Botswana

Jao

Q: What is a tented camp?

A tented camp is a semi-permanent lodge designed to provide a memorable safari experience while treading lightly on the environment. This isn’t roughing it though, your luxury tent at Jao has an en-suite bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers, all the conveniences of a hotel suite, and your own private plunge pool.

Q: What activities are there at Jao?

Jao offers the ultimate Delta experience, with activities on land and water. Adventure on the water in a boat or mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, and go in search of rare flora and fauna, big and small, on game drives. Embark on a full-day excursion to Hunda Island or unwind in camp with a massage or visit to the museum.

Q: Where is the Okavango Delta?

The Okavango Delta in north-west Botswana is the world’s largest inland delta. Covering a large swathe of the Kalahari Desert, this is a vast and varied ecosystem that provides a sanctuary for some of the world’s rarest birds and wildlife.

Q: What is the best time to visit the Okavango Delta?

Botswana’s Jao Camp is ready to welcome you year-round. While each season brings a unique appeal, wildlife numbers are concentrated between July and October. These drier months also allow for seasonal game drive opportunities.

Q: What should I wear on safari in Botswana?

Khaki, green and neutral beige are essential colors for a safari in the bush. Also be sure to pack a long-sleeved shirt, mosquito repellant, sunglasses, and some good sunscreen, and don’t forget your camera and some spare memory card for some epic safari shots.

Where Water and Land Blur

In the heart of the Okavango, on a remote island, Jao invites you to discover one of the richest experiences of the Delta.

Home Africa Botswana Okavango Delta Jao Camp

DESTINATIONS

Wilderness Jao

Unleash your sense of adventure.

Where Earth meets river meets wetland, lies Jao. Surrounded by riverine forests and vast floodplains, Jao is the archetypal Okavango Delta camp, and a lush haven for wildlife. Boat in when the waters rise or travel by game drive vehicle when summer warms the land. At Jao, the endlessly dynamic waters provide a continuous element of surprise and all manner of experiences to explore this Botswana paradise.

BOTSWANA

Jao moments

Botswana’s Jao is a sculptural marvel of natural and recycled materials, of steel, wood, and glass, of towering, spacious interiors that embrace the light, the bush. Feel your senses come alive at this quintessentially Delta safari camp.

Jao moments

Botswana’s Jao is a sculptural marvel of natural and recycled materials, of steel, wood, and glass, of towering, spacious interiors that embrace the light, the bush. Feel your senses come alive at this quintessentially Delta safari camp.

Accommodation

Striking design elements impress at every turn. Marvel at the gallery and museum, relax in the library, or simply just be in Jao’s elaborate main area, surrounded by the trees and bird song of the Delta. Choose between five expansive safari suites or two sublime villas with private plunge pools and their own private butlers, chefs, guides, and vehicles. The perfect Okavango hideaway.

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Cuisine

The food experience at Jao is a journey in itself. To reduce our foodprint, strengthen our ties with the community, and create a healthier, more harmonious environment for all of us, we use locally grown ingredients in traditional recipes. Feel indulged as you discover Botswana at its best through touch, smell, and taste.

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THE DETAILS

Wilderness Jao

At Jao we invite you into a world where nature and architecture collide. Built into the tall trees, the unique bird’s nest-styled pool gazebo on the edge of the water provides the perfect place to rest. The extravagant wine cellar calls for a pre-dinner drink, while the award-winning spa with gym alongside, beckons you to experience the highest standards of safari luxury.

Purpose

Facilities

Wildlife

Area

Activities

A unique ecosystem

Keep your ears open for a hundred different bird calls. Spy a tiny painted reed frog, or elephants padding silently past camp. Follow lions across the floodplains. You’ll soon discover why we work tirelessly to protect the unique ecosystem of the Okavango Delta. Jao is a place dedicated to the conservation of the waters and the dry land, and the plants, birds, and wildlife that call Botswana home.

Spa

Indulge in an award-winning spa experience in the heart of the Delta.

Family room

Our two luxury villas are perfect for families or small groups.

Gym

Look out over the African bush while getting in your daily step count.

Cellar

Our sommelier will help you pick out the perfect wine pairing.

Library

Learn more about the Okavango Delta's rich history.

The best of the Delta

The 60,000-hectare Jao Reserve in the heart of the Okavango is bordered by the renowned Moremi Game Reserve to the east, and allows for year-round access to Hunda Island. Look out over the magnificent floodplains from almost everywhere. There is no better place to discover the Delta. 

Purpose

A unique ecosystem

Keep your ears open for a hundred different bird calls. Spy a tiny painted reed frog, or elephants padding silently past camp. Follow lions across the floodplains. You’ll soon discover why we work tirelessly to protect the unique ecosystem of the Okavango Delta. Jao is a place dedicated to the conservation of the waters and the dry land, and the plants, birds, and wildlife that call Botswana home.

Facilities

Spa

Indulge in an award-winning spa experience in the heart of the Delta.

Family room

Our two luxury villas are perfect for families or small groups.

Gym

Look out over the African bush while getting in your daily step count.

Cellar

Our sommelier will help you pick out the perfect wine pairing.

Library

Learn more about the Okavango Delta's rich history.

Wildlife

Area

The best of the Delta

The 60,000-hectare Jao Reserve in the heart of the Okavango is bordered by the renowned Moremi Game Reserve to the east, and allows for year-round access to Hunda Island. Look out over the magnificent floodplains from almost everywhere. There is no better place to discover the Delta. 

Activities

EXPERIENCES

Jao experiences

From boating and mokoro rides to seasonal catch-and-release fishing and thrilling game drives, full day excursions and sleep-outs in the Star Bed, time at Jao never fails to thrill. Look out to the magnificent floodplains from almost anywhere - the sublime serenity is sure to leave you awestruck.

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MAP

Explore camps in the Okavango Delta

Glide in a mokoro through a fluid garden of lilies. Watch elephants feeding in the distance. Go in pursuit of prolific antelope herds and their predators. Breakfast near a hippo-filled lagoon at dawn. Lunch in a shallow lagoon in the company of countless antelope. Dine alongside a herd of zebras as a dazzling night sky is revealed. This is Jao. The heart of the Okavango Delta.

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Jao

Standard Season

From USD 1,850 per person, per night

Premium Season

From USD 3,830 per person, per night

TRAVEL WITH US

Journey with Wilderness

Plan your journey across the vast Okavango Delta exploring the sinuous waterways. Or combine this wildlife-filled wetland with the contrasting space of the Namib Desert. Wherever you decide to go with Wilderness, you’re guaranteed once in-a-lifetime experiences.

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Couple

A Pioneering Safari Experience

Twelve nights across four of Botswana’s renowned wildlife areas, from the famed Okavango Delta to remote Mababe, and the wild, wonderful Linyanti.

12 nights

4 camps

From USD 21,700 per person

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A Pioneering Safari Experience

Twelve nights across four of Botswana’s renowned wildlife areas, from the famed Okavango Delta to remote Mababe, and the wild, wonderful Linyanti.

12 nights

4 camps

From USD 21700 per person

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Solo

Best of Botswana, Cape Town & Winelands

A 12-night journey from the wilds of Botswana's Okavango Delta to South Africa's vibrant Cape Town and Winelands regions.

12 nights

4 camps

From USD 19,610 per person

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Best of Botswana, Cape Town & Winelands

A 12-night journey from the wilds of Botswana's Okavango Delta to South Africa's vibrant Cape Town and Winelands regions.

12 nights

4 camps

From USD 19610 per person

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Couple

A Photographic Safari

Frame your subject. Adjust focus. Take the shot. Jaw-dropping landscapes, active and abundant wildlife, great equipment, and good guidance come together on the ultimate Botswana photographic safari.

9 nights

3 camps

From USD 19,040 per person

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A Photographic Safari

Frame your subject. Adjust focus. Take the shot. Jaw-dropping landscapes, active and abundant wildlife, great equipment, and good guidance come together on the ultimate Botswana photographic safari.

9 nights

3 camps

From USD 19040 per person

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JAO AWARDS

Camp awards

Award-winning Jao is renowned for exceptional safari experiences and unparalleled game-viewing, both on land and water. Here close-up wildlife encounters in and around the camp are legion, as are the number of accolades this safari camp receives.

Innovation Award 2020

Top 101 Hotels in the World 2020

TripAdvisor CoE 2017

SIMILAR CAMPS

Similar camps we think you'll love

The Jao experience is one of a kind. But also take a moment to explore our other Wilderness camps. From tented treetop suites to rainforest retreats, we will take you to places you only ever dreamed existed.

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FAQs

General

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JOURNAL

Featured stories

Botswana’s Jao has many stories to share. And it’s no surprise, with an abundance of wildlife, adventure at every turn, and community and culture at its core. We would love to share our tales from the African bush with you, and hope that one day you too will have your own stories to share.

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