Self-Launched Okavango Delta, Moremi & Savuti Safari
7 days · Botswana
The Mzansi Experience charges £2,070
No-markup version: ~£1,520 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of The Mzansi Experience's 7-day Botswana mobile safari out of Maun. Instead of a fully guided private-expedition package, you base yourself at independent tented lodges and camps around Maun and the Boteti River, book mokoro trips and game drives directly with local operators, and self-drive or take shared transfers into Moremi and the Okavango. The signature experiences stay: sunset mokoro on the Boteti, a full day poling through the Delta with a local guide, day trips into Moremi Game Reserve and the Khwai riverfront, and a scenic helicopter or light-aircraft flip over the Delta. Savuti is realistically only reachable on a multi-day 4x4 camping trip, so this version swaps the costly lodging-and-vehicle logistics for a Khwai/Moremi focus plus a genuinely affordable small-plane scenic flight. All costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Maun & sunset mokoro on the Boteti River
Maun
Land at Maun Airport (most travellers arrive on a regional hop from Johannesburg or Gaborone — book early, these routes are pricey). Skip the free lodge shuttle and take a local taxi (~£8) to a budget guesthouse or tented lodge on the Boteti River, 20-30 minutes from town. Get cash from an ATM in Maun (Pula), buy a local SIM from Mascom/Orange (~£4 with data), and book your mokoro operator for the following days. In the late afternoon, do a 2-hour mokoro trip on the Boteti River with a local poler guide — book direct through your lodge or via Maun-based operators like those on the Maun tourism board list. Dinner: a simple braai or river-deck grill plate.
🚌Local taxi Maun Airport to Boteti River lodge (~£8); rest on foot
🛏Budget tented lodge / guesthouse on the Boteti River, Maun (~£28 per person, twin share)
- →Sunset mokoro on the Boteti River with poler guide (~£25 booked direct)
- →Buy local SIM and withdraw Pula in Maun
Full-day Okavango Delta mokoro & bush walk
Okavango Delta
Book a shared full-day Okavango Delta day trip out of Maun — these are widely sold by local operators and on GetYourGuide/Klook for around £90-120 per person, covering the 4x4 transfer to a Delta launch point, a poling trip through the reeds, an island stop and a short guided bush walk. It delivers essentially the same experience as the operator's guided full day: gliding past hippo and elephant, walking one of the islands with a local guide interpreting tracks and birdlife. Packed breakfast and a picnic lunch on the island are on you — buy rolls, fruit and water in Maun the night before (~£6). Back in the evening for dinner at the lodge.
🚌Included in the day trip 4x4 transfer from Maun
🛏Budget tented lodge / guesthouse on the Boteti River, Maun (~£28 per person, twin share)
- →Full-day Okavango Delta mokoro excursion with island bush walk (shared tour, ~£105 via GetYourGuide or booked directly in Maun)
- →DIY picnic lunch on an island
Transfer to Khwai / Moremi — afternoon game drive
Khwai (Moremi North Gate)
Self-launch transport day. The cheapest realistic option is a shared 4x4 transfer or a private transfer from Maun to Khwai village / Moremi North Gate (~£70-90 per person, negotiable with Maun-based safari transfer companies; ask your lodge to arrange and group up with other travellers to split it). Road conditions are sandy and slow — allow 3-4 hours. Settle into a community campsite or budget tented camp in Khwai and head out for an afternoon game drive in an open 4x4 with a local Khwai guide (~£45 per person sharing). Khwai's riverfront is genuinely excellent for elephant, hippo and predator sightings and far less trafficked than the main Delta hubs.
🚌Shared 4x4 transfer Maun to Khwai (~£80 per person); afternoon game drive vehicle included with the drive booking
🛏Khwai community campsite or budget tented camp (~£22 per person)
- →Afternoon game drive in Khwai with local guide (~£45)
- →Sunset at the Khwai River
Full-day game drive in Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve
Full-day self-organised game drive into Moremi Game Reserve from Khwai — book a local guide with a 4x4 through your camp (~£65-80 per person sharing, park fees extra). Enter via North Gate and work the Khwai riverfront, Xakanaxa and the floodplain roads. This replaces the operator's guided Moremi transfer day with the same park, same wildlife, and a fraction of the price. Bring your own food and plenty of water — the lodges will pack a lunch box for around £8. Evening: cook at camp or simple camp dinner.
🚌Shared 4x4 game drive vehicle organised through the camp
🛏Khwai community campsite or budget tented camp (~£22 per person)
- →Full-day Moremi Game Reserve game drive with local guide (~£75)
- →Moremi park entry fee (~£25)
Savuti decision day — Khwai riverfront & night sounds
Khwai
Honest note: real Savuti (Chobe's lion and elephant heartland) needs a dedicated 4x4 camping concession, permits and a long sand-road journey — independent travellers can do it, but only by joining a multi-day self-drive 4x4 camping trip (roughly £300-400pp for 2 nights with vehicle hire and park fees) or as an add-on to your Khwai booking if a camp runs Savuti day trips. That's a fair chunk on top of a budget trip, so most self-launchers focus on Moremi and Khwai instead. Today: a relaxed morning mokoro or boat cruise on the Khwai River (~£30), a siesta, and an evening game drive with a spotlight for nocturnal wildlife (~£40). Ask your camp if they have a Savuti overnight add-on and price it before committing.
🚌On-site 4x4 vehicles for activities
🛏Khwai community campsite or budget tented camp (~£22 per person)
- →Morning mokoro or boat cruise on the Khwai River (~£30)
- →Night drive / spotlight game drive (~£40)
Return to Maun — Delta scenic flight (helicopter/light aircraft)
Maun / Okavango Delta
Shared 4x4 transfer back to Maun (~£80 per person). In the afternoon, do the trip's signature aerial moment: a scenic flight over the Okavango Delta. A 45-minute light-aircraft or small-helicopter flip booked direct with a Maun aviation operator costs around £110-160 per person — considerably less than a private helicopter transfer, and it gives you the same aerial view of the Delta's channels and islands that the operator's Day 7 flight delivers. Book ahead in high season. Evening at a Maun lodge or guesthouse near the river.
🚌Shared 4x4 transfer Khwai to Maun (~£80 per person)
🛏Budget guesthouse or tented lodge, Maun (~£28 per person, twin share)
- →45-minute scenic light-aircraft / helicopter flight over the Okavango Delta (~£130)
- →Relax on the river deck with a cold drink
Maun — depart
Maun
Slow breakfast, pack, and take a local taxi to Maun Airport (~£8) for onward flights. If you have time, pop into Maun's craft market or the Nhabe Museum for an hour. Add-on option worth knowing: Victoria Falls is a short regional flight or long bus from Maun via Kasane if you want to extend — allow 2-3 extra days and roughly £200-300 for transport and accommodation.
🚌Local taxi to Maun Airport (~£8)
🛏—
- →Craft market / Nhabe Museum in Maun (free-£2)
Self-launched vs. The Mzansi Experience
| This itinerary (self-launched) | The Mzansi Experience | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,520 | £2,070 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £550 per person (27%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more The Mzansi Experience-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,520
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Okavango Delta, Moremi & Savuti Safari cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,520 per person for 7 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 The Mzansi Experience?+
Yes — The Mzansi Experience charges around £2,070 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,520 — a saving of roughly £550 (27%) per person.
How long is the Botswana trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 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, road-trip 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.