Hesitations about Africa

[Russ16]

Yes Gracy Travel always

I used Gracy this year and while helpful I wasn’t terribly impressed. There were two of us going and he was constantly emailing only one of us even to the point that he didn’t send me the final trip packet. He entered my phone number incorrectly with Qatar which made it impossible to add the trip to my Qatar app and when I asked him to check the number he said it was correct only to admit it was correct about a week later.

 

[Scott CWO]

I used Gracy this year and while helpful I wasn’t terribly impressed. There were two of us going and he was constantly emailing only one of us even to the point that he didn’t send me the final trip packet. He entered my phone number incorrectly with Qatar which made it impossible to add the trip to my Qatar app and when I asked him to check the number he said it was correct only to admit it was correct about a week later.

Contact Shawn Kennedy instead and tell her Scott sent you.

 

[rsmurray]

I used Gracy this year and while helpful I wasn’t terribly impressed. There were two of us going and he was constantly emailing only one of us even to the point that he didn’t send me the final trip packet. He entered my phone number incorrectly with Qatar which made it impossible to add the trip to my Qatar app and when I asked him to check the number he said it was correct only to admit it was correct about a week later.

Really surprised at that. All I know is Debbie and Gio. They have been excellent for me in fact this is the first complaint I have ever heard?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Can't speak for hunting other countries but have done fishing trips in Moz, RSA and Angola that required a lot of travel logistics that included firearm storage. This was the latest, all handled by Shawn at Gracy Travel and went off without a hitch including the firearms part. For those with trepidations on emergencies, I used Ripcord, but Global Rescue is another option.

A fishing trip in Angola then back to RSA for a cull hunt in the Northern Cape. In a couple segments the itinerary had to exactly match the cull hunt's PH in RSA and @Trogon who were also going and on other flights before the meetup at Citi Lodge, and then some of the remainder of the trip.
Emirates: Dulles, Dubai, layover, Joberg.
Meet & Greet and then hook up with Bruce, Gracy's Man About Tambo
Out of SAPS like a dose of salts. Used Gracy online SAPS firearm import forms, easy peasy.
Overnight Citi Lodge, Storage company picks up firearms. Citi Lodge stores checked bag with ammo.
Airlink to Luanda, Angola
Four days fishing
Airlink to Joberg
Overnight Citi Lodge, Guns delivered to Citi Lodge, retrieve checked bag with ammo.
Airlink to Kimberly
PH pickup, ten day/night cull hunt
Back to Kimberly
Airlink to Joberg
Emirates Joberg, Dubai, layover, Dulles, shuttle to hotel, drive home.
IIRC, it was around three weeks and 50+ hours in the air total. Somewhat of a burnout but memories that are priceless.

Thinking about Africa? Use Gracy, enroll in a travel insurance like Ripcord and "Just do it"!

 

[Russ16]

Really surprised at that. All I know is Debbie and Gio. They have been excellent for me in fact this is the first complaint I have ever heard?

Gio is who we worked with.

 

[375Fox]

I used Gracy this year and while helpful I wasn’t terribly impressed. There were two of us going and he was constantly emailing only one of us even to the point that he didn’t send me the final trip packet. He entered my phone number incorrectly with Qatar which made it impossible to add the trip to my Qatar app and when I asked him to check the number he said it was correct only to admit it was correct about a week later.

This was always my experience with Gracy. They got me from point A to B but missed the small things on every reservation.

 

[MLindsay]

No person is perfect. Gio has handled my last 10 safaris, smooth as silk. Bruce is like a brother to me and the things he has done at Tambo have been amazing, like finding an Airlink lady that was not busy when over 100 people were in line at counters. On that occasion we go behind a couple of curtains come out on the other side and there is a lady with Airlink just standing at counter, boom on my way

 

[Russ16]

This was always my experience with Gracy. They got me from point A to B but missed the small things on every reservation.

I’ll probably try travel express next time around.

 

[DLSJR]

Contact Shawn Kennedy instead and tell her Scott sent you.

Shawn Kennedy is fantastic. She’s the only person I’ve used on every single Africa trip and she is absolutely top-notch.

When we had problems in 2019 due to 14 straight days of rain in Tanzania and our charter couldn’t land due to a muddy airstrip, Shawn answered my call to her cell phone at 5:00 AM Texas-time and within a couple hours had made a plan and got us home. Same thing in 2024 when CamAir stranded us in Garoua for 1 1/2 days. She and her team worked quickly to come up with Plan B to get me home.

Scott is right, Shawn of Gracy Travel is as good as they come.

 

[DLSJR]

Exactly! A coupe of friends, for years!! and when they were still healthy, talked, wrung their hands and talked some more, and some more about going moose hunting in Alaska and going to Africa. Both lost health then passed before they went anywhere.

I think I was 19, maybe 20 when my father told me something I’ve never forgotten and have tried to live life by. We were sitting in a duck blind and he was dealing with a terminal illness that had derailed his and our family’s life. My dad told me “I’ve waited my entire life for you and your brother to get old enough to take you on hunting and fishing trips we’d all enjoy together. Now that you’re old enough, I’ve lost my health and can’t do things I’ve dreamed of for years. Don’t do what I’ve done, live your life fully but responsibly. Don't totally blow all your money, but don’t wait to live your life later like I have.”

My dad died a little over a year later at 46 years old. I was 21 and by then had hunted Alaska twice. His enjoyment was listening to me tell him about sheep and grizzly hunting. He wanted to visit Alaska but never did.

I’ve lived by my dad’s advice. I’ll be that guy who will be remembered for having done some truly epic shit.

 

[Hedge774]

I am kind of in this boat. The only thing that slows me down is being away from my family. I look forward to when I can actually take a 21 day or multi country safari.

Im not sure why travel freaks people out. You just roll with it, I have had more issues on domestic flights than international ones.

Preach it brother.

 

[Betterinthebush]

I think I was 19, maybe 20 when my father told me something I’ve never forgotten and have tried to live life by. We were sitting in a duck blind and he was dealing with a terminal illness that had derailed his and our family’s life. My dad told me “I’ve waited my entire life for you and your brother to get old enough to take you on hunting and fishing trips we’d all enjoy together. Now that you’re old enough, I’ve lost my health and can’t do things I’ve dreamed of for years. Don’t do what I’ve done, live your life fully but responsibly. Don't totally blow all your money, but don’t wait to live your life later like I have.”

My dad died a little over a year later at 46 years old. I was 21 and by then had hunted Alaska twice. His enjoyment was listening to me tell him about sheep and grizzly hunting. He wanted to visit Alaska but never did.

I’ve lived by mt dad’s advice. I’ll be that guy who will be remembered for having done some truly epic shit.

Spot-on-the-money as usual @DLSJR

 

[Xpraetor]

You might start to notice Ontario Hunter has a long list of self inflicted problems no matter how much advice is given.

The internet can be a blessing & curse, but several in this thread have made very astute observations, one of which is as legit as it gets, experiences are based in culture, perspective of which is the base of individual bias.

I don't know anyone well enough on this Forum to be comfortable making inferences on personality or character, but it seems there are several within the ranks who can .....

 

[Xpraetor]

Went to Africa in 2014.....have thought about going back, but it probably won't happen.

Just a few concerns:

1.) I have had an increase in health concerns....both for me and my brother, who has CP and I am now his guardian since our mom passed 4 years ago. It is one thing to be a few states away on a hunt if there are issues where he is concerned (and believe me, there are issues; usually at the MOST inopertune time!), but I think it would be another matter if I was half a world away. Having all sorts of medical issues myself also concerns me with re: to being treated in a foreign county.

2.) cost: getting closer to retirement, I doubt I will have the disposable funds to do another safari.....I wish I would have passed on the taxidermy I had done on my first; I could have financed a good portion of a second safari with those funds. If I do manage to go again, I would be bringing anything back but photos.......and myself (hopefully)

3.) Going by myself. I don't have many friends......and those I do have don't hunt. Of those that DO hunt, NONE of them have a desire to go to Africa. Being a solo individual wandering around in a foreign county tends to make one a mark for criminals, esp. if one is unfamiliar with the area.

Anyway, those are my concerns/anxieties.....................

Is it possible for your Brother to take the trip with you? I ask because I am familiar with CP & know there are levels of how it affects people....

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You might start to notice Ontario Hunter has a long list of self inflicted problems no matter how much advice is given.

And just what advice given was not followed? I had my gun permit guy waiting in the lobby with about twenty others. But everyone arriving international has to to wait in line to have passport stamped BEFORE we can get to our expediter helpers. Gracey would not get anyone through that lineup faster. My guy can help me with the maze of gun pickup and getting them through police, and transfer to connecting flights but he cannot get me through customs logjam any quicker. So just what advice does the almighty self-pontificating silver spoon spoiled brat know-it-all have to give that would have made a difference?

 

[375Fox]

And just what advice given was not followed? I had my gun permit guy waiting in the lobby with about twenty others. But everyone arriving international has to to wait in line to have passport stamped BEFORE we can get to our expediter helpers. Gracey would not get anyone through that lineup faster. My guy can help me with the maze of gun pickup and getting them through police, and transfer to connecting flights but he cannot get me through customs logjam any quicker. So just what advice does the almighty self-pontificating silver spoon spoiled brat know-it-all have to give that would have made a difference?

You have a long history here of exaggerating anything and everything and having problems no one else seems to have. As far as silver spoon spoiled brat, my only money comes from going to work. I don’t get fired for supposedly working too hard at a government job and have to run away to Canada because of it.

 

[Adam Stevens]

I think I was 19, maybe 20 when my father told me something I’ve never forgotten and have tried to live life by. We were sitting in a duck blind and he was dealing with a terminal illness that had derailed his and our family’s life. My dad told me “I’ve waited my entire life for you and your brother to get old enough to take you on hunting and fishing trips we’d all enjoy together. Now that you’re old enough, I’ve lost my health and can’t do things I’ve dreamed of for years. Don’t do what I’ve done, live your life fully but responsibly. Don't totally blow all your money, but don’t wait to live your life later like I have.”

My dad died a little over a year later at 46 years old. I was 21 and by then had hunted Alaska twice. His enjoyment was listening to me tell him about sheep and grizzly hunting. He wanted to visit Alaska but never did.

I’ve lived by my dad’s advice. I’ll be that guy who will be remembered for having done some truly epic shit.

Thanks for posting that. Hits home. And sorry for such an early loss

Dad's still here and just wants to do stuff with his boys. Luckily we've enjoyed many a season in the duck blind.

We won't spend any of his money, so I think I'll have to book him a moose hunt that he's always wanted to do.

 

[JPbowhunter]

I think I was 19, maybe 20 when my father told me something I’ve never forgotten and have tried to live life by. We were sitting in a duck blind and he was dealing with a terminal illness that had derailed his and our family’s life. My dad told me “I’ve waited my entire life for you and your brother to get old enough to take you on hunting and fishing trips we’d all enjoy together. Now that you’re old enough, I’ve lost my health and can’t do things I’ve dreamed of for years. Don’t do what I’ve done, live your life fully but responsibly. Don't totally blow all your money, but don’t wait to live your life later like I have.”

My dad died a little over a year later at 46 years old. I was 21 and by then had hunted Alaska twice. His enjoyment was listening to me tell him about sheep and grizzly hunting. He wanted to visit Alaska but never did.

I’ve lived by my dad’s advice. I’ll be that guy who will be remembered for having done some truly epic shit.

Firstly I’m sorry that you lost your father so young.

I do wholeheartedly agree with everything you said and I do try to live by those ideas as well.

A few years ago I pushed my father to go on a buffalo hunt in NT with me and when my brothers declined I pointed out dad won’t be here for ever and they’re the memories you’d always cherish. Anyway, neither of them came although the younger one subsequently did a similar hunt with the old man a couple years later.
I loved it, I got to visit a different place with dad and we hunted some nice buffalo together and had a great time. I’ve got the photos on my wall and the memories for the rest of my life.

It’s now transitioning into my time and next year I’m planning on taking my eldest son (he’ll be 9) on a hunt. Still working out exactly what but I’ve been looking at buffalo, banteng or maybe a deer hunt up north. He loves fishing so the banteng hunt would be great.

The responsible part is also on my mind and why I haven’t done Africa. I’m conscious of the fact that the prices are always going up and the best time to go was yesterday. I remember when I was finishing university, dall sheep hunts (which have always been a dream) were $10k aud, I figured within a decade I’d hunt them once I got a job, paid down some debt and had cash to spare. That was about 15 years ago and now they’re closer to $60-80k. If I were born ten years earlier I think I’d have done a lot more international hunting by now. Shit, even WY guided elk and mule deer hunts were around $4-5k usd when I started building points 8 years ago, look at them now. I’m doing that DIY.
I’ve spoken to outfitters in Africa, a management buffalo in Zim with flights, tips, euro skull shipping and the important and dreaded 50% price addition for currency conversion was around $30k aud, niassa (which is where I would love to go above anywhere else) I didn’t get a number but was told it was expensive compared to the buffalo hunt. Now if you’d like to pay for me to hunt eland in the niassa I’d be much obliged (joking) but for me with little kids and a mortgage it fits squarely into the irresponsible category. I certainly agree one doesn’t want big regrets on your deathbed but we all have different means and need to live within them.

Experiences with my kids are the priority for me in whatever shape or form that must take.

 

[JPbowhunter]

Guys I think discussion, disagreement and debate is good. And I really like that it’s evolved into something useful with discussion on hunt planning and who to utilise but can we please avoid degenerating this thread into arguments and hanging shit on one another.

 

[steve white]

I spoke to a guy years ago who was a "one and done" on Africa. His gripe was that his experience was not "hunting" it was driving around a lot and even shooting from a vehicle!! He said it was just a bunch of shooting and collecting and practically tame. Can't blame him for a bad attitude, but he could possibly have asked to do it differently, on foot. He just didn't know to research for better, I guess.