Self-Launched Zambia, Botswana & Zimbabwe Wildlife Safari: Lusaka to Livingstone
8 days · Zambia, Botswana & Zimbabwe
Lochinvar Safaris charges £2,380
No-markup version: ~£1,185 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of the operator's 8-day Lusaka–Livingstone safari loop, rebuilt for independent travellers. You cover the same ground — the Great South Road through Choma, Chobe National Park day trip from Kasane, both sides of Victoria Falls, Mosi-oa-Tunya rhino walks and Zambezi National Park — but you book your own buses, hostels and day tours instead of paying a group-tour markup (and you can skip the long, low-value Lusaka→Livingstone road days entirely by flying or training instead). Everything here is bookable direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook, with rough 2026 budget rates. Costs are approximate and assume one traveller sharing a dorm or twin, low-season shoulder pricing and paying in cash where needed — Zambia's power situation and card networks can be patchy, so carry USD cash as backup.
Day-by-day
Land in Lusaka, travel the Great South Road to Choma
Lusaka → Choma, Zambia
Arrive at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and take a local taxi or the airport shuttle into town (~£12–15). If you want to skip the operator's slow 500km road day, the smarter move is to fly Lusaka→Livingstone direct (Proflight/Zambian Airways, from ~£90 one way) and join the loop there — but if you want the full overland experience, catch a Mazhandu/Power Tools coach from Lusaka Intercity Bus Terminal to Choma (~4.5–5 hrs, ~£9–12). Break the journey where the coaches stop at Monze for lunch at a local Indian or nshima restaurant (~£5). Skip the roadside animal sanctuary the operator uses (it has been widely criticised for animal welfare) — instead stretch your legs at the Kafue River bridge viewpoint and Munali Pass. Overnight in Choma in a simple guesthouse with a fan room.
🚌Airport taxi to Lusaka centre ~£13; intercity coach Lusaka–Choma ~£10; local minibus/taxi hops ~£4
🛏Choma guesthouse or lodge, fan/AC twin or dorm (~£20–25)
- →Kafue River bridge photo stop
- →Munali Pass National Monument
- →Monze market and nshima lunch
- →Self-guided walk around Choma town
Choma heritage stops, then bus to Livingstone
Choma → Livingstone, Zambia
Morning at Choma Museum and Craft Centre (~£2 entry) for Tonga history and crafts, then a short walk to the Kalundu Mound Iron-Age site. If you're a colonial-history nerd, the old administrator's residence and first-bank plaque in Kalomo are a quick optional stop on the way south (~£3 shared taxi detour). Board an afternoon coach or shared minibus down the M10 to Livingstone (~3.5–4 hrs, ~£7–9). Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse near the main strip, grab a supermarket dinner and sort your cash — Livingstone ATMs are unreliable, so bring USD and change at a bureau de change.
🚌Coach/minibus Choma–Livingstone ~£8; local taxis ~£5
🛏Livingstone hostel (dorm ~£12–16) or budget guesthouse twin (~£25)
- →Choma Museum and Craft Centre (~£2)
- →Kalundu Mound Iron-Age site (free)
- →Optional Kalomo heritage walk
Chobe National Park day trip, Botswana
Livingstone → Kasane, Botswana → Livingstone
Book a Chobe day trip direct with a Kasane operator (GetYourGuide/Klook or a Livingstone hostel desk) — most include the Kazungula border crossing, an open 4x4 game drive in Chobe, a buffet lunch at Chobe Safari Lodge and a Chobe River boat cruise. Budget ~£145–175 including park fees and Botswana visa-on-arrival handling; cheaper if you cross independently to Kasane by shared taxi and book the safari on arrival (~£110–130). This is the single best-value big-game day of the trip: huge elephant herds, buffalo, and river wildlife from the boat. You'll need USD cash for park fees and the visa. Back in Livingstone by early evening — the Kazungula crossing can be slow, so allow a full day.
🚌Shared transfer across Kazungula border in included tour vehicle or shared taxi ~£15; border formalities
🛏Livingstone hostel or budget guesthouse (as Day 2)
- →Chobe National Park open-vehicle game drive
- →Chobe River boat cruise
- →Buffet lunch at Chobe Safari Lodge (included)
- →Kazungula border crossing experience
Victoria Falls Zambian side and Livingstone Museum
Livingstone, Zambia
Walk or take a local taxi (~£4) to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and pay the ~£14 entry to see the falls from the Zambian side — in May–July the spray is spectacular. Do the Knife Edge bridge loop and the Boiling Pot trail if it's open. Afternoon at the Livingstone Museum (~£3) for David Livingstone exhibits and Zambian ethnography. Optional late-afternoon Mukuni Village cultural tour (~£25 booked direct, choose a community-run operator and ask where the fee goes) — or skip it if you'd rather avoid village-tourism ethics questions. Dinner at a local restaurant like Olga's or Cafe Zambezi (~£9).
🚌Local taxis to falls and museum ~£8
🛏Livingstone hostel or budget guesthouse (as Day 2)
- →Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls Zambian side (~£14)
- →Livingstone Museum (~£3)
- →Optional Mukuni Village tour (~£25)
- →Boiling Pot hike
Rhino walk in Mosi-oa-Tunya NP and Zambezi sunset cruise
Livingstone, Zambia
Book the morning walking rhino safari direct with the park's licensed guides or via GetYourGuide (~£45–60 including park entry) — a guide with a rifle leads you on foot to the white rhino, one of the few places you can do this. On the way back, stop at the Old Drift Crossing Point and cemetery inside the park (ask your guide). Mid-afternoon visit the National Art Gallery (~£3). Late afternoon, book a Zambezi sunset cruise direct at a Livingstone activity desk (~£30–40, cheaper than the operator's packaged version) with drinks and snacks included. Book your Day 6 and 7 add-ons tonight.
🚌Shared vehicle to park ~£6; walk/taxi to cruise jetty ~£4
🛏Livingstone hostel or budget guesthouse (as Day 2)
- →Walking rhino safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya NP (~£50)
- →Old Drift Crossing Point and cemetery (included)
- →National Art Gallery (~£3)
- →Zambezi sunset cruise with drinks (~£35)
Cross into Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls rainforest and Zambezi National Park
Livingstone → Victoria Falls Town & Zambezi NP, Zimbabwe
Get the KAZA Univisa (or Zimbabwe visa on arrival, ~£45–55 for most Western passports) and walk across the Victoria Falls Bridge — free, and you can bungee or zipline from the bridge if you fancy it (from ~£60). On the Zimbabwe side, pay ~£14 to enter the rainforest and follow the 16 viewpoints, often better and wetter than the Zambian side. Grab lunch at Lookout Café (self-pay, ~£12) or a cheaper local spot in Victoria Falls town. In the afternoon take an organised game drive in Zambezi National Park (~£55–70 direct booking, booked a day ahead) — quieter and cheaper than Hwange for an add-on day. Cross back to Livingstone by shared taxi (~£8) before the border closes (walking crossing open late).
🚌Shared taxi to border and Zimbabwe side ~£10; border walking
🛏Livingstone hostel or budget guesthouse (as Day 2)
- →Victoria Falls Bridge walk (free)
- →Zimbabwe-side rainforest viewpoints (~£14)
- →Zambezi National Park afternoon game drive (~£60)
- →Optional bungee/zipline (from ~£60)
Free day: pick your own adrenaline (or do nothing)
Livingstone, Zambia
This is your pick-and-mix day. Cheapest good-value options: Devil's Pool at Livingstone Island (~£90–110, seasonal, book direct with Tongabezi/Safari Par Excellence), white-water rafting on the Zambezi (~£110), or the Angel's Pool alternative when water is high. Budget-friendly instead: canoe the Zambezi upper section (~£35 for a half day), cycle the falls loop, or spend the day at a riverside backpacker lodge pool (free with a drink). Helicopter/microlight flights cost ~£130–180 and are worth skipping unless it's a bucket-list splurge. Avoid lion walks — the welfare issues are well documented. Note the operator's real itinerary has a free day like this too, so you're not losing anything by constructing it yourself.
🚌Local taxis ~£8
🛏Livingstone hostel or budget guesthouse (as Day 2)
- →Devil's Pool (from ~£95, seasonal)
- →Zambezi canoe safari half-day (~£35)
- →Or rafting (~£110) / helicopter (~£150)
- →Lodge pool and river chill day
Fly out of Livingstone
Livingstone, Zambia
Breakfast, then a short taxi to Livingstone International Airport (~£8) for onward flights (Proflight to Lusaka ~£90, or direct seasonal links). If you're flying home from Lusaka, leave time for the domestic connection. No need to pay the operator's airport transfer fee — local taxis and minibuses cover it for a fraction of the price.
🚌Taxi to Livingstone Airport ~£8; optional flight Livingstone–Lusaka ~£90 (not included in total)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Breakfast at hostel
- →Last-minute craft market shopping
Self-launched vs. Lochinvar Safaris
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Lochinvar Safaris | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,185 | £2,380 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,195 per person (50%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Lochinvar Safaris-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,185
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 Self-Launched Zambia, Botswana & Zimbabwe Wildlife Safari: Lusaka to Livingstone cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,185 per person for 8 days in Zambia, Botswana & 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 Lochinvar Safaris?+
Yes — Lochinvar Safaris charges around £2,380 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,185 — a saving of roughly £1,195 (50%) per person.
How long is the Zambia, Botswana & Zimbabwe trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Zambia, Botswana & 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 wildlife, adventure, budget trip through Zambia, Botswana & 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.
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