Jao Camp, Safari Okavango Delta, Botswana Safari Accommodation

Jao Camp is situated in a private reserve on a remote large island, to the west of the Moremi Game Reserve in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Across the waterway in front of the camp, guests have access to open flood plains and savannah for a wonderful Okavango experience.

Guests are accommodated in nine large and spacious rooms. Each of the unique and beautiful twin-bedded canvas and thatched rooms has been individually handcrafted under the direction of renowned architects Sylvio Rech and Leslie Carstens.

The rooms are built under a canopy of shady trees, with en-suite bathroom, hot and cold running water, a large bath and double vanity. There is an additional outside shower under the stars for those more adventurous guests who want to shower closer to nature.

There is an outdoor "sala" for guests to enjoy midday siestas with a view and a breeze.

The rooms are raised off the ground and offer wonderful views of the surrounding flood plains. A raised walkway connects the rooms to the dining room and lounge area.

There is a plunge pool and an outdoor 'boma' for dining under the stars, as well as an excellent wine cellar.

Jao also offers a Salon with a fulltime therapist, offering a wide range of massage treatments.

The activities at Jao include mokoro (dug out canoe) excursions, boats, fishing, day and night game drives and guided walks. If the area has a large flood, we usually have to boat to a large island, called Hunda Island, where vehicles would be waiting and the game drives start.

The area is extremely seasonal and the annual flood transforms the habitat from dry green open plains in summer to shallow flood plains in the winter. Access to this area is only by aircraft.

Game Viewing
A variety of habitats ensures diverse and interesting game viewing. The wildlife at Jao depends largely on the water levels in the area. The lagoons are home to Hippo and Crocodile and the permanent waterways and floodplains attract large numbers of waterfowl. In the permanent waters, Sitatunga can be tracked silently by mokoro.

From October to March the waters subside and extensive green open plains are the highlight. This is where the game viewing is the most diverse. Lion, Cheetah and Leopard are plentiful, while Tsessebe, Red Lechwe, Zebra, Giraffe, Warthog and Wildebeest dot the flood plains. Large herds of buffalo move in and out of the reserve at will. Night drives are good for spotting creatures not often seen such as Porcupine, Spotted Hyena, Pangolin, Spring Hares, Bushbabies, Civet and Genets.

During our winter months, the water levels at Jao rise and the savannah areas become inundated with water. Huge herds of Lechwe can be found on the floodplains and the Lion prides are adept at hunting and drowning their prey in the water. Leopards are still often seen and Elephants are more prevalent at this time. Plains game such as Impala, Zebra, Wildebeest and Tsessebe stick to the dry islands. During this time the focus at Jao switches more to water activities with limited game drives on the larger islands. A greater choice of activities is also possible at this time of year due to these higher water levels.

Camp Out
If you stay more than 3 nights at Jao you can request a camp out at the time of booking and we will set up a wonderful camp under the stars for you.

You will be taken to your camp out after the game drive for dinner and than spend the night under a mosquito net. After a small breakfast you can go directly on a game drive or back to Jao Camp. Simple toilet and showering facilities are available at the camp out site.

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The Jao Concession
The Jao Reserve (Wildlife Management Area NG25) is 60 000 hectares in extent and is in the north-western area of the Okavango Delta below the panhandle. The Moremi Game Reserve forms the eastern boundary of the reserve.

Lying as it does in the very heart of the Delta, the Jao Reserve embodies all the magic and mystique of the Okavango. Narrow water channels cut their way through the papyrus and reed beds in the permanent delta to the north and east of the reserve, providing the perfect environment for the elusive Sitatunga and the rare Pel's Fishing Owl. Beautiful lush palm islands dot the water, begging to be explored, and Jacana Camp is built on one such lush and thickly forested island. In the central region of the reserve, vast open floodplains provide some of the most stunning scenery of the region. Jao Camp lies in the southern side of the plains and Kwetsani Camp is 5 miles further north on the same floodplain system. This area of the reserve has beautiful islands fringed with riverine forests. Further west the reserve gets progressively dryer and Hunda island which is the tip of a large sand tongue is the largest area of dry land during the flood season. Hunda island has sandveld vegetation supporting many species of nutritious acacia and grewia shrubs which provide excellent browsing. Tubu Tree Camp is built on the western side of Hunda island.

Jao and Kwetsani Camps are situated on islands with breathtaking scenery and have a great diversity of activities on offer. The largest concentrations of endangered Wattled Crane are found in this area. The birdlife is simply stunning: Slaty Egrets, Pink-throated Longclaws and African Skimmers are some of the specials that can be seen. The lion prides in this area have been studied for the past 5 years by our resident guide, Grant, and a good record has been built up allowing us more intimate knowledge of their behaviour. Jacana is a traditional Delta water camp, built on a small exquisite wooded palm island. Tubu Tree Camp is situated in the area with the most palatable grasses and the largest area of permanently dry land and so usually has the more abundant game viewing experience. There are two platform hides in the Reserve.

Only 48 beds are developed in 4 camps in the entire remote reserve, ensuring an exclusive and personal wilderness experience. The majority of the staff in the camps are locals from the area, either BaYei tribesman or MaXaniqwe (River Bushmen) and know the area like the back of their hands. Many of these people were born on islands nearby and have an intimate knowledge and passion for the area which is hard to beat. They take great joy in imparting their local knowledge and culture to our visitors and love sharing their singing and dancing with guests. Many of our guests rate their interactions with the staff as the most enjoyable element of their stay.

Although this Wildlife Management Area is a hunting concession, a moratorium has been declared on hunting. Every year we reserve our quota, so that those animals cannot be re-allocated to another area and are thus saved from being hunted. We believe that with the same level of protection that the Moremi Game Reserve has enjoyed over the past 40 years, the Jao Reserve has the potential as a wildlife area equal to that of the Moremi.