Average plains game Safari cost - total

[Muskox]

Thanks for all the info! So is there a “best place to go” place..... I see a lot of Namibia..... is there a caliber restriction/minimum for plains game?

I would pick Namibia as I did for a first safari. Botswana would be my first choice, but it is harder to get to and slightly more expensive. South Africa would be third.

South Africa is less safe on the criminal activity side, similar to most of the more populated areas in America. Bad things can happen anywhere though.

The cost kind of wash out financially between Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.

Namibia and Botswana have the same species, and South Africa has something like 50 species almost all the same as Bots and Namibia. Most of which are only available in South Africa like Bontebok, Cape Bushbuck, Vaal Rhebok, and so on. You can also shoot cape buffalo on ranches in South Africa for $7500-$12000 for the entire trip, and you can't touch those prices in Botswana or Namibia for buffalo.

I honestly wouldn't worry about taxidermy on the whole lot, as Africa is infectious and I only know one guy that didn't go back or want to go back. Bring back the skulls and get the zebra tanned for a rug and plan your next trip.

What are you looking for on the animal list?

 

[JimP]

The thing about the high crime area is that you will be escorted at all times either by your outfitter or PH. They know where to stay away from and it is highly unlikely that you will even notice it.

 

[Philip Glass]

7 day/6 trophy safari $3995
Tips $800
Flights $2000
Travel agent fee $200
Travel insurance $200
Rifle permits (preapproval) $140
Dip and pack $125/trophy
Shipping $2500 (estimate)
Importer fees $250

So about $10,000 in total. This is of course just an estimate based on experience. Flights can vary as you know, shipping costs is a wild guess as so much has changed these days, and there are many ways to go about it.

 

[Philip Glass]

Thanks for all the info! So is there a “best place to go” place..... I see a lot of Namibia..... is there a caliber restriction/minimum for plains game?

RSA or Namibia and do your self a favor and get a .30cal you can shoot well.

 

[Chago]

Honestly your best bet is to start talking to guides. We have a ton of really good ones on here who lurk in the forum regularly. Some great sponsors who are all held to a high standard by the masses on here. It's good to start talking to them and looking at the packages they offer. It's hard to answer your question because a 5 animal hunt for you might be very different nthen what I would go hunt. So it's best to look at packages and see if they check any boxes for you. But there are many great deals to be had with plains game packages. $5k is totally doable for a great package. I have even seen less. The guide can also help you out with taxidermy costs. Most have a price list they can provide. Keep in mind shipping is what will kill you. So if you can sleep at night not mounting trophies. Africa becomes way more affordable.

Flights is a thing that changes daily as you know. So take a look on your airline of choice.

Tipping is another cost to keep in mind. I would send you to the thread about tipping. But it's typically full of arguing and bickering, and I usually play into it lol. But I would say on a 7 day typical plains game hunt. Expect another $1000-$1500 to evaporate pretty quickly.

Other then that there really isn't much cost. Most packages are all inclusive so food and drink is included. And once you go. You will be planning your next one on the flight home. I went into my first trip calling it a once in a lifetime trip. Spending more then I would have wanted to thinking I would never to back. Ya I'm going back lol. Already booked. Just enjoy it. Take a package you can afford and so you can go back.

 

[chonk34]

I did a 10-day/8-animal (Zebra, Gemsbok, Kudu, Impala, Blue Wildebeest, Blesbok, Black Wildebeest, Warthog) hunt in South Africa in 2019, with Kudu as the headline animal. I was actually there for 14 days as I was piggybacking on my dad's 14-day hunt. They didn't charge me extra for the extra days.

The cost of my package was roughly $6000, and included trophy fees, lodging, laundry, food, and drinks. Airfare was probably $2500. Dip & pack, international freight, broker fees, and domestic shipping to the taxidermist was about $3500 additional combined. You didn't ask about taxidermy, but my bill is going to be roughly $9000 for that. I also didn't have everything you might want for hunting prior to leaving, so I bought a rifle, binos, a passport, ammo, some suitable clothes, a gun case, and stuff like that to the tune of probably $3000. Many hunters will already have some of that stuff on-hand.

Hunt package + airfare + dip & pack/freight = ~$12000
Above + taxidermy = ~$21000

Additional costs would be tips, sightseeing or side excursions, souvenirs, and similar. One thing to note is that the costs were spread out over a couple of years. That makes it hurt (a little bit) less. I would do it again.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I did a 10-day/8-animal (Zebra, Gemsbok, Kudu, Impala, Blue Wildebeest, Blesbok, Black Wildebeest, Warthog) hunt in South Africa in 2019, with Kudu as the headline animal. I was actually there for 14 days as I was piggybacking on my dad's 14-day hunt. They didn't charge me extra for the extra days.

The cost of my package was roughly $6000, and included trophy fees, lodging, laundry, food, and drinks. Airfare was probably $2500. Dip & pack, international freight, broker fees, and domestic shipping to the taxidermist was about $3500 additional combined. You didn't ask about taxidermy, but my bill is going to be roughly $9000 for that. I also didn't have everything you might want for hunting prior to leaving, so I bought a rifle, binos, a passport, ammo, some suitable clothes, a gun case, and stuff like that to the tune of probably $3000. Many hunters will already have some of that stuff on-hand.

Hunt package + airfare + dip & pack/freight = ~$12000
Above + taxidermy = ~$21000

Additional costs would be tips, sightseeing or side excursions, souvenirs, and similar. One thing to note is that the costs were spread out over a couple of years. That makes it hurt (a little bit) less. I would do it again.

Gosh Chonk, you must have had fun planning all of that, let alone the hunt itself. One question, what rifle did you buy?
Kevin

 

[shootist~]

It's a little bit like buying a house, IMO. You know what you want to spend, but to get what you (or you wife) really wants, it's going to cost a little more. I go in July of this year, btw. First safari.

My buddy and I wanted an outfit that had :
a) a reputation for exceptional animals (Greater Southern Kudu being #1)
b) where we would be the only group in camp - even if only two of us
c) a number of glowing hunting reports here on AH, and no negatives that mattered
d) concessions in Limpopo Province - where the "Skies are not Cloudy All Day".. (OK, I'm just a little bit giddy since I think it's actually going to happen.)

We ended up contracting with someone with a ranch and other concessions in Limpopo who checked all the boxes - with a decent sized area.

Size matters, I guess, because when our friends found out - our group jumped from two or three hunters to six. Having hunted a number of ranches in Texas, (I'm a native, btw) ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 acers, I think 40 - 50k acres in Limpopo will work nicely for us.

We are paying a significant premium compared to some if not all the costs mentioned in this thread. Will see if it works out.

I'm older and splurging a bit since it might be my one and only. Business class on the way over and Premium Select on the way back is part of it.

With Taxi done in SA (most likely Life-Form Taxidermy) an actual quote for air freight currently runs around $4K for 3 shoulder mounts plus several Euro Shield mounts. That's in my budget as well.

Budget wisely, and allow for some extra. But go.

 

[chonk34]

Gosh Chonk, you must have had fun planning all of that, let alone the hunt itself. One question, what rifle did you buy?
Kevin

I was somewhat limited in options being a left-handed shooter, but eventually settled on a Tikka M695 in .338 Win. Mag. It was probably slightly more bang than I needed for plains game, but I was happy with it after I put a recoil pad on it. Some people have a high tolerance for pain, but I am not one of those people and the extra recoil absorption greatly improved my accuracy with the rifle.

 

[Muskox]

20% is a lot on tips. Tip what you can afford.

In 2005 I tipped $500 to the PH on a $5000 hunt. The cook was the other PH's wife and I gave her $250. Trackers/skinners/camp staff $150 between the 3 given to the my PH. I also gave the PH's son all my safari clothes and a new pair of boots. Everything was new.

I wouldn't tip 20%, you aren't going to the strip club or Applebees and there is no champagne room.

I'd rather shoot another animal than tip the PH another 10%, depends on who the PH is in relation to the outfiting company. If it is the same, tell them that when you book. Especially if money is tight for this trip.

If money is not tight tip whatever you want it is your safari.

Last guided hunt I tipped 15% of total cost between 3 guides.

Guided hunt before that I got jerked around by the guide and didn't tip.

 

[Buffalo1]

Just figure $10,000- $12,000 total cost and you will be in the ballpark.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I’m sure it has been asked 100 times but I wasn’t able to find it all together... so here it goes:

what is the average or expected total cost for a plains game hunt for let’s say 5 animals one of which will be a larger animal like a kudu.
I’ talking start to finish cost from flight from say the Midwest, all travel, rifle transport fees, everything. Including dipping and shipping but not taxidermy here in the US. I keep looking at all the info here but hard to wrap my head around it all for a starting point cost wise.
Thanks all

@Letzhunt
From my own personal experience.
My wife non shooter, son hunter a and myself.
21 days away from home.
14 days hunting 12 animals including kudu and zebra
Transport and transfer of 2 rifles
Then travel as nd 3 nights a Etosha national park and 2 nights in Windhoek.
Return home
27,600 dollars Australian for the 3 of us.
Raining of all skins, dip and ship horns for tspt 2,600 dollars.
Taxidermy on my impala and kudu
2,000 dollars
So all up cost for the 3 of us 32,200 Australian dollars all inclusive
Hopefully that will give you an idea.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thanks for all the info! So is there a “best place to go” place..... I see a lot of Namibia..... is there a caliber restriction/minimum for plains game?

@Letzhunt
I chose Namibia because of the diversity of game and t h e lower cost.
My son took a 308 and took all his game with it including Burchells zebra and Oryx. I took the 35 Whelen and it was devastating..
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thank you. I actually reached out to Game 4 Africa to check them out further. Their 5 game plains hunt has the animals I’m interested in and not the ones I don’t. This may work out for me and the wife!

@Letzhunt
We booked thru an outfitter that had hunted with our PH land owner 5 or 6 times and came highly recommend. The thing we needed was prices in Australian dollars not euro or us dollars as this can affect your cost due to fluctuations.
On this forum I have read nothing but good reports on Kohmas safaris and we hunted with Osambahe Nord safaris run and owned by Harold and Liezel Jacobs.
I have recommended Osombahe Nord to some others that actually ended up hunting with them and couldn't fault them in any way.
Bob

 

[Muskox]

Time of year is also a consideration. Many want to be the first in the concession in late Feb or Early March, but you will deal with higher temps. More bugs and more snakes.

In my mind August and especially September is much too late, as everything has been shot at. Some species will not be available by then, but you might get lucky and a quota may open up.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Time of year is also a consideration. Many want to be the first in the concession in late Feb or Early March, but you will deal with higher temps. More bugs and more snakes.

In my mind August and especially September is much too late, as everything has been shot at. Some species will not be available by then, but you might get lucky and a quota may open up.

@Muskox
We went to Namibia in mid September and had no problems. Plenty of game and good trophies. Kudu 52" to 58" 0ryx up to 41" males, 24 3/4" impala so no worries. Temperature 30 to 3 6 degree Celsius with beautiful cool nights to sleep.
Bob

 

[Muskox]

Bob, it depends on how shot up the place is.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, it depends on how shot up the place is.

@ Muskox
His place is never shot up he only has one group of a max of 6 or 8 hunters at a time. He also has his in-laws property of around 50,000 acres and his own two hours away and is the same size plus he has concessions for other animals like girrafe. Being shot out is in no ones interest especially his as it is his lively good.
Bob