Lake Kariba Hippo & Giant Crocodile Safari
Booking Season: 2026
Hunt Difficulty: Difficult
Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
Hunters stay in comfortable permanent safari camps with private en-suite accommodation and excellent dining facilities. After a day tracking buffalo through the Zambezi Valley, camp provides a welcoming place to relax, share stories, and prepare for the next day's hunt.
The Omay concession consists of rugged bushveld, thick jesse bush, riverine habitat, and open valley floor, creating ideal conditions for free-range Cape buffalo hunting.
| Fence Type: | Free-range |
| Hunting Ground Size: | 1000000 ha |
| Nearest Airport Name: | Harare International Airport (HRE) |
| Air Charter Available: | Yes |
Few destinations have earned the reputation that the Zambezi Valley enjoys among dangerous game hunters. Stretching along the shores of Lake Kariba and the mighty Zambezi River, this vast wilderness is home to large buffalo herds, exceptional wildlife densities, and some of Africa's most authentic free-range hunting experiences.
This Cape buffalo hunt takes place within the renowned Omay concession, a vast unfenced hunting area encompassing more than two million acres of rugged wilderness. For hunters considering buffalo hunting in Zimbabwe or a classic dangerous game hunt, the Zambezi Valley remains one of Africa's most respected free-range hunting destinations.
The area is also home to elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, crocodile, and a wide variety of plains game species. Whether tracking a mature dagga boy through thick riverine cover or following a herd bull across the valley floor, every day in the field offers the possibility of an unforgettable encounter with Africa's wildlife.
Pursue Cape buffalo across more than 2,000,000 acres of unfenced wilderness in the renowned Omay concession of Zimbabwe's legendary Zambezi Valley.
The Omay concession forms part of the legendary Zambezi Valley ecosystem and encompasses more than two million acres of unfenced wilderness. With extensive frontage along Lake Kariba and vast tracts of rugged bushveld, the area provides ideal habitat for Cape buffalo and many of Africa's other iconic game species.
Buffalo hunting in Omay can vary dramatically from one day to the next. Hunters may spend hours tracking large breeding herds through the valley floor or following the spoor of old dagga boys that have separated from the herd and retreated into thick cover. It is this unpredictability that has helped establish the Zambezi Valley as one of Africa's premier destinations for buffalo hunting.
The area's proximity to Lake Kariba also supports healthy populations of hippo and crocodile, while elephant are encountered regularly throughout the concession. Hunters interested in extending their safari often combine buffalo with elephant hunting in Zimbabwe, hippo hunts, or crocodile hunts, depending on quota availability.
Beyond the hunting itself, Omay is a communal area where wildlife plays an important role in supporting local livelihoods. Revenue generated through regulated hunting contributes toward employment, community projects, infrastructure improvements, and wildlife conservation initiatives. For many hunters, knowing that their safari directly benefits both wildlife and local communities adds another dimension to the experience.
Cape buffalo quotas in the Zambezi Valley are strictly regulated and availability is limited each season. Hunters interested in securing a buffalo hunt in the Omay concession are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.
International hunters will typically arrive via Harare International Airport (HRE), Zimbabwe's primary international gateway. From Harare, hunters can either continue to the concession by charter flight or road transfer, depending on personal preference and travel arrangements.
Many hunters choose to spend a night in Harare before and after the safari to simplify travel logistics. The Game Hunting Safaris team and outfitter can assist with transfer arrangements and travel planning prior to arrival.
Dalton and his team have extensive experience conducting dangerous game safaris throughout Zimbabwe and have spent many years hunting the Zambezi Valley. Their focus is on traditional free-range hunting, personalized service, and delivering authentic dangerous game experiences within some of Africa's most productive hunting areas. Depending on quota availability, hunts are conducted from either Ume Camp or Chifudzi Camp within the Omay concession.
Accommodation is provided in comfortable safari camps positioned within the hunting area. Both Ume and Chifudzi camps offer private en-suite accommodation, excellent meals, and welcoming hospitality in a relaxed bush setting.
Whether overlooking the Ume River or a nearby waterhole, hunters can expect regular wildlife sightings around camp, with elephant, buffalo, hippo, and a variety of other species often encountered throughout their stay.
The Omay concession forms part of the legendary Zambezi Valley ecosystem and is one of Zimbabwe's largest unfenced hunting areas. Covering more than two million acres and stretching along the southern shoreline of Lake Kariba, the concession offers the scale, freedom of movement, and wild character that have made Zimbabwe hunting safaris famous among dangerous game hunters worldwide.
This is genuine wilderness. There are no high fences, no artificial boundaries, and no guarantees about what the next bend in the road or game trail might reveal. Buffalo move freely throughout the concession, often travelling significant distances between feeding and watering areas. Hunters may spend a day following the spoor of a large herd before finally locating a mature bull, or track an old dagga boy that has broken away from the herd and disappeared into thick riverine cover.
The area supports exceptional populations of dangerous game. In addition to world-class buffalo hunting, Omay is also renowned for elephant hunting in Zimbabwe, with large bulls encountered throughout the concession. Healthy populations of lion, leopard, hippo, and crocodile further reinforce the area's reputation as one of Southern Africa's most complete dangerous game ecosystems.
Lake Kariba plays an important role in shaping both the landscape and the hunting experience. With more than 150 miles of shoreline bordering the concession, the lake attracts wildlife year-round and creates opportunities for combination safaris involving lion hunts, leopard hunts, hippo, crocodile, and buffalo. Few hunting areas offer such a diverse range of dangerous game species within a single free-range concession.
For many hunters, Omay represents the Zimbabwe they have always imagined, vast, remote, unpredictable, and wild. It is a place where tracking skills matter, where encounters happen on nature's terms, and where every buffalo hunt feels earned.
Cape buffalo hunting in the Zambezi Valley is often a game of patience, tracking, and closing the distance. While hunters may spend hours following spoor across open ground, the final encounter frequently takes place in thick jesse bush, riverine cover, or dense vegetation where visibility can be measured in yards rather than hundreds of yards.
This is one of the reasons many American hunters arrive carrying larger dangerous game calibers. While the legal minimum is a .375 H&H, rifles such as the .416 Rigby, .458 Lott, .470 Nitro Express, and .500 Nitro Express remain popular choices for hunters who enjoy traditional dangerous game rifles. Every now and then, a hunter arrives with a .600 Nitro Express, although not everyone enjoys the recoil as much as they expected!
Accurate buffalo shot placement remains the key to a successful hunt. The preferred shot is typically a broadside heart-and-lung shot, allowing the bullet to penetrate the vital organs and provide a quick, ethical harvest. Follow-up shots are common when hunting dangerous game and hunters should always be prepared to shoot again if instructed by their Professional Hunter.
Zimbabwe's firearm import process is straightforward for visiting hunters, with temporary firearm permits issued upon arrival. Most hunters travel with their preferred dangerous game rifle and sufficient ammunition for the duration of the safari.
Cape buffalo hunting has a way of getting under a hunter's skin. The long hours following tracks, the anticipation of closing the distance, and the knowledge that things can change in an instant are what make buffalo one of Africa's most respected dangerous game species.
The Omay concession offers the type of safari many hunters dream about but few ever experience—millions of acres of unfenced wilderness, free-ranging buffalo, experienced professional hunters, and the possibility of encountering elephant, lion, leopard, hippo, and crocodile during the same safari. It is wild, unpredictable, and conducted entirely on nature's terms.
For hunters seeking a traditional free-range Cape buffalo hunt in Zimbabwe, the Zambezi Valley remains one of Africa's great dangerous game destinations.
Contact the Game Hunting Safaris team to discuss availability, travel arrangements, observer options, and custom safari extensions.
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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