Safariswestcam
AH senior member
The idea for this trip began a little over two years ago when a dear friend and mentor had just started talking about the idea of doing a buffalo hunt. I have been fortunate for hunt South Africa over 6 safaris but really wanted to experience a truly wild concession, especially for my first dangerous game hunt, so we started looking at Zim, Zambia and Tanzania. In 2021 my friend was unable to attend the SCI convention that year but he encouraged me to go introduce myself to a PH he had hunted with 20 years ago, Quintin Whitehead with Kilombero North Safaris. After a quick visit with Quintin and meeting Zidane ... two quick phone calls later and we had a group of 4 friends booked to hunt the Kilombero Valley in the fall of 23.
I spent the year and a half in advance of our hunt researching rifles and even though I owned a 375, this would be the perfect opportunity to buy a proper buffalo gun. With some help and wisdom from a few post and an encouraging thread on this forum, I purchased a Blaser Kilombero in 458 Lott. The fact that it was the Kilombero version solidified to me it was destiny and I needed to buy it and tote it over my shoulder in the land for which it was so proudly named, at least that is what I told my wife. I also over the years have been fortunate to travel and always regretted that I was only able to come home with some pictures that don't necessarily tell the story of the adventure that was truly lived. For that reason, I spent time researching and doing my best learn proper videography techniques with the hope that I could capture our trip on film in an effort to share with, if no one else, my family at home to show them why I love this!
Before I knew it, we were in Tanzania elegantly perched high on the banks of the mighty Ruhudji nursing a very highly anticipated and extremely welcomed scotch. With a river full of crocs and hippo splashing in the distance, I knew that this adventure was going to be nothing short of epic. My friend and I hunted with Zidane Janbeck over our 7 day trip and in that time not only experienced one of the finest PH's I've had the pleasure to hunt with but gained a truly great friend. Hunting was hard and long days on the tracks with temps in the 90's. Late rains and prolonged cool temps meant grass was tall and visibility was difficult. Even though visibility was tough, in our 7 days, we looked at over 1000 buffalo and were able to sort out 4 great bulls for our group.
Although they are truly the least of my worries when planning a hunt, the camp and cuisine were more than I could have hoped for. Each person had their own tent and facilities along the river bank and fortunately even though sleep alluded me for a week, I had the pleasure of listening the the Ruhudji river come to life at night. The vibrant nightlife made for a romantic backdrop while laying in bed reading Selous, eagerly awaiting for my 4am wake up call and cup of coffee.
For my first trip to Tanzania, coupled with this also being my first dangerous game hunt, I could not be happier and will be counting down the days until my return later this year. For anyone who is interested, I have attached the link for the video I produced forever capturing my experience of my 39th birthday hunt with Kilombero North Safaris.
Thanks to this forum and its great members who constantly help feed my passion week in and week out because, for the stage of life we are in, there is far more time off Safari than there is ON!
Cheers,
CK
I spent the year and a half in advance of our hunt researching rifles and even though I owned a 375, this would be the perfect opportunity to buy a proper buffalo gun. With some help and wisdom from a few post and an encouraging thread on this forum, I purchased a Blaser Kilombero in 458 Lott. The fact that it was the Kilombero version solidified to me it was destiny and I needed to buy it and tote it over my shoulder in the land for which it was so proudly named, at least that is what I told my wife. I also over the years have been fortunate to travel and always regretted that I was only able to come home with some pictures that don't necessarily tell the story of the adventure that was truly lived. For that reason, I spent time researching and doing my best learn proper videography techniques with the hope that I could capture our trip on film in an effort to share with, if no one else, my family at home to show them why I love this!
Before I knew it, we were in Tanzania elegantly perched high on the banks of the mighty Ruhudji nursing a very highly anticipated and extremely welcomed scotch. With a river full of crocs and hippo splashing in the distance, I knew that this adventure was going to be nothing short of epic. My friend and I hunted with Zidane Janbeck over our 7 day trip and in that time not only experienced one of the finest PH's I've had the pleasure to hunt with but gained a truly great friend. Hunting was hard and long days on the tracks with temps in the 90's. Late rains and prolonged cool temps meant grass was tall and visibility was difficult. Even though visibility was tough, in our 7 days, we looked at over 1000 buffalo and were able to sort out 4 great bulls for our group.
Although they are truly the least of my worries when planning a hunt, the camp and cuisine were more than I could have hoped for. Each person had their own tent and facilities along the river bank and fortunately even though sleep alluded me for a week, I had the pleasure of listening the the Ruhudji river come to life at night. The vibrant nightlife made for a romantic backdrop while laying in bed reading Selous, eagerly awaiting for my 4am wake up call and cup of coffee.
For my first trip to Tanzania, coupled with this also being my first dangerous game hunt, I could not be happier and will be counting down the days until my return later this year. For anyone who is interested, I have attached the link for the video I produced forever capturing my experience of my 39th birthday hunt with Kilombero North Safaris.
Thanks to this forum and its great members who constantly help feed my passion week in and week out because, for the stage of life we are in, there is far more time off Safari than there is ON!
Cheers,
CK
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