The reality of the situation is that Charter companies have a limitied amount of time in Tanzania IE: Safari season to make their year financially. I prefer to book my own flights and have found the rates to be acceptable although still steep. Shywagon in to Rungwa Ikili was 4200 round trip in 2006 in a new Skywagon. In Zim, Harrare to Malipati in 2007 was $3600. I have also taken road transfers and enjoyed those as well.

Jeff

470Eddy confirmed what the friend of mine said about the cost of the hunter's charters.

In Tanzania we include the charter flight in our quotes and if they go up then we eat the difference.

ray
this seems a serious job

FWIW, Although hunting is the majority of our business by a long way, we also run both fishing & photo safaris & the charter prices are no more expensive (on a pro rata basis) than the hunting charters. Surely it's a moot point though, you agree a safari contract before you book, and if the prices seem excessive you simply won't book the hunt. BUT one needs to remember that air charters are one of those things you shouldn't skimp on. Until recently, there was a charter company based in Dar that offered very low prices..... note that I said was and not is. They crashed all their planes in the last 12 months or so. The last crash involved 4 hunters and a PH. The plane was so badly burned, even the fusalage melted and how no-one was killed I simply don't know.

As Michel said, it's the difference between an African taxi and a limo.

I talked to a chap in Harare one time who was a retired airlines pilot. He had just spent a year flying charter in Tanzania. He told me that the safari outfit told him that he charged too much - then they doubled the price and that is what the safari hunter paid.