What is the real cost of a charter flight for two people from Harare to the Zambezi valley and return???

You mean "real" as in fuel, maintenance, etc...

Or do you mean just what one costs?

If it's the latter, I just received a quote for a charter from HRE to Buffalo Range (for 2) that was about $2K.

Gunny,

I just responded in the other post.

Be prepared to spend $1100 to $1200 for a round trip flight on a single engine Cesna. This will cover two people and their gear.

Price could change by a $100 or so depending on availability of fuel at the time you fly.

Tim

How much would it cost to drive, how far is it and how long (in hours) a drive?

mike

about 4 to 5 hours

Why would anyone fly? I hunt on a property where it takes that long to drive from the front gate to the house.

new_guy

Wow! 2K to fly to Buffalo Range!!! I hunted down there 4 times, I drove, or had someone from the Safari company drive me. It cost $125.00 per person to drive. Yes it was a long drive but I enjoyed the view and got to talk alot with my PH.

quote:

Originally posted by Shumba:
Gunny,

I just responded in the other post.

Be prepared to spend $1100 to $1200 for a round trip flight on a single engine Cesna. This will cover two people and their gear.

Price could change by a $100 or so depending on availability of fuel at the time you fly.

Tim

Shumba - who should i contact to get a rate like that?

New_guy,

That ($1,100) is the total price Mark "N'gagi" Jackson and I paid ($550 each) last August 2004 to fly from Harare to Chewore North and back. The pilot, Giles, met us at gate when our flight arrived and coordinated getting our bags, guns, etc. and getting use through Zim customs.

Back in October 2001, my wife and I flew from Victoria Falls to Chewore North (2.75 hours) and then the pilot (Andrew Dawson) picked us up in Chewore North (Big 5 camp) and flew my wife, me, and our PH (Ian Gibson) from Chewore North to Harare. I was Ian's last client for the season, so he flew out with us. The total cost for these flights back in 2001 was also $1,100.

I just have my local US booking agent, Tim Danklef, book the charter flights for me when he books the hunt. I send the money and don't ask any questions.

Oh, by the way, back in 2001, Tim quoted me $1,000 for the Vic Falls-Chewore / Chewore - Harare flight. A couple of weeks before we left, he asked if I could pay an extra $100 to cover the increased fuel costs. I said "no problem", because I truly believed that the cost to the pilot had gone up. Had I said no, I know Tim would have just paid it himself.

When it comes to budgeting for your safari, I suggest finalzing your budget and once you are absolutely sure you have appropriately budgeted every single cost/expense, add an extra $1,000 for "unkown" and "unforeseen" expenses. Then when something comes up you won't sweat it.

Try talking to someone who has gone on safari and passed on a great animal because he did not budget the extra $300 to $800 trophy fee. Those people always come home wishing that would have spent the extra $ and taken the animal that they had passed on.

Tim

I guess my point is one guy pays two grand and one pays 1200. I drive 1000 miles one way to hunt elk everyyear. It is nice to fly as its so fast but I dont mind a three or four hour drive. Russ Broom started charging a 3000 dollar us sundry fee to cover charters and dip and pack. Me thinks thats a little steep.

on a bum hunt in zambia we were charged 1200 to fly in the outfitters plane into camp, also with the camp staff, supplies etc. found out we could have gone in for less that 700. the PH was a super guy and drove us back to town & it was fun just seeing the country. Personally I'll take driving and seeing the country. If time is of the essence, fly, but be prepared to pay.

quote:

Originally posted by Shumba:
New_guy,

That ($1,100) is the total price Mark "N'gagi" Jackson and I paid ($550 each) last August 2004 to fly from Harare to Chewore North and back. .

Tim

Please, show me where b/c I'd love to book one at that price. I've gotten 3 quotes (PH has 3 additional from Zim) and none have anywhere near the $550.00 each mark.

I think many of the transportation cost in Africa are based on "whatever we can get".

I have seen Outfitter quoted train fares into the Selous at $250. In October of 2002, I bought a ticket from Dar to MK1 for $14.00. Not a bad profit margin

Here is the website for Big 5 Safaris. http://www.wickedhost.net/bigfive/

Go to the 2005 pricing page and between the listed daily rate and tophy fees you will see

"Return Air Charter ranging from US$700-US$2600"


By "Return" they mean roundtrip. $700 sounds low, but that might be sharing a ride with another hunter. Again, Mark and I paid $1,100 total roundtrip for both of us ($550 per person). The high quote for $2,600 is probably for the KingAir twin engine and that will hold at least four people ($650 per person) if not more. The KingAir also gets you there in about 40 to 50 minutes versus 1 hr 15 minutes in the single engine Cesna.

The owner of Big5 Safaris is a well known business man in Africa with many holdings/companies. I wouldn't be surprised if he had some interest in the charter service.

Anyway, I have hunted twice with Big 5 and both times I just have my US booking agent, Tim Danklef, handle the charter flight arrangements.

Tim's contact information is listed on Andrew Dawson's website.

www.chifutisafaris.com

Andrew is the PH on Boddington's recent video "Boddington on Buffalo" Tim Danklef was one of the producers and also one of the cameramen for the video/DVD.


Tim Danklef
Timbuctoo Sporting Adventures
3741 Purdue
Dallas, Texas 75225
(214)-360-9599 Office
(214)-361-8789 Fax
tdanklef@aol.com

You may have to be booked with Big5 or Chifuti Safaris to get the charter rate that we got. Either way that ($550 per person roundtrip) is what we paid.

Tim

I think most hunters dont share a charter so they pay the full cost but most companys Ive hunted with will split the charter cost if its two guys in one plane. It seems pretty standard for the pilots to do the meet and greet as they have security clearance to get to you before customs. Ive just heard to many stories lately of 2000 dollar charters in Zimbabwe. Twelve hundred is about as high as I could go and remain on budget.

How about this email:

"Dear Mr. PH,

I understand that the charter cost to/from the safari area is $2,000 which is not how I would like to spend that money. If you will pick me up at the airport and drive me to/from the concession, I will give you the $2,000 to cover fuel/vehicle use and for your tip. Please let me know if this will be satisfactory.

Lovingly,

Your Client"

quote:

Originally posted by gunny:
I think most hunters dont share a charter so they pay the full cost but most companys Ive hunted with will split the charter cost if its two guys in one plane. It seems pretty standard for the pilots to do the meet and greet as they have security clearance to get to you before customs. Ive just heard to many stories lately of 2000 dollar charters in Zimbabwe. Twelve hundred is about as high as I could go and remain on budget.

Gunny,

The price of oil has doubled in the last year. I know that in my area one gallon of Av gas sells for over $3.00 USD. I can only imagine what your average small charter operator in Zim is paying for a gallon of Av gas at current prices. Then you've got to add in the outfitters "cut" I wouldn't be surprised to see $2000.00USD round trip prices this year at all.

Now lets look at this from an honest cost/ profit standpoint. A CE-206 charters for Between $280 and $350USD per hour in the USA. It is approximatley an average of 1+15 or 1+30 flight to the the Zambezi Valley from Harare. So the operator has 2+30 or so hours each way as the aircraft has to return to HRE but many times the operator is backhauling people so they are double dipping on that leg. Just for arguments sake lets say he is deadhead on return and we'll give him the benifit of the doubt and say he is legitamitly charging out $350 per hour. So the most he should be charging
(Which is High for a CE-206 which burns about 15-18GPH depending on how you run it.) Anything over $1400.00 round trip is a soaking. Someone is getting their palms greased. Charter fee's are a profit add on to the outfitter they are a fu**** scam for the most part and I always negotiate them down before booking. Tanzania is even worse. I think next time I hunt the Kilombero or the Selous I'll definatley take the train.

What's the deal on transporting firearms on the train? Any probelms/Complications I should know of?

Thanks

Greg Allyn

PS

I operate a light aircraft a CE-180 and spent many years as a light aircraft pilot all over the Western US and Alaska I have a pretty good idea of what an aircraft should charter out for. These African operators and many Alaskan operators will really stick it to you on these "package deals". Watch out guys.

I carried my two rifles with me on the train from Dar to MK1 in the Selous. They went on a rack above my seat with my duffle. The only problem was the 20 locals who wanted to carry my gear.

As I said on an earlier post, the cost of the ticket for a compartment was $14.00, not the $250 stated by some outfitters.

quote:

Originally posted by JBoutfishn:
I carried my two rifles with me on the train from Dar to MK1 in the Selous. They went on a rack above my seat with my duffle. The only problem was the 20 locals who wanted to carry my gear.

As I said on an earlier post, the cost of the ticket for a compartment was $14.00, not the $250 stated by some outfitters.

Jim,

Good info,, Thanks

Greg

how long does it take to get from Dar to the Selous on the train???