Cost of Full Bag 32-Day Safari in Kenya & Tanzania, 1970

[Garciamarquez1918]

I was going through some old records of my Grandfather's and found this run-down of the all-in costs of his 32 day safari in 1970. He took something like 35 animals, including lion, elephant, black rhino, buffalo, lesser kudu and on and on. What was then Ker, Downey and Selby were the outfitters, so it was as high-end as it got. He spent $8,930 all in, including air fare, taxidermy etc. A quick on-line conversion puts the all-in costs in today's dollars at about $65,000.

 

[RLD]

Very cool find. Appreciate you sharing that.

 

[wesheltonj]

That would be a bargain in today's dollars. Last price I had was 72,900 USD for daily fees for a 21 day. By the time you add in Trophy Fees, Airfare, Taxidermy and Shipping & Clearing, I would bet at least 225K USD.

 

[Russ16]

That's very cool. Thanks for sharing.

I'd like to see that $9 hotel in Dar Es Salaam.

 

[pilar]

Wow nice !
I had a school friend whose father and grandfather would pack the entire family up and go every year for the summer. I was always fascinated by his and his brothers stories
Unfortunately his father was killed in an airplane accident and he has never wanted to return! ,

 

[mark-hunter]

My guess is he hunted DG with a camp gun, ammo listed is only for 30-06 and 270?

Yes, today, full bag safari is high cost.

But we have a starting budget for about 5000 USD for one week safaris on plains game in South Africa and Namibia. And 10k, maybe in total with other costs.
And with modern industry, I think safari hunters are more numerous today than ever before.

Each historical period brings its own ways.

 

[Garciamarquez1918]

He had retina problems and his eye doctor limited him to the 30-06. He shot the dangerous game with it -- hence the solids. You could get away with that back then. But from the notes he kept he was immediately backed up by the PH. So it's not as foolhardy as it looks. According to his notes the elephant dropped with a brain shot. Of course his notes are biased, but he was merciless on himself when he made a bad shot so I'm inclined to believe his account.

 

[deewayne2003]

Thank you for sharing this, I often try to explain to the older people around me how much more they could purchase with their dollars than todays youth and it usually falls on deaf ears and brings asinine comments about avocado toast and other nonsense.

The inflation calculator I used put it at $70,055 all in for 2025.

For a 32 day Safari - daily fees, trophy fees, airfare, hotels, TIPS, taxidermy, shipping of taxidermy, ammo shipped to Kenya, film processing......EVERYTHING!

 

[PARA45]

I'm sure $8,930 in the 70s was a lot of money. The average home in the 1970s was $27K, and the average car was between $2k- $4K. Maybe the buying power of the Dollar at the time was better, also I'm guessing not a lot of US hunters visited Africa in those days.

 

[deewayne2003]

I'm sure $8,930 in the 70s was a lot of money. The average home in the 1970s was $27K, and the average car was between $2k- $4K. Maybe the buying power of the Dollar at the time was better, also I'm guessing not a lot of US hunters visited Africa in those days.

Median annual household income in 1970 was $9,870 = $82,413 in 2025 (actually 2025 is $62,000)

So you could go on that 1970 Safari for basically 90% of the average family income; where as it would likely cost minimum 5X the annual income in 2025.

 

[RedTag]

Drinks cost more than ammo.. those were the days!

 

[skydiver386]

I'd really enjoy a breakdown of what each species cost. Most of the Plains Game fees would probably bring a smile to us now, if not a loud chuckle.

 

[steve white]

I was going through some old records of my Grandfather's and found this run-down of the all-in costs of his 32 day safari in 1970. He took something like 35 animals, including lion, elephant, black rhino, buffalo, lesser kudu and on and on. What was then Ker, Downey and Selby were the outfitters, so it was as high-end as it got. He spent $8,930 all in, including air fare, taxidermy etc. A quick on-line conversion puts the all-in costs in today's dollars at about $65,000.View attachment 718955

Air freight on trophies, $120, taxidermy $400. Boggles the mind.

 

[deewayne2003]

Air freight on trophies, $120, taxidermy $400. Boggles the mind.

Agree, adjusted for inflation $520 1970 dollars = $4,342 in 2025

 

[Garciamarquez1918]

They didn't have trophy fees -- just licenses. I think I have a sheet showing that and if I do I'll post it.

 

[Rare Breed]

I was going through some old records of my Grandfather's and found this run-down of the all-in costs of his 32 day safari in 1970. He took something like 35 animals, including lion, elephant, black rhino, buffalo, lesser kudu and on and on. What was then Ker, Downey and Selby were the outfitters, so it was as high-end as it got. He spent $8,930 all in, including air fare, taxidermy etc. A quick on-line conversion puts the all-in costs in today's dollars at about $65,000.View attachment 718955

WOW!!! Even in today’s dollars that is quite a value!!! What a great keepsake!!!

 

[Garciamarquez1918]

Here are a couple more things that may be of interest. The license fee run-down I'd mentioned. It was my grandfather (GBJ) and my dad (WLJ.) Now I think of it that probably meant that GBJ's individual cost was slightly lower than it would have been had he been hunting solo. But still...

They paid the fee whether or not they took the animal, unlike trophy fees. But it was peanuts even when adjusted for inflation -- and especially when compared to current trophy fees.

The second is a chart my grandfather made up of the animals they took. The initial is the one who took the animal. If it's circled it went into Rowland Ward. Notable day when my dad took two lions, an elephant and a buffalo.

 

[Wheels]

Really neat information. Thanks for posting the details! Fun to reminisce about the old days.

The 1/2 cost of rifle for Robin on third page, Was your fathers PH Robin Hurt? Do you know who the PH’s were for your father and grandfather?

Interesting to see that one item is cheaper today than 55 years ago. Photography!

For those interested as a comparison the resident hunting license in 1970 Tanzania from memory was the following:

Hunting license which includes apx 50 animals was 100tzs. Cost for animals not on the regular license we’re:
Elephant 600tzs
Lion 250tzs
Leopard 250tzs
Sable 100tzs
Rhino don’t remember
Buffalo 10tzs

Exchange rate in 1970 was $1usd/14tzs.

 

[mark-hunter]

Do you have some old photos from that safari, or maybe trophies of that hunt? Or photos of trophies?

 

[uplander01]

I’m trying to wrap my brain around the more realistic cost of the game listed in a place like Tanzanias’ Selous - at today’s cost to dupIicate. get how adjusting mathematically for inflation, but to got to Tanzania for 32 days of hunting, especially all the big 5 and multiples of lion, etc, the would cost well over 100k, if not pushing 200k. And really probably isn’t possible, I don’t know, the only way I would even entertain in my brain such a thing is if I had 10’s of millions in cash equity,…which I don’t, and never will.

I’d frame all that stuff and rouse every family member to find any and all photos. What a cool thing to have for keepsake.