Self-Launched Botswana & Zimbabwe Safari

Fly into Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) and make your own way to the Zambia/Botswana border at Kazungula. From there, take a shared taxi or pre-arranged transfer the short distance to Kasane (~20 mins, ~£10). Check into a budget guesthouse or mid-range lodge in Kasane. Spend the evening exploring town, grabbing dinner at a local restaurant, and preparing for your first full safari day. Visa for Botswana is free for most EU/UK/US passports on arrival.

🚌Shared taxi from border to Kasane (~£10). Alternatively, book an airport shuttle direct to Kasane via Kaz Transfer or similar (~£25).

🛏Chobe Safari Lodge Camping/Dorm or Old House Guesthouse, Kasane (~£20-30/night for a budget room)

• →Arrive Victoria Falls Airport and cross into Botswana at Kazungula border post
• →Shared taxi or minibus transfer to Kasane (~£10)
• →Check in to guesthouse/lodge in Kasane
• →Dinner at a local Kasane restaurant (~£8-12)

Book a half-day morning game drive directly with a local operator in Kasane (several compete for walk-in business; prices are lower than pre-packaged tours). Return for brunch, rest during the heat of the day, then join an afternoon boat safari on the Chobe River — easily bookable at the jetty or via your guesthouse. Both activities can be booked the day before on arrival. The Chobe River boat safari is one of the best wildlife experiences in Africa and completely self-bookable.

🚌Game drive vehicles provided by local operator from Kasane. Short transfer to jetty included.

🛏Old House Guesthouse or Chobe Safari Lodge, Kasane (~£20-30/night)

• →Early morning open-vehicle game drive in Chobe National Park (~£35-45 per person, self-booked locally)
• →Chobe National Park entry fee (~£10)
• →Afternoon 3-hour river boat safari on the Chobe River (~£30-40 per person, book at jetty)
• →Brunch and dinner at lodge or local restaurant

The 600km journey from Kasane to Maun is the longest transit day. Take the Kasane–Maun shared shuttle or intercity bus (~£20-25, departures in the morning). The journey takes 6-8 hours with a lunch stop near the Makgadikgadi Pans. Arrive in Maun mid-afternoon and check into a budget camp or guesthouse. Stock up on supplies for your Okavango Delta days — there are supermarkets in Maun. Book your mokoro excursion at the camp or with a local operator (e.g. Audi Camp or Island Safari Lodge organise these directly).

🚌Intercity bus or shared shuttle Kasane → Maun (~£20-25, 6-8 hours). Book via Discover Botswana Shuttle or ask your guesthouse.

🛏Audi Camp or Crocodile Camp, Maun (~£15-25/night for dorm or budget room)

• →Shared intercity bus/shuttle Kasane to Maun (~£20-25)
• →Lunch stop near Makgadikgadi Pans en route
• →Check in to Maun guesthouse/camp
• →Purchase delta supplies and confirm mokoro booking

Depart Maun early for your mokoro excursion, bookable directly through Audi Camp, Old Bridge Backpackers, or a community-run delta operator. Local polers — members of the BaYei and Hambukushu communities — will guide you through the waterways by dugout canoe. The standard 2-night/3-day mokoro package is sold as a complete package including transport to the delta, polers, camping equipment, and all meals. This is one of the most authentic and affordable ways to experience the delta. Arrive at your island campsite and spend the afternoon on a guided walking safari.

🚌Transfer to delta included in mokoro package. Mokoro (dugout canoe) travel throughout.

🛏Wild camping on Okavango Delta island (included in mokoro package, ~£80-110 per person for full 2-night package)

• →Transfer from Maun to delta mokoro station (included in package)
• →Mokoro canoe trip through Okavango waterways
• →Guided wildlife walking safari on delta islands
• →Wild camping under the stars (tent, mattress, sleeping bag provided in package)

A full day of exploring the delta by mokoro and on foot with your local guides. Search for hippos, elephants, reed frogs, fish eagles and countless bird species. In the evening, enjoy traditional music and dance performed by your guides around the campfire — an intimate cultural experience that money can't buy on a packaged tour. Sleep under the Milky Way as hippos call in the distance.

🚌Mokoro canoe travel throughout the day.

🛏Wild camping, Okavango Delta (included in 2-night mokoro package)

• →Morning and afternoon mokoro canoe exploration
• →Guided walking safari on delta islands
• →Wildlife spotting: hippos, elephants, birds, reed frogs
• →Evening traditional BaYei/Hambukushu music and dance around campfire
• →Wild camping (second night, included in package)

Final morning mokoro ride back to the edge of the delta, then transfer back to Maun. The afternoon is free — relax at the camp pool or book an optional scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (a spectacular add-on, ~£80-120 depending on operator). Several aviation operators in Maun offer these, including Mack Air and Delta Air. Spend the night at your Maun guesthouse.

🚌Transfer Okavango Delta → Maun included in mokoro package.

🛏Audi Camp or Crocodile Camp, Maun (~£15-25/night)

• →Final morning mokoro canoe ride back to delta edge
• →Transfer back to Maun (included in package)
• →Optional: scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (~£80-120, book via Mack Air or Delta Air)
• →Afternoon free at Maun guesthouse pool

Take a morning shared shuttle or bus from Maun towards Nata (~300km, ~4 hours, ~£15). En route or upon arrival, arrange a sundowner visit to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan or the famous Elephant Sands waterhole — book directly with Elephant Sands Lodge for a day visit (~£10 entry) or stay there for the night. Watching elephants drinking at the waterhole as the sun sets is an unmissable, self-bookable experience.

🚌Shared shuttle or intercity bus Maun → Nata (~£15). Local taxi to Elephant Sands (~£5-10).

🛏Nata Lodge or Elephant Sands Lodge (~£20-35/night for budget room or camping)

• →Shared shuttle/bus Maun to Nata (~£15, ~4 hours)
• →Afternoon sundowner at Makgadikgadi Salt Pan or Elephant Sands waterhole (~£10 day entry)
• →Elephant and wildlife watching at the waterhole at sunset

Take an early bus or shared transfer from Nata towards Francistown and then Bulawayo (~380km total, ~5-6 hours driving plus a border crossing at Plumtree which can take 2-3 hours). Zimbabwe visa: most nationalities pay USD$50 for a single-entry visa or USD$75 for a KAZA UniVisa (covers Botswana and Zimbabwe). From Bulawayo, take a local taxi or pre-arranged transfer to accommodation just outside Matobo National Park (~40km, ~£15). Arrive in time for sundowners with views over the granite kopjes.

🚌Intercity bus Nata → Bulawayo via Francistown (~£15-20). Taxi to Matobo (~£15). Zimbabwe single-entry visa USD$50.

🛏Big Cave Camp, Hermits Peak or similar budget chalet outside Matobo (~£30-45/night)

• →Border crossing Botswana → Zimbabwe at Plumtree
• →Bus/shared transfer Nata → Francistown → Bulawayo (~£15-20)
• →Local taxi Bulawayo → Matobo area (~£15)
• →Evening sundowners overlooking Matobo granite hills

Book directly with a local Matobo operator for a morning game drive and rhino tracking walk — the park is one of Africa's best for both black and white rhino on foot. Pay park entry fees directly at the gate (Zimbabwe National Parks, ~£10-15 per person). Visit World's View where Cecil Rhodes is buried, marvel at the ancient San Bushmen rock paintings, and spot the dense population of leopards and Verreaux's eagles. Several local guides operate walks independently of lodges and can be booked through your accommodation.

🚌Game drive vehicle provided by local operator from accommodation.

🛏Big Cave Camp or Hermits Peak Lodge, Matobo (~£30-45/night)

• →Early morning game drive in Matobo National Park (~£30-40, self-booked locally)
• →Matobo National Park entry fee (~£10-15)
• →Guided rhino tracking walking safari (~£25-35)
• →Visit World's View and Cecil Rhodes' grave
• →San Bushmen rock art sites
• →Lunch at lodge or packed lunch (~£8)

After breakfast, take a local bus or shared taxi via Bulawayo towards Hwange (~335km north, ~4-5 hours). Alternatively, the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls intercity bus passes through the Hwange area. Alight at Hwange Main Camp and arrange a local taxi to your lodge in the game management area. The drive north passes through beautiful dry woodland — keep an eye out for wildlife even from the road. Check in and relax before a sundowner at the lodge waterhole.

🚌Intercity bus Bulawayo → Hwange Main Camp (~£10-15). Local taxi to lodge (~£10).

🛏Hwange Safari Lodge, Sikumi Tree Lodge or similar budget-friendly option in game management area (~£35-50/night)

• →Intercity bus Bulawayo → Hwange (~£10-15, ~4-5 hours)
• →Local taxi to lodge in game management area (~£10)
• →Check in and evening waterhole wildlife watching at lodge

Book a full-day open 4x4 game drive directly with your lodge or a local Hwange operator — wild dog sightings, elephant herds and gemsbok are the highlights. Hwange is Zimbabwe's largest national park (14,600 sq km) and offers outstanding wildlife viewing, particularly around the man-made waterholes. Pay park entry fees directly (~£15-20). An afternoon game drive can also be self-arranged separately if you prefer a split day. Many lodges offer sundowner drives.

🚌Game drive vehicle provided by local lodge operator.

🛏Hwange Safari Lodge or similar (~£35-50/night)

• →Full-day open 4x4 game drive in Hwange National Park (self-booked via lodge, ~£50-70)
• →Hwange National Park entry fee (~£15-20)
• →Wildlife spotting: wild dogs, elephants, lions, gemsbok, brown hyena, 400+ bird species
• →Sundowner at waterhole

Take the morning bus from Hwange to Victoria Falls town (~2-3 hours, ~£8). Check into a budget hotel or hostel in Victoria Falls town. In the afternoon, walk to the falls themselves — the entrance is easy to reach on foot or by a short taxi. Entry to Victoria Falls National Park is ~USD$30. The spray, noise and scale of Mosi-oa-Tunya are utterly overwhelming — allow 2-3 hours to walk the full viewing path.

🚌Intercity bus Hwange → Victoria Falls (~£8).

🛏Shoestrings Backpackers, Victoria Falls Rest Camp, or budget hotel (~£20-35/night)

• →Intercity bus Hwange → Victoria Falls (~£8, ~2-3 hours)
• →Check in to Victoria Falls hotel/hostel
• →Afternoon visit to Victoria Falls (entry ~USD$30 / ~£24)
• →Walk the full Victoria Falls viewing path
• →Evening dinner in Victoria Falls town

A free day to explore optional activities entirely bookable yourself. White-water rafting on the Zambezi is one of the world's best — book via Shearwater Adventures or Safari Par Excellence (~£90-110). A scenic helicopter flight ('Flight of Angels') over the falls is bookable at most agencies in town (~£120-150). Cross into Zambia for free (KAZA UniVisa holders) to see the falls from the Zambian side. A sunset river cruise on the Zambezi is a relaxed option (~£35-45). Alternatively, take a guided bungee jump off Victoria Falls Bridge (~£100).

🚌On foot or local taxi within Victoria Falls town.

🛏Shoestrings Backpackers or budget hotel, Victoria Falls (~£20-35/night)

• →Optional: White-water rafting on the Zambezi (~£90-110, book via Shearwater Adventures)
• →Optional: Helicopter 'Flight of Angels' over Victoria Falls (~£120-150)
• →Optional: Sunset cruise on the Zambezi (~£35-45, book via local agents)
• →Optional: Cross into Zambia to see falls from Zambian side (free with KAZA UniVisa)
• →Optional: Bungee jump off Victoria Falls Bridge (~£100)
• →Free time to explore town, markets and local restaurants

Your adventure ends at Victoria Falls Airport (VFA). Arrange a local taxi or airport transfer from your accommodation (~£10-15). If time allows before your flight, grab a final breakfast in town and pick up any last souvenirs from the craft market. Flights depart to Johannesburg (OR Tambo), Nairobi, and other hubs — book onward travel in advance. You've mokoro'd through the Okavango, tracked rhinos on foot, slept under African stars and watched the world's largest waterfall — all on your own terms.

🚌Local taxi to Victoria Falls Airport (~£10-15).

🛏N/A — departure day

• →Final breakfast in Victoria Falls town
• →Last-minute craft market browsing
• →Taxi to Victoria Falls Airport (~£10-15)
• →Depart