Info/Advice

[ckr]

Hi,

New here but have been reading with interest any post I can find relating to hunting in Africa.  I'm on a fact finding mission.  Will plan a trip there/somewhere in 4-5 years.  Figured it's never too early to start.  I know as of now approx. nothing other than I am going!  My thoughts are I would like to shoot some plains game and spend a day+ bird hunting.  I have no real trophy desires just want to experience Africa and hunt.  What concerns me are that the bulk of what I see from outfitters are pretty fancy accomadations and what appear to me to be not alot more than Texas ranches that just happen to be set up in Africa.  While that still gets me to Africa it doesn't exactly do what I have in mind.  I want to hunt real critters where they live and would actually be happier in a bush camp of some sort.  Again, I'm going to hunt in Africa.  If I want to stay in a five star hotel I can do that here in the states anywhere I want.  Am I misreading something or is this the case?  And where do I look to find what I want?  Is it possible to actually book something this far in advance or do I need to wait until sometime much closer to my actual trip to do so?  Like I have said, I currently know very little about the whole affair but am beginning the process of gathering information to make some decisions.  Any suggestions or advice on where specifically I might go to find what I have in mind or what critters might be best suited to this type of plan would be greatly appreciated.  I currently have several people of like mind that will go with me so there will be a party of 3-5 people I would assume.  Does this impact which outfitter or type of outfitter might handle the trip?  Obviously $$ is a concern (ok, maybe not obviously, so lets just say it is).  My thoughts are I will be in the neighborhood of $6-$7,000 dollars for a 10 day trip, 6 or 7 of which are hunting days.  I'm assuming this will include airfare.  Is that a realistic expectation?  That's about all of the pertinent questions I can think of for now.  Any advice, comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.  CKR

[JJHACK]

Hunting as you say in a remote tented camp in the wilds of Africa is still possible in some countries. However those remote basic camps are usually about 10 times the expense of staying in a nice lodge. The countries of Botswana Zimbabwe and Tanzania have the extreme remote and limited access tented camps These countries have limited outfitters and Tanzania has limited plains game species. They will likely charge you between 750 and 1500 per day daily fee plus the trophy fee for each animal. There will also be a charter fly in to pay for and the expense of flying out all your trophies. These typical hunts range in price from 25,000 for 14 days to "the sky is the limit" for the 21 day safari.

The country of South Africa in the northern province has more indiginous plains game species then any place else in Africa. And more big game species then anyplace on earth. The country of South Africa has a minimum standard of accomadations for outfitters which are so strict they actually specify the number of blankets and lamps in the room and the amount of tables and chairs. They are inspected regular and any camp not meeting the requirments or those that appear run down are shut down and stopped from doing business.

These 'luxury camps" range in price from 100 bucks a a day to 375 bucks a day plus trophy fees. Typical packages like I offer are 4500 bucks for ten days hunting and that includes five animals.  These also  have clean perfectly safe and bug free rooms with laundry and maid service every day. They are also in the aformentioned highest plains game population areas in Africa or the world. Our lodge is 4 hours away from any "big city" by truck. It's very remote and wild country. We built our lodge right in the middle of the greatest plains game habitat around.

Consider that in five years you will likely pay 7500 bucks for a ten day 6 animal safari in a facility like this. In five years you will likely pay 30 to 40K for the same kind of hunt in Botswana or Tanzania in a remote tented camp for one Dangerous game animal and a few plains species.

You can see my lodge at  www.huntingadventures.net