Jao Camp, A Wilderness Safari

Jao Camp Wilderness Okavango Delta Botswana from above in delta

* From 1 600 US$ per person per night (Including return Fights to Maun from CPT or JNB)

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.

Let us introduce you to Jao

In the heart of the Okavango, on a remote island, Wilderness Jao invites you to discover one of the richest safari experiences of the Delta.​​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. ​Prepare to be awestruck.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

 

RATES AND PROMOTIONS

2025 RATES HERE:

 

IMAGE GALLERY

Jao Camp Wilderness Okavango Delta Botswana Jao Camp Wilderness Okavango Delta Botswana fireplace boma with iron pots on embers preparing food for guests at Jao Camp Wilderness aerial view of one of the suites at Jao Camp Wilderness splash pool at night by Jao Camp Wilderness with sun setting on delta in background two mokoros floating through the waterways in the Okavango delta by Jao Camp Wilderness guide in mokoro with two guests looking at cranes in the Okavango delta at Jao Camp Wilderness sunset view of main viewing deck at night by Jao Camp Wilderness elephant grazing in Okavango delta with boat and guests in background filming two guests with guide in mokoro on delta with game in background at Jao Camp Botswana lioness and cub walking in short grass with safari vehicle and guests in background looking on and filming dinner table set for guests in main lounge of Jao Camp Botswana full skeleton of giraffe standing in library of Jao Camp Botswana grass dome over pool with sun setting n Okavango delta beyond at Jao Camp Botswana evening view of main entertainment area of Jao Camp Botswana viewing deck with table and chairs and pool in background at Jao Camp Botswana round pit fireplace with sunken couches all around and view of Okavango delta beyond at Jao Camp Wilderness Male and female lion snarling at one another at sunset in Jao Camp Botswana aerial view of Jao camp wilderness in the Okavango delta Botswana head view of young leopard lying in a tree at Jao Camp Botswana Luxury safari lodge room view of delta beyond at Jao Camp Botswana pilot standing in sunset next to helicopter talking to guests in the Okavango delta viewing deck in main lounge of lodge at Jao Camp Botswana double bed in room with view on delta at Jao Camp Botswana antelope running in Okavango delta water side view by Jao Camp Botswana bathroom with view on delta at Jao Camp Botswana splash pool with chairs on private deck at room by Jao Camp Botswana interior view of luxury safari lodge room at Jao Camp Botswana gourmet meat dish served on grey plate Jao Camp Botswana Jao Camp Wilderness Okavango Delta Botswana herd of elephants drinking water in the Okavango delta filmed from above at Jao Camp Botswana table set for romantic dinner with sunset view of Okavango delta at Jao Camp Botswana aerial view of Jao Camp Wilderness with waterways of delta in foreground

What Experiences await at Jao Camp?

Lady in a hide filming elephants on safari at Jao camp Botswana

Wildlife photography from a hide

Here you can spend spend a memorable afternoon secretly observing and filming the comings and going of the wildlife from the safety of the lodge's strategically positioned hides. Also pack your bird book, and have your camera ready to capture amazing behaviour and winning images.

 

                   

                  

Lady guest with headset on in helicopter flying over Okavango delta at Jao camp

Ready for a thrilling helicopter safari?

Soar above the lush and wildlife-rich Linyanti and Okavango Delta on a breath-taking helicopter safari. Travel along the curves of the legendary Savuti Channel and marvel at the huge amount of wildlife. Big pods of hippos, crocodiles and elephants, and a variety of antelopes. It will inspire the storyteller and wildlife photographer in you, as you share your bird's-eye view and become a natural witness to the perfect balance of nature below you.

a full view of a fishing owl sitting in a tree in the Okavango delta Botswana

Brilliant bird watching adventures with Wilderness

Birding watching with a knowledgeable guide is a spectacular experience, with 930 different species for to tick off your list. Whether you’re a first-timer or after a lifer, there’s something truly special about probing a little deeper into the ecosystem around you.

 

Jao Camp Wilderness Okavango Delta Botswana at night with views of night sky and stars

Spend a night stargazing under the heavens

Few places on earth can compete with the stunning night sky views of the Okavango delta, free from smog and pollution to mask the skies at night. Lie on a blanket, behold the beauty of your surrounds, and contemplate space and your place in it when you go stargazing. We will guide you through the constellations, stars and planets.

 

 

Tiger fish on line pulled from water by man on boat in Zambezi river

Fish the legendary Zambezi for tiger fish, african pike, bream

Cast your line into Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe’s iconic rivers, for exceptional catch-and-release fishing on safari. Take in the magnificent scenery and wait for that thrilling tug. Fish the legendary Zambezi for tiger fish, the Okavango Delta for African pike, the still Linyanti for shimmering bream. Admire your catch then set it free.

beds made up under a tree in Okavango delta for stargazing

Sleep out under the stars on Star Beds

Fall asleep on a raised platform enveloped by the magnificent African night sky. Choose to sleep out under the stars on one of our Star Beds in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the night, a jackal’s cry in the distance, or the gentle rumbling of elephants. See if you can count how many thousands of stars you can see in the clear night sky. 

Two mokoros with 4 people aerial view on Okavango delta water

Mokoro Excursions on the Delta

Explore Botswana’s Okavango Delta on a mokoro, gliding along peacefully, revealing the wild secrets of the channels. As you’re propelled through the reeds, look for rare birds on the water’s edge, game paths used by predators, tiny sleeping frogs. A ride in a traditional dugout mokoro offers the best water-based game-viewing experience in the Delta.