IF you've been hooked on the BBC1 drama series The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency you'll also love its setting, Botswana.

Set in the southern African country's capital, Gaborone, the show, based on the Alexander McCall Smith novels, gives viewers a taste of this beautiful country.

But there's so much more to it than the adventures of Mma Ramotswe and her secretary Mma Makutsi. And if Botswana is interesting enough to be Prince Harry's favourite destination then it's good enough for me.

I couldn't wait to see its wildlife, but I also had another requirement for my trip away from the developed world.

I wanted my visit to so something postive for the local people and their environment. And that's why I decided to book my trip with Africa's leading ecotourism firm &Beyond. They not only believe in caring for the land, the wildlife and the people, they also want to share their passions with guests and inspire others to care.

They think that Africa's heritage of wild habitats and the animals which live in it should be recognised as its most precious natural resource. And they work to ensure that rewards of wildlife and nature conservation can be reaped through tourism, benefiting travellers and the places they visit.

First stop was at &Beyond's Sandibe Safari Lodge, set in a 270 sq km private concession on the magnificent Okavango Delta.

My beautiful thatched lodge nestled between water and grass-swept plains, blending seamlessly with one of the most breathtaking landscapes in Africa.

Sandibe is surrounded by wildlife and throughout my stay I was enchanted by the variety of animals wandering in and out of camp.

Although we had to watch out for the monkeys-one pinched a cheeky sip from another guest's can of lager!

I was lucky enough to experience a number of exhilarating game drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles, seeing everything on my wish list: elephant, lion, hippo, cheetah, leopard, crocodile, zebra and giraffe to name just a few.

Care

But with &Beyond you know you're getting so much more than a traditional safari. You get a real sense that these guys care for their country and everything in it.

The vegetable garden project in the Okavango Delta is a perfect example.

My lodge was instrumental in helping the vegetable and herb garden project of four women in the village community of Shorobe.

With the help of the Africa Foundation, they rented land, a water pump and irrigation pipes so they could grow vegetables and herbs.

Now they sell them to neighbouring lodges, including Sandibe, and to other suppliers in Maun, the tourism capital of Botswana. My next stop was Savute for a few nights in a tent-but this wasn't your typical camping experience.

Carefully positioned on prime sites in the wilderness of central Chobe National Park, Savute Under Canvas has several semi-permanent camps, each with just six luxury en-suite tents.

This area is said to have the highest density of predators in the world.

It's the soul of Africa where, without the luxury of electricity, travellers can lose themselves in the relaxing solitude of Chobe-although you do get the comfort of a flushing toilet and shower in every tent!

Each tent comes with personalised private butler service and the traditional African meals are plentiful and frequent.

Sat around a campfire every night, sipping beer and swapping stories is about as far as you can get from the stresses of life.

Hearing the call of a hyena or roar of a lion is both breathtaking and scary in equal proportions.

As if all these sights and senses were not enough, as I sat by the fire on my final night I saw a shooting star zip through the sky. Simply magical.

For those wishing to explore even more of Botswana's wilderness highlights, &Beyond's 10-day Botswana Explorer Expedition is a must.

Offering an exhilarating itinerary of camping in the most beautiful wilderness regions, this mobile tented safari is accompanied throughout by a knowledgeable and professional guide.

The best time of year for game viewing is the dry season between May and September, when the average daytime temperature is a sizzling 27C (80F), falling to a cool 6C (43) at night.

By choosing to travel with &Beyond, it is possible for the traveller to experience the safari of a lifetime while making a real contribution to a better tomorrow.

Knowing my money was helping the land helped me enjoy the trip a whole lot more. And you don't need the detective skills of Mme Ramotswe to find the passion of the people in this stunning and unspoilt country.

Getting there

VIRGIN Atlantic offers a daily flight from Heathrow to Johannesburg from £549. Visit www.virginatlantic.com or call 08448 747 747.

Ross travelled on to Botswana with &Beyond. All-inclusive stays at Savute start from £240pp per night and £275pp at the Sandibe Safari Lodge.

Call 0027 11 809 4300, visit www.andbeyondafrica.com or email safaris@andbeyond.com

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