Maun is the dusty gateway to the Okavango Delta. It’s a little city with a one-desk airport and lodges and camping sites for all budgets. I arrived and met my sister with her family and friends, and we camped under the winter stars. In the morning, with their two 4-wheel drive vehicles, we drove to the Moremi Game Reserve. This is elephant land, Botswana has the most elephants in Africa, and it seems that the total mass of the pachyderms far exceeds the weight of the human population. Add the hippos, zebras and giraffes, and you have a thriving untouched ecosystem. It is a relief to know that this place still exists.

Along the road, we first saw a giraffe, and then zebras. When we reached a watering hole, we saw a lone leopard; a rare sighting. Four hyenas then arrived and harassed him, forcing him to leap into a tree. The hyenas stayed there the entire day, lounging in the water. A herd or elephants looked like ships sailing in the tall grass. Crocodiles sunned themselves, and hippos exposed only their ears and eyes; and an occasional yawn.

The next day was perhaps even more spectacular, with an all-day boat trip along the river. This is far from a zoo or Disneyland: this is all spectacular reality, as if we are starring in a nature documentary. My favorite birds were the Openbill Stork, Southern Ground Hornbills and a mating pair of rare Wattled Cranes. A bubble appeared nearby and a hippo jumped out of the river like a dolphin, and attempted to attack us, but we were safe in the swiftly moving boat. It was a clear defense of his territory. The highlight here was four young male lions sitting under a tree next to their kill; a water buffalo. They were satiated and sleepy. On the way back, we drifted quietly next to two elephants in the river, just a few meters from the boat. The Botswana government is ruthless against poachers, with an unspoken death sentence for the possession of ivory. But even here there are stories of corruption and hidden warehouses full of tusks.

We slept in bed rolls under big sky in the desolate Makgadikgadi Pan. Ostriches were nearby, as well as some meerkats. Complete darkness exposed a bright red Mars, Mercury, and the Southern Cross, along with distant galaxies and the International Space Station gliding like a slow shooting star. Too cold to sleep well, but too beautiful to sleep. It’s a hassle to be a vegan in Africa, so I always bring along spaghetti and sauce, and ask the kitchen to make it for me, or make it myself. Everything was organized: I just showed up and enjoyed the friendliness, spaciousness and wilderness.

I have been to a lot of places in Africa, and my work focuses on destruction and disease. I fear that the great rainforests don’t have much chance. But just a few days in Botswana revealed the resilience of nature. The elephants will survive here, as will the lions and leopards. On the other hand, we did not encounter any rhinoceroses. Europeans and Americans bring big money to the economy, and it is clear that the animals here are worth far more alive than dead. Botswana is also the land of diamonds and mining and it is unclear how the exploitation of the land will that affect the economy, population and nature. It is obvious however that the low human population density allows for a greater biodiversity and more space for the elephants and leopards. Unforgettable.