Non-Exportable Crocodile Hunt in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip
Booking Season: 2026
Hunt Difficulty: Moderate, Difficult
Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
Comfortable luxury tented accommodation overlooking the Chobe River system, featuring en-suite bathrooms, hot showers, proper beds, daily housekeeping, and traditional African safari camp facilities in a remote wilderness setting.
The Caprivi hunting area consists of flat floodplains, reed beds, river channels, wetlands, and dense riverine woodland influenced by seasonal water movement from the Chobe and Zambezi river systems. Hunting conditions are physically demanding due to thick vegetation, humidity, water systems, and long tracking distances on foot.
| Fence Type: | Free-range |
| Hunting Ground Size: | 200000 ha |
| Nearest Airport Name: | Katima Mulilo or Kasane in Botswana |
| Transfer From Airport: | Yes |
This exportable elephant hunt in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip offers American and international hunters the opportunity to pursue free-range trophy bulls in one of southern Africa’s most game-rich dangerous game regions. Conducted along the floodplains and river systems bordering Botswana’s Chobe National Park, the safari combines traditional tracking-based elephant hunting with the unique wilderness conditions of the Zambezi Region.
Unlike the dry conservancy hunting areas found elsewhere in Namibia, the Caprivi is defined by thick reed beds, river channels, floodplains, open grassland, and dense riverine woodland supporting large populations of elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, and other dangerous game species. Depending on seasonal water levels and elephant movement, hunts may involve tracking on foot, traversing floodplains by vehicle, or quietly navigating waterways by traditional Makoro canoe while searching for mature bulls moving between the Chobe and Zambezi river systems.
For American and international hunters researching authentic elephant hunts or planning elephant hunting in Namibia, the Caprivi remains one of the few regions where exportable elephant safaris are still conducted under genuine free-range conditions with limited quota availability and experienced professional hunters.
This Caprivi elephant hunt combines traditional free-range dangerous game hunting with luxury tented accommodation, experienced professional hunters, and access to one of Namibia’s most productive exportable elephant hunting regions bordering the Chobe River system.
Under current CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) regulations, trophy elephants legally hunted in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip (Zambezi Region) and Bushmanland conservancies remain exportable, subject to the applicable permit requirements and import approvals of the hunter’s home country.
For American hunters, elephant trophy imports are regulated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and reviewed on a case-by-case basis under both CITES and the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Namibia maintains regulated wildlife management systems and conservation legislation designed to comply with international CITES requirements and sustainable-use conservation principles.
Because international wildlife import regulations can change periodically, hunters are strongly advised to consult directly with their outfitter, taxidermist, or specialized wildlife import agencies such as Conservation Force before booking or exporting trophies from Namibia.
This exportable elephant safari combines traditional free-range hunting with well managed luxury tented accommodation, experienced professional hunters, and access to one of the most productive elephant hunting regions in southern Africa. For hunters planning authentic hunting safaris in Namibia, the Caprivi Strip remains one of the country’s premier dangerous game destinations.
Pieter has been conducting wilderness elephant safaris throughout Africa for many years, including safaris in Namibia, South Africa, Cameroon, Angola, and Zambia, and has operated within Namibia’s Caprivi Strip since 2010. Over the years, his operation has developed a strong reputation for professionally managed dangerous game hunts conducted across some of southern Africa’s premier wilderness hunting areas.
Pieter and his team have received major international recognition within the hunting industry, including being selected as “Outfitter of the Year” by the Dallas Safari Club, along with the prestigious “International Professional Hunter of the Year” award presented by Safari Club International.
The operation is well known for experienced professional hunters, highly capable camp staff, excellent safari cuisine, and professionally managed wilderness camps designed specifically for international hunters pursuing elephant, buffalo, leopard, and other dangerous game species. In addition to elephant safaris, the Caprivi region also offers exceptional hippo hunts and crocodile hunts conducted throughout the Chobe and Zambezi river systems.
Game Hunting Safaris has personally hunted elephant, hippo and cape buffalo with Pieter and his team in Namibia, and the operation consistently delivers authentic free-range safaris under genuine wilderness hunting conditions.
Hunters are encouraged to confirm all travel logistics, firearm requirements, and trophy export arrangements prior to arrival to ensure a smooth safari experience in Namibia’s Caprivi Strip.
The Caprivi Strip
Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, now officially known as the Zambezi Region, remains one of southern Africa’s most unique free-range dangerous game hunting environments. This vast unfenced wilderness lies between the Chobe and Zambezi river systems on the borders of Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Angola, creating a highly productive wildlife corridor supporting large populations of elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, and plains game species.
The concession borders Botswana’s Chobe ecosystem, allowing elephant and buffalo to move naturally between countries throughout the year. Large herds of Cape buffalo regularly cross the Chobe River into Namibia’s floodplains and riverine woodlands, creating excellent opportunities for traditional cape buffalo hunts under genuine free-range conditions.
The Caprivi landscape is completely different from Namibia’s more arid hunting regions. Thick reed beds, floodplains, river channels, wetlands, open grassland, and dense riverine forest dominate the terrain, creating a challenging and highly atmospheric dangerous game hunting environment. In addition to elephant safaris, the region is internationally respected for trophy hippo, giant Nile crocodile, and exceptional tiger fishing opportunities throughout the Chobe River system.
Hunting conditions in the Caprivi are dynamic and heavily influenced by seasonal flooding, elephant movement, and water distribution. While the terrain is not mountainous, navigating floodplains, thick vegetation, and river systems creates a physically demanding and highly engaging dangerous game safari experience. Much of this hunting safari takes place within the Kabulabula Conservancy, one of the Caprivi’s most productive free-range wildlife areas bordering Botswana’s Chobe ecosystem.
The Kabulabula Conservancy lies within Namibia’s Caprivi Strip along the Chobe and Zambezi river systems, forming part of one of southern Africa’s most important free-range wildlife corridors. Stretching across floodplains, wetlands, river channels, open grassland, and dense riverine woodland, the concession offers a dangerous game hunting environment completely different from the dry conservancy regions found elsewhere in Namibia.
Positioned directly across the Chobe River from Botswana’s Chobe National Park, the conservancy benefits from constant natural movement of elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, and plains game species between the surrounding wilderness areas. Wildlife densities throughout the region are heavily influenced by seasonal flooding and water availability, creating highly dynamic hunting conditions throughout the year.
The Caprivi itself is geographically unique, bordered by Angola, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with multiple river systems flowing through the region. Hunting within Kabulabula often involves traversing floodplains, reed beds, riverbanks, and thick riverine vegetation while tracking dangerous game under genuine free-range conditions.
Remote, wild, and largely unfenced, the Kabulabula Conservancy remains one of the more untouched dangerous game hunting regions in southern Africa today.
The Caprivi Strip is heavily influenced by seasonal rainfall and annual flooding from the surrounding river systems. During the rainy season, large sections of the floodplains fill with water, dramatically changing both wildlife movement and hunting conditions throughout the region. For this reason, the preferred period for elephant hunting in the Caprivi generally runs from May through September, when water levels begin to recede and elephant movement becomes more predictable along river systems, reed beds, and feeding areas.
During the dry winter months, temperatures are typically milder, humidity levels lower, and tracking conditions more manageable for both hunters and professional hunters operating within the floodplain environment. Hunting conditions within the Caprivi are heavily influenced by seasonal flooding, wildlife movement, and river access, all of which shape how these elephant safaris are conducted throughout the year.
Elephant hunts in the Caprivi are conducted under genuine free-range conditions within one of southern Africa’s most dynamic dangerous game environments. Hunting methods vary depending on seasonal flooding, elephant movement, and terrain conditions, with hunts often involving a combination of tracking on foot, traversing floodplains by vehicle, or quietly moving through river channels by traditional Makoro canoe while searching for mature bulls.
Unlike more open or arid elephant hunting regions, the Caprivi combines thick reed beds, riverine woodland, wetlands, and dense vegetation that can significantly reduce visibility at close range. Once fresh tracks or suitable bulls are located, the hunt typically becomes a slow and methodical walk-and-stalk approach through challenging terrain where encounters can happen quickly and at very close distances.
Although the Caprivi is relatively flat terrain compared to some mountain hunting regions, dangerous game hunting conditions remain physically demanding due to heat, humidity, water systems, and thick vegetation. The region is also home to large Nile crocodiles and other dangerous wildlife species commonly encountered throughout the floodplains and river systems.
As with all dangerous game safaris, proper elephant shot placement and strict attention to the professional hunter’s instructions are critical throughout the hunt, particularly during close-range encounters in thick cover.
This elephant hunt operates within community-based conservancy areas where regulated hunting contributes directly toward wildlife conservation and local infrastructure projects throughout the Caprivi region. Revenue generated from hunting safaris assists with road maintenance, waterhole rehabilitation, solar installations, water systems, anti-poaching support, and ongoing employment opportunities within surrounding rural communities.
Local community members are actively involved throughout the safari operation as trackers, skinners, camp staff, chefs, and general hunting support personnel, creating long-term economic incentives tied directly to sustainable wildlife management and habitat preservation.
As with many successful conservation programs in southern Africa, local communities benefit directly from the responsible utilization of wildlife resources, including the distribution of meat harvested during the safari. This ongoing involvement helps reinforce the long-term value of maintaining healthy elephant populations and protecting the surrounding wilderness habitat for future generations.
Accommodation during the safari is provided in classic luxury tented camps positioned along the banks of the Chobe River, combining comfortable wilderness lodging with an authentic African safari atmosphere. The camp features en-suite bathrooms, generated electricity, open firepit areas, traditional Lapa dining facilities, and private tented accommodation overlooking the surrounding floodplains and river systems.
Each safari tent is spacious and comfortably furnished with proper beds, private patios, hot showers, and attentive daily housekeeping. Evenings in camp are typically spent relaxing around the fire while listening to the sounds of elephant, hippo, buffalo, and other wildlife moving through the nearby riverine vegetation.
The camp staff and safari chef are highly regarded for their hospitality, professionally prepared meals, and overall safari experience, creating a relaxed and comfortable environment after long days tracking elephant throughout the Caprivi floodplains.
International hunters traveling for this Caprivi elephant hunt have two main travel options into Namibia’s Zambezi Region.
The first option is to arrive via Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek before taking a domestic flight north to Katima Mulilo Airport, where the outfitter will meet guests for the final road transfer to the concession. Depending on camp location and seasonal conditions, the transfer typically takes between 1.5 and 2 hours.
The second option is to fly into Kasane International Airport in Botswana, located near the Chobe River and Victoria Falls region. From Kasane, hunters are collected by the outfitter before crossing into Namibia and transferring directly into the Caprivi concession, in some cases using small motorized boats depending on river levels and access conditions.
Many international hunters also choose to extend their safari and combine the elephant hunt with additional travel throughout southern Africa, particularly visits to Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park, or Etosha National Park.
For hunters searching for a traditional exportable elephant hunt in Africa, Namibia’s Caprivi Strip continues to offer one of the most authentic free-range dangerous game experiences remaining in southern Africa. From tracking mature bulls through reed beds and floodplains to navigating the Chobe River systems alongside experienced dangerous game professional hunters, this safari combines true wilderness hunting with professionally managed accommodation and camp facilities.
With limited quota availability, vast unfenced hunting areas, and access to one of the most productive elephant regions bordering Botswana’s Chobe ecosystem, the Caprivi remains highly sought after by both American and international hunters planning a traditional African elephant safari.
Due to the limited number of exportable elephant tags available each season, hunters are advised to book well in advance to secure preferred safari dates and quota availability.
If you require any further information, please contact the team of Game Hunting Safaris, or Pieter directly on the quick links provided.
Please note that terms, conditions and price are subject to change without notice and rates at the time of the hunt will apply
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