Any members have any experience with Ngamo Safaris? I would be grateful for any information

Welcome to the Board, DBB.

Ngamo is the Zimbabwe-based government hunting
entity. Google them for more:
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Welcome to Ngamo Safaris Website - Home Page

Ngamo Safaris was established by the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe to generate revenue for conservation programs in the country’s indigenous forest areas through recreational activities and photographic ...

I hunted with them in Matetsi in Western Zim some years ago, organizing the hunt through Bulawayo-based PH Horst Isselbacher with whom I had hunted in the mid-90s. They had good areas and we enjoyed buff and antelope hunting. No luck on lion.

Best, Tim

DBB

They have a few excellent areas mainly Kazuma and Ngamo/sakumi. The issue there is it s a goverment run organization and IF you book with them you MUST expect certain hick ups like for example possible double bookings in camp/ poorly equipped PH/ food issues and fuel issues to mention but a few.

What you will find though is Phs/ organizations like ourselves that also book clients there and what we do is put on an extra $300/day. This may seem crazy but that $300 goes to upping the PH fee from $100/day ( Forestry ) to $250/day- so at least you have a good PH with a reliable vehicle / trackers etc. Then the remainder of $50/day goes to bringing in extra diesel so that you can get out and hunt and as importantly back up for the pumps that pump water which is essential as that is why the eles come across from Wankie and Botswana.

In fairness to them I have to say that they have vastly improved in the above problems since the change over from Zim $ to us$. My first hunt there quite a few years back I arrived in camp to find no diesel and only one cabbage in the store room for our 14 day hunt!

Even if you book through another operator PH who makes sure things run smoothly the one thing that they have no control over is double and triple bookings. Our clients are warned of this and so long as you come with an open mind and appreciate that " this is Africa" then you can have some incredible hunting.

If you tell me which area you are looking at and also what time of year you are interested in going I will happily give you some more info! Cheers Buzz

About 10 years ago I hunted the adjacent property but visited the Sakumi area. It was a little beat up and I would not want to stay there. We did see some excellent Sable there and I have taken two 42 inchers from an adjacent property. A PH pal does some elephant hunts here for Parks and says things are much better.
The fact that it is government controlled would be enough to cause me to look elsewhere.

Ron books for National Parks in Unit 5. The main guys booking forestry areas are apart from CMS is Rich Cooke , The Style brothers, Tim Ellement and Pete Fick to mention a few

Hey Buzz, any word on whats going on in the SVC. Have a hunt there later this year.

DBB,

I've had a few clients there and although the facilities are a little dilapidated the hunting is good. There's a chance there for a very big elephant and sable plus eland can be excellent as well as other game. I was in Ngamo Sikumi in '07 when things were really tough in Zim. Neil Duckworth made a "plan" and we had a superb hunt. I took a 45.25' sable, 39" eland and steinbuck in three days. The guy I shared the camp with had looked over 65 elephant bulls in that same time frame lookng for a really big one. With a little extra expense on the client's part the PH can cater the safari making for a great experience. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Mark

Buzz, I sent you a PM.