I would appreciate anyone's advice and recommendations.
My son (18 yrs old) is heading off to college and he wants to go on an African Plains game hunt. He (and I) have had the fortune of hunting deer, elk, moose and caribou so we are fairly adept at hunting here in the US.
We are intrigued and drawn to the many african game animals and "new" adventure.

Neither of us have ever been to Africa before. I am looking for guidance that anyone can provide.

Some info:
we are likely looking for a trip within the next 3 years. Safety of travel and operation would be of significant importance to me. We are really interested most in plains game. I am fortunate to say that I really don't have a budget, I would just like a quality operation and game animals.

I appreciate anyone's assistance in advance...

I think South Africa could be your best bet.

There are many reputable outfitters here who I am sure will provide you with what you want.

Best of luck.

Magic Safari Lodges have high end African hunts with location in several countries.

quote:

Originally posted by djsmith:
I would appreciate anyone's advice and recommendations.
My son (18 yrs old) is heading off to college and he wants to go on an African Plains game hunt. He (and I) have had the fortune of hunting deer, elk, moose and caribou so we are fairly adept at hunting here in the US.
We are intrigued and drawn to the many african game animals and "new" adventure.

Neither of us have ever been to Africa before. I am looking for guidance that anyone can provide.

Some info:
we are likely looking for a trip within the next 3 years. Safety of travel and operation would be of significant importance to me. We are really interested most in plains game. I am fortunate to say that I really don't have a budget, I would just like a quality operation and game animals.

I appreciate anyone's assistance in advance...

I had the very same questions when I had the same desires. It was suggested to me to go to the SCI show, and just talk to outfitters/operators.

I did and I picked a guy that spent time with me and made me comfortable. Great safari, no regrets. I rebooked a second trip before leaving.

Do SCI and DSC to get more data. DSC is far less expensive to attend and more "chill".

You'll not regret your decision. While there are lots of good operators here on AR, there is a giant group not on here. Ask lots of questions, concession size, how many different properties will you hunt etc.

They will all be fenced, but the fences just don't come into play. It feels wild, don't let it bother you.

do not do it lol you will get the bug and will plan to come back again and again.

enjoy those trips: you will it love and your son will cherish the memories with you, and planning is just part of it ...

quote:

Originally posted by djsmith:
I would appreciate anyone's advice and recommendations.
My son (18 yrs old) is heading off to college and he wants to go on an African Plains game hunt. He (and I) have had the fortune of hunting deer, elk, moose and caribou so we are fairly adept at hunting here in the US.
We are intrigued and drawn to the many african game animals and "new" adventure.

Neither of us have ever been to Africa before. I am looking for guidance that anyone can provide.

Some info:
we are likely looking for a trip within the next 3 years. Safety of travel and operation would be of significant importance to me. We are really interested most in plains game. I am fortunate to say that I really don't have a budget, I would just like a quality operation and game animals.

I appreciate anyone's assistance in advance...

Are you talking this year (2025) or next year (2026)?


Steve gave you some excellent advise on taking in the conventions and visiting various booths.

everyone here can give you PH's that they enjoyed a great hunt and time with.

Something to consider, is not being firm going into your search on anyone country. Check around and look at your options.

Right now from your post, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe probably would fill what you are looking for.

I totally agree. When I did my first African Safari I asked myself, if I was only able to go one time what would it be plains game, dangerous game, etc.? Well, that trip did just what what they do addict me and question was irrelevant. The SCI or DSC advice is good advice. You can read and put a name with a face.

For just plains game hard to beat South africa or namibia Really depends n what you want for animals and lodging. I have been taking my son since he is 12 and he is now 27 and done 8 trips with me I can give you some places I like and more info if you like. My email is capwe6@aol.com or you can Pm me here

Talk to Mark Young, an excellent booking agent here on AR. A good booking agent knows what is happening now and will have several ideas to give you. Going to a show for the first time, you would be over loaded with all the outfitters and each one looks better than the last one.

Read the hunt reports here.

You will get an idea on what is on offer.

Where do you live? I'm sure there are plenty of people who would be glad to meet up and talk about their experiences, good and bad.

I certainly have not hunted in Africa as many times as others, but over the last twenty or so years I have hunted in RSA, Namibia and Zimbabwe, all but one of those exclusively for plainsgame.
Some have suggested RSA for your son's hunt. The advantages for that include access to a wide variety of game, including some endemic species no longer found elsewhere, such as black wildebeest. It is also less expensive than a plainsgame hunt in some other countries, though Namibia is likely to be similarly priced.
On the other hand, the vast majority of hunting will be behind a high fence. That may not matter to you but it does matter to some folks.
I have been on three hunts with Mokore in their Save Valley Conservancy property in Zimbabwe and would highly recommend it! In fact, several years ago I took one of my sons there for a high school graduation present. There is a wide variety of plainsgame and you will also be hunting in an area where you can encounter all of the "Big Five" while you are hunting kudu or impala. (In fact there are so many elephant they are hard to avoid!) They also have a concession in Mozambique that I have heard has excellent numbers and variety of plainsgame. Mark Young books for them.
Bottom line, with whom and where you go depends on which species you want to hunt, the sort of experience you want for a camp (Tents? Chalets with en suite bathrooms? Ranch house?), what animals you may want to see in addition to those you are hunting, cost, high fence or no high fence, etc.

Personally, I would choose the wild side of Africa and enjoy the Big game free-roaming species that will decorate your safari, along with fine accommodation and food. In addition, a noted PH will guide you. As Saeed stated, have a look through the hunt reports and other references.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Personally, I would choose the wild side of Africa and enjoy the Big game free-roaming species that will decorate your safari, along with fine accommodation and food. In addition, a noted PH will guide you. As Saeed stated, have a look through the hunt reports and other references.

Andrew,

How does the price compare to South Africa?

Last I looked, daily rates for a plainsgame hunt with Mokore was about half again as much as most RSA plainsgame hunts. Trophy fees seem pretty comparable.

I agree with most of what is mentioned above. I also have limited experience compared to others on this site.

However, on my two safaris (both buff, plainsgame) I always made a point to be on or very near the Zambezi. I really like being on a river and seeing crocs, hearing hippos, etc. Its nice to have the opportunity to fish as well. Though, I still have not caught a Tiger... I think the same would be true of the big lakes Kariba, Cahora Bassa) and I hope to see those in time.

I think these places are big wild concessions and are much more expensive...but its been worth it to me. Spending time on a boat (after hunting) watching game, enjoying a beverage, etc was a huge part of both my experiences.

Thus, my advice would be to look to somewhere either on, or with close access to, the Zambezi, the Luangwa, etc.

All the best!

a wild area hunt for Plains game will cost more.It does not make it bad but overall cost all in will be more. If your budget is big enough for it do it.If not SA or namibia is still worth going to

Without a budget all our recommendations are shots in the dark. We all have our favourite areas, outfitters, PHs and game species.
Bang for your buck, definitely South Africa. Big variety of species, low cost, great accommodation, huge number of operators. BUT there are fences. Not an issue really if you are hunting something like a duiker which would never encounter the fence in it's lifetime but can be an issue on some of the smaller farms in the North. Eastern Cape could be a good start, talk to Victor Watson of Karoo Wild Safaris who is on this forum and is a gentleman.
Namibia is a bit wilder as a destination but still very civilised. Many good operators have low fenced farms so the range of species is smaller than SA but is more of a fair chase experience.
Zimbabwe and Zambia have proper wild Africa destinations, a whole different type of experience but possibly for a teenager better as a second African hunt destination when he is ready to go into the long grass after buffalo.
Tanzania is just too expensive for a young man's first plains game hunt. You could hunt for many years in SA for the cost of one Maasailand hunt.
All the previous comments and replies are sensible. Talk to everyone but in the end your budget will be the deciding factor.

Botswana, Tholo or Bokamoso.

If budget is not a limiting factor, then I think you should be asking yourself other questions like these:

What species interest you the most?

What sort of terrain/climate do you want to experience?

What sort of accommodations do you want to stay in?

Do you want to only hunt, or also do some other extra non-hunting activities (fishing, sightseeing, wine tasting, etc...)?

All depends on if you want high Fense and which animals you want. I would do Namibia or Botswana

I have hunted South Africa 8 times and Bokamoso last year with my nephew was the best Plains game i have been on. Very wild with elephant ,lions and leopards on the property.
Everything was great from food accommodations and awesome trophies
i would contact Tim Herald at WTA he will coordinate your hunt
Tracking Eland was the highlight of our hunt awesome experience

Plenty of good advice above. There are many, many options, most of which are good but it really comes down to your preferences. I am leaving on my 17th trip next month, and I can still find what I want in several countries.

For me, the biggest thing is to hunt a property large enough so that I don't move camps during a trip, at least not more than once, or have to drive to different properties. I want to be immersed in the hunt / experience, and nothing ruins that for me more than driving through multiple towns or starting every day on the highway. This likely eliminates smaller properties in RSA and Namibia where you drive to different properties each day to hunt different species. Nothing wrong with that, but it isn't my preference. There are large properties in RSA and Namibia where you can hunt within the area your entire trip and rarely encounter a boundary fence. In Zimbabwe and Botswana this is more the norm as very large, unfenced properties or concessions are common.
You will pay a slight premium for this type of experience, and if you would rather go to tourist attractions and go shopping then the smaller farms have this at a discount. Be wary of outfitters telling you they "have access to" some large number of acres. It could mean they have hunted on 50 properties that are all quite small, and miles apart. Ask about the size of the property where you will hunt, and if it is fenced. Most are fenced (by law) in RSA and Namibia, but some have formed partnerships and the available property size is comparable to counties in the US. Not really an issue for most people.

As in all things, paying a slight premium typically gets you a superior experience / adventure. Some good outfits to consider are Tholo in Botswana, Jan Oelefse Safaris in Namibia, and Madabula in RSA. There are plenty of others to consider - this is just a starting point. A visit to DSC or SCI can be overwhelming, but it can help to meet the people you will hunt with in advance.

Bill

We are in a time where one has an incredible choice.

The likelihood of one getting a bad hunt is very small.

My suggestion is to avoid small areas, near big towns.

They give you the impression you are actually shooting animals in a city park!

Hunting in wild places does have its advantages, which can never be replicated on a farm.

But that costs more.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Personally, I would choose the wild side of Africa and enjoy the Big game free-roaming species that will decorate your safari, along with fine accommodation and food. In addition, a noted PH will guide you. As Saeed stated, have a look through the hunt reports and other references.

Andrew,

How does the price compare to South Africa?

I have a PG hunt advertised here on AR for Luangwa, and whilst the trophy fees are more expensive, the overall experience and hunting is worth every penny. The lesser species are very affordable.

We have a lot of people from here who go hunting in Africa.

Quite a few prefer South Africa to other destinations.

I think this might be due to them preferring a relatively easier hunts.

My late friend Walter was a perfect example.

He kept telling me his hunts in South Africa are his best.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:


Quite a few prefer South Africa to other destinations.

I think this might be due to them preferring a relatively easier hunts.

With all due respect Saeed, this is a very misleading statement, especially to someone who has never been and don't know any better. Sure, there are small, "easy areas" in RSA, but there are also some great hunting areas, that are very challenging.
I have had hunters tell me that the areas we exposed them to was way more challenging than their hunts in Zimbabwe. Now, I also don't go around with a blanket statement saying that Zimbabwe is easy, because different areas offer different experiences.

quote:

Originally posted by KMG Hunting Safaris:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:


Quite a few prefer South Africa to other destinations.

I think this might be due to them preferring a relatively easier hunts.

With all due respect Saeed, this is a very misleading statement, especially to someone who has never been and don't know any better. Sure, there are small, "easy areas" in RSA, but there are also some great hunting areas, that are very challenging.
I have had hunters tell me that the areas we exposed them to was way more challenging than their hunts in Zimbabwe. Now, I also don't go around with a blanket statement saying that Zimbabwe is easy, because different areas offer different experiences.

It is not a matter of challenge.

I have hunted in South Africa twice, and loved it.

But one always sees signs of civilization in most places one hunts in South Africa.

I have hunted up in the Drakensberg mountains, and no matter where one is, one sees that you are not far from civilization.

That is the biggest negative part I see in South Africa.

And worst part is my own mind.

KNOWING that I am INSIDE A FENCE!

Size of that fence is immaterial, just the knowledge of it makes all the difference.

I have animals in my own backyard, and sometimes we shoot some.

I have had individuals trying to kill a certain animal take half a day to do it.

Very challenging!

I shot my biggest buffalo in Zimbabwe, broken horn 49 inch, in less than 5 minutes by jumping out of the truck and shooting two bulls.

NOT very challenging.

But makes all the difference.

To me.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by KMG Hunting Safaris:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:


Quite a few prefer South Africa to other destinations.

I think this might be due to them preferring a relatively easier hunts.

With all due respect Saeed, this is a very misleading statement, especially to someone who has never been and don't know any better. Sure, there are small, "easy areas" in RSA, but there are also some great hunting areas, that are very challenging.
I have had hunters tell me that the areas we exposed them to was way more challenging than their hunts in Zimbabwe. Now, I also don't go around with a blanket statement saying that Zimbabwe is easy, because different areas offer different experiences.

It is not a matter of challenge.

I have hunted in South Africa twice, and loved it.

But one always sees signs of civilization in most places one hunts in South Africa.

I have hunted up in the Drakensberg mountains, and no matter where one is, one sees that you are not far from civilization.

That is the biggest negative part I see in South Africa.

And worst part is my own mind.

KNOWING that I am INSIDE A FENCE!

Size of that fence is immaterial, just the knowledge of it makes all the difference.

I have animals in my own backyard, and sometimes we shoot some.

I have had individuals trying to kill a certain animal take half a day to do it.

Very challenging!

I shot my biggest buffalo in Zimbabwe, broken horn 49 inch, in less than 5 minutes by jumping out of the truck and shooting two bulls.

NOT very challenging.

But makes all the difference.

To me.

Saeed, I commend you on your reply and you have hit the nail on the head. South Africa is undoubtedly more developed than our neighbours.
There are some free range hunting on certain species available in South Africa though, but as you say, you won't be too far away from some type of civilization.
Even parts of the Eastern Cape can't be compared to the rest of the Eastern Cape. We are surrounded by cattle farmers who has little to no interest in game. Their game is cattle, so we are fortunate to have these areas around us, away from the ugly head of commercialized hunting practices that has haunted and still haunts RSA.
The true wilderness areas certainly lies further North.

Take Care,
Marius

I recently returned from a hunt in South Africa. We were hunting in several areas for specific animals. Of the seven animals we shot, only one was "inside a fence" albeit a huge land holding. One needs to be careful with generalizations.

I've read that Coenraad Vermaak Safaris has a truly massive concession in the Kalahari in South Africa (I believe it is 240,000 acres) with all of the Big 5. I know it's very expensive to hunt there, but I'm sure that would be quite an experience. On a property that size, the fence is totally irrelevant to the experience.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
I recently returned from a hunt in South Africa. We were hunting in several areas for specific animals. Of the seven animals we shot, only one was "inside a fence" albeit a huge land holding. One needs to be careful with generalizations.

Mike, please do a report. I would love to hear about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
We have a lot of people from here who go hunting in Africa.

Quite a few prefer South Africa to other destinations.

I think this might be due to them preferring a relatively easier hunts.

My late friend Walter was a perfect example.

He kept telling me his hunts in South Africa are his best.

if he mentionned blaser in the same sentences that make us wondering how it was real lol ...

but did he hunted south africa around you or on his own?
that was maybe the big differences. i enjoyed the fun and the tricks related to your videos and hunts.

My $0.02... I'd rank basic options this way:

First: The truly wild places in Africa.
These are often more expensive because they are generally very remote. If you truly have no budget and want a very wild adventure, this type of place is tops. Lions roaring at night & hippos grunting in the river 20yd from camp.
So decide: what are the primary animals you'd like?
Zambia's Luangwa Valley gives you a pretty good general bag. Karl Stumpfe (Ndumo Safaris) was advertising a PG hunt in his Caprivi camp (Namibia). You could combine this with hunting on a large ranch & see two really different areas. There are plenty more places.

Second: 'Pretty damn wild' places, mostly private holdings that are VERY large. Often they'll still have members of the big 5.
Save Valley in Zim has all the big 5, excellent camps, and a lot of different PG.
Botswana, as mentioned above, Tholo Safaris hunts a HUGE property. Bokamosso is supposed to be very good as well. Both places are producing some of the biggest Kudu anywhere.
There are some big-ass Namibia properties that are only 'cattle' low-fenced like we have on our ranches in the US. Free range.

Third: Smaller places & what I would call 'ranch hopping' operations.
Always find out, what is the size of the property and is it contiguous. Is the camp/lodge IN the property I'll be hunting?
Outfitters will advertise that they hunt "100,000 acres" or whatever. Turns out it's eight different properties. You wind up driving an hour to a ranch each day (there and back) on the highway. Also, some of these operations are put-and-take. They buy animals at auction (or whatever) & put them on the property to be hunted.

To each his own, but personally I'm only hunting the first two classifications. I did 'ranch hopping' in the past because I didn't know what questions to ask & hadn't defined my goals.

quote:

Originally posted by Baker458:
My $0.02... I'd rank basic options this way:

First: The truly wild places in Africa.
These are often more expensive because they are generally very remote. If you truly have no budget and want a very wild adventure, this type of place is tops. Lions roaring at night & hippos grunting in the river 20yd from camp.
So decide: what are the primary animals you'd like?
Zambia's Luangwa Valley gives you a pretty good general bag. Karl Stumpfe (Ndumo Safaris) was advertising a PG hunt in his Caprivi camp (Namibia). You could combine this with hunting on a large ranch & see two really different areas. There are plenty more places.

Second: 'Pretty damn wild' places, mostly private holdings that are VERY large. Often they'll still have members of the big 5.
Save Valley in Zim has all the big 5, excellent camps, and a lot of different PG.
Botswana, as mentioned above, Tholo Safaris hunts a HUGE property. Bokamosso is supposed to be very good as well. Both places are producing some of the biggest Kudu anywhere.
There are some big-ass Namibia properties that are only 'cattle' low-fenced like we have on our ranches in the US. Free range.

Third: Smaller places & what I would call 'ranch hopping' operations.
Always find out, what is the size of the property and is it contiguous. Is the camp/lodge IN the property I'll be hunting?
Outfitters will advertise that they hunt "100,000 acres" or whatever. Turns out it's eight different properties. You wind up driving an hour to a ranch each day (there and back) on the highway. Also, some of these operations are put-and-take. They buy animals at auction (or whatever) & put them on the property to be hunted.

To each his own, but personally I'm only hunting the first two classifications. I did 'ranch hopping' in the past because I didn't know what questions to ask & hadn't defined my goals.

Great advice all.

My recommendation would still be RSA for a first trip, UNLESS, going with an experienced African hunter.

An RSA P&G hunt, If thats what he wants, can be done, ALL IN for well under 10K. That would probably include 6-8 animals.

Secondly, I think for someone to truly understand the sheer magnificence of real wild Africa, one needs a barometer to measure it against. RSA is that barometer.

And lastly, it's pretty civilized, not much danger and really enjoyable.

That's obviously all from my perspective. I hunted RSA twice in the beginning before understanding what direction to even begin, in my wild African hunting pursuits.