Botswana Safaris: JAO CAMP

Okavango ~ A Premier 6 Wilderness Camp

Jao Camp is located on a large remote island in a private reserve bordering the Moremi Game Reserve in the heart of the Okavango Delta. With habitats that vary from waterways and lagoons to dry Kalahari grasslands, this camp can offer both land and water experiences depending on the Delta's flood levels.

The camp has nine spacious, beautiful tents (which were featured in Architectural Digest, March 2002), each individually handcrafted. These twin-bedded canvas and thatched rooms are situated beneath a canopy of shady trees and have en-suite facilities, as well as an outdoor shower. The rooms are built on raised decks, each with a private sala for afternoon siestas and offering wonderful views of the surrounding floodplains. In addition to the lounge and dining area, there is a plunge pool and an outdoor boma for dining under the stars, complemented by wines from their excellent wine cellar.

Jao also has a salon with a wide range of massage therapies offered. Mokoros, boating, fishing, walks, day and night game drives and bird-watching are usually offered all year round. Huge herds of red lechwe can be seen, followed by their primary predator ~ prides of lion. Other game includes cheetah, leopard, tsessebe, zebra and wildebeest, as well as hippo and crocodile.

All photos courtesy of Wilderness Safaris