Family safari - good idea or bad idea???

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Hi Charles

i have had some groups boot as far as 2 years in advance, we just book a few days either side of preferred dates, then when airlines open they finalise the flights and dates

only issue with booking this far out can be the prices. exchange rates fluctuate quite a lot in SA. but usually this will balance out and will be sorted quite easily

sent you a pm re all your other queries

kind regards

 

[Limcroma Safaris]

How far in advance do you think I should book the safari? (I know that the flights can only be booked 12 months prior.)

It depends on when you are planning to visit, and most major airlines will only open flights 10 months in advance. For our guests visiting anytime during the peak of season which is mid-May through August, we recommend securing your reservations at least a year in advance especially if you have specific dates that you want to plan for.

If you are panning to visit the off-peak times, you will generally expect to have more availability, but that can vary from outfitter to outfitter. Get with your outfitter to confirm what dates are available, and book your safari dates first. Then if need be, any reputable outfit will then gladly work around your flight itinerary within a day or two to accommodate your actual dates that your flights are booked.

 

[brushmore]

I must give you a warning of what happened with my family earlier this year. I went with my wife and our 4 kids. My wife and daughter had zero interest in hunting. But after they heard us talk about the day's hunt around the campfire they decided they wanted to give hunting a try. They loved hunting!

But there is a downside. My wife is already talking about how she wants to go back to Africa and hunt an eland, waterbuck, and a sable!! This is really going to cut into my trophy budget for the next trip!

 

[shoulderman]

I have hunted Africa 5 times. Taken the family 4 of those times. They all love Africa. They all ask when we are going back. My wife does not hunt and takes all the pictures. She watched me from a mile away as I stalked a waterbuck in July. My daughter is turning 8. She has been 3 times. She was 3 when she went first. loves spotting game on the truck etc. She didn't like my Zim hunt for Buff and hippo. But she loved the time at Vic Falls and Huange during that trip. My boys are now 15 and 16. They each shot 3 animals in July. We all hung out together in a blind when my son shot an Impala with a cross bow. We all went out at night as my son hunted Duiker by spotlight. The best thing to do on Africa trips for the entire family is don't make it all about hunting. Go to the parks, the coast, cheetah reserves. Lion petting parks Elephant rides villages for shopping. etc RSA would be the easiest logistically. Happy to speak with you any time. It will be the best trip (s) you ever take.

 

[scheepe]

This will be a wonderful trip with your family!

We have had many family hunts and I have to say the post above about non hunting wives end up hunting with their husbands is very true. Some even start hunting as well.

Booking a year in advance might be the best option because of the photo safari part of your trip. Availability will differ from high and low season and the areas you will be visiting. South Africa has many beautiful places to visit and if you don't mind traveling you will be able to see a whole lot of it.

If you are interested in only doing a trip through Cape Town and exploring the beautiful Western Cape, I would recommend that you maybe choose a outfitter in the Eastern Cape or Northern Cape provinces. You will have no difficulty finding a reputable outfitter in both provinces that can cater for your family hunting trip.

I always say every one should at least visit Kruger National Park once in their life. There is also a lot of beautiful places to visit and activities to do close to Kruger that can be included in your trip. Botswana is also a option for a photo safari. You can always do a 6 day Botswana trip, then do your hunt, spend 2 or 3 nights in Kruger National Park and then take a short fight to Cape Town for the last part of your trip.

I will happily supply you with all the information about hunting Limpopo and what trips we have to offer if you are interested.

You are definitely going to have a lot of options to choose from. Have fun planning.

Friendly regards

Annette

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

This will be a wonderful trip with your family!
Booking a year in advance might be the best option because of the photo safari part of your trip. Availability will differ from high and low season and the areas you will be visiting.

The timing of our trip will be dictated by our grandsons' school schedules. That means that the trip will unfortunately have to be right in the middle of high season - mid-June - early August.

The good news about that timing is that there won't be many snakes active. ;-)

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

The best thing to do on Africa trips for the entire family is don't make it all about hunting. Go to the parks, the coast, cheetah reserves. Lion petting parks Elephant rides villages for shopping. etc RSA would be the easiest logistically. Happy to speak with you any time. It will be the best trip (s) you ever take.

That is good advice. I need to be told that at least once per week until we leave for the trip (if, as I hope, we actually make the trip).

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

This will be a wonderful trip with your family!
If you are interested in only doing a trip through Cape Town and exploring the beautiful Western Cape, I would recommend that you maybe choose a outfitter in the Eastern Cape or Northern Cape provinces. You will have no difficulty finding a reputable outfitter in both provinces that can cater for your family hunting trip.

I always say every one should at least visit Kruger National Park once in their life. There is also a lot of beautiful places to visit and activities to do close to Kruger that can be included in your trip. Botswana is also a option for a photo safari. You can always do a 6 day Botswana trip, then do your hunt, spend 2 or 3 nights in Kruger National Park and then take a short fight to Cape Town for the last part of your trip.

Our first priority will be hunting. I know that my wife will want to join me some of the time. I suspect that our daughter-in-law will want to go along to at least watch the boys hunt.

Any side trips will be mainly to entertain the ladies in the group and likely would done with just them.

 

[daved]

How far in advance do you think I should book the safari? (I know that the flights can only be booked 12 months prior.)

Charles , most guys will take a booking a year out and maybe two due to ever changing exchange rates and concessions that might change hands.

Booking the hunt earlier will normally lock in prices with a deposit .

Regards

 

[Kowas Adventure Safaris]

My wife and I have a "millstone" anniversary coming up in 2019. Some of my wife's friends have taken their entire family (children, spouses, grandkids) on a big trip (e.g., a cruise). That has given her the itch to do something like that with our family. Now, there is no way in the world that you would get me on a big ship cruise, so scratch that idea, but she still wants to do the BIG trip.
A few weeks ago, she suggested that we take the entire clan on a safari. (This is the same woman who had the idea to put an addition to our house as a trophy room for my taxidermy.) **I'm posting this in hopes of getting your opinions/advice about doing this.**
?

Dear Charles de Ribeau
What a privilege to be in a position to invite your whole family with you on safari.
Taken all various personalities of your group into consideration, it is essential to ensure that your outfitter caters for their individual need, expectation and requirement.
Enjoy the planning process of scouting out the destination of your safari.
We trust that you have FUN doing that...

 

[Captain Jackal]

This will be a wonderful trip with your family!

We have had many family hunts and I have to say the post above about non hunting wives end up hunting with their husbands is very true. Some even start hunting as well.

Booking a year in advance might be the best option because of the photo safari part of your trip. Availability will differ from high and low season and the areas you will be visiting. South Africa has many beautiful places to visit and if you don't mind traveling you will be able to see a whole lot of it.

If you are interested in only doing a trip through Cape Town and exploring the beautiful Western Cape, I would recommend that you maybe choose a outfitter in the Eastern Cape or Northern Cape provinces. You will have no difficulty finding a reputable outfitter in both provinces that can cater for your family hunting trip.

I always say every one should at least visit Kruger National Park once in their life. There is also a lot of beautiful places to visit and activities to do close to Kruger that can be included in your trip. Botswana is also a option for a photo safari. You can always do a 6 day Botswana trip, then do your hunt, spend 2 or 3 nights in Kruger National Park and then take a short fight to Cape Town for the last part of your trip.

I will happily supply you with all the information about hunting Limpopo and what trips we have to offer if you are interested.

You are definitely going to have a lot of options to choose from. Have fun planning.

Friendly regards

Annette

I can only commend Lianga Safaris as an ideal Father & Son Safari venue. Great area and accommodation, excellent food and hunting. Herman, Annette and family are outstanding professionals and great friends. A true Safari Academy for young people too, My 12 yr old son Alexander had a great time and learned a lot. And had lots of fun playing with Herman 2.

For the time being he concentrates on culling in order to gain experience. Needless to say, a one shot-one kill each time. That's what you expect from the Swiss anyway...

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Well, it's settled. We're not going to do a family.

In large part, it's because of the grandkids. First off, one grandson has some neurological issues that so far have made shooting difficult for him. I think that I could work through that with him, but my son, who helped with the Rifle merit badge for Boy Scouts is skeptical. My son also told me that the boys don't do well with jet lag, even just 4 hours leaves them grumpy and out of sorts for a couple of days. I'm thinking that an 8 hour difference would wipe them out for at least 1/2 the trip.

My son has always been a fanatical hunter, however, he has zero interest in Africa. I was hoping that the trip would change that. However, he told me that he doesn't have much interest in shooting anything. And, I refuse to go on a photo safari that would probably have a lot of tree huggers and animal rights people in the group.

I was really looking forward to doing this with them (and so was my wife). However, I'm not willing to waste that much money on a trip if the others aren't going to enjoy it or be enjoyable to be around. Instead we'll do a much smaller trip in the US (perhaps Yellowstone/Tetons) and use the rest of the money for a nice trip for ourselves.

 

[BWH]

Sorry it did not pan out like you had originally hoped. Nevertheless, given what you have laid out. Ultimately it is probably for the best, at least for now.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

Ultimately it is probably for the best, at least for now.

I agree. No sense in wasting the money and having the trip turn out poorly.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I agree. No sense in wasting the money and having the trip turn out poorly.

At least your family is honest. Nothing worse than someone going along just to please another person. UGH! Now, if your wife wants to go, just go! Too many wait for just the right time and then for one reason or another, that time doesn't come.

 

[VonJager]

I think the son is imposing his view of your grandchildren’s reaction. Will a little planning, the PH’s encouragement, they could get over the jetlag like anyone. It would be AFRICA. It sounds like he doesn’t want to go and so is coming up with reasons more than,” I don’t want to shoot anything.”

I am sorry. I went with my dad and will cherish it. I plan to take my kids.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

At least your family is honest. Nothing worse than someone going along just to please another person. UGH! Now, if your wife wants to go, just go! Too many wait for just the right time and then for one reason or another, that time doesn't come.

I've done two safaris. My wife went along on the first and enjoyed it. The second was for buffalo and lion. She didn't want to go and I didn't want her to go. (They are called "dangerous" for a reason.) If I go on another on, I'd prefer to go for another of the dangerous 7, in which case she'd not be welcome.

 

[Charles de Ribeau]

I think the son is imposing his view of your grandchildren’s reaction. Will a little planning, the PH’s encouragement, they could get over the jetlag like anyone. It would be AFRICA. It sounds like he doesn’t want to go and so is coming up with reasons more than,” I don’t want to shoot anything.”

I am sorry. I went with my dad and will cherish it. I plan to take my kids.

I was thinking about this morning before I saw your post and came to the same conclusion. He hasn't ever been interested in Africa and isn't open to learning about it. I can't even get him to go to the SCI convention, even though it's a whole lot more than Africa safaris. Before I went on my first safari, I could quickly rattle off a long list of reasons of why going to Africa was a bad idea. However, on an impulse, I went and can't get enough of the place.

He's been with me on two guided hunts in the US and he isn't willing to do another. We didn't draw elk tags this year. I'm going to go with an outfitter so at least I should be able to get some meat for the freezer. He is going to hunt an area that has a low success rate and he describes as dangerous because of the danger of falling trees. Go figure.