Save Valley Cape Buffalo & Plains Game Safari
Booking Season: 2026
Hunt Difficulty: Difficult
Designed by Hunters, for Hunters
Comfortable safari tented accommodation in the Save Valley hunting area, with en-suite bathrooms, hot and cold running water, daily meals, housekeeping, and camp staff. The lodge is practical and comfortable for a 10-day crocodile, hippo, hyena, and bushbuck safari in Zimbabwe.
Free-range hunting area in the Save Valley Conservancy, one of Zimbabwe’s best-known dangerous game regions. The area offers river systems, waterholes, thick bush, and open country suited to crocodile, hippo, spotted hyena, Limpopo bushbuck, and other plains game. Hunting is conducted with experienced PHs, trackers, and camp staff.
| Fence Type: | Free-range |
| Nearest Airport Name: | Harare International Airport |
| Nearest Airport Distance: | Approximately 5 hours by road |
| Nearest Town Name: | Harare |
| Nearest Town Distance: | Approximately 5 hours by road |
| Transfer From Airport: | Yes |
Experience hippo hunting in Zimbabwe, with the Save Valley Conservancy offering exceptional free-range African safari experiences, combining dangerous game and plains game in one of the country’s most productive wildlife areas. This 10-day safari includes trophy Nile crocodile, spotted hyena, hippo, and bushbuck, delivering a diverse and highly rewarding hunt in vast, unfenced wilderness with experienced professional hunters.
While hippo and crocodile are the headline species, this safari showcases why Zimbabwe remains one of Africa's premier destinations for big game hunting. The Save Valley's extensive river systems, thick riverine forests, and open bushveld create ideal habitat for a wide range of iconic African game, allowing hunters to pursue multiple species during a single safari while experiencing the traditional fair-chase hunting that has made Zimbabwe famous among dangerous game hunters worldwide.
Price: US$24,300 All-In
Duration: 10 Hunting Days / 11 Nights
Hunter Ratio: 1 Hunter : 1 Dangerous Game Professional Hunter
Species Included:
Observers Welcome: US$350 per person per day
Your safari price has been structured to include virtually everything required for your hunt in Zimbabwe, allowing you to focus on the safari rather than unexpected additional costs.
Included in your package are:
The following items remain the hunter's responsibility:
Hunters will fly into Harare International Airport, the main arrival point for this Save Valley safari. If your international flight lands after 13h00, an overnight stay in Harare may be needed, as the road transfer to camp takes approximately five hours.
Harare is a practical entry point for hunting in Zimbabwe, with connecting flights available from O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Airlink and Air Zimbabwe operate this route, with a flight time of around two hours.
Chris will assist with travel arrangements and make sure the transfer from Harare to the hunting area is properly coordinated.
Accommodation is in comfortable safari tents at the Save Valley hunting lodge, set inside the hunting area. The tents include en-suite bathrooms, hot and cold running water, and showers, giving hunters practical and comfortable safari tented accommodation in Zimbabwe after a day in the field.
Meals are prepared daily in camp, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Game meat from the hunt may also be served, and bushbuck is especially good if prepared well.
For a 10-day dangerous game safari in Zimbabwe, the lodge keeps things simple: good food, a hot shower, and a proper place to rest before the next day’s hunting.
Save Valley Crocodile, Hippo, Hyena & Bushbuck Hunt
The Save Valley is one of Zimbabwe’s best-known free-range hunting areas, and this 10-day safari brings together a strong mix of water-based dangerous game and classic bushveld hunting. The package includes trophy Nile crocodile, trophy bull hippo, spotted hyena, and Limpopo bushbuck, giving hunters a varied safari with very different hunting methods across the same concession.
Hippo hunting in Zimbabwe is one of the main parts of this safari. Hippo are powerful, territorial animals, and when they are hunted near water, the margin for error is small. Hunters should understand hippo shot placement before arriving in camp, as a poor shot can quickly result in a lost trophy in deep water.
The Save Valley’s rivers and waterholes also make this a strong area for crocodile hunting in Zimbabwe. Crocodile hunting is a patient game, often involving careful observation along riverbanks and water edges where big crocodiles bask. Proper crocodile shot placement is critical, as a wounded crocodile can disappear into the water within seconds.
Spotted hyena adds a completely different challenge to the safari. Hyena hunts in Zimbabwe are usually about patience, timing, and understanding how these cautious predators move after dark. Hyena hunts are often done over bait, with the PH reading tracks, calls, and night activity before deciding where to sit.
Hyena calls across the bush at night are part of what makes this hunt feel properly African, and taking a mature spotted hyena is a far more interesting trophy than many hunters first realise.
Limpopo bushbuck brings a quieter but rewarding plains game element to the package. Bushbuck are usually found in thick cover near river systems and waterholes, and they are not easy animals to approach. Sharp eyes, slow movement, and a steady shot all matter.
This is a proper dangerous game hunts package, but it is not only about danger. The appeal is in the variety: hippo near the water, crocodile on the banks, hyena after dark, and bushbuck in the thick stuff. Each species asks something different from the hunter, which is what makes this Save Valley safari such a strong combination hunt.
Quota for these animals is limited, especially exportable hippo and crocodile, so availability should be confirmed before travel dates are planned.
Few African safaris offer the diversity found in this Save Valley package. Over ten hunting days, you'll stalk one of Africa's most powerful animals along the water's edge, wait patiently for an ancient Nile crocodile to expose itself on a riverbank, spend long evenings pursuing a wary spotted hyena, and finish the safari hunting one of Zimbabwe's most underrated plains game trophies in the thick riverine bush.
Each species demands a different approach, making every day in the field feel fresh and rewarding. Combined with the vast free-range wilderness of the Save Valley Conservancy, veteran Professional Hunters, and one of Zimbabwe's richest game populations, this is the kind of safari that appeals to hunters looking for more than a single trophy.
Whether your goal is to add a mature hippo or crocodile to your collection, hunt a spotted hyena, or simply experience one of Zimbabwe's premier hunting concessions, this safari delivers an authentic African hunt built around fair chase, diverse hunting opportunities, and unforgettable days in truly wild country.
Whether this Save Valley safari is your first dangerous game hunt or another chapter in a lifetime of African adventures, careful planning always leads to a better safari. From choosing the right destination and species combination to understanding what's included in a package, a little research before booking can make all the difference.
If you're still comparing destinations or looking for other free-range safari options, explore our collection of Hunting Trips to discover packages across Southern and East Africa. And if you're budgeting for a future safari, our guide to African Hunting Safari Prices explains the factors that influence costs, what's typically included, and how to compare hunting packages with confidence.
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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