Self-Launched Botswana Northern Highlights & Victoria Falls
8 days · Botswana & Zimbabwe (Maun, Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, Chobe, Victoria Falls)
Little Roz Tours charges £2,900
No-markup version: ~£1,780 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of Little Roz Tours' 8-day private safari from Maun through Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai, Savuti and Chobe to Victoria Falls. Instead of a fully guided private vehicle and lodge package, you'll string together the same wildlife areas using a mix of shared mobile-safari departures, self-drive options or small-group camping safaris booked directly with local Maun/Kasane operators, plus public transport and shared transfers between Kasane and Victoria Falls. Expect the same big-game highlights — Okavango Delta boat trips, mokoro rides, Chobe river cruises and Victoria Falls — at a fraction of the private-tour price. Costs are realistic backpacker/mid-range estimates in GBP, assuming you book a shared camping or semi-participation safari for the Delta/Savuti leg (the only affordable way to reach these remote areas) and a guesthouse in Victoria Falls.
Day-by-day
Arrive Maun – into the Delta gateway
Maun → Moremi / Xakanaxa
Land at Maun Airport (MUB) and use the morning to stock up and confirm your safari departure. Most affordable way to reach Xakanaxa/Third Bridge is a seat on a shared 2–3 day Moremi mobile safari booked directly with a Maun operator (camping or semi-participation, roughly £120–160 per day all-in including park fees, meals, guide and 4x4). Departures usually leave midday, so aim for a flight landing before 10:00. Afternoon game drive into the Xakanaxa and Third Bridge area — the classic Moremi leopard and wild dog territory. Camp overnight in the reserve with your safari group.
🚌Airport transfer into Maun town by shared taxi (~£4). Safari 4x4 pickup from Maun included in the shared safari package.
🛏Pre-erected safari camp in Moremi (included in shared safari) or, if arriving a day early, a Maun backpacker lodge dorm (~£15)
- →Afternoon game drive in Xakanaxa and Third Bridge area
- →Moremi Game Reserve sunset drive
Xakanaxa: Delta by boat and by 4x4
Xakanaxa, Moremi Game Reserve
Early morning game drive before breakfast, then a boat trip up the channels from Xakanaxa Lagoon — this is the cheapest way to see the Okavango Delta's waterways without paying for a fly-in camp. Evening drive around the lagoon for hippo, elephant and waterbirds. All included in your shared safari package. Beers and tips are extra.
🚌Safari 4x4 and motorboat included in the package
🛏Safari camp at Xakanaxa (included in shared safari)
- →Morning game drive
- →Boat cruise up the Okavango Delta channels from Xakanaxa
- →Evening game drive around Xakanaxa Lagoon
Moremi to Khwai – mokoro on the Khwai River
Khwai River area
Morning game drive out of Moremi, then transfer north to the Khwai River community area (this is normally all part of the same multi-day mobile safari). Afternoon game drive along the Khwai floodplains, followed by a mokoro (dugout canoe) excursion with a local poler — a low-cost, community-run highlight. Khwai Community Camp sites are basic but well placed; a shared safari usually includes them, or you can book a community campsite directly with your own 4x4.
🚌Safari 4x4 transfer Moremi → Khwai (included)
🛏Khwai community campsite (included in shared safari) or Khwai Guest House budget room if going self-drive (~£45)
- →Morning game drive in Moremi
- →Khwai River game drive
- →Mokoro excursion along the Khwai River
Khwai to Savuti – the wild middle
Savuti, Chobe National Park
Long dusty transit day north through the Chobe ecosystem into Savuti. This is remote, deep-sand driving and is only realistically done with a safari operator or a fully equipped 4x4 hire with rooftop tent (hire + fuel + park fees for a 4x4 in Botswana runs roughly £90–120 per day, better value split between 2–4 people). Arrive at camp, lunch, then an afternoon drive through the Savuti region and out to the famous Savuti marsh — prime lion, leopard and elephant country. Camp under the stars; Savuti has no Wi-Fi or power, so charge everything beforehand and carry cash.
🚌Safari 4x4 / self-drive 4x4 Khwai → Savuti (~5–6 hrs, deep sand)
🛏Savuti safari camp (included in shared safari) or SKL/Paradise campsite with own 4x4 (~£25 pp camp fee)
- →Afternoon game drive through Savuti
- →Savuti marsh wildlife viewing
Savuti to Kasane – Chobe sunset cruise
Kasane
Drive north out of the park to Kasane (roughly 5–6 hrs), arriving in time for lunch. Book a sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River — the cheapest and best-value way to see huge elephant herds; a shared 3-hour cruise booked direct at the Kasane waterfront or via GetYourGuide/Klook costs around £28–38 including park river fees. Overnight in Kasane: budget lodges and campsites with dorms start around £20–30. This is where a shared-safari package usually ends, so settle the balance and plan your onward leg.
🚌Safari 4x4 or self-drive Savuti → Kasane; boat cruise departs from Kasane waterfront
🛏Kasane budget lodge/campsite (e.g. campsite chalets or backpacker rooms, ~£25)
- →Sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River
- →Elephant and hippo spotting along the Chobe floodplains
Chobe game drive, then cross into Zimbabwe
Kasane → Victoria Falls
Morning game drive in Chobe National Park with a shared day drive booked in Kasane (~£45–55 including park entry) — or a cheaper self-drive into Chobe if you're in your own 4x4. After lunch, cross the Kazungula border into Zimbabwe. Cheapest onward option is a shared minibus/taxi from Kasane to Victoria Falls town (roughly £12–18, 1.5–2 hrs including border formalities). Get your KAZA UniVisa (£40–50, covers Zimbabwe and Zambia) before you cross if you plan to see both sides of the falls. Check into a Victoria Falls guesthouse or backpackers, then walk to the falls for sunset.
🚌Shared minibus/taxi Kasane → Victoria Falls (~£15, 2 hrs incl. border)
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers or guesthouse (~£25–30 per night)
- →Morning game drive in Chobe National Park
- →Walk to Victoria Falls for sunset
- →Kazungula border crossing
Victoria Falls – full day of Falls and adrenaline
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Buy the Victoria Falls Rainforest entry ticket at the gate (~£25–30) and spend the morning walking the viewpoint trail — bring a poncho in high-water season (roughly Feb–May). Optional add-ons booked direct or via GetYourGuide: Zambezi white-water rafting (half-day, ~£95–110), helicopter or microlight flight over the falls (~£110–150), and a walking visit to a local cultural village (~£15). Budget travellers should pick one big-ticket item. Afternoon: relax at the pools by the falls, or cross into Zambia to see the Knife Edge Point if your UniVisa covers it.
🚌Town is walkable; local taxis ~£2–4 per trip
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers or guesthouse (~£25–30)
- →Victoria Falls Rainforest walk and viewpoints
- →Optional Zambezi white-water rafting
- →Optional helicopter/microlight scenic flight
- →Optional cultural village visit
Last morning at the falls, onward to the airport
Victoria Falls → airport (VFA) or Kasane (BBK)
Breakfast at the lodge, then one last walk down to the falls or a coffee stop in town before your transfer. If you're flying out of Victoria Falls (VFA), a shared shuttle or taxi costs around £10–15 to the airport; if you're returning to Botswana, shared taxis/minibuses back to Kasane run for about £12–18 and take roughly 2 hours, connecting to Kasane Airport for onward flights (allow 3 hours before a regional departure).
🚌Shared taxi/shuttle to Victoria Falls Airport (~£12) or shared minibus back to Kasane (~£15)
🛏None (checkout)
- →Final walk to the falls
- →Souvenir market browsing in Victoria Falls town
Self-launched vs. Little Roz Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Little Roz Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,780 | £2,900 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,120 per person (39%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Little Roz Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,780
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Botswana Northern Highlights & Victoria Falls cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,780 per person for 8 days in Botswana & Zimbabwe (Maun, Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, Chobe, Victoria Falls). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Little Roz Tours?+
Yes — Little Roz Tours charges around £2,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,780 — a saving of roughly £1,120 (39%) per person.
How long is the Botswana & Zimbabwe (Maun, Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, Chobe, Victoria Falls) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Botswana & Zimbabwe (Maun, Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, Chobe, Victoria Falls).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, backpacker trip through Botswana & Zimbabwe (Maun, Moremi, Khwai, Savuti, Chobe, Victoria Falls), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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