Jao Camp

PLAN MY TRIP

Jao Camp is perched on a remote island in the private Jao Concession which borders the Moremi Game Reserve right in the heart of the Okavango Delta.

Built on raised wooden platforms in the shade of a grove of trees, the camp’s nine hand-crafted tents are both spacious and intimate. There are six twin bedded tents, two king sized bedded tents, and one family tent with two-bedrooms to choose from. Each tent is luxuriously appointed and includes a lounge and dressing area as well as an en-suite bathroom facility and an outdoor shower. The tent’s private sala serves as the perfect vantage point from which to take in the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

This luxury camp takes advantage of the Okavango’s diversity of habitats—ranging from floodplains to savanna to lagoons to wetlands—as well as the accompanying variety of wildlife. The world-famous Okavango Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to plains game including lechwe, buffalo, zebra, and wildebeest that graze on the nearby Hunda Island that provides a large, permanently dry savanna. Of course, where these herds are, predators including lion and leopard are not far behind. Because of the Okavango’s distinctive water features, the region is also home to hippo, crocodile, and an incredible diversity of birdlife.

Jao Camp’s potential activities are as varied as the proximate habitats. Taking advantage of the Delta’s waterway, mokoro rides in traditional dug-out canoes steered by long poles are the ideal way to see crocodiles, hippos, and bathing elephants. The camp also has an eleven-seater and one thirteen-seater boat available for cruises, perfect for bird watchers who can get a glimpse of a Pel’s fishing owl or sacred Ibis. Morning and afternoon game drives are offered in open 4×4 Land Rovers each accommodating a maximum of seven people and led by expert guides. There are also full-day game drives available with a picnic lunch. Night drives take in the nocturnal animals. A raised hide twenty-minutes from camp accommodates a maximum of two people on a queen-size bed with a large mosquito net.

The camp’s main area is comprised of an elaborate two-story building with lounge and dining area, two plunge pools, a small library, curio shop, and a traditional boma for dining under the stars. Each dinner is complemented by the camp’s excellent wine cellar. Tucked under African ebony trees, Jao’s spa offers a wide range of massage therapies and a gym.