In May of this year, I went on a week-long trip to Botswana with Ben Bridge Jeweler. I was mostly excited to travel to a corner of the world I'd never seen before, and eager to explore what the country is best known for: its pristine, unspoilt nature and diamonds, which are the basis of Botswana's economy.
With an early morning game drive in Chobe National Park and a sunset boat trip along the Chobe River, I experienced Botswana’s stunning beauty and saw some of the most diverse and fascinating wildlife in the world.
I also learned about the origins of De Beers diamonds, which the company is currently collaborating on to develop the Ben Bridge signature diamond, and the resulting jewelry collection, which highlights Ben Bridge's commitment to ethical sourcing.
Just like that, after a 14-hour flight, I embarked on a trip full of adventure and education. Here's everything I've done along the way.
Sunset sailing on the Chobe River
My trip included a visit to Chobe National Park in Kasane, a corner of Botswana that borders the three countries of Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. There, I stayed at the Chobe Game Lodge, where the musical whirring and chirping of insects were the only sounds in this peaceful retreat from the outside world.
On the way from the airport, we had a delightful introduction to the park's inhabitants: giraffes lazily eating their lunch on leaves, impalas running huddled together. As I walked into my room, I met a family of warthogs who were my unofficial guardians during my stay. The guide reminded me that the hut's fence only blocked out the elephants, and any other animal could have easily greeted me at the door.
After settling in, I cruised the Chobe River at sunset. The hippopotamus, one of the most dangerous animals I know of, made a brief cameo, and it soon had its head out of the water. At dusk, baboons, elephants and crocodiles hang out looking like friends.
In fact, as my tour guide kindly told me, they were not friends. "Friends in Wildlife Country" is wishful thinking in a cartoon. The way nature works is "survival of the fittest."
Twilight Safari
At five o'clock in the morning, the hunting guide picked me up to go hunting in Chobe National Park. I found comfort in it We spent a refreshingly cold morning with strong coffee and thick blankets (winter in Botswana) as we drove through the stillness of the sleepy desert plains, waiting for the sun to rise. We spent the day game playing, observing a variety of wildlife in their habitat, and learning about this vast ecosystem.
As they travel, the elephants cover themselves with sand and mud to protect themselves from the heat. Their craggy skin makes even the smallest children look wise and old. A baby baboon clings to its belly and carefully searches for food in elephant dung. Breakfast comes in all forms, even leftovers.
Meanwhile, giraffes – graceful, fast and graceful – scampered through the trees. If you ask me, they are the supermodels of the animal kingdom.
We spent most of the day looking for the lions, the leaders of the food chain. Finally, in the quiet moments of dusk, we encountered a group of lionesses. We held our breath as they approached us, their movements both beautiful and ominous. They were planning their next meal, focusing their attention on the hapless herd of impala over there.
One of the strangest, most spectacular, and thrilling experiences of my trip was hearing the roar of a lion—a sound so strange yet so natural, like the rumble of thunder signaling an approaching storm.
Inside an active diamond mine
The next day travel to the Jwaneng Diamond Mine, the most valuable diamond mine in the world (also known as the “Prince of Mines”). Putting on a hard hat and reflective vest, I peered deeper into the mine, a cave filled with frantic activity.
The diamond industry begins here, Whether it's the people operating heavy machinery or the doctors helping to deliver 100 babies a month at the local hospital supported by the Jwaneng diamond mine, all aspects of the diamond industry are intertwined.
Tour of De Beers sales facilities
De Beers Global Sightholder Sales Center is located in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana. Each high-security room is sterile and orderly—a change from the dusty plains of the day before.
There, the rough diamonds are sorted and analyzed before being sold to sightholders, a select group of companies with the authority to purchase De Beers rough diamonds. For many of its diamonds, the company has begun using Tracr, a program that ensures the diamond’s traceability and provenance.
I learned that traceability and a commitment to conflict-free sourcing of diamonds are two key initiatives that the industry has taken over the past 20 years to ensure socially responsible supply chains. For De Beers and Ben Bridge, sourcing transparency is important at every level of the diamond journey, not only for those directly involved in the mining and sourcing process, but also for retail consumers.
In these rooms, a collection of rough stones looks like playground pebbles. It's easy to forget that they take on a more flattering look soon after being polished.
We then headed to the village of Molepolole to visit the cutting and polishing facilities of De Beers sightholder Leo Schachter Diamonds. It was there that I discovered what diamonds could be beyond jewelry.
By keeping the cutting and polishing process local in Botswana, sightholders like Leo Schachter Diamonds help increase employment and build support networks for local communities. The company also funds local day care centers.
At the end of my trip, I said goodbye to a country whose warmth and generosity surpass any polished stone that has entered the world. Diamonds may be the backbone of Botswana's economy, but its people and wildlife are its heart.
