Sand, Sapiens and Stars:  A Philosophical Voyage with Belmond Safaris Hosted By Specialist Guide Paul Sheller 

JULY 2024 - BELMOND SAFARIS IN BOTSWANA – Eagle Island Lodge, A Belmond Safari, in the heart of the Okavango Delta launches an inaugural two-day experience led by specialist safari guide and anthropological researcher. Paul Sheller guides an enlightening rediscovery of the night sky and its stars is undertaken as well as humanity’s connection to it. In the pristine wilderness of the Botswana bushveld, this exclusive safari invites us to reconnect not only with the natural world but also with our ancestry by delving into the lost language of the Bushmen and their inextricable link to the stars.  

The vast dark skies spanning Botswana’s wild landscapes provide the perfect backdrop as Sheller shares his passion for archaeology, geology and astronomy, along with knowledge gained from his unique and intimate relationship with Kalahari bushman communities.

During the two-day safari, Sheller will introduce local sites of significance and special interest: pristine rock paintings that chart local history; the sacred UNESCO World Heritage site of Tsodilo Hills; and the Okavango Delta, teeming with wildlife - the latter of which is appreciated from the air on a breathtaking helicopter journey from Eagle Island Lodge to Tsodilo Hills. 

“Reflecting on the experiences I had during my time with the bushmen, and underscoring our differences in world perspectives, I’ll be weaving in some of the history, geology, anthropology and mythology of Botswana and will talk about the wisdom that was shared with me about the stars. I hope guests will take the harmonised relationship that the bushmen have with the wild and that is shared with them during this carefully tailored Belmond Safaris experience as an inspiration to find their own connection with the beauty of the natural world,” says Sheller. 

FROM SUPERNOVAS TO SAPIENS 

Unbelievably, most elements in our bodies have travelled through at least one supernova. This staggering revelation is just one of the astonishing truths that Sheller will delve into while highlighting further connections between humans and the universe: Tracing the journey from stars to soil, then to animals and man – all within the context of Botswana’s majestic landscapes and wildlife – Sheller will lead guests on a thought-provoking exploration not only of the bushveld with its significant historic sites but also of the cosmos. 

Paul will venture back millions of years and establish how tectonic activity paved the creation of the Kalahari Basin, Lake Makgadikgadi and, much later, the Okavango Delta – home to one of the densest wildlife concentrations in Africa thanks to its abundance of essential nutrients that are the basis of the harmonious life cycle necessary to secure biodiversity. 

HARMONIOUS HUMANITY, AN ANCIENT APPROACH 

As part of the exclusive safari, a one-hour private helicopter ride from Eagle Island Lodge takes guests to the rocky Tsodilo Hills as they rise dramatically from the flat Kalahari plains. Here, guests have the opportunity to admire one of the most extensive collections of Bushman rock art in the world, mapping out life as it was 20,000 years ago. Accompanied by  Sheller and an indigenous guide from either the Ju/’hoansi or Hambukushu tribe, they will add rare and authentic insight into how early man arrived in these parts of the world and how, over time, plants and animals have adapted to life at the edge of the Delta. Additionally, guests will be mesmerised by Sheller’s stories, deeply rooted in the philosophy of the Kalahari bushmen who have adapted their own existence to coexist in harmony with nature’s law, rather than adapting the natural surroundings to serve human life. Intimately in tune with nature, the bushmen’s approach underpins conservation and probes the sustainability of humanity’s existence. 

Guests will have the opportunity to include another two days to their safari adventure at Savute Elephant Lodge, A Belmond Safari, in the Chobe Desert. As a National Park, Chobe is endowed with dark skies, allowing guests to glimpse deep into the cosmos of the Southern Hemisphere.  Using state-of-the-art telescopes, Sheller will shine a light on Jupiter, the four Galilean moons, and the Andromeda Galaxy, some 2.5 million light years away, while also sharing the Bushmen’s traditional interpretations of the constellations. 

With boat trips along the Delta, sumptuous island lunches, mesmerising sundowners near water holes or beneath ancient baobab trees in addition to captivating star shows, this illuminating experience is unique to Belmond guests, who are invited to find a deeper connection through the abundant wildlife of Botswana, its ancient past and to the universe at large. 

Pricing 

Shoulder season from 1st October- 14th November- from $8820 per person per night sharing. 
High Season from 1st June- 30th September and 23rd December to 3rd Jan 2026- from $10370 per person sharing.

Various images shot by: Christina Leitner and Pie Aerts