Cape Town to Victoria Falls Overland: Self-Launched 20-Day Southern Africa Adventure

Fly into Cape Town International and take the MyCiTi bus or an Uber (~£12–18) into the city centre. Check into a hostel in the City Bowl or Green Point. Wander the V&A Waterfront, pick up a South African SIM (Vodacom or MTN, ~£6), and stock up on a few basics. Use the afternoon to orientate: Bo-Kaap's colourful streets, Company's Garden or a sunset stroll along Sea Point promenade. Book your Cape Peninsula shuttle tour and your onward coach to Springbok tonight.

🚌MyCiTi bus or Uber from airport (~£15)

🛏City Bowl or Green Point hostel dorm (~£16)

• →V&A Waterfront walk
• →Bo-Kaap photo walk
• →Buy SIM card and groceries

Take a small-group Cape Peninsula day tour or the Baz Bus Peninsula day trip (~£45–60) covering Hout Bay, Chapman's Peak Drive, Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point and Boulders Beach penguins. Alternatively, do it independently with the Cape Point Explorer or a hired car (for a solo traveller, a shared day tour is usually cheaper). Table Mountain cable car (~£22) is weather dependent — slot it into an evening if the cloud is clear.

🚌Shared day tour minibus (~£50)

🛏City Bowl or Green Point hostel dorm (~£16)

• →Chapman's Peak Drive
• →Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point entry (~£14)
• →Boulders Beach penguin colony
• →Optional Table Mountain cable car (~£22)

Today is a travel day. Take the Intercape or Greyhound coach from Cape Town to Springbok (~7–8 hrs, ~£20–25) — book online in advance. In spring (Aug–Sep) the wildflowers around Kamieskroon and Skilpad are spectacular; outside flower season it's a stark, beautiful semi-desert. Overnight in a Springbok backpackers or guesthouse and sort out your shared shuttle/transfer plan toward the Orange River and Augrabies.

🚌Intercape/Greyhound coach Cape Town–Springbok (~£22)

🛏Springbok backpackers or budget guesthouse (~£20)

• →Namaqualand scenery and (in spring) wildflower stops
• →Springbok town wander

Travel south-east to Augrabies Falls (~£25 shared shuttle or arrange a seat on a backpacker transfer; alternatively base in Kakamas and use a local taxi). Spend the afternoon at the multiple viewpoints over the Orange River gorge — the falls are at their best in the wetter months. Entry to the national park is ~£12 (SANParks international rate). Stay in the park's campsite or a nearby guesthouse.

🚌Shared shuttle / backpacker transfer (~£25)

🛏Augrabies rest camp hut or Kakamas guesthouse (~£22)

• →Augrabies Falls viewpoints
• →Orange River gorge sunset

Head north to Upington, then join a 2-day small-group Kalahari safari departing from Upington (~£180–220 including park fees, 4x4 game drives and basic camp accommodation) or self-drive with a hired car if you're travelling in a pair. Arrive in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park for an afternoon drive — red dunes, camel thorn trees and good odds of lions, cheetah and gemsbok.

🚌Shared shuttle or 4x4 safari vehicle from Upington (~£40)

🛏Kgalagadi rest camp tent/hut (~£25, included in safari)

• →Kgalagadi afternoon game drive
• →Red dune scenery

Morning guided nature walk in the Kalahari dunes with a field guide, then a full-day game drive across the park's waterholes (Nossob and Mata-Mata roads). Book this through your Upington safari operator or the SANParks rest camp — walks cost ~£20–30 pp, game drives ~£25. Evening braai at camp and early night — the stars are extraordinary.

🚌Included safari 4x4

🛏Kgalagadi rest camp tent/hut (~£25)

• →Guided Kalahari dune walk (~£25)
• →Full-day game drive in Kgalagadi (~£25)

Cross the border at Nakop/Vioolsdrift into Namibia (bring passport, be ready for a slow queue — US dollars or rand for small fees). Continue north via Karasburg to Hobas and Fish River Canyon, the second-largest canyon in the world. Take a shared taxi or pre-booked shuttle from Karasburg/Ai-Ais (~£25). Do the rim walk at sunset from the main viewpoint — entry ~£10. Overnight in the Hobas camp or a Canyon Lodge.

🚌Shared taxi/shuttle + border crossing (~£30)

🛏Hobas campsite or Canyon Roadhouse (~£25)

• →Fish River Canyon rim walk at sunset
• →Border crossing into Namibia

Long transfer day: shared shuttle or the Intercape/Senior coach from Keetmanshoop to Sesriem (~£30–40, 6–7 hrs). Stop at the quiver tree forest and Giant's Playground near Keetmanshoop if your driver is flexible. Arrive at Sesriem (gateway to Sossusvlei) late afternoon; camp at Sesriem Campsite inside the park gate (~£20) so you can be first through the gate at dawn.

🚌Shared shuttle Keetmanshoop–Sesriem (~£35)

🛏Sesriem Campsite (~£20)

• →Quiver tree forest stop
• →Sesriem Canyon short hike

Be through the gate at sunrise. Join a small-group Sossusvlei shuttle from Sesriem (~£45–55 including park entry, or drive yourself if you have a 4x4) to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei — the 5km walk between them through the white pans and dead camel thorn trees is the highlight of Namibia. Climb Big Daddy dune if you have energy. Afternoon: short hike through Sesriem Canyon. Night back at camp.

🚌Small-group 4x4 shuttle into Sossusvlei (~£50)

🛏Sesriem Campsite (~£20)

• →Sunrise at Sossusvlei
• →Deadvlei walk and Big Daddy dune climb
• →Sesriem Canyon hike

Shuttle or coach from Sesriem to Swakopmund (~£35–45, 6 hrs), breaking at Walvis Bay lagoon for flamingo viewing and a fish-and-chips lunch at the waterfront. Swakopmund is a German-colonial seaside town with good hostels, coffee and adventure sports. Two nights here gives you time to rest and pick from sandboarding, skydiving, quad biking or a catamaran dolphin cruise (~£25–50) — book locally or via GetYourGuide.

🚌Shared shuttle Sesriem–Swakopmund (~£40)

🛏Swakopmund backpackers (~£20)

• →Walvis Bay flamingo lagoon
• →Swakopmund town and jetty
• →Optional sandboarding, skydiving or dolphin cruise

Head inland to Spitzkoppe (~2 hrs, shared taxi or backpacker shuttle ~£20). The granite inselbergs glow orange at sunset and there's excellent bushman rock art (guided walk ~£10). Camp at the community campsite (~£10) and spend the afternoon scrambling on foot to viewpoints and the natural rock arch. Take food and water with you — facilities are basic.

🚌Shared taxi / backpacker shuttle (~£22)

🛏Spitzkoppe Community Campsite (~£10)

• →Spitzkoppe bushman rock art walk
• →Sunset scramble to rock arch

Travel to Outjo then the Andersson Gate of Etosha (~£30 shared taxi/combined shuttles). Enter the park (~£14 international entry + vehicle fee) and take an afternoon game drive from Okaukuejo camp (~£20, SANParks-guided) or on your own if you hired a car. Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole is famous for rhino at night — spend the evening there.

🚌Shared taxis via Outjo (~£30)

🛏Okaukuejo camp chalet/bungalow (~£30) or campsite (~£15)

• →Afternoon game drive in Etosha
• →Okaukuejo waterhole at night

Full day driving east across the pan via Halali to Namutoni, with an afternoon drive in the eastern sector. Join a SANParks-guided game drive (~£25) or a small-group safari from your camp. Etosha in the dry season is one of Africa's best elephant, lion and antelope sightings. Overnight at Namutoni camp.

🚌Included in game drive / own vehicle

🛏Namutoni camp (~£25)

• →Full-day game drive across Etosha Pan
• →Afternoon game drive east Etosha

Long transfer north-east to Rundu on the Kavango River (~£30 shared taxi via Tsumeb/Grootfontein, or Intercape if timings work). Rundu is a lively river town with budget lodges and a couple of riverside camps. Sunset boat trips and craft markets on the waterfront; sort out your Namibian exit and Botswana entry formalities (Mohembo border).

🚌Shared taxis / coach (~£30)

🛏Rundu river lodge or guesthouse (~£20)

• →Okavango River sunset
• →Rundu craft market

Cross the Mohembo border into Botswana (small visa/fee costs, ~£10) and continue via Shakawe to Maun (~£35 shared taxi/coach, long day). Maun is the gateway to the delta. Book a 2-day mokoro excursion with a Maun backpackers (e.g. Old Bridge Backpackers) or a listed operator — expect ~£160–200 for two days including guides, mokoro, camp and meals. Overnight at a Maun hostel tonight.

🚌Shared taxi/coach Shakawe–Maun (~£35)

🛏Maun backpackers (~£20)

• →Border crossing into Botswana
• →Maun town and riverfront

Paddle into the Okavango Delta in a traditional mokoro with a poler-guide, camp on a small island, and take a guided nature walk to spot zebra, giraffe, elephants and birdlife. Most trips include a small scenic boat transfer and all meals. This is the single best value wildlife experience in Southern Africa — do book a reputable poler through a Maun operator rather than a roadside tout.

🚌Mokoro and boat (included)

🛏Delta bush camp (included in mokoro excursion)

• →Mokoro canoe excursion
• →Scenic boat transfer
• →Guided island nature walk
• →Delta camp under the stars

Return to Maun and take the daily bus or shared shuttle to Kasane (~5 hrs, ~£25). Kasane sits on the Chobe River where four countries meet, and elephants roam through town. Book a morning 4x4 game drive and afternoon river cruise for tomorrow through your hostel or GetYourGuide (~£55–70 for both). Budget campers should consider the Chobe Safari Lodge campsite (~£15).

🚌Bus/shuttle Maun–Kasane (~£25)

🛏Kasane backpackers or campsite (~£18)

• →Bus Maun–Kasane
• →Kasane riverfront evening

Morning game drive in an open 4x4 into Chobe National Park (park fees ~£10) — Chobe has the highest concentration of elephants in Africa (up to 50,000 in the dry season). Afternoon on a Chobe River cruise, where you'll see hippos, crocodiles and hundreds of elephants drinking at the water's edge. Both are easily self-booked in Kasane or online.

🚌Included in tour vehicles

🛏Kasane backpackers or campsite (~£18)

• →Chobe 4x4 game drive
• →Chobe River sunset cruise

Take a shared transfer across the Kazungula border to Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe (~£15 plus KAZA visa if needed). Head straight to the falls (~£20 entry) — the walk along the rainforest trail and the Knife Edge bridge is spectacular, especially Apr–Jun when the spray is at its peak. Optional extras booked locally: helicopter flight (~£110–150), Devil's Pool/Livingstone Island trip (~£60–100) or sunset dinner cruise (~£45).

🚌Shared transfer Kasane–Victoria Falls (~£15)

🛏Victoria Falls backpackers (~£18)

• →Victoria Falls rainforest walk (~£20)
• →Optional helicopter flight or sunset cruise

Slow breakfast, a final look at the falls from the viewpoints or the Victoria Falls Bridge, and a quick wander through the craft markets. Transfer to Victoria Falls International Airport (~£5 shared shuttle) for onward flights — many travellers add a few days in Zambia (Livingstone) or a houseboat on Lake Kariba before flying home.

🚌Shared shuttle to airport (~£5)

🛏Departure day (no accommodation)

• →Victoria Falls Bridge walk
• →Craft market shopping