East Africa to South Africa Overland Safari & Participation Camping — Self-Launched
27 days · Nairobi to Johannesburg (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa)
G Adventures charges £3,879
No-markup version: ~£1,610 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 27-day overland adventure from Nairobi to Johannesburg, mirroring G Adventures' "East Africa to South Africa Overland Safari & Participation Camping" using public transport, shared shuttles, budget safari operators, and self-catering camping. Cross 7 countries, camp under the stars, track the Big Five in the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Chobe and Kruger, beach-hop on Zanzibar, and stand in the spray of Victoria Falls. This is a self-arranged equivalent: you book each leg yourself, join group safaris locally, and stay in hostels, campsites and simple guesthouses. Costs are approximate GBP per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya
Land at JKIA, grab a SIM (Safaricom, ~£2) and M-Pesa setup. Taxi/Uber to a hostel in Westlands or Karen. Evening: meet other travellers in the dorm common room. Self-cater or eat at a local nyama choma joint (~£5).
🚌Uber/taxi from JKIA ~£8
🛏Budget hostel dorm, Westlands (e.g. Wildebeest Eco Camp-style), ~£12
- →Airport transfer
- →SIM & M-Pesa setup
- →Hostel common room meet-up
Nairobi city & safari briefing
Nairobi, Kenya
Visit the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust elephant orphanage (~£8) and Giraffe Centre (~£10), then the Nairobi National Museum. Book your onward leg to Arusha at a local bus office and pay for your Serengeti/Ngorongoro safari with a reputable local operator (e.g. via GetYourGuide or direct with a Tanzanian operator).
🚌Matatu/Uber around city ~£3
🛏Budget hostel dorm, ~£12
- →Sheldrick elephant orphanage
- →Giraffe Centre
- →Book Arusha bus + safari
Bus Nairobi to Arusha
Arusha, Tanzania
Take a Riverside Shuttle or Impala Shuttle from Nairobi to Arusha (07:30 departure, ~£20–25, 5–6 hrs). Cross the Namanga border — have your e-visa ready. Arrive Arusha, check into a guesthouse or campsite on the Moshi road. Brief with your safari operator.
🚌Riverside/Impala shuttle ~£22
🛏Guesthouse/campsite, Arusha, ~£15
- →Cross Kenya-Tanzania border
- →Safari operator briefing
Arusha to Serengeti National Park
Serengeti, Tanzania
Join a 3-day/2-night local group safari. Drive via Ngorongoro's rim and into the Serengeti with a 4x4 and guide. Afternoon game drive: lions, elephants, zebra, wildebeest. Camp inside the park perimeter.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Safari tents/camping, Serengeti, included in safari price
- →4x4 game drive
- →Serengeti camping
Serengeti full-day safari
Serengeti, Tanzania
Full day of game drives. Optional hot-air balloon safari (~£380–450, book direct with Serengeti Balloon Safaris). Evening back at camp.
🚌4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Safari camp, Serengeti
- →Full-day game drive
- →Optional hot-air balloon
Ngorongoro Crater safari
Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn — rhino, hippo, lions, flamingos. Ascend and drive back to Arusha in the afternoon.
🚌4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Guesthouse, Arusha, ~£15
- →Ngorongoro Crater descent
- →Big Five spotting
Arusha to Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Day bus from Arusha to Dar (~10 hrs, ~£20) or overnight bus. Arrive and take a boda to the ferry terminal area. Simple hotel or hostel near Kivukoni.
🚌Arusha-Dar bus ~£20
🛏Budget hotel, Dar, ~£18
- →Long-distance bus travel
Ferry to Zanzibar
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Morning ferry from Dar to Zanzibar (Azam Marine, ~1.5 hrs, ~£30 return). Check into a Stone Town guesthouse. Evening in Forodhani Gardens night market — Zanzibar pizza, sugarcane juice.
🚌Azam ferry ~£30 (return)
🛏Stone Town guesthouse, ~£18
- →Ferry crossing
- →Forodhani night market
- →Stone Town wander
Stone Town & spice tour
Stone Town, Zanzibar
Guided spice farm tour (~£15), visit the former slave market and Anglican cathedral, and get lost in the alleys of Stone Town. Sunset dhow cruise (~£15).
🚌Walking / dala-dala ~£2
🛏Stone Town guesthouse, ~£18
- →Spice tour
- →Slave market museum
- →Sunset dhow
Stone Town to Nungwi beaches
Nungwi, Zanzibar
Dala-dala or shared taxi north to Nungwi/Kendwa (~£4, 1.5 hrs). Beach day, snorkelling trips available (~£15). Hostel or beach bandas.
🚌Dala-dala/shared taxi ~£5
🛏Beach hostel/banda, Nungwi, ~£15
- →Beach time
- →Optional snorkelling/diving
Nungwi beach day
Nungwi, Zanzibar
Relax, swim, optional sunset dhow. Traditional dhow sunset cruise and seafood dinner.
🚌Walking
🛏Beach hostel/banda, ~£15
- →Swimming
- →Optional dhow sunset cruise
Zanzibar to Dar & onward to Mbeya
Mbeya, Tanzania
Ferry back to Dar, then a bus toward the Malawi border region. This is a travel/flex day (overland sections vary). Overnight simple hotel, or night bus.
🚌Ferry ~£15 + bus ~£20
🛏Budget hotel, ~£15
- →Ferry
- →Long-distance bus
Into Malawi — Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi, Malawi
Cross the Tanzania-Malawi border at Karonga (visa on arrival, ~£60 for many nationalities — check yours). Travel south to Nkhata Bay or Cape Maclear. Lakeshore lodge or campsite.
🚌Shared minibus/bus ~£15
🛏Lakeside lodge/campsite, ~£12
- →Border crossing
- →Lakeside arrival
Lake Malawi — Nkhata Bay
Nkhata Bay, Malawi
Swim, kayak, snorkel among cichlids, or hike to a viewpoint. Fresh chambo fish dinner by the lake. This is classic backpacker slow-travel territory.
🚌Walking / local boat ~£5
🛏Lakeside lodge/campsite, ~£12
- →Kayaking/snorkelling
- →Sunset lake views
Lake Malawi to Lilongwe
Lilongwe, Malawi
Bus to Lilongwe (capital). Stock up on supplies, change money, rest. Simple guesthouse or hostel.
🚌AXA coach ~£12
🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse, ~£14
- →Travel day
- →City potter
Lilongwe to Lusaka
Lusaka, Zambia
Cross into Zambia (visa KAZA UniVisa useful later for Zimbabwe) and travel on to Lusaka. Long travel day. Hostel with garden.
🚌Bus Lilongwe-Lusaka ~£20
🛏Lusaka hostel, ~£15
- →Border crossing
- →Long-distance travel
Lusaka to Livingstone
Livingstone, Zambia
Bus or shared minibus to Livingstone (7 hrs, ~£13). Evening by the Zambezi. Hostel near the falls.
🚌Bus ~£13
🛏Backpacker hostel, Livingstone, ~£14
- →Travel
- →Zambezi sunset walk
Victoria Falls — Zimbabwe side
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Walk across the bridge or take a cross-border shuttle (~£5) to Zimbabwe. Pay the falls entry (~£25 for most foreign passports; US$50). The thundering spray, rainforest trail and viewpoints are phenomenal. (Zambia-side falls and Devil's Pool optional.)
🚌Border shuttle ~£5
🛏Hostel/dorm, Victoria Falls town, ~£16
- →Victoria Falls viewing (Zim side)
- →Rainforest trail
Victoria Falls activities
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Optional white-water rafting on the Zambezi (~£120), bungee jump (~£100), or sunset river cruise with hippos and crocs (~£45). Order dinner at the hostel.
🚌Local transport ~£3
🛏Hostel/dorm, ~£16
- →Optional rafting
- →Optional bungee
- →Sunset cruise
Victoria Falls to Kasane (Botswana)
Kasane, Botswana
Shared minibus to Kasane near Chobe National Park (~£10, 1 hr plus border). Book a Chobe game drive for tomorrow with a local operator (roughly £60–80 for a half-day).
🚌Shared minibus ~£10
🛏Chobe hostel/lodge, Kasane, ~£18
- →Border crossing
- →Book Chobe safari
Chobe National Park safari
Chobe, Botswana
Biggest elephant population on earth. 3-hr morning game drive plus optional Chobe river cruise (best for elephants and buffalos drinking). Night back in Kasane.
🚌Safari vehicle included
🛏Chobe hostel, ~£18
- →Chobe game drive
- →Optional Chobe river cruise
Kasane to Maun
Maun, Botswana
Travel south to Maun, gateway to the Okavango Delta. Long bus/shared transfer day (~12 hrs, ~£30). Simple lodge or campsite.
🚌Bus ~£30
🛏Maun backpacker lodge, ~£15
- →Travel day
Option: Okavango Delta mokoro day
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Optional but unmissable: 1-day mokoro (dugout canoe) excursion with a poler through the Delta (~£90–120), spotting hippos, elephants, reeds and birdlife. Book locally in Maun. Otherwise a rest day and fly-in camp prep.
🚌4x4 transfer to Delta
🛏Maun lodge, ~£15
- →Mokoro excursion
- →Nature walk with local guide
Maun to Johannesburg (flight)
Johannesburg, South Africa
Fly Maun to Johannesburg (Air Botswana/Airlink, ~£120–180 booked early), or the cheaper but very long overland bus via Francistown. Arrive Joburg, settle into a hostel in Melville or Maboneng.
🚌Flight ~£150 (or bus ~£35)
🛏Joburg hostel, Maboneng/Melville, ~£18
- →Flight to Johannesburg
- →Neighbourhood wander
Greater Kruger — guided safari
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Travel to the Kruger area (shared shuttle/baz bus to Hazyview or Mbombela, ~£30). Join a 2-day guided Kruger safari with accommodation in a bush camp, or a full-day open-vehicle game drive (~£75 via GetYourGuide/Viator). Look for the Big Five.
🚌Shuttle + safari vehicle ~£35
🛏Bush camp/lodge near Kruger, ~£30
- →Kruger open-vehicle game drive
- →Bush camp evening
Kruger full-day safari
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Full-day open-vehicle game drive in Kruger. Elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, zebras. Optional night drive. Return to camp.
🚌Open safari vehicle included
🛏Bush camp/lodge, ~£30
- →Full-day game drive
- →Optional night drive
Kruger to Johannesburg — depart
Johannesburg, South Africa
Shuttle back to Johannesburg (~£30). Final toast with hostel friends, then onward flight or the start of your next African journey.
🚌Shuttle Kruger-Joburg ~£30
🛏Overnight hostel optional, ~£18
- →Return shuttle
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,610 | £3,879 |
| Duration | 27 days | 27 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,269 per person (58%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,610
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.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does East Africa to South Africa Overland Safari & Participation Camping — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,610 per person for 27 days in Nairobi to Johannesburg (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa). 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,879 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,610 — a saving of roughly £2,269 (58%) per person.
How long is the Nairobi to Johannesburg (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa) trip?+
This itinerary runs 27 days, covering 27 day-by-day stops through Nairobi to Johannesburg (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa).
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 Nairobi to Johannesburg (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
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