Jao Camp

• rooms: 5 en-suite suites plus 2 ultra-luxe villas (7 total accommodations), each with its own private plunge pool, lounge and dining area, and indoor/outdoor showers
• villas: the two villas offer complete privacy, ideal for families or small groups — each with its own private butler, chef, vehicle, living space, plunge pool and fire pit
• ownership: part of Jao Reserve, run directly by the Kays family (David, Cathy, Martin) rather than an outside operator, following the split from Wilderness
• location: private island in the heart of the Okavango Delta; boat access when waters are high, land access as the delta retreats
• facilities: gym, spa (extra cost), library/gallery/museum/wine cellar, main pool, boma, multiple fire decks — noticeably more extensive facilities than most Delta camps
• activities: game drives, mokoro, boating, guided walks, seasonal catch-and-release fishing, scenic helicopter flights, exceptional birding (450+ species recorded)
• positioning: marketed as the most refined and exclusive retreat in the Delta — very much a high-design, amenity-rich flagship camp rather than a rustic bush camp

Jao Camp is one of my personal favourites, and have detailed a wild visit I had there in the past. I’m still grateful they put up with me so well. The 2019 rebuild completely transformed it, and the entrance alone still sticks with me: a full giraffe skeleton towering over you as you walk in, with a steampunk-style curved staircase winding up to a proper library and wine cellar. The main pool area, nicknamed “the Beaver’s Nest,” sits raised above the floodplain under this striking lattice structure with a 320-degree view — it’s one of the most memorable design features I’ve seen at any camp in Botswana. Each suite has its own private pool and a genuinely excellent air-conditioned setup, which matters more than people expect in the heat of the day.