i need some advice and info ?if you went to namibia on a plains game hunt from eastern usa andthe outfitter charged lets say 5000 dollars what due you think would be a reasonable estimate of your total round trip cost. thanks

$7,000 (hunt + airfare)excluding dip/pack and shipping of raw skins back home. Add $2,500 for dip/pack/crating, export and shipping costs for 6 animals. Then the Taxidermy bill which is up to you. There are package hunts from around $2,000 and up available. Expenses can be spread out over time so your not out one big lump sum. LDK

Depends on what you're after. First-timers might consider special package hunts offered by many NAPHA members. Aside from the air fare and the taxidermy/shipping, you can find hunt bargains for as little as $3000. Email or call a few of the PHs. The price of overseas long-distance phone calls is not that much compare to how much you will be shelling out for the entire hunt.

Try Etemba Hunt and Safaris
http://namibiahunter.angelfire.com
Email: armin.fietz@africaonline.com.na
To dial direct from the US: 011 264 61 227440
Armin or Karen are very pleasant and helpful people to talk to

remember to add 6 hours EST (9 hours PST) for Namibia time.

I think $2000 for airfare is low for a budget. We just got back from RSA here is a break down of our flight costs (June 2 - June 17):

$2300 DC to JoBerg (Amex Buy 1 Get 1 Free)
$270 (Taxes for my Spouse)
$480 roundtrip direct from DFW to DC on Star Alliance Partner per ticket
Inside RSA - we spent $750 each for our flights round trip (to/fro Vic Falls) (final location rt for our hunt)

My airfare was $3530 and this was flying coach not business or first class. We could have done a cheaper flight from DFW to Dulles, but we didnt' want to get home at 7:00pm Sunday night. Roundtrip for that was $300 each.

Airfare surprised me how expensive it was.

Ho,

just did this trip, $2000 for air, $5200 in hunting, $600 in tips, $2000 in dip and pack.

What ever the package is, plan on taking more $ for more animals.

The cheaper to mid-range packages can easily double after adding airfare, tips and shipping of trophies. That's before taxidermy.

As a personal example: Round trip Nashville to Dulles, Dulles to Jo'burg, Jo'burg to Port Elizabeth will run you $1,660-$1,975 depending upon who you buy your tickets through. Namibia will be a different route, but it pays to check around. LDK

Great info guys....I have receieved a ton of great info from this site and I am daily on here researchgin and preparing but I neve get tired of seeing the bottom line dollars and cets of everything broken down.....please chime in fellas with what you have paid...the more info the better.

so it looks like we would be somewhere in the 10,000 dollar range is this correct? thanks

Ho,

Plan on $10,000 to $15,000. Always shoot what is unique to the area. If in Namibia, take a mt. zebra. The place you go may have great kudu or perhaps warthog. Always find out what they have to offer that is especially interesting ie large, unique, or perhaps cheaper than the rest of Africa. On my first trip I had my list but opportunites present themselves and animals are often much more interesting in person than on pages of a book. Save your lunch money, wash your own car, sell the junk in the garage, but be sure to take some more money just in case. Just in case is bound to happen.

Enjoy your trip. For Namibia, I suggest contacting Keith Wright, Didimala Safaris. Wonderful accommodations, great host, lovely wife, much experience, and well liked by his clients. Email didimala@mweb.com.na or phone at 264 811 29 3177 or see him at SCI Reno.

No I am not a booking agent, just a client that enjoyed his Lodge and hunt with my wife and daughter.

Also, instead of buying a hunt at an auction, where it may seem like a deal, call Keith on what you want to hunt, and let him give you a quote. It is much better than listing a notice on the forum and saying "I just bought this hunt...who is he? I know from experience.

Have a great time in Africa. We look forward to your reports.

Regards,

Venado

First time RSA package hunt will be $5900+/-
Air Fare from the USA via SAA is $1500-1700, then you have shipping and dipping and taxidermy which can easily amount to $8000. That's only for your first trip!! When you go back the second time you are out of the package deals and into daily rates and straight trophy rates, then you are looking at approx $3000 for the daily rates and game at the listed trophy prices, I just did an $11,000 hunt in RSA and Namibia in May. I think the entire experience was worth every cent, and I was the low priced spread, as two members of our party broke $20,000, but in their defense, they were shooting the full range of game. Also, this was NOT a DGR hunt! DGR goes for a lot more money. Me, I had to save some animals for my next safari, the African game is addictive!!!!
LLS

ho,

Here you have recieved some very sound advice from venado:

quote:

Originally posted by venado:
Ho,

..... Always shoot what is unique to the area. If in Namibia, take a mt. zebra. The place you go may have great kudu or perhaps warthog. Always find out what they have to offer that is especially interesting ie large, unique, or perhaps cheaper than the rest of Africa. .....

Venado

I've been a Hunting Outfitter for long enough to be able to agree 100% with venado: Any HO at any time does have something 'unique' or 'cheap' or 'special'. Just look at the postings here on AR to verify that. However, it is an art to see which of these offers are really special, and which ones are simply advertizing gimmicks.

But be sure that every HO can at any time offer some 'very good deal'. Try finding one of these for an animal that really 'turns you on', as part of a good general offer!

PM me if you want to know what I can now offer for 2008.

In good hunting.

Andrew McLaren.

The original post referred to Namibia. Some of the prices given above are for airfare to Joburg. Last summer when I was looking at routes, the additional leg from Joburg to Windhoek was $800. Not an exorbitant difference - but equal to the trophy fees for a couple of animals.

Buckshotaz, is the air price you quoted to Namibia? If so, that looks like a really good deal!

Air fare from west coast USA to Windhoek via Frankfurt is as little as US$1800, including tax, if you go between January and end of March. After that it goes up in varying increments until ya-got-to-go-right-now price of over $4000. Plan ahead and buy your ticket 3 to 6 months in advance.

There are ways to defer costs for a while. We are having our capes shipped back to a tannery in Texas. We can then get the mounts done at our leisure. We are also avoiding the premium tacked on by the taxidermist for tanning.