The Jao Reserve

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The Jao Reserve

A family-operated collection of six camps in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Rooted in place. Different, by Nature.

The Reserve is a tranquil base for a wonderful Okavango Delta Safari experience.The Jao Reserve (Wildlife Management Area NG25) is 60 000 hectares in extent and is in the north-western area of the Okavango Delta below the panhandle. The Moremi Game Reserve forms the eastern boundary of the reserve. Lying as it does in the very heart of the Delta the Jao Reserve embodies all the magic and mystique

of the Okavango. Narrow water channels cut their way through the papyrus and reed beds in the permanent delta to the north and east of the reserve, providing the perfect environment for the elusive sitatunga and the rare Pel's Fishing Owl. Beautiful lush palm islands dot the water, begging to be explored. Further west the reserve gets progressively dryer and Hunda Island which is the tip of a large sand tongue is the largest area of dry land during the flood season.

06/09/2026

Our own little Sydney Opera House in the heart of the Delta.

Jacana’s distinctive main area has been part of the landscape for many years, its sweeping canvas roof rising above the trees and overlooking the water.

It’s wonderfully individual, a little quirky, and unmistakably Jacana.

Just the way we like it.

03/09/2026

There is something very special about seeing Kwetsani settled back amongst the trees.

From the entrance through to the rooms and the wide decks overlooking the floodplain, every space was designed to feel part of its surroundings.

After all the planning, building and challenges along the way, seeing the camp complete and welcoming guests still gives us an enormous sense of pride.

A new chapter for a place that has been part of our story for nearly three decades.

28/08/2026

Some encounters stay with you forever.

Sitting quietly in the game viewer as three magnificent male lions paused just metres away is one of those moments. Calm, confident and completely at ease, they reminded us that in the Delta, we are always the visitors.

25/08/2026

Little Tubu has always been about simplicity.

Comfortable spaces, beautiful views, and the feeling that the Delta is never far away.
Sometimes luxury is simply having nature on your doorstep.

📷 Julia Kasnitz |

21/08/2026

Emerging from the trees, the new Kwetsani feels as though it has always belonged here.

Thoughtfully reimagined and deeply connected to its surroundings, it offers a fresh chapter while remaining true to the spirit of the camp that stood here for 26 years.

Welcome back to Kwetsani.

18/08/2026

The waterways around Jacana reveal a completely different side of the Delta.

Around every bend, there's something new: a pod of hippos, a kingfisher on the reeds, or simply the quiet beauty of untouched wilderness.

Some of our favourite adventures begin on the water.

15/08/2026

There's something wonderfully peaceful about spending time with giraffes.

Their quiet curiosity, gentle movements and graceful presence always seem to bring a sense of calm to the bush.

One of Africa's true icons.

📷 Julia Kasnitz |

11/08/2026

Hidden amongst towering trees and surrounded by water, Jao has a quiet way of making you slow down.

Whether you're enjoying a peaceful afternoon on your deck or simply listening to the sounds of the Delta, it's a place that encourages you to reconnect with nature and yourself.

08/08/2026

Hippos spend much of the day appearing perfectly relaxed.

But beneath that calm exterior is one of Africa's most powerful animals, perfectly adapted to life in the waterways of the Delta.

They remind us that nature is often far more complex than it first appears.

05/08/2026

As the day draws to a close, Jacana takes on a different kind of beauty.

The golden light filters through the trees, the Delta becomes wonderfully still, and the evening begins to unfold at its own gentle pace.

It's a time to simply pause and take it all in.

Address

Ngamiland Adventure Safaris
Maun

Telephone

+2676863777

Website

http://www.jaoreserve.com/

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