Educate me on Zimbabwe

I’ve got an itch to hunt Zimbabwe. I’m sure there are a lot of members here with lots of experience in that country. I see plenty of YouTube videos with various outfitters hunting in some of the more renowned locations like the nuanetsi , nakasanga, the Omay, the dande, and matetsi. My question is less about outfitters and more about the locations. I’d like to hear about the good and the bad. The difficulties of reaching the remote areas and the types and quality of game. Let’s hear about your experiences.

What do you want to hunt? Not all the animals are everywhere.

If you have time on your hands most places are within half to full day drive, depends where you fly into.

Fly into Vic Falls then all of the Matetsi blocks and surrounding hunting areas are within a few hours of driving, and pleasant scenary en route. Quality of animals is fine and all species are there

If you intend to hunt the Bubye valley, Nuanetsi area, then the drive in is half to full day, not worth it in my opionion. These are good areas for everything, well managed etc.

If you hunt the Save valley, then it's a 3/4 to full day drive. Same with Omay

If you fly into Harare, Dande, Nyakasanga are a half day drive, not a bad drive.

Be careful of hunting Chewore South, the area has been decimated, much like Chirisa in the old days, over hunted, a hunting outfit in the 2000's introduced non trophy Buff hunting and they handed the lease back to Govt before it expired because they over shot it. The next operators did the same and now it's going to non consumptive because the area is finished. It's not really a plainsgame area and little to offer on that front.

All these areas are within 2 to 3 hours in a plane.

Speak to your intended operator, they will give you options.

Buffalo, plains game, and maybe tuskless.

Keelebilly said:

Buffalo, plains game, and maybe tuskless.

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Based on this list I’d suggest looking at somewhere in the Zambeze Valley.

The buffalo hunting is good to great depending on the place and time of the year, but they seem to have a significantly higher number of Tuskless Elephants compared to both other areas of Zimbabwe and other African countries. 10-14 days in the Valley should yield reasonable odds of success on both list a few Plains Game animals.

The big thing to remember is many of the Safari Areas, and Campfire areas in Zim are managed more intently for Dangerous Game, rather then Plains Game. You’ll see and hunt Plains Game but they won’t be around every corner like South Africa if that’s your prior safari experience. Good ones exist, but you WILL need to work for it. For me, that’s what I love about hunting in Zimbabwe.

I myself am hunting the valley in a couple months for the same. There are several outfitters operating there, but for me of couple stand outs. It just depends on what you’re looking for, how you connect with them, and your budget. Feel free to PM me

I hunted Buffalo in the Dande area in 2022. It’s located in the far north east of Zim. It’s bordered by the Zambezi River to the north and the Mozambique border to the east. The two sections, Dande North and Dande East, amount to 500,000 acres. This is dangerous game country, with loads of Buffalo, Elephant, Lion, Leopard plus Hippo and Crocs in the river. It has some plains game, but is not the best area for the Hunter looking for that.

The northern part of Dande North is a communal area, which means there are a few villages there. The remainder is a Game Management Area with no people. We hunted both and honestly I couldn’t tell the difference. The only people we ever saw was when we drove through a village.

We took a bush plane from Harare to the Dande airstrip to save some time. The alternative is a long days drive. I believe the ride in the Beechcraft Barron cost a total of $3k round trip.

The flight into camp was a real education, proving how hunting is saving what’s left of the wild areas across Africa. For most of the flight, we flew over farms and ranches. Very little of the thick Jess remains that’s so common in the wild areas. When we reached the border of the Dande, it was clear where it began. On one side of the imaginary line there was bare ground. On the other, thick Jess just like the original settlers found it.

The Zambezi valley is truly beautiful in a rough and wild way. It’s also remarkably HOT in September! Regardless, I think anyone who likes wilderness will love hunting there. I know you aren’t looking for outfitter recommendations, but Charlton McCallum Safaris has the Dande and they are among the best in Africa!

I’ve only been to Zim once and that was the Omay; flew into Harare and a quick hour charter flight and we were in camp.

Main target was tuskless - had mine on the ground late in day 2 of the 10day hunt after having turned down 2 smaller tuskless. I also got an amazing bushbuck, impala and a huge catfish from lake Kariba.

All 5 hunters in camp got their animals and had a great time; I liked it so much I’m booked again for 2027.

As far as travel time in country - I could have gone with an 8hr drive from Harare to camp; but the $1,500ea for the charter flight basically gives you two days of you life back.

Keelebilly said:

Buffalo, plains game, and maybe tuskless.

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Nyakasanga for sure. Below are just some of the animals I shot in 21 days there. Outfitter was Charlton McCallum Safaris. One of the best and most recommended outfitters in Zimbabwe.

Tanks said:

Nyakasanga for sure. Below are just some of the animals I shot in 21 days there. Outfitter was Charlton McCallum Safaris. One of the best and most recommended outfitters in Zimbabwe.

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Exceptional specimens. Every one.

Here are my two reports from Dande North/safari area and Dande East. The east is a flat concession and mainly dependent on seasonal water. The north has some hills and a lot of springs and natural water sources. The east was easier hunting to me, but the north was a more rewarding hunt seeing the area. Charlton McCallum safaris is one of top outfitters I’ve hunted with. They run a good company and have nice camps. They really excel with communication before and after the hunt compared to others.

The biggest draw to hunting Zimbabwe to me is the skill of PH and trackers. It’s a true tracking hunt. They don’t expect to get dangerous game from truck and expect hard hunting. However, if you hunt Zimbabwe make sure you talk with recent references. Areas do change and encroachment and poaching is a problem. It doesn’t matter how good the PH is if the area doesn’t have it. There are a lot of marginal areas being offered by some outfitters for lower pricing. The private areas like nuanetsi and bubye and parts of save should have less opportunity to change. For other areas always ask how long the concession holder has the lease before booking. Also make sure you understand the difference between government safari areas, forestry areas, community, and private areas.

Keelebilly said:

Buffalo, plains game, and maybe tuskless.

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I've been to many parts of Zimbabwe and while many are excellent for one animal or another, not all are excellent in the Big 4 and plains game.

One area which is excellent for elephant, buffalo and plains game is Matetsi though, and in particular Unit 2 and Kazuma (which adjoins Unit 2). Unit 2 is now run by a superb professional hunter (don't tell him I said so) Guav Johnson, with whom I've hunted a number of times, and his brother Courtney (with whom you can actually have a conversation). I've taken elephant (55lbs) and buffalo there, as well as a good range of plains game. (If it matters, they are also one of the only places in Zimbabwe where you can hunt roan - they may get one or two permits a year). The sable is also superb throughout the Matetsi Units (mine came to 44 5/8, which at the time was superb for wild sable), and they do hunt tuskless there.

I would add that Matetsi, as some have said, is close to Victoria Falls, so no need for a day's drive to get there, the airport is excellent, there are lots of flights, the Victoria Falls Hotel will make you think you are back in the 19th century having dinner with Selous at the next table, and, of course, the Falls are one of the modern wonders of the world.

FWIW, I like Unit 2, as you can probably tell, but I have no financial or other interest in it. I'm going back there in 2027 to hunt lion and tuskless . . .

The Bubye and Save areas are also solid options for both dangerous and plains game.

Tread starter is from USA = probably no problem. But in Europe air companies is given the task to avoid weapons be brought from Europe to Zimbabwe. So if you travel with weapons you cant have connected flight from Europe to Zimbabwe. And at the airport in Europe you can be served an innocent question about where you gona hunt, you cant tell anything about Zimbabwe.

I appreciate and enjoyed reading all your responses. It’s great for a novice like me to have found a forum with so much experience and knowledge.
I’ll be at SCI in a few weeks. I’m planning to talk to Guav Johnson, CMS, and Roger Whittall. Any other recommendations? Maybe Dave Langerman?

Keelebilly said:

I appreciate and enjoyed reading all your responses. It’s great for a novice like me to have found a forum with so much experience and knowledge.
I’ll be at SCI in a few weeks. I’m planning to talk to Guav Johnson, CMS, and Roger Whittall. Any other recommendations? Maybe Dave Langerman?

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Definitely talk with Dave Langerman and Mokore safaris is another good one. Talk to as many as you can to get a better idea on the hunting and areas and see who you’d actually enjoy spending 10 or 14 days with. Other Zimbabwe names I see on list are Brent hein, Pete Fick, John Sharp, HHK, probably a few others sitting in someone else’s booth. Ask for price lists before the show and do some basic research on where they hunt and it will really help your conversations at booths. Write down booth numbers before show too.

Keelebilly said:

I appreciate and enjoyed reading all your responses. It’s great for a novice like me to have found a forum with so much experience and knowledge.
I’ll be at SCI in a few weeks. I’m planning to talk to Guav Johnson, CMS, and Roger Whittall. Any other recommendations? Maybe Dave Langerman?

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I’d add Vaughan Whitehead, Tim Ellemet of Hwange Safari Company, Tinnie Kok, and Lin Stanton as potentials to speak with.

Not sure how many will actually be at SCI due to the present Zim Visa issues. I know Vaughan won’t, Tim will, not sure about Tinnie or Lin

speak to Dalton and York re: Nyakasanga, they have it now

BVC and Save would also suit your requirments

Save ...
I've hunted with Roger Whittall Safaris 3 times once in the Zambezi Valley twice in the Save the amount of animals in the Save is a tribute to their conservation efforts

Bejane said:

speak to Dalton and York re: Nyakasanga, they have it now

BVC and Save would also suit your requirments

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They have quota for this year only beyond that it’s undetermined.