Richard Glenz
Client Testimony
For those interested in Buffalo hunting with Gary Hopkins, in Gokwe or Sondelani, I'll give my thoughts. First off, Gary is a very experienced PH, he will always give his all to help you have a successful hunt. I have used his service in many areas of Zimbabwe. Sondelani is fenced, it concerned me until I hunted there. At 20,000 acres, it’s no cow pasture! There is no put and take of the Buffalo, they are born and live on Sondelani, same as any wild area. Buff are hunted by tracking, the cover is fairly thick, helpful to work in close for a shot.
I've taken five Buff here with my iron sighted , double rifle. There is a variety of plains game also found here, I've taken Eland, Wildebeest, Bushbuck and Impala at Sondelani. Hunting with Gary Hopkins at either Gokwe or Sondelani is a good experience, at a reasonable cost.
Dwight Miloff
Client Testimony
Gary Hopkins is a very experienced PH. His code of ethics is impeccable. I have hunted with Gary Hopkins many times since 2004 and have taken everything from Elephant to Steinbock.
At the Sondelani hunting area I took a very nice old Bull Buffalo, and saw some massive bulls that I could not get on to. I have also taken Steinbock , Klipspringer and a very nice Impala.
Buffalo, Giraffe, Impala, wildebeest, Kudu, warthog ,bushbuck, zebra and Eland are also in the area. I hunted Sondelani in September conditions are hot and bush is starting to dry out . Like almost all hunting it is best first thing in the morning and right at dark in the evening. Sondelani is a very relaxing camp to hunt out of as it is close enough to the hunting area to eat lunch at camp, this is also very nice if you have your wife and kids along was successful on all my hunts with Gary. You will be happy if you hunt with Gary. .
GB
Client Testimony
I had the good fortune to share a 7 Day Hunt with Gary Hopkins on Sondelani in June 2024. It was a 40th birthday present to myself and surpassed my expectations. Before arriving Gary and I were in constant contact so I knew what to expect, what to pack and how the hunt would go down - lots of WhatsApp were shared in the days and weeks before leaving for Zimbabwe and Gary and his wife Crystal were generous with their time in helping me arrive well prepared for the adventure. From the meet and greet on our arrival at Bulawayo airport to the goodbyes (after airport check-in), every step of this trip was organized, planned and part of a well-oiled machine.
The focus of my trip was a hard bossed dagga boy and I was fortunate to secure this prize on day two pf my 7 day hunt, after picking up tracks at a waterhole - the classic up-close traditional buff hunting experience and one that I was able to enjoy at Sondelani at a lower cost than the same hunt conducted on a popular hunting concession or even on a South African ranch.
Once the buff was secured, Gary and his team hunted relentlessly to find me a fine old blue bull Livingstone's eland. I was delighted with the quality of these trophies. My hunting buddy was able to secure a blue wildebeest, an impala, a warthog and a great big male baboon as well. These were all hunted on foot on the large and heavily wooded ranch - completely different to the heavily stocked outfits I'd visited in South Africa in the past. Each animal hunted was a challenge, and every trophy was hard-won - even the baboon. In conclusion, I would have no reservations in recommending Gary as a Professional Hunter and Outfitter and Sondelani as a destination for any hunter looking for buffalo and plains game hunt for 10 day or 7 days in typical lowveld bush.
