In the heart of the Okavango, luxurious Jao is set amongst islands fringed with riverine forests and vast floodplains with prolific wildlife. The camp (rebuilt in 2019) comprises a main area elevated into the tree canopy, two exclusive villas and five suites, all with private plunge pools, lounge and dining areas, and en-suite bathrooms, including indoor and outdoor showers. The two Jao villas, accommodating four people each in two identical guest rooms, share a main area, and also have an exclusive vehicle, guide, chef and butler.
The fresh and contemporary design, in the same lovely location, continues the sense of adventure that Jao has always prized, adding an element of surprise and delight in ever-evolving sculptural and architectural language.
Underpinning it all is our commitment to the pristine environment around Jao, minimising our footprint and allowing our guests to experience the Delta in its fullest sense. Innovative insulation ensures comfort, while gauze and glass panels let natural light and the outside in. The suites and villas are cooled with a silent evaporative cooler, at a fraction of energy used by conventional air-conditioning, and Calore ‘fireplaces’ provide heating during the colder months.
Jao lies in the 60 000-hectare Jao Reserve in the heart of the Okavango, under a tree canopy on its own remote island, with renowned Moremi Game Reserve bordering on the east.
Room Types
Standard Tent(s)
(5 ROOMS)
5 x Tents comprising: 05 x twin-bedded luxury tented accommodations each with two three quarter beds (separate mattresses with shared base).
Villas
(2 ROOMS)
02 x Villas comprising: Each villa has two identical tents (four beds in total) each with own en-suite facilities, sharing a lounge and dining area, private butler, kitchenette with private chef, fire deck and private plunge pool, plus private vehicle and guide
Property Facilities
Tented Camp
Bar
Gym
Internet Access (Complimentary)
Library
Pool
Private Vehicle Available
Spa
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning
Bath
Electrical Outlets
En-Suite
Fan
Fireplace
Hair Dryer
Internet Access (Complimentary)
Laundry Service (Complimentary)
Lounge Area
Mini Bar
Mosquito Nets
Outside Shower
Plunge Pool
Sala
Tea / Coffee
Verandah
Thngs to do and the Camp
Mokoro Adventures
There is no better way to view the Delta and its wildlife than by traditional mokoro (dugout canoe). At Jao we also have two glass-bottomed mekoro for an extraordinary above-water experience!
Explore the Channels
A boating excursion allows us to reach and explore the more distant waterways and clear, deep channels. .
Go in Search of Game
Morning, afternoon and night game drives reveal the spectacular wildlife of the area where leopard and other fauna, large and small, feature.
Day Outings and Picnics
Enjoy a full-day game drive, along with a picnic, on wildlife-rich Hunda Island.
Activities at the Camp
Game drive day/Night
Boating seasonal dependent on guide availability
Mekoro seasonal dependent on guide availability
Guided Walks seasonal dependent on guide availability
Catch-and-Release Fishing seasonal dependent on guide availability
SPA Treatments at an extra cost
Star bed/sleep -out
Helicopter trips at an extra cost
RATING
Premier Camp
TYPE
Safari Lodge
NO. ROOMS
7
SPECIAL INTERESTS
Birding, Nature, Wildlife
Abu
Little Mombo
Vumbura Plains
Where the boundaries between land and water often blur… this is Jao Camp, this is the Okavango Delta, where some of the purest waters on Earth ebb and flow, descending from the Angolan highlands to the Kalahari Desert. Glide almost silently in a mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe, through a fluid garden of lilies. Spy a tiny painted reed frog up close, or elephants looming in the distance. Follow lion and other big cats across the floodplains, in pursuit of prolific antelope herds. Breakfast near a hippo-filled lagoon at dawn; brunch in watery shallows as countless red lechwe graze nearby; dine amidst a herd of zebra as a dazzling night sky is revealed. Feel your senses come alive, whether exploring on water or on land.
A light aircraft flight into Jao airstrip followed by a short transfer to camp.
