A 10-Day Hippo & Nocturnal Hunting Safari in South Africa
Booking Season: 2026
Hunt Difficulty: Difficult
Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
After a rewarding day in the field, you'll return to comfortable four-star accommodation designed with hunters in mind. Choose between a luxury hunting lodge or an authentic tented camp, both offering spacious en-suite rooms, daily housekeeping and laundry service.
This hunting trip takes place across well-managed private hunting areas in Limpopo, combining productive river systems, thick bushveld, open plains and lightly wooded savannah. The varied terrain supports an exceptional diversity of game, allowing hunters to pursue dangerous game, premium plains game and specialist nocturnal species without spending valuable hunting time travelling between concessions. Every hunting area has been carefully selected to provide an authentic, fair-chase hunting experience with healthy wildlife populations and experienced Professional Hunters.
| Fence Type: | Fenced |
| Hunting Ground Size: | 12000 ha |
| Nearest Airport Name: | Hoedspruit Airport (HDS) |
| Nearest Airport Distance: | Approximately 45 km |
| Nearest Town Name: | Hoedspruit |
| Nearest Town Distance: | Approximately 40 km |
| Transfer From Airport: | Yes |
| Air Charter Available: | Yes |
Eleven trophies on one hunting trip is impressive. Experiencing eleven completely different styles of hunting is what makes this package exceptional.
Over ten full hunting days you'll move from quiet riverbanks in search of a mature hippo to tracking Cape buffalo through thornveld, stalking sable and roan across open country, and hunting predators after dark when the bush takes on a completely different character.
Combining some of Africa's finest Dangerous Game Hunts with premium plains game and specialist night hunting, this package delivers an experience few safaris can match. Hunting in South Africa offers incredible diversity, but few regions bring it together as effectively as Limpopo. Productive river systems, outstanding buffalo country, quality plains game and excellent predator hunting all combine in one destination, meaning less time travelling between concessions and more time in the field.
Most hunting packages ask you to choose.
Dangerous game or plains game.
Buffalo or hippo.
Day hunting or night hunting.
This one doesn't.
Every few days the pace changes completely. One morning you're glassing a river waiting for the right hippo to surface. The next you're following fresh buffalo spoor through thick bushveld. Then, just as you've settled into the rhythm of daytime hunting, the spotlights come out and the focus shifts to hyena, bushpig and other nocturnal species.
This is not just a Hippo hunt and you're not repeating the same hunt eleven times. You're experiencing eleven different hunts, each requiring a different approach, different skills and a different mindset. That's what makes this package memorable long after the trophies have been shipped home.
Hippo hunting in South Africa is unlike any other dangerous game hunt in Africa. Most of the day is spent watching water rather than walking the bush. Mature bulls remain submerged for long periods, surfacing only briefly before disappearing beneath the surface again. The first challenge isn't taking the shot. It's finding the right bull.
A good Professional Hunter studies the river carefully. Which bull controls the stretch of water? Where does he surface? How long does he stay down? Those answers matter far more than simply shooting the first hippo you see. Patience is everything. If you're the sort of hunter who can't sit still for twenty minutes, a hippo will expose that weakness fairly quickly.
When the opportunity finally comes, shot placement on the Hippo becomes critical. Often only a small part of the head is visible above the water, leaving very little room for error. Even on land, selecting the correct angle is essential for a quick, ethical harvest. Once the hippo is on the ground, the hunting trip changes completely.
Now it's time to start looking for buffalo.
Buffalo hunting couldn't be more different. Forget rivers and long periods of waiting. Now your eyes are on the ground as trackers begin reading fresh spoor through Limpopo's thornveld. Experienced trackers don't just follow footprints. They notice broken branches, disturbed grass and fresh dung. Each clue helps build a picture of where the buffalo is heading and how recently he passed.
Buffalo also have an annoying habit of walking into the thickest patch of bush they can find. That's rarely a coincidence. Closing the final distance demands patience, good wind and complete trust in your PH. Mature bulls didn't survive by making mistakes, and they have an uncanny ability to know when something isn't quite right.
That's what makes a buffalo trophy so rewarding. It isn't simply the horns. It's everything that happened before the shot.
After buffalo, the pace changes again.
Sable Hunting and roan hunting are widely regarded as two of Africa's finest plains game pursuits, not because they're easy, but because they demand a completely different approach.
Forget following spoor for hours. These hunts are built around careful observation, good glassing and planning your stalk before taking the first step. Both species spend much of their time in more open country, so the wind, the terrain and your timing become far more important than simply covering ground. Sable have a habit of looking magnificent just as they step behind the only tree within three hundred yards. Roan aren't much more accommodating.
Patience wins again. A mature bull of either species is a trophy any hunter would be proud to take. Collecting both on the same hunting trip is something many hunters only achieve after several visits to Africa.
Most visitors think the day ends when the rifles go back into their cases. For hunters on this package, it's often just changing gear.
As darkness falls, attention turns to species that rarely show themselves during daylight. Bushpig, spotted hyena, genet and jackal all require different tactics, different equipment and a willingness to wait. It's one of the reasons Hyena Hunts and other specialist night hunts are considered some of Africa's most rewarding hunting experiences.
Night hunting isn't about covering miles of country. It's about patience, quiet conversation and paying attention to every sound around you. Bushpig Hunting demands exactly the same patience. Bushpig have an uncanny ability to arrive five minutes after you've convinced yourself they're not coming, and they rarely give you a second chance if they catch your scent or detect movement around the bait.
A mature spotted hyena is a different challenge altogether. Intelligent, cautious and constantly assessing its surroundings, it quickly punishes careless movement or impatience. Spend an evening watching one work its way towards a bait and you'll understand why experienced hunters have so much respect for the species.
Not every part of South Africa can offer this variety of hunting in one location. Limpopo can.
The province combines productive river systems, thick bushveld, open plains and well-managed wildlife areas, allowing very different species to be hunted without spending days travelling between concessions. That's one of the biggest advantages of this package. Instead of losing valuable hunting time on the road, you're spending your days adapting to new species and new challenges. Limpopo has earned its reputation over many decades. Excellent game management, experienced Professional Hunters and healthy wildlife populations continue to make it one of Africa's leading hunting destinations.
For a hunting trip built around eleven very different species, there's no better place to do it.
Getting to camp is straightforward. Your hunting trip begins in Johannesburg at O.R. Tambo International Airport. From there, a short domestic flight to Hoedspruit places you within easy reach of the hunting area. Depending on your international arrival time, an overnight stay in Johannesburg may make the journey more comfortable. Many hunters choose this option before continuing to Limpopo the following morning. On arrival in Hoedspruit you'll be met by Wayne or a member of his team before the short transfer to camp. From there, everything is taken care of.
If you're travelling with your own rifle, your outfitter will assist with the invitation letters and documentation required for a temporary firearm import permit. It's a process thousands of visiting hunters complete every year, and with the correct paperwork it's usually straightforward.
You'll have the choice of a luxury tented camp or a four-star hunting lodge, both offering comfortable en-suite accommodation, daily housekeeping and laundry service.
Evenings are spent doing what hunters have always done—talking about the day's events. Sometimes it's the buffalo that slipped away. Sometimes it's the bushpig that appeared exactly when nobody expected it. Those conversations are often remembered just as clearly as the trophies. Meals are hearty, prepared using fresh local ingredients, while local beer, South African wines and soft drinks are included throughout your stay. Observers are well catered for too. One guided day in Kruger National Park is included, making this an enjoyable hunting trip for non-hunting companions as well.
One of the advantages of hunting in South Africa is that the season extends throughout the year.
The cooler months between May and October remain the most popular with international hunters. Vegetation is thinner, temperatures are comfortable and game is generally easier to locate around natural water sources. Summer brings greener landscapes and warmer weather. Hunting can still be excellent, although afternoon thunderstorms are more common. Because this package combines river hunting, dangerous game, plains game and nocturnal species, the best time to hunt depends more on your priorities than on the calendar. Wayne can help you choose the dates that best suit the species you most want to pursue.
Destination
Limpopo Province, South Africa
Duration
11 Nights / 10 Full Hunting Days
Species Included
• Trophy Hippo
• Cape Buffalo (<40")
• Sable
• Roan
• Spotted Hyena
• Honey Badger
• Bushpig
• Baboon
• Vervet Monkey
• Jackal
• Genet
Package Price
US$29,900 per Hunter
Included Trophies
• Trophy Hippo
• Cape Buffalo (<40")
• Sable
• Roan
• Spotted Hyena
• Honey Badger
• Bushpig
• Baboon
• Vervet Monkey
• Jackal
• Genet
Also Included
• One observer at no additional charge
• One guided day in Kruger National Park
• Complimentary safari DVD
Optional
Rifle hire: US$400 for the duration of the hunting trip.
Additional observers: US$250 per person per night.
Can I export all the trophies?
Yes. All species included in the package are exportable, subject to your country's import regulations.
Can I add extra animals?
Yes. If opportunities arise during the hunt, additional species can usually be added at the current trophy fee rates.
Can I bring my own rifle?
Absolutely. You're welcome to travel with your own firearm, or hire a rifle for the duration of the hunt.
Is this suitable for a first African hunting trip?
Yes. Although the package includes dangerous game, you'll be guided throughout by an experienced Professional Hunter and a skilled team of trackers.
Can I bring my spouse?
Yes. One observer is included and additional observers are welcome. The accommodation, hospitality and Kruger National Park excursion make this an enjoyable trip for non-hunters as well.
Some hunting trips are remembered for a single trophy. Others are remembered because every day brings a completely different challenge. This is one of those hunting trips. You'll leave with a trophy hippo, buffalo, outstanding plains game and some stories about Africa after dark that are probably best told around another campfire.
If you'd like to understand how packages like this compare with other safaris, take a look at our guide to African Hunting Safari Prices before planning your adventure. If you're looking for a Hunt that showcases just how diverse African hunting can be, we'd be pleased to help you plan it. Contact the Game Hunting Safaris team to discuss available dates, ask questions about the hunt or customise the package to suit your hunting goals.
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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