btt

The real "Choice" is that it depends. It depends on many factors. Obviously, the booking agent has to have a good reputation to even consider one

I prefer to deal direct but sometimes an agent in between can be useful eg if you want the agent to hold the deposit until just before the safari, especially if booking a year or more in advance. Of course the agent may actually just send it on anyway, but if the stipulation was in writing, they are at fault.

With some countries having problems I don't liek the idea of a sizable deposit sitting in the operators account in case things by chance go against them. No matter how honest they are, things can go wrong and the deposit evaporate.

If using an agent I definitely want to deal with the outfitter direct before committing anyway.

Direct to safari co., I don't like a lot of layers... Last two trips the safari co. had a US bank account that held all deposits until 2 weeks before departure.

Looking at the question from my point of view I see the agent being the most use to three groups of people. First the novice safari hunter who in most cases just can't know everything he needs to in order to have the best experience and stay within his budget. The second group are people pursuing a new animal and perhaps in a country they know nothing about. Third are the people that are just too busy to do the research and are willing to trust the agent to organize something for them keeping their welfare in mind.

I think an experienced person particularly that is rebooking in a country they are familiar with or with a company they have used before really doesn't need an agent. On the other hand some folks get comfortable with an agent and just let them handle everything.

Of course if you book with us in Tanzania your agent might be your PH or the owner/manager of the concession you hunt.

Mark

My answer is "sort of". I used a local guy who is sort of an amateur booking agent. He is originally from Germany, and has quite a few contacts in Namibia. What he does is put the clients in touch with the outfitters. Many of them are farmers who do some hunt guiding in addition to their farming.

http://www.centerlinefirearms.com/

I booked direct with the safari company for my safaris but after dealing with third world banking systems and sometimes ludicrous payment requirements have led me to conclude that agents are going to get used in the future. Too much money at risk otherwise.

For my Namibian safari I booked through the booking agent even though I knew who the outfitter was and researched him thoroughly. I am glad I did. Considering that it was my first trip to Africa, he was always available even for the most mundane of questions. I was also able to settle up with him when I returned rather than try to estimate how many animals I was going to take and go through the trouble of getting travelers checks to cover trophy fees, the balance of the hunt, etc. This might not be that common, but it sure made things simple.

George

Thanks everyone. The results tell an interesting story.