Kruger, Victoria Falls & Chobe Self-Launched Adventure
7 days · South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana
Across Africa Tours & Travel charges £2,155
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of the classic 7-day Kruger–Victoria Falls–Chobe safari run: fly into Johannesburg, self-drive or shuttle to Kruger, then hop Airlink/FlySafair to Victoria Falls and cross into Botswana for a Chobe day trip. You book the same game drives, river cruise and waterfall tours directly through lodges and local operators instead of paying for a fully managed group package. Costs are for one traveller sharing a twin room or dorm; solo travellers will pay more for private rooms. All figures are rough estimates.
Day-by-day
Johannesburg to Kruger (via Nelspruit)
Johannesburg / Hazyview
Land at OR Tambo (flights excluded, ~£450-650 return from the UK). Take the City Bug or Intercape coach from Johannesburg to Nelspruit/Mbombela (~£15-20, 4.5-5 hrs), then a minibus or shuttle to Hazyview (~£6). Alternatively rent a compact car at the airport for the week (~£30-40/day, split between two) and drive the scenic R536. Base yourself in a Hazyview backpackers or self-catering chalet (Bushpackers-style) and pre-book your first night game drive directly with the lodge or a local operator such as a Hazyview safari company (~£35-45).
🚌Coach Johannesburg-Nelspruit ~£17, shuttle to Hazyview ~£6
🛏Backpackers or self-catering chalet in Hazyview (~£18-25/night shared)
- →Self-drive or coach transfer to the Lowveld
- →Booked sunset/night game drive from Hazyview (~£40)
Full day in Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park
Pay the Kruger conservation fee (~£25/day for international visitors, cheaper for a Wild Card if you're staying longer) and self-drive the southern circuit from Numbi or Phabeni gate to Skukuza — the best-value way to see the Big Five. If you don't have a car, join a full-day open-vehicle game drive booked direct with a Hazyview operator (~£60-75 including park fee). Pack water and a picnic; rest camps like Skukuza and Lower Sabie sell decent food and fuel.
🚌Self-drive in rental car or lodge-pickup game drive vehicle
🛏Backpackers or self-catering chalet in Hazyview (~£18-25/night shared)
- →Full day self-drive game viewing in southern Kruger
- →Optional guided full-day game drive (~£65)
Sunrise drive and Blyde River Canyon
Kruger / Panorama Route
Be at the gate for sunrise (05:30) — the golden-hour drives are the best sightings of the trip. Spend the afternoon on the Panorama Route: Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window and the Blyde River Canyon viewpoints (small entry fees ~£3-5 each). Book a morning drive direct with your lodge the night before (~£40-50) or self-drive. Optional guided bush walk with an armed ranger from a rest camp (~£30) — book through SANParks at Skukuza.
🚌Self-drive rental car (~£10/day fuel share)
🛏Backpackers or self-catering chalet in Hazyview (~£18-25/night shared)
- →Sunrise game drive in Kruger (~£45)
- →Panorama Route viewpoints and Blyde River Canyon
- →Optional ranger-led bush walk (~£30)
Fly to Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Drive back to Kruger Mpumalanga International (KMIA) near Nelspruit and fly KMIA–Victoria Falls via Johannesburg with Airlink or FlySafair (~£280-380 one way; the direct Airlink service on some days is cheaper — book early). On arrival, get your Zimbabwe visa on arrival or KAZA uni-visa (~£45-55) and take a taxi to town (~£8-10). Settle into a Victoria Falls backpackers (Shoestring Lodge or similar, ~£15-22 dorm / £30-40 twin). Book your activities at the lodge activity desk or via GetYourGuide the day before.
🚌Flight KMIA–VFA ~£300-380, taxi ~£9
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers or budget lodge (~£20-30/night shared)
- →Travel day; evening drinks at the Victoria Falls Hotel terrace or sunset at the river
Victoria Falls both sides
Victoria Falls / Livingstone
Walk the Zimbabwe-side Rainforest Trail at opening (06:00) — entry ~£25 — for empty viewpoints and rainbows in the spray. Cross the border bridge on foot and pay the Zambia side entry (~£15 plus £10 KAZA/border fees if you don't have the uni-visa) to see the falls from the Knife Edge and Livingstone Island viewpoints. Skip the £100+ helicopter or microlight unless you want to splurge; a sunset cruise on the Zambezi (~£35-45 via GetYourGuide) is the better-value option.
🚌Walking plus shared taxi to the border (~£3 each way)
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers or budget lodge (~£20-30/night shared)
- →Zimbabwe-side Rainforest Trail (~£25)
- →Zambia-side falls walk (~£15-25)
- →Optional Zambezi sunset cruise (~£40)
Chobe National Park day trip from Victoria Falls
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Join a shared day trip to Chobe — the standard package includes a border transfer to Kasane (~£10), a Chobe river cruise, a game drive and a buffet lunch at a riverside lodge; book direct with a Kasane operator or through GetYourGuide for ~£110-140 all-in. Alternatively, take a shared taxi to Kasane (~£8) and arrange the cruise (~£30) and game drive (~£40) locally plus lunch (~£10) to save around £30. Expect elephants in huge numbers on the Chobe floodplain, especially May-October.
🚌Shared border transfer to Kasane ~£10-15 each way
🛏Victoria Falls backpackers or budget lodge (~£20-30/night shared)
- →Chobe river cruise
- →Chobe game drive
- →Buffet lunch at riverside lodge
Departure from Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
Final morning for the craft market or a coffee by the gorge before a taxi to Victoria Falls Airport (~£8). Fly out via Johannesburg (Airlink/FlySafair ~£280-380) or, if you're heading onward to Botswana or Namibia, buses and shared shuttles run to Kasane and Gaborone. If you're travelling as a family, pre-book a private transfer rather than relying on airport taxis.
🚌Taxi to airport ~£8, onward flight ~£300-380
🛏None (departure day)
- →Craft market and final view of the falls
Self-launched vs. Across Africa Tours & Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Across Africa Tours & Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £2,155 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £975 per person (45%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Across Africa Tours & Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
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 Kruger, Victoria Falls & Chobe Self-Launched Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 7 days in South Africa, 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 Across Africa Tours & Travel?+
Yes — Across Africa Tours & Travel charges around £2,155 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £975 (45%) per person.
How long is the South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through South Africa, 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, budget trip through South Africa, 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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