Botswana Feature

Vast conservation areas, abundant wildlife of all shapes and sizes, and luxury camps and lodges are just some of the things that make Botswana the ideal destination for a safari holiday, says Brian Jackman.

Early morning in Deception Valley, the brief desert rains are at an end but the sweet valley grasses are still green enough to attract large herds of antelope. Most noticeable are the gemsbok, handsome beasts with faces like African tribal masks, and I watch entranced as a herd canters past – until something catches my eye.

A lion is standing at the edge of the plain, his shaggy head raised above the grasses, and at once it’s clear he isn’t just any lion. This is a full-on Kalahari male in all his glory, and probably the finest lion I’ve ever seen. (read full article)