Hunting in Mozambique
A quarter of a million acres on the Zambezi Delta, not a fence on any of it, and the heaviest-bossed buffalo in Southern Africa. This is the premium hunt.
Buffalo season
Late July – early Sept
Safari length
7 – 10 days
Concession
250,000 acres
Fences
None
The Zambezi Delta concession runs to roughly 250,000 acres, around 90,000 of which is swamp. There is not a fence on any of it. Camp sits on the banks of the Zambezi itself, and access is by light aircraft from Beira followed by a short drive.
This is our premium buffalo hunt and it is priced accordingly. The bulls that come out of the Delta carry noticeably heavier, wider bosses than buffalo from the drier interior, and the country is wild in a way that very little of Southern Africa still is. If you have taken a buffalo elsewhere and want the version that is harder and better, this is it.
For a first buffalo at a more accessible price, our South African hunt is the sensible route. We will say so plainly rather than sell you the expensive one.
The country
Flat, wet and hot. The Delta floods annually and drains slowly, and hunting only becomes possible once the water has dropped in July. Before that most of the ground simply cannot be walked.
Floodplain grass stands well above head height for much of the year. By late July it has begun to be burnt and grazed down, opening lanes through the plain — but visibility is still measured in metres, and buffalo are frequently heard long before they are seen.
Away from the open floodplain the country breaks into dense coastal thicket and palm scrub. You will get wet. Much of the hunting is done walking in water or soft mud, and the heat and humidity are well above what you will meet in Zimbabwe or South Africa.
Buffalo first, and some genuinely exceptional supporting species
Cape buffalo is the reason to come. Alongside it the concession holds hippo and a good plains game list — and the waterbuck here are worth a specific mention, with bulls regularly going over 30 inches, which is a very good trophy anywhere in Africa. Sable, nyala, reedbuck and eland are also available.
Camp
Camp is on the banks of the Zambezi River, on firm ground at the edge of the floodplain. It is remote enough that vegetables come from the camp garden and bread is baked daily, because there is nowhere to buy either. The catering is genuinely excellent and most of what you eat comes off the concession. The fishing off the bank is not bad either.
Practical notes
- Season — and it is fixed
- End of July to the beginning of September, and that is the whole window. The Delta floods annually and only becomes huntable once the water recedes in July. There is no flexibility on this one, so book early.
- How long to find a bull?
- Usually a few days of hunting to find the right big dagga boy. Sometimes it comes together on day one — that has happened more than once. We will not promise you either. Plan for the full seven to ten days and treat an early bull as a bonus.
- Getting there
- International flights into Beira, then roughly a two-hour light aircraft flight into the concession and a thirty to forty minute drive to camp. Total travel from a US or European departure is typically two days.
- Marlin fishing add-on
- Deep-sea marlin fishing can be added to the trip. It is run by trusted friends of ours rather than by us directly, and clients who combine it typically extend to ten to fourteen days total. Worth considering if you are travelling this far.
- What to expect physically
- Long days walking in water, mud and tall grass in high heat and humidity. This is a demanding hunt and worth being honest with yourself about before you book.
- Malaria
- The Delta is a high-risk malaria area. Prophylaxis is essential, not optional. See a travel clinic well ahead of departure.
Talk to us about a Mozambique hunt
Tell us roughly when you can travel and what you want to take. We will come back with what is genuinely available in Mozambique and whether another country might suit you better.
Mozambique safaris run 7 – 10 days.
Enquire — Mozambique