Self-Launched African Safari: Zimbabwe to South Africa

Arrive at Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) or cross overland from Zambia via the Victoria Falls Border Post. Check into your hostel or budget campsite — Shoestrings Backpackers or The Boma Lodge are popular, well-located options with camping and dorm/private room choices. Spend the afternoon at your leisure: wander into town, pick up Zimbabwean dollars (USD is widely accepted too), and get your bearings. In the evening, head to a local restaurant on Livingstone Way for your first taste of Zimbabwean food — try the sadza (maize porridge) with nyama (meat stew). Budget around £10–14 for dinner.

🚌Fly into Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) — regional flights from Johannesburg (OR Tambo) with FlySafair or Airlink from ~£80–120 one way. Alternatively, cross by foot from Zambia via the Victoria Falls Border Bridge (KAZA Univisa covers both countries, ~£40).

🛏Shoestrings Backpackers or similar — camping from ~£8/night, dorm from ~£12/night, private room from ~£25/night

• →Arrive and check in to budget hostel or campsite (e.g. Shoestrings Backpackers or Bayete Guest Lodge)
• →Self-guided orientation walk around Victoria Falls town
• →Optional: visit Victoria Falls viewpoints (entrance fee ~£45/USD58 — book directly at the gate)

Rise early and visit Victoria Falls itself — one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The Zimbabwe side offers the widest panoramic views and is best explored on a self-guided walk through the rainforest path along the gorge. The entrance fee covers access to all viewpoints. In the afternoon, choose from an array of self-bookable optional activities: a sunset cruise on the Zambezi, a bridge bungee or swing, or simply relax by the river. In the evening, book yourself into the White Star cultural dinner (traditional Zimbabwean cuisine with music and dance performance — a community-run show that Intrepid also includes). Book directly with White Star Productions or via your hostel.

🚌Walk or take a local taxi (~£3–5) to the falls entrance — it's about 10 minutes from most hostels in town.

🛏Shoestrings Backpackers or similar (night 2)

• →Victoria Falls entrance and self-guided rainforest walk — ~£45 (USD58), book at the gate
• →Optional: Sunset Zambezi cruise — ~£46 (USD59) + £9 NP fee, book via Shearwater Adventures or your hostel
• →Optional: Bridge Bungee or Swing — ~£106 (USD137), book via Shearwater or African Extreme
• →Optional: Whitewater rafting (seasonal, Oct–Dec best) — ~£134 (USD173) + £9 NP fee, book via Shearwater Adventures
• →White Star traditional Zimbabwean cultural dinner — ~£35–45, book directly or via hostel

Check out of your Victoria Falls accommodation and make your way to Hwange National Park (~180km, roughly 2.5–3 hours by road). En route, stop at the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust on Squire Cummings Road — entry is free or by donation, and you can learn about their rescue and rehabilitation work with injured and orphaned wildlife. Arrive at Hwange by early afternoon. Book a sunset 4x4 game drive through your campsite or a local operator — Hwange Elephants and Touch the Wild are reputable options. Hwange has one of Africa's largest elephant populations, plus lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and nearly 400 bird species. Camp at Main Camp or Sinamatella Camp (Zimbabwe Parks Authority).

🚌Hire a shared private transfer from Victoria Falls to Hwange (~£20–30 per person shared, arrange via your hostel or a local tour desk). Alternatively, take a local bus from Victoria Falls rank toward Bulawayo and alight at Dete (~£5–8), then arrange a short taxi or transfer to Main Camp.

🛏Hwange Main Camp or Sinamatella Camp (Zimbabwe National Parks) — camping ~£10–15/night. Book via the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority website or on arrival.

• →Visit Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust (free/donation) — en route to Hwange
• →Afternoon/sunset open 4x4 game drive in Hwange National Park — ~£35–55 per person, book via your campsite or Touch the Wild
• →Hwange National Park entrance fee — ~£15 per person per day (Zimbabwe Parks Authority)

After breakfast at camp, head southeast toward Bulawayo (~250km, ~3 hours). Bulawayo is Zimbabwe's second city, famous for its wide colonial-era avenues and Victorian architecture — do a quick self-guided walk around the city centre and grab lunch at a local café before continuing to Matobo National Park (~45km south of Bulawayo). Check in to your campsite in or near the park. Matobo (or Matobos) is a UNESCO World Heritage site, famous for its surreal granite 'balancing rocks', ancient San Bushman cave paintings, the grave of Cecil Rhodes at World's View, and prolific rhino populations. The park closes at 6pm — arriving by late afternoon gives you time to explore the immediate area around camp.

🚌Hire a shared transfer or local minibus (kombi) from Hwange/Dete toward Bulawayo (~£8–12), then onward taxi or rental car to Matobo (~£10–15). A self-drive hire car from Bulawayo (e.g. Avis or local operator) is ideal for Days 4–5 in Matobo (~£35–50/day, split between travellers).

🛏Maleme Dam Rest Camp or Toghwana Dam Camp (Zimbabwe National Parks) — camping ~£10–15/night. Book via Zimbabwe Parks Authority.

• →Self-guided walking tour of Bulawayo city centre — free
• →Drive through Matobo Hills scenic routes — park entry fee ~£10 per person
• →Visit Cecil Rhodes' grave at World's View — included in park entry
• →Spot ancient San Bushman rock paintings at Nswatugi Cave — self-guided with park map

Spend a full day exploring Matobo National Park. The highlight is the optional rhino tracking experience — guided walks with park rangers to track black and white rhino on foot. This is one of the most intimate wildlife encounters available in Africa and is highly recommended. The park also offers excellent birding (look for Verreaux's eagles nesting on the rock formations), leopard sightings and fascinating geological formations. Pick up a park map from the gate and self-drive the loop roads in your rental car. In the evening, attempt a camp cook-up using locally sourced ingredients from the Bulawayo market — sadza, nyama and vegetable relish.

🚌Self-drive rental car within the park — ideal for the full day. Return car to Bulawayo this evening or next morning.

🛏Maleme Dam Rest Camp (night 2 in Matobo)

• →Guided rhino tracking walk with park rangers — ~£106 (USD137) per person, book at the park gate or via your campsite
• →Self-drive game loop through Matobo — included in park entry (~£10/day)
• →San Bushman rock art sites (Pomongwe Cave, Silozwane Cave) — self-guided with park map
• →Sunset at World's View (Cecil Rhodes' burial site) — atmospheric and free with park entry

Today is a long travel day — the border crossing and road south to Limpopo province takes approximately 8–10 hours in total. From Bulawayo, take a long-distance coach or shared transfer south to Beit Bridge border post (the only direct Zimbabwe–South Africa crossing). Greyhound, Intercape and Pathfinder coaches serve this route. Cross the border on foot and pick up onward transport on the South African side toward Tshipise (~50km west of Beit Bridge). Overnight at Forever Resorts Tshipise — a well-equipped resort near the Honnet Nature Reserve with outdoor pools, putt-putt and a nature trail. Arrive in time for a self-cooked or restaurant dinner.

🚌Intercape or Pathfinder coach from Bulawayo to Beit Bridge (~£10–15). Shared taxi (bakkie) on the South African side from Beit Bridge toward Musina, then onward to Tshipise (~£8–12 total). Alternatively, pre-arrange a private transfer from the border (~£25–35 shared).

🛏Forever Resorts Tshipise — camping ~£18–25/night or chalet from ~£45/night. Book via foreverresorts.co.za.

• →Beit Bridge border crossing — have your passport, visa/KAZA Univisa and vehicle documents ready
• →Evening swim at Forever Resorts Tshipise outdoor pool — included with accommodation
• →Short self-guided nature trail around Honnet Nature Reserve — free

After breakfast, head southeast to the northern reaches of Kruger National Park — one of Africa's greatest game reserves, comparable in size to Wales. Enter via Pafuri Gate (northernmost) or Phalaborwa Gate depending on your transport. If you have a hire car, self-drive game routes within Kruger are spectacular and arguably more rewarding than guided drives — you set your own pace and can stop wherever you like. The speed limit inside the park is 50km/h on tar and 40km/h on gravel, and the roads are well-maintained. Arrive at your campsite (e.g. Shingwedzi or Letaba Rest Camp) before the park gates close at sunset. Look out for elephants, hippos and a vast array of birdlife on today's drive into camp.

🚌Hire a car from Polokwane or Phalaborwa for self-driving in Kruger (~£35–50/day from Budget, Avis or Europcar). If you don't self-drive, arrange a shared shuttle from Tshipise/Musina to a Kruger gate (~£20–30) and join a guided drive from there.

🛏SANParks Rest Camp (e.g. Shingwedzi or Letaba) — camping ~£18–22/night, basic huts from ~£40/night. Book well in advance via sanparks.org — Kruger camps are very popular.

• →Self-drive game viewing en route to your rest camp — included with park entry
• →Kruger National Park entry fee — ~£20 per person per day (SANParks, book via sanparks.org)
• →Evening game drive from your rest camp (optional guided drive) — ~£25–35, book at the camp reception

Today is the safari highlight of the trip — a full day in Kruger. If self-driving, set your alarm for first light (gates open at sunrise) and head out on the game-viewing roads. The H1-6 around Satara and the S100 near Skukuza are renowned for lion and cheetah sightings. Pack a picnic from the rest camp shop and spend the full day out. Alternatively, book a full-day guided 4WD open vehicle safari through SANParks directly or via operators like Kruger Park Safaris or Bateleur Safaris (~£60–90 per person for a full-day guided drive, not including park fees). Look out for the Big Five — lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino — as well as African wild dogs, cheetahs, hippos and hundreds of bird species.

🚌Self-drive within the park. Fill up at rest camp petrol stations — fuel is available at Skukuza, Satara, Letaba and other major camps.

🛏SANParks Rest Camp (night 2 in Kruger — e.g. Satara or Lower Sabie for central/southern Kruger)

• →Full-day self-drive game viewing in Kruger (self-guided) — just pay park entry fee (~£20/person)
• →OR: Full-day guided 4WD open vehicle safari — ~£65–90 per person, book via SANParks or Kruger Park Safaris/GetYourGuide
• →Picnic at designated picnic sites within the park (Tshokwane, Nkuhlu) — bring supplies from rest camp
• →Sunset game drive (guided, optional) — ~£25–35, book at camp reception

Rise at dawn for one last sunrise game drive before checking out of your Kruger rest camp. Exit via Numbi, Malelane or Crocodile Bridge Gate (depending on your camp) and head west toward Johannesburg (~5–6 hours drive). Drop off your hire car at OR Tambo International Airport or central Johannesburg. If you have time before your flight, explore the Maboneng Precinct or the Apartheid Museum in Jo'burg — both are excellent. The Gautrain from Sandton to OR Tambo Airport takes ~15 minutes and costs around £3.50, making it the easiest and most reliable airport transfer. Note: if catching an international flight today, aim for nothing earlier than 9–10pm to allow for delays.

🚌Self-drive hire car from Kruger to Johannesburg OR Tambo (~5–6 hours on the N4). Alternatively, arrange a shared shuttle from Kruger gate to Johannesburg (~£25–40 per person with operators like Baz Bus or a private transfer).

🛏No accommodation included (end of trip). If extending: Curiocity Backpackers in Maboneng, Johannesburg — dorm from ~£14/night, private from ~£35/night.

• →Sunrise self-drive or guided morning game drive in Kruger before checkout — free (self-drive) or ~£25 guided
• →Drive to Johannesburg via N4/R40 — approximately 5–6 hours
• →Optional: Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg — ~£8 entry, bookable on the door
• →Optional: Maboneng Precinct walking tour — self-guided and free
• →Gautrain from Sandton to OR Tambo Airport — ~£3.50, runs every 12 minutes