2025 Tanzania or Zambia Budget Plains Game

[Justbryan]

I have been to South Africa 3 times. It is time to adventure out some. I am looking to do a plains game hunt on a budget.

Is it possible to do a 7 to 10 day hunt in either country on a $10,000 to $15,000 hunt budget, not including flights or expenses.

I am looking at plains game like Gazelles, Lesser Kudu, Lechwe, Roan, Warthog, Zebra, Puku, Orbi, and any other indigenous plains game.

If not, I will probably choose Namibia!

 

[buck wild]

Maybe if you plan on only shooting the warthog . Sorry, I'm not much help but in my limited research Day rates for 10 days would exceed your budget already. There was a very nice Tanz buff for 4 people listed in the Deals for around $17 each.

 

[mark-hunter]

For similar hunt in Tanzania, 4 heads of game, I was getting offers in the level of 20k, few years ago.

Too much for me.
So, I sticked to plains game in Namibia.

I was particularly interested in Massai species. Then I looked for options for Massai species introduced elsewhere
2nd bad news that I discovered was that Massai species you can hunt only in Tanzania, they have not been introduced on any game ranching program in South Africa. (at least as per my research)

Good news, Lechwe, Roan, Warthog, Zebra you can hunt in Namibia.

Will be looking into this thread, just in case something shows up.

 

[Philip Glass]

I have been to South Africa 3 times. It is time to adventure out some. I am looking to do a plains game hunt on a budget.

Is it possible to do a 7 to 10 day hunt in either country on a $10,000 to $15,000 hunt budget, not including flights or expenses.

I am looking at plains game like Gazelles, Lesser Kudu, Lechwe, Roan, Warthog, Zebra, Puku, Orbi, and any other indigenous plains game.

If not, I will probably choose Namibia!

Sent from my SM-G990U using AfricaHunting mobile app

I have no experience with Zambia but Tanzania will not work for your budget. I went on a special 10 day PG package to hunt the gazelles. After pricing it for nearly 10 years the $50,000 hunt I went on was by far the cheapest. Most Tanzania safaris are a six figure affair.
If you had just a bit more in the budget I would say look at a safari area in Zim. I know Dalton & York have some new safari areas and they start at $1150/day for a 10 day hunt Plus trophy fees.

 

[Justbryan]

That is what I expected. Tanzania is probably out of my reach, but Zambia may be possible. Namibia or Zimbabwe may be my best option.

Sent from my SM-G990U using AfricaHunting mobile app

 

[mark-hunter]

Namibia or Zimbabwe may be my best option.

Zimbabwe is (as per my research) again, difficult for plains game from clients perspective.

If you check deals and offer sections, Zim is premiere destination for dangerous game.
Majority if not all of Zimbabwe offers on the forum are for dangerous game.

Plains game in Zimbabwe is much less offered, almost sporadic, or as per opportunity. Almost never as a separate plains game package.
This was discussed somewhere on the forum in more details, but it is like that.

However, you may as well check Botswana.
Our Sponsor NKWE had several interesting PG packages options in Botswana.

Namibia remains as best option.

 

[spike.t]

Hi @Justbryan we can do something for you in that price range...I will send you pm

 

[LivingTheDream]

Lesser Kudu is at least a 40k deal now, as Phillip said I am guessing closer to 50 to 60k.

If you were interested in Lechwe, Puku, Zebra...I did a hunt with Balla Balla in Zambia and I am guessing it will be within the 10 to 15k range.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Then I looked for options for Massai species introduced elsewhere
2nd bad news that I discovered was that Massai species you can hunt only in Tanzania, they have not been introduced on any game ranching program in South Africa. (at least as per my research)

Thank goodness..

 

[375Fox]

You will not find a lesser kudu anywhere near your budget unfortunately. I am booked for Masailand for 2025 but I only booked the standard license (lesser kudu not included) due to costs. For plains game in masailand I found daily rates starting at about $2500/day booking in advance. One company was nearly $5000/day daily rates for premium license (lesser kudu included) with $7000 lesser kudu trophy fee. Those ranged $5500-$7000 what I saw. There are some good specials the year of but still no where near your budget for a lesser kudu. Roan will always come at a high premium in concession areas as well.
Look at the fenced ranches in Zambia to stay in your budget. The Caprivi in Namibia also has reasonably priced plains game hunting. There was a special posted for I think 5 species $8000 previously, which is a great deal there.

 

[375Fox]

Here was that Caprivi offer

Plains Game Special Hunt In The Caprivi

Have you always wanted to hunt the Caprivi, but dangerous game hunts are a little out of your budget? Or would like to experience the Caprivi, but maybe you have hunted enough buffalo and elephants for your lifetime? Here’s an opportunity to fulfill that dream… Every year, we have a hand full...

www.africahunting.com

 

[wesheltonj]

The trophy fee alone on the Lesser starts at $5900 from my research.

 

[Red Leg]

PM @spike.t Mike about Takeri. He has several native Zambian species that you won't find introduced into every South African game ranch. It will also be a great hunting experience.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

I have been to South Africa 3 times. It is time to adventure out some. I am looking to do a plains game hunt on a budget.

Is it possible to do a 7 to 10 day hunt in either country on a $10,000 to $15,000 hunt budget, not including flights or expenses.

I am looking at plains game like Gazelles, Lesser Kudu, Lechwe, Roan, Warthog, Zebra, Puku, Orbi, and any other indigenous plains game.

If not, I will probably choose Namibia!

As already stated, Tanzania no dice in that budget. I’ve seen some cancellations, end of the year deals, etc which might come close but they’re normally a regular license and don’t include Lesser Kudu or the Masailand stuff.

Zambia is 100% feasible in your budget. Namibia is also in your budget. There are some areas of Zim with decent to good Plainsgame hunting which are also going to be in your budget. You could even get into dangerous game on that budget. Botswana is very feasible, and you might even be able to do something in Mozambique for the Oribi and other Tiny 10 species like Grysbok, Red and Blue Duiker within your budget.

 

[Justbryan]

I think I am going to hunt the Freestate and/or the Eastern Cape (not hunted either area) next to complete a few desired animals. My plan will be to do a more expensive hunt in a few years when I recover from last two hunts in New Zealand and Limpopo.

I still have 13 animals at the taxidermist being mounted. I am also adding on to my current trophy room to accommodate these and new trophies. I never dreamed I would go to New Zealand or Africa three times and planning my fourth. Maybe it is time to slow down on the taxidermy and settle for good photos.

My once in lifetime trips keep happening every other year! AH members warned me that this would happen.

So, on my next hunt, I will concentrate on a few animals in these two areas like Warthog, Roan, Zebra, Springbok, Blesbok, Civet, Black Wildebeest, Grysbok, Klipspringer, Vaal Rhebok, Mountain Reedbuck, Blue Duiker, and night creatures. I will try to narrow my list down to 5 animals or less.

Thanks for the input. I was hoping for Tanzania on a budget but will save for some later date.

 

[Wheels]

If you want Tanzania or Zambia you probably won't do better than @spike.t . He is also a known operator with a good reputation plus multiple hunt reports on AH.

 

[rookhawk]

I have no experience with Zambia but Tanzania will not work for your budget. I went on a special 10 day PG package to hunt the gazelles. After pricing it for nearly 10 years the $50,000 hunt I went on was by far the cheapest. Most Tanzania safaris are a six figure affair.
If you had just a bit more in the budget I would say look at a safari area in Zim. I know Dalton & York have some new safari areas and they start at $1150/day for a 10 day hunt Plus trophy fees.

I think the laws have made the $50k "discount" Tanzania hunt impossible today? I believe that you now must do a 21 or 28 day minimum in Tanzania and that there are daily taxes and incidentals that make it a six figure affair. If I recall correctly, there are prescriptive rules you must follow on your bag too, something like "to hunt species X you must hunt for Y days and also have species Z on your quota".

Glad you got there when you did @Philip Glass . Tanzania is all but untouchable for anyone in the 2%er club unless they are in the top tenth of 1% wealth club.

 

[375Fox]

I think the laws have made the $50k "discount" Tanzania hunt impossible today? I believe that you now must do a 21 or 28 day minimum in Tanzania and that there are daily taxes and incidentals that make it a six figure affair. If I recall correctly, there are prescriptive rules you must follow on your bag too, something like "to hunt species X you must hunt for Y days and also have species Z on your quota".

Glad you got there when you did @Philip Glass . Tanzania is all but untouchable for anyone in the 2%er club unless they are in the top tenth of 1% wealth club.

That’s not correct. Look at the offers posted here by Eshkesh Safaris. You’ll be limited but you can still hunt buffalo, grant and Thompson gazelle, wildebeest, and a few others on a 10 day license. The hunt cost for premium species like lesser kudu, gerenuk, oryx does go up considerably though and varied widely depending on the outfitter. I’m booked for 10 day hunt on a 10 day license in 2025. It’s still not a cheap hunt, but you can keep it under $50k all in easily. Massailand appeared more expensive than other areas in Tanzania based on my research as well, but it has the gazelles and unique species.

 

[Philip Glass]

I think the laws have made the $50k "discount" Tanzania hunt impossible today? I believe that you now must do a 21 or 28 day minimum in Tanzania and that there are daily taxes and incidentals that make it a six figure affair. If I recall correctly, there are prescriptive rules you must follow on your bag too, something like "to hunt species X you must hunt for Y days and also have species Z on your quota".

Glad you got there when you did @Philip Glass . Tanzania is all but untouchable for anyone in the 2%er club unless they are in the top tenth of 1% wealth club.

Again that is why I jumped on the deal Michele Mantheakis had. He let me do a 10 day safari with a 21 day license. What was normally a six figure hunt was half that all in.
The main issue is now that the concession auctions have run the prices up to where it does not make economic sense for outfitters to do anything but full bag safaris. Like all of Africa you must hunt now! Who knows what tomorrow may bring.

 

[mark-hunter]

In order just to experience Tanzania safari: what is the most economic hunt to look for? What species?