Self-Launched Great Safari Expedition: Kafue, Chobe & Victoria Falls

The package starts at 05:30 from a Lusaka hotel; independently you can do this far more cheaply by taking the early bus. Buses and shared minibuses run from Lusaka's City Market / Intercity terminals towards Mumbwa and on to Kaoma via the Kafue eastern boundary (~4-5 hours to Mumbwa, ~£6-9). Overnight in Mumbwa or at a budget lodge near the park's eastern gate and spend the afternoon arranging your park entry and a shared 4x4 or a seat on a mobile-camp vehicle heading into the park. If you want Busanga Plains specifically, pre-book your seat with a Lusaka-based camping operator — there's no public transport into the northern sector.

🚌Bus Lusaka to Mumbwa, ~£7; shared taxi to lodges, ~£4

🛏Budget guesthouse in Mumbwa or Kafue gate lodge (~£15)

• →Bus ride through Kafue Flats
• →Kafue National Park entry (self-arranged, ~£15/day)

The long 7-8 hour 4x4 haul into Busanga is the signature of this itinerary but it's the single most expensive piece to replicate solo. Two options: (a) join a pre-booked 2-3 night mobile camping trip into Busanga with a Lusaka/Kitwe operator — shared per-seat rates are much cheaper than private hire, roughly £150-200 per person per night all-in including game drives; or (b) stay in the southern Kafue (Nanzhila / Chunga area) where campsite and camping-safari rates are lower. Either way you sleep in a small two-person tent, set up on arrival, with lions audible at night.

🚌Included in mobile-camp seat price; self-drive 4x4 hire if you have a group (£90-140/day per vehicle)

🛏Mobile safari camp, two-person tent (~£60-80 pp sharing per night equivalent)

• →Scenic 4x4 drive into the park
• →Evening at camp, stargazing

Do exactly what the tour does: sunrise game drive, back to camp for breakfast, rest through the hot midday, then an afternoon drive and a sundowner. Book the game drives as part of your mobile-camp rate rather than separately — the camp guide and vehicle are what you're paying for. Birdlife is superb and push-pull (the local technique of drawing birds) is worth asking about. If you went for the cheaper southern Kafue option, self-drive game drives with a park map are possible in your own 4x4 but a guided drive is strongly recommended.

🚌Safari vehicle (included in camp rate)

🛏Mobile safari camp, two-person tent

• →Sunrise game drive
• →Bush breakfast
• →Afternoon game drive
• →Sundowner

Drive the Spinal Road south through the Chunga area (~172 km) towards Itezhi Tezhi, watching for elephant and antelope along the riverbanks. If you're self-driving, this is a full day on sandy and rough tracks — 4x4 essential, and top up fuel and water before leaving the park. Independent travellers can also take a bus from Mumbwa/Namwala side round to Itezhi Tezhi rather than the through-park road, but it's a long detour. Overnight in a cheap Itezhi Tezhi guesthouse.

🚌Shared 4x4 seat or self-drive, ~£35

🛏Itezhi Tezhi guesthouse (~£18)

• →Spinal Road scenic drive
• →Kafue River wildlife spotting
• →Musa Gate

Hire a local guide with a vehicle for the day through the Ngoma and Nkala Game Management Areas — cheaper than the park itself and often superb for elephant. Late afternoon head to Longola Hot Springs near Iyanda Village. A local guide can be arranged through your guesthouse for roughly £40-60 per half day; split between two or three travellers that's very affordable. Dinner at the lodge is a simple local meal rather than the tour's set menu.

🚌Local 4x4 guide hire, ~£25 pp sharing

🛏Itezhi Tezhi guesthouse

• →Ngoma Game Management Area drive
• →Nkala wildlife viewing
• →Longola Hot Springs at Iyanda Village
• →Optional: elephant orphanage visit if open

A long transit day — the tour does it in a vehicle; independently, the practical route is a shared taxi or minibus to Namwala or Monze, then a coach on the Great North Road to Livingstone (Mazhandu and similar operators run Lusaka-Livingstone coaches ~£18-25 one way; from Monze you can flag one down or book online). Break the journey with a stop at Choma Museum and the Kalundu Mound if timing allows. Arrive Livingstone in the evening and check into a budget lodge or hostel near the centre.

🚌Shared taxi to Monze ~£5; coach Monze to Livingstone ~£14

🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse, Livingstone (~£20)

• →Choma Museum (~£3)
• →Kalundu Mound archaeological site

Book a Chobe day trip online (GetYourGuide/Klook or direct with a Kasane operator) — it includes the Kazungula border run, morning game drive in an open vehicle, buffet lunch in Kasane and an afternoon Chobe River cruise. Shared day-trip rates are around £130-165 including park fees and lunch. Do it yourself even cheaper by taking a shared taxi to Kazungula and picking up a Kasane operator on the Botswana side, but you must sort the border formalities and pay Botswana park fees separately (~£20). Bring your passport, yellow fever certificate if required, and expect queueing at the border.

🚌Shared transfer to Kazungula and boat crossing; day trip transport included

🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse, Livingstone

• →Chobe National Park game drive
• →Chobe River boat cruise
• →Buffet lunch in Kasane

Walk or take a local taxi to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and buy your entry at the gate (~£14). The Zambian side gives you the Knife Edge and the spray-soaked walkways — allow 2-3 hours. In the afternoon visit the Livingstone Museum (~£3) and take a local guide from Mukuni Village (negotiate ~£10-15 including transport, or use a community-tourism booking). Skip the expensive guided day tours: everything here is easy on foot and by taxi.

🚌Local taxi/bicycle taxi in Livingstone, ~£6

🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse, Livingstone

• →Victoria Falls Zambian side entry
• →Livingstone Museum
• →Mukuni Village cultural visit
• →Local market wander

The rhino walking safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya is the standout: book a guided walk with a licensed operator (roughly £65-90 including park fees). Cheaper alternative is to self-drive/cycle the park loop and hope for white rhino sightings, but the walk uses trackers and is far more reliable. Late afternoon, book a sundowner cruise on the Zambezi (~£35-45 basic, cheaper than the tour's premium boat) or simply sit on the riverbank at a budget lodge bar for free. The tour's optional adrenalin day (Devil's Pool ~£110, bungee ~£130, rafting ~£120, helicopter ~£130+) can be added here — all bookable direct with operators rather than through an agent.

🚌Local taxi, ~£8

🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse, Livingstone

• →Rhino walking safari, Mosi-oa-Tunya
• →Old Drift Crossing Point
• →Zambezi sunset cruise
• →Optional: Devil's Pool, bungee, rafting, microlight

Cross the Victoria Falls Bridge on foot or by shared taxi — the bridge walk itself is a free highlight and gives you the classic view of the spray. Zimbabwe entry at the falls gate is ~£7-10 for most nationalities (Kaza UniVisa ~£40 covers Zambia and Zimbabwe if you're doing multiple entries). The Zimbabwe side has the longer viewpoint circuit through the rainforest and is usually more spectacular in low water. Lunch at the Lookout Café overlooking the Batoka Gorge (~£12) if you want the view. Return to Livingstone for the night, or stay over in Victoria Falls town if you want a day in Zimbabwe.

🚌Shared taxi across the border, ~£10; Zimbabwe visa if required

🛏Budget hostel/guesthouse, Livingstone

• →Victoria Falls Zimbabwean side entry
• →Victoria Falls Bridge walk
• →Batoka Gorge viewpoints
• →Lookout Café lunch (optional)

Breakfast at the lodge and a short taxi to Livingstone International Airport (~£8) or onward bus. If you're flying out of Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) instead, allow extra time for the border crossing. Before you go: confirm your bus/coach times for onward travel, and check the Kaza UniVisa rules if you're crossing back to Zimbabwe.

🚌Taxi to Livingstone airport, ~£8

🛏None (departure day)

• →Airport transfer