Save Valley Conservancy

[Muskox]

How does the Save Concervency work?

Who are the outfitters?

Any one to steer away from?

 

[wildwilderness]

From my understanding having gone once with a questionable outfit that is no longer there-

There are various concessions. Different operators own and lease the concessions. Some Areas are better than others- based on hunting pressure, anti-poaching efforts and natural habitat.


They all run together so no fences etc cutting them apart. Prices tend to reflect the quality of the Outfitter/Guides and lodgings as well as the quality of the game.


Some areas are closer to Communities, and have more traffic near.

I’m sure others will have a better handle on who and what areas are better

 

[Muskox]

How does Roger Whittall Safaris rate these days?

 

[rookhawk]

How does the Save Concervency work?

Who are the outfitters?

Any one to steer away from?

I believe there are sublease opportunities in Save as well. Several PHs have offered me access to the Save even though they aren't the concession holder. It's expensive because they have to use the hospitality staff and camps of the Save rather than their own personnel.

I've heard the buffalo can be exceptional.

PHs you might check with:

Vaughan Whitehead Wilson
Lin Stanton
Peter Barnard
CMS

 

[WAB]

It is a number of
Ranches that pooled together to convert from cattle to game. There is a perimeter fence around the combined million acre area but it is in poor repair. Each ranch runs independently for the purposes of hunting. They run the gamut of price and amenities. Hunting is quite good, but some ranches have significant encroachment from locals.

 

[chase0109]

I’d add Mokore Safaris to the list in SVC. I hunted with them 10 days last September. Amazing camp, tons of game! Took a cow elephant, zebra, and hyena during daylight on a walk in blind.
I passed on a 56-57” kudu at 60 yards. Had plenty of time to shoot, just didn’t want to pull the trigger.
One of the few places with non-Park wild rhinos. Saw 5 rhinos (3 whites, 2 black). Lots of elephants and buffalo.

Awesome experience and I’ll definitely go back to them in the future.
Chase

 

[zephyr]

How does Roger Whittall Safaris rate these days?

First Class 100%

 

[K-man]

I have hunted the Save four different times on 3 different ranches. All have exceptional buffalo, the elephant move back and forth between the areas based on food and water, etc. Great plains game and lots of wild lions. Most areas good for leopard, use an outfitter that does cats well. I too have seen both white and black Rhino, The outfitter I use the most is Leon DuPlessis, one of the original concession owners. Hunt there with confidence!

 

[DLSJR]

If I remember correctly, the Savé is approximately 750,000 acres, comprised of eight or nine adjoining properties. The biggest ones are Humani/Guy Whittal and Mokore/The Duckworths. Sango is one of the finest operations within the conservancy. Hammond is fairly small, only about 30,000 acres but a number of my friends think it might have the best buffalo hunting.

I believe I have a digital map of the conservancy and will try to post it. I’m hunting with Alan Vincent on Hammond in May, on a 2x1 buffalo hunt. I’ll only be looking for an old buffalo while my 81 year old buddy will be looking for a good buffalo, Kudu, Eland and whatever else strikes his fancy.

 

[375Fox]

If I remember correctly, the Savé is approximately 750,000 acres, comprised of eight or nine adjoining properties. The biggest ones are Humani/Guy Whittal and Mokore/The Duckworths. Sango is one of the finest operations within the conservancy. Hammond is fairly small, only about 30,000 acres but a number of my friends think it might have the best buffalo hunting.

I believe I have a digital map of the conservancy and will try to post it. I’m hunting with Alan Vincent on Hammond in May, on a 2x1 buffalo hunt. I’ll only be looking for an old buffalo while my 81 year old buddy will be looking for a good buffalo, Kudu, Eland and whatever else strikes his fancy.

No guarantee of the accuracy, but pretty quick to find on google images. I’d really like to hunt Sango someday. I guess however the owner is moving in direction away from hunting more recently.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Save-Valley-Conservancy-and-resettlement-area-The-external-boundary-of-SVC-red-line_fig4_287199114

 

[DLSJR]

No guarantee of the accuracy, but pretty quick to find on google images. I’d really like to hunt Sango someday. I guess however the owner is moving in direction away from hunting more recently.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Save-Valley-Conservancy-and-resettlement-area-The-external-boundary-of-SVC-red-line_fig4_287199114

Yes, that link provides the map I have saved. Sango is actually the biggest property and I’m told has the nicest lodge accommodation, though most of the properties are very nice with good hunting.

There are the resident PH’s like Guy Whittal, the Duckworths and some others, but also some really good PH’s who freelance on the various properties such as Thierry Labat, Cliff Walker and Alan Vincent.

It’s a pretty special place. Generally less expensive than the Bubye Valley Conservancy and along with Nuanetsi, this trio of large conservancies provides some of Zimbabwe’s (and Africa’s) finest hunting.

 

[CZDiesel]

I’ll be hunting the Sango and the Chishakwe with PH Mark Jansen and Crane Safari’s. The feed back I’ve gotten and both the pics and Video out of those two units area crazy with the amount of game and the fact you will see all of the Big Five while there…

 

[Llano Estacado]

My family hunted with Mokore on the Hammond ranch part of the Save June of 2024. Its amazing place and Mokore provides stellar service. Gary, Dalton and Doug are top shelf hunters, nature enthusiasts and professionals in every way. They staff is professional and friendly. We took 3 buff, croc, and plains game. Saw elephant, white and black Rhino almost daily. Also ran into wild dogs and hyena. Cant recommend them enough.

 

[uplander01]

I'd go with Makore if I were going to the SAVE area. I've hunted with Gary and Douglas,..super guys, Dalton was in camp on one of those hunts guiding someone else, I have no doubt he's very capable as well. Add to that, I'm sure they are all very honest people.

 

[England]

How does Roger Whittall Safaris rate these days?

Dropped by AH to learn about the DSC fiasco and noted this thread. I've hunted with Guy Whittall in the Save four times, for Cape buffalo, lion, and various antelope species. Guy is an excellent PH and marvelous companion, and my wife adores Turgwe Camp and the Conservancy. We made a side trip to Gonarezhou Nat'l Park last visit and it is thriving under the management of the Frankfurt Zoologic Institute. I'll be back to Humani next year. Guy has several concessions in the Conservancy (Humani, Bedford, and ARDA at least) and we took a splendid buff on nearby Council land in 2023 where he also had arranged to hunt. When my son hunted with Guy in 2019, I went with Peter Wood who is also superb. I'll attach a photo of a map of the Conservancy. Good luck! Remind Guy to keep the leopards out of his hair.

 

[Longwalker]

I hunted buffalo in the Hammond concession with Mokore & Dalton McClintock three years ago. Everything was first rate, lots of game, and excellent hunting. Toured Mokore's home concession too at the end of the successful hunt. I'd go back for sure!

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Never hunted it myself but have heard amazing things about it from a bunch of people I know who have hunted it. It’s definitely on the list of places to one day. I personally would reach out to the Zim outfitter I’ve hunted with before, BUT I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt with either Mokore, Whittall or DuPlessis if they were options.

 

[MT Griz]

I would also give Desfountain & Co Safaris a look. I hunted with Donza in the Save. He has access to three of the ranches Msaiza, Gunundwe & Mapari. He is the nephew of Barry Duckworth. He will do a good job for you. What are you wanting to hunt?

 

[Nyatibill]

Roger Whittall Safaris is a fantastic operation! I have hunted with both Roger and Guy Whittall on 6 safaris in both Zimbabwe and Mozambique. I have taken elephant (2) Buffalo (3) leopard and lion along with most of the available plains game. I have hunted the Save 3 times. I cant say enough good things about the outfitter the camps and the area. It is truly one of the last places in Africa where you could legitimately run into the Big-5 on any given day. This is true dangerous game country.
I have been a member of AH for over 3 years and have never felt compelled to respond to a thread, this one got my attention as I dearly love the Save Conservancy.
Cheer's

 

[meigsbucks]

How does Roger Whittall Safaris rate these days?

I spoke with them at SCI 2023. Spoke with some references. They’re on the short list.