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cost getting to Africa to hunt #6616820 01/05/17 12:31 AM
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Heading to the Dallas Safari Club Show Saturday. I see these Africa Hunts getting more affordable, basic game of course, pig, monkey and a few horned animals. What would it cost to get from Dallas to Africa and how many days? approx.?


SPACE FOR RENT


Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6616850 01/05/17 12:49 AM
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Bout $900 outta Dallas and approx 19hr flight. I normally pick ours up for $1100 out of Nashville then ATL and over to Joburg.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6616911 01/05/17 01:20 AM
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For budgeting, figure $3000 for travel, tips and misc. Then add the hunt package (days + trophy fees). Finally, think very carefully about your taxidermy decisions.


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Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6616916 01/05/17 01:21 AM
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Travel time is 22-30 hours to Johannesburg. Strongly consider adding a day or two for recovery once you get there.


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Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6616936 01/05/17 01:32 AM
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Been looking at flights also....I have found some through Lufthansa as low as 4-500 each way into Johannesburg then another 150-200 into Port E...Lufthansa prices differ dramatically month to month...






Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: syncerus] #6616970 01/05/17 01:49 AM
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Originally Posted By: syncerus
Travel time is 22-30 hours to Johannesburg. Strongly consider adding a day or two for recovery once you get there.


Ouch...where you flying out of? Don't think I could hang in there for that ride.

Deffinately agree with the recovery day...first couple trips I went straight back into the grind and it wasn't fun...

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6616997 01/05/17 02:05 AM
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Don't forget dip, pack, and broker fees on this side. The nickel and dime fees are getting worse. Don't let this stop you, just go into it with both eyes open.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617003 01/05/17 02:08 AM
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I've been to South Africa once, and Namibia 3 times. Flight cost depend totally on what time of year you are going. The busy season runs from June through August and flights are more expensive than the off peak season. One year I went in late April-May and went round trip from Dallas on Delta via Atlanta (15 hr flight from ATL to JB, and also went the same route in peak season and flight was $2k. Namibia is an amazing place.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617029 01/05/17 02:22 AM
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If you're going to another country besides South Africa, you may not have to go through Johannesburg.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617032 01/05/17 02:23 AM
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1500-2300 normally

DFW-ATL-JHB then on the way back its JHB-Munich, Paris or Amsterdam the to ATl-Dal


HF Whitetail / Exotic / S. African Safaris

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Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617066 01/05/17 02:43 AM
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-$1500 roundtrip to JHB via Delta in 2016.
-$1,000 for tips
-Taxidermy is the killer. You can easily spend as much getting a plains game bag back and mounted as you did on everything else put together. I was told about $275/per animal by the time the US taxidermist sees the cape and horns. Shoulder mounts seem to average in the $800-$1,000 range.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617103 01/05/17 02:57 AM
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Originally Posted By: Buzzsaw
Heading to the Dallas Safari Club Show Saturday. I see these Africa Hunts getting more affordable, basic game of course, pig, monkey and a few horned animals. What would it cost to get from Dallas to Africa and how many days? approx.?


Various greatly but as a generalization 900 to 2000 for round trip to Johannesburg from DFW or Houston. We have flown several airlines over and we're most happy with Emirites and we're least happy with British air ways. There will be several travel agents that specialize in hunting at the DSC show, they can help greatly with your booking for a very nominal fee when all things are considered. If this is you first trip it may ease your mind using a travel agent.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617549 01/05/17 02:27 PM
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Just to add to the good advice and considerations already offered, of misc. costs and flights, an African safari is still the absolute best all-around value for a hunting/vacation trip when you break it down. You can't go anywhere else in the world and expect to take 4-6 big game animals for the average cost of $4-6K completely inclusive of great food and all accommodations.

Johannesburg, South Africa will likely be the hub for your travel to any of the southern African countries. Many outfits operate within reasonable driving distance of the airport. Others may require you to book an additional connecting flight once you arrive in Jo'burg. (also something to consider)... The variety of species offered as well as the quantity and quality of the trophies offered can vary greatly depending on the region and the outfitter. This is a variable that I suggest you research thoroughly before selecting your outfitter. The peak hunting season in Southern Africa is mid May through August which is winter there and the dry season. This is the best time for bow hunters. Rifle hunters can expect great hunting from March all the way through November. As already mentioned, flight costs will peak from June-August which has been averaging $1,500-2,200 round trip. If you can plan your trip around the shoulder season months, airfares have been as low as $850 round-trip. I just bought airfare for my safari in the last week of April 2017 for $956 round-trip on Delta.

The two best flight options that I recommend are SAA direct from JFK (New York) and Delta direct from Atlanta. Both flights are 15-16 hours in duration non-stop. There are other carriers that will route you through Europe, which is fine. HOWEVER, be cautious when flying through Europe with guns and bows. There are lots of regulations and many of these countries are generally not hunter-friendly. Flying via Europe will also add at least a half a day of travel time to your itinerary.

As far as the expenses of getting your trophies home, there are lots of options there as well. You will have the option of having all of your taxidermy done in Africa. In the past, this was not a recommended option due to second-rate work and reliability issues. These days things are much improved. There are several excellent taxidermists operating out of Africa, and it may be worth considering for some as an option. If you have a good taxidermist here in the States that you trust who is experienced with African game, I always recommend having your trophy parts dip & packed for shipment home. Costs for dip & pack can vary among companies. Most outfitters will recommend a company to you, and arrange for your trophy parts to be transported to their facility. There should be no upfront cost to this. Your trophy parts are your down payment. Again, not all taxidermists and dip & pack facilities are the same. This is yet another important variable to consider when selecting your outfit. Trophy care and prep is a tremendously important part of the safari that is often overlooked and taken for granted. You should not receive a bill until your trophy parts are ready to be shipped. All reputable companies should be able to turn your work around within 90-120 days from the end of your safari.

Taxidermy can add up and can get expensive as you all know. Having Euro skull mounts done will be much less expensive than full taxidermy. Also, tanning capes and back skins make great rugs, throws, and wall displays. I always recommend getting your skulls/horns and at least the shoulder cape dip & packed on every animal. This way, you can enjoy the Euro mount immediately, and still have the future option of doing a full mount as long as you have your cape tanned. As long as the cape is preserved, you can mount 1 or 2 trophies at a time as you can afford it. Also, having items made from the trophies such as rifle cases, slings, pillows, rugs, etc., are other great ways to preserve the memory of your trophies and usually much less expensive than having mounts done on every animal.

If anyone has any more questions about planning or costing out an African safari, please feel free to contact me anytime. My name is Dan Leahy, and I am a North American representative for Limcroma Safaris. It would be my sincere pleasure to answer questions, or assist in any way possible. Even if you are hunting with another outfitter, please feel free to give me a shout. Our goal is to ensure that every single hunter traveling to Africa has the very best experience possible.

Hannes Els, the owner, and some of our senior PHs will be in Texas for the entire month of January for our annual marketing tour. Please come visit us if you are attending any of the shows or conventions.

Kind regards, Dan L.
wheresthefire@bellsouth.net
954-328-6314

Last edited by Firehuntfish; 01/05/17 02:35 PM.
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617729 01/05/17 03:41 PM
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$2,000 per person is a good starting point for airfare when just visiting with outfitters. Some will require a domestic hop to another airport before picking you up. Depending on the hours you land, you might have to get a hotel, which means travel to the hotel with your rifle.

Once you are done with the safari, getting your animals home is where all the surprises happen. Dipping fees, transport fees, and whoever else handles them fees. Plan on another couple grand for this, but don't be surprised if it's twice that.

Do not get your taxidermy work done there. While there might be a decent taxidermist in Africa, the vast majority do poor to horrible work. My taxidermist here in TX always has mounts in his shop that he's trying to fix from there. It's a never ending disaster that is best avoided.

Be sure you have a taxidermist that has received African capes and horns before. They will give you their shipping information. Either to them at their shop, or straight to the tannery that they use. Do not rely on the outfitter or booking agent to do this for you. You have to make all these arrangements yourself before you go. Once you are done with your hunt, you will need to provide this to the taxidermist there that will pack your trophies and make them ready for shipping.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617850 01/05/17 04:58 PM
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Good advice all round and it seems prices may vary so shop around a little. Often Outfitters will be inclined to help out and adjust a package according to your budget, so don't be shy to ask them.

I would however disagree on the taxidermy advice of "The vast majority do poor to horrible work!"

Good luck with your planning and enjoy DSC.


Jono and Justine McHugh
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Listen to our Podcast: Round The Fire With Kingsview Safaris
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6617972 01/05/17 06:19 PM
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Im going to Namibia in June. Because I live in Alaska, its a lot farther than you guys in the lower 48. Im flying direct on Condor Air from Anchorage to Frankfurt Germany. Spending the night then direct Frankfurt to Windhoek. Total cost is right at $2,000.00, but it breaks up the time on the plane.


Owner In Nature's Image Taxidermy
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6618149 01/05/17 08:15 PM
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I would however disagree on the taxidermy advice of "The vast majority do poor to horrible work!"[i][/i]

I'm both surprised and sorry to hear your opinion of the taxidermy in your area. There are a couple of excellent ones in both the Limpopo and the Northwest provinces.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6618512 01/06/17 12:04 AM
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Taxidermy in Africa for the most part is horrible. You will spend 1100-2500 per person in air fare depending on route and time of year. You will spend 1k or more in prep work to ship at taxidermy there and 1500-2500 in shipping home and as much on taxidermy as the hunt basically. This is what they are offering to hunt with kacee this summer



If you have questions they will be staying at my home 1/25-1/27 and you can come out and meet with them away from the dsc show and just bs and have few beers.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Firehuntfish] #6618885 01/06/17 05:11 AM
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Originally Posted By: Firehuntfish

I would however disagree on the taxidermy advice of "The vast majority do poor to horrible work!"[i][/i]

I'm both surprised and sorry to hear your opinion of the taxidermy in your area. There are a couple of excellent ones in both the Limpopo and the Northwest provinces.


That was not my advice/opinion. I feel the taxidermy in my area and further north in South Africa is very good. Our taxidermists post shipment service is some of the best out there. I was trying to quote from someone else but couldn't get it right. I agree there are outstanding taxidermists in SA.


Jono and Justine McHugh
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www.kingsviewsafaris.co.za
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Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6618918 01/06/17 06:17 AM
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We went with Kingsview in Oct and would highly recommend them. Jono is a honest and stand up guy, his wife is amazing as well they will help with any questions and concerns you have. We were extremely lucky to have found them. Here is our break down,

Oct 12 -20th 2016 El paso to Port Elizabeth south Africa - El Paso to Atl to Joberg to Port Elizabeth via Delta( I highly recommend as well) $1560. American had flights a couple hundred less but I refuse to fly with them. We added comfort plus to our seats which is just a glorified extra 3 inches but it was worth it. Total cost per seat was $1800. Plane left El Paso at 1140 and landed in ATL at around 3. Flight left ATL at 8pm and we landed in JoBerg at 550pm the next day. I enjoyed the experience and found Delta to be A++. Take something to help you fall asleep. Food was good and service was outstanding.

1 night stay at the Afton guest house in Joberg $75 +25 bucks for the best steak and wine dinner I have ever had. Ari and Annalise are amazing and will make you feel like family. US cash is king in Port Elizabeth but everywhere we went allowed Visa and we had no issues.

On the way home no hotel stay was needed. We left PE at 1145 and landed in JoBerg at 130 I believe. Then a late flight from Joberg to ATL then home to EP. It did take a few days for the jet lag to wear off and it is much worse than I have ever thought it could be.

Jono, the owner of Kingsview, picked us up from the airport and we had nothing else to worry about but to have fun.

Met with Paul from Relive taxidermy, and he has been fantastic. He came highly recommended on Aficahunting.com as well as Kingsview and many others. His work looked great and there is a lot of it there to look at. He gives a great price on all his work and his dipping and packing prices are $90 across the board for all animals. He has been great to work with so far and is very prompt on returning emails,his responses are all very informative and thought out, not short and leaving a lot to question. I shot 9 animals and my dip and pack is quoted at 810. Shipping will be handled and payed to Coppersmith upon entry in the US. Not sure on the price on that yet but quoted at 425 for the entry in the states and around 1000 -1200 for shipping.

Gun travel was very easy with delta but be very careful they don't book your connecting flights with British airways. They do not allow gun travel. I had to redo our itinerary and had to have South African airways take us to PE. This was something I found out completely by accident but it could have turned out to be a big mess if I hadn't been able to change the connecting airline.

Total cost for travel, dipping/packing, gun assistance with paperwork $100, Hotel stay 1 night = $2810.

Hoe this helped, I remember when I was trying to do this and it was very overwhelming but it was exciting and part of the trip. Who ever you choose to go with, if they are worth their salt they will do like Jono did and help you with every thing you need.


Last edited by darrack; 01/06/17 06:20 AM.

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6619141 01/06/17 02:24 PM
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"That was not my advice/opinion. I feel the taxidermy in my area and further north in South Africa is very good. Our taxidermists post shipment service is some of the best out there. I was trying to quote from someone else but couldn't get it right. I agree there are outstanding taxidermists in SA."

No worries Jono... I'm glad to hear that your intent was a misunderstanding, and that you agree that South Africa now has some very reputable, reliable, and skilled taxidermists to choose from. As I am sure you are aware, an outfitter's reputation is at stake when they recommend services to their guests. I'm sure that you would agree that it's paramount to make certain that our guests are looked after before, during, and after the safari. Judging from the great review above, it appears that you are doing just that... All the best to you in the New Year!

Last edited by Firehuntfish; 01/06/17 02:26 PM.
Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6619177 01/06/17 02:50 PM
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Regardless of if you do taxidermy over there, or over here, the dip/pack/ship/US Customs clearing/ship to your home fees are outrageous. I just go over, hunt, and take lots of pics anymore. Not worth the hassle and expense to me, especially since some airlines refuse to ship trophies anymore.

I do agree with darrack about Delta. I fell that's the best option from the US, and the comfort+ seats are worth the money IMO, especially if you book early and get seats on row 29 (bulkhead) you will have 3 ft of legroom in front of you. That makes a huge difference on a 15 hr flight.

I have to say this as well if you are planning your first safari. You need to ask the various outfitters you are considering lots of questions, specifically what they consider "free range", or fair chase hunts, as compared to the numerous "put and take" operators, especially in SA. For instance, you may hunting a specific 3000 acre HF "farm" which is part of a 400,000 acre concession which is comprised of numerous small "farms". Since kudu can scale an 8ft fence rather easily, many SA operators will still call that a free range hunt, when it is really not. On my first safari I didn't know what I didn't know, and it was not as expected once I got over there.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Buzzsaw] #6621975 01/08/17 04:49 AM
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I know some guys skip mounting anything and go for the photos and memories. Save enough money in taxidermy to do the same trip twice! I'd skip mounting any shoulder mounts. Nothing is unique enough on a plains game package to want it mounted for me.

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Fourtyonesix] #6622549 01/08/17 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: Fourtyonesix
I know some guys skip mounting anything and go for the photos and memories. Save enough money in taxidermy to do the same trip twice! I'd skip mounting any shoulder mounts. Nothing is unique enough on a plains game package to want it mounted for me.


I can agree that there are lots of creative ways to save on taxidermy and that you don't have to shoulder mount every animal, but I you lost me on the last two sentences... With over 40 species available to hunt in the Limpopo Province alone, not counting the dozen or so various small predators and varmints, and there is nothing unique enough to mount?? You need to see some of my mounts. grin

Re: cost getting to Africa to hunt [Re: Fourtyonesix] #6622755 01/08/17 10:34 PM
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Originally Posted By: Fourtyonesix
I know some guys skip mounting anything and go for the photos and memories. Save enough money in taxidermy to do the same trip twice! I'd skip mounting any shoulder mounts. Nothing is unique enough on a plains game package to want it mounted for me.


loco

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