Testimonials
I had the best hunting of my life being guided by Gavin Rorke. The knowledge of the bush, trees and birds went far beyond just the experience of hunting the game I was seeking. I saw some of naturesrarest sights ever to be experienced in the bush of Africa. I harvested every species of game I was after including the rare double of a trophy Lion and trophy Leopard on the same safari. I would recommend the ethics and guiding abilities of Gavin Rorke to anyone without reservation. “
“The safari we took with you remains one of our most cherished holidays together. The camp, which was situated along the high bluffs overlooking the Zambezi River, was beautiful. In the evenings we could hear hippos talking and the occasional leopard. Everything from the tents to the trucks and the food, were impeccable. We collected a very mature Cape Buffalo and an excellent Bull Hippo, along with some lesser species. Luke, who was our PH, was personable, professional and knowledgeable. The staff simply could not have been more accommodating and friendly. In fact, they even made a birthday cake on the wood stove for my wife who celebrated her 50th birthday while in camp. I highly recommend Gavin Rorke Safaris and I am confident that anyone hunting with Gavin or Luke, will have an excellent time and a rewarding hunt. Debbie, thanks again for the kind birthday gift you bought for my wife, it occupies a special place on our library shelf.”
“I recently spent a wonderful three weeks with Gavin Rorke Safaris at his Dande North Concession. Hunted primarily for buffalo with learner PH Graham Cochrane. We concentrated on finding old dagga boys and in this regards we were successful - very much so in fact!!! Dande North has impressive buffalo numbers. It was not all that difficult to find and track down old, past breeding age bulls and in the end three such buffalo fell to my rifle.
The oldest being a wonderful old broken-horned bull which we aged at 15 years. This bull is without a doubt my greatest trophy and I must thank Graham for all the effort he put in to help me secure him. Having personally been in the Zimbabwe safari business for many years I can honestly say that Gavin, his PH's and staff run as good an operation as you will find anywhere in current-day Zimbabwe. Two well-maintained camps in contrastingly different locations and good populations of all the huntable Zambezi Valley species make for this a highly recommendable destination.”
“Once again I would like to thank you for a wonderful hunting experience. My safari at Matombo tent camp fulfilled my dreams of hunting African dangerous game and has given me memories that will last my life time.”
“We both had a great time on our safari. I picked the area because it has a great reputation for outstanding sable hunting in wild, rather than farm-raised setting. I expected to see several sable, but I never imagined I would see over 300 sable! Gavin and his team worked very hard to insure that I got an opportunity to take the best trophy in the area. I have had the opportunity to go on 6 safaris each to different areas of Namibia South Africa and Zimbabwe. I very much prefer hunting in wild areas of the Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe. Gavin has such a wonderful variety of areas to hunt there, like the Matetsi with it's abundance of trophy sable and large numbers of plains game as well as Lion Leopard cape buffalo and elephant make it a very unique safari destination. I also enjoyed hunting in Gavin's Dande North area in the lower Zambezi Valley where I took a huge Lion and a magnificent dagga boy cape buffalo. It is the best dangerous game safari area in Africa with huge numbers of trophy elephant cape buffalo lions and leopards on nearly every bait. Several of our friends have expressed interest in going on safari after hearing of our adventures and seeing our pictures. I hope Gavin gets the chance to visit us when he comes over for the convention.”
“Our sincere thanks are extended to you, to Graham and to your team at Mukanga Camp for the excellent hospitality that you afforded us during our week long stay there. There is no way that the project would have been as successful as it was without your COOLING CAMP! I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet you, be it though brief, and look forward to catching up with you this week on your return from the River. Graham was really marvellous, always hospitable and thoughtful and made us feel very "at home" and comfortable. Thank you again.
The project completed on a high note, with the building completely painted and re-established inside and out, with some outstanding improvements required to the bolstering of the ground adjacent to the building. We are all satisfied that we were able to put in those lintels and also that the plinth built in memory of Owain Lewis is befitting. More importantly to have the participation from Parks for 7 whole days, yes, with a few grumbles here and there, but no-one was absent and those who had committed from the beginning stayed until the end.
We have a long list of to-do's ahead of us, but with time, we should get these completed as well. I look forward to keeping to being able to keep in touch with you, and to discuss wildlife conservation and protection issues as well.”
“I made it back to Wichita with no issues at all. Guns arrived fine and all my flights were on time. I wanted to let you know I had a great hunt, your camps are in excellent shape, service from Gareth, Graham and all the other staff was super. Hunting was very exciting, Calvin and his tracker Timothy are great hunters. We tracked a lot of game and had good shot setups. I saw a lot of game and was excited to see elephants. I hope to be able to return in the future. I wanted to let you know what a great time I had and thank you for all your effort.”
“I am an attorney in Austin, Texas. I hunted with Gavin Rorke Safaris in August, 2012. It was my second safari into a big game area; I had previously hunted crocodile in Mozambique. We were principally hunting tuskless elephant. The amount of game we tracked and saw was significant. The area is rugged and beautiful. I was lucky enough to take a nice, very old tuskless elephant the second day hunting. We then baited and hunted hyena, and I shot a huge hyena one evening. The hyena hunt was particularly thrilling because a lion and other hyena approached our ground blind in pitch darkness. I shot a few other trophies during the hunt. The camp facilities were first class. The food was great. The camp staff and skinners were excellent as well. The Rorke’s picked me up when I arrived and accommodated me on a short shopping trip on my way out of Harare. They were simply excellent hosts. My professional hunter was Doug Carlisle, who was excellent. The trackers were incredible. We walked/ran upwards to 15+ miles a day, and every track we followed ultimately resulted in us locating the game animal. I highly recommend Gavin Rorke Safaris.”
“We want to thank Gavin for a hunt of a life time. Everything was planned to perfection before our trip and no hitches occurred. A pre baited leopard resulted in a kill the first day. Both Alison and I shot our buffs on day 3 and 4. Both scored 105 SCI. Alison’s bush buck had 17 inch horns and my sable had 41.5 inch horns. We attended Safari Shooting School in Texas and feel this school run by Monty Kalogeras is a must before hunting dangerous game. All our animals were killed with one shot and we feel this was a direct result of attending Safari Shooting school. We are planning to hunt with Gavin Rorke and Luke in the near future. Thank you for assisting in all our plans.”
“I hunted with Gavin in June and July 2011. It was a fantastic hunt. His camp over looks the Zambezi river with a breath taking view 300 feet above the river. I took a 160 pound leopard on day 5. A huge lioness on day 9. My buffalo scored 105 1/2 SCI. It took 3 of the big 5 in 11 days. Gavin and his staff are very outgoing and a pleasure to hunt with. I hope to hunt again soon with him. I don't think you could find a more qualified professional. Thanks again for the hunt of a lifetime.”
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Gavin and the entire group for making my first trip to Africa so memorable. I am very grateful to PH Anthony Howland for his guidance and professionalism. The trackers were most impressive and all of the camp personnel were very helpful. The accommodations, food and service were all first rate. This safari exceeded my expectations in many ways and the trophies that I collected are the icing on the cake. Again I wish to extend my appreciation to Gavin and everyone associated with Gavin Rorke Safaris for this incredible experience.”
“I hunted with Gavin Rorke Safaris for 21 days in May, 2011, with the object of taking as many of the Big 4 as I could. We shot a male lion, a 48lbs elephant, a good buffalo bull, and a zebra. We also took a bull hippo in the Zambezi River and three impala for bait. We saw three leopards although I did not get a shot at one. This area is crawling with game and other wildlife. There are a lot of buffalo and you see a lot of leopard and lion tracks. In addition to the game I took, we saw good kudu bulls, a good waterbuck, hyena, elephant bulls and cow herds, honey badgers, civets, and a lot of other stuff. We found the spoor of the rare African wild dogs. This was by far the best of my three hunting trips to Africa. Gavin Rorke and his apprentice were excellent conversationalists and very knowledgeable, not only about game but about rifles, cartridges, native birds, and other wildlife. The food was excellent. The camp was very clean and comfortable, with a spectacular view. I had hot and cold running water and a flush toilet, plus electricity during all my waking hours. The staff was well trained and knew what they were doing, especially the trackers. One nice thing is that there are few or no native tribesmen living in the hunting area. Unlike my 2008 safari, we did not find snares in the bush. I am hopeful that this first trip with Gavin Rorke is not my last. It's like old Africa . It's amazing that you can find all of the big five, or all of the magnificent seven (counting croc and hippo) except rhino in abundance, and hunt with people who know how to find them.”
“What an experience! An unbelievable camp. Spotless, lacking nothing, feels like a new home. Incredible food. An outstanding PH [Gavin Rorke] and a seasoned, highly competent team of trackers. An overly attentive camp staff in a setting on the Mukanga River one has to see to believe. And the hunt! An overabundance of game. I harvested a Cape Buffalo, Spotted Hyena, Impala, Warthog, and a 64" Kudu! Folks, this is a homerun. I can't wait to go back.”
“Hi Gavin ! Got back home safely , it was a great safari for me especially your company , sense of humor and "PERI-PERI" all added spice , it was truly a wonderful untouched wilderness , to me anybody seeking Big 4 can truly benefit from your area , great camps and experience put together , I thank u again for a wonderful time we spent together , happy hunting.”
“I have no hesitation in recommending Gavin Rorke as a top-notch professional hunter. His impressive awareness of the animal's habits and behaviors enables him to deliver quality trophies without disappointment. Gavin's knowledge, combined with strong work ethic and first-rate camp, provides hunters with the finest in African safari experiences.”
“Thanks for the fine hospitality in Mukanga camp and the superb hunting. We had a wonderful trip . I would absolutely recommend Gavin Rorke Safaris and am already planning about a return trip to Zimbabwe. My family and I send our sincerest thanks. Randy Bunch Gavin Rorke is a wonderful professional hunter and has been for many many years. Both my husband and I have hunted with Gavin in Zimbabwe for plains game and dangerous game many times. So have a lot of our friends and family and they have all been very pleased. Niki Atcheson 15 years of hunting with Gavin has proven several things....he understands the African landscape including its people and languages better than any PH I have hunted with, the animals are 1st class and the adventures and associated stories will survive the test of time and be talked about for generations.”
“Anyone that has the pleasure of hunting with Gavin Rorke knows that they have hunted with one of Africa's finest professional hunters. Not only is he very game savey, he is just a guy you with whom you would like to spend time. Everything including the food, camp staff and trophy preparation are first class. Gavin goes the extra mile to insure his clients are well taken care of and safe. If you have an interest in hunting dangerous game, Mr Rorke should be at the top of your list!”
“I and my wife have hunted in Zimbabwe twice with Gavin Rorke and his staff. He has my unqualified endorsement as a compentent and accompolished Professional Hunter, honest businessman, and gentleman. Any and all arrangements made through and with him will be delivered completely and in a timely manner. He manages his camps and the supporting staff with a singular focus on client comfort and satisfaction. Gavins skill as a Professional Hunter has resulted in wonderfully successful safaris for both dangerous and plains game in the recent past for us. I am currently looking ahead to another Buffalo hunt and Gavin will be the first person I talk to.”
“The safari we took with you remains one of our most cherished holidays together. The camp, which was situated along the high bluffs overlooking the Zambezi River, was beautiful. In the evenings we could hear hippos talking and the occasional leopard. Everything from the tents to the trucks and the food, were impeccable. We collected a very mature Cape Buffalo and an excellent Bull Hippo, along with some lesser species. Luke, who was our PH, was personable, professional and knowledgeable. The staff simply could not have been more accommodating and friendly. In fact, they even made a birthday cake on the wood stove for my wife who celebrated her 50th birthday while in camp. I highly recommend Gavin Rorke Safaris and I am confident that anyone hunting with Gavin or Luke, will have an excellent time and a rewarding hunt. Debbie, thanks again for the kind birthday gift you bought for my wife, it occupies a special place on our library shelf.”
“I recently spent a wonderful three weeks with Gavin Rorke Safaris at his Dande North Concession. Hunted primarily for buffalo with learner PH Graham Cochrane. We concentrated on finding old dagga boys and in this regards we were successful - very much so in fact!!! Dande North has impressive buffalo numbers. It was not all that difficult to find and track down old, past breeding age bulls and in the end three such buffalo fell to my rifle.
The oldest being a wonderful old broken-horned bull which we aged at 15 years. This bull is without a doubt my greatest trophy and I must thank Graham for all the effort he put in to help me secure him. Having personally been in the Zimbabwe safari business for many years I can honestly say that Gavin, his PH's and staff run as good an operation as you will find anywhere in current-day Zimbabwe. Two well-maintained camps in contrastingly different locations and good populations of all the huntable Zambezi Valley species make for this a highly recommendable destination.”
“Once again I would like to thank you for a wonderful hunting experience. My safari at Matombo tent camp fulfilled my dreams of hunting African dangerous game and has given me memories that will last my life time.”
“We both had a great time on our safari. I picked the area because it has a great reputation for outstanding sable hunting in wild, rather than farm-raised setting. I expected to see several sable, but I never imagined I would see over 300 sable! Gavin and his team worked very hard to insure that I got an opportunity to take the best trophy in the area. I have had the opportunity to go on 6 safaris each to different areas of Namibia South Africa and Zimbabwe. I very much prefer hunting in wild areas of the Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe. Gavin has such a wonderful variety of areas to hunt there, like the Matetsi with it's abundance of trophy sable and large numbers of plains game as well as Lion Leopard cape buffalo and elephant make it a very unique safari destination. I also enjoyed hunting in Gavin's Dande North area in the lower Zambezi Valley where I took a huge Lion and a magnificent dagga boy cape buffalo. It is the best dangerous game safari area in Africa with huge numbers of trophy elephant cape buffalo lions and leopards on nearly every bait. Several of our friends have expressed interest in going on safari after hearing of our adventures and seeing our pictures. I hope Gavin gets the chance to visit us when he comes over for the convention.”
“Our sincere thanks are extended to you, to Graham and to your team at Mukanga Camp for the excellent hospitality that you afforded us during our week long stay there. There is no way that the project would have been as successful as it was without your COOLING CAMP! I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet you, be it though brief, and look forward to catching up with you this week on your return from the River. Graham was really marvellous, always hospitable and thoughtful and made us feel very "at home" and comfortable. Thank you again.
The project completed on a high note, with the building completely painted and re-established inside and out, with some outstanding improvements required to the bolstering of the ground adjacent to the building. We are all satisfied that we were able to put in those lintels and also that the plinth built in memory of Owain Lewis is befitting. More importantly to have the participation from Parks for 7 whole days, yes, with a few grumbles here and there, but no-one was absent and those who had committed from the beginning stayed until the end.
We have a long list of to-do's ahead of us, but with time, we should get these completed as well. I look forward to keeping to being able to keep in touch with you, and to discuss wildlife conservation and protection issues as well.”
“I made it back to Wichita with no issues at all. Guns arrived fine and all my flights were on time. I wanted to let you know I had a great hunt, your camps are in excellent shape, service from Gareth, Graham and all the other staff was super. Hunting was very exciting, Calvin and his tracker Timothy are great hunters. We tracked a lot of game and had good shot setups. I saw a lot of game and was excited to see elephants. I hope to be able to return in the future. I wanted to let you know what a great time I had and thank you for all your effort.”
“I am an attorney in Austin, Texas. I hunted with Gavin Rorke Safaris in August, 2012. It was my second safari into a big game area; I had previously hunted crocodile in Mozambique. We were principally hunting tuskless elephant. The amount of game we tracked and saw was significant. The area is rugged and beautiful. I was lucky enough to take a nice, very old tuskless elephant the second day hunting. We then baited and hunted hyena, and I shot a huge hyena one evening. The hyena hunt was particularly thrilling because a lion and other hyena approached our ground blind in pitch darkness. I shot a few other trophies during the hunt. The camp facilities were first class. The food was great. The camp staff and skinners were excellent as well. The Rorke’s picked me up when I arrived and accommodated me on a short shopping trip on my way out of Harare. They were simply excellent hosts. My professional hunter was Doug Carlisle, who was excellent. The trackers were incredible. We walked/ran upwards to 15+ miles a day, and every track we followed ultimately resulted in us locating the game animal. I highly recommend Gavin Rorke Safaris.”
“We want to thank Gavin for a hunt of a life time. Everything was planned to perfection before our trip and no hitches occurred. A pre baited leopard resulted in a kill the first day. Both Alison and I shot our buffs on day 3 and 4. Both scored 105 SCI. Alison’s bush buck had 17 inch horns and my sable had 41.5 inch horns. We attended Safari Shooting School in Texas and feel this school run by Monty Kalogeras is a must before hunting dangerous game. All our animals were killed with one shot and we feel this was a direct result of attending Safari Shooting school. We are planning to hunt with Gavin Rorke and Luke in the near future. Thank you for assisting in all our plans.”
“I hunted with Gavin in June and July 2011. It was a fantastic hunt. His camp over looks the Zambezi river with a breath taking view 300 feet above the river. I took a 160 pound leopard on day 5. A huge lioness on day 9. My buffalo scored 105 1/2 SCI. It took 3 of the big 5 in 11 days. Gavin and his staff are very outgoing and a pleasure to hunt with. I hope to hunt again soon with him. I don't think you could find a more qualified professional. Thanks again for the hunt of a lifetime.”
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Gavin and the entire group for making my first trip to Africa so memorable. I am very grateful to PH Anthony Howland for his guidance and professionalism. The trackers were most impressive and all of the camp personnel were very helpful. The accommodations, food and service were all first rate. This safari exceeded my expectations in many ways and the trophies that I collected are the icing on the cake. Again I wish to extend my appreciation to Gavin and everyone associated with Gavin Rorke Safaris for this incredible experience.”
“I hunted with Gavin Rorke Safaris for 21 days in May, 2011, with the object of taking as many of the Big 4 as I could. We shot a male lion, a 48lbs elephant, a good buffalo bull, and a zebra. We also took a bull hippo in the Zambezi River and three impala for bait. We saw three leopards although I did not get a shot at one. This area is crawling with game and other wildlife. There are a lot of buffalo and you see a lot of leopard and lion tracks. In addition to the game I took, we saw good kudu bulls, a good waterbuck, hyena, elephant bulls and cow herds, honey badgers, civets, and a lot of other stuff. We found the spoor of the rare African wild dogs. This was by far the best of my three hunting trips to Africa. Gavin Rorke and his apprentice were excellent conversationalists and very knowledgeable, not only about game but about rifles, cartridges, native birds, and other wildlife. The food was excellent. The camp was very clean and comfortable, with a spectacular view. I had hot and cold running water and a flush toilet, plus electricity during all my waking hours. The staff was well trained and knew what they were doing, especially the trackers. One nice thing is that there are few or no native tribesmen living in the hunting area. Unlike my 2008 safari, we did not find snares in the bush. I am hopeful that this first trip with Gavin Rorke is not my last. It's like old Africa . It's amazing that you can find all of the big five, or all of the magnificent seven (counting croc and hippo) except rhino in abundance, and hunt with people who know how to find them.”
“What an experience! An unbelievable camp. Spotless, lacking nothing, feels like a new home. Incredible food. An outstanding PH [Gavin Rorke] and a seasoned, highly competent team of trackers. An overly attentive camp staff in a setting on the Mukanga River one has to see to believe. And the hunt! An overabundance of game. I harvested a Cape Buffalo, Spotted Hyena, Impala, Warthog, and a 64" Kudu! Folks, this is a homerun. I can't wait to go back.”
“Hi Gavin ! Got back home safely , it was a great safari for me especially your company , sense of humor and "PERI-PERI" all added spice , it was truly a wonderful untouched wilderness , to me anybody seeking Big 4 can truly benefit from your area , great camps and experience put together , I thank u again for a wonderful time we spent together , happy hunting.”
“I have no hesitation in recommending Gavin Rorke as a top-notch professional hunter. His impressive awareness of the animal's habits and behaviors enables him to deliver quality trophies without disappointment. Gavin's knowledge, combined with strong work ethic and first-rate camp, provides hunters with the finest in African safari experiences.”
“Thanks for the fine hospitality in Mukanga camp and the superb hunting. We had a wonderful trip . I would absolutely recommend Gavin Rorke Safaris and am already planning about a return trip to Zimbabwe. My family and I send our sincerest thanks. Randy Bunch Gavin Rorke is a wonderful professional hunter and has been for many many years. Both my husband and I have hunted with Gavin in Zimbabwe for plains game and dangerous game many times. So have a lot of our friends and family and they have all been very pleased. Niki Atcheson 15 years of hunting with Gavin has proven several things....he understands the African landscape including its people and languages better than any PH I have hunted with, the animals are 1st class and the adventures and associated stories will survive the test of time and be talked about for generations.”
“Anyone that has the pleasure of hunting with Gavin Rorke knows that they have hunted with one of Africa's finest professional hunters. Not only is he very game savey, he is just a guy you with whom you would like to spend time. Everything including the food, camp staff and trophy preparation are first class. Gavin goes the extra mile to insure his clients are well taken care of and safe. If you have an interest in hunting dangerous game, Mr Rorke should be at the top of your list!”
“I and my wife have hunted in Zimbabwe twice with Gavin Rorke and his staff. He has my unqualified endorsement as a compentent and accompolished Professional Hunter, honest businessman, and gentleman. Any and all arrangements made through and with him will be delivered completely and in a timely manner. He manages his camps and the supporting staff with a singular focus on client comfort and satisfaction. Gavins skill as a Professional Hunter has resulted in wonderfully successful safaris for both dangerous and plains game in the recent past for us. I am currently looking ahead to another Buffalo hunt and Gavin will be the first person I talk to.”