Jao Camp has recently been rebuilt and has very spacious and luxurious rooms, wonderfully designed.My wife being a designer herself went "gaga" over the extraordinary appealing design.As for myself,I have never seen such spacious rooms.I could do my morning walk in the room itself!The Camp is very ably managed with a personal touch by Mike & Larney. We had many interesting discussions with both of them about their experiences in South Africa and stand indebted for the advice on safaris at Sabi Sands. Larney explained to us in detail how to use the mosquito repellant and to wear "double socks" and also all about "Mayflies" - which was very instructive and useful as camps very often forget these small but relevant details.
As a wildlife photographer who treasures good guiding, I would rate Meshack,our guide at Jao Camp, as one of the best that I have encountered in my travels in Africa!
Meshack was a level-3 guide(highest level) with knowledge and passion for guiding.His passion was obvious to me when he took me on the Mokoro thrice to try and find the exclusive Sitatunga antelope.He realised that I was a serious photographer very keen to photograph the reclusive and shy Sitatunga.Without any instructions from me, he rolled up his trousers and entered the shallow waters and started pushing(not using the pole) my Mokoro from behind.He explained to me that this was the only way to get near the shy Sitatunga...Jao Camp has recently been rebuilt and has very spacious and luxurious rooms, wonderfully designed.My wife being a designer herself went "gaga" over the extraordinary appealing design.As for myself,I have never seen such spacious rooms.I could do my morning walk in the room itself!The Camp is very ably managed with a personal touch by Mike & Larney. We had many interesting discussions with both of them about their experiences in South Africa and stand indebted for the advice on safaris at Sabi Sands. Larney explained to us in detail how to use the mosquito repellant and to wear "double socks" and also all about "Mayflies" - which was very instructive and useful as camps very often forget these small but relevant details.
As a wildlife photographer who treasures good guiding, I would rate Meshack,our guide at Jao Camp, as one of the best that I have encountered in my travels in Africa!
Meshack was a level-3 guide(highest level) with knowledge and passion for guiding.His passion was obvious to me when he took me on the Mokoro thrice to try and find the exclusive Sitatunga antelope.He realised that I was a serious photographer very keen to photograph the reclusive and shy Sitatunga.Without any instructions from me, he rolled up his trousers and entered the shallow waters and started pushing(not using the pole) my Mokoro from behind.He explained to me that this was the only way to get near the shy Sitatunga without noise.So here he was pushing/ stopping repeatedly the Mokoro as we silently approached the Sitatunga. Meshack arranged on his own initiative one of my three Mokoro rides at the Wilderness Safaris, Pelu Camp,after obtaining due permission.Needless to say, I obtained some excellent photographs of the Sitatunga and also the Long-reed frog all because of the painstaking efforts of Meshack.
Meshack displayed his intuitive and sensitivity again at the air strip.He realised that my wife was allergic to the dust being kicked up by the approaching aircraft on the air strip and quickly turned the vehicle away to minimise the dust...again, without any instructions from me.
This was my third Wilderness Safaris Camp in Botswana, after Mombo & Vumbura Plains in April,2019.They deserve full credit for encouraging and having some of the best guides that I have had the privilege of meeting and inter-acting with.
Manju & Ashok MahindraMore
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