zimbabwe vs caprivi strip vs botswana?

recently spent 11 days doing a self-drive trip in Namibia, and quite a few locals said that you can see the same thing in caprivi strip as botswana, but for drastically lower price. after doing some initial checks, that actually seems pretty accurate, because holy hell, Botswana is pricey.

I’m currently looking to head back down for late August / first week of September. I’m completely willing to spend for a great experience, but I am also value/cost-conscious — meaning I refuse to drop $3,000 USD a night just for a private plunge pool when its winter if a $2,000 camp is good enough.

Would love to hear from anyone who has actual experience in the Caprivi Strip, Hwange, or Mana Pools, especially if you’ve balanced that against a Botswana trip. Thanks.