Jacana Camp • Africa Luxury Escapes

Overview

Highlights

An intimate and authentic Okavango experience with tangible exposure to the seasonal Delta waters, as the camp is situated on a small island.
The semi-permanent water allows encounters with the fascinating creatures that flourish in this unique environment, from hippos, crocodiles and water-loving elephants, to a wealth of waterbirds, including the emblematic African jacana.
Numerous Okavango specials abound, including wattled crane, Pel’s fishing-owl, sitatunga and red lechwe.

Destination: Discover true paradise on this secluded tree-island in the beautifully scenic Jao Flats area of the Jao Reserve. Surrounded by seasonally inundated floodplains and papyrus swamps, this attractive camp is built on raised wooden decks to maximise the glorious views over the ever-changing landscape. The waters’ ebb and flow brings different wildlife and fresh new adventures with every season.

Experience: Guests can look forward to close encounters with aquatic specialists like African jacana, aptly nicknamed lily trotters, as they delicately step from one waterlily pad to the next. Marvel at the pods of hippos, and elephants that come in to drink. Embark on game drives in the summer months after the inundation has receded, scanning for lion, wild dog, and elusive leopard. And stretch your legs on a nature trail with our passionate guides, who will teach guests even more about the wildlife. At night, share tales around the floating fire deck with a 220-degree view of the immense floodplains, long into the star-filled night.

Purpose: By partnering with the Tubu Joint Management Committee and Pack for a Purpose, our Children in the Wilderness initiative at Jacana inspires and educates children in the Okavango Delta, opening their eyes and minds to the importance of protecting the environment. By staying with us, guests directly contribute to Jacana’s community upliftment, and help to shape the next generation of custodians of the wild.

Wildlife: Jacana is set in the Jao Reserve, which offers over 60,000 hectares of pristine wilderness to explore. Wildlife concentrations in this area of the Okavango depend on water flow and volume, changing from season to season. In the summer months when the Delta waters are low, look out for lechwe, tsessebe, and large herds of elephant. You may also spot lion, and occasionally leopard as game drives are possible at this time. However, a true wetland area, it is the perfect home for Africa’s only amphibious antelope, the rare sitatunga, and abundant red lechwe. Birding is exceptional here, with a wealth of water birds on parade. Spot Pel's fishing-owls, and African and lesser jacanas, as well as other Okavango specials such as slaty egret and African pygmy-goose.

Jacana: Nestled amongst dense palms, magnificent trees and surrounded by seasonally inundated floodplains, Jacana is an intimate island experience. Just five tents are set on raised wooden decks to maximise the panoramic views of the broad channels fronting the camp.

The elevated double-storey main area is framed by dense wild date palms and an enormous canopy of mangosteens. The pool, raised bar area, jetty and floating fire deck, as well as the expansive viewing deck, offer guests the quintessential Okavango Delta water camp experience.

Suites & Rates

Suites and villas

Standard Twin/Double Tents

Jacana’s five elevated tented suites are set on raised wooden decks overlooking the surrounding floodplains and papyrus-lined channels of the Jao Flats. Designed to blend seamlessly into the watery landscape, the spacious canvas tents...

From Rates on request

View room

Details

Good to know

Languages spoken

English

Ideal for

Birding, Nature, Wildlife

Property facilities

Bar, Pool

Accommodation & amenities

Electrical Outlets, Fan, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mosquito Nets, Outside Shower, Safe, Tea / Coffee

Services

Credit Card Facilities

On-site activities

Bird Watching, Boating, Catch-and-release Fishing, Game Drives, Mokoro Excursion, Walks (Guided)

Nearby activities

Cultural Tours, Helicopter Scenic Flights

Location

Coordinates 19.2796° S · 22.6103° E

AddressOkavango, Botswana

DestinationOkavango Delta

CountryBotswana

Video

Lodge videos

Jacana Camp | Jao Reserve

Jacana Camp is an intimate safari retreat set where wooded islands meet the open floodplains of Botswana’s Okavango Delta. This film highlights the camp’s relaxed atmosphere, comfortable tents and diverse safari experiences, including game drives, seasonal boating and mokoro excursions, guided walks, fishing and excellent birding. It also captures the reserve’s varied wildlife, from predators and plains game to abundant waterbirds, together with the personalised service and ever-changing Delta scenery that define a stay at Jacana Camp.

Discover the Jao Reserve - Okavango Delta

Welcome to the Jao Reserve, one of the most iconic private reserves in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Here, a remarkable mosaic of floodplains, palm islands, winding channels, and rich woodland habitats creates one of the most diverse safari landscapes in Africa. Within the reserve, six distinctive camps, Jao, Kwetsani, Tubu Tree, Little Tubu, Jacana, and Pelo, offer different perspectives of this extraordinary Delta environment. Each camp is positioned in a unique setting, allowing guests to experience the changing character of the Okavango across its varied habitats. The Jao Reserve is renowned for the variety of safari experiences it offers. Venture out on open-vehicle game drives through woodland and grassland, glide quietly through waterlily-filled channels by mokoro, or explore the Delta by boat as seasonal floodwaters transform the landscape. Wildlife encounters are equally diverse, from large herds of lechwe and buffalo moving across the floodplains to the excitement of tracking predators such as lion and leopard. Bird enthusiasts are also rewarded with exceptional birdlife throughout the reserve. This is the Okavango Delta in its full richness, dynamic, diverse, and unforgettable.

The Journey In – New Safari Vehicles at Jao Reserve

This video highlights the delivery of the new Toyota Land Cruiser safari vehicles travelling from Maun into the Jao Reserve. These vehicles replace our long-serving heritage fleet of Land Rovers and form part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a modern, reliable fleet in one of Africa’s most remote safari environments. Operating in the Okavango Delta presents unique logistical challenges, and ensuring that our vehicles and equipment remain in top operating condition is essential to delivering a safe and comfortable safari experience. Purpose-built for comfort, safety, and exceptional visibility, these custom game viewer vehicles allow guests to explore the Delta from an elevated perspective. Spacious seating, open sides, and uninterrupted window views ensure that every guest enjoys a prime vantage point for wildlife viewing and photography. The vehicles are used for daily safari activities across the reserve and are designed to carry up to six guests, with each seat offering excellent visibility of the surrounding wilderness. For many guests, the journey from the airstrip to camp, and every drive that follows, is where the safari truly begins.

Activities

Jacana Camp - Night Drives

When conditions allow, continue your afternoon game drive beyond sunset and experience a different side of the Okavango Delta as nocturnal wildlife becomes active. Using a spotlight, your guide may search for elusive species such as porcupine, aardwolf, serval, spotted genet and lesser bushbaby, while predators may also become more active after dark.During the flood season, Jacana Camp is situated on an island and road access is not available, so night drives cannot be conducted.Night drives are seasonal and subject to water levels, weather, road conditions and operational considerations. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Jacana Camp – Birding

The Jao Reserve offers exceptional birding across a rich mosaic of floodplains, waterways, reedbeds, woodland and dry islands. With both land- and water-based activities available, guests have excellent opportunities to add a wide variety of species to their lists.Notable specials may include wattled crane, slaty egret, rosy-throated longclaw, Pel’s fishing owl and African skimmer, alongside more regularly encountered species such as coppery-tailed coucal and African pygmy goose.Birding opportunities vary according to season, habitat conditions and water levels. Sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Jacana Camp – Boating

Explore the waterways surrounding Jacana Camp by boat and experience the Okavango Delta from a different perspective. Cruising through open channels and alongside reed-lined banks offers excellent opportunities to observe aquatic birdlife and water-associated wildlife, including hippo and crocodile.Depending on the season and conditions, guests may also be fortunate enough to glimpse the elusive sitatunga among the papyrus and floodplain vegetation.Available subject to water levels, weather conditions and operational feasibility. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Jacana Camp – Fishing

Try your hand at seasonal catch-and-release fishing in the waterways surrounding Jacana Camp. The Delta supports several freshwater species, and the experience offers a relaxed way to enjoy the channels and floodplains from the water.A limited selection of basic fishing equipment is available at camp for guests’ use.Fishing is seasonal and subject to water levels, weather conditions and operational feasibility. In accordance with Botswana’s annual fishing closure, fishing is not permitted during January and February to protect breeding fish populations.

Jacana Camp – Game Drives

Explore the varied habitats surrounding Jacana Camp on guided morning and afternoon game drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Seasonal floodplains, waterways, woodland and dry islands create a diverse landscape that supports an abundance of wildlife and birdlife.Led by an experienced guide, each drive is shaped by the conditions and wildlife movements of the day, offering opportunities to observe the reserve’s resident animals in their natural environment.Game drives are subject to weather, road conditions and operational considerations. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Jacana Camp – Guided Nature Walks

Experience the Jao Reserve on foot and discover the wilderness from a more intimate perspective. Guided nature walks offer the opportunity to slow down and appreciate the smaller details of the Delta, from animal tracks and plants to insects, birds and other signs of wildlife activity.Led by an experienced walking guide, each excursion is shaped by the prevailing conditions and tailored to the interests and abilities of the guests.Guided nature walks are seasonal and subject to weather, terrain, wildlife activity and the availability of a suitably qualified walking guide. Advance booking is essential. Participation is subject to the guide’s discretion and applicable age restrictions.

Jacana Camp – Mokoro Excursions

Glide quietly through the waterways surrounding Jacana Camp in a traditional mokoro, poled by an experienced guide. Travelling at water level offers an intimate perspective on the Okavango Delta and reveals its smaller details, from colourful reed frogs and aquatic plants to an abundance of waterbirds.The channels may also offer opportunities to observe larger aquatic wildlife, including hippo and crocodile, from a safe and respectful distance.Available subject to water levels, weather conditions and operational feasibility. Participation is subject to the guide’s discretion and applicable age restrictions. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed.