First Safari: What made you decide on a particular Outfitter?

I've been ready to book my first safari for a few months. I know what animals I want (kudu & other common plains game), I know I want to go to South Africa or Namibia, I know for how long, what time of year and what my budget is.

One thing I can't seem to make up my mind on, though, is the outfitter, although I've been nothing but impressed by what I've read about Karoo. So here's my question: what made you decide on a particular outfitter for your first safari, especially with the many guides/PHs who receive stellar reviews here on AH? What made you say "OK, this is the one I'm going with, the search is over, here's the deposit and that's that"?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts--whether they be rational or purely guess-based.

Cheers--Tom

Tom,
Three things made my mind up. Cost, reviews and quality of what animals I was looking for. I'm headed over for the first time as well. I must have contacted 25 people who have hunted with this outfitter. Nothing but raving reviews. The cost made me a little nervous because they seem very reasonable. But like I said after speaking on the phone and emailing them. I made my mind up. I looked at probably six different outfits. I have no experience with SA. But I did the same homework as if I was booking a hunt in the states. Google them, call references. Go on sites like you are doing. You can't get enough info in my opinion. Then you will find one that just makes you feel very comfortable. Good luck. Hope this helps.

I spent a lot of time on the internet looking at sites, prices and locations.
I narrowed it down and made a list of those I was attracted to.
I sent off emails to those on the list and from the replies narrowed it down once more.
I had always wanted to go to Namibia so this helped too.
From email exchanges you can get a feel for the person who you might potentially hunt with by the questions asked and answers provided.
From there it was an easy decision as most of my boxes were ticked, prices, location, terrain, animals, accommodation and what suited me.
I chose to hunt with Philip at Khomas Highland Hunting Safaris.
I was extremely happy with my choice and have returned since my first hunt and will do so again without question.
It depends what you want and what suits you and your expectations.
Enjoy the hunt for an outfitter and enjoy the hunt when you decide.

Tom,
I talked with people who had hunted with the outfitter! We did so on the phone so that I could ask all the questions I wanted. I traded a lot of emails with the outfitter and got comfortable with the fact that he was ready to do what he said he could do on the hunt. Finally, he asked for my business.
Best wishes for a great African hunt.

I pick the one who I feel I would like the most to hunt with. I have hunted with 4 outfitters in SA but have only gone back to one more then once. Saying that I never had a bad hunt with any of them just liked one more then the others overall.

I like ones who are honest and up front what they can offer. Don't want someone promising me a 50" kudu in the east cape when that is rare or someone promising me a 60" kudu any where else either as that is rare also. It can happen but don't like being over sold something just to try and get me to book.

I myself don't talk with other clients before I pick a place as things can change from year to year. Plus I may get along with someone just fine that someone else may not.

I did much of many have already said already. But I have to say that this site and the people on it have been invaluable in their assistance.

We make our decisions based off of numerous factors.

First and foremost is the comfortability level with the outfitter/PH. Lots of phone calls to get the feel and personality of who we would be hunting with. Also checking references during this step as well as recommendations.

Overall Cost for quality would be second.

Accommodations third, for us when we come to Africa we like staying in certain lodgings. Ie thatched roof charlets, tented camps

Fourth is environment, ie size of hunting area, lay of land, any traveling to other properties...

Fifth. Additional activities available in close proximity


I'm sure I overlooked some steps but overall how I approach a potential booking/choosing of who to hunt with.

I found people with a few common traits:

A.) salt of the earth people that worked hard for their money. (E.g. Ditch diggers, carpenters, farmers)

B.) that also happened to have similar hunting ethics, aversions to fences, aversion to hunting introduced species....purists

C.) that also happened to be multimillionaires through hard work. So even though frugal, they can afford the very, very best hunting in the world.

It just so happened that all their advice was the same, they all used the same PH for 30 years, and the costs were not much more than an entry level RSA fenced hunt.

So that's how I decided. The key point is to match your ethics to the references. Don't take advice from people with different hunting ethics than yours or no matter where you go or what you spend, you may be very put off by the experience that was recommended.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/how-to-decide-which-1st-time-outfitter.9777/

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...rtant-is-it-when-choosing-an-outfitter.25518/

After being somewhat "duped" on my first African hunt, which happened to be in SA, I said to myself that would not happen again. Being my first safari, I did not know what I did not know....

Free range doesn't necessarily mean low fence
Large concessions may contain numerous small, fenced farms
Some outfitters will tell you what you want to hear (none here that I'm aware of)
"Put and take " operations are very, very common in SA, not the exception, regardless of what is represented
Most outfitters do not own their own farm, which for me has become a big preference.
Dip/pack/ship can be a racket......do your homework

I much prefer to go to a show like DSC to meet outfitters face to face, loaded with questions, then check every possible source you can for recs. Good luck!

With all the specifics of what type of hunt you want locked in, it really came down to extensive research online for us. I started with looking at the outfitter's websites (a good website is key. it should demonstrate trophy quality, type of accommodations, and ideally info about the outfitter/PHs).

From there, I searched for reviews. AH was definitely where I started, but I expanded the search to other forums too. For example, one of my outfitters, @Umlilo Safaris, primarily markets to and hunts with Brits. I went to various British hunting forums and found reviews.

I contacted the outfitters directly for information, advice, and to see if personalities meshed, did they seem honest, etc.

I then directly contacted those individuals that posted to get their feedback and answers to my specific questions.

Once I had a warm and fuzzy from all that research, I went with the outfitters where I thought my family would have the most fun (I bring them along and enjoy spending time with them just as much as the hunting).


A final note regarding my selection of @Limcroma Safaris. I spoke at length with @firehuntfish, their US rep. Part of how he sold me on hunting with them was by actually not selling Limcroma. I was researching our first safari and Dan provided endless advise and suggestions not necessarily specific to Limcroma. His passion for hunting in Africa and willingness to help and educate me, even if I wasn't going to book with him, ended up being a major part of why I booked with him.

Price wise:

For perspective, I started researching early, 24 months in advance.

I figured out how many outfitters there were in RSA and Namibia. I decided to contact a particular percentage of the total number of outfits; 1% of the total number.
I also focused my internet search very narrowly, using all the tools at my discretion and gathered basic information on every one of them.

I started my search by bouncing every outfit that did not post their rates.
After the first round, I contacted many places (email) that looked good and asked for price lists and references.

I created a spread sheet and compared prices on everything. Welcome to Excel.
I created my wish list of trophies and I ranked every last Outfit.
All costs in. Soup to nuts. NOT just trophy fees and day rates.

After doing all this it was simple to avoid any outfit that was so out of line that they were ridiculous. Either way.

Type of facilities I was looking for at a price within the expected range for the quality.
$3500.00 per night or $110 does not matter if the facility and service do not meet with the price.


Qualities I was after:
They had the game species I wanted and a good history of trophies.
The hunted species had to be Endemic to the area
I wanted everyone in the group to experience/interact with Elephant, B&W Rhino, Hippo, Crocodiles and Buffalo.
Large contiguous properties, which are required if you have these species running and were an excellent example of conservation efforts. eg. Reintroduction of Black Rhino.
Family Farm and Large Reserve. I chose one of each to get a feel for the range of hunting opportunities.

Communication - Business model

• Cancellation Refund policy- open to re-dating the hunt. Not a zero refund policy.
  
• Deposit policy- negotiable, small, etc.
• Payment method accepted. Cash Credit Card, etc.
• Responsive to questions while providing factual replies.
• They were not averse to a .270Win.
  
• When I looked at the web sites, I looked for openness and good, current information. For interests sake I returned to the net a year later and quite a few of the outfits had disappeared off the internet!!! Time is a good screening tool.

References were just a good confirmation of what I already knew.
I still contacted every last one, but many had not hunted the same species.

I had done all this research and through my restrictive search had never encountered AH.
In my secondary "background" research I found out that one of the final contenders was an active member of AH and had donated a hunt recently to a very satisfied customer. The hunt report was honest and showed personality.
The last straw that tipped the cart for me was this participation in the community.

All good advice here..... You already "know" what you want/need. Now, I would do some research and look into different outfits websites. Look at the lodges, the animals, logistics, etc. Then have some dialog..... I think you will find who you hit it off with vs. don't. Then check references..... Good luck!

Tom,

Much like everyone else here, I started about 2 years out. I began researching outfits, contacted about 12 to start by email, narrowed it down to three, then met each of them in person.

When I met with them in person, I asked them the same questions to gauge each of their responses. I could quickly get a feel for who I was most comfortable with. I didn't decide on the most inexpensive. I decided on going with the PH that I thought I'd enjoy spending the time with, not the one who said they could make it work. Remember that you're going to be with this person for a number of days, so you'd better get along with them.

Also, as my buddy and I are bow hunters, all my questions revolved around this method of take, particularly spot and stalk, as well as types of animals and hunting environment.

My trip is in May, so we'll see if my judgement was correct or not. I plan to video the entire trip and post the review here. Good luck!

Recommendation by a hunter that had been on two prior safaris with the outfitter. I liked the trophies he had hanging on his wall. The price was among the lowest we found on the internet. I joined AH after the hunt was booked. It turned out that a number of AH members had hunted with him also and posted very favorable reports. We PM those AH members and eventually talked to several of them. The hunt was everything we'd hoped for and more.

It was quite easy for me, a good friend had hunted twice with an outfitter, and he was going for the third time with the same.

I met the outfitter at the Madrid hunting fair, liked him, so I joined my friend for what resulted in a great hunt.

Yep.... First hand recommendation/account is dang nice!

Well congrats on being ready. I booked a hunt at DSC with Eai Outdoors who books for Kubusi went on a 10 day hunt and price point was excellent though it wasn't a 5 star lodge ( which I didn't want anyway) it was clean and comfortable . PH was extraordinary very hard working and super knowledgable . So he is no longer with them and I still keep in contact with him I have hunted with him 3x so far and I will go back in 2018 and hunt with him again he is with a different outfit now that is a 5 star lodge which is nice also and best part his pricing has stayed the same.
I have friends that never want to hunt with same outfitter and I respect that but they always well this outfitter was better than the last so on and so forth but if I hunt SA I am hunting with him as I know he is not going to shoot the first animal you see and rush you through your safari.
I also look at the agent some are better than others but just cause you plop down a deposit doesn't mean communication should all but cease either which is what I experienced with Ed ,but now I don't talk to the monkey I go direct to the organ grinder.
But I will hunt Zim one day and I will use a different Ph but for SA he has my business. Just ask a lot upfront before you pay deposit.

rinehart0050 said:

A final note regarding my selection of @Limcroma Safaris. I spoke at length with @firehuntfish, their US rep. Part of how he sold me on hunting with them was by actually not selling Limcroma. I was researching our first safari and Dan provided endless advise and suggestions not necessarily specific to Limcroma. His passion for hunting in Africa and willingness to help and educate me, even if I wasn't going to book with him, ended up being a major part of why I booked with him.

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Interesting you mention that @rinehart0050. I also had numerous conversations both in email and over the phone with Dan (firehuntfish) prior to booking our safari, and I had the exact same experience. Not only did he answer me almost immediately every time I emailed or called, he also gave me lots of insightful, objective information based on his personal experiences, and not just touting Limcroma. He actually encouraged our family to do our own research and make the best decision for ourselves based on what we discover in our research. Turns out that all of the research we did kept pointing back to Limcroma as the best fit for us, and we can't say enough great things about our safari with them. But I agree, that the way Limcroma was presented to us made them all that more appealing.

BRICKBURN said:

I started my search by bouncing every outfit that did not post their rates.

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Very interested as to why you would automatically eliminate an outfitter based on this? It has been my experience that posted pricing with many outfitters & guides (not just African) are basically a guideline anyway. Not much more relevant that the sticker price on an automobile as far as I am concerned. It's nice to get an idea of the costs to see if you are in the same ballpark. But rarely, if ever, have I actually paid "sticker price" for any goods or services in these types of markets. If a certain guide or outfit came highly recommended, I could care less if they have pricing posted on their website. I could actually care less if they have a website, as long as they are straightforward in their price proposal to me once I contact them.

Ruling out an outfitter based on this alone seems more like a personal peeve rather than a sound basis for eliminating them as a consideration?? Maybe I am missing something. It's been know to happen. Just wondering what your train of thought was for this?

They answered several questions for me, main one being is a Zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes

Would i hunt with them again, yes, was i treated like family, better (family tends to ignore you after staying in their house a day or two)