Zimbabwe Hunting Areas: A Complete Regional Guide

Zimbabwe's hunting concessions span five major ecological regions, each with distinct terrain, climate, species composition, and hunting character. Choosing the right area for your target species, fitness level, and accommodation preferences is one of the most consequential decisions in planning your safari.

The table below provides a quick comparison to help narrow your options.

Region	Best For	Daily Rate Range	Physical Difficulty
Zambezi Valley	Big 5, Buffalo, Elephant, Leopard	$1,500 to $3,500	Hard
Save Valley	Buffalo, Leopard, Plains Game	$1,200 to $2,500	Moderate
Matetsi	Sable, Buffalo, Leopard	$1,200 to $2,500	Moderate
Bubye Valley	Lion, Buffalo, Plains Game	$1,500 to $3,000	Moderate
Hwange	Elephant, Sable, Plains Game	$1,200 to $2,500	Moderate

Each region has its own advocates among professional hunters and returning clients. The "best" area depends entirely on what you want from your safari. A hunter seeking the wildest, most remote experience will gravitate toward the Zambezi Valley. A first-timer wanting comfort and quality will love the Save Valley. A sable enthusiast has only one destination: Matetsi.

The Zambezi Valley is Zimbabwe's premier hunting destination and arguably the finest dangerous game area in all of Africa. Stretching along the country's northern border with Zambia, it encompasses the Dande communal lands, the Chewore Safari Area, the Sapi Safari Area, and numerous private concessions that together form one of the largest contiguous wilderness areas remaining in southern Africa.

The landscape is defined by the dramatic Zambezi escarpment, which drops over 600 metres from the highveld plateau into the valley floor. The lower valley is hot, dry mopane woodland and jesse bush, cut by seasonal rivers and drainage lines that become the arteries of wildlife movement during the dry season. As water becomes scarce from June onward, animals concentrate around the permanent water of the Zambezi River and its major tributaries, creating some of the highest game densities in Africa.

Why hunt here: The Zambezi Valley offers full Big 5 hunting capability. Buffalo herds of 200 to 500 animals move through the valley in the dry season. The Dande and Chewore areas produce some of the finest elephant ivory in southern Africa, with bulls regularly carrying 50 lb tusks per side. Leopard populations in the escarpment country are healthy and well-managed, and the traditional baiting along the rocky drainage lines is exceptionally productive. The valley also holds the majority of Zimbabwe's very limited lion quota.

What to expect: Remote bush camps or comfortable tented operations, depending on the outfitter. Temperatures regularly exceed 40 degrees Celsius from September onward. The hunting is physically demanding, with 15 to 25 km of walking per day through thick bush. This is not an area for the unfit or the faint-hearted. It is, however, the most authentic and rewarding wilderness hunting experience available in Africa.

Best for: Experienced dangerous game hunters seeking buffalo, elephant, and leopard in genuinely wild conditions.

The Save Valley Conservancy is Southern Africa's largest private wildlife area, covering approximately 3,400 square kilometres in the southeastern lowveld of Zimbabwe between the towns of Masvingo and Chiredzi. It was created in the early 1990s when a group of cattle ranchers, facing drought, depressed cattle prices, and escalating human-wildlife conflict, made the bold decision to remove their fences and pool their properties into a single wildlife conservancy.

The gamble paid off spectacularly. The SVC now supports some of Zimbabwe's densest wildlife populations, with buffalo, leopard, kudu, eland, sable, and a full complement of plains game thriving across the mixed mopane and combretum woodland. The Save River cuts through the conservancy, creating lush riverine forest that is prime leopard habitat.

Why hunt here: Outstanding buffalo density, with herds regularly exceeding 100 animals. Leopard baiting along the Save River drainage system is consistently productive. The conservancy also offers excellent kudu, eland, zebra, and other plains game. Camp conditions are generally more comfortable than the Zambezi Valley, with modern lodges and well-appointed tented camps.

What to expect: Moderate temperatures compared to the Zambezi, easier access (3 to 4 hours by road from Harare or a short charter flight), and well-maintained road networks within the conservancy. The hunting is still walk-and-stalk, but the terrain is less punishing than the valley.

Best for: First-time African hunters seeking a quality dangerous game experience in comfortable conditions. The SVC is also excellent for combination hunts pairing buffalo with leopard and plains game.

The Matetsi Safari Area lies in northwestern Zimbabwe, a short drive from Victoria Falls and the Kazungula border crossing into Botswana. The area sits on deep Kalahari sand deposits, covered with beautiful teak woodland that gives way to mixed bushveld and open grassland.

Matetsi is synonymous with sable antelope. The area has produced more record-book sable than almost any other hunting destination in Africa, with mature bulls regularly measuring 42 to 46 inches. The deep sand and mixed woodland provide ideal habitat for these magnificent animals, and the limited hunting pressure keeps the genetic quality exceptionally high.

Why hunt here: Legendary sable antelope that are among the finest in Africa. Good buffalo hunting in the open woodland. Productive leopard baiting along the numerous drainage lines. Beautiful Kalahari sandveld terrain that is visually stunning and a pleasure to hunt. The proximity to Victoria Falls (approximately 90 minutes by road) allows hunters to combine a world-class safari with a visit to one of the Natural Wonders of the World.

What to expect: Comfortable camps set in scenic teak woodland. Deep sand makes vehicle travel slow, but the walking is generally easier than the rocky Zambezi terrain. Temperatures are moderate by Zimbabwe standards. Day trips to Victoria Falls can be arranged on rest days.

Best for: Sable enthusiasts who want the best chance at a truly exceptional bull. Hunters seeking a combination safari that includes sable, buffalo, leopard, and a tourism element around Victoria Falls.

The Bubye Valley Conservancy in southern Zimbabwe is one of Africa's great conservation success stories. What was once degraded cattle ranching land has been transformed into a thriving 3,500 square kilometre wildlife area that now supports Africa's third-largest lion population, estimated at over 500 lions.

The conservancy sits in the lowveld between the Bubye and Nuanetsi rivers, dominated by mopane woodland with areas of mixed bushveld and open grassland. The biodiversity is remarkable. In addition to lions, Bubye supports healthy populations of buffalo, leopard, elephant, wild dog, and both black and white rhinoceros (the latter species not huntable but an indicator of the area's conservation success).

Why hunt here: Exceptional lion density makes Bubye one of the most reliable lion hunting destinations on the continent. Buffalo hunting is outstanding, with herds of 100 to 300 animals moving through the mopane. Leopard populations are healthy and increasing. The plains game diversity includes kudu, eland, zebra, impala, and wildebeest.

What to expect: Comfortable lodge and tented camp accommodation. Lowveld heat, but generally more moderate than the Zambezi. Good road networks and relatively easy access. The hunting terrain is varied, from dense mopane thickets to open grassland.

Best for: Lion hunters. Trophy buffalo seekers. Hunters wanting a complete dangerous game experience with multiple species in a productive, well-managed conservancy.

The greater Hwange ecosystem is anchored by Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest protected area at over 14,600 square kilometres. The ecosystem as a whole, including surrounding hunting concessions, supports an estimated 44,000 elephants, making it one of the highest elephant densities in Africa.

The landscape is classic Kalahari sandveld: flat to gently undulating terrain covered with mixed teak and mopane woodland, intersected by fossil river channels and dotted with natural and pumped waterholes. During the dry season, these waterholes become magnets for wildlife. It is not uncommon to sit at a waterhole in the Hwange area and watch 200 to 300 elephants come to drink in a single afternoon.

Why hunt here: Massive elephant herds with good trophy quality. The hunting concessions surrounding the national park benefit from the constant movement of elephants through the area. Hwange also produces excellent sable antelope and a wide variety of plains game including kudu, eland, zebra, and wildebeest.

What to expect: Kalahari sandveld terrain that is relatively flat and easy to walk. Pumped waterholes concentrate game, making the hunting less physically demanding than the Zambezi Valley. Camp conditions range from comfortable tented operations to lodge accommodation. Moderate temperatures by Zimbabwe standards.

Best for: Elephant hunters seeking consistently good trophy quality. Sable enthusiasts. Hunters wanting a combination safari that pairs elephant with multiple plains game species in a productive and scenic area.