Real Safari cost question? thanks for any opinions

[Jonathan Gurley]

Hey guys. I am new to the forums and haven't educated myself much on the cost etc. I was wondering what would be total cost of a safari from start to a mount in my house lol. I pulled a hunt from a company and was wondering, what would the hidden/taxidermy in US cost. Is it better to have him mounted in africa or in US. this is a cape buffalo hunt from a safari company in south africa which i will not name just because. But i guess was wondering what other cost would be for getting mounted in US and gratuties, shipping to US, etc. I know the hunt is 11500, plane tickets are 1350ish, i guess im wondering what the "excluding" cost would be and even what woudl a reputable taxidermist in US cost for Cape Buffalo mount etc. I hope you guess understand my rambling. I was wondering what the TOTAL cost might be, (a guesstimate) Here is a exert from their hunt.

11500$
The hunt will include all day fees for 7 Days and 8 Nights
Transfer to and from Johannesburg Int Airport, all meals , drinks and beverages (Beer and Wine ) , Laundry services , Professional hunter services , Trackers , skinners , Hunting vehicle , Field prep of trophy and transport to local taxidermy.

Excluding:
All cost incurred before and after Safari , Taxidermy and shipping cost , Hard liquor ( Whiskey , Bourbon , etc ), Gratuities .

 

[Hogpatrol]

A lot of good info on Nick Bowker's website, including taxidermy costs. Shipping varies with distance shipped, weight and size of box. Taxidermy here or there opens up a whole can of worms. I'll get the popcorn. Someone else can get the beer.

African Hunting Safari - How Much does a Hunt in Africa Cost?

Are you researching or planning your first African Hunting Safari? We offer cost-beneficial All-Inclusive Africa Hunting Safari Packages.

nickbowkerhunting.com

 

[Sourdough]

Safe plan is to double the cost of the hunt to be all in.

 

[Vintageguy]

Taxidermy can be an absolute known costs, just takes an estimate. Taxidermy falls into two camps, here and there. I had mine done there due to lack of taxidermists here to do it and very long wait times. Shipping is your unknown and can also be estimated but that can change in a day or two. My cost with a buffalo pedestal, 4 plains game mounts, a zebra rug, tickets, insurance, tips, hunt cost, and shipping was 2 1/2 times the cost of the hunt. But I got caught up in astronomical shipping costs in 2022.
The lesson I learned is I will be very particular with my taxidermy and shipping next time. No regrets mind you, just experience. This time I’m looking more towards 2x Safari package price.

 

[Mekaniks]

If the basic package is 11,500 for 1 buffalo thats what you get is 7 days and one buffalo.

You are not very likely to spend all 7 days hunting a buff.

You are probably going to add some plains game from the price list. You need to look at the outfitters price list and figure out what else you want to hunt fits your budget, if anything.

If you really only want to hunt a buffalo, then maybe you spend the remaining days touring. Which is all good, but still costs money. Talk to your outfitter about what is available and how much it's going to cost.

You will need a taxidermist or dip and pack on the SA side.
You will be able to get estimates from them based on the trophy's you expect to have shipped.
Just take into consideration the costs of shipping which has changed significantly the last couple years.

You will need tip $. I usually figure 20% of total safari costs.
There are lots of people involved in a DG safari, from your PH, trackers, skinners, to the cook and lodge staff. They all like tip $.

All that said, I agree with Sourdough that double the cost of the basic hunt is a good first estimate.

 

[375Fox]

A break down of costs would look like this
Airfare $1500-2000 for economy ($1350 would be very low estimate)
Pre approved gun permit $150
Hotel stay before hunt $150
Quoted hunt cost from outfitter in this case $11500
Additional trophy fees for additional animals $1000-5000?
Tips at your discretion usually $50-150/day for PH and maybe $500 divided between staff
Dip and pack or finished taxidermy per taxidermy price list. Use $300 for buffalo and $150/additional animal as estimate for dip and pack. You can ask outfitter for taxidermy price list in South Africa. You can ask taxidermies here for an African price list.
Shipping to port of entry in USA for dip and pack shipment $1500
Clearing by customs broker at port of entry $700-$100
Final shipping to your taxidermy in USA for dip and pack shipment $500
Additional possible costs are airport parking, miscellaneous expenses such as food while at airport

Dip and pack or taxidermy in Africa is always a discussion here. I have a very good taxidermist in USA. I’ve seen too much substandard work done in Africa. I always go dip and pack for that reason. In USA a taxidermist actually does your work. In Africa, labor is cheap, the black staff will do your work under supervision of taxidermist hopefully. There are some good ones there though. Dip and pack has much lower shipping costs.
You’ll need to plan for some plains game as well. It’s very unlikely you’ll spend 7 days after a buffalo.
I’d educate yourself on the value as well as the overall cost. There are a lot of buffalo shoots in South Africa. There are some high quality hunts, but a lot in between. I’d personally rather pay more for a real hunt than pay for a buffalo that was recently relocated from a farming operation.

 

[DieJager]

The real cost besides the financial things is a lifelong addiction, longing for Africa every minute of the day, and possible every now and then some "explaining" to your wife why your new purchase was absolutely necessary.

 

[mark-hunter]

I am afraid to make calculation of total costs, but after three safaris done, I can say, double the cost of your package and you will be on safe side, more or less.

 

[Scott CWO]

Hey guys. I am new to the forums and haven't educated myself much on the cost etc. I was wondering what would be total cost of a safari from start to a mount in my house lol. I pulled a hunt from a company and was wondering, what would the hidden/taxidermy in US cost. Is it better to have him mounted in africa or in US. this is a cape buffalo hunt from a safari company in south africa which i will not name just because. But i guess was wondering what other cost would be for getting mounted in US and gratuties, shipping to US, etc. I know the hunt is 11500, plane tickets are 1350ish, i guess im wondering what the "excluding" cost would be and even what woudl a reputable taxidermist in US cost for Cape Buffalo mount etc. I hope you guess understand my rambling. I was wondering what the TOTAL cost might be, (a guesstimate) Here is a exert from their hunt.

11500$
The hunt will include all day fees for 7 Days and 8 Nights
Transfer to and from Johannesburg Int Airport, all meals , drinks and beverages (Beer and Wine ) , Laundry services , Professional hunter services , Trackers , skinners , Hunting vehicle , Field prep of trophy and transport to local taxidermy.

Excluding:
All cost incurred before and after Safari , Taxidermy and shipping cost , Hard liquor ( Whiskey , Bourbon , etc ), Gratuities .

Over analyzing every cost is the worst thing you can do. Outfitters hate these types of threads for a reason! Lol.

Just go with the hard costs of the safari daily rates, trophy fees and tips. Otherwise, you will never go because, frankly, it doesn’t make sense. Lol.

Do long term research and then book your safaris a couple years in advance to get the best dates, prices and areas and then pay for it over time. You should book your airfare several months in advance. Your taxidermy, shipping and dip/pack fees will be incurred several months after the safari. Spread the costs out to fool yourself that it’s not that expensive!

 

[Frederik]

Just a sidenote like eveyone said double the basic package which doesn't mean you will have to fork out all at once. Taxidermy/dip and pack takes time plus deposit first and then balance later that is at least 8 months shipping will also then be done only.

If you have paid a deposit to the package in advance that also breaks up the cost and the airline ticket so suddenly $20K is broken down over 18 months give or take.

 

[BRICKBURN]

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/what-is-the-true-cost-of-my-african-hunting-safari.7139/

Not to reinvent the wheel….

 

[Fixfire]

Over analyzing every cost is the worst thing you can do. Outfitters hate these types of threads for a reason! Lol.

Just go with the hard costs of the safari daily rates, trophy fees and tips. Otherwise, you will never go because, frankly, it doesn’t make sense. Lol.

Do long term research and then book your safaris a couple years in advance to get the best dates, prices and areas and then pay for it over time. You should book your airfare several months in advance. Your taxidermy, shipping and dip/pack fees will be incurred several months after the safari. Spread the costs out to fool yourself that it’s not that expensive!

Well said! I’m always asked “how much” does a Safari cost?!?!? I never really itemized it. When spread out over a 2+ year process - planning, hunt, receipt of taxidermy, it doesn’t seem expensive at all!!!

 

[Daveboone]

Also consider any non hunting activities, add on animals and taxidermy, gifts etc. just airport meals....100.00 in Newark for freaking cheeseburgers, fries and a drink apiece! Parking...350 bucks for ten days, travel agent, trip insurance....Our base package for ten days with one non hunter, four basic targets (zebra, kudu, impala and warthog, with a Nyala added on) will be close to 20,000.00. We flew coach, taxidermy done over there, stayed at Afton house and loved it, used guides rifle. Three shoulder mounts, a zebra rug , two carved skulls. About a thousand all in for tips. We also spent a day surf fishing for sharks and had a private tour of a game reserve, all money well spent. That doesnt include a new SLR digital camera with lenses, luggage, etc.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hey guys. I am new to the forums and haven't educated myself much on the cost etc. I was wondering what would be total cost of a safari from start to a mount in my house lol. I pulled a hunt from a company and was wondering, what would the hidden/taxidermy in US cost. Is it better to have him mounted in africa or in US. this is a cape buffalo hunt from a safari company in south africa which i will not name just because. But i guess was wondering what other cost would be for getting mounted in US and gratuties, shipping to US, etc. I know the hunt is 11500, plane tickets are 1350ish, i guess im wondering what the "excluding" cost would be and even what woudl a reputable taxidermist in US cost for Cape Buffalo mount etc. I hope you guess understand my rambling. I was wondering what the TOTAL cost might be, (a guesstimate) Here is a exert from their hunt.

11500$
The hunt will include all day fees for 7 Days and 8 Nights
Transfer to and from Johannesburg Int Airport, all meals , drinks and beverages (Beer and Wine ) , Laundry services , Professional hunter services , Trackers , skinners , Hunting vehicle , Field prep of trophy and transport to local taxidermy.

Excluding:
All cost incurred before and after Safari , Taxidermy and shipping cost , Hard liquor ( Whiskey , Bourbon , etc ), Gratuities .

For a turnkey hunt and taxidermy with all pricing on one website go to www.frontiersafaris.com. Taxidermy is far cheaper and faster in Africa. If you are not looking for competition quality taxidermy then look at it as an option.
I suggest you make a spreadsheet and create multiple scenarios.
You are way off on your travel expenses and I suggest penciling in $3000.
I recommend a plains game package hunt like Frontier Safaris and others offers for your first safari. You are skipping a step in my mind going for a Buffalo the first time. Be cautions with Buffalo hunts. Find out the true story before booking a RSA buff hunt. Some are very good some are very bad.
Check out my safari planning videos in the safari planning section and on my YouTube channel
Have fun planning!

 

[uplander01]

I don't know if I quite agree with double the cost of the hunt, but it does add up. If your are going to ship in capes, skulls, everything, and have shoulder mounts done, maybe double, I came to the realization I was in it more for the experience and not so much the mounts. Keep the skulls, have european mounts done, save yourself money and space in your house. Africa is a place you don't need to feel bad about leaving stuff over there, it all gets used. Honestly, if you start over calculating and thinking too much about it, the costs will start to freak you out and cause stress LOL.

 

[Firebird]

Part of the planning for safari is having your taxidermist here or there selected and solid prices established. Don’t just call and price shop, go to the shop and touch stuff!
once your buffalo is in the states the taxidermist in africa isn’t going to fix broken stuff (ears for example) or do touch up paint or redo that eye that was put in poorly. So having a connection ahead of time and having talked about your plans is important.
would you choose a neurologist based on “it’s cheaper” or do you want some referrals and hopefully a face to face?
If price is a limiting factor (and it always is for me) then push your trip back a year and make sure you aren’t forced to count pennys. I KNOW I am going to spend extra money on other trophies!
One last thought-if you dip, pack and ship, you can sit on the cape awhile before you get if tanned, and once tanned it can sit in your freezer for awhile, and truly the taxidermist might have a two year waiting period. So the end money may not be due for months after your trip. Again, having “a guy” will help you make these decisions

 

[Rare Breed]

For a turnkey hunt and taxidermy with all pricing on one website go to www.frontiersafaris.com. Taxidermy is far cheaper and faster in Africa. If you are not looking for competition quality taxidermy then look at it as an option.
I suggest you make a spreadsheet and create multiple scenarios.
You are way off on your travel expenses and I suggest penciling in $3000.
I recommend a plains game package hunt like Frontier Safaris and others offers for your first safari. You are skipping a step in my mind going for a Buffalo the first time. Be cautions with Buffalo hunts. Find out the true story before booking a RSA buff hunt. Some are very good some are very bad.
Check out my safari planning videos in the safari planning section and on my YouTube channel
Have fun planning!

Everyone, while I have been on multiple safaris, I greatly respect and appreciate @Philip Glass and his experience. I am taking my son on his first safari in 2024 to Frontier due to incredible value offered, literally I have not found a better value and I know because I have searched and Philips's recommendation. I have previously shared my small office trophy room with all my African animals. I have found it is so much easier and cheaper to use respected experienced shipping to US African taxidermist versus having my US taxidermist do the work. Faster, more experienced in Africa and worth the shipping cost versus dip and pack first then shipment to my taxidermist then the wait. Just my two cents.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Seriously, how many of us plan and budget each domestic hunting and/or fishing year with hidden cost!?

Hidden safari costs?

Unless it is an auction hunt or door prize or a scrupulous outfitter, there are no hidden costs. Just other "normal" not often calculated expenses.

Travel:
Are you driving to the airport and leaving your vehicle at the airport?
Costs:
fuel to and from local airport + long term parking fee + any food and drinks purchased at local airport while waiting for your flight + passport + medications + new luggage + round trip airfare + overweight/ oversize fees + trip insurance + any extra/ surcharge for weapon(s) if you are bringing your own weapon(s) and ammunition + services of preapproved weapon permits service.

(+ New weapon(s) + practice ammunition + travel cost to and from range + new and approved protective cases for weapon(s) and ammunition + range targets + weapon(s) cleaning kit for home and travel, + a travel size first aid kit + a travel size sewing kit + etc, etc, etc,....where does one draw the line on hidden safari cost? Do the cost come up or down as previous safari items are sold or bartered?)

Is there a domestic flight change? Costs of food and drinks while waiting for your connection overseas flight.

Is there a layover between country of origin and final destination? Costs of food and drinks at layover airport + any shopping for souvenirs.

Is the layover an extended layover? Costs hotel + meals & drinks + touring the area + souvenir shopping + "taxi" fare ( to & from airport to hotel) (maybe a sightseeing trip of the area) + maybe "cabbie" tip

You now arrive at your final destination airport. Costs Temporary Visa + any additional transport costs to lodge or field location, ie private plane or ground travel.

You are now with your outfitter. Costs hunt cost (+ after safari costs maybe tips to PH, tracker(s), skinner(s), cook(s), laundress, other essential camp staff that catered to your needs.) + taxidermy (if any)(+ shipping animal parts to local taxidermist for processing be it dip and pack or for mounting + taxidermist shipping to local international shipping company for overseas/export shipping of taxidermy to your country of origin + import fees charged by country of origin + any other inspection/other government fees + transport/shipping fees to your home.

No real hidden costs:

As you already planned your budget and selected your animals of opportunity list based off your outfitter's trophy fees list and should have a good estimate from the local taxidermist the additional costs of prepping or mounting your animals of opportunity.

Costs Before/ During/ After safari adventure trips ie to a game preserve, local village, nearby town/city, etc. This is either done with the assistance of your outfitter or you have coordinated with a local tourist service or your travel agent when purchasing your round trip airline tickets.

So what are the hidden charges?

So what is the real cost of a hunt?

Round trip airfare to outfitter + cost of your hunt + any tips + any overnight accomodations prior to arrival and/or departure to/from outfitter = cost of safari.

Cost of food, drinks, snacks: we all have to eat! so we all have to plan a budget as to how much we are willing to spend and on what kind of food we are going to spend our money on, ie fast food or plush gourmet meals.

first class round trip airfare, plush hotel accomodations, gourmet meals, etc in transit, souvenirs, animals of opportunity, taxidermy, side trips, are all niceties we add-on and if we don't properly plan and budget for these extra niceties then we accept the trip we paid for.

I'll fly economy class to save money to be able to hunt more animals in Africa.

I don't need to spend money on gourmet meals for every meal there by I save some money for the extra taxidermy cost.

I'll also save money for extra animals and taxidermy by driving to DC spending ~$150.00 in gas and long term parking fees vs airfare from local commuter airport to DC, getting dropped off and maybe picked up at airport by a friend or family member or getting a taxi back home.

I can cut cost by staying at decent hotel accomodations rather than a mint on the pillow hotel for the few 8 -14 hours layover between flights.

There are no hidden fees once the financial planning for safari is complete....the hidden fees are not including an extra $1000.00 or $2000.00 for just in case you/ your wife / your youngster(s) blow your safari budget while on safari.

 

[ve7poi]

Safe plan is to double the cost of the hunt to be all in.

Usually very close when done in South Africa and shipped home here in Canada nothing really hidden just not accounted for ie customs duty inspections broker etc

 

[PARA45]

Get your mounts done in the US. I know there are some reputable taxidermists in Africa, but here you have better ways of dealing with them if something goes wrong. Ask me how I know that, and if you look on here, you'll find some horror stories about taxidermy gone wrong.

Do not itemize your safari, save enough to pay for the safari, tip your PH, and staff, and to buy some souvenirs at the airport. Oh, and have some extra just in case you decide to hunt something other than the buff.

Like others have said, going to Africa is addictive, and lots of fun. You'll meet some wonderful people there. I never gets old. Enjoy your hunt.