There is an inexplicable enchantment about Africa. Those who have ventured into the “land of origins” would understand its bewitchment.
During our recent annual girls’ trip, our local tour guide introduced us to the idea of “sleeping under the stars”. Without hesitation, we were sold. There was something irresistible about surrendering ourselves to the open skies, unshielded and unfiltered.
We had already journeyed across Rwanda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe before finally winding our way into Botswana. After wrapping up a safari at Chobe National Park, we drove for hours toward Planet Baobab near the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans.
Planet Baobab served as our transfer point. There, we repacked our bags for a single night at the pans, leaving the rest in storage.
The journey itself felt cinematic. The first sight that greeted us was a lake alive with flamboyance – flamingos gathered in blushing clusters while horses frolicked freely in the water. Soon after, we spotted the giant baobab trees, which are endemic to the region.
As we drove deeper, the landscape transformed into an arid desert where low-lying shrubs clung stubbornly to the land, and the air grew noticeably chilled.
Our first mission was to catch the meerkats before sunset. After nearly two hours of driving, we arrived at an open plain with winding burrow lines. Seeing meerkats in their natural habitat for the first time was so cool.
As the sun dipped lower, we could see the orange horizon, and the savanna gave way to the vast, barren salt pans. Makgadikgadi, one of the largest salt flats in the world, was once an enormous lake that had long since dried up, leaving behind a stark expanse.
Our jeep whizzed through the plains, and in the distance, we saw a lone ostrich and a small herd of horses.
As soon as we arrived to our spot, the team began setting up our campsite. Everything was nicely arranged – the bonfire in the middle and the dining area nearby, the portable toilet set discreetly at a distance.
Our sleeping bags were laid out facing the sky. We watched as the sun slowly disappeared from view.
Then, someone brought out a guitar, and started serenading us with folk songs. We danced around the bonfire, laughing freely.
When it was time to sleep, we tucked ourselves into our sleeping bags. The temperature had dipped to 3°C, and we lay completely exposed, with no roof above us.
My eyes traced the stars as my thoughts drifted to my mother, whom I had lost to cancer. At that moment, a shooting star streaked across the sky, and I shed a tear. They were happy tears, as it felt like she was watching over me.
We woke up at dawn to a beautiful sunrise.
I realised then just how easily one could take the simple life for granted.
We got ready and gathered at the bonfire for breakfast. The air had warmed, but soon it would get really hot so we thought it was best to leave.
I took one final look around the plains. Never in my life had I imagined myself sleeping under the stars in Botswana – and yet, there I was, carrying the quiet magic of that night within me.
The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.
