I just did something that before now I did not have the courage to do. I just ran a calculator tape on what my family safari to Namibia last summer really cost me. After I came to, I decided that there is no way that I can ever, Ever, EVER, let my wife know.

What the tape includes is airfare to and from (for five), the cost of the safari (18 grand plus tips), the cost of two days in Cape Town, the cost of trophy shipping, the cost of taxidermy (14 grand); AND the cost of a trophy room added to the back of my house. It does not include guns, ammo, practice time at the range, incidentals, clothing bought just for the trip or shopping while there.

I'm approaching the end of the bleeding now, as my trophy room is just days away from completion and the taxidermy bill is paid. The grand total is going to be just a shade under ....... ah hell, you figure it out!

The most expensive part of all, however, is that I now have become an Africaholic and will have to have contant "fixes" to support my habit.

Do you have the courage to put a pencil to the REAL cost of supporting your Africa hunting habit? Just what ever happened to those ads that say "shoot nine animals for $4,200" anyway. If you believe that, I've got this little bridge across small bit of water in Sam Francisco that I'm willing to sell you for a bargin -- about the cost of one African safari!

I'm looking into my first safari, but I'm doing the math before hand. My expensive taste in game animals is going to hurt me, as will my love for taxidermy. At least I'm the only one hunting as of now.

Sevens

Nope, I saw that add for $4,200 for Nine animals and 10 days, and that's what I paid,

All that other stuff, well, if I hadn't been in Africa there's no telling what I might have spent at home!

That's my story....

Les

About twice what I had expected...

GAHUNTER,

When a person asks me about setting up a first safari I try to give them the full financial picture including EVERYTHING. This may not be the smartest marketing tool but it lets me sleep better at night.

If a safari seems real cheap it is cheap in quality or it will cost you more in the long run.

Regards,

Mark

I too wanted to know what one really cost so I kept all the records I could and for two people to Namibia in 2000 it was just under $25,000 and for two to RSA in 2002 it was just over $25,000.
Now, this is shots, clothing, air, hunt, tips, curios, booze, taxidermy...any damn thing I could think of that related to the trip.
Namibia was 10 days hunting (7 animals) and 5 days tourning / flying.
RSA was 18 days total of hunting and touring and 6 critters.
If we wanted it we bought it but...anyway you cut it...you will still spend $20,000 for two for 10 to 15 days. At a grand a day for food, lodging, transportation and hunting and a great time....works for me!

I have a RSA Safari at $150 per day plus trophy fees, no other costs, none..Add airfare to that and whatever else like hotels, meals before and after if you choose, your taxidermy and payment of shipments on arrival, and it's up to you what it costs..I only sell the hunt....and for $4200 you could get 10 days ($1500) and that leaves enough money for quite a lot of animals...Its easy to figure by how many you shoot... and we have no hidden costs...Tips are optional.

I can also book you for about $150,000 if you wish....

My point being is you should know before you go how much you can spend and are willing to spend and thats what you and your agent should negociate on...Sometimes this doesn't work because folks go nutso and start shooting a lot of stuff and spend the next year or two paying for their sins, been there, done that, more'n once.... and no regrets!

I think that although it must really hurt, leaving the skins behind and maybe just taking a couple skull mounts would save you guys a few grand easily! On the other hand, there is nothing like a shoulder mount to take you back to that morning in the veld.

I know that I am probably in the minority on this but I never have particularly liked mounted animals..I have a few from early on, but never felt like they did justice to the animals themselves as something is lost in death, so I don't do that much these days....I am having my big buff from last year mounted, but thats about it...I like skins and European mts. best and they are not expensive...

I have no objection to others haveing mounted animals. It just not my thing...

I still believe that a trip to Africa is equal in cost to a Rocky Mtn. Elk hunt. Compare a trip, say from New york state, to RSA. And to Wyoming. Other than shipping all the trophys back, it is almost a wash.

You might get a respectable bull elk, with the current wolf situation you might be lucky to just see a bull in some areas, let alone shoot one.

In Africa you will see hundreds if not close to thousands of critters, trophy size, or what ever you want to shoot. Shoot five, six, or more for what the guided elk hunt costs.

If you just brought back the skulls for european mounts it would be quicker and cheaper yet.

Oh, and the memories! SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

100K last time for 30 days including everthing possible.

Kudu56 is dead right. My five day bull elk hunt in northeast New Mexico cost within a few hundred dollars of my ten day South Africa hunt for kudu and oryx, mounts included.

Where I'm going to feel the pain is that Dall's Sheep hunt in the Northwest Territories this July. That will easily outstrip either of the other two hunts in cost, by about 4 or 5 thou. I'm guessing.

For those whom have not hunted Africa before and want a GOOD GENERAL rule of thumb cost equation for a mixed bag plains game hunt.

If you use a [ ball park figure ] of $1000 per day that will very roughly cover for everything from A to Z ... airfares, medical shots, hunting, specie fees, dip pack ship, and any other miscellaneous accommodation and bit and pieces.

Therefore if you budget $10,000 for a 10 day trip you will be very very close to budget, I would be surprised if it went over.

The only other cost not included in that budget would be your home based taxidermy mounting costs. Depending upon the number of species taken that price equation might in fact even cover for the taxidermy mounts as well.

Have a wonderful hunt

Peter

I was able to save a good deal of money by having the mounts done in RSA and shipped to the states. All the mounts were fairly typical shoulder, pedestal and rugs. The outfitter took me to the taxidermist, so I could look at their work and discuss options, and I was pleased with the quality. The taxidermy bill is about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of having it done in the states. If I was having something really exotic mounted, I'd probably have someone in the states do it.

What about the additional cost of shipping? You're paying for some shipping whether you have it mounted there or not. I was able to get together with 4 -5 other people from my same area that hunted with the same outfitter. We drafted some crating and packaging specifications and we all went in on a shipping container. The cost for shipping will be about $600.00 - $1000 for each of us. We have the added benifit of having space to ship large curios such as furniture etc. in the same container.

I hunted back in September 2003 and our mounts should be ready to ship back to the states this fall 2004. One of our group is going again this fall, so he'll check the container contents (add some additional curios) and prepare it for shipment.

I'll let y'all know how it works out. Our outfitter has also been a great help. If you have some flexibility, know some others from your area and don't mind waiting this sounds like a pretty good way to go. Like I said, I'll keep y'all posted.

Here is what I figure:

Roughly 4k airfare for 2
6k for 8 animals 10 days
800 in tips
200 in curious
1300 in shipping
8 shoulder mounts 7k

So about $19,300.

I don't mount much so my cut about 4k off for my taxidermy.

Once you start adding in taxidermy, it's cheaper to go for Buff then it is a 8 animal plains game hunt.

The total for my first hunt in 2000 to RSA for 10 days (1x1)and 8 animals including airfare, gifts, shopping, tips, taxidermy shoulder mounts done in RSA, shipping and wire transfer fees was $14,892.00. On top of that I spent about $500.00 in practice ammo the year prior to my hunt and about $1,150.00 on new gear and personal effect (Tuffpak, film, RX, clothing, etc.). Plus my wife used my trip and all the new trophies as an excuse to build a bigger house after I returned. OUCH!



In 1999 I went on a 10 day moose hunt in Alaska and spent over 10,500.00 and didn't kill a moose, a sow grizzly tried to shake hands with me, slept under a blue tarp on the tundra, ate MREs, didn't bathe or change clothes(other than socks) for the duration, helped load and unload the truck and boat, carried meat for other hunters, burned up in the heat and froze in the cold rain/sleet/snow, fetched my own water, helped cook and cared for my horse. I enjoyed the hunt and the experience and you couldn't give me my money back, but for the price I will take a hunt in Africa again in a minute.



Perry