Who are the go to now for Africa Travel? Used someone I can't recall 15 or so years ago. The last 8-9 trips to Africa I have booked my own. Taking the whole family over next year for 5-6 weeks doing 3 hunting safaris back to back in 3 countries so it's a bit complicated and want a booking agent. Who are the best right now?

We have used Kathy, who is a member here, on several occasions and she a great job.

Highly recommend!

I highly recommend Gracey Travel.

Mac,

Talk to Patrick Wright at PWP. Worked with Steve Turner at Travel With Guns for years before Steve sold. Now Patrick is on his own.

I had to cancel and reschedule a trip earlier this year on the day before the trip due to my father in law being seriously ill (he ultimately passed away). Patrick was right on it. We got the trip rescheduled for July only to have Hurricane Beryl intervene the day before departure with issues I needed to deal with at home. Again Patrick was right on it. I simply cannot commend Patrick more for his help in working through both these issues.

Some of us have a trip to Tanzania later this year. Patrick is handling the travel for all of us. These are veteran travelers that travel all over the world with guns. Patrick and his team are my recommendation.

PWP Travel

Mac,

I used and recommended to my clients Shawn with Gracy Travel 800-299-8558. She can arrange anything you might want in Africa. Travel to Africa with guns is their specialty. They have their own employees on the ground at O.R. Tembo. They know everybody and everything about navigating the airport.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Mac,

Talk to Patrick Wright at PWP. Worked with Steve Turner at Travel With Guns for years before Steve sold. Now Patrick is on his own.

I had to cancel and reschedule a trip earlier this year on the day before the trip due to my father in law being seriously ill (he ultimately passed away). Patrick was right on it. We got the trip rescheduled for July only to have Hurricane Beryl intervene the day before departure with issues I needed to deal with at home. Again Patrick was right on it. I simply cannot commend Patrick more for his help in working through both these issues.

Some of us have a trip to Tanzania later this year. Patrick is handling the travel for all of us. These are veteran travelers that travel all over the world with guns. Patrick and his team are my recommendation.

PWP Travel

+1

Patrick is great! He’s arranged travel for me on several safaris and has been top notch. I’m using Patrick for my upcoming trip to Mozambique and will soon be booking flights to Cameroon for February. Patrick is on top of everything.

Call Gracy, ask for Nicole.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Mac,

Talk to Patrick Wright at PWP. Worked with Steve Turner at Travel With Guns for years before Steve sold. Now Patrick is on his own.

I had to cancel and reschedule a trip earlier this year on the day before the trip due to my father in law being seriously ill (he ultimately passed away). Patrick was right on it. We got the trip rescheduled for July only to have Hurricane Beryl intervene the day before departure with issues I needed to deal with at home. Again Patrick was right on it. I simply cannot commend Patrick more for his help in working through both these issues.

Some of us have a trip to Tanzania later this year. Patrick is handling the travel for all of us. These are veteran travelers that travel all over the world with guns. Patrick and his team are my recommendation.

PWP Travel

Thanks Mike! I will reach out to him. Just what I wanted to hear.

The last person I would use would be Patrick Wright. Patrick failed to get our approval to transport firearms with EMIRATES. He had 45 days to secure the proper paperwork from EMIRATES. Without the help from a very helpful and professional employee of EMIRATES global security team within 48 hours of our trip we would not have been able to bring our 4 rifles. I would not use Patrick Wright to book a trip to Las Vegas let alone a very expensive trip involving firearms.
4WD

Mac,

I have used a few different ones and now book with Gracy travel.

I have worked with Debbie and Shawn.

I had tried to book with Travel with Guns before and they never returned my phone call.

Saeed, has used Kathy for his parties and from what I have read they do a great job also.

you have the time to check around and I suggest that you do so.

If you are taking firearms along, I suggest that you use a proven team and Gracy travel has come through for me. all you need to do is give them locations that everyone is departing from and they will do the rest and keep you updated on how the process is moving along. And they have a 24 hour contact number to call if issues come up.

Mac,

Another example just from today. My mother is in the hospital out of state and was going to be discharged today to go into hospice. Called Patrick and he booked me a ticket without charging an agency fee. The hospital decided not to discharge her today as anticipated so I elected to delay my departure. Called the PWP after hours number and one of Patrick’s coworkers answered. They cancelled the reservation for tomorrow and were able to void the ticket at no cost. Other people’s mileage may vary, but Patrick has earned my business and respect.

You all might need to bear in mind that no matter how diligent a travel agent is, sometimes the airlines create a problem, might be beyond their control, that no one can solve.

This information I got from 3 separate travel agents here in Dubai.

Dealing with someone with a good track record helps.

But even they can’t guarantee everything!

Every agent named above had some problems.

Totally beyond their control.

Apparently traveling First or Business does help sometimes.

Another vote for Patrick at PWP. I travel across the pond on a regular basis and Patrick has always taken good care of me and my family.

I used Travel with Guns in May for a hunt and they did very well. My first part of the flight to Namibia was with United, who was doing a connecting flight to Lufthansa. At 5 in the morning the incompetent woman at the United desk told me that I couldn't bring my rifle because Lufthansa did not allow rifles, which is incorrect.

A call to TWG straightened things out immediately.

travel express is very good and not over priced like some. Jenifer has done a great job for me and guys I send her way. Some friends used her and just when all the bs happened last friday she still got them out on time when many were stuck here in the states.

I have to agree with BCAP, Jennifer has always taken care of me and all the questions I keep bothering her with. always professional and very quick to get back to me and the price is right unlike one other company that wanted to charge me double because she told me( you are a hunter an ask more questions than non-hunters and our time is worth more to answer you). lost me forever with that attitude.

Wow! Who in Hell was that?

+1 for Jennifer at Travel Express. I have used everyone mentioned at one time or another and Jennifer has been the best IMHO.

Mark, that was Shawn at Gracey travel, when a group I was going to the East Cape last year asked me to call and ask pricing and get back to them. I had already told them we should use Jennifer, but they had heard good things about Gracey and she really ticked me off when she told me that, so I told the group I would call Travel Express and they could do as they wished.

I have dealt with Shawn at Gray Travel on 4 different trips over 12 years and they have always been great, easy to deal and have helped me get out a jam at least once. I am sure that Travel Express is also good, but we all have our favorites.

Hydehunter,

I think you might be confused and talking about some other travel agent. Gracy has never charged more if you were traveling with guns. I have literally sent hundreds of people to Shawn at Gracy. Even if you were the biggest PIA Shawn had ever encountered she would not talk to you like what you quoted.

Cheers,

Mark

Some airlines charge for firearms sometimes, for instance Turkish. The last time I used Gracy they advised that Turkish was very inconsistent, but there might be a charge for firearms. That is what happened, no charge going but there was a charge returning. Gracy does not have a separate charge for firearms. My most recent experience was less than a month ago.

Hello Mark, when I called I asked what their fee was to get us set up for airline tickets for the 8 of us and was asked all hunters and advised her 4 hunters and 4 non hunters she said it would be 150.00 for the non hunters but the hunters would be 300.00 each. I asked why the price difference? she said and I quote "we charge more for hunters because they ask a lot more questions our time is worth something". that is when I told her they would not get our business and asked no further questions and hung up. so I called Jennifer at TE. end of story. maybe she had a bad day going on or something else I don't know but after being in retail business and wholesale for 40 years that is not how you handle customers especially a new one as you know. I don't have an axe to grind but I thought it was weird she said that and we had not even talked about any other service they provide and I was very surprised she said it that way and the only 2 travel agents I have ever talked to was Gracey and Travel Express

After 20 trips, I am firmly in Kathi Klimes camp...
She has been the best I have used and easiest to get ahold of. She does the gun stuff and i have had no issues.

I know Shawn at Gracy has a lot of fans. But like Hydehunter I found her to be rude and unhelpful.
When I traveled to Zambia on Ethiopian in 20221, I had already figured a way to pay for the vast majority of my trip with miles on the same flights she would have booked at retail. I asked for her fee to help with logistics on guns, etc. You would have thought I asked her to donate a kidney: "we don't do that". Alrighty then! I booked my own damn flights, had the airlines expecting my guns, and it went off without a hitch. Arranged a flight change myself when weather intervened on the trim home. Not quantum physics. I think fear of the unknown puts off a lot of hunters and they think that a "travel agent" is necessary- I disagree: it's not that hard, and you don't have to pay full retail for tickets. Just my experience. I may give them another chance if I ever fly through SA, but then again, maybe I'd rather just save my money for trophy fees.

I’ve booked my own tickets for 19-20 safaris, used Gracy for 1 safari. I quit taking a rifle 12-13 trips ago. The only problem I’ve had was the one trip I booked through Gracy to TZ using Gracy. Why pay a fee when the internet makes it so easy to DIY? I’m sure that using camp rifles might change the equation but I don’t care. At my age, I keep it simple.

We ALWAYS use a travel agent.

The agency we use is run by an old friend.

I have known for 50 years.

A phone call to one of her girls is that it takes.

Dates and destinations.

That is it.

Ticket is normally in my phone within minutes.

hydehunter,'

Gracy Travel has no $150 fee for anything. I just confirmed that.

Mark

I think there is a misconception that it cost more to book through a travel agent.

If the proverbial shit hits the fan, I don’t want to spend ages waiting on airline phones to get an answer.

One call or WhatsApp message sorts it out.

One more thing.

I travel quite a bit.

And I honestly do not enjoy all the silly hassles one has to go through some airports.

I always ask our travel agent for advice on this.

Flying to Toronto, she strongly suggested we book a VIP meet and greet.

Great advice.

We landed and made to wait 20 minutes in the plane because the immigration hall was full??!

Then we got off and were met by the VIP rep.

Walked us to a single immigration officer who cleared us in 2 minutes.

The hall was absolutely packed.

We wouldn’t have made our next flight otherwise!

Mark, I believe what you just posted but that is what she told me last year, makes no difference now anyway. I will not use Gracey due to her attitude she had with me. Travel express will be the one I use. thanks for your comments. Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
One more thing.

I travel quite a bit.

And I honestly do not enjoy all the silly hassles one has to go through some airports.

I always ask our travel agent for advice on this.

Flying to Toronto, she strongly suggested we book a VIP meet and greet.

Great advice.

We landed and made to wait 20 minutes in the plane because the immigration hall was full??!

Then we got off and were met by the VIP rep.

Walked us to a single immigration officer who cleared us in 2 minutes.

The hall was absolutely packed.

We wouldn’t have made our next flight otherwise!

With your "record", I am suprised the Canucks let you in....

Guys,

If we are now discussing whether a travel agent is necessary I have to agree wholeheartedly with Saeed. Travel agents don't just make your travel easier they cover your ass when it goes sideways. I've had Gracy go to amazing length to get my hunters out of a jam. Myself I was in San Francisco and they had no record of our flight to JHB. Shawn was able to square everything away for us after about an hour on the phone. Without her we'd have been stuck going back home. Same trip they were not going to let us on the flight in JHB to Mauritius. Bruce who works for Gracy was able to get us on the flight.

If you make your own travel arrangements through the Internet travel sites or with the airlines directly and the whole thing blows up who is going to be there to assist???????

Use a gun/Africa savvy travel agent. It will be worth every cent.

Mark

P.S. Avoid Toronto if at all possible. It is a zoo and far worse than any Africa airport I've ever been in.

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
hydehunter,'

Gracy Travel has no $150 fee for anything. I just confirmed that.

Mark

Then Gracy must have raised all to the $300 because it was $150 without guns and $300 with guns when I used them.

dukxdog, thank you very much for the verification to what I was told. Hydehunter

Yep, it is $300 per, with or without firearms.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
One more thing.

I travel quite a bit.

And I honestly do not enjoy all the silly hassles one has to go through some airports.

I always ask our travel agent for advice on this.

Flying to Toronto, she strongly suggested we book a VIP meet and greet.

Great advice.

We landed and made to wait 20 minutes in the plane because the immigration hall was full??!

Then we got off and were met by the VIP rep.

Walked us to a single immigration officer who cleared us in 2 minutes.

The hall was absolutely packed.

We wouldn’t have made our next flight otherwise!

With your "record", I am suprised the Canucks let you in....

The Canucks do have some funny laws!

And the Yanks down south are no difference.

In the early 80's, we bought food at a supermarket, and cooking pots.

We were allowed to buy the food, the cooking pots were not.

Apparently they had some law prohibiting the sale of these on Sundays???

In Vancouver, we stayed at the airport hotel, because we had to catch a connecting flight early in the morning.

Went to have dinner in the restaurant before 10 in the evening.

They won't let us in, because they closed at 10???

They agreed to serve us in the lobby.

Then they said they couldn't do that because we had under age children, because of their liquor laws??

Eventually they did serve us dinner in the restaurant?

Who dreams up these laws is beyond me.

Or vote for Justine!!!