Trophy Hunting in Zimbabwe, Plains Game in Matetsi Unit 2
Booking Season: 2026
Hunt Difficulty: Moderate
Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
The lodge is set on a small hill overlooking a classic Matetsi valley, with wide views across the surrounding bush. Accommodation is in three thatched rondavels, each with an en-suite bathroom and air conditioning. Wi-Fi is available in camp.The lodge has 220V electricity with a backup generator. A separate thatched area includes the bar, dining space, and fire pit,
Matetsi Unit 2 is an 80,000-acre free-range concession near Victoria Falls, renowned for exceptional leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo, and black-maned lion hunting. It is also one of only two areas in Zimbabwe where Roan antelope permits may be obtained.
| Fence Type: | Free-range |
| Nearest Airport Name: | Victoria Falls International Airport |
| Transfer From Airport: | Yes |
Matetsi Unit 2 is proper leopard country, and this 14-day safari is built for hunters who understand that leopard hunts are not rushed. The hunt takes place in a large free-range concession in one of Zimbabwe’s respected hunting areas, with baiting, tracks, trail cameras, and long hours in the blind all part of the process.
For hunters planning on hunting in Zimbabwe, this is a focused leopard hunting in Zimbabwe package with the time and setup needed to do the hunt properly.
Leopard occupies a unique place in Big Five Hunting. While buffalo and elephant are usually found by following fresh spoor, leopard hunting is built around careful preparation, patience, and precision. Every bait, every track, and every trail camera image helps build the story, until a mature tom finally appears and weeks of planning come down to a single moment.
This all-inclusive leopard safari covers your daily rates, trophy fee, luxury safari accommodation, all meals, snacks, local beers, wine and soft drinks, daily laundry service, services of your Professional Hunter, trackers, skinners and camp staff, on-territory hunting vehicles, field preparation of your leopard trophy, government levies and taxes, together with return road transfers to and from Victoria Falls.
Hunters should budget separately for international travel, optional observers, rifle hire (if required), taxidermy, trophy shipping, gratuities, and the Zimbabwe government fees associated with leopard hunting.
Matetsi Safari Areas
Matetsi is one of Zimbabwe’s most respected hunting areas, and not without reason. These concessions hold strong populations of lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, and leopard, making the area well suited to dangerous game hunts as well as focused leopard safaris. There is also good plains game and several specialty species, with sable being a major draw here, and yes, the “Prince of Africa” title is not handed out for nothing.
The wider Matetsi Safari Area is made up of seven separate concessions, covering more than 1,200 square miles of hunting country. The blocks stretch from Hwange National Park in the south toward the Zambezi River in the north, with the Matetsi River running through the southern sections.
Total Cost of the Leopard Hunt US$ 30 965
Although leopard remains the primary focus of this safari, Matetsi Unit 2 also offers an excellent variety of Plains Game Hunts and selected dangerous game species, allowing hunters to make the most of their time in one of Zimbabwe's premier hunting concessions. Popular additions include Cape Buffalo (US$6,500), Livingstone Eland (US$3,000), Greater Kudu (US$2,000), Waterbuck (US$2,200), Burchell's Zebra (US$1,400), Bushbuck (US$850), Klipspringer (US$1,000), Sharpe's Grysbok (US$750), Impala (US$300), Common Duiker (US$250), Steenbok (US$350), Warthog (US$450), and Roan (US$7,000 – permit required).
For hunters who enjoy the challenge of hunting after dark, Matetsi is also an excellent destination for Spotted Hyena Hunts (US$600), with opportunities to pursue hyena over bait or by calling, depending on conditions. Other available night and speciality species include Jackal (US$350), Civet (US$300), Serval (US$400), Genet (US$300), Porcupine (US$400), African Wild Cat (US$300), and Baboon (US$150). While often overlooked, Baboon Hunts remain one of Africa's most challenging and underrated spot-and-stalk pursuits, demanding sharp observation, quick shooting, and plenty of patience.
Getting to Matetsi is straightforward for international hunters. Most visitors arrive at Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), where they are met by their Professional Hunter or a member of the safari team before making the comfortable road transfer to camp. The journey passes through classic Zimbabwean bushveld and offers an excellent introduction to one of Africa's most celebrated dangerous game regions.
Because Victoria Falls is less than an hour from the Matetsi Safari Area, many hunters choose to arrive a day or two before the safari begins or extend their stay after the hunt. Visiting the world-famous Victoria Falls, enjoying a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, or spending time exploring the surrounding national parks makes an excellent addition to any Zimbabwe hunting safari, particularly for those travelling with a non-hunting companion.
Accommodation is provided in a comfortable safari camp designed for hunters spending long days in the field. Spacious en-suite chalets or safari tents, excellent home-style meals, attentive camp staff, daily housekeeping and laundry service, and comfortable communal areas provide everything needed between morning bait checks, afternoons on the tracks, and long evenings waiting over active baits.
Although the camp offers all the comforts expected on a modern safari, it never loses its authentic African atmosphere. Evenings are often spent around the campfire discussing trail camera photographs, fresh spoor found during the day, and making plans for the next morning—because on a leopard hunt, tomorrow can change everything.
No other African dangerous game hunt asks the same question as Leopard Hunting:
Can you keep believing when nothing seems to be happening?
Buffalo leave tracks to follow. Elephant move through the bush every day. Even lion often announce their presence long before you see them. Leopard are different. A mature tom can visit a bait after dark, disappear before first light, and leave nothing behind except a few tracks in the dust and a trail camera photograph that tells you he was there while everyone slept.
That is why patience becomes the hunter's greatest asset. Days are spent checking baits, reading fresh sign, studying camera images, and making small adjustments that may seem insignificant at the time. A branch moved here. A bait shifted there. A blind repositioned by a few yards. Each decision quietly builds towards a single opportunity. Then everything changes.
A mature tom commits to the bait. The blind falls silent. The trackers know exactly which leopard has arrived, and weeks of preparation come down to a few minutes where calm judgement matters more than anything else.
That is what separates leopard from every other dangerous game animal. Success is rarely measured by how much ground you covered, but by how well you prepared for the one opportunity that may never come again.
Zimbabwe remains one of Africa's most hunter-friendly destinations when it comes to travelling with sporting firearms, and the temporary import process is generally straightforward for international hunters arriving with the correct documentation.
Many hunters choose to bring their own rifle rather than hire one. Confidence in your firearm, knowing how it handles under pressure, understanding its trajectory, and trusting how your chosen bullet performs can make a real difference when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself. On a leopard safari, where Leopard Shot Placement is critical and opportunities may last only a few seconds, familiarity with your rifle is often worth far more than the name engraved on the barrel.
Hunters may import up to three sporting firearms for hunting purposes together with a maximum of 100 rounds of ammunition per rifle. Temporary rifle import permits are issued free of charge and can normally be obtained on arrival at your port of entry.
Firearms must comply with Zimbabwe's hunting regulations. Fully automatic and semi-automatic rifles are not permitted, with the exception of semi-automatic shotguns used for bird hunting. Black powder rifles are permitted for hunting provided they are .40 calibre or larger.
Handguns are subject to additional restrictions and may only be used on private or communal hunting areas with special approval from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA). They are not permitted on government hunting concessions such as Matetsi.
As with any international hunting safari, we recommend confirming the latest firearm import requirements before travelling. The Game Hunting Safaris team and your outfitter will gladly assist with current documentation requirements and answer any questions before your departure.
Zimbabwe has earned its reputation as one of Africa's premier leopard hunting destinations through consistency rather than luck. Healthy leopard populations, experienced Professional Hunters, well-managed hunting concessions, and generations of knowledge built around baiting and tracking continue to produce outstanding results year after year.
Matetsi Unit 2 brings all of those qualities together in one safari. Fourteen full hunting days provide the time needed to let the hunt unfold naturally, while the concession's mix of riverine habitat, mature leopard populations, and carefully managed hunting pressure creates the conditions serious leopard hunters look for.
If you're comparing different African Hunting Trips, Zimbabwe remains one of the strongest choices for a traditional free-range leopard safari. Success is never guaranteed, nor should it be, but few countries combine hunting heritage, experienced leopard operators, and authentic wilderness as consistently as Zimbabwe.
Before making your final decision, it's also worth comparing the overall investment. Our guide to African Hunting Safari Prices explains how daily rates, trophy fees, travel costs, charter transfers, and destination all contribute to the total safari cost, helping you choose the hunt that best matches your expectations and budget.
Whether you hunt in Zimbabwe or elsewhere in Africa, the right safari is the one that fits your hunting style, expectations, and goals. If that destination happens to be Zimbabwe, Matetsi Unit 2 represents exactly the kind of traditional leopard safari that has made the country one of Africa's benchmark destinations for free-range leopard hunting.
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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