Add on excursions before or after the hunt

[62flint]

Next june/july 2025 I will be flying into to johannesburg for a limpopo cape buffalo hunt. I looking at other rhings to do before or after the hunt.
Not looking to travel far, would like to go to Victoria falls some day but I think it may be more travel than I would like this trip and I will have my rifle with me. Kruger is always a nice trip as well as other game preserves. Any other ideas?
Has any one used more than one outfitter on a trip? Maybe one outfitter for the hunt and another for a tour? What to do with the rifle while I am not hunting?

 

[autofire]

I hunted bots for 7 days last year, then went to vic falls for 3 days, then back to RSA for 8 days in East Cape. Vic Falls itself is spectacular and must see it bucket list location! Left my rifle with Bots PH, who met me at Kasane airport on return from Vic falls to get my rifle to continue to RSA. After multiple hunting only trips to Africa now always add sightseeing trip to hunting. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Just Gina]

I am in Africa right now as I write this. We flew to JoBerg and Mr X took our rifles and luggage we did not need to Afton. We had another flight to Vic Falls and stayed 5 days at the Vic Falls Hotel and toured there before flying back to JoBerg and being collected by Afton. Stayed a night there and then Bossie from Limpopo Big Game Safaris collected us and we started hunting that night. After we finish hunting, we are going to Krueger for a few days before flying home.

I will say that Vic Falls is magnificent! We leave for Krueger Tuesday I think and fly home the 20th. I’m looking forward to visiting Krueger as well. I never used to go get to see anything outside of hunting when I came to Africa. This time and the last time has been a different experience and in my opinion, the way to do it since you are already here. Good luck and I or @ActionBob are happy to answer any questions.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Next june/july 2025 I will be flying into to johannesburg for a limpopo cape buffalo hunt. I looking at other rhings to do before or after the hunt.
Not looking to travel far, would like to go to Victoria falls some day but I think it may be more travel than I would like this trip and I will have my rifle with me. Kruger is always a nice trip as well as other game preserves. Any other ideas?
Has any one used more than one outfitter on a trip? Maybe one outfitter for the hunt and another for a tour? What to do with the rifle while I am not hunting?

You should talk to Jennifer at Travel Express. We stayed at Africa Sky. They met us at the airport took charge of my rifles, cleared customs and SAP. They kept the rifles while we went up to Vic Falls, stayed st AZambezi, toured Chobe National Park. It was a great side trip and exposed my wife to some local wildlife. Anyway, that's what we did because I wanted to show my wife Vic Falls, but Jennifer can help you decide on what you want to do and make the arrangements. Travel Express advertises here. You should call them.

 

[MontanaPat]

I hunted Cape buffalo in Limpopo in 2023. My son and I flew into Joburg and stayed overnight at Afton. They stored our hunting gear and rifles while we flew up to Maun and did 5 days in the Okavango before returning to Joburg, collected our things/rifles from Afton and met our PH for the buffalo hunt. Okavango tour portion was booked thru Compass Odyssey tours out of Pretoria SA

 

[Dinsdale]

Out of 8 trips, only once did I not add additional travel, and always bring a gun.

Lots of ways around gun storage. Henry at Rifle Permits arranged once, guest houses will help you out, and so will outfitters.

Honestly I can't imagine getting g off a plane, hunting, and getting back on a plane like 7 days later after all the time required to actually get to Africa. One trip was 14 days were I dint add extras and felt kinda cheated I didn't stay longer.

You want to see big cats up close(lion and leopard).....book Sabi Sands. Amazing experience worth every penny.

 

[Dinsdale]

I'd add, it's not just guest houses mentioned frequently here in j berg that cater to hunters, that will store guns/baggage.

I book on my own and places in Port Elizabeth and Windhoek Had no issues with secure storage.

I will add that it often has surprised outfits/ph finding out I landed a few days to a week before a hunt. Time change dealt with and ready to hit the ground.

 

[62flint]

My preference is booking a side trip with my outfitter.
My ph took us hunting then 3 days in Kruger last time. Wonderful experience.
Hopefully we can do the similar again. My issue is Kruger is 8 hours away from the hunting camp. Trying to cut out a day in the car.
I have heard you can take fire arms through Kruger if they are “sealed “ in a hard case.
Declared and sealed by the park authorities.

 

[Dinsdale]

I'd say land in jberg,overnight, leave rifle, fly into Kruger for a tour, have outfit pick you up back in j berg and hunt.

But if you want a ph involved, your stuck with their options.

How about Madikwe? Borders limpopo on the west side. Good general plains game/elephant viewing, OK on lion, not so much for leopard.

And yes you can take a rifle into parks sealed and paperwork done.

 

[bwanamrm]

A group of us are booked into Tanzania this October heading to the Kilombero for a buffalo/tigerfishing excursion. Since we are close, (and now retired with plenty of time on our hands) a couple of us are flying up a few days early to spend some time in Zanzibar sightseeing and offshore fishing. I think taking time to see some of the sites close to where you are hunting add to an adventure... btw, this wasn't an original idea, one of our forum members did this a couple of years ago and it planted a seed. Thanks Dan!