Big Five Self-Launched: Johannesburg to Vic Falls Overland, 17 Days

Land at OR Tambo, pick up a SIM (Vodacom/Telkom ~£4 for data) and take the Gautrain or an e-hailing taxi into the city. Stay in Maboneng or Melville for hostel options and cheap eats. Grab groceries for tomorrow's long travel day and confirm your shuttle booking to Kruger. Skip the mall shopping the operator offers — instead walk Maboneng's street art and Market on Main if it's a Sunday.

🚌Gautrain Sandton–Park Station ~£6 or e-hailing ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in Maboneng or Melville (~£14)

• →Gautrain/e-hailing transfer from OR Tambo
• →Maboneng street art walk
• →Groceries and SIM setup

Take the early Baz Bus or a shared shuttle from Johannesburg to Hazyview/Nelspruit (~£28–35, 5–6 hrs). Check into a hostel or budget lodge near the Phabeni/Kruger Gate. Book an afternoon sunset game drive direct with the hostel or SANParks — self-drive visitors can also enter in their own car but a guided night drive is worth it for spotting. Stock up on food at the Hazyview supermarket.

🚌Baz Bus Johannesburg–Hazyview ~£30

🛏Backpacker lodge near Kruger Gate (~£20)

• →Baz Bus/shuttle to Hazyview
• →Afternoon sunset game drive in Kruger

Book a full-day guided game drive (SANParks morning drive plus afternoon self-drive or a local operator's day tour, ~£55–70 including park fees). Aim for the northern Pafuri area if driving yourself — it's the quietest corner of the park with fever-tree forest and Limpopo river views. Alternatively, keep it simple: two SANParks drives from Punda Maria or Pafuri gate. Buy a park conservation fee (~£18/day for foreign visitors) and carry water.

🚌Local guide vehicle / self-drive fuel ~£12

🛏Backpacker lodge or rest camp near Pafuri (~£20)

• →Full-day guided game drive
• →Pafuri region exploring
• →SANParks conservation fee

The hard day: cross at Beitbridge. Take a shared shuttle from Pafuri to Musina (~£12), then an intercity bus or shared taxi from Musina to Masvingo (~£20, 6–8 hrs, often via a change). Budget 8–10 hours door to door and keep $50 cash for border fees. Arrive Masvingo, check into a guesthouse near the ruins (~£15) and eat at the lodge restaurant.

🚌Shared shuttle + intercity bus ~£32

🛏Guesthouse near Great Zimbabwe (~£15)

• →Beitbridge border crossing
• →Intercity bus to Masvingo

Morning at the Great Zimbabwe monument — entry is ~£10 for foreigners. Skip the private guide and use the site's signage plus a local guide at the gate (~£8) for the Hill Complex and Great Enclosure. Then take an afternoon bus to Bulawayo (~£10, 4 hrs) and stay in a city guesthouse. Book tomorrow's Matobo day trip through your guesthouse or a Bulawayo operator (~£45 with rhino-tracking game drive).

🚌Local bus Masvingo–Bulawayo ~£10

🛏Bulawayo guesthouse (~£15)

• →Great Zimbabwe ruins self-guided walk
• →Local guide at Great Enclosure
• →Bus Masvingo–Bulawayo

Full day in Matobo with a shared 4x4 tour from Bulawayo (~£45–55): World's View, Cecil Rhodes' grave, ancient San rock art, and a rhino-tracking game drive with a national parks ranger. Book direct with a Bulawayo operator or via GetYourGuide. Evening back in Bulawayo for a braai and a cheap local beer.

🚌Shared tour 4x4 included in activity cost

🛏Bulawayo guesthouse (~£15)

• →Matobo 4x4 day tour
• →World's View and Rhodes' grave
• →White rhino tracking
• →San rock art hike

Take a morning bus or shared taxi Bulawayo to Hwange town (~£12, 5 hrs), then a local transfer to the park gate area. Stay in a campsite or budget lodge near the main camp (~£18). Book tomorrow's full-day game drive with Hwange's park office or a local operator (~£55–65, includes park fees and vehicle).

🚌Bus + local transfer ~£15

🛏Campsite/budget lodge near Hwange Main Camp (~£18)

• →Bus Bulawayo–Hwange
• →Book full-day game drive

Full-day open 4x4 game drive through Hwange (~£60 including park fees) — one of southern Africa's best-kept elephant parks. Dry-season waterholes pull in huge herds plus wild dog if you're lucky. Alternatively self-drive if you've rented a car from Bulawayo, paying $20 park entry plus fuel. Evening back at the lodge, early night.

🚌Tour 4x4 included; fuel if self-driving ~£10

🛏Campsite/budget lodge near Hwange Main Camp (~£18)

• →Full-day Hwange game drive
• →Waterhole wildlife watching

Morning transfer/bus to Victoria Falls town (~£15, 3 hrs). Check into a backpacker hostel in the town centre (~£16). Buy your Vic Falls entry ticket (~£35) and walk the circular rainforest trail in the afternoon — best light after 3pm. Cross into Zambia on the historic bridge for free views if you have a KAZA visa.

🚌Bus/transfer Hwange–Vic Falls ~£15

🛏Backpacker hostel in Victoria Falls (~£16)

• →Victoria Falls rainforest trail
• →Victoria Falls Bridge walk

Pick your optional: white-water rafting on the Zambezi (~£95), a 15-min helicopter flip (~£130), or bungee off the Victoria Falls Bridge (~£130). Book direct or on GetYourGuide — rafting is the best value. Cheaper alternative: sunset cruise on the Zambezi (~£35) or walk the gorge trail. Rest and prep for Botswana tomorrow.

🚌Walking / local taxi ~£5

🛏Backpacker hostel in Victoria Falls (~£16)

• →Zambezi white-water rafting OR helicopter flight OR bungee
• →Sunset cruise option

Cross the border post into Botswana at Kazungula (~£8 shared taxi) and check into a Kasane backpacker camp (~£18). Book a sunset boat safari on the Chobe River direct with a Kasane operator (~£45) — hippos, elephants and fish eagles at golden hour. Also book tomorrow's morning game drive in Chobe (~£50).

🚌Shared taxi crossings ~£10

🛏Backpacker camp in Kasane (~£18)

• →Border crossing to Kasane
• →Sunset boat safari on Chobe River

Early morning game drive in Chobe (~£50) — the elephant herds at the Chobe riverfront are enormous. Return to Kasane, lunch, then take the afternoon bus or shared combi to Nata (~£12, 4 hrs). Stay at a budget lodge near Nata Lodge (~£18) and arrange a Nata Bird Sanctuary or Makgadikgadi salt-pan trip for sunrise if you want a bonus.

🚌Bus Kasane–Nata ~£12

🛏Budget lodge in Nata (~£18)

• →Morning Chobe game drive
• →Bus to Nata

Bus down to Maun (~£14, 4–5 hrs). In Maun, book a 2-night mokoro camping trip with a local polers' trust or operator (~£180–220 per person, includes camping, food and 4x4 transfer). Head out in the afternoon by 4x4 to the delta's edge and pole into the channels with your guide. Camp on an island — nothing but reeds, frogs and stars.

🚌Bus Nata–Maun ~£14; delta 4x4+mokoro included in trip cost

🛏Wild island campsite in the Okavango Delta (included in trip)

• →Bus to Maun
• →Book 2-night mokoro camping trip
• →Afternoon mokoro into the delta

Full day of walking safaris with your local guide — morning and afternoon walks tracking elephants, giraffe and birdlife. Swim in a clear delta channel (guides know where it's safe from crocs), and spend the evening around the fire learning from your polers about Tswana delta life. All food and camping included in the trip price.

🚌On foot / mokoro

🛏Wild island campsite in the Okavango Delta (included)

• →Morning game walk
• →Afternoon game walk
• →Delta swimming
• →Cultural evening with local guides

Final morning walking safari, then mokoro and 4x4 back to Maun by midday. Optional scenic flight over the delta from Maun airport (~£90 for 30 mins on a shared seat) — worth it if your budget stretches. Afternoon free to rest; stay in a Maun backpackers (~£16). Restock provisions for the journey south.

🚌Included 4x4/mokoro return; optional flight ~£90

🛏Maun backpackers (~£16)

• →Final morning walking safari
• →Optional delta scenic flight
• →Rest in Maun

Long travel day south: bus or shared combi Maun–Serowe (~£16, 6–7 hrs), then a short local taxi to Khama Rhino Sanctuary (~£6). Pay the sanctuary entry (~£12) and join the late-afternoon game drive (~£15) — white rhino sightings here are near-guaranteed. Camp or stay in a basic chalet in the sanctuary (~£18).

🚌Bus + taxi ~£22

🛏Sanctuary campsite/chalet (~£18)

• →Bus Maun–Serowe
• →Khama Rhino Sanctuary entry
• →Afternoon game drive

Early transfer to Serowe or Palapye, then a long-distance coach or shuttle across the Martins Drift border to Johannesburg (~£35, 8–9 hrs). Arrive Joburg in the evening and fly home or overnight near the airport. Alternatively, add a night in Pretoria to split the journey. Budget extra for airport transfer if flying out same night.

🚌Cross-border shuttle/coach ~£35

🛏Airport-area hostel if overnighting (~£18)

• →Cross-border coach to Johannesburg
• →Optional Pretoria stopover