Tanzania

[Whitefox82]

Just started the process of planning for an African safari. I plan on bringing the wife, she would just be accompanying me not hunting. This will be my first safari. I want to target buffalo and maybe a few plains game but buff will be primary. Tanzania looks beautiful and sounds like it is very wild, no fences, that’s important to me. I m reaching out to Rungwa and Robin Hurt Safaris as of now, they look exceptional, but like I mentioned, I am just starting my research. A few questions…
- how far out do most of these outfits book out?
- cost? I hear Tanzania is more $ on avg
- would this be a good place to bring a non hunting wife, don’t think I’d want her out there while hunting one of the Big 5. These are more or less “wilderness” hunts but the camps look plenty comfortable, even luxurious compared to anything I’m accustomed to lol, as a diy hunter!!!
- Anyone here have experience with these two outfits? Any other recommendations?
- Places to see/do before the hunt while in Tanzania? I’m hoping to have a view of Kilimanjaro from camp, but not necessary. I hear the ocean side of the country is nice.
- Any safety concerns within the country to be aware of?
- Robin Hurt has a camp in the high country for mountain buffalo, it is densely vegetated. Any one done this? It’s intriguing but they mention it is not for the first time buffalo hunter. They don’t show camps for this. Want my wife to enjoy the trip so don’t want her to “rough it” too much!
Thanks for any info, pm if you’d like.

 

[Touchdown88]

Contact Mark Young with Mark's Exclusive Adventures. I used him for an upcoming buffalo hunt in Zambia. Let him know what type of hunt and adventure you're looking for and he will get it setup for you.

 

[wildwilderness]

There is another hunting Africa forum website that has tons more info on safari.

Tanzania is by far the most expensive and exclusive safari destination, probably double most other places. Though most who go and can afford it say it’s worth it. Travel is a big cost.

Many other free range options that are also a lot easier to get to.

Yes South Africa does have free range hunting. Though a bit more than fenced but all the conveniences of SA.

Zimbabwe is often the most affordable outside of SA with free ranging big 5.

Zambia is just as remote and wild as Tanzania but at a lower price point.

Uganda is known for Cape buffalo!

Mozambique is also well priced for big wild Buffalo due to less development and semi sketch reputation.

I would recommend you call Ernest Dyason at Spear Safaris, he has a lot of different options in multiple countries and is very well respected

I would not recommend bringing a wife unless she is a very adventurous type or wants to hunt. Definitely not to a bush camp.

South Africa with 5 star lodges, chefs and spa is made for pampering a non-hunting companion.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Just don’t hunt a high fence ranch then come home acting like some amazing hunter.

I know a guy who hunts high fence in South Africa and now walks around wearing all sorts of shit he brought back form aftica and he like gives talks at the local library and churches to talk about his adventure in Africa.

He’s a complete joke, everybody sees it but him. I mean seriously, they look at game cameras with their phones so they know what watering hole a kudu or zebra or whatever is at then they just walk over and shoot them over artificial ponds and stuff.

He tried to get me to go with him, I told him if I ever go over there it will be to get a true trophy Cape buffalo, a big solo bull covered in mud and acting really sketchy. Not some high fence bullshit.

 

[Chase0109]

As mentioned, start your research on the africanhunting forum.com.

You’ll get way more information from some of the experience numbers there.

My starting advice would be to research multiple countries and have a clear defined plan of what you want your Hunt to look like. Each one of the African countries you can hunt free range Buffalo in are huge. Different terrain, hunting style, camps, etc.

Tanzania will be an amazing Hunt if you have deep pockets. I’d love to hunt Tanzania someday, but I honestly doubt I ever will. Just not enough bang for the buck for me. I think Tanzania holds more value if you’re looking for a specific species endemic only to that area, or doing a very large full bag safari. But for a good Buffalo and some of the more basic plains game, you’ll find far better value in multiple other countries.

I’ve hunted Buffalo twice in Mozambique around the Cahorra Bassa. I’m booked to hunt Buffalo this September in the Niassa special reserve in Mozambique. I have an elephant hunt booked in Southwest Mozambique and a buffalo hunt in central western Mozambique for 2027. All these hunts are in the same country but drastically different areas. Lots of guys Hunt Buffalo in the flood planes of Mozambique as well. Huge herds of Buffalo, but more of a spot and stalk Hunt. I’m much prefer a trafficking hunt so I personally have no interest in hunting the flood planes. Just an example of knowing how you wanna hunt can help you narrow down location, even within a country.

Also what kind of camp you want to be in. A lot of these very remote wilderness camps are going to be canvas tents. May have running water or maybe bucket showers. The food is going to be excellent and overall, the camp will be probably nicer than any North American hunting camp. But it’s certainly not gonna be the luxury camps of South Africa.

Figure out what time of year you wanna hunt. June versus October is going to be a wildly different experience. The African seasons are opposite of ours so if you’re looking for cooler weather May – July would be better. It will be much hotter end of September - November.

Talk to as many experience people as you can. I’d also recommend tracking down and calling a couple clients from the previous hunting season with whatever outfit you’re going to book with. You can often gain a lot of information about the area in the hunt from talking to them.

Chase