6ac30f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Botswana Zebra Migration<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b91dc2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b91dc2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every year, tens of thousands of zebra make their way across Botswana <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">following the rains and lush grasslands that spring up in their wake<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They travel over 500 kilometers from the Chobe River in the north to the Makgadikgadi Pans.<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">It is the second-largest zebra migration in the world, after the one between\u00a0the Serengeti and Maasai Mara in East Africa.\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The dates of the migration vary, based on seasonal rains, so when I booked my trip I knew there was only a small chance that the zebra&#8217;s trip to the Makgadikgadi would coincide with my own.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Shortly after seeing the elephants on that first afternoon, zebra began to appear. One here, a few there. A while later, Ollie\u00a0brought the jeep to a stop when a\u00a0Zebra caravan appeared \u2014 a long line of them crossing the road ahead of us. Ollie confirmed that the migrating zebra had arrived in the park early, due to less rain this year. They were following a path that would take them down to the river.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-25ef139 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"25ef139\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/baby-zebra-botswana-safari.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29358\" alt=\"A baby zebra stands looking at the camera; its stripes are chestnut rather than black of an adult zebra.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/baby-zebra-botswana-safari.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/baby-zebra-botswana-safari-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/baby-zebra-botswana-safari-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/baby-zebra-botswana-safari-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/baby-zebra-botswana-safari-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">I love how the baby zebra's mane stands straight up in a little tuft.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3094e93 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3094e93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ollie knew where they were headed and we bumped along the windy road to a grassy clearing overlooking the river. Close to a hundred zebra, came into view. They were walking up and down the hill in a surprisingly orderly fashion, and large groups of them stood in the river, drinking. Suddenly, a few lifted their heads and began running and squawking \u2014 a noisy bray that would escalate into a high-pitched squeal. That led other zebra to run, squawk, and <\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight ); font-size: 1rem;\">squeal<\/span><span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-size: 1rem;\">, and then more would follow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">The orderly caravan of a few minutes earlier had turned to revelry at the river. Then the noise stopped and they returned to drinking, or grazing on the grass next to the river, or just standing around in groups, as zebra do. A group of zebra is referred to by several names: a herd, a zeal, or my favorite, a dazzle. The chance to observe such a large group at the river, in the late afternoon sun, was incredible, something I will never forget. I was dazzled.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf68155 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bf68155\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/zebra-madakigadi-park.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29347\" alt=\"A zebra stands in\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/zebra-madakigadi-park.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/zebra-madakigadi-park-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/zebra-madakigadi-park-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/zebra-madakigadi-park-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/zebra-madakigadi-park-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">A curious zebra kindly poses for a photo<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-95c5dd2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"95c5dd2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I fell entirely in love with the madcap zebra over the next few days. You never knew what would set them off running and braying, but it made me laugh every time. They were also curious about us, and would sometimes stand still and stare, making them a delightful subject for this amateur photographer. The curious babies were especially adorable, with their chestnut brown stripes, and a matching spiky tuft atop their heads.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, the zebra were with their BFFs, the wildebeest. Conveniently, these herbivores each prefer a different type of grass \u2014 zebra like it long and wildebeest short, so they happily graze together. They are also better able to evade predators as a team; zebra have excellent eyesight and wildebeest have superior hearing and smell.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ab7de44 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ab7de44\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9e26a86\" data-id=\"9e26a86\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a35a37 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8a35a37\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sundowner.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29349\" alt=\"Sundowner time in the Magkadikgadi Pans National Park. A jeep is parked with bottles and snacks set out on tray that extends from its front.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sundowner.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sundowner-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sundowner-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sundowner-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-632d8ce elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"632d8ce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sundowners at Leroo Le Tau<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a7b538 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2a7b538\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it was time for our sundowner, I glanced at the dense brush; it occurred to me that we had no way of knowing if\u00a0 animals were nearby in the brush, including my growly visitor from the previous evening. But I had complete faith in Ollie. I sipped a delicious white wine from South Africa (gin and tonics are the classic choice but I was still recovering from my jet lag)\u00a0<\/span>and we toasted a wonderful afternoon. The sun slipped toward the horizon bathing the\u00a0Makgadikgadi in\u00a0golden light.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-f62399d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f62399d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-609519e\" data-id=\"609519e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94db97d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"94db97d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"445\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-sundowner.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29395\" alt=\"Ollie, a guide at Leroo La Tau safari camp pours a glass of wine for a guest at sundowner time in Botswana. The sun sets beyond him and the edge of a safari jeep is also visible with drinks set out in it.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-sundowner.jpg 445w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-sundowner-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-safari-sundowner-150x202.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Ollie, my guide at Leroo La Tau serves sundowners<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-87301c5\" data-id=\"87301c5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a0db64 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6a0db64\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"445\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-sundowner.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29394\" alt=\"Susan Heinrich stands in an open grassy landscape in Botswana holding a glass of white wine. She is on safari enjoying the traditional sundowner drink, with the sun setting behind her.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-sundowner.jpg 445w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-sundowner-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-botswana-safari-sundowner-150x202.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Susan enjoys a sundowner, Magkadigkadi National Park Botswana<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4c0a771 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4c0a771\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-901202a\" data-id=\"901202a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c0d7dd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2c0d7dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Botswana Safari Lodge Experience<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7cf03ab elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7cf03ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>One of the things I love about travel is the discoveries you make about yourself. I knew I enjoyed birding, but seeing them with a guide was even more fun than I expected. Between game drives, I began to recognize a few regulars that would visit my verandah, such as the red-billed hornbill (who you may know as Zazu from the Lion King).\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bca5ef0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bca5ef0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-lodge-botswana.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29403\" alt=\"Leroo La Tau safari lodge in Botswana. The exterior of the lodge is shown with a wood walkway and a grassy area with lounge chairs and a pool and the pool beyond.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-lodge-botswana.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-lodge-botswana-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-lodge-botswana-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-lodge-botswana-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3b17db2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3b17db2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Leroo La Tau&#8217;s 12 chalets all overlook the Boteti River, which mysteriously began flowing again in 2009 after a 20-year drought. Ironically, water levels are highest during Botswana\u2019s dry season, when floods arrive from the highlands of neighboring Angola. Boat cruises along the river are available when water levels permit.<\/p><p>The chalets are designed to blend in with the natural environment. They&#8217;re a lovely combination of rustic and elegant, with vaulted thatched roofs, wood floors, and colorful accents.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fbcb451 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fbcb451\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Leroo-La-Tau-room-view.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29434\" alt=\"A view of the Boteti River from the verandah of a chalet at the Leroo La Tau safari lodge in Botswana.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Leroo-La-Tau-room-view.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Leroo-La-Tau-room-view-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Leroo-La-Tau-room-view-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Leroo-La-Tau-room-view-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">The view from my room at Leroo La Tau safari lodge<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1fc1e4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1fc1e4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Expansive windows and glass doors provided views of the river and valley, from everywhere in my room, including the spacious walk-in shower. Each chalet is the same with the exception of a family suite which has two bedrooms and two baths.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">I appreciated the many thoughtful touches in my room (beyond the emergency horn), such as a coffee and tea station, a vanity with a hair dryer and the large en-suite bath.\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">The king bed is enclosed by a mosquito net each night at turndown service, and I wasn&#8217;t at all bothered by bugs. (Malaria is present in Botswana, although it&#8217;s been greatly reduced in recent years. Travelers are advised to consult with a doctor about antimalarial medication.)\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f246fc6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f246fc6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-chalet-king-bed.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-30351\" alt=\"A king bed inside a thatched room chalet at Leroo La Tau safari lodge in Botswana\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-chalet-king-bed.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-chalet-king-bed-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-chalet-king-bed-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-chalet-king-bed-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">My room at Leroo La Tau. The bed is enclosed by the mosquito net in the evening.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a46425 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a46425\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The entire Leroo La Tau camp was recently refurbished. At the center of the camp are the main lodge, a pool, a fire pit and outdoor gathering areas. There are several spaces for relaxing, indoors and out: a library with books and board games, a lounge with a bar (always open), and two shaded patios with comfy chairs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> And for a change from observing wildlife from your verandah, there is a wildlife viewing \u201chide\u201d built into the riverbank. It\u2019s a perfect place to watch the animals at the river and capture some photos.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec26c54 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ec26c54\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-wildlife-viewing-hide.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29413\" alt=\"The wildlife viewing hide at Leroo La Tau safari camp in Botswana. Pictured are several chairs with colorful pillows and the Boteti River outside the hide.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-wildlife-viewing-hide.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-wildlife-viewing-hide-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-wildlife-viewing-hide-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-wildlife-viewing-hide-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">The wildlife viewing hide at Leroo La Tau, overlooking the Boteti River<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f85500 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9f85500\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Botswana Safari Lodge Dining<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a863fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4a863fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course with a safari comes delicious dining and lots of it.\u00a0 Meals were served four times a day: a continental breakfast before the morning game drive, brunch afterward, afternoon tea before heading out again, and dinner at 8.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leroo La Tau has two chefs: Reuben, who comes from the nearby village of\u00a0 Khumaga, which we drove through on our way to the park, and Chef Kenny, a woman.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The food was excellent, fresh, and inventive.\u00a0 Dining catered to the tastes of international guests, and included local dishes to try. I really enjoyed the bream, a tender fish caught in the Boteti River. There were also imported treats such as cheeses from South Africa and lots of wonderful wine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-272f688 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"272f688\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-dining-area.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-30352\" alt=\"The dining area at Leroo La Tau lodge. A row of tables is set for dinner in a thatched room room with pretty chandeliers and rustic accents.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-dining-area.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-dining-area-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-dining-area-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-dining-area-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">The dining area set for dinner at Leroo La Tau. Chef Kenny is in white.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e1fc1b2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e1fc1b2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conservation is important at Leroo La Tau and they are able to mostly avoid single-use plastics. The water supply is drawn from a borehole and passed through a reverse-osmosis filter making it exceptionally safe to drink; it exceeds safety levels of the tap water in most American homes.\u00a0 Refillable water bottles are provided to all guests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-3b2e385 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3b2e385\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-8aee35d\" data-id=\"8aee35d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1117927 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1117927\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"445\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-africa-women-in-tourism.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29592\" alt=\"Two women staff at Leroo La Tau safari lodge stand smiling in front of a lunch buffet.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-africa-women-in-tourism.jpg 445w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-africa-women-in-tourism-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-africa-women-in-tourism-150x202.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Cynthia and Ludo awaiting guests for lunch<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b8eb881\" data-id=\"b8eb881\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aa0220a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"aa0220a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"445\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-lunch-laroo-la-tau.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29593\" alt=\"Susan Heinrich sits at a lunch outdoors at Leroo la Tau safari lodge, Botswana.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-lunch-laroo-la-tau.jpg 445w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-lunch-laroo-la-tau-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/susan-heinrich-lunch-laroo-la-tau-150x202.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Lunch is enjoyed outdoors, on a lovely day<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-25628fd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"25628fd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7d1379e\" data-id=\"7d1379e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e187608 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e187608\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Gift of a Botswana Safari<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-171786e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"171786e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being on safari is like unwrapping a special gift. You never know exactly what you&#8217;ll see, so each day is a marvelous surprise. It turns out that bachelor elephants don\u2019t always get along. Late one morning, Ollie and I happened upon a group of male elephants traveling through the forest. Two of them broke away from the group and began jostling each other. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0fecc9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a0fecc9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elephants-fighting-makgadikagadi-pans-national-park.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29300\" alt=\"Two male elephants face each other, their tusked heads only inches apart. Moments later they were fighting. Location is Makgadikgadi Pans National Park in Botswana.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elephants-fighting-makgadikagadi-pans-national-park.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elephants-fighting-makgadikagadi-pans-national-park-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elephants-fighting-makgadikagadi-pans-national-park-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/elephants-fighting-makgadikagadi-pans-national-park-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Two male elephants fight for dominance and first choice of a female<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e25385e elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e25385e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Ollie characterized as &#8220;testing one another&#8217;s strength&#8221; quickly escalated. They backed up and then charged at each other, trunks swinging and tusks jabbing. &#8220;They are in musth,&#8221; Ollie said, when testosterone levels rise and they are ready to mate. The winner would get his pick of local lady elephants. The confrontation continued for a minute or so and then fizzled out. They backed away from each other and rejoined the group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Hearing Ollie\u2019s excited reaction to this drama \u2014 he told me he had never seen elephants fight so aggressively \u2014 was almost as much fun as watching the elephant dust up. A safari, with its low guest-to-staff ratio, brings the opportunity to become quickly acquainted. Spending time with Ollie, and all the wonderful staff at Leroo La Tau, was a highlight of my trip. Especially since I was traveling on my own.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-1fa265b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1fa265b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-745d985\" data-id=\"745d985\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-396b269 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"396b269\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-birding.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29424\" alt=\"Ollie, a guide at Leroo La Tau safari lodge in Botswana holds a book with birds showing his favorite, a Pel&#039;s Fishing Owl.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-birding.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-birding-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-birding-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-safari-guide-birding-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Ollie shows me his favorite bird, a Pel's Fishing Owl<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62e1f56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"62e1f56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"p1\">Over the next few days, I would see giraffe, wildebeest, kudu, impala, jackal, hippos, crocodile and a remarkable array of birds, including Botswana&#8217;s national bird, the kori bustard.\u00a0 We didn&#8217;t see Ollie&#8217;s favorite, the Pel\u2019s Fishing Owl.\u00a0 They hunt at night which makes sightings difficult.\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"p1\">And I never did see the lion who woke me up on my first night, but I\u2019m ok with that. If I had, they may well have been on the hunt after one of my little chestnut-striped friends. That&#8217;s a slice of Botswana life that I am ok to miss.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de36297 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"de36297\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sunrise.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-29365\" alt=\"The sunrise at Leroo La Tau Safari lodge in Botswana.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sunrise.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sunrise-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sunrise-768x640.jpg 768w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/leroo-la-tau-sunrise-150x125.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Sunrise at Leroo La Tau safari lodge in Botswana. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11a4072 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"11a4072\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find more information about <a href=\"https:\/\/desertdelta.com\/camps\/leroo-la-tau\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Leroo La Tau<\/span><\/a>, and safari planning at <a href=\"https:\/\/desertdelta.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Desert &amp; Delta Safaris.<\/span> <\/a>Additional resources and planning tips are available at<\/span> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.botswanatourism.co.bw\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Botswana Tourism<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-68031c43 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"68031c43\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-122d3737\" data-id=\"122d3737\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3cadb1e3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3cadb1e3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Subscribe<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-548ad72f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"548ad72f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<iframe src=\"https:\/\/susanheinrich.substack.com\/embed\" width=\"480\" height=\"320\" style=\"border:1px solid #EEE; background:white;\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2d4c4c88 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2d4c4c88\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6c91282d\" data-id=\"6c91282d\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-406a1408 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"406a1408\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>More Adventures<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ab9bd7e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3ab9bd7e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/preah-ko-towers.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-8714\" alt=\"Susan Heinrich stands on from of an ancient temple complex known as Preah Ko, in Cambodia. Four spires are visible on a platform as well as trees in the distance.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/preah-ko-towers.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/preah-ko-towers-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/preah-ko-towers-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/preah-ko-towers-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fecb43c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fecb43c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If you enjoyed my story about Botswana, here are some other travel stories,&nbsp;<span style=\"color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-fa721bb-font-family ), Cormorant Garamond; font-size: var( --e-global-typography-fa721bb-font-size ); font-style: var( --e-global-typography-fa721bb-font-style ); font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-fa721bb-font-weight ); letter-spacing: var( --e-global-typography-fa721bb-letter-spacing ); word-spacing: var( --e-global-typography-fa721bb-word-spacing );\">told in a similar narrative style.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3978e22c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3978e22c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/cambodia-tonle-sap-lake-floating-village\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Exploring Cambodia&#8217;s Tonl\u00e9 Sap<\/span><\/a><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/on-safari-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">On Safari in India, In Search of the Bengal Tiger<\/span><\/a><\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/sailing-greek-islands\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Sailing the Greek Islands<\/span><\/a><\/p><p><a href=\"http:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/umbria-agriturismo\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">An Umbria Agriturismo in the Green Heart of Italy<\/span><\/a><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-30993bb elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"30993bb\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-abcca80\" data-id=\"abcca80\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0128a50 elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-2074 elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0128a50\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-globe-africa\" viewBox=\"0 0 496 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 8C111.03 8 0 119.03 0 256s111.03 248 248 248 248-111.03 248-248S384.97 8 248 8zm160 215.5v6.93c0 5.87-3.32 11.24-8.57 13.86l-15.39 7.7a15.485 15.485 0 0 1-15.53-.97l-18.21-12.14a15.52 15.52 0 0 0-13.5-1.81l-2.65.88c-9.7 3.23-13.66 14.79-7.99 23.3l13.24 19.86c2.87 4.31 7.71 6.9 12.89 6.9h8.21c8.56 0 15.5 6.94 15.5 15.5v11.34c0 3.35-1.09 6.62-3.1 9.3l-18.74 24.98c-1.42 1.9-2.39 4.1-2.83 6.43l-4.3 22.83c-.62 3.29-2.29 6.29-4.76 8.56a159.608 159.608 0 0 0-25 29.16l-13.03 19.55a27.756 27.756 0 0 1-23.09 12.36c-10.51 0-20.12-5.94-24.82-15.34a78.902 78.902 0 0 1-8.33-35.29V367.5c0-8.56-6.94-15.5-15.5-15.5h-25.88c-14.49 0-28.38-5.76-38.63-16a54.659 54.659 0 0 1-16-38.63v-14.06c0-17.19 8.1-33.38 21.85-43.7l27.58-20.69a54.663 54.663 0 0 1 32.78-10.93h.89c8.48 0 16.85 1.97 24.43 5.77l14.72 7.36c3.68 1.84 7.93 2.14 11.83.84l47.31-15.77c6.33-2.11 10.6-8.03 10.6-14.7 0-8.56-6.94-15.5-15.5-15.5h-10.09c-4.11 0-8.05-1.63-10.96-4.54l-6.92-6.92a15.493 15.493 0 0 0-10.96-4.54H199.5c-8.56 0-15.5-6.94-15.5-15.5v-4.4c0-7.11 4.84-13.31 11.74-15.04l14.45-3.61c3.74-.94 7-3.23 9.14-6.44l8.08-12.11c2.87-4.31 7.71-6.9 12.89-6.9h24.21c8.56 0 15.5-6.94 15.5-15.5v-21.7C359.23 71.63 422.86 131.02 441.93 208H423.5c-8.56 0-15.5 6.94-15.5 15.5z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5a030e55 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5a030e55\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-409de32e\" data-id=\"409de32e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-529da6e9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"529da6e9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Planning an African safari trip? Learn more about <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/what-to-wear-safari\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What I Packed for my Safari<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a362b28 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3a362b28\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Safari-Capsule-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-39693\" alt=\"Safari Style Capsule Attire with 15 pieces: jacket, shirts, pants, romper, hat, glasses and scarf all in shades of khaki, tan and brown. Also pictured are ankle boots and sandals, a sun hat and sunglasses.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Safari-Capsule-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Safari-Capsule-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Safari-Capsule-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Safari-Capsule-1-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BOTSWANA Botswana&#8217;s Makgadikgadi Pans are a gem for viewing incredible birds and wildlife, and with lucky timing, Africa&#8217;s second-largest zebra migration Perched at the edge of the Boteti River, Leroo La Tau Botswana safari lodge offers a front-row seat to a parade of wildlife. From the verandah of my room, I watch an elephant wade [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":29348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[61,36],"tags":[308,350,146,142,362,45,284,363,110],"class_list":["post-29273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-hotels","category-travel-stories","tag-adventure-travel","tag-adventures","tag-africa","tag-botswana","tag-game-drive","tag-safari","tag-solo-travel","tag-southern-africa","tag-wildlife-tourism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/botswana-zebra-migration-and-wildebeest.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29273\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/midlifeglobetrotter.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}