Thoughts on type of camps

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Now this is coming from a guy that hasn’t been to Africa yet. But if it cut a decent amount of the price off I would definitely be up for it. Hell I’d bring my own shelter and sleep on the ground if the price is right. That’s how I do it all across the country here in the US.

most tent camps are actually same cost if not more expensive, depending on type and style of tents
also running costs and maintenance are higher on tented camps
so a cost reduction is unlikely

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

What am I missing? If there’s not daily laundry, chef cooked meals, bed being made, etc, all the stuff that goes in to the fancy camps why wouldn’t it be cheaper?

Or is all that stuff included and we’re just kind of playing pretend and going to sleep in a fancy tent at night?

Im asking sincerely. I’m trying to learn about all this stuff.

I think there’s a lot of DIY guys here in the states that don’t give Africa a chance because of three things, in this order.
1: They don’t want to be guided
2: They don’t want to stay in fancy place
3: They don’t want to be waited on and catered to.

Personally I’m just going to except those things and do it and it makes it to where my wife can come and hopefully love it, so I get it and it certainly has its place and obviously that’s how most people want it.

I wish there was an option to take the whole lodge part out of the equation, I’d be all over that. For example, if I could show up with everything but water and I mean everything, my bow, food, clothes, shelter, stove, all of it. If that took a 10 day plains game hunt from $8500 to $5500 I think you have guys fighting over it.
Maybe this option exists and I just haven’t found it? Maybe theres not that much money to be saved? Am I crazy or just uneducated?

if they just said these things there are tons of outdfitters that would help them out
we cant read minds
one issue- its against the law for a non resident to hunt without the company of a PH
if they are experienced in africa i am sure some outfitters would happily give them some freedom

personally i wouldnt know a decent bear or whitetail on my first outing hunting in new surroundings, so i really appreciate the guidance from and experienced companion!!!!!

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Hello Lex, thank you for this opportunity to feed back. To me and my group the ambiance of the camp is by far the most important. Without writing an essay here are the criteria. I would pay over the odds for this, not less:
1 Tents, comfy bed, crisp sheets, mozzie killer.
2. En-suite shower and loo
3. Hangup for shirts and open shelves for clothes
4. Far in the bush, no human noise, no light.
5. Perpetual fire
6. Wooden and canvas camp chairs, no metal
7. No blue anywhere, or plastic
8. White or cream crockery, no colours
9. Interesting snacks with pre-dinner drinks around the fire like nyimos, boiled peanuts, fried kapenta, impala balls, etc
10 . Good food. Real coffee.
11. Paraffin lights everywhere.
12. Thatched central area.
13. Piping hot water for shower.

Please don't hesitate to ask questions or PM me for price tolerance etc.
Regards,
Kevin

not to be funny kevin, but most of the items you specify here cost a lot more then what would be in a standard lodge, and with more maintenance

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

not to be funny kevin, but most of the items you specify here cost a lot more then what would be in a standard lodge, and with more maintenance

Yes, agreed. I have stayed in three or four camps like this and they were more, but not over the top.

 

[R eight]

Personally I don’t mind a simple tented camp. Doesn’t have to be too flash. A level floor to sleep on and a comfortable chair is all that’s needed.
If you like I can send you the architectural drawings for this tent.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I had my share of "wild and roughing it" in my former career. Now, the closest I want to get to roughing it is a hotel without room service. My wife and I hunt together, and we love a nice lodge.

A PH we have hunted with twice in Namibia (and plan to go again this year) wants to do a safari style spike camp on his ranch. The plan being to leave the lodge on foot and hunt towards a pre-established camp site, arriving in the evening and staying overnight. Next day, the camp is moved, and you hunt towards the new location. Repeat as needed. I skipped a lot of details, but I think most will get the concept. I volunteered to be his test dummy for this project as I think it can be a lot of fun.

Safe hunting

 

[jey3122]

Guys thanks for some great feedback so far.

I want to try and stayed focused on my question about the camp. I am in SA so for sure I can not make it like zim or moz as far as all the big 5 wildlife they have. I want to give the client who can only afford SA the best hunt I can for them. Some seem to get off topic rather easily.

A tented camp in SA will still more then likely be a step above your typical united states tented hunting camp. I am trying to figure out that part of what is to much or not enough for the camp.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

i do believe all this can add to the experience, i guess

but for me the memories are about who you shared the experience with and what went down

not what type of glass you drank out of or the colour of the chairs

life is made up of moments/memories. 'things' dont contribute to this for me. people do and what happened do.

if you own a $300 rifle or $30 000 double,
wearing plain khaki or kuiu camo
walking in courtneys or some old trainers

does it change the "moment/experience" of hunting an animal under the blistering hot african sun? ...... Not for me

regards

 

[SFRanger7GP]

@Lex Strauss SAFARIS:

I think a comfortable sleeping cot that is off the ground, chairs by the fire, sun shower and a portable camp toilet would hit the basics. Laundry and other logistical support could come from the lodge if needed. I am excited about testing the concept.

Safe hunting

 

[Denvir Tire]

I had my share of "wild and roughing it" in my former career. Now, the closest I want to get to roughing it is a hotel without room service. My wife and I hunt together, and we love a nice lodge.

A PH we have hunted with twice in Namibia (and plan to go again this year) wants to do a safari style spike camp on his ranch. The plan being to leave the lodge on foot and hunt towards a pre-established camp site, arriving in the evening and staying overnight. Next day, the camp is moved, and you hunt towards the new location. Repeat as needed. I skipped a lot of details, but I think most will get the concept. I volunteered to be his test dummy for this project as I think it can be a lot of fun.

Safe hunting

I agree with this idea of a spike camp. Living in the bush for 10-14 days is fine for some people but no longer for me.
It would be fun to hunt until real darkness falls and start again pre dawn from a rough camp somewhere on the farm. A cot, tent,fire and beer are truly the only requirements for a single night ??

 

[Rickmt]

Great hunting, good fresh food, comfortable accommodations, in that order.
At 66 I appreciate creature comforts. Fancy accommodations, fancy food not so much.

 

[Philip Glass]

What am I missing? If there’s not daily laundry, chef cooked meals, bed being made, etc, all the stuff that goes in to the fancy camps why wouldn’t it be cheaper?

Or is all that stuff included and we’re just kind of playing pretend and going to sleep in a fancy tent at night?

Im asking sincerely. I’m trying to learn about all this stuff.

I think there’s a lot of DIY guys here in the states that don’t give Africa a chance because of three things, in this order.
1: They don’t want to be guided
2: They don’t want to stay in fancy place
3: They don’t want to be waited on and catered to.

Personally I’m just going to except those things and do it and it makes it to where my wife can come and hopefully love it, so I get it and it certainly has its place and obviously that’s how most people want it.

I wish there was an option to take the whole lodge part out of the equation, I’d be all over that. For example, if I could show up with everything but water and I mean everything, my bow, food, clothes, shelter, stove, all of it. If that took a 10 day plains game hunt from $8500 to $5500 I think you have guys fighting over it.
Maybe this option exists and I just haven’t found it? Maybe theres not that much money to be saved? Am I crazy or just uneducated?

You are right on the DIY guys but they've not been there and experienced Africa in most cases. I listen to many podcasts and really enjoy a good laugh when one of these guys goes to Africa and then extolls the virtues of the hunt to their brethren! They've seen the light.
I have enjoyed tent camps from Caprivi to Zim to Tanzania. I find them more than adequate. An unwarranted tent camp just out of town in RSA would feel quite fake however. That said any remote place on a large property could have a tent camp that most would enjoy.
Philip

 

[uplander01]

I’m not a fan of big lodges, usually request to be the only ones in camp if possible. Have dealt with too many “big”personalities in my day to want to hang around and socialize. tents in the right setting are just fine, as are separate cabins with shower and toilet (my preference). The more remote the location the better,…like a landing strip is the best way to get there. Either way my experience has been the people of africa take great pride in caring for and making you comfortable the whole time, I see this as part of the safari experience, as is the food. I too have been in the wilderness of Alaska and gone 3 weeks living like a savage, those days are over for me. Im not taking a mean spirited shot at North American guides at all, just speaking the truth as I see it. if you took a good African ph and his crew, airlifted them to Alaska, they would put up a camp and provide service that would readily teach most North American guides a lesson in how it’s done. IMO.

One thing I will add, I get the whole DIY concept,…lived it myself for about 8 years when I didn’t have the money to do it any other way. imo africa would not be the place for that. The language barrier alone would make things frustrating. I feel the local connections, an experienced crew, and knowledge of the local peoples, terrain, and politics is a big factor in success, and a good ph provides all that.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Lex and all,

A tent camp may be desirable for some hunters. As stated, if it is in the wilderness, not outside a built up area. A "hard back" tent camp, i.e. cement floor, some kind of shower, and bug-proof tents are okay and with the right PH and staff could be the best time ever!

A tent camp will only work if the PH has a high level of "people skills" along with managerial ability. Most people will forget or not anticipate things. The PH MUST be personable and not judge the client. I will always remember a response, "Did you tell me you need that?" Gosh, If I had known I would need it I would have brought it... Sometimes one doesn't know what they don't know. The PH must anticipate their clients MAY overlook something.

The logistics of being in a far away African wilderness with its snakes, bugs, skin rashes, and unknown bacteria's require one I would trust my life to. Not just to ensure a buffalo doesn't gore me, but to ensure that I don't die from my own ego-driven stupidity! A PH's first aid kit or lack thereof will reveal how prepared they are for an emergency!

As others stated, I've also spend enough time in tents deployed to swamps, deserts, and bush to appreciate the comport a common pallet provides when my feet leave a mosquito-netted cot and do not land in sand or mud. In the Marines we trained to be miserable. I got darn good at it. At this point my life, I have no desire to prove to myself or other how tough I am by any additional enduring hardships. Give me a comfortable bed, a hot shower, and coffee in the morning.

Lex,
From our many conversations, I have no doubt that you have the people skills required for such an endeavor.

 

[TOBY458]

My requirements for an enjoyable stay are as follows. In no particular order.

Comfortable bed.
Good food.
Cold beer.
Mosquito net if needed.
Hot shower.
Flushable toilet.
Electricity.
And preferably far enough off the beaten path to hear zero road noise, ect.

I'm not into being pampered. I just want to have a comfortable place to stay with reasonable occomodations. Whether that's in a lodge, or tent camp really doesn't make much difference.

Dalton and York cover these requirements very well in their tent camps in Zimbabwe. I'll be returning there this August to give it another go.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Hello Lex, thank you for this opportunity to feed back. To me and my group the ambiance of the camp is by far the most important. Without writing an essay here are the criteria. I would pay over the odds for this, not less:
1 Tents, comfy bed, crisp sheets, mozzie killer.
2. En-suite shower and loo
3. Hangup for shirts and open shelves for clothes
4. Far in the bush, no human noise, no light.
5. Perpetual fire
6. Wooden and canvas camp chairs, no metal
7. No blue anywhere, or plastic
8. White or cream crockery, no colours
9. Interesting snacks with pre-dinner drinks around the fire like nyimos, boiled peanuts, fried kapenta, impala balls, etc
10 . Good food. Real coffee.
11. Paraffin lights everywhere.
12. Thatched central area.
13. Piping hot water for shower.

Please don't hesitate to ask questions or PM me for price tolerance etc.
Regards,
Kevin

Hi Kevin,
We check everything on your list, except chairs. Not all of our visitors are as slim as you are. We have the “todays ripstop metal” chairs.
I wonder how many hunters know why the laundry MUST be ironed?

Lon

 

[Tanks]

Now this is coming from a guy that hasn’t been to Africa yet. But if it cut a decent amount of the price off I would definitely be up for it. Hell I’d bring my own shelter and sleep on the ground if the price is right. That’s how I do it all across the country here in the US.

Hmmm, on my last hunt we had a leopard come and nap in front of the tent flap and elephants come within 20 yards of the tents (there was a tree in the middle of the camp they liked the fruit of) each night, not to mention other predators etc.. I would not advise sleeping on the ground.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

most tent camps are actually same cost if not more expensive, depending on type and style of tents
also running costs and maintenance are higher on tented camps
so a cost reduction is unlikely

So very true.

Lon

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I wonder how many hunters know why the laundry MUST be ironed?

Bugs, bug eggs, and other nasty critters!

 

[TOBY458]

For all the folks saying that they prefer a pup tent,10 days worth of Mountain House Freeze Dried Food, and no shower. Please don't walk up to the camp and expect to sit your smelly ass next to me at the dinner table. That freeze dried streak in your underwear is gonna get pretty ripe after 10 days in the 95° heat! LOL!!!
Sorry....couldn't resist.