Jao Camp

Jao, with its watery location, is a perfect alternative to the traditional land-based big five safari.

• The water-based activities, available during the winter when the plains are flooded
• The two bedroom villa that is great for families and generally spacious accommodations
• The pool area that is situated within a cool, egg-shaped structure

Your small plane puts down on the landing strip on a remote island just west of the Moremi Game Reserve, and there is Jao, nestled in the marshes. The husband-and-wife team of renowned architects Silvio Rech and Leslie Carstens—who also designed Wilderness Safari’s North Island resort in the Seychelles—based this safari camp on an Indonesian longhouse, with masses of polished wood and a jungle-treehouse feel. Canvas and thatched-roof units are scattered under canopies of such trees as Jackal-berry, Sycamore Figs and Knobthorn Acacias and linked by raised wooden pathways. The camp was renovated with a focus on sustainability, so the thatched roofs and walkways are actually made from recycled materials, all made to look like natural wood. On the interior, the aesthetic is high-end funk, with an earthy, natural vibe.

As for the animals, its location in the Okavango Delta—which floods during the winter—makes Jao a perfect alternative to the traditional land-based big five safari. Glide across the floodplain as the sun rises, swishing through reeds and lily pads as hippos wade in the water and lionesses stand with their cubs having an early morning. Stop at Hunda Island for a game drive or angle for tiger fish en route. Afterward, visit the gym or the glass-enclosed treatment room on the jungle floor, where guests can indulge in a massage and body scrub while colorful birds flit among the treetops. And don’t miss a Jao “sleep out,” at a remote site some 20 minutes away from the main camp. Lying on mosquito-netted beds under the shooting stars, you only have the sounds of the bush as your lullaby—total tranquility.

Families who want to experience the more serene side of Botswana that is not just about land-based animals.