What is my safari really going to cost?

[Petey J]

I am trying to plan my first safari. The plan is for plains game in the Eastern Cape. Target species are: Mountain Reedbuck, Kudu, Impala, Red Hartebeest, and Black Wildebeest. Planning to hunt 10 days, and want to be open to other species as encountered.

Right now, based on the price list from my intended outfitter, flights, tips, and euro mounts for the taxidermy, my budget spreadsheet is saying $21-22K (not including the additional animals). I have not accounted for trophy shipping, as I really don't know what to calculate.

Based on my numbers, I feel like I really need to have $25K saved by the time of the trip to ensure I can pay for everything.

Based on other experiences, is this a reasonable number and fairly accurate? Am I way off base? Too high? Too low?

 

[375Fox]

I’m not sure how you came up with that figure, but it seems extremely high. There are a lot of good outfitters and good deals in eastern cape to be able to compare prices. I think eastern cape is a really great value for the experience I had and the prices I saw from outfitters based there. I was there in March, these are some rounded numbers of what I would expect.

Day rates for 1 hunter 350x10=3500
Trophy fees Mt Reedbuck, kudu, impala, red hartebeest, black wildebeest = 4000
Economy class flight for 1= 2000
Gun permit =150
Tips = 1000
Ship to USA=1000
Clear USA = 500
Ship final destination =500
That’s $12650+your euro mount costs.
Plan to add in an extra $1000 or so for additional animals

Some of the package deals are even better for the day rates and animals maybe $5000 if you look

 

[dailordasailor]

Yeah you can easily shoot buffalo and do bunch of mounts for that price... 5k for hunt. 2-3k 2 people flight. Shipping/euro Mounts maybe 3k or so

 

[Gemsbok45]

Nuts,guts and feathers on a plains game hunt.Ten days 7 animals.budget 20 k but ship your trophies home for taxidermy.You will have some shekels left over for taxidermy and curios.
With that saved you might be able to take advantage of any special offers. There are sure to be plenty. Good luck!

 

[wipartimer]

Keep in mind, the total costs are often spread out over a couple years. Year 1, pay deposite and book flights. Year 2 pay balance of hunt, tips souvenirs. Year 3 shipping and taxidermy. Maybe costs are spread over quite that long of a duration, but can definitely be spread out. I usually ballpark estimate double the hunt cost for the total cost, and have money left over. The key for me is to be emotionally comfortable with the budget,as I hate going on vacation and working about money at the time.

 

[JimP]

With $20k budgeted you are going to be real close depending on what you do with the heads.

When I went in 2015 I brought home 5 heads to have shoulder mounts done and by the time that I was done I was close to $25k but then we also did 8 days of touring after the hunt.

I'm looking at going back in 2022 for 7 days and 8 animals and am planning on $10k but all but 2 of the animals will be euros. I am also only really interested in 3 of the animals that are on the list.

Those totals are total cost from air fair to finish taxidermy.

 

[Wheels]

I think you are overestimating costs. If you are frugal without being cheap, you can get what you describe done for 15k. Probably a little less. If you want more premium services in certain areas you can push yourself up to the 25k number.

 

[Anthonyt42]

I am trying to plan my first safari. The plan is for plains game in the Eastern Cape. Target species are: Mountain Reedbuck, Kudu, Impala, Red Hartebeest, and Black Wildebeest. Planning to hunt 10 days, and want to be open to other species as encountered.

Right now, based on the price list from my intended outfitter, flights, tips, and euro mounts for the taxidermy, my budget spreadsheet is saying $21-22K (not including the additional animals). I have not accounted for trophy shipping, as I really don't know what to calculate.

Based on my numbers, I feel like I really need to have $25K saved by the time of the trip to ensure I can pay for everything.

Based on other experiences, is this a reasonable number and fairly accurate? Am I way off base? Too high? Too low?

I'd say 11k- 12k total including taxidermy shipped to my house. I went and took a kudu, blue wildebeest, warthog, impala, and zebra. Total was about 5300. Us dollers. I had close to 4k in taxidermy for 2 shoulder mounts, 2 rugs, and 2 euro mounts plus shipping. My flight was almost 2 k. 800 in tips. 200 in whiskey and misc when there. A night hotel of 35 before hunt.

 

[Rare Breed]

I am trying to plan my first safari. The plan is for plains game in the Eastern Cape. Target species are: Mountain Reedbuck, Kudu, Impala, Red Hartebeest, and Black Wildebeest. Planning to hunt 10 days, and want to be open to other species as encountered.

Right now, based on the price list from my intended outfitter, flights, tips, and euro mounts for the taxidermy, my budget spreadsheet is saying $21-22K (not including the additional animals). I have not accounted for trophy shipping, as I really don't know what to calculate.

Based on my numbers, I feel like I really need to have $25K saved by the time of the trip to ensure I can pay for everything.

Based on other experiences, is this a reasonable number and fairly accurate? Am I way off base? Too high? Too low?

Wow. For your first trip for five great animals; kudu, zebra,black wildebeest, springbok and impala you should pay about $5,000. Air is about $2,000 and taxi all in another $2,000. All in $9,000. This was my first cost with Game 4 Africa and it was 5 star for 7 days 8 nights.

 

[YancyW]

If you save 25k for the hunt, you are going to have plenty of room in your budget and not have to stress while on your trip. I think you are probably high, but that is far better than being low.

 

[JimP]

Some need to rethink the taxidermy cost. Where I live a shoulder mount kudu will run right close to $900+- a little

A springbok around $700

 

[Cam Moon]

I agree with many above that you are high. I think you can have a HELL of a hunt for those animals for less than 25k

 

[Lee M]

I agree with all of above. All in including flight and taxidermy you should be closer to 10-12 k. I’ve done 3 trips and am not probably at 25k combined for all 3. Last trip i cut way back on taxidermy.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

I am trying to plan my first safari. The plan is for plains game in the Eastern Cape. Target species are: Mountain Reedbuck, Kudu, Impala, Red Hartebeest, and Black Wildebeest. Planning to hunt 10 days, and want to be open to other species as encountered.

Right now, based on the price list from my intended outfitter, flights, tips, and euro mounts for the taxidermy, my budget spreadsheet is saying $21-22K (not including the additional animals). I have not accounted for trophy shipping, as I really don't know what to calculate.

Based on my numbers, I feel like I really need to have $25K saved by the time of the trip to ensure I can pay for everything.

Based on other experiences, is this a reasonable number and fairly accurate? Am I way off base? Too high? Too low?

Maybe if you can break the trip down for us according to your spreadsheet, we can see where the differences lie. I agree with the memers who have replied. That sounds quite high.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

I did an Eastern Cape five plains game hunt including shoulder mounts on all five for around 13-14K late 2019. Shipping home may be a moving target now with this Covid thing putting pressure on shipping flights. Any excuse to raise rates I guess. Air fare, that's up to you on your level of comfort and how may connections are required. I would think that your 25K is on the high side, but any money that you save can go towards your next trip. Its probably going to happen. In my opinion don't forget personal injury or evacuation insurance in your estimate. You may be a long ways from hospital facility. Best of luck

 

[tedthorn]

My wife and I did a PG hunt back in 2014
We killed eleven different species of game in ten days. After DPnS and brokerage fees of our skulls and capes we were just about $16k

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I am already here, so the airfare and shipping of trophies falls away, but we pay the same for the rest. In South Africa with their excellent packages you will consistently get a five plains game hunt all in for around $10k, just add taxidermy and shipping. Once you talk buffalo you are in a different league, still 7 to 10k for the buff hunt all in and really you want to concentrate on the buff, not run around filling tags, maybe just one animal more, like a zebra. Zim is a nicer destination for the buff type hunt, we cant compete with the multi animal packages though, it is a different scene.
So either way $15k sounds about right.

 

[mark-hunter]

@Petey J

From my safari exeperience, and have hunted same species (in Namibia), with exeption of mountain reedbuck, lets add sprinbok instead (cca 500 eur, springbok trophy fee).
all inclusive - 5 torphies safari, 7 days - 4.500 eur
flight tickets, return - 700 eur
DIp and pack, shipping - 900 eur
Taxidermy at home country, 3 shoulder mounts, 2 x euroscull mounts - 1200 eur (2xeuro mounts, received by dip and pack, I just had to put them on plaque myself)
Insurance - 100 eur
Souvenirs - 200 eur
Tips - 100 eur
TTl 7700 eur - 9400 USD

If you are going to 10 days safari, add additional three times day rate
Add the difference in trophy fee for mountain reedbuck minus springbok fee.

I hunted Namibia, travelled from Europe, return ticket economy class.
My guess is you have almost doubled this budget, except we dont know what is your safari allinclusive offer, as a starting point. Al inclusive pricing in full luxury camp, could go very high.

In the entire budget list, the weakest point is planning the budget for shipping the trophies (to my best knowledge impossible to plan, and you have to pay when the bill comes), and local taxidermy if done in Africa.
Return Flights are special subject - available airlines to the states vs europe, plus differences in bussiness or economy class.

Personally, with 20-25k, budget, I would be seriously plan DG buffalo hunt, buffalo cow, maybe add as extra, euro scull mount. And would be looking for this in South Africa, Mozambique, or Zimbabwe

 

[Hogpatrol]

I would advise a first timer to go with a package deal, all inclusive except for taxidermy and non venue costs. Competition is stiff now so 10K would probably suffice if you fly the cheap seats.
If one isn't worrying about trophy book animals an even less money option is a cull hunt.

 

[R.M.C.]

I'm going to South Africa in 2022 for ten day plains game hunt and I'm figuring about 13-15 grand for flights, hunt and tip, curios, mostly euro mounts and shipping to my house. That's including trip ins and rip cord ins and all the little extras (hopefully) . I would think 25 grand would be more than enough but one never knows in this crazy world lol. Good luck on your hunt!!