Kruger, Victoria Falls & Botswana Safari — Self-Launched
18 days · South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe
G Adventures charges £4,800
No-markup version: ~£1,545 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 18-day overland safari from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, covering Kruger National Park, the Okavango Delta panhandle by houseboat, Chobe and Savuti, and the thundering smoke of Mosi-oa-Tunya. You'll book your own budget lodges, safari tents and hostel dorms, join affordable shared game drives through local operators and GetYourGuide, use Baz Bus, Intercape and shuttle transfers between hubs, and self-cater most meals to keep costs down. Includes the Karongwe-style private reserve drives, a carnivore conservation talk, a Zimbabwean family dinner and a Victoria Falls guided walk — all bookable independently. Estimates are approximate and based on current backpacker/budget rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Land at OR Tambo and take the Gautrain or a shared shuttle to your hostel in Maboneng or Melville (approx £5-8). Settle in, then head out for a self-guided braai at a local grill house or join your hostel's evening barbecue — the DIY version of the welcome dinner. Stock up on snacks and a SIM/data bundle at the airport.
🚌Gautrain airport train ~£10 or shared shuttle ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, Johannesburg (£15-25)
- →Gautrain/shared shuttle to hostel
- →Maboneng street art walk
- →Self-arranged braai dinner
Panorama Route to Kruger
Graskop / Kruger area, South Africa
Join a shared day tour or hire a car along the iconic Panorama Route: Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window and Lisbon Falls. GetYourGuide runs shared Panorama Route day trips from Johannesburg/Hazyview from ~£45-60. Overnight in a bushveld backpackers near the Kruger gate (Numbi/Phabeni) or a budget safari tent.
🚌Shared tour vehicle / self-drive hire ~£30-50 split
🛏Bush backpackers or budget safari tent near Kruger gate (£20-30)
- →Panorama Route shared day tour
- →Blyde River Canyon viewpoints
- →Bourke's Luck Potholes
- →God's Window
Kruger National Park self-drive or shared game drive
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Enter Kruger on a self-drive day permit (conservation fee ~£20/day, plus vehicle) or book an affordable open-vehicle sunrise drive through your camp or GetYourGuide (~£40-55). Self-drive is the cheapest Big Five option — pack a picnic and take the tarred loops around Skukuza and Lower Sabie for the best sightings. Overnight at a rest camp or nearby backpackers.
🚌Self-drive hire split between travellers
🛏Kruger rest camp hut or bush backpackers (£25-40)
- →Kruger self-drive 4x4/2WD game viewing
- →Sunrise open-vehicle game drive
- →Skukuza & Lower Sabie waterholes
Full day in Kruger
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Another full day of game viewing. For the conservation angle, book a night/sunset drive or a ranger-led bush walk — many private reserves and SANParks camps offer interpretive drives where rangers talk about predator conservation, cheetah metapopulation work and anti-poaching, mirroring the operator's EWT carnivore lecture. Evening braai at camp.
🚌Self-drive or reserve transfer
🛏Kruger rest camp hut (£25-40)
- →Sunset/night game drive
- →Ranger-led bush walk
- →Predator conservation talk with ranger
Private reserve open-vehicle safari
Karongwe / Greater Kruger, South Africa
Book two nights at a budget-friendly private reserve lodge adjacent to Kruger (Karongwe, Klaserie or Manyeleti) offering included open-vehicle drives with qualified rangers and trackers. These small reserves give excellent Big Five odds and off-road tracking. Shared backpacker-focused lodges start around £90-130 per night all-inclusive of drives.
🚌Reserve transfer from Kruger area
🛏Budget private reserve lodge/tented camp (£90-130 full board)
- →Open 4x4 game drive with ranger & tracker
- →Big Five tracking
- →Bush sundowners
Karongwe-style reserve — morning & evening drives
Greater Kruger, South Africa
Full day on the reserve with a dawn drive and an afternoon/evening drive. Spend siesta hours by the pool or reading up on the ecology you're seeing. This is the DIY equivalent of the operator's two included reserve safari days.
🚌On-reserve game drive vehicles
🛏Budget private reserve lodge/tented camp (£90-130 full board)
- →Dawn game drive
- →Afternoon game drive
- →Guided bush interpretation
Cross into Zimbabwe — family dinner in Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Take a shuttle or bus to the Beitbridge or via OR Tambo to Victoria Falls — realistically fly Johannesburg to Victoria Falls (fastjet/Airlink from ~£90-140 one way) to save two days of driving. On arrival, pre-book a community-run Zimbabwean family dinner (several Victoria Falls operators and GetYourGuide offer 'dinner with a local family' homestay experiences from ~£25-35), or ask your hostel to connect you with a local cook.
🚌Fastjet/Airlink flight ~£90-140 or Intercape bus
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers/hostel (£15-25)
- →Flight/road transfer to Victoria Falls
- →Zimbabwean family dinner experience
- →Border crossing (Visa on arrival)
Victoria Falls guided tour
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Take a self-guided or locally guided walk through the Victoria Falls rainforest on the Zimbabwean side. Entry is ~£30 (USD38) and a local guide adds ~£10-15. Learn about the geology, history and the legend of 'the smoke that thunders.' In the late afternoon, join an optional Zambezi sunset cruise (~£40-55) — cheaper booked direct rather than through a hotel.
🚌Walk / local taxi
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers/hostel (£15-25)
- →Victoria Falls rainforest guided walk
- →Zambezi sunset riversong cruise (optional)
- →Lookout points & Livingstone statue
Victoria Falls free day
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Optional adrenaline day: bungee jump, gorge swing, white-water rafting on the Zambezi (~£90-130), or a day trip to the Zambian side of the falls (Kaza UniVisa ~£40 covers both sides). Self-book directly with local activity operators for the best rates.
🚌Local shuttle or taxi
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers/hostel (£15-25)
- →Zambezi white-water rafting (optional)
- →Bungee/gorge swing (optional)
- →Zambia-side falls day trip (optional)
Transfer to Kasane / Chobe
Kasane, Botswana
Cross into Botswana at Kazungula to Kasane, the gateway to Chobe National Park. A shared shuttle from Victoria Falls to Kasane runs ~£15-25 and takes about 1.5-2 hours. Settle into a Kasane backpackers and arrange your Chobe game drives and river cruise for the next days.
🚌Shared shuttle Victoria Falls–Kasane ~£15-25
🛏Kasane backpackers (£20-35)
- →Kazungula border crossing
- →Kasane orientation
- →Book Chobe activities locally
Chobe National Park river cruise
Kasane, Botswana
The Chobe Riverfront is famous for enormous elephant herds. Book an afternoon/evening boat cruise (~£30-45) to watch elephants and hippos drink and bathe at the water's edge. This is the cheapest and arguably best way to see Chobe's wildlife.
🚌Walk to jetty / local transfer
🛏Kasane backpackers (£20-35)
- →Chobe River sunset boat cruise
- →Elephant & hippo viewing
- →Birdlife spotting
Chobe game drive
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Join an open-vehicle game drive into Chobe (~£40-60, self-booked or via GetYourGuide). Chobe holds one of the world's largest elephant populations along with lion, buffalo and antelope. Pack water, a hat and binoculars. Return to Kasane for the night.
🚌Open safari vehicle
🛏Kasane backpackers (£20-35)
- →Open-vehicle Chobe game drive
- →Big Four viewing
- →Savuti/Chobe ecosystem interpretation
Transfer to the Okavango Panhandle
Shakawe / Okavango Panhandle, Botswana
Travel south-west to the Okavango Panhandle (Shakawe), the quieter, water-rich arm of the Delta. Bus/shuttle or a shared transfer from Kasane/Chobe along the panhandle road (long travel day, ~5-7 hours). Check into a riverside lodge or houseboat operator.
🚌Shared bus/4x4 transfer ~£20-30
🛏Panhandle riverside lodge or houseboat (£25-45)
- →Scenic transfer through northern Botswana
- →Riverside sunset
- →Book mokoro/boat activities
Okavango Delta houseboat / mokoro
Okavango Panhandle, Botswana
DIY the operator's two-night houseboat: many Panhandle operators run shared houseboat nights with meals included (~£55-90 pp/night), or you can join mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) and birding excursions (~£25-40). Glide through papyrus channels spotting fish eagles, kingfishers and hippos.
🚌Boat/mokoro on the waterway
🛏Okavango houseboat (shared, meals incl.) (£55-90)
- →Houseboat stay on the Okavango
- →Mokoro canoe excursion
- →Papyrus-channel birdwatching
Okavango — second day on the water
Okavango Panhandle, Botswana
A second day afloat with guided nature interpretation on the geology, ecosystems and wildlife of the Delta and surrounding parks — the DIY substitute for the operator's Chobe & Savuti talk. Optional fishing (catch-and-release tigerfish) or a village walk in the afternoon.
🚌Boat
🛏Okavango houseboat (shared, meals incl.) (£55-90)
- →Guided Delta nature interpretation
- →Optional tigerfish catch-and-release
- →Local village walk
Return to Chobe — open-seated safari
Kasane / Chobe, Botswana
Travel back to Kasane and enjoy one final Chobe safari in an open-seated, open-backed vehicle with a knowledgeable local guide — the itinerary's signature Chobe drive. Late afternoon return to Kasane for your last Botswana night.
🚌Shared transfer + safari vehicle
🛏Kasane backpackers (£20-35)
- →Open-seated Chobe safari drive
- →Wildlife photography
- →Farewell Botswana dinner
Kasane to Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Transfer back across the Kazungula border to Victoria Falls. Spend the afternoon revisiting the falls, shopping at the craft market or relaxing. Book the optional luxury Zambezi sunset riversong cruise (~£40-55) for a final highlight before you fly home.
🚌Shared shuttle Kasane–Victoria Falls ~£15-25
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers/hostel (£15-25)
- →Kasungula border crossing to Zimbabwe
- →Optional Zambezi sunset cruise
- →Craft market & town exploration
Departure
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Fly out from Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) or connect onward via Johannesburg. The falls town has a small airport with regional connections — book well ahead for the best fares.
🚌Airport taxi ~£10 or shuttle
🛏—
- →Airport transfer
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,545 | £4,800 |
| Duration | 18 days | 18 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £3,255 per person (68%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,545
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 Kruger, Victoria Falls & Botswana Safari — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,545 per person for 18 days in South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe. 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 £4,800 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,545 — a saving of roughly £3,255 (68%) per person.
How long is the South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe trip?+
This itinerary runs 18 days, covering 18 day-by-day stops through South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe.
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 South Africa, Botswana & Zimbabwe, 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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