Safety in Limpopo SA for hunters?

[Rodders]

Hi. Great to hear all the positivity from friends from the US! As a citicizen of SA I would venture to say with 99.9% certainty that visitors to SA will be safe! Especially visitors who are being guided! There are tons of unguided foreigners wondering SA! Go any of the more well know tourist attractions and you'll see every people from all over the world in self drive hire cars! How often do you hear about them getting mugged/held up/murdered? Yes we have crime, but if you are sensible, and minimise your exposure, you will be fine, just the same as you wouldn't foolishly expose yourself to unneccesary risks in your home country! Please, come and experience the wonder and beauty of our country!

 

[shakari]

All the replies here (especially Brickburn's) are pretty much on the money but there is one very large danger that I didn't see mentioned & your party needs to be aware of & that's the fact that Africa is VERY addictive & I have no doubt everyone will be planning their return before they so much as leave Africa.

 

[Cliffy]

PM sent

IF YOU GO ONCE-YOU WILL GO AGAIN-DEAL WITH IT

 

[PGC1877]

We spent some time in Limpopo Province recently. On July 30 we rented a car from Avis at Tambo and drove north on the N1 stopping in the hills north of Louis Trinchardt at a lodge. The next day we drove to Musina and dropped the car off at an Avis outpost there (Kathy, the Avis rep there was a peach). The driver from Zim picked us up and we crossed the border at Breitbridge. Musina is a a real "border town" but once you get to Zim it seems like Iowa. Zim immigration lines were long but customs was a breeze as it turned out- no one had a clue but they were friendly once they located some firearms forms! -except for the chap who though I need a "multiple entry visa" and $20 more...no thank you- OK . We then drove 4 hours to the camp. On August 11th we reversed the process. We stayed a Selwane Lodge (lovely) outside of Kruger and drove through Kruger the next day, stayed at another lodge outside Paul Kruger gate and then headed to Jo'burg and home. We made all our reservations on the road (thanks to a working US iPhone). Just mind your own business, smile and watch your luggage.

 

[huntingbigun]

A friend of mine, who has immagrated to Canada, but was born in, and lived in South Africa gave me this advice when I told him I had booked a hunt.

Get out of the airport as soon as possible.

Do not talk to anyone you don't need to talk to.

Get the name, and preferably picture of the person picking you up from the airport. Firmly state to your outfitter you will only leave with this person, so it had better be them that comes to collect you. This is the scenario as he explained it to me. You will be waiting with your luggage. A fellow will approach you, and ask who you are waiting for. You say, "Peter with xyz safari." He says,"Peter is unable to make it, but he has sent me to pick you up. Come with me.". If you go with him, he will rob you. If you decide you do not want to be robbed, he will kill you.

He also said, "don't be afraid, just be smart."

He also said once you are in the vechile leaving the airport, you will have no worries until you return. He really stressed that the airport is the most dangerous place I will be.

Not the impression I got a JNB in May, seen more cops than porters, everyone was super friendly but I did have Louis as my body guard

 

[bluey]

the only time we even thought we were going to be in trouble was the day after our hunt finished and we were dropped off in the middle of jo burg to do some shopping before we flew out and my young son just had to have some fat food so we strolled into KFC and ordered some tucker and when young kody was walking to our booth a large dark shaven headed local lad trotted up beside him and said you left your wallet on the counter young sir . kody offered to buy his lunch but this seemed to embarrass the bloke and he politely declined .boofheads wallet had over 400 usd in it and a hand full of rands .this fella could have just left the store and we wold never have known. now this kind of honesty can and does happen everywhere but it was not where we would have thought it was possible from what we had heard .everywherewe went we seen this kind of polite resectfullness. he finaaly replaced that tattered old wallet that very day

 

[shangwari]

Africa is as safe as you want it to be!Stay away from places you dont need to go,dont walk around at night(these are in Johannesburg).
Limpopo province or either the rest off Africa is very safe,your outfitter wont take you to bad places.the airport at Johannesburg is not realy that bad,let your PH collect you personally and stay with him.Clearing the firearms part dont cost a sent.your PH should know the drill in the airport.
Any continent or city,rural areas have crime ex,stear away off these and you will enjoy your stay in Africa.i have not had 1 single insident in Africa with such problems when having clients.
enjoy limpopo province!it can only offer you good experiences and memories.