Questions people actually ask

South Africa, almost always. Our Limpopo property has the widest species list we offer, the easiest flights and paperwork, and the lowest cost per animal — and Cape buffalo is available on the same ground if you want a first dangerous game animal. A seven-day safari will teach you more about African hunting than any amount of reading, and you will come home with four to six animals rather than one. Once you know you like it, Zimbabwe elephant and the Zambezi Delta buffalo make far more sense.

For South African plains game, six to twelve months is comfortable. For Zimbabwe elephant or Mozambique buffalo, work on twelve to eighteen months. Six months can sometimes be done if there is quota left — ask, it costs nothing to find out. The Delta buffalo window is especially tight — late July to early September is the entire season — so those dates go first. If you are looking at a specific month for a specific animal, earlier is always better.

Five to seven days for a plains game trip in South Africa, seven to ten for a fuller one. Zambezi Delta buffalo runs seven to ten days. Zimbabwe elephant runs seven to fourteen depending on which option you take. Shorter than these and you are buying pressure rather than a hunt.

It splits into two parts. The daily rate covers your professional hunter, vehicle, trackers, accommodation, meals and everything in camp. Trophy fees are charged per animal taken, and a wounded animal that is not recovered is charged in full. A South African plains game safari starts considerably lower than a Zimbabwe elephant or Zambezi Delta buffalo hunt. We quote both parts separately and in full — see our what is included page for the complete list, and note that gratuities are never included in a package price.

Professional hunter, tracker and skinner, hunting vehicle and fuel, accommodation, all meals, laundry, standard drinks and field preparation of your trophies. Not included: gratuities, trophy fees, dip and pack, shipping, taxidermy, charter flights, international flights and rifle rental. We itemise all of it in the written proposal — the full breakdown is on our what is included page.

Yes, and it is common. There is usually a reduced observer rate. South Africa suits this best — the lodge is on the property, there is no daily transfer, and photographic game drives can be arranged on the same ground. The Mozambique camp is more remote and there is less to do away from the hunt, so we would talk that through with you first.

Less than most people expect. If you can walk at a normal, comfortable pace for a few hours at a time, you can do any of our hunts. Elephant and the Zambezi Delta ask for longer days than plains game, and at their hardest they can mean fifteen to twenty kilometres a day — but we choose the ground to suit the hunter, so tell us what you can comfortably walk and we will build it around that rather than turning you away — just tell us honestly what you are comfortable with and we will make sure the hunt suits you.

On free-range hunting there is no guarantee, and any outfitter telling you otherwise is not being straight with you. You pay the daily rate regardless because that covers running the safari. You pay a trophy fee on each animal taken, and on any animal wounded but not recovered. Our success rates are high, but the honest answer is that on genuinely wild ground, some hunts do not come together.

For plains game, a .30-06 or .300 magnum with premium 180 to 200-grain bullets covers everything from impala to eland. For dangerous game, .375 H&H is the legal minimum in most of our countries and the practical floor. Many clients bring .416 Rigby or .458 Lott for buffalo and elephant. If you are hunting both on one trip, bring two rifles or accept that a .375 will do everything reasonably well.

Yes. A .375 H&H is the classic single-rifle answer for Africa. It is legal for dangerous game everywhere we hunt and, loaded with good softs, it kills plains game cleanly. It is more recoil than most people want for a full day of shooting, but it works.

Forty rounds is plenty for a plains game safari; sixty if you are hunting dangerous game. Bring premium bonded or monolithic softs, and for buffalo and elephant add solids. Airlines typically cap checked ammunition at five kilograms — about 11 lb — regardless of round count, so weigh your ammunition before you pack. Keep it in the original manufacturer boxes and pack it in a separate lockable container from the rifle.

Yes. We rent rifles, and a fair number of clients use them rather than deal with firearm paperwork — older clients in particular, and anyone who does not own something suitable for African game. Rentals are available in the main calibres and you will shoot at the range on your first afternoon to get comfortable and confirm zero. For dangerous game we do recommend bringing and being comfortable with your own rifle if you possibly can. Where that is not practical we work around it — more care on the approach, more patience, sitting and waiting for the right shot rather than a rushed one — and our success rate stays close to 100% either way.

Closer than you think. Most African shots are taken between 60 and 200 metres, off shooting sticks, standing. Dangerous game is frequently inside 40 metres. Practise standing on sticks, not benched at 300. If you can put three rounds into a paper plate at 150 metres off sticks, you are ready.

A tripod or bipod of light poles your professional hunter sets up in front of you. In African bush you rarely get a prone or benched shot — the grass is too tall and the opportunity too brief. Sticks give you a steady standing rest in about two seconds. If you have never used them, buy a set and practise before you travel. It is the single most useful thing you can do.

Yes, on many of our concessions. Most bow hunting is done from blinds over water in the dry months, from August to October, when animals must drink daily. Sixty pounds of draw weight is the minimum across the board, with seventy for eland and sable and eighty for buffalo. Bow hunting changes which concession and which season we recommend, so tell us early.

Handgun hunting is permitted in some of our areas subject to calibre minimums and additional permits, and we have guided it. Muzzleloader hunting is also possible. Both need arranging well in advance because the permitting is more involved than for a standard rifle.

Yes. Every country we operate in allows temporary firearm import for hunting, on a permit arranged before you travel. You will need your firearm licence or ownership document, the make, model, calibre and serial number, and an invitation letter from us. Start four months out. See our firearm permits page for the country-by-country detail.

Generally two, and no two of the same calibre. That is the common rule across our countries, though it varies. Two rifles in one case is normal — a plains game rifle and a heavy rifle for dangerous game.

Handgun import is considerably more restricted than rifle import and is refused outright in some countries. If you intend to hunt with a handgun, raise it at the enquiry stage rather than later. Do not travel with a handgun for personal protection — it will be confiscated and you may be prosecuted.

It depends on your passport. Most Western passport holders get a visa on arrival or an e-visa for Zimbabwe, and South Africa is visa-free for many nationalities for short stays. Mozambique varies. Check with the relevant embassy well before you travel — requirements change and we cannot advise authoritatively on your specific passport.

At least six months beyond your return date, with at least two completely blank facing pages for entry stamps and visas. Immigration officials do turn people away over this.

CITES is the international convention regulating trade in protected species. Elephant, leopard, lion, hippo and crocodile all require CITES export permits from the country of origin, and often an import permit for your own country. We arrange the export side. The import side is your responsibility and rules change — check your national position before you book a CITES-listed species.

The skinners work on it the same day. Skins are salted, horns and skulls are cleaned, and everything is tagged with your name and the relevant permit numbers. From camp it goes to a dip-and-pack facility, where it is treated to meet the veterinary requirements of your country, then crated and shipped.

Realistically six to twelve months from the end of your safari, and sometimes longer. Dip and pack takes a few weeks, permits and veterinary clearance take longer, shipping takes weeks, and then your taxidermist needs time. Anyone promising three months is optimistic.

Our honest recommendation is your own taxidermist at home. You can see previous work in person, discuss the pose face to face, and hold someone accountable locally if anything goes wrong. African taxidermy is generally cheaper and the studios know these species well, but you are committing to work you cannot inspect until it arrives. Shipping raw dipped-and-packed skins home costs more in freight and buys you that control. There is no universally right answer and we have no financial interest in your choice either way — see our trophy shipping page for the full comparison.

No. Meat cannot be exported. It goes to the camp staff, the local community and, where the concession has an arrangement, to nearby villages. On a buffalo or elephant this is a significant amount of protein and it matters a great deal to people who have very little.

Import rules on elephant and lion in particular have changed repeatedly over the last decade and vary by country. Check your national position before you book a CITES-listed species, not after. We will tell you where things stand as we understand them, but you should verify it independently — it is your import, and the rules are yours to satisfy.

South Africa is a permanent lodge on the property with en-suite rooms, mains power and hot water. Zimbabwe and Mozambique are permanent tented camps — proper beds, en-suite bathrooms, good food, generator and solar power, no phone signal. In all three, camp is on the hunting ground itself, so there is no long transfer at either end of the day.

Better than most people expect. Camp cooks in this part of the world are very good, and much of what you eat will be game taken on the safari. Tell us about allergies and dietary requirements at booking and they will be accommodated without fuss.

In South Africa, usually yes. In the Zimbabwe valley and on the Zambezi Delta, usually not. Camps have a satellite phone for emergencies. Tell your family before you leave that you may be uncontactable for a week. In our experience nobody misses it after the second day.

Not the pre-dawn scramble people expect. You wake just before sunrise, have coffee and a light breakfast, and head out as the sun breaks — camp is on the hunting ground in all three countries, so there is no drive out. Hunt the cool early hours, back through the heat of the day, out again from mid-afternoon until last light, then dinner around the fire. On a long tracking day you may stay out with a packed lunch. If a particular hunt needs an earlier start we will make one, but that is the exception.

One. Occasionally two if you are hunting with a friend or family member and are happy to share, which reduces the cost but also halves your shooting opportunities. We do not run larger groups on one PH.

Tipping is never expected or required, and it is never included in a package price. It is entirely optional. That said, a great many clients want to show appreciation for the team and ask us what a sensible amount looks like — so rather than leave you guessing, we have published a full guide further down this page. Bring cash in US dollars in small denominations.

For the Zimbabwe valley and the Zambezi Delta — yes, and it is not optional. Our Limpopo property is in a low-risk area. Speak to a travel clinic at least six weeks before departure, because some prophylactics need starting in advance.

Have routine vaccinations current, including tetanus and hepatitis A. Yellow fever certification is required if you are arriving from or transiting a yellow fever country. Requirements change, so confirm with a travel clinic close to your departure rather than relying on what you read months earlier.

Yes, and we require it. Get cover that explicitly includes hunting as an activity — many standard policies exclude it. Medical evacuation cover is essential given how remote some of these concessions are. Trip cancellation cover is worth having on a safari that has been paid for well in advance.

Hunting dangerous game carries real risk and we do not pretend otherwise. It is managed by hunting with experienced, licensed professional hunters, by not taking marginal shots, and by following instructions without argument during a follow-up. Injuries on properly run safaris are rare. The far more common problems are dehydration, sunburn and thorn scratches that go septic.

Muted colours — khaki, olive, brown, grey, or camouflage if that is what you are comfortable in. Either is fine. Well broken-in boots are the single most important item. A wide-brimmed hat, and a warm jacket because winter mornings in Southern Africa are genuinely cold. Our trip preparation guide has the full list.

US dollars, in cash, in good condition — torn or heavily worn notes are frequently refused. Bring small denominations for tipping. Card facilities exist in South African lodges but are unreliable in remote camps.

Yes, when it is done properly, and the mechanism is not complicated. Hunting concessions generate revenue that funds anti-poaching patrols and pays communities to tolerate wildlife on land they could otherwise farm. We hunt old males past breeding age, in numbers set by government quota, on a fraction of the animals a population produces annually. Where regulated hunting has been removed without replacing the revenue, wildlife populations have generally fallen.

No. We do not hunt animals released into an enclosure for shooting, and we do not hunt captive-bred lion. Our South African ground is a single 20,000-acre property, high-fenced on the perimeter but with no internal fences or camps anywhere inside it — animals range across the whole of it and are not moved or released ahead of clients. Zimbabwe and Mozambique are completely unfenced.

We follow it, for as long as it takes, and that is not negotiable. Either way the full trophy fee applies — a wounded animal is a taken animal. What we will not do is abandon a wounded animal because the light is going.

That is completely fine and it happens regularly. Passing on an animal because it is too young, the shot is not clean, or it simply does not feel right is a mark of a good hunter, not a failure. You will never be pressured into a shot you are not comfortable with.