Zimbabwe & Botswana Self-Launched: Victoria Falls to the Okavango Delta
12 days · Zimbabwe & Botswana
G Adventures charges £16,150
No-markup version: ~£3,085 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, backpacker-friendly version of G Adventures' 12-day "Signature: Zimbabwe & Botswana, Wild by Nature" expedition — Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, the Makgadikgadi Pans and the Okavango Delta. You'll swap luxury safari lodges for comfortable guesthouses, tented camps and budget safari lodges, swap the private 4x4 fleet for shared safari vehicles, local minibuses and light-aircraft hops, and book the same activities (falls walks, river cruises, mokoro trips, game drives) directly or via local operators. Same wild landscapes, same wildlife, roughly a fifth of the price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Land at Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) and take a shared shuttle or metered taxi into town (~£8-10, 25 mins) — your guesthouse can pre-book this. Settle into a budget guesthouse or hostel in the Falls' village area (e.g. Shoestrings Backpackers or a local B&B, £15-25/night). Wander to the rainforest viewpoint area at sunset to hear the falls before you see them. Book your activities for the next two days this evening — the Victoria Falls entry ticket can be bought at the gate, and the Zambezi sunset cruise plus a Simunye Theatre show ticket can be booked online or through your hostel. Grab dinner at a local spot in town (£5-8).
🚌Shared airport shuttle (~£9)
🛏Budget guesthouse/backpackers in Victoria Falls village (£18-25)
- →Sunset walk toward the falls
- →Book upstream activities at hostel tour desk
Victoria Falls & community lunch
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Buy your Victoria Falls Rainforest entry ticket at the gate (~£25-30, valid for the day) and self-walk the 16 viewpoints along the rainforest trail — you get the same mist-soaked views of Mosi-oa-Tunya as a guided tour. In the afternoon, book a community cooking experience or women's cooperative lunch directly (the Lusumpuko-style women's clubs and similar community kitchens in Victoria Falls take direct bookings and are cheap, ~£12-15). Optional: the Zambezi sunset dinner cruise can be booked independently through GetYourGuide or a local operator for ~£45-60 (standard cruise, not private charter). Dinner in town.
🚌Walking / local taxi (£3-5)
🛏Budget guesthouse/backpackers in Victoria Falls village (£18-25)
- →Self-guided Victoria Falls rainforest walk
- →Community women's cooperative cooking lunch
- →Zambezi sunset cruise (booked independently)
Cross into Botswana — Chobe National Park
Kasane, Botswana
Travel by shared minibus or intercape-style shuttle from Victoria Falls to Kazungula border and on to Kasane (~3 hrs, £15-20 booked through your hostel). Cross into Botswana at Kazungula (Botswana tourism levy ~£24/US$30 payable at the border). Check into a budget safari lodge or tented camp in Kasane (£20-30/night). In the late afternoon, join a shared Chobe River sunset cruise — bookable directly with local operators or via GetYourGuide for ~£30-35 — and watch elephants line the riverbank while you have a sundowner on the boat.
🚌Shared minibus Victoria Falls → Kasane (~£18), Botswana tourism levy ~£24
🛏Budget safari lodge/tented camp in Kasane (£25-30)
- →Chobe River sunset cruise (shared boat)
Chobe game drives & photo safari
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Big day in Chobe. Book a shared morning game drive (3 hrs, ~£35-45 through a local operator — Chobe is famous for huge elephant herds, lions and buffalo). Return for brunch at the lodge, then in the afternoon join a shared Chobe River photo/boat safari (~£40-50, camera-friendly boats with a guide) or a second game drive with a sundowner stop (~£35). Two shared activities are still a fraction of a private photo-host charter. Dinner at the lodge or a local restaurant in Kasane.
🚌Included in shared safari vehicle pick-ups
🛏Budget safari lodge/tented camp in Kasane (£25-30)
- →Shared morning game drive, Chobe NP
- →Chobe River photo boat safari (afternoon)
Kasane to Maun
Maun, Botswana
Do a final shared morning game drive in Chobe if you have energy (~£35), then fly from Kasane (BBK) to Maun (MUB) — Air Botswana and Mack Air run the route; book early for ~£130-170 one way, and note the 20 kg soft-bag light-aircraft limit. Alternatively, the land route via Nata takes a full day by bus (~£25) but eats a whole day. In Maun, check into a backpacker-friendly lodge (e.g. Sitatunga Camp or Old Bridge Backpackers, £20-30/night). Sort out your Okavango Delta mokoro trip and Makgadikgadi logistics with a local operator in the evening, or book online in advance.
🚌Kasane → Maun light-aircraft flight (~£150)
🛏Backpacker lodge in Maun (£20-30)
- →Optional final Chobe game drive
- →Plan Delta and Makgadikgadi trips with a Maun operator
Maun & Makgadikgadi Pans
Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Spend the morning at the Nkashi Knowledge Centre in Maun, which is directly connected to the National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project — entry is free/low-cost and you can hear about the delta's origins from the people who research it. In the afternoon, take a light-aircraft flight to the Makgadikgadi airstrip (Leroo La Tau or similar, ~£120-160 one way) or join a shared 4x4 transfer (~£60-90, longer). Stay at a budget tented camp on the Boteti River (£30-40/night). Evening game drive with a local guide (~£35-45) looking for zebra, wildebeest and predators, followed by a campfire dinner.
🚌Light-aircraft flight Maun → Makgadikgadi (~£140)
🛏Budget tented camp, Boteti River / Makgadikgadi (£35)
- →Nkashi Knowledge Centre visit
- →Evening game drive in Makgadikgadi Pans NP
Makgadikgadi Pans safari day
Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Shared morning and afternoon game drives in Makgadikgadi Pans National Park (~£35-40 each, or ~£60 for a combined day rate). Between drives, relax at camp or visit the river hide — many budget camps on the Boteti have simple hides where elephants and birdlife come to drink. If you want the wildlife-biologist angle, ask your lodge to arrange a short talk or visit to a local research/conservation centre (often free or a small donation). Boma-style dinner at camp.
🚌Shared safari vehicle
🛏Budget tented camp, Boteti River / Makgadikgadi (£35)
- →Morning game drive
- →Afternoon game drive
- →River hide wildlife watching
Makgadikgadi — second full day
Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana
Another morning game drive at golden hour, then a slow middle of the day at camp. If you have the budget and appetite, add a quad-bike or 4x4 excursion onto the Ntwetwe salt pan itself (~£50-80) — a surreal, horizon-to-horizon white landscape. Final afternoon game drive and a campfire evening. Book tomorrow's transfer to Maun or the Delta with your camp tonight.
🚌Shared safari vehicle
🛏Budget tented camp, Boteti River / Makgadikgadi (£35)
- →Morning game drive
- →Optional salt-pan excursion
- →Sunset game drive
Into the Okavango Delta
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Fly from the Makgadikgadi airstrip to an Okavango Delta airstrip (~£150-190 light aircraft, book well ahead; this is the single biggest cost of the trip and worth it). Check into a budget Delta camp or mobile-tented safari camp arranged through a Maun-based operator (£40-55/night including meals, usually). After lunch, join a shared boat safari through the channels — bookable as part of your camp package or ~£45 standalone — and watch the sunset turn the water gold. Ask your camp guide about the Okavango Wilderness Project for context on the delta's protection.
🚌Light-aircraft flight Makgadikgadi → Okavango Delta (~£170)
🛏Budget Delta safari camp (£45)
- →Sunset boat safari in the Delta
Mokoro and walking safari
Okavango Delta, Botswana
The classic Delta day: a morning mokoro (traditional dugout canoe) trip with a poler through the reeds (~£35-50, usually booked through your camp or a Maun operator), followed by a guided nature walk on one of the islands to track wildlife on foot. Rest through the hot midday hours at camp (many camps have a simple bird hide). Afternoon tea, then another boat safari (~£45) before dinner around the fire.
🚌Mokoro and motorboat, arranged by camp
🛏Budget Delta safari camp (£45)
- →Mokoro canoe trip
- →Guided island walking safari
- →Afternoon boat safari
Final Delta day & farewell dinner
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Morning boat safari looking for hippo pods, crocodiles and birdlife (~£45), plus a short island walk. Relax at camp through midday. A final late-afternoon/evening boat ride to catch the delta at twilight, then a farewell dinner at camp with your group of fellow travellers and guides. Pack your soft bag tonight — the light-aircraft weight limit is strict.
🚌Boat safaris
🛏Budget Delta safari camp (£45)
- →Morning boat safari
- →Island walk
- →Sunset boat cruise
Delta to Maun & depart
Maun, Botswana
Breakfast at camp, then the light-aircraft flight back to Maun (~£130-160). Depending on your international connection, you may need to overnight in Maun (budget lodge ~£25) before flying out via Johannesburg or Gaborone. Allow at least three hours between your Delta flight and an international departure.
🚌Light-aircraft flight Delta → Maun (~£145)
🛏Day room or optional overnight in Maun (£25 if required)
- →Delta flight back to Maun
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£3,085 | £16,150 |
| Duration | 12 days | 12 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £13,065 per person (81%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£3,085
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 Zimbabwe & Botswana Self-Launched: Victoria Falls to the Okavango Delta cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £3,085 per person for 12 days in Zimbabwe & Botswana. 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 £16,150 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £3,085 — a saving of roughly £13,065 (81%) per person.
How long is the Zimbabwe & Botswana trip?+
This itinerary runs 12 days, covering 12 day-by-day stops through Zimbabwe & Botswana.
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 Zimbabwe & Botswana, 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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