Hosted on approved ground
Burchell's zebra Hunting in South Africa
A hosted burchell's zebra hunt in South Africa runs ~$5,500-$8,500 all-in for a hosted hunter (excl. intl flights): a realistic 5-7 day central-Karoo/Free State plains-game hunt taking 1 zebra. Build: ~$1,750-$2,500 day fees (5-7 days) + ~$950-$1,200 zebra trophy fee + 15% VAT on day fees + dip/pack/vet & taxidermy deposit ~$300-$600 + Huntica 20-40% hosting margin on the outfitter subtotal. A zebra-inclusive package (e.g. BookYourHunt 7-day 'First Timers' incl. Burchell's zebra ~$6,600, Karoo Special 8-day incl. zebra $6,100) lands in the same band before the hosting fee. all-in over 5-7 hunting days for a hosted zebra-focused plains-game hunt (zebra commonly taken inside a multi-species package; a single-species zebra-only hunt can close in 2-4 days but is rarely sold standalone)., best hunted may-september with a 90-95%+ success rate. Free-range plains game across the Northern Cape Karoo, hosted on approved ground. A Huntica host is on the ground for every day of it.
Daily rate
$350-$500 per hunter/day (outfitter day-fee): ~$375 1x1 / $320 2x1 at Wellfound Safaris, $350 entry 2x1 at Karoo Wild, up to $500 1x1 elsewhere; add 15% South African VAT. Huntica layers a 20-40% hosting fee on the outfitter cost on top of this.
Trophy fee
$900-$1,200 trophy fee for Burchell's zebra (Langkloof 2026 $900, Wellfound 2026 $950, BookYourHunt common-subspecies band $1,000-$1,500, Karoo Wild $1,200). Cull/management zebra on the lower end ~$700-$900 where offered.
All-in (typical)
~$5,500-$8,500 all-in for a hosted hunter (excl. intl flights): a realistic 5-7 day central-Karoo/Free State plains-game hunt taking 1 zebra. Build: ~$1,750-$2,500 day fees (5-7 days) + ~$950-$1,200 zebra trophy fee + 15% VAT on day fees + dip/pack/vet & taxidermy deposit ~$300-$600 + Huntica 20-40% hosting margin on the outfitter subtotal. A zebra-inclusive package (e.g. BookYourHunt 7-day 'First Timers' incl. Burchell's zebra ~$6,600, Karoo Special 8-day incl. zebra $6,100) lands in the same band before the hosting fee.
2026 published price lists: Wellfound Safaris hunting-rates page ($375/$320 day fee, $950 zebra, +15% VAT), Karoo Wild Safaris Burchell's-zebra page ($1,200 zebra; $6,100 Karoo Special 8-day incl. zebra), Langkloof Safaris 2026 trophy list ($900 zebra), BookYourHunt zebra listings (199 SA hunts, common-subspecies trophy band $1,000-$1,500, packages $6,600 7-day / $3,500 cull 7-day), Gaspar Espanio Safaris 2026 trophy list. Standard SA day-fee floor $350 (2x1).
Best months
May-September
Typical length
5-7 hunting days for a hosted zebra-focused plains-game hunt (zebra commonly taken inside a multi-species package; a single-species zebra-only hunt can close in 2-4 days but is rarely sold standalone).
Success rate
90-95%+
What’s included
- ✓Professional Hunter (PH), tracker, skinner and camp staff
- ✓Lodge accommodation and all meals (and drinks at many outfitters)
- ✓Daily 4x4 hunting vehicle and fuel in the hunting area
- ✓Field preparation of trophies and transport to a local taxidermist/dip-and-pack
- ✓Laundry; Wi-Fi at select lodges
- ✓Local airport (Kimberley/Bloemfontein) transfers at many outfitters
- ✓Huntica host physically present for the full hunt (the hosting service the 20-40% fee buys)
Usually separate
- —Burchell's zebra trophy fee (~$900-$1,200, billed per animal taken/wounded)
- —15% South African VAT on day fees/services
- —International airfare and, at some outfitters, airport transfers
- —Taxidermy, dip-and-pack, crating, vet/CITES documentation and export shipping
- —SAPS 520 firearm temporary-import handling (govt fee free; meet-and-assist/agent fee if used)
- —Gratuities for PH and staff
- —Rifle/ammo hire, extra animals, observer/non-hunter day fees, pre/post-hunt nights and travel insurance
Permits, trophies & logistics
- CITES: Burchell's/plains zebra (Equus quagga, incl. burchellii) is NOT restricted like Cape mountain zebra — plains zebra trophy exports are governed by provincial hunting permits plus veterinary documentation, not a CITES Appendix I/II permit. (Cape mountain zebra is the CITES-controlled one; do not conflate.)
- US import: no CITES permit required for plains/Burchell's zebra; standard route is the provincial permit + veterinary health/dip certificate. No USFWS trophy-import permit needed for this non-listed species (US Form 4457 useful as proof of rifle ownership outbound).
- EU import: import governed by the South African veterinary health certificate, dip certificate, and phytosanitary certificate for the wooden crate; no CITES Annex A/B permit required for plains zebra. (Sources cite an 'Annex B' formality for some zebra paperwork — Huntica/founder should confirm current EU member-state vet rules at booking.)
- Firearm temporary import: SAPS 520 temporary import permit, government fee free, valid for the visit up to 90 days; max 4 firearms per hunter, no two firearms of the same caliber; complete in black ink/block capitals, sign only before the SAPS officer. US hunters use Customs Form 4457 as proof of ownership.
- Trophy export: all zebra skulls/hides require a provincial export permit plus the vet/dip certificate; arrange via the taxidermist/dip-and-pack and a clearing agent.
Burchell's zebra in South Africa, at a glance
- ◈2026 Burchell's zebra trophy fees cluster at $900-$1,200 (Langkloof $900, Wellfound $950, Karoo Wild $1,200; BookYourHunt common-subspecies band $1,000-$1,500).
- ◈Standard South African plains-game day fees in 2026 run ~$350 (2x1) to $500 (1x1) per hunter, plus 15% VAT (Wellfound: $375 1x1 / $320 2x1).
- ◈Burchell's zebra is not CITES-restricted; plains-zebra trophy export uses provincial permits + veterinary/dip certificates, unlike the CITES-controlled Cape mountain zebra.
- ◈SAPS 520 temporary firearm-import permit is free, valid up to 90 days, allows max 4 firearms, and bars two firearms of the same caliber.
- ◈Prime South African plains-game hunting season is the May-September winter, with June-July the peak; the broad window is April-October.
- ◈Burchell's zebra occurs naturally across the central plateau (Free State, Northern Cape/Kalahari thornveld), with active outfitters in the Kimberley district near Magersfontein.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a burchell's zebra hunt in South Africa cost?
A hosted burchell's zebra hunt in South Africa typically runs ~$5,500-$8,500 all-in for a hosted hunter (excl. intl flights): a realistic 5-7 day central-Karoo/Free State plains-game hunt taking 1 zebra. Build: ~$1,750-$2,500 day fees (5-7 days) + ~$950-$1,200 zebra trophy fee + 15% VAT on day fees + dip/pack/vet & taxidermy deposit ~$300-$600 + Huntica 20-40% hosting margin on the outfitter subtotal. A zebra-inclusive package (e.g. BookYourHunt 7-day 'First Timers' incl. Burchell's zebra ~$6,600, Karoo Special 8-day incl. zebra $6,100) lands in the same band before the hosting fee. all-in for a 5-7 hunting days for a hosted zebra-focused plains-game hunt (zebra commonly taken inside a multi-species package; a single-species zebra-only hunt can close in 2-4 days but is rarely sold standalone). hunt — daily rates of $350-$500 per hunter/day (outfitter day-fee): ~$375 1x1 / $320 2x1 at Wellfound Safaris, $350 entry 2x1 at Karoo Wild, up to $500 1x1 elsewhere; add 15% South African VAT. Huntica layers a 20-40% hosting fee on the outfitter cost on top of this. plus a $900-$1,200 trophy fee for Burchell's zebra (Langkloof 2026 $900, Wellfound 2026 $950, BookYourHunt common-subspecies band $1,000-$1,500, Karoo Wild $1,200). Cull/management zebra on the lower end ~$700-$900 where offered. trophy fee, with a Huntica host present throughout. 2026 published price lists: Wellfound Safaris hunting-rates page ($375/$320 day fee, $950 zebra, +15% VAT), Karoo Wild Safaris Burchell's-zebra page ($1,200 zebra; $6,100 Karoo Special 8-day incl. zebra), Langkloof Safaris 2026 trophy list ($900 zebra), BookYourHunt zebra listings (199 SA hunts, common-subspecies trophy band $1,000-$1,500, packages $6,600 7-day / $3,500 cull 7-day), Gaspar Espanio Safaris 2026 trophy list. Standard SA day-fee floor $350 (2x1).
When is the best time to hunt burchell's zebra in South Africa?
May-September (Southern Hemisphere winter: cool, dry, animals concentrated on open ground); June-July is prime. Plains-game season window runs roughly April-October. Magersfontein/Northern Cape central plateau is open Kalahari-thornveld and Free State grassland where zebra herd on open plains, so… A typical hunt runs 5-7 hunting days for a hosted zebra-focused plains-game hunt (zebra commonly taken inside a multi-species package; a single-species zebra-only hunt can close in 2-4 days but is rarely sold standalone)..
What is the success rate on a burchell's zebra hunt?
High, ~90-95%+ on free-range established ground over a 5-7 day hunt. Zebra are abundant and herd-forming on the central plateau, but outfitters flag them as tougher than beginners expect — excellent eyesight and a very keen sense of smell (legacy of lion predation) make the stalk and shot placement…
What is included in a hosted burchell's zebra hunt?
Typically included: Professional Hunter (PH), tracker, skinner and camp staff, Lodge accommodation and all meals (and drinks at many outfitters), Daily 4x4 hunting vehicle and fuel in the hunting area, Field preparation of trophies and transport to a local taxidermist/dip-and-pack, Laundry; Wi-Fi at select lodges, Local airport (Kimberley/Bloemfontein) transfers at many outfitters, Huntica host physically present for the full hunt (the hosting service the 20-40% fee buys). Usually excluded: Burchell's zebra trophy fee (~$900-$1,200, billed per animal taken/wounded), 15% South African VAT on day fees/services, International airfare and, at some outfitters, airport transfers, Taxidermy, dip-and-pack, crating, vet/CITES documentation and export shipping, SAPS 520 firearm temporary-import handling (govt fee free; meet-and-assist/agent fee if used), Gratuities for PH and staff, Rifle/ammo hire, extra animals, observer/non-hunter day fees, pre/post-hunt nights and travel insurance.
What regulations apply to a burchell's zebra hunt and trophy?
CITES: Burchell's/plains zebra (Equus quagga, incl. burchellii) is NOT restricted like Cape mountain zebra — plains zebra trophy exports are governed by provincial hunting permits plus veterinary documentation, not a CITES Appendix I/II permit. (Cape mountain zebra is the CITES-controlled one; do not conflate.) US import: no CITES permit required for plains/Burchell's zebra; standard route is the provincial permit + veterinary health/dip certificate. No USFWS trophy-import permit needed for this non-listed species (US Form 4457 useful as proof of rifle ownership outbound). EU import: import governed by the South African veterinary health certificate, dip certificate, and phytosanitary certificate for the wooden crate; no CITES Annex A/B permit required for plains zebra. (Sources cite an 'Annex B' formality for some zebra paperwork — Huntica/founder should confirm current EU member-state vet rules at booking.) Firearm temporary import: SAPS 520 temporary import permit, government fee free, valid for the visit up to 90 days; max 4 firearms per hunter, no two firearms of the same caliber; complete in black ink/block capitals, sign only before the SAPS officer. US hunters use Customs Form 4457 as proof of ownership. Trophy export: all zebra skulls/hides require a provincial export permit plus the vet/dip certificate; arrange via the taxidermist/dip-and-pack and a clearing agent.
Field Notes
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