Self-Launched Zanzibar, Victoria Falls & Kruger Overland Adventure

Fly into Julius Nyerere Airport (or arrive by bus if you're starting overland) and head to the ferry terminal at Kigamboni/Magomeni. Buy a foot passenger ticket with Azam Marine or Coastal Fast Ferries for the 2-hour crossing to Zanzibar. Check into a guesthouse in Stone Town's old quarter, then spend the late afternoon getting lost in the alleys, bazaars, mosques and carved-door courtyards. Finish with a rooftop sundowner and street food at Forodhani Gardens.

🚌Ferry from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar ~£25 each way; local dala-dala/taxi from port

🛏Stone Town guesthouse (shared dorm or private double, ~£18)

• →Ferry to Zanzibar (Azam Marine/Coastal, ~£25)
• →Self-guided walking tour of Stone Town
• →Forodhani Gardens night food market
• →Rooftop sunset drinks

Use a dala-dala or shared minivan from Stone Town up to Nungwi in the north (roughly 1.5 hours, ~£5). Settle into a beach budget guesthouse and swim the rest of the day. The water here is tidal but swimmable almost all day, unlike much of the east coast.

🚌Dala-dala/shared minivan ~£5

🛏Beach guesthouse, Nungwi (~£15)

• →Shared minivan to Nungwi
• →Beach time and sunset at the north tip

Full day on the water. Book a snorkelling or two-tank dive trip directly with a Nungwi dive centre (e.g. via a local shop or GetYourGuide), including Mnemba Atoll snorkelling if conditions allow. Budget ~£45 for snorkelling or ~£90 for a two-dive package with gear.

🚌On foot / boat transfers included in dive trip

🛏Beach guesthouse, Nungwi (~£15)

• →Snorkelling trip (~£45)
• →Optional two-tank dive (~£90)
• →Beach time

Morning swim, then shared minivan back to Stone Town and the afternoon ferry to Dar es Salaam. Overnight in a Kariakoo or Masaki budget hotel — you'll want an early start tomorrow for the Mikumi-bound bus.

🚌Shared minivan + ferry ~£30

🛏Budget hotel, Dar es Salaam (~£18)

• →Ferry back to mainland (~£25)
• →Evening at Kariakoo market

Take an early bus on the TANZAM highway toward Morogoro/Mikumi (~5-6 hours, ~£10). Mikumi's park boundary hugs the highway — you can actually spot giraffe, zebra and elephants from the roadside. Book a late-afternoon or next-morning game drive with a park-registered operator or ask your lodge; self-drive is not realistic, so budget a shared game drive (~£90 pp including park fees).

🚌Long-distance bus ~£10; shared 4x4 game drive

🛏Guesthouse/campsite near Mikumi gate (~£18)

• →Bus to Mikumi (~£10)
• →Afternoon game drive in Mikumi NP (~£90 incl. park fees)

Continue south by bus (or shared minivan from Mikumi junction) to Iringa, a cool highland town. In the afternoon walk to a working family farm on the outskirts for a home-style dinner — the local equivalent of the Kisolanza farmhouse stop, minus the tour markup.

🚌Bus ~£6

🛏Iringa guesthouse (~£15)

• →Bus Mikumi–Iringa (~£6)
• →Farm visit and home-cooked dinner (~£12)
• →Iringa market wander

Another southern-highlands bus day to Mbeya (~6 hours, ~£9). Break the journey at Utengule Coffee Lodge near Mbeya (shared taxi, ~£4): views over the East African Rift escarpment, a coffee plantation walk and roasting demo if you ask at reception (~£10), and use of the pool.

🚌Bus ~£9; shared taxi to Utengule ~£4

🛏Mbeya guesthouse (~£15)

• →Bus Iringa–Mbeya (~£9)
• →Utengule coffee estate tour and tasting (~£10)
• →Rift Valley viewpoint

Cross the Songwe border post into Malawi on a shared minivan/bus from Mbeya to Karonga (~£10 including border formalities, allow 3-4 hours). Continue a little south by matola (shared minibus) to Chitimba or Ngala on the lake shore. Late-afternoon swim in Lake Malawi, which is warm, calm and full of cichlids.

🚌Shared minivan Mbeya–Karonga ~£10; matola south ~£4

🛏Lakeside lodge/guesthouse, Chitimba/Ngala (~£15)

• →Songwe border crossing into Malawi
• →Beach time at Lake Malawi
• →Optional village walk and woodcarving lesson (~£8)

Matola or shared taxi south through rubber plantations to Mzuzu, Malawi's northern hub, for supplies and a look at the market (~£6). Then a short ride to Ngala Beach Lodge or a nearby budget lakeside place.

🚌Shared minibus ~£8 total

🛏Lakeside budget lodge, Ngala (~£16)

• →Matola to Mzuzu (~£6)
• →Mzuzu market and supplies

Free day on the lake. Kayak or snorkel from the lodge, walk a village loop, or hike to a small waterfall with a local guide (pay the guide ~£8 direct). Swimming in the lake is the main event.

🚌On foot

🛏Lakeside budget lodge, Ngala (~£16)

• →Kayaking (~£5)
• →Snorkelling (~£3)
• →Village walk (~£6)
• →Waterfall hike (~£8)

A long transit day. Take an early matola/bus south, then a long-distance bus across the Chipata–Mchinji border into Zambia and on to Petauke (10-12 hours, ~£22 combined). You'll pass the edge of Nkhotakota Game Reserve on the lakeshore road — keep an eye out for elephants. Overnight at a simple Petauke guesthouse.

🚌Bus/shared minivan combo ~£22

🛏Petauke guesthouse (~£12)

• →Road trip past Nkhotakota Game Reserve
• →Malawi–Zambia border crossing
• →Great Eastern Road drive

Continue along the Great Eastern Road to Lusaka (~5 hours, ~£10), crossing the Luangwa River on the way. Arrive in the afternoon, pick up supplies in the city centre, and overnight in a budget lodge in the Kabwata or Cairo Road area.

🚌Bus ~£10

🛏Budget lodge, Lusaka (~£18)

• →Great Eastern Road bus journey
• →Luangwa River crossing
• →Lusaka market visit

Morning bus or train south to Livingstone (~6-7 hours by coach, ~£14). Dump your bags, then take a short borda-borda (shared taxi) to the Mosi-oa-Tunya gate and walk the Zambian side of Victoria Falls — arguably the most dramatic section. Buy your park entry direct (~£13).

🚌Coach ~£14; local shared taxi ~£3

🛏Livingstone backpackers hostel (~£14)

• →Bus Lusaka–Livingstone (~£14)
• →Victoria Falls Zambian side walk (~£13 park entry)
• →Zambezi sunset views

Pick one big adrenaline activity and book it direct with a local operator or via GetYourGuide. White-water rafting the Zambezi below the falls is the classic (~£100). Alternatives: gorge swing (~£75), bungee (~£80), or a more relaxed sunset cruise (~£35).

🚌Operator transfers included

🛏Livingstone backpackers hostel (~£14)

• →White water rafting below Victoria Falls (~£100)
• →Or gorge swing / bungee / sunset cruise

Second Livingstone day: a microlight or helicopter flight over the falls is the splurge option (~£120-£170), or cross the Victoria Falls Bridge on foot into Zimbabwe for the day (US$/Zimbabwe visa on arrival, park fee ~£10) and walk the Zimbabwe-side viewpoints. Keep it cheap with a village walk (~£8) if the budget is feeling the strain.

🚌Bridge walk; local taxis

🛏Livingstone backpackers hostel (~£14)

• →Microlight flight (~£140)
• →Or Zimbabwe-side viewpoints day trip
• →Or village walk (~£8)

Rest day after the adrenaline. Fishing on the Zambezi, riverbank walks, or just a lazy hostel afternoon, plus a plan for tomorrow's border crossing to Bulawayo.

🚌Local taxis

🛏Livingstone backpackers hostel (~£14)

• →River fishing (~£15)
• →Local market
• →Yard rest

Cross the Victoria Falls bridge into Zimbabwe (Kazungula/fall boundary, visa fees as required), then take a coach or the night train from Victoria Falls town to Bulawayo (~£12-£18 by bus, ~7 hours). Bulawayo has good stock-up options and a laid-back hostel scene.

🚌Bus ~£15

🛏Bulawayo hostel (~£14)

• →Victoria Falls bridge border crossing
• →Bus or sleeper train to Bulawayo

Shared taxi or a lodge transfer to Matobo (~£10). Book a walking rhino safari with a local guide — Matobo holds one of the densest populations of black and white rhino and you track them on foot through the granite hills (~£45 including park fees). Combine it with San/Bushman rock art sites and the World's View viewpoint.

🚌Shared taxi/transfer ~£10

🛏Guesthouse or campsite in/near Matobo (~£15)

• →Guided walking rhino safari (~£45)
• →San rock art sites
• →World's View viewpoint

Long travel day south via Bulawayo and the Beitbridge border post across the Limpopo River into South Africa (total ~8-9 hours, ~£25 with a bus combo). Arrive at Tshipise and soak in the natural hot springs at a budget resort overnight — a welcome cure for bus legs.

🚌Bus/shared minivan combo ~£25

🛏Hot springs budget resort/campsite, Tshipise (~£18)

• →Beitbridge border crossing
• →Limpopo River crossing
• →Natural hot springs soak

Continue by bus/shuttle to the Mpumalanga lowveld (~5 hours, ~£18). Afternoon on a Shangaan cultural experience with traditional dancing near Hazyview or the Kruger area (~£15 booked direct or via GetYourGuide), then prepare for a dawn start.

🚌Bus ~£18

🛏Hazyview backpackers lodge (~£18)

• →Bus to Hazyview (~£18)
• →Shangaan cultural evening and dancing (~£15)

Book a full-day open 4x4 game drive into Kruger from Hazyview — local operators (or GetYourGuide) run this for ~£70-£95 including park fees, with a decent shot at Big Five. A self-drive option with a hired car and the day fee (~£40) works if you're four sharing, but the 4x4 drive is better for a solo traveller.

🚌Safari vehicle included

🛏Hazyview backpackers lodge (~£18)

• →Full-day open-vehicle game drive in Kruger (~£85)
• →Big Five spotting

Morning shared shuttle to Kruger Mpumalanga airport and a cheap flight or coach onward to Johannesburg/Pretoria (~£20-£45). Arrive in Pretoria in time for an afternoon at the Union Buildings gardens, or head straight to O.R. Tambo for your flight home.

🚌Shuttle + coach/budget flight ~£35

🛏Pretoria guesthouse or onward flight (~£20)

• →Shuttle to airport / coach to Pretoria
• →Union Buildings and city centre