Review: Wilderness Jao Camp (Okavango Delta, Botswana)

September 4, 2024

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Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.

Early July, I enjoyed one of my best holidays ever, an ultra-luxe safari in Botswana with Wilderness, Africa’s award-winning, leading eco-tourism company. My exact itinerary with Wilderness in Botswana can be found here (this site also allows you to book the same trip). You can read my trip reports here:

Today: Review of Wilderness Jao Camp (Okavango Delta, Botswana)

Wilderness Jao Camp is a knockout, one of Africa’s most luxurious safari lodges. The ultra-luxe property 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. Revamped in 2019, multiple-award winner Jao is a sculptural marvel of natural and recycled materials, of steel, wood, and glass, of towering, spacious interiors embracing the light, the bush. Jao 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. With views of the magnificent floodplains from almost everywhere and offering spectacular land- and water-based game viewing, Jao’s a place of wonder and supreme serenity.

Wilderness Jao Camp features in my top 10 list of the best luxury safari lodges in Botswana.

Have you ever stayed at Wilderness Jao Camp? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.

In this review (more info and photos below my YouTube video):

PROS & THINGS I LIKE

Ultra-luxe Wilderness Jao Camp is located on the western edge of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. The famous Okavango Delta in north-west Botswana is one of the world’s very few major interior delta systems that do not flow into a sea or ocean, with a wetland system that is almost intact. The delta is affected by seasonal flooding with flood water from Angola reaching the Delta between April and June, peaking in July. This peak coincides with Botswana’s dry season resulting in great migrations of big game from the dry hinterland. A UNESCO’s World Heritage Site since 2014, the delta is an oasis in an otherwise dry environment the Okavango Delta. Protected by the Moremi Game Reserve on its eastern edge, the delta is known for its superb wildlife sightings and also houses some of Africa’s most exclusive safari lodges.

Wilderness Jao Camp is reached by light aircraft from nearby Maun. The flight to Jao in a small bush plane over spectacular wilderness, with wildlife gathering or galloping below, is one of the greatest safari thrills. The light aircraft flies at low altitude over golden-grassed floodplains, framed by lush palm islands, that are inhabited by a staggering variety of wildlife which can be observed from a bird’s-eye perspective. Wilderness uses its own fleet of Cessna 208B Grand Caravans for guest transport, guaranteeing improved comfort, speed, and reliability. In Maun (the main getaway to the delta), guests awaiting their flights or transfers have full access to the Wilderness Lounge, which is located in a building adjacent to the airport. The lounge offers seating and dining facilities in its fully air-conditioned space. Wi-Fi, showers, snacks and drinks.

Built 23 years ago by the Kays family – Cathy, husband David, son Martin and team – Wilderness Jao Camp rests under a tree canopy on its own remote island in one of the most picturesque concessions in the Okavango Delta. Surrounded by a watery garden of channels, reeds, and lilies, land- and water-based game viewing are spectacular there, with huge wildlife diversity, ranging from the elusive Pel’s fishing-owl, to the infamous ‘Jao Mafia’ mongoose gang, to a myriad of big cats, to cohabiting crocs and hippos, to vast antelope, buffalo, and elephant herds. Day and night game drives are possible all year round, but for most guests, the water activities are the highlight and they include mokoro trips, fishing, and boating in the wet areas (only possible during the flooding of the delta).

Wilderness Jao Camp’s magnificent design embraces the camp’s beautiful delta location. The camp’s lead architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, who also designed North Island in the Seyechelles, took a fresh and contemporary approach to the sense of adventure the lodge exudes – creating a feeling of not knowing what to expect around the next corner, adding an element of surprise and delight in Jao’s architectural marvel. The towering architectural structures take their cue from forms found in nature and includes a series of highly sculptural, emotive spaces that amplify the blur between the concept of shelter, art and architecture. A color palette of creams, greens, soft purple and splashes of yellow is used, incorporating a unique botanical theme with special emphasis placed on the water lily.

Wilderness Jao Camp is a collection of different spaces that take guests on a spatial adventure through the delta. At the heart of the camp is the double-story main area, which is elevated into the three canopy. This area has an indoor lounge and dining area which can be opened up to the elements with its tall glass stacking and folding doors, or sealed off against the cold in winter or bugs in summer. A stately iron fireplace set on a sandstone slab creates a cosy ambiance on cold winter nights. The main feature of this area is an impressive bar with a cedar counter over an angular iron base, with a backdrop of leadwood uprights holding glass shelves. Above the bar hang hand-thrown, ceramic lily-like lights in a mass display offset with water-colored strapping and a large ceramic leaf-imprinted disc. Adjacent to this indoor salon and under the same roof structure is an outdoor lounge, comprising separate seating areas and private dining tables.

A key feature of Wilderness Jao Camp is its museum & gallery, which is located adjacent to the main lodge. The double-volume structure has a library, wine cellar and gallery on the upper level – where items are on display for educational purposes – and a boutique on the lower level. Among the gallery items is a series of prints from the National Herbarium in Pretoria, of botanical pressings made by the lodge owner’s great-grandfather – EE Galpin – who was one of the pre-eminent botanists of his time, and has been called the ‘Prince of Collectors’. He left 16 000 sheets to the Herbarium, and a number of plant species have been named after him. We are selecting plants of the region that he identified. Other items on display are a series of animal skeletons – including a giant giraffe skeleton at the center of the space – mounted and displayed like a in museum.

Wilderness Jao Camp features five enormous tented suites and two exclusive villas, which are located along an elevated walkway that seemingly floats over the bush. Each suite features a lounge & dining area, kitchen facility plus an ensuite bathroom with a bathtub and indoor & outdoor showers. All suites at Jao are open plan with high-pitched roofs, creating volumes of space. Glass or metal gauze aluminium doors open to an expansive outdoor deck with private plunge pool, looking out over the magnificent floodplains and its wildlife. The suite’s furnishings are hand-crafted and designed especially for Jao, so everything is unique. During my visit, I stayed in one of the two Jao Villas, which could accommodate up to four people in the two identical guest rooms centered around a main lounge & dining area; guests staying in a villa enjoy special perks, such as a private vehicle, guide, chef and butler.

Wilderness Jao Camp features lovely leisure and wellness facilities, to keep guests entertained in between the safari rides. The lodge’s intimate spa is tucked away beneath palm trees in a tranquil location next to the main lodge. It features a small reception pavilion as well as two circular treatment rooms that come with impressive saligna-laminated beams, rosewood-clad ceilings and rosewood floors, and which are surrounded by tranquil water ponds. Located below the main lodge and set along one of the Delta’s waterways is the main pool area. With its unique nest-like canopy pavilion for dappled shade, the circular pool projects out over the floodplain with 270-degree views of the delta and is the ideal spot to enjoy the sunset. Right next to the pool is a small gym, which also enjoys stunning views over the lush waterways.

Food at Wilderness Jao Camp is the best I’ve ever had in any safari lodge in Africa (kudos to the female chef). Dining at Jao is an experience in itself, and in essence is the spirit of the Delta, simplicity made special. Meals are served in the main dining room but they can also be served in each guest room, and if staying in one of the two villas, you can have your own private chef come to your room and make your dinner for you. The lodge can also do meals in the bush – and whether you are eating brunch with the water lapping around your ankles, or on drier land with the roar of the lions in the distance, you will hold the experience for the rest of your life.

Jao Camp is managed by Wilderness, one of my favorite safari companies. Wilderness was founded in 1983 in Botswana by two young guides, who wanted to ensure both conservation of wildlife areas and that the financial benefits of their safaris flow to Botswana and its people. Today, Wilderness Safaris is widely acclaimed as the continent’s foremost ecotourism operator, dedicated to conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness and wildlife. They do this by creating life-changing journeys in some of the most remote and pristine areas in Africa, hereby helping to conserve Africa’s spectacular biodiversity and share ecotourism’s benefits with the local communities. Jao can be combined with a stay at Wilderness’ other lodges in Botswana to create an authentic and evocative desert experience, from Vumbura Plains and Mombo to DumTau in the far north.

Wilderness Jao is a place that is dedicated to the conservation of the Okavango Delta and its unique ecosystem – the waters and the dry land, and the plants, birds and wildlife that call it home. In line with Wilderness’ commitment to operating with a light eco-footprint, Jao is 100% solar powered, with a power plant that works on one of the biggest Victron inverter systems in the world, and the largest lithium-ion battery bank in Southern Africa. The suites and villas are cooled with an indirect Climate Wizard evaporative cooler, using a fraction of the energy of conventional air conditioning. They are also fitted with innovative self-igniting Calore fireplaces, which use pellets made of sawdust left over from working natural wood, without any additives or caking agents.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

Water levels fluctuate throughout the year in the Okavango Delta and also vary from one year to the next. In general, during the summer month (December to February), the focus in the Jao Reserve is more on game drives than water activities, while the opposite happens in the drier winter months when the area around the camp fills with the waters flowing in from Angola (May to September). The camp and the reserve are at their most beautiful during the floods – which also attracts plenty of wildlife and predators – so make sure to carefully research the timing of your stay to maximize your chances for great sightings. As with the water levels, the density of vegetation – and thus your best chances for spotting wildlife – is also dependant on the time of year and rainfall.

Wilderness Jao Camp is set in one the pristine areas of the Okavango Delta. During the seasonal flooding (which peaks in July), a tremendous number of red lechwe (an antelope species) can be found on the expansive wetlands around the camp and watching them running through the floodplains and channels is a sight to behold. Also, wild dogs frequently den near the lodge, making Jao one of the best spots in Africa to spot this extremely rare species. But aside from this, there isn’t a lot of big game to spot during safari drives in the immediate vicinity of the lodge (except when you are lucky and lions or leopards are passing through the area). That said, Jao offers half day excursions to Hunda Island, the largest island in the area which is reached by a 40 min scenic boat trip. Hunda is home to plenty of buffalos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and a large pride of lions. However, if spotting big game is what are you looking for, I’d recommend to start your trip at Jao, to relax and to enjoy the best water activities in one of the prettiest areas of the delta, before proceeding to another Wilderness lodge where big game is abundantly present (e.g. Mombo, Vumbura or DumaTau).

The main pool at Wilderness Jao Camp as well as the private pools at the villas and suites are plunge pools. They are great to refresh a little after a long game drive or to cool down during hot summer afternoon, but they aren’t suitable for swimming laps.

Wilderness Jao Camp can only be reached by small aircraft, either from Maun (a 30 min flight) or directly from one of the other Wilderness Camps in the area. The thought of flying in a small one-engine plane can make some travelers – including myself – nervous. That said, the flights itself is spectacular and offers phenomenal views of the delta, with wildlife gathering or galloping below. Also, Wilderness Air – the flying wing of Wilderness – is respected for its varied fleet of light aircraft suited to land on dirt airstrips in remote areas and for its team of passionate, professional pilots dedicated to guests’ safety, comfort, and satisfaction. And Wilderness Air offer more than just a connection, flying carefully orchestrated circuits maximizing the time of guests in the Okavango Delta. For example, when moving from one lodge to another, you’ll never have to backtrack via Maun and light times are always between 11 am and 4 pm, allowing you, for instance, a morning’s dreamy mokoro ride in one lodge followed by an adventurous afternoon game drive in another lodge.

MY VERDICT

Location: 10/10
Design: 10/10
Pool: 9/10
Rooms: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Breakfast: 9/10
Spa: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Wow factor: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall experience: exceptional 9,7/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

Save money: read here my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury hotel like Wilderness Jao Camp (and/or receive many free perks).

Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Wilderness Jao Camp offers year-round safari activities. While each season brings a unique appeal, wildlife numbers are concentrated between June and October. These drier months also allow for seasonal game drive opportunities.

The best time to visit the Okavango Delta is during the dry season from June to September. Although called the ‘dry season’, the water levels of the Okavango Delta are at their highest point in these months as the flood waters are arriving from Angola, with animals flocking to the waters from the dry hinterland. This is also when many camps can offer water activities (e.g. boat rides, mokoro tours). Going by the rule of thumb, water in the Delta starts to flow in June (when it arrives from the Angolan Highlands), while by the end of August, most of the water has passed throught the Delta and water levels start to drop again.
In the summer months (December to February), the temperatures are soaring and thundershowers are frequent. During this time of the year, some areas in the delta become waterlogged, making road travel challenging and airstrips trickier to traverse. That said, excellent game viewing can be enjoyed in the summer months too, in the right areas with good resident game and permanent water channels. Also, if you are a birder the best time to visit the Okavango Delta is generally during the summer months when the Okavango is bursting with resident and migratory birds.

HOW TO GET THERE

Wilderness Jao Camp can only be accessed by light aircraft into the nearby Jao Airstrip, which has daily flight connections with all other camps in Okavango, Linyanti, Maun Airport (which is the main tourist getaway to Botswana) and north to Kasane (for connections to Livingstone and Victoria Falls). Wilderness takes care of booking all transfers and flight.