Help Me Choose my 2nd Safari

@DryFly1995 — for the mix you've listed, a single .375 H&H will genuinely do everything on that list and do it well; plenty of buffalo and sable have fallen to one, and it carries the plains game without fuss. If you're checking a bag anyway, the nice-to-have is a lighter, flatter second rifle (something in the .30 class) for sable and kudu at distance, so the .375 stays purely your buffalo gun. Not a necessity — just a comfort. If you'd rather travel light and simple, one .375 with good softs and a couple of solids on hand won't leave you wanting.
@375Fox — fair pushback, and you're right: I was speaking from the fenced end of things and painted with too broad a brush. On true wild concessions the area, quota and dates carry the day, and no tracking crew can conjure buffalo out of a poor block or the wrong week — that's a better order of priorities than I gave. And you're dead right that fresh track at first light every single morning isn't realistic out there. What I was clumsily getting at is that once you've done the hard work of shortlisting genuinely good areas, the crew and the PH's appetite for staying on a spoor is what makes the days feel the way DryFly's describing. Appreciate the correction.
 
I just got got back from Zim. I killed an elephant in the Save Valley, either on or boardering Whittal's block. We were on the Savuli block. We saw a lot of elephants. Got one killed on the second day. That area was incredible. Mopani forest with lots of elephants.
I was based on Impala at the other end of the Save Valley. The was a thicker area.
 
Inspired by the recent thread on where/why everyone went on their 2nd safari. Having just finished my first, I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to go next, what species I want to hunt, and what experience I want. I’d love to get input from this group’s experience.

This second safari won’t be my last, so I don’t need to accomplish everything I want on one trip. But right now, here’s my current priorities for safari #2 (somewhat in order):
  • Tracking hunt for cape buffalo
  • Trophy sable and kudu
  • Presence of lions and elephants
  • Wilderness experience
  • Total cost considerations
  • Other game opportunities (probably plains game)
  • No other parties in the same camp
  • Would prefer hunt is completed between end of April and mid-August
  • Tiger fish opportunity (lowest priority, but could be a tie-breaker)

This will probably be a 2029 hunt. I’m thinking 10-14 days of hunting, plus arrival/departure/travel.

I’d like to go back to Namibia at some point and hunt the Caprivi, just not this next trip. I’m also not interested in South Africa. Tanzania is out due to costs and other trips I already have planned in 2027 and 2028.

Based on current research and reading a ton of trip reports, I’m really interested in the Save Valley with Mokore. Some of the other options that stand out are:
  • Mokore and their Moz Coutadas
  • Roger Whitall safaris in Save Valley
  • Dave Langerman’s Niassa hunting concession
Anyone or anywhere else should I be considering? Open to any other input or ideas.
You need to add: Take Hedge with me.
 
Inspired by the recent thread on where/why everyone went on their 2nd safari. Having just finished my first, I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to go next, what species I want to hunt, and what experience I want. I’d love to get input from this group’s experience.

This second safari won’t be my last, so I don’t need to accomplish everything I want on one trip. But right now, here’s my current priorities for safari #2 (somewhat in order):
  • Tracking hunt for



    cape buffalo
  • Trophy sable and kudu
  • Presence of lions and elephants
  • Wilderness experience
  • Total cost considerations
  • Other game opportunities (probably plains game)
  • No other parties in the same camp
  • Would prefer hunt is completed between end of April and mid-August
  • Tiger fish opportunity (lowest priority, but could be a tie-breaker)

This will probably be a 2029 hunt. I’m thinking 10-14 days of hunting, plus arrival/departure/travel.

I’d like to go back to Namibia at some point and hunt the Caprivi, just not this next trip. I’m also not interested in South Africa. Tanzania is out due to costs and other trips I already have planned in 2027 and 2028.

Based on current research and reading a ton of trip reports, I’m really interested in the Save Valley with Mokore. Some of the other options that stand out are:
  • Mokore and their Moz Coutadas
  • Roger Whitall safaris in Save Valley
  • Dave Langerman’s Niassa hunting concession
Anyone or anywhere else should I be considering? Open to any other input or ideas.
@DryFly1995 — good, that gives you real flexibility. For what you're planning, a single .375 H&H will genuinely do the whole list. It's the legal minimum for buffalo, hits plenty hard for sable and kudu, and in that thicker Save Valley / Coutada country your shots sit mostly close to moderate — so you give up almost nothing by leaving a flat-shooter at home. Load a good bonded or premium soft, a 300gr, for plains game and your first shot on buffalo, and carry solids for the follow-up. That's a complete kit.

The case for two rifles is comfort and insurance rather than necessity. A lighter plains rifle — a .300, .30-06 or 7mm — means less recoil over the many sable, kudu and plains-game shots, and a second rifle is cheap insurance if one gets knocked about in transit, which does happen. The trade-off is more paperwork and more to carry.

So my honest steer: if you shoot the .375 well and don't mind the recoil, take the one and keep it simple — that's what I'd do for a buffalo-led wilderness hunt like this. If the recoil wears on you over a long trip, bring the pair and take the plains game with the lighter one. Either way, buffalo comes down to placement and a steady nerve far more than calibre — the .375 gives you nothing to apologise for.

One practical note whichever way you go: check the outfitter keeps a spare rifle in camp. A knocked scope on day one is the one thing that unravels a single-rifle plan, and most good camps keep a backup .375 or .458 on hand.


I have Hunted Humani in the Save Valley and just kame back from Niassa in Mozambique

Both great places

Check out Kambako Safaris in Moz
Hunted 12 animals in 14 days including 1 leopard and 2 buffalo
 
Inspired by the recent thread on where/why everyone went on their 2nd safari. Having just finished my first, I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to go next, what species I want to hunt, and what experience I want. I’d love to get input from this group’s experience.

This second safari won’t be my last, so I don’t need to accomplish everything I want on one trip. But right now, here’s my current priorities for safari #2 (somewhat in order):
  • Tracking hunt for cape buffalo
  • Trophy sable and kudu
  • Presence of lions and elephants
  • Wilderness experience
  • Total cost considerations
  • Other game opportunities (probably plains game)
  • No other parties in the same camp
  • Would prefer hunt is completed between end of April and mid-August
  • Tiger fish opportunity (lowest priority, but could be a tie-breaker)

This will probably be a 2029 hunt. I’m thinking 10-14 days of hunting, plus arrival/departure/travel.

I’d like to go back to Namibia at some point and hunt the Caprivi, just not this next trip. I’m also not interested in South Africa. Tanzania is out due to costs and other trips I already have planned in 2027 and 2028.

Based on current research and reading a ton of trip reports, I’m really interested in the Save Valley with Mokore. Some of the other options that stand out are:
  • Mokore and their Moz Coutadas
  • Roger Whitall safaris in Save Valley
  • Dave Langerman’s Niassa hunting concession
Anyone or anywhere else should I be considering? Open to any other input or ideas.
You might want to contact Vaughan Whitehead Wilson and hunt his Zambezi Valley/Escarpment area. If Buffalo and sable is the focus then later in the year is better. It also happens to be some of the same concessions and areas Dr Kevin Robertson used to hunt. There’s a lot of sable. Kudu are a little tougher but they’re there

Another forum member hunted there after I completed my leopard hunt in March/April, got to hunt a lion that’d started attacking and killing some locals.
 
Other areas I’ve hunted that can accomplish what you want are some of the Matetsi blocks, (you’ll want to confirm the Sable quota). Coutada 11 in Mozambique (no kudu) so maybe look at Coutada 9 or Massingier (also Zambeze Delta owned/run)
 
I just got got back from Zim. I killed an elephant in the Save Valley, either on or boardering Whittal's block. We were on the Savuli block. We saw a lot of elephants. Got one killed on the second day. That area was incredible. Mopani forest with lots of elephants.
I was based on Impala at the other end of the Save Valley. The was a thicker area.


Hi
Could you provide more info on your Safari?
Interested in doing an elephant Safari with the Whittalls in 2028
 
I hunted with Leeuwkop Hunting Safaris. DJ Meyer.

He has Impala in the Save Valley, and a new place at lake Mteri. He took me to the block over towards Humani for my elephant. I don't know the deal he worked out, but I don't think you could possible hunt a bull elephant for less. Mine was a management bull. He was decent sized.
I saw signs for Mokore, Humani and Sango but I can't pinpoint on the map exactly where we where.
 

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I hunted with Leeuwkop Hunting Safaris. DJ Meyer.

He has Impala in the Save Valley, and a new place at lake Mteri. He took me to the block over towards Humani for my elephant. I don't know the deal he worked out, but I don't think you could possible hunt a bull elephant for less. Mine was a management bull. He was decent sized.
I saw signs for Mokore, Humani and Sango but I can't pinpoint on the map exactly where we where.
South Africans can’t legally act as PH or outfitter in Zimbabwe.
 
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After messaging with a few PHs and outfitters, and some great input from this forum's members, I've loosened my criteria to maximize the opportunity and take advantage of what's best in each country/location. It will take a few safaris, but that's kind of even better. I think I've got it narrowed down to Luangwa, Coutada 11, and Zambezi Valley for the short to mid-term plan. Those three should give me amazing options for multiple buffalo in varied environments, sable, kudu, nyala, roan, puku, hippo, croc, bushbuck, etc. Zambezi Delta Safaris (C11) offers a "buffalo and billfish" (black marlin) package that you can add onto, which is really appealing. And of course tiger fish is a definite add-on in the Zambezi. Coutada 9 and Niassa are also potentially on the long-term roadmap. I'm also still wresting with leopard and whether I have an interest in sitting in a blind and the opportunity cost of the hunt and post-hunt taxidermy.
 
South Africans can’t legally act as PH or outfitter in Zimbabwe.
And for the life of me, I cannot understand why anyone would book a hunt in Zimbabwe with anyone except booking directly a Zimbabwean PH. Lots of excellent PH’s in Zim.
 
After messaging with a few PHs and outfitters, and some great input from this forum's members, I've loosened my criteria to maximize the opportunity and take advantage of what's best in each country/location. It will take a few safaris, but that's kind of even better. I think I've got it narrowed down to Luangwa, Coutada 11, and Zambezi Valley for the short to mid-term plan. Those three should give me amazing options for multiple buffalo in varied environments, sable, kudu, nyala, roan, puku, hippo, croc, bushbuck, etc. Zambezi Delta Safaris (C11) offers a "buffalo and billfish" (black marlin) package that you can add onto, which is really appealing. And of course tiger fish is a definite add-on in the Zambezi. Coutada 9 and Niassa are also potentially on the long-term roadmap. I'm also still wresting with leopard and whether I have an interest in sitting in a blind and the opportunity cost of the hunt and post-hunt taxidermy.
That list will keep going the more you go down the rabbit hole. There’s always more places than time or money. Buffalo is a pretty consistent add-on most places, my suggestion would be to narrow your list down by PG Species of most interest and/or alternative DG species you might wish to hunt or add. Budget is another consideration, some areas are cheaper than others.

If you decide to do a Leopard it won’t be a bait/blind hunt in Coutada 11, It’ll be a hound hunt. I believe their Leopard Hunts are booked/sold out through 2031 though. Hippo is also sold out for a while (not sure how far out). C11 also gives you the ability to a buffalo in the swamp and a traditional tracking style hunt in the forests. Definitely give Mark at Zambeze Delta a shout. My hunt there is one of my favorites. My girlfriend also loved it as a non hunter, so much so we’re working on a return in 2029.

The Zambezi Valley/Escarpment in Zimbabwe offer a very different but rewarding hunt, especially for buffalo. You’ve always got the chance to add a Tuskless or management elephant to that hunt as well. CMS, D&Y, of Vaughan Whitehead (hunted with multiple times) all have great options there. On the opposite side of the country, Matetsi and Hwange offer great proximity to Vic Falls and Tiger Fish Fishing in addition to buffalo hunting. You can also hunt Leopard here with hounds, unlike in the Valley because there are no Tsetse flies. Brian with Hwange Safari Company might be worth a call.

The Zambia and the Luangwa offer a great opportunity for some unique PG to go with your buffalo. It’s also got some amazing Leopard hunting. Strang Middleton is a great PH (hunted with) and @MAdcox just got back from a great hunt in the Luangwa with him (read his hunt report).

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want contact info for any of the outfitters mentioned that hunt the areas in your short term plan. More than happy to share my experiences with them.
 
I hunted with Leeuwkop Hunting Safaris. DJ Meyer.

He has Impala in the Save Valley, and a new place at lake Mteri. He took me to the block over towards Humani for my elephant. I don't know the deal he worked out, but I don't think you could possible hunt a bull elephant for less. Mine was a management bull. He was decent sized.
I saw signs for Mokore, Humani and Sango but I can't pinpoint on the map exactly where we where.
Do you have Leeuwkop Hunting Safaris. DJ Meyer contact ?
 

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