I have never been to Africa.
What costs aside from the hunting package should I expect? What % tips and to whom? Are the trackers subject to any special consideration?
What do the governments want?
Help!

x man,

I don't have the experience that some on the forum do but here is what I've learned. The dipping, packing and shipping of trophies is a bigger expense than I thought. Check out if all the transportation is furnished or if there is charter flights. Make sure you check about Government fees and licenses, some concession fees are $100 a day. Make sure you ask all the questions and tell the booking agent that you want no surprise charges. Don't assume anything,ask and make sure. Get it in writeing.

x-man,

There should be no hidden costs. When dealing with a reputable oufitter or booking agent, everything should be disclosed up front.

As far as tips go, the general rule is 10-15% of the Total Daily Rate for the PH and about $30 per day to be divided up among the camp staff and trackers. This is for a plains game hunt in southern Africa (in Tanzania it is about $50 per day). Small gifts for the trackers and skinner are always welcome.

Here's an overview:

1. Costs getting ready: vaccinations and pills (sleeping pills and antibiotics). Vaccinations can be expensive (County Health Department may be cheaper than your doctor). Other costs you may incurr: Clothes, ammo, first aid kit, rifle case, etc. (all this stuff adds up if you don't already have it).

2. Airfare, hotel in Atlanta (New York) if you can't make the connection in one day. Hotel Africa before and after the safari (unless you go directly from the flight to the safari). Tips for the baggage handlers.

3. Once you are with your PH, you shouldn't have to pay for anything in addition to your Daily Rate, Trophy Fees and Tips.

4. Crate, Dip and Pack as well as air freight of your trophies. Taxidermy costs.

These are the basics and you should be able to accurately budget for these in advance. I would say it is rare for an outfitter to try and charge you any "hidden costs". If you do your homework and get a good written contract with the outfitter, there should be no surprises.

Regards,

Terry

P.S.

This may helps:

Tips and Packing List

Questions to Ask Outfitter/Booking Agent

[ 05-16-2003, 16:40: Message edited by: T.Carr ]

The cost varies a lot. Frieght costs for trophies are a big ticket (apparently a surprise for some, eh?).

Tips can be zero cost, also. Guys that got it usually tip big. I tip some but not at anywhere near 10% of the total daily rate costs.

The total sum of tips usually sums up to be greater for the trackers and staff and not the PH, for me. His $75,000 Cruiser costs more and is nicer than anything I ever drove.

My typical tip for the PH is "don't expect a big tip."

You are in constant conflict with money bags, i.e., guys that tip big. Logically, they think they deserve better service and better trophies than the guy there on a shoe string. And they probably deserve it, and sometimes it happens that way.

It's "unfair", but that is way the life is.

Will

P.S. You have to be careful of VAT tax. High in some countries and a couple % in Zim.

P.P.S. Don't think you are going to get shafted because you are not a big tipper. In my experience the PH's in Africa are the hardest working, most honest guys in the world, much more so and not even comparable to what you find in North America.

[ 05-16-2003, 17:05: Message edited by: Will ]

Don't forget the passport if you don't already have one; I paid $90.00 for mine including the photos needed. Also, don't forget gifts/trinkets for friends and family at home.

It is like Terry said, there should be no hidden costs. A lot of what I hear guys complain about as hidden costs are just poor planning. Just do your homework and decide what you want to spend your money on. Then go and have a good time!

The best thing you can do is ask to see a copy of the "standard safari contract" before you book your trip.

The safari contract I offer to clients spells out exactly what is included and what is excluded from the advertised price. Probably the country to be most careful of is Tanzania as they have so many different chargeable taxes and licences etc.

For example, when someone buys a Tanzanian Buffalo package from me the package price always includes the following; All camp, conservation & concession fees for the hunter. The relevant licence fee, import tax on 1 rifle per hunter, trophy fee on the animal included in the package, crating of trophies and delivery to a suitable shipping agent at the nearest port of embarkation........ many companies will add these charges on as additional items to the price they advertise the hunt for. They also get a copy of a small book we produce that is aimed at answering all the million and one questions that may occur to the hunter before he comes on safari.

The contract also stipulates what is excluded, such as, additional trophy fees, charters, alcohol and tips.

So if I offer a 7 day Buff package in the Burigi Reserve Tanzania for US$8750 per hunter on a 2x1 hunt, then you actually pay US$8750 plus charters. If I advertise a 7 day Buff hunt in the Selous (as a special) for US$8500 including charters, then that price includes all of the above and also the charters........ Personally I find that sticking to the KISS principle of pricing (Keep It Simple, Stupid) works for me.

I also publish all my terms of business on my website.

x-man:

Above all else ask the PH ahead of time. Nothing SHOULD be a surprise. Never the less -

Airfare is the single biggest expense you will have besides daily fees
and trophy fees.

2nd is the taxidermy cost once the trip is done (can be staggered over
a long time), and then probably freight to bring your trophies home.

While you are actually in Africa you will need to make sure that
transportation to the hunting area, meals and lodging while awaiting
flights in Jo-berg etc are budgeted for. We also bought our own liquor
although the PH provided excellent South African wine.

Of course you will need to buy or borrow hunting equipment to take with
you. A good rifle case is highly recommended.

Plan to lose a few % in currency exchange commissions (that one
surprised me), and bring more money than you think you will need for
souvenirs. I bought lots of stuff and still feel like some folks at
home got short changed. Next trip I'm planning to pack a second
suitcase just for souvenirs.

Tipping is of course based on what you feel is deserved. In my case
the PH owned the outfit. I was not able to tip heavily, but gave the PH
about 10% of the total daily fees. I distributed some small gifts
(book, leatherman tool, and cigars to trackers and skinners and left a
pocketful of rand for the house staff who did laundry and cleaning.

On the subject of tipping, South African hunting camps tend to have fairly small staff numbers, whilst the hunting camps in true wilderness areas are a lot larger. And tips in these areas can consequently work out as a considerable expense. It's not unusual to have a safari crew in Tanzania in excess of 16 guys....... even at US$30 a head that adds up. Having said that, although it's not compulsory it is a good idea to build it into your cost projections.

Craig Boddington covers the subject brilliantly in "African Experience"..... for those of you out there who are looking into the cost of a 1st safari, buying this book would be an excellent first step.

Taxidermy is also a very large cost. If you're happy to simply take photographs and have a few skull mounts it might make the difference between coming on safari every 2 years instead of every 3 or 4.

The most important thing to remember about all this is that every year you get older, and you're a long time dead.......... so try to do it while you can!!!

Don't forget the cost of Malaria pills. My health insurance covered it, but if yours does not, I think it could be as high as $200.00 for Malarone.

Tim

[ 05-17-2003, 19:07: Message edited by: Shumba ]

Depending on how remote you will be and/or your comfort level with the local health care, you might want to consider MEDJET insurance. It will cover air medical evacuation and more for about $195 a year.

The word hidden costs is a misused, misleading figure of speach. I may have starte it years ago as a marketing ploy, and it has been adopted by us Americans, it is thoes costs other than the daily rate or perhaps daily rate and trophy fee on a 7 day Buff hunt...They consist of:

Vat Tax or other taxes
Airport fees
motels before and after the hunt
license fees
Concession fees
Gov. rifle import fees
Charter flights
Dip and pack
tips
to name a few.

This comes about from a difference in customs as to how to price a hunt...Europeans, Japanese, and most all countries like each cost broken down into cost segments, The average American wants a flat rate and thats it, so the word we adapted to actual cost is misused as hidden cost...

Fact is in most every brochure I have seen each lists exactly what is furnished and what is not, so read the brochure carefully...

All my brochures are broken down by costs but if you look at one of my adds it will give a flat rate or if you call me or email me I give you a flat price barring tips...unless you are from outside our borders then I break it down.

I advertise a "All enclusive" price and that means just that, no other cost but you getting to Africa and back plus whatever you wish to tip and that is optional...

I may be making a mistake there because much of my competition list the cost of the hunt at say $5500 then when you call they add the other $3000 that consists of Charter flights, Dip and pak, etc., It is smart marketing to do that and I probably should do the same to be competitive, but I have not got around to it and it saves me the hassle of explaining away all that stuff...we'll see...I list my hunt at 2x1 $8850.00 in the Mayowashi or salous, you gotta get to Dar...1x1 at $10,550 "all inclusive"

I have always thought Americans would rather I charged $9850 and $11,550 and no tips are allowed..that takes care of staff and PH. the figures are not at question, I used them as an example mostly...

All inclusive means no hidden costs...in my book.

All of the above is good advice.

I was nearly ripped off was by the taxidermist the PH I was hunting with referred me to in the Eastern Cape RSA. There were a lot of charges that were totally bogus that showed up on my bill.For example, $100 for transport of the trophies from the ranch to their shop. Yet the PH delivered the items to their shop on his way to town. Then they were going to charge me $250 for a crate to ship my trophies home in. I had a pointed converstation with the PH and he got that straightened out.

Getting the trophies home seems to be the crap shoot for me. Besides the above episode I had Coppersmith overbill me (twice) for things they never did. They refunded me the money but only because I caught them at it.

Matt:

That taxidermist wouldn't have been Roy Hayes at Tarkastad, would it?

Tips there are a lot of people in camp.Cooks trackers cleaning ladys.And dipping and boiling and shipping.The next time I go I am going with kruger he does it all hunting dipping boiling and shipping and is right up front about every thing.

Thank you all!

First time to Africa is a bit of an information overload.

Thank-you again!

Jamie

A big thanks from me too. Making my first in July.

[ 05-26-2003, 08:21: Message edited by: BOWHUNR ]

Hidden costs!

A few years ago, i went to Poem Lamprecht at ELLISRAS; fancy game ranch South africa.

Poem is a fantastic man; about 74 years old, he has shot every african species that you can imagine including + - 40 elephants.

I booked a non-trophy hunt but nevertheless i could shoot 2 big warthogs trophy and Impala.

I paid exactly what was proposed. Only some tips for the black staff were extra.

I advised some Scottish friends and they also came back satisfied.

Now if you like to have your trophy's mounted and have them sended to your country: that's another story: you cannot foresee the exact cost. Me and my friend paid for us 2: approx 3.000 euro (10 trophys)

What i liked was the procedure for importing the guns...really african way;also the two Italians who's papers i filled in (they didn't understand one word of English nor Afrikaans) (they went hunting elsewhere) Parlamos solo Italiano!HI hi hi . Now Afrikaans is very similar to flemish, the language most of the people in Belgium speak! So very easy for us to understand the PH , the customs, shopkeepers..etc..

kind regards scoutie dirk from the monkey country Belgium

[ 05-30-2003, 21:19: Message edited by: dirk_scout ]

Are you married?

I can rattle off a few hidden costs that are might hit you down the road.

Remodelling the bathroom.
Remodelling the kitchen.
A new car.
A Mediterranean cruise.
An anniversary ring.
Adding a room to your house (to get those trophies out of her living room).



H. C.

I am married..and the ultimate hidden cost is...your wife: you never know what she is going to spend...So leave her home ;like i did whilst i was shooting! hi, hi hi!

Make sure to tighten her chastity belt before leaving!!!

[ 05-31-2003, 08:41: Message edited by: dirk_scout ]

I'd say that if you have to ask, you probably can't afford to go.

Sorry but I dont agree. Knowledge is power. You can plan for anything given all the information. You cant however plan for anything without it. It is always best to ask questions and check out the situation. I dont care what it is I never go into any situation blindly if I can help it.

The following are not what I would consider "hidden costs", but rather incidentals to be aware of. You'll probably want to bring home some souveniers of your trip, such as scrimshaw ostrich eggs, warthog tusk bottle openers, a nice piece of jewelry for the Mrs, and a couple of bottles of Amarula or some excellent South African wine. On top of that, in many places in RSA, it's not uncommon to hunt a property some distance from where your are housed, and if that's the case, you may want to pick up some snacks, or pop at a convenience store when your P.H. stops to fill up the gas tank. I also usually buy a can of tobacco, and some rolling papers for the trackers. They really appreciate it.