2023.6.29 
Africa, Botswana 
Africa, African elephants, camping, safari, Botswana, accommodation 
1,167 view Botswana, a wildlife powerhouse in southern Africa. Although not very familiar to Japanese people, it boasts Chobe National Park with the highest density of African elephants, the world's largest inland delta, the Okavango Delta, and the vast Kalahari Desert, offering natural wonders comparable to East African countries. In Botswana, there are facilities where you can spend a night with African elephants!
Elephant Sands Lodge built around a waterhole
250 km south of Kasane, the base town for Chobe National Park safari tours.Elephant Sands Lodge is located along the road in a dry area!
The lodge buildings are arranged around the waterhole, attracting the largest land animals, African elephants, to the water.
As the name suggests, it's an accommodation where elephant lovers can have a dream-like experience!
In addition to the lodge buildings, there is a campsite, so if you bring a tent, you can camp right next to the waterhole.
The massive bodies of African elephants right in front of you
The main building with a café and reception has an observation deck from which you can overlook the waterhole.When I arrived, there were only a few elephants, but as evening approached, more and more gathered!
By the time I noticed, there were about 30 of them.
You can closely observe scenes of them drinking water and bathing in mud.
There are obstacles like tetrapods between the observation deck and the waterhole, but the leader of the herd occasionally showed caution, which was intimidating.
Elephants are intelligent and gentle animals, but they may sometimes attack humans to protect their herd.
I was reminded of the fearsome side of wildlife.
Elephants living robustly under a starry sky
At night, the facility lights are turned off, and instead, fires are lit in the fire pits.Their liveliness doesn't change even in the dark night.
Rather, a variety of unique individuals come and go.
Even after entering the tent, I secretly burned their images into my mind through the gaps.
Above the robustly living wild elephants, there is a sky full of stars.
It becomes a night that no one can forget!
Writer
Mamo
Information site "Let's travel with Zoo!" / Instagram / Twitter
Travelers who go to meet animals from all over the world. When he was a child, he had a dream of seeing African elephants in the savannah, and when he was a university student, he participated in his first safari in Tanzania. From there, he became passionate about animal observation and has visited more than 100 national parks, zoos and animal-related facilities. In addition to traveling around the world, he has conquered 47 prefectures in Japan.