Things to Consider for the Cost of your Safari?!?!

Grady

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OK….I know there are quite a few posts about “How Much Is My Safari Going To Cost”. I know this because I think I have read most of them….both before I went on my Safari and after. There is a lot of good information contained in the AH, just not all in one easy to find location.

So I decided that I would try and list the things that you may consider, before, during and after the hunt to try and figure out how much you will need for your hunt. This is not an all-inclusive list, but I hope it will be as close as I can get in a listed format.

The decisions you make early on, will drive to cost of your hunt. I think you will see that with a few decisions on the additional stuff, the total cost could snowball and become double or even triple the cost of the hunt with the outfit that you select.

If I miss something, please chime in. Sorry for the long read!

OK, to start, here are some things that I will not list, because I assume as hunter, you will have the basic equipment (Clothing necessary, optics, boots, gun/bow case locks, ect). If you need/want a list of some suggested items, that are a few threads in AH. Also, if you plan on purchasing a new bow or rifle for the hunt, you can figure that cost into the total if you want….but if you are going to share the list with your significant other, I would suggest you may want to hide that cost.

This will be based on hunting in South Africa.

Now for the list:

Before the Hunt:

1. The First to consider is the actual cost of the hunt. You will have to do your homework to decide if it is better to purchase the hunt at auction, in person, on-line or one of the fantastic deals that are regularly posted on AH. This will be a pretty big portion of the overall cost, but maybe not the largest depending on the taxidermy.
a. With the decision comes the cost of the “extra animals”. That can normally be found on your outfitter/PH page. You should consider the “gotta have animals” and the “If it’s a trophy animal” and finally “I have no self-control animals.” The last two can get very expensive! Keep this in mind for the taxidermy fee later.
b. Extra Days?
c. Extra Hunter?
d. Observer?​

2. Planned Taxidermy
a. In Country? Will you have to pay extra to have the taxidermist pick up your trophies?
b. Back in your home country?
c. What type of mounts? (European, shoulder, pedestal, full body, or dip and pack if you are taking them home etc).
d. Make sure to look at the prices for you selected taxidermist an again plan accordingly.​

3. Any side trips that you will take in country (Vic Falls, Kruger etc...)?
a. Side trips while in camp? (Big Five preserve, Spa day for the wife (or you if you enjoy that stuff)​

4. Airfare
a. To and from Africa including the flight necessary in country
b. First Class, Extra Coach, or Cattle Car?​

5. Extra Baggage Fees

6. Extra Accommodations if you will be staying a night in town before heading to camp or when you get back to town.

7. Will you rent a rifle or take your own?
a. If you rent, you will need to account for the ammunition for the hunt. Suggest you budget 3 or 4 round per animal (maybe on the high side, but this should also cover the sighting in process, the not so great shots and the extra animals)
b. For Bow hunter, I plan on 3 arrows/braodheads for each planned animal. Again, this should cover the clear misses and the extra animals. I know you don’t plan to miss, but it happens sometimes.
c. If you will bring your own, do you plan to hire a company to help you thru the security process or clear it yourself.​

8. Tips at the Airport

9. Extra spending cash

10. And finally, the Wife/Husband Tax that you will have to pay either before they agree to let you go, or when you come home.

Now that you are in country at the hunting camp:

1. Booze, if “drinks” were included, no worries. If not, talk to the outfitter to get an idea of how much this will cost?

2. Extras in camp? Most hunts that I have seen include at least the following, but you should make sure before you assume…pick up and drop off at airport, accommodation, soft drinks and bottled water, trackers and skinners, Fully licensed PH, Field preparation of trophy, Laundry, All meals

3. Contingency funds. Here are some of the things that you didn’t consider.

4. Can you exercise self-control? Did you? Now is time to pay up! Extra Animals mean more taxidermy and possibly more spouse tax when you return home.
a. Did you decide to add an extra side trip while you are there?​

5. Tips? There are lots of suggestions listed on AH. Do your research and plan accordingly.

6. Finally, goodies to take home?
a. How many bottles of Amarula are you going to try and take home?
b. What other goodie to you plan to purchase at the trinket shops around town, before you get to the airport, and in the airport shops. This may be part of the spouse tax.​

Now that you have arrived home after the hunt, what else can you expect?

1. Shipping cost for your trophies?
a. Does this include insurance to your front door?
b. Will you ship via air or surface?
c. What is the cost to ship to your front door or your taxidermist?
d. If you use a taxidermist at home, what is the cost the ship your finished trophies home?​

2. Customs at the port of entry?
a. Will you clear them yourself or use a brokerage house?
b. Do you have to pay tax on your finished trophies?​

3. Now for the final installment of the spouse tax as you find somewhere to hang your trophies.

Again, sorry for the long read. I am sure I missed something, but hopefully I got the big items. If I did miss something, please let me know.
 
The only thing I can add, sometime people pass on animals because it was not in the plan. But how much will it cost in the future if you decide you made a mistake to pass on a trophy animal? It's something to consider. It's always better to have extra money in hand than to have regrets later on.

Always make sure you know what a trophy animal is? Because if you become an addict and keep coming back to Africa, you need to be a little selective, beside it adds to the hunt to search for the right animal.
 
My problem is I have very little self control when it comes to shooting a beautiful animal. all African animals are beautiful to me. Forrest
 
Little self control, is an expensive problem:whistle:
 
One only goes around once in life. Shoot what you like but keep the wife happy too!
 
Spouse tax...holy cow..that hilarious....how true! Could you imagine if we all actually told our wives the true and total costs? We would probably all be more broke than we already are due to this obsession.
 
Spousal Tax gets expensive. Especially when you get ready to talk about booking the return hunt........

My wife just told me today that we have to go to Europe before a third Safari.... At least I have a couple of years to figure this out.... Sigh....
 
My wife just told me today that we have to go to Europe before a third Safari.... At least I have a couple of years to figure this out.... Sigh....
Europe will be a nice two day stop over on the way to your third safari!:ROFLMAO:
 
Europe will be a nice two day stop over on the way to your third safari!:ROFLMAO:

You are my hero Pieter!!! Problem solved!! :A Worshipl:

I can't wait to see the look on Nancy's face when I tell her! And heck, since DSC is so close I will just tell her there at the dinner, so you can see the look on her face too, and get full credit for the idea!!! :A Popcorn:
 
:V Bangin::V Axe:Just a pleasure Royal, I am sure Nancy and I will get off on a good foot!
 
My problem is I have very little self control when it comes to shooting a beautiful animal. all African animals are beautiful to me. Forrest
Forrest I can sympathize, Flatwater Bill says that I can resist anything but temptation, maybe a little harsh but true.
 
Royal the trip to Europe I will gladly take my wife on, mine hunts too and for the past 3 years her wish list and trophies have cost more than mine!! This year it was a new rifle for the up comming trip and off course they forget about shipping and taxidermy costs;) Now it looks like my Hippo may have to wait till she gets a Elephant:( The upside is that at least I get to hang trophies all over the place(y) I also get to share some great times with her doing what we both love.
Now if she would just pay the bloody PH (me) and stop argueing about the size of the trophies I put infront of her:D
 
Its funny you should bring up the wife tax. I remember growing up my dad ordered a new .50-110 from C Sharps. Well they made the mistake of leaving a message on the answering machine that mom heard before dad could erase it. I have never seen hardwood floors bought and installed so fast in my life!
 
My wife just told me today that we have to go to Europe before a third Safari.... At least I have a couple of years to figure this out.... Sigh....
Royal;
You may have some issues if you want to do a 2 day stop over in Europe with guns... Check with people who know or research it on line, but we were told Paris is the most gun friendly and that we needed to not spend over 24 hours there without extra hassle. By staying less than 24 hours, you can simply check the guns straight through but you do need to have an extra piece of paper for Air France and they may want you to check the ammo separately so be sure you have it locked in a container you can check.

Of course if you borrow a gun in Africa, no worries, lay over as long as you want... But I don't see you doing that;)

I believe there is a flight from Atlanta to Paris that gets in in the morning and then has you lay over all day and fly out to Joburg at 11:30 PM to arrive the next morning in time to connect to either PE or Polokwane, or in plenty of time to be picked up if that is your arrangement.

Ann got a little more of her Europe fix by doing this. First trip landed at 11:30 AM, checked our carry on's at the airport and got a cab down town where we took a bus tour ending at the Eifel Tower which we went up and then got a cab back to the airport in plenty of time to retrieve our carry on's and make our flight. On the second trip, we had a private tour guide pick us up.. Lucked out and got a decent fellow who spoke good English and does this for a living and knew his way around as well as the history, etc. He took us to Versailles and we simply took the bags with and left them in his van. I would highly recommend this as being much more straight forward and simpler.. And the cot of checking those bags and the cab was enough to easily justify the private guide.

The downfall is that you get to try and sleep two nights in a row on the plane. And again on the way back but you don't have time to leave the airport on the way back..... The good news in you arrive tired but on schedule with the local time in Africa... You make the time changes on the plane. We simply went hunting and collapsed from exhaustion the first night, I think they let us sleep an extra half hour the first day and we were all recovered and raring to go!

To deal with the sleeping on the plane, Ann gets prescription sleeping pills and takes a half... I just take a couple Advil PM as my back is always stiff on a plane so the Advil helps.

Lori arranged the last flights and got us the 15 hours in Paris.
 
My dad gave mom a .410 double barrel once for her birthday. She wasn't amused so we used it for her.
 
Royal;
You may have some issues if you want to do a 2 day stop over in Europe with guns..

I will have an issue if I want to do a two day trip to Europe, period!!!! She wants the whole enchilada! The smart thing may just me to hunt in Europe. :cool:
 
I will have an issue if I want to do a two day trip to Europe, period!!!! She wants the whole enchilada! The smart thing may just me to hunt in Europe. :cool:
Now your talkin' Royal!

I have a similar issue brewing but probably a few years off yet. That hunt with a stay in a Castle was intriguing, but then the castle stay was pulled out if I remember.... Might need a new thead for this if we hijack it too much farther but suffice it to say, the wife tax is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed or it will bite you with interest and penalties!
 
:ROFLMAO:Royal, look it at this way, your wife is enabling you to hunt in Europe! I doubt this will be a problem:whistle:
 

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