Self-Launched Southern Africa: Safari & Camping Adventure
16 days · Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe)
G Adventures charges £3,400
No-markup version: ~£1,780 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 16-day TailorMade Southern Africa loop, running Johannesburg → Maun → Okavango Delta → Chobe → Hwange → Victoria Falls → Kruger, and back. Instead of private vehicles, internal flights and lodges, you'll piece the same route together yourself using budget flights or the Intercape/APT overland bus network, shared safari shuttles, public mokoro trips from Maun, and a mix of hostels, self-catering bush camps and mid-range lodges. Everything the operator includes — the Okavango camping excursion, the Chobe sunset cruise, the Hwange safari drives and the Victoria Falls guided walk — is bookable directly or via GetYourGuide/Klook from the ground. Costs are rough per-person estimates; internal regional flights are the biggest variable, so book early or swap for overland buses to cut costs further.
Day-by-day
Arrive Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Land at OR Tambo at any time and make your own way in. The Gautrain runs from the airport to Sandton/Marlboro for around £9, or a metered taxi/Uber to Maboneng or Melville is about £15-20. Settle into a hostel in Maboneng or Braamfontein, grab dinner at a market (Neighbourgoods on Saturdays), and sort your onward transport for tomorrow — either a budget flight to Maun (from ~£110 one-way with Airlink/Botswana Air) or a long overland bus leg to save money.
🚌Airport transfer ~£9-20
🛏Hostel dorm in Maboneng/Melville (~£15-20/night)
- →Gautrain or Uber from OR Tambo
- →Maboneng/Braamfontein street-food wander
Fly to Maun, gateway to the Delta
Maun, Botswana
Fly to Maun (Airlink/Botswana Air, ~1h45, from ~£110 if booked early). Alternatively, take the overland bus Johannesburg–Gaborone then Gaborone–Maun if you want to save — it takes 2 days, so most travellers fly this leg. In Maun, base at a riverside backpackers (Sedia/Island Safari area). This afternoon is your chance to book a scenic light-aircraft flight over the Okavango Delta (~£95-130 for 45-60 mins) — worth it for the sheer scale of the delta from above.
🚌Domestic flight ~£110
🛏Backpackers/riverside lodge in Maun (~£25-35/night)
- →Optional scenic flight over the Okavango Delta (~£100)
- →Sunset at the Thamalakane River
Okavango Delta mokoro camping
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Join a locally-run 1-night mokoro (dugout canoe) camping excursion, which is exactly what the tour operator includes. Operators in Maun run shared departures (2-3 days from ~£150-220 all-in with guide, food, camping gear). You'll pole through the delta channels, do a bush walk looking for wildlife, and camp wild under the stars on an island. Book directly with Maun operators (e.g. Delta Rain or any Maun activity desk) or via GetYourGuide.
🚌Included in excursion
🛏Bush camp (included in Okavango excursion)
- →Mokoro excursion through the delta
- →Guided bush walk
- →Wild island camping under the stars
Delta channels back to Maun
Maun, Botswana
Spend the morning in the mokoro exploring the channels, then transfer back to Maun after lunch. Back in town, you get a second chance at a scenic flight if you skipped it on Day 2, or a slow afternoon at the river. Restock supplies and confirm your onward transport — flights Maun–Kasane (~£130) or the overland bus/shared transfer if you'd rather save.
🚌Return transfer included in excursion
🛏Backpackers/riverside lodge in Maun (~£25-35/night)
- →Morning mokoro delta exploration
- →Optional second scenic flight
- →River sundowner
Fly to Kasane, sunset cruise on the Chobe
Kasane, Botswana
Transfer to Maun airport and fly to Kasane (~1h, from ~£130). Base at a Kasane hostel/lodge near the Chobe riverfront. Spend the afternoon on a public sunset boat cruise on the Chobe River (~£30-40 booked locally or via GetYourGuide) — the same experience the operator includes, and one of the best ways to see elephants, hippos and crocodiles at water level.
🚌Domestic flight ~£130
🛏Kasane hostel/lodge (~£30-40/night)
- →Chobe River sunset boat cruise (~£35)
- →Elephant and hippo spotting
Chobe National Park game drive
Kasane, Botswana
Take a morning game drive in Chobe National Park, famous for its huge elephant population — shared 3-hour drives run ~£35-50 per person and can be booked the day before at any Kasane activity desk. The afternoon is free: relax, or opt for a photographic safari workshop (~£45) if you want to upskill. Chobe is the densest elephant concentration in Africa, so bring a telephoto lens.
🚌Walking/local
🛏Kasane hostel/lodge (~£30-40/night)
- →Morning Chobe game drive (~£45)
- →Optional photo safari workshop (~£45)
Cross into Zimbabwe, Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Cross the border to Zimbabwe (Kazungula border post) — catch a shared taxi or kombi onward, or arrange a door-to-door shared transfer to Hwange (~£30-50). Settle into a budget lodge or self-catering camp near the park gate (Main Camp area). Head out on a late-afternoon game drive to ease into the park's wildlife, one of the best-value safaris in Southern Africa.
🚌Shared transfer/combis ~£40
🛏Budget lodge/self-catering camp near Hwange (~£30-45/night)
- →Border crossing at Kazungula
- →Afternoon Hwange game drive (~£25)
Full safari day in Hwange
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Hwange is famous for its Presidential Elephant Herd, plus rhino, antelope and leopard. Book morning and afternoon game drives through your lodge or a park-registered guide (~£25-35 per drive) — going with a guide is essential as self-drive isn't allowed in most areas. Between drives, the camp waterholes are great for ticking off impala, kudu and baboon from the comfort of a deck chair.
🚌Local game-drive vehicle
🛏Budget lodge/self-catering camp near Hwange (~£30-45/night)
- →Morning game drive
- →Afternoon game drive
- →Waterhole wildlife watching
Hwange to Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Final morning game drive in Hwange, then take the local bus or shared transfer to Victoria Falls (~2.5-3h, ~£15-25 with Intercape/extra-city or shared shuttle). Check into a hostel in the town centre. In the afternoon, do a guided walk on the Zimbabwean side of the falls (~£30) — one of the seven natural wonders and best seen from this side. Finish with a traditional Boma dinner and drumming show (~£30).
🚌Bus/shared transfer ~£20
🛏Victoria Falls town hostel (~£15-25/night)
- →Hwange morning game drive
- →Guided Victoria Falls walk (Zimbabwe side) (~£30)
- →Boma dinner and drumming experience (~£30)
Victoria Falls adrenaline day
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Free day to pick your own adventure. The big one is whitewater rafting on the Zambezi (~£120-140 with lunch, booked via GetYourGuide or locally) — the same activity the operator offers as an optional. More relaxed alternatives: a Zambezi sunset cruise (~£45) or a helicopter flight over the falls (~£130-180). Keep some cash for the craft market and the bar at the Victoria Falls Hotel for a classic view.
🚌Walking/local
🛏Victoria Falls town hostel (~£15-25/night)
- →Zambezi whitewater rafting (~£130)
- →Or Zambezi sunset cruise (~£45)
- →Or helicopter flight over the falls (~£150)
Fly to Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Fly Victoria Falls back to Johannesburg (~1h45, from ~£140 with Fastjet/Airlink — book early, this route gets pricey). Transfer via Uber or the Gautrain into the city. Take a slow evening in Maboneng or Rosebank to reset and repack before the Kruger leg. Do any laundry and stock up on road-trip snacks.
🚌Regional flight ~£140
🛏Hostel in Maboneng/Melville (~£15-20/night)
- →Uber/Gautrain transfer from OR Tambo
- →Maboneng or Rosebank evening
Panorama Route to Kruger
Hazyview / Kruger area, South Africa
Drive the scenic Panorama Route into the Kruger area. Cheapest self-launched option is a Baz Bus or Intercape/APT coach to Nelspruit/Hazyview, then a shared transfer to your lodge — or hire a car in Johannesburg (~£25-35/day shared between travellers) and do the route independently, stopping at Blyde River Canyon, God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes. Base in Hazyview, a budget-friendly gateway to Kruger.
🚌Coach + shared transfer or car hire ~£35
🛏Hazyview backpackers/lodge (~£20-30/night)
- →Blyde River Canyon and God's Window stops
- →Three rondavels viewpoint
- →Bourke's Luck Potholes
Kruger National Park self-drive or guided game drives
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Enter Kruger — the easiest Big Five park in Africa to do on a budget. Self-drive day permits are ~£20 per car plus ~£20 conservation fee per person, or join shared sunrise/sunset game drives from Hazyview (~£35-50 each). If you're not driving, a guided day safari from Hazyview (~£60-80 with transfers) ticks off everything. Look for the Big Five, wild dog if you're lucky, and countless birds.
🚌Self-drive or shared game-viewing vehicle
🛏Hazyview backpackers/lodge (~£20-30/night)
- →Kruger full-day game drive
- →Big Five spotting
- →Optional sunset drive
Second Kruger day / Sabi Sand fringe
Kruger area, South Africa
Use your second day in the bush for a different area of the park or a guided walk with an armed ranger (~£40), which gets you much closer to the smaller details — tracks, birds, plants. Budget travellers often sleep inside the park at a SANParks rest camp (Skukuza, Lower Sabie) for ~£35-50 self-catering to catch the best dawn and dusk game activity.
🚌Self-drive/local
🛏Hazyview lodge or SANParks rest camp (~£25-45/night)
- →Guided bush walk (~£40)
- →Afternoon game drive
- →SANParks rest-camp waterhole watching
Return toward Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Drive or coach back to Johannesburg (~5-6h on the N4 via the scenic Schoemanskloof route). Drop the hire car at OR Tambo or overnight in the city. Use your last full evening for a Soweto tour (~£45) or a final South African braai before flying home tomorrow.
🚌Coach or car hire return ~£30
🛏Hostel in Maboneng/Melville (~£15-20/night)
- →Return drive/coach on the N4
- →Optional Soweto township tour (~£45)
Depart Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Fly out at any time. If you have a late flight, the Gautrain gets you to OR Tambo from Sandton in 15 minutes for ~£9. Count up the elephants, lions and sunsets before you go.
🚌Gautrain ~£9
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Gautrain to OR Tambo
- →Last-minute curio shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,780 | £3,400 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,620 per person (48%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,780
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.
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 Self-Launched Southern Africa: Safari & Camping Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,780 per person for 16 days in Southern Africa (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 £3,400 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 £1,620 (48%) per person.
How long is the Southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe) trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through Southern Africa (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 Southern Africa (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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