Southern Africa Self-Launched: Cape Town to Victoria Falls Big Five Adventure
11 days · South Africa & Zimbabwe
G Adventures charges £3,140
No-markup version: ~£2,140 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 11-day self-launched version of G Adventures' Cape Town to Victoria Falls family journey, rebuilt for independent travellers. You'll do the same big-hitting route — Cape Peninsula and Boulders Beach penguins, Table Mountain, safari drives in Greater Kruger, the Cradle of Humankind and Sterkfontein Caves, Chimp Eden, and thundering Victoria Falls — but using budget guesthouses and safari camps, self-booked day tours via GetYourGuide/Viator, and local flights and shuttles instead of a private touring vehicle with two expedition leaders. Costs are approximate per person, based on backpacker/budget rates; flights between Cape Town–Kruger–Johannesburg–Victoria Falls are a significant chunk, so booking early (or swapping in the overnight Intercape bus) keeps the total down. Note this is a wildlife-focused family-style route with light activity levels — ideal if you want big scenery and animals without hard trekking.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Land at Cape Town International and take the MyCiTi bus or a metered Uber/taxi (approx £12-18) into the City Bowl or Sea Point. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse — dorm beds run £10-15, private twins £30-45. Spend the afternoon acclimatising on the V&A Waterfront or Sea Point promenade, stock up on groceries at Checkers/Pick n Pay, and pick up a local SIM (Vodacom/MTN, ~£8 for data). Book your Cape Peninsula tour online tonight for tomorrow.
🚌Airport bus or Uber to city (~£12-18)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, City Bowl/Sea Point (dorm £10-15, private £30-45)
- →Sea Point promenade walk
- →V&A Waterfront browse
- →Buy local SIM and groceries
Cape Peninsula & Boulders Beach Penguins
Cape Town, South Africa
Join a small-group Cape Peninsula day tour booked via GetYourGuide or Viator (approx £45-60, includes transport) — this is the self-bookable equivalent of the operator's included excursion. The route runs Chapman's Peak Drive, Cape of Good Hope and the Cape Point lighthouse, then ends at Boulders Beach to see the African penguin colony (entry ~£8, usually included). Alternatively hire a car for the day (£25-35 plus fuel) and drive it yourself — the roads are easy. Bring a windproof layer; the Cape wind is relentless.
🚌Included in day tour, or self-drive hire car
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, City Bowl/Sea Point
- →Chapman's Peak Drive
- →Cape of Good Hope & Cape Point lighthouse
- →Boulders Beach penguin colony
Table Mountain & Cape Town at Leisure
Cape Town, South Africa
Ride the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (~£21 return; book a time slot online — it sells out on clear days) or hike up Platteklip Gorge free of charge if you fancy the 2-hour climb. Afternoon options: the Iziko Slave Lodge museum (~£3), the Two Oceans Aquarium (~£12), or a hop-on hop-off City Sightseeing bus (~£11-22). A Bo-Kaap walking wander and a Cape Malay curry for dinner is a cheap and excellent evening.
🚌Uber/MyCiTi bus around town (~£6)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse, City Bowl/Sea Point
- →Table Mountain cableway or Platteklip Gorge hike
- →Iziko Slave Lodge museum
- →Bo-Kaap walk and Cape Malay dinner
Fly to Greater Kruger
Hazyview / Greater Kruger Area, South Africa
Fly Cape Town to Kruger Mpumalanga International (MQP) near Nelspruit — FlySafair and Airlink run this route, roughly £90-130 one way if booked ahead. From MQP take a shared shuttle or pre-booked transfer to Hazyview/Greater Kruger (~£15-20, 45 mins). Check into a budget safari lodge or backpackers such as a Hazyview guesthouse (private rooms £35-55). Book your Kruger safari drives for the next two mornings tonight via GetYourGuide or directly with a local operator — a full-day open-vehicle drive with park fee runs about £80-110.
🚌Flight CPT–MQP (~£90-130) plus shared shuttle (~£15-20)
🛏Budget safari lodge or guesthouse, Hazyview (private room £35-55)
- →Arrive and settle into lodge
- →Book Kruger safari drives
- →Pool and lodge dinner
Full-Day Kruger Safari
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Early start (5am-6am) for a full-day open-vehicle game drive in Kruger National Park with a local operator, including the conservation fee (~£80-110 all in). You'll cover savanna, riverine bush and waterholes hunting for elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino and the trickier leopard — Big Five territory. Bring your own water and snacks from Hazyview to keep lunch costs down; most operators stop at a rest camp where you can buy a braai lunch cheaply.
🚌Open safari vehicle (included in tour)
🛏Budget safari lodge or guesthouse, Hazyview
- →Full-day Big Five game drive in Kruger National Park
Sunrise Safari & Free Afternoon
Greater Kruger Area, South Africa
Take a shorter sunrise drive (3-4 hours, ~£50-65) with a different operator or the same one to chase whatever you missed yesterday. The afternoon is yours: chill by the lodge pool, or opt for the Hazyview aerial cable trail / tree-top zipline (~£20-28). If you're self-driving, the Panorama Route (God's Window, Bourke's Luck Potholes, Blyde River Canyon viewpoints) is an easy half-day loop and hugely worth it.
🚌Safari vehicle, or self-drive for Panorama Route
🛏Budget safari lodge or guesthouse, Hazyview
- →Sunrise game drive
- →Optional zipline / aerial cable trail
- →Optional Panorama Route drive
Chimp Eden & Transfer to Johannesburg
Nelspruit & Johannesburg, South Africa
Visit Chimp Eden, the Jane Goodall Institute of South Africa's chimpanzee sanctuary near Nelspruit (entry ~£15, book direct or via GetYourGuide) — home to rescued chimps and a genuinely moving few hours. Then travel onward to Johannesburg: the cheapest option is the Intercape or Greyhound-style coach from Nelspruit (~£18-25, 5-6 hours), or hop a short flight MQP–JNB (~£50-80). Check into a hostel in Maboneng or Melville (dorm £12-18, private £30-45).
🚌Coach Nelspruit–Johannesburg (~£18-25) or flight MQP–JNB (~£50-80)
🛏Hostel, Maboneng or Melville, Johannesburg (dorm £12-18)
- →Chimp Eden chimpanzee sanctuary visit
- →Transfer to Johannesburg
Cradle of Humankind & Sterkfontein Caves
Cradle of Humankind, South Africa
Head out to the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO site (~1 hour from Joburg) — the cheapest route is the Gautrain to Sandton/Marlboro then a booked day tour or Uber (~£30-40 return). Book a combined Sterkfontein Caves + Maropeng Visitor Centre ticket (~£22-28) via Viator or directly; descend into the caves where 'Mrs Ples' and 'Little Foot' were found, then explore Maropeng's hominid evolution exhibits. Finish with a traditional braai dinner back in Joburg — Mzansi, Moyo or a local shisa nyama does the job for £12-18.
🚌Gautrain plus Uber or day tour (~£30-40)
🛏Hostel, Maboneng or Melville, Johannesburg
- →Sterkfontein Caves tour
- →Maropeng Visitor Centre
- →Traditional braai dinner
Fly to Victoria Falls & Tour the Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Fly Johannesburg to Victoria Falls (VFA) — Fastjet or Airlink, roughly £90-140 one way if booked early. Get your Zimbabwe visa on arrival or e-visa in advance (~£45-55 for most Western passports; KAZA UniVisa if you also cross to Zambia). Check into a budget lodge or backpackers in Victoria Falls town (private rooms £30-50, dorm £12-18). In the afternoon, walk the Victoria Falls Rainforest trail independently — entry is ~£25-30 and the viewpoints are self-guided and well signposted, with the spray soaking you from March to July. Sunset drinks at the Victoria Falls Hotel terrace for the colonial-era vibe.
🚌Flight JNB–VFA (~£90-140)
🛏Budget lodge or backpackers, Victoria Falls town (£12-50)
- →Victoria Falls Rainforest walk (self-guided)
- →Victoria Falls Hotel sunset terrace
Zambezi Sunset Cruise or Chobe Day Trip
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Choose your finale. Option A: a Zambezi River sunset cruise with drinks and snacks (~£55-75, book via GetYourGuide). Option B: a full-day Chobe National Park excursion into Botswana — the elephant capital of Africa — around £130-170 including border formalities, 4x4 game drive and river cruise (bring your passport and, if relevant, unabridged birth certificates for minors). Option C on a budget: a guided gorge swing, rafting add-on, or just the town craft market and a slow lunch. Book any of these the day before through your hostel or Viator.
🚌Tour vehicle for Chobe/sunset cruise, or walk in town
🛏Budget lodge or backpackers, Victoria Falls town
- →Zambezi sunset cruise
- →or Chobe National Park day trip (Botswana)
- →Craft market and town wander
Depart Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Depending on flight times, squeeze in a last walk to the falls or a coffee in town, then head to Victoria Falls Airport (~20-30 mins, taxi £10-15). If you're continuing overland, buses and shuttles run to Livingstone (Zambia), Kasane (Botswana) and Bulawayo. Check visa/passport validity and keep a printed copy of onward tickets for the border.
🚌Taxi to VFA airport (~£10-15)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional final falls walk
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£2,140 | £3,140 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,000 per person (32%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£2,140
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 Southern Africa Self-Launched: Cape Town to Victoria Falls Big Five Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £2,140 per person for 11 days in South Africa & Zimbabwe. 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 £3,140 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £2,140 — a saving of roughly £1,000 (32%) per person.
How long is the South Africa & Zimbabwe trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through South Africa & Zimbabwe.
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 South Africa & Zimbabwe, 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.