A recent nearly two-week adventure through Botswana culminated in a profound experience for the author and their friend, Maggie. Following a sleepless night under the Milky Way core in the Makgadikgadi Pans, one of the world’s largest salt flats, the final day of their Desert & Delta safari brought an unexpected natural spectacle. The journey had already been filled with awe, from observing elephants along the Chobe River to an Indigenous San–led trek around the ancient rock art sites of Tsodilo Hills.

While journaling on their Leroo La Tau Lodge balcony overlooking Botswana’s Boteti River, the author witnessed a dust cloud in the distance, quickly realizing its source was a massive herd of zebra. Soon, hundreds of these black-and-white-striped animals, joined by wildebeest and elephants, descended upon the lodge’s waterfront. This dramatic event was quickly identified as Africa’s “secret migration,” a phenomenon less publicized than the great wildebeest migration but equally mesmerizing.

For safari enthusiasts, the vast wildebeest migration in Tanzania and Kenya is a renowned sight. However, concerns about tourist vehicle congestion near the Mara River in 2022 led the author to seek alternatives. Botswana’s zebra migration offered a captivating focus. In 2014, biologists from WWF and Elephants Without Borders confirmed that Burchell’s zebra undertake the longest-known land mammal migration in Africa, traveling over 300 miles between the Chobe River floodplains and Nxai Pan National Park, just north of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. This movement involves approximately 30,000 zebra. More recently, scientists have identified another route directly connecting the Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, positioning Desert & Delta’s Leroo La Tau Lodge perfectly in the heart of this action.

Mathale “Metal” Mosheti, the guide, explained that the area around Leroo La Tau Lodge serves as a crucial regrouping point for the zebra. Many migrating zebra spend about half the year, from mid-April to early November, congregating here, waiting for seasonal rains. They then disperse along various routes to follow new growth before returning to this home base near the Boteti River. The immense wildlife concentration around the lodge allowed for stationary safaris, with guests observing the herds from the lodge’s cozy, panoramic game-view hide, a structure built into the river bank.

The morning’s zebra dazzle soon evolved into a diverse wildlife gathering, resembling a “Noah’s Ark-like afternoon” with elephants, wildebeest, crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, kudu, and fish eagles joining the scene. A significant aspect of this experience is the remarkable seclusion. Stephen Frenkel, marketing and sales manager for Desert & Delta Safaris, highlighted that while the zebra migration is known in the area, it remains a “hidden gem” of the northern Botswana safari experience, ensuring low visitor numbers and preventing overtourism.

Leroo La Tau, meaning “lion’s paw” in Setswana, was acquired by Desert & Delta about 15 years ago. The lodge features 12 thatched-roof suites, each with a private balcony and a full glass-walled side offering unobstructed views of the river and the migration. A 2023 refurbishment aimed to enhance this migration-viewing experience, leaning into the region’s expansive blue skies and open spaces. The lodge’s nature-inspired aesthetic extends to its dining area, and its outdoor fireplace features logs pushed down by elephants.

Among the enhancements, the upgraded viewing hide now offers more seating and the option for private dining, sometimes even sundowners amidst the wildlife. These stationary viewing opportunities complement traditional safari drives in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park. While large predators like lions are less common at the open riverfront, preferring the national park’s better hiding spots, the lodge’s environment offers a unique advantage: animals behave naturally without the disturbance of noisy safari vehicles or large crowds. This allows guests to witness authentic interactions and “idiosyncrasies,” providing a truly immersive and “authentic migration experience.”