Date Published: 10th March 2026

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 rescue and hand-rear young elephant orphans, protect their habitat, and involve and educate the wider community. They have become an established and well-recognised voice in conservation awareness and wildlife protection.

Over a number of years, using funds from generous donors, Debra Stevens and Scott Jackson (who Alexander caught up on this visit) built the Elephant Havens orphanage on the edge of the Okavango Delta. This a safe place for abandoned / orphaned young elephants to be cared for until they can be reintroduced into the wild. With access and education, they and their team hope to bridge some of the gap between communities and wildlife.

In 2020 they named one of the young elephant ‘Sandy’ after Alexander. He in turn wrote about the organisation in the 21st volume of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, How to Raise an Elephant.

Following their visit to Elephant Havens, the group flew to Delta Panhandle, landing in Shakawe where the Delta’s waters first enter Botswana. From there they travelled on to Nxamaseri village.

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Alexander has returned to Botswana. This is a guided tour for readers from all over the world, with Okavango Delta Explorations. Alexander receives no fee for this adventure but benefits from the company of readers from around the world who share his love for the country. He is travelling in the company of his great friend, journalist and film maker Mats Ögren Wanger and in the footsteps of his much loved character from The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Precious Ramotswe. As ever, we are grateful to Mats Ögren Wanger for his photography and videos which help to bring this journey to life.