Alexander McCall Smith has recently returned from another pilgrimage to Botswana, where he immersed himself in the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes that continue to inspire his beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. He spent time with the warm and fascinating people, and explored the picturesque places that bring his stories to life. Here […]

Day 6 Botswana Elephant Havens An adventure in Botswana would not be complete without a visit to the Elephant Havens, a sanctuary on the edge of the Okavango Delta dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants. This is a charity that Alexander is very happy to support. The activity of the team there is to […]

Days 3 & 4, SOS Children’s Home and Old Naledi In the morning, the group set out for the SOS Children’s Village in Tlokweng, the real-life inspiration for the orphan farm in The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books. Here they met the dedicated staff, spent time with the children, enjoyed a taste of the matron’s […]

Alexander McCall Smith returns to Botswana Amongst those Alexander met up this past weekend in Botswana with was Professor Sheila Tlou, Board of Member for Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership (BHP), Co-Chair of the Nursing Now Global Campaign and the Global HIV Prevention Coalition, and a Former Minister of Health and Wellness in Botswana from […]

– Day 2 – A visit to Mma Ramotswe’s home village, Mochudi This morning Alexander travelled to the charming village of Mochudi, about an hour out of town, the home of the fictional Mma Ramotswe from The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Here he was welcomed by celebrated singer Nnunu Ramagotsi – Africa’s Jewel – who […]

– Day 1 Alexander McCall Smith returns to Botswana, the country of his heart. Yesterday was the first day of Alexander’s 2026 visit. During the day he took guests (readers from across the world who have joined him in the birthplace of Precious Ramotswe) on a guided tour of Gaborone, taking in landmarks from The […]

Earlier this month Alexander joined a very special group of readers for a one-of-a-kind afternoon tea at Bertie’s favourite deli, Valvona & Crolla. The group of readers had helped to crowdfund the relocation of The Edinburgh Bookshop, one of Alexander’s favourite independent Edinburgh book shops. Alexander, together with bookshop owner Marie Moser, thanked the readers […]

Friends: This picture was taken by my daughter, Lucy, and she has now put it on a birthday card. It shows me with the antenna for the radio I have at our house in the Highlands of Scotland. I fire it up from time to time (I am a licensed radio operator, as it happens!) […]

The newly knighted creator of The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series marked the end of a joyous week of celebrations by presenting a poem to King Charles at a reception at Edinburgh Castle yesterday, celebrating the 900th anniversary of Scotland’s capital city. The poem appears in The Times online today and in paper. The […]