Self-Launched Botswana Safari: Okavango, Moremi, Savuti & Chobe (Maun to Kasane)
8 days · Botswana
Little Roz Tours charges £2,350
No-markup version: ~£1,580 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Little Roz Tours' 8-day Maun-to-Kasane safari, built for solo travellers who want the same Okavango Delta mokoro trip, Moremi and Savuti game drives and Chobe river cruise without paying for a fully guided group package. The big cost driver in Botswana is park fees and 4x4 access, so the DIY route swaps a private guided expedition for a mix of shared mokoro day trips booked locally in Maun, a budget-friendly mobile safari or shared game-drive operator for Moremi/Savuti, and self-arranged transport up the western corridor to Kasane (with an optional shared transfer into Savuti). Budget 3-star lodges, tented camps and guesthouses replace the tour's lodge/camping combo. Costs are rough estimates in GBP per person and exclude international flights; park fees in Botswana are substantial (roughly £200-280 for the reserves on this route) and are shown separately in the visa/fees line.
Day-by-day
Arrive Maun and settle in
Maun
Land at Maun Airport (MUB) and take a local taxi into town (~£8-10, agree the fare first). Check into a budget guesthouse or lodge near the Thamalakane River. Spend the afternoon on foot: stock up on cash (ATMs in town), buy a local SIM (Mascom or Orange, ~£5-8 for data), pick up mosquito repellent and a torch, and confirm tomorrow's mokoro trip. Sunset drinks at a riverside bar where you can often meet other travellers looking to share 4x4 costs.
🚌Local taxi from Maun Airport to town (~£8-10)
🛏Budget guesthouse or 3-star lodge in Maun (e.g. simple riverside guesthouse, twin/dorm from ~£30-45)
- →Airport transfer by local taxi
- →Maun town orientation and supplies
- →Riverside sunset
Okavango Delta mokoro day trip
Okavango Delta / Maun
Book a shared mokoro (dugout canoe) day trip directly with one of Maun's licensed polers' trusts or a local activity office the day before — no need for a packaged tour. You'll be poled through the reed channels of the Delta, walk on one of the islands with a local guide and hear about the Delta ecosystem. Most operators run roughly 08:00-16:00 including a packed lunch, roughly £55-75 per person when shared. Back in Maun by late afternoon for dinner in town.
🚌Pickup from Maun accommodation included in mokoro trip package
🛏Same guesthouse in Maun
- →Shared mokoro trip into the Okavango Delta
- →Guided island walk with local poler
- →Village visit on the Delta fringe
Into Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve
Join a shared mobile safari or a local 4x4 operator running camping trips into Moremi — Maun has several companies that take individual travellers and pair them with others (book ahead in high season, Jun-Oct). Drive into the reserve via the South Gate, with game drives through the seasonally flooded grasslands. Expect elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and lion if you're lucky. Overnight in a tented camp inside or just outside the reserve with basic facilities.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle from Maun into Moremi (included in shared safari package)
🛏Tented mobile camp (shared dome tent with bedroll/mattress provided) or budget tented lodge
- →Full-day game drive in Moremi Game Reserve
- →Birdwatching in the Delta waterways
Moremi game drives — Third Bridge and Xakanaxa
Moremi Game Reserve
Full day exploring Moremi's classic circuits — Third Bridge, Xakanaxa and the Khwai floodplains depending on water levels. Morning and late-afternoon game drives are the best light for photography. If your operator offers it, add a short boat trip around the Xakanaxa lagoon (often ~£25-35 extra). Nights are for fireside cooking and listening to hippos.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle
🛏Tented mobile camp in/around Moremi
- →Sunrise and afternoon game drives
- →Optional boat cruise around Xakanaxa lagoon
North to the Khwai and Savuti
Khwai / Savuti, Chobe District
Most multi-day shared safaris out of Maun run a 3-4 night loop through Moremi and Khwai before heading north. For a budget option, continue with your shared safari into the Khwai community area and overnight at a community campsite near the Khwai River — a superb area for elephant and wild dog. If your operator heads to Savuti, this is the day to see the famous Savuti marsh and Dead Tree Island area. Note that Savuti access requires a 4x4 and is very expensive solo — only do it as part of a shared safari group.
🚌Shared 4x4 safari vehicle north through Khwai
🛏Community campsite or tented camp near Khwai/Savuti
- →Game drive through Khwai community area
- →Dead Tree Island / Savuti marsh exploration (if included in group itinerary)
- →Night sounds and stargazing at camp
Finish safari and travel toward Kasane
Kasane
Break camp after breakfast and return toward Maun or take a direct transfer leg north. The cheapest reliable route is a shared shuttle or bus connection from Maun to Kasane (~£40-55, 6-8 hours, often via Nata) — or ask your safari operator to drop you at the Khwai/Nata junction and connect onward by shared taxi. Arrive in Kasane in the evening and check into a budget lodge or guesthouse. Kasane sits right on the Chobe River, so an evening walk to the riverfront is worth it.
🚌Shared shuttle or coach Maun-Kasane ~£40-55, or shared taxi from the safari drop-off point
🛏Budget lodge or guesthouse in Kasane (~£35-50)
- →Morning game drive en route out of the reserve
- →Travel day to Kasane
- →Chobe riverfront walk
Chobe day safari and sunset river cruise
Chobe National Park
Book a Chobe day safari locally in Kasane — every lodge and activity office sells a combined 4x4 game drive plus boat cruise. Morning game drive along the Chobe Riverfront (huge elephant herds), lunch, then the classic late-afternoon sunset cruise on the Chobe River with hippos, crocodiles and elephants crossing. Expect roughly £75-95 per person for the combined package including park fees; book the day before in town or via GetYourGuide/a local operator.
🚌Local operator pickup from Kasane accommodation
🛏Budget lodge or guesthouse in Kasane
- →Morning 4x4 game drive in Chobe National Park
- →Chobe River sunset cruise with wildlife viewing
Kasane departure or optional Victoria Falls day trip
Kasane
Breakfast and depart. Flights from Kasane Airport are expensive, so many travellers take a shared shuttle to Victoria Falls (~£35-45, about an hour to the Zimbabwe border) and fly out of Victoria Falls (VFA) — Zimbabwe e-visas are around £25-30. Alternatively cross into Zambia/Zimbabwe overland for the falls day trip (~£50-60 for a shared transfer plus entry, falls entry roughly £25). Arrive with some flexibility in case of border queues.
🚌Shared shuttle Kasane to Victoria Falls ~£35-45 or local taxi to Kasane Airport ~£8-10
🛏None (departure day) — stay an extra night in Kasane if your flight is late
- →Optional Victoria Falls day trip
- →Optional Zambezi sunset cruise
- →Transfer to airport or border
Self-launched vs. Little Roz Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Little Roz Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,580 | £2,350 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £770 per person (33%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Little Roz Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,580
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 Botswana Safari: Okavango, Moremi, Savuti & Chobe (Maun to Kasane) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,580 per person for 8 days in 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 Little Roz Tours?+
Yes — Little Roz Tours charges around £2,350 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,580 — a saving of roughly £770 (33%) per person.
How long is the Botswana trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through 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 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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