Safari itineraries

A DIY take on the classic 12-day East Africa safari circuit, linking Nairobi, Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Amboseli, Tarangire, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Instead of a private luxury guide and Sopa/Serena lodges, self-launched travellers join budget group safaris at each park and stay in mid-range tented camps and bandas — the same wildlife spectacles, the same Great Migration and crater floor game drives, for roughly a fifth of the price.

Travel Crew

~£1,055

Experience the full splendour of southern Africa independently — from Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula, to Big 5 game drives in Kruger, Soweto's powerful history, the thundering Victoria Falls, and mokoro glides through the Okavango Delta. This self-launched route mirrors the Globus group tour itinerary at a fraction of the cost, replacing private coaches and premium lodges with local transport, guesthouses, budget safari camps, and self-bookable activities via GetYourGuide and direct operators. All costs are approximate estimates per person.

Travel Crew

~£2,480

A self-launched version of Absolute Africa's legendary 54-day overland journey from Nairobi to Cape Town, crossing eight countries through East and Southern Africa. Instead of travelling in a group truck with a guide and crew, you'll piece together the same epic route using local buses, shared taxis and budget safaris — chasing elephants at Sheldrick's orphanage in Nairobi, game-driving the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, island-hopping on Zanzibar, paddling Lake Malawi, tracking rhinos at Matopos, rafting the Zambezi at Victoria Falls, cruising Chobe, mokoro-ing through the Okavango Delta, spotting lions in Etosha, and dune-surfing the Sossusvlei and Fish River Canyon before finishing in Cape Town. Far cheaper than the group tour (which adds a proportionate cost to the 54-night equivalent of the standard fare), but it demands real planning, patience and a spirit of adventure. Cost estimates are approximate and based on typical backpacker rates.

Travel Crew

~£2,800

A self-launched version of G Adventures' Signature 'National Geographic' trek from Cape Town to the Okavango Delta. Cover the same big-hitters — Cape Town's coastlines, a private-style wine and San culture day, Johannesburg's Apartheid Museum and Mandela legacy, Big Five safari drives in Kruger, the thundering Victoria Falls, a Chobe River cruise, and mokoro paddling through the Okavango Delta — but organised independently with budget lodges and guesthouses, self-booked safaris and public/overland transport. Expect a fraction of the cost of the original luxury trip while keeping the wildlife and landscapes centre stage.

Travel Crew

~£1,680