Ever wonder why we dont hear much about Zambia here???

[sestoppelman]

Well, I can now tell you, if you didn't already know, I sort of did. The high cost!! Holy smokes. As some of you know a while back I announced like a fool that I had a plan to hunt Burkina Faso for roan, buffalo etc. It was getting close to booking. Then BF sort of fell apart with terror attacks from ISIS, Boko Haram and probably others. The country is currently a basket case. So shoot! Then Benin looked like a good alternative; same general area and species, costs etc. Then incursions from BF were happening into the hunting areas of Benin's northern border with BF! Oh great, so for the time being that is scratched as well, though its not as dicey as BF and perhaps will become viable again soon, we hope. There are others here who had/have similar plans.

So I started looking at Zambia, a country I have long wanted to hunt. In fact my first safari was to have been there, in 1985, but a better offer came to me and I ended up in Tanzania for a first hunt. Boo hoo right?

So started looking for a hunt in Zambia for roan, Cooksons wildebeest, hyena!!, puku and perhaps bushbuck etc. Got some pretty fast answers to my inquiries. As my old dad used to say, I nearly fell off the Christmas tree when I started seeing some of the associated costs and high trophy fees! Good grief! The least expensive quote for roan was $6000 US, just the trophy fee! When factoring in high concession fees for any govt land hunt, the usual sky high transfer and charter fees, high daily rates, the whole thing is well over $30K not counting R/T airfare and other associated costs. It could easily top $40K all in.

I can live with some things, but I will be damned if I will pay upwards of 6-7K for one relatively common animal, not gonna happen. I actually had one quote of 15K for a roan!

So back to the drawing board. I have gone back and forth with a couple of outfitters/agents and one or two are still working on better offers so will reserve final judgment until all offers are seen. It might still happen...

I know there are agents here that offer hunts in Zambia, and I have been in touch with at least one here and another that used to be here. Others don't seem to have what I am looking for. No disrespect meant to anyone.

This is just my opinion and maybe I am all wet, but I think it may explain why we don't see much about Zambia here. Unless someone comes up with a great and reasonable offer I will be looking elsewhere.

Please don't ask me here, if I have contacted any specific outfitter/agents, PM me if you like. Chances are I already have or for my own reasons choose not to.

 

[Scott CWO]

Yes Zambia is expensive, as is Tanzania. Mozambique and Zim are a bit cheaper but all open range areas are more expensive than South Africa ranch hunting. PM me with who you are talking with so we can compare notes. A friend and I are headed to Zambia in 2022. We are planning ahead to get certain animals in certain areas with low quotas available.

 

[sestoppelman]

PM sent.

 

[BenKK]

What’s a Zambian buffalo hunt cost?

 

[Fastrig]

Sounds like they have priced themselves out of the market, or simply don’t want much hunting any longer

 

[sestoppelman]

I don't know... the ones I heard back from all seem happy to provide prices and even some options. But all the options pretty much amount to the same thing, expensive! Maybe its just me. Getting old, and curmudgeonly about how much is too much, LOL.

 

[spike.t]

Sounds like they have priced themselves out of the market, or simply don’t want much hunting any longer

The big problem is people see S.A. prices where they seem to be cutting each others throats in offering cheaper and cheaper hunts.....government areas in Zambia.. Tanzania etc are expensive to operate in ....Zambia isn't cheap all round....Roan arent considered common species but a premium one....cooksons are only found in the luangwa valley and quotas aren't big.....we ourselves are way more expensive than S.A. game ranches/reserves and when I give quotes to people even cutting as much ofi as I can ... you get but in S.A. I can have it for this price...and we never hear from them again..... Maybe Roan are common in S.A. due to the industrial breeding programmes they have...same for sable including Zambian ones that were taken there years ago....now after the bubble has mostly burst in the game sales arena they are being offloaded at ridiculously cheap prices for what we consider two premium classic species.... So yeah don't go comparing pricing in other countries to the S.A. model.... Hunting in Zambia.. Tanzania.. Mozambique etc is a different world and experience..... Each to his own......and what can be afforded..... And before I am jumped on I am not bashing Hunting in S.A. it's great they can provide Hunting for people on such a cheap basis.....but as I said don't compare it to other countries....

 

[sestoppelman]

I for one didn't compare to RSA prices, in fact it never entered my mind when searching Za prices. Its a given that their prices and Namibia are the lowest. But even compared to TZ, Zambia is high, especially some of the air charter rates I have seen. Like nearly 7K from one camp to another, I know that's not the outfitters fault but it is insane pricing. Only an idiot or the more well heeled idiot would pay such outrageous fares, which is about 3 times what it cost to fly round trip from the states!! Its just stupid. Like I said above, guess I am getting old and cranky! LOL.

 

[steve ahrenberg]

For anyone whom hasn't had the pleasure of hunting Zambia, do it. I've hunted Zambia 8-9 times over the years. I also hunted Tanzania the last three trips. I honestly cannot compare the two. IN MY OPINION, Zambia is; wilder, friendlier, better control of poaching (not even close). The concessions I've hunted in Zambia are Nyaminga, Chanjuzi, Tondwa, Nkala, Bangweulu and Kafue Flats. Been on but not hunted Schifulu and Chifunda. I only left Zambia because I have just a few species left un-hunted, they are not endemic to Zambia.

Zambia offers many, many Zambia only species. The airport is much faster to go through, less graft, It's citizens are far friendlier.

You need to shop around more if you think Zambia has priced itself out.

 

[Wheels]

What’s a Zambian buffalo hunt cost?

Michael @Mbizi Safaris gave me a very fair price on a Luangwa buffalo. You might want to pm him.

At DSC, Shawn Bird with Balla Balla had a show special on a high fence buffalo for $10k on apx. 10,000/a. You might contact @JES Adventures for more information.

@cpr0312 did a 2x1 with Strang Middleton. I think cpr's partner shot a buff in the Luangwa. You might contact cpr.

In no way is this exhaustive, just off the top of my head. Hopefully this might help.

 

[sestoppelman]

Thanks, not looking for buffalo this time out. I have contacted those you mention.

 

[Philip Glass]

Well, I can now tell you, if you didn't already know, I sort of did. The high cost!! Holy smokes. As some of you know a while back I announced like a fool that I had a plan to hunt Burkina Faso for roan, buffalo etc. It was getting close to booking. Then BF sort of fell apart with terror attacks from ISIS, Boko Haram and probably others. The country is currently a basket case. So shoot! Then Benin looked like a good alternative; same general area and species, costs etc. Then incursions from BF were happening into the hunting areas of Benin's northern border with BF! Oh great, so for the time being that is scratched as well, though its not as dicey as BF and perhaps will become viable again soon, we hope. There are others here who had/have similar plans.

So I started looking at Zambia, a country I have long wanted to hunt. In fact my first safari was to have been there, in 1985, but a better offer came to me and I ended up in Tanzania for a first hunt. Boo hoo right?

So started looking for a hunt in Zambia for roan, Cooksons wildebeest, hyena!!, puku and perhaps bushbuck etc. Got some pretty fast answers to my inquiries. As my old dad used to say, I nearly fell off the Christmas tree when I started seeing some of the associated costs and high trophy fees! Good grief! The least expensive quote for roan was $6000 US, just the trophy fee! When factoring in high concession fees for any govt land hunt, the usual sky high transfer and charter fees, high daily rates, the whole thing is well over $30K not counting R/T airfare and other associated costs. It could easily top $40K all in.

I can live with some things, but I will be damned if I will pay upwards of 6-7K for one relatively common animal, not gonna happen. I actually had one quote of 15K for a roan!

So back to the drawing board. I have gone back and forth with a couple of outfitters/agents and one or two are still working on better offers so will reserve final judgment until all offers are seen. It might still happen...

I know there are agents here that offer hunts in Zambia, and I have been in touch with at least one here and another that used to be here. Others don't seem to have what I am looking for. No disrespect meant to anyone.

This is just my opinion and maybe I am all wet, but I think it may explain why we don't see much about Zambia here. Unless someone comes up with a great and reasonable offer I will be looking elsewhere.

Please don't ask me here, if I have contacted any specific outfitter/agents, PM me if you like. Chances are I already have or for my own reasons choose not to.

Free range, truly wild roan is expensive! Usually about $10K. Where have you found free range roan for cheap? You can go wack one from the back of a truck in SA but that’s not quite the same experience.
I too was just nearly booked on a hunt in BF before the terrorists took over, the camp I was going to was burned to the ground by ISIS! I am now going to Cameroon and hoping for LDE, Roan, Buffalo and as much else as gets in my way! So maybe consider Cameroon?
Best of luck planning.
Philip

 

[sestoppelman]

I have considered it, but like BF and Benin, much of it is level 4 "do not travel to" areas. From the state dept site;

Do Not Travel to:

• North, Far North, Northwest and Southwest Regions, and Parts of East and Adamawa Regions due to crime and kidnapping.
• Far North Region due to terrorism.
• Northwest and Southwest Regions due to armed conflict.

Really like to that part of the world simmer down a bit first..

 

[spike.t]

What’s a Zambian buffalo hunt cost?

Around USD 16000 for most govt areas...give or take...

 

[BenKK]

Around USD 16000 for most govt areas...give or take...

Seems comparable to other prices in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, even some deals in Tanzania.

Would that include pick-up and road transfers from the capital city’s airport? Or are charters a necessity?

 

[WAB]

I’ve hunted Zambia for buffalo. It was similar in cost to Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The Upper Luangwa valley is a special place.

 

[spike.t]

Seems comparable to other prices in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, even some deals in Tanzania.

Would that include pick-up and road transfers from the capital city’s airport? Or are charters a necessity?

Depends on which areas. For some of the luangwa ones you Can fly from Lusaka to mfuwe commercial then some hours drive....time of drive depending on area but can be a few hours. Kafue areas can drive to from Lusaka but takes a while again...why a lot choose charters. Whether charged for the vehicle transport would be up to the operator...but it's fuel and wear and tear on vehicles....so don't think a charge is unreasonable.... But as I said depends on the operator and what deal you have made. Zambia is quite a big place to get around and there are no motorways like in S.A. tar roads can be good to pretty crap...dirt roads nice if just been graded ...otherwise not so great....but you get used to it charters can look expensive but unless you can cross dates with other hunters either flying in or out on same plane to share costs the aircraft will be flying one leg empty... I think there maybe couple of small planes put at mfuwe by the charter companies, but the rest are based at Lusaka airport that are used by hunters.

 

[Hank2211]

Free range, truly wild roan is expensive! Usually about $10K. Where have you found free range roan for cheap? You can go wack one from the back of a truck in SA but that’s not quite the same experience.
I too was just nearly booked on a hunt in BF before the terrorists took over, the camp I was going to was burned to the ground by ISIS! I am now going to Cameroon and hoping for LDE, Roan, Buffalo and as much else as gets in my way! So maybe consider Cameroon?
Best of luck planning.
Philip

Benin has free range roan which is pretty reasonable. If memory serves (and it can fail!) I paid a trophy fee of about 1500 Euros two or three years ago. Day rates were about $12,900 for a 12 day safari, so all in less than $15K for the whole thing. If that still sounds expensive, don't forget I added a lot more animals - to name just two - the buffalo (western savannah) cost $1000 and the hippo $2675. As you keep adding animals, it just keeps getting better . . .

This is not to say anything negative about Zamiba - I hope to hunt there one day soon, and see if @spike.t is really as much as a curmudgeon as I am. My guess is that as you add animals in Zambia, the overall cost becomes much more comparable . . .

 

[spike.t]

......me?.....

 

[postoak]

$6000 for a free range roan doesn’t sound bad.