First timer help

[AngryCaveman]

Hello!

First time posting and excited to kickoff my first safari in September. I booked a well-known outfit that has become a family friend over the past 20 years (so I'll be very vague in the description)

I booked a specific package with a few add on animals for a total of 8 plains game, assuming the 2025 pricing might bump up 5-10% for 2026. I got the thumbs up from the outfitter over email and booked my travel.

Fast forward two months and they sent over the 2026 catalogue with totally different packages (IE kudu/gemsbuck replaced with duiker/baboon), with prices up significantly on individual animals that I just booked for and looking at a 36% price hike.

I understand it's a business, and things change but I'm spending an awful lot on this trip and feel taken. For those booking 1 year+ out, do you just accept how this goes or is there room for haggling here?

 

[Andrew62]

Typically, when I book a hunt out a year in advance, prices are locked in. Now having said that, I had dinner with a South Africa safari owner/outfitter last week here in the states and he told me plains game pricing has really increased, and I see that on some of the offers here. This guy said kudu were 3950 this year, I was shocked to hear that.

I’m sorry you’re in this situation, perhaps the best thing to do is write and articulate your concerns, see if he will hold the previously discussed price or at least offer some price reduction.

 

[CBH Australia]

Hello!

First time posting and excited to kickoff my first safari in September. I booked a well-known outfit that has become a family friend over the past 20 years (so I'll be very vague in the description)

I booked a specific package with a few add on animals for a total of 8 plains game, assuming the 2025 pricing might bump up 5-10% for 2026. I got the thumbs up from the outfitter over email and booked my travel.

Fast forward two months and they sent over the 2026 catalogue with totally different packages (IE kudu/gemsbuck replaced with duiker/baboon), with prices up significantly on individual animals that I just booked for.

I understand it's a business, and things change but I'm spending an awful lot on this trip and feel taken. For those booking 1 year+ out, do you just accept how this goes or is there room for haggling here?

Perhaps reply and enquire about the original package.

I think if you can resolve this and take the trip you can still get the same experience.

Perhaps the new catalogue packages are just that and not your booked package.

It pays to ask and good clients are likely to get looked after.

 

[mark-hunter]

I understand it's a business, and things change but I'm spending an awful lot on this trip and feel taken. For those booking 1 year+ out, do you just accept how this goes or is there room for haggling here?

Difficult qouestion.
Having said that, I booked the hunts as per given price list for current year, and never had surprises.

When corona pandemics started, just few weeks before panemics, I booked the hunt and paid deposit. Few months later, the flights were cancelled, and safari was cancelled.
Many clients withdraw deposit from my outfitter.
I dropped the message and told him to keep deposit, till I get next chance to go there to hunt (if we all survive pandemics), and I asked, if possible to keep same prices for the hunt already booked.
He agreed.

I think it was two years, after booking that I went on this hunt.
And I hunted on the prices booked at the beggining, 2 years earlier.

Bottom line, if outfitter is friend of yours for 20 years, give him a call, and discuss what can be done.
If you had agreement on prices from previous year, work out the rest. If he is not flexible, change outfitter. this is a non starter for me. Remove from friends list.

About packages.
Package is not carved in stone. So if there are 2 animals you did not plan, ask him if this can be changed to animals with two animals you planned before.
Some outfitters will also give you the option to make your own packages.

If you feel taken, trust your feeling.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I assume this is in RSA. Signed contracts are required......

I would be sending the last email with details where you agreed on prices in writing. If you did.

"Family friend" ??? hmmm. Have a quick discussion and sort it out.

 

[JimP]

If you have a signed contract the ball is in your court, if no contract is signed and you are only going by a conversation then it is in the outfitters court. Not much else you can do besides talk to them and if they insist on the 2026 pricing see if they will come down some and you go up. Either that or cancel completely and make other arrangements.

 

[wesheltonj]

I would ask him if he's honoring the original deal and if not, simply explain to him that he's in breach and you would like your deposit back. No way would I accept Duiker/Baboon for a Kudu/Gemsbok substitution. Outfitters are giving away Baboon's unless you ask for one, then they sell them.

 

[Throwback]

To answer your question, No, I dont just accept how it goes. I ask the outfitter on the front end if these prices are the prices, or if they will go up. Depending on how far out in the future you may be talking it can go either way. Most places have an annual price list so it is at least stable, posted prices for a calendar year. Again, I absolutely ask that question each time.

Also, if you are booking a package a lot of time that is a "fixed price" at the time of booking but if you just go on day rate and pay the trophy as you go so to speak, that is usually the "going rate" in my experience. You can also ask for a discount off the trophy fees, e.g. 10%, etc... Just ask, they may or may not do that.

On Friday, I just booked a NZ hunt for June 2027 and asked the outfitter exactly this question, among many others. He told me for all animals it would not change with the exception of Red Stag, where it may change, and shockingly he said it may go down slightly but not up (that is rare in my experience though).

If this is a long time friend just talk to them. This should not be a big issue if the relationship is there. Cheers

 

[Schüler Jumbo]

I absolutely would not accept the game substitution. Does not appear to be the actions of a family friend and I question if this type maneuvering is repairable. Based on this surface information my perspective is to void and plan with another outfitter.

 

[Philip Glass]

Hello!

First time posting and excited to kickoff my first safari in September. I booked a well-known outfit that has become a family friend over the past 20 years (so I'll be very vague in the description)

I booked a specific package with a few add on animals for a total of 8 plains game, assuming the 2025 pricing might bump up 5-10% for 2026. I got the thumbs up from the outfitter over email and booked my travel.

Fast forward two months and they sent over the 2026 catalogue with totally different packages (IE kudu/gemsbuck replaced with duiker/baboon), with prices up significantly on individual animals that I just booked for and looking at a 36% price hike.

I understand it's a business, and things change but I'm spending an awful lot on this trip and feel taken. For those booking 1 year+ out, do you just accept how this goes or is there room for haggling here?

I am sorry to hear this. Prices are going up and the exchange rate is not helping the Africans at the moment. The people I help book a safari will sign a contract and that locks in the prices for the stated animals for their safari. Add on animals can certainly go up. So my question would be on how you did the booking. Was here a contract or just a verbal/email agreement? I would ask many questions but still proceed with the safari.

 

[AngryCaveman]

Thanks for the replies all

I haven't talked to the outfitter yet about the price changes and needed some impartial opinions! He's a solid guy and I'm sure we'll sort it all out but wanted to make sure I wasn't being rude assuming the old price is still valid after our "handshake" deal.

Excited for my first trip and will share how it goes!

 

[mark-hunter]

Excited for my first trip and will share how it goes!

Wish you luck!

 

[coreydb]

Once my package was secured, the price didn't change. Either the outfitter takes the hit or passes the increase to the client.

 

[spike.t]

I am sorry to hear this. Prices are going up and the exchange rate is not helping the Africans at the moment. The people I help book a safari will sign a contract and that locks in the prices for the stated animals for their safari. Add on animals can certainly go up. So my question would be on how you did the booking. Was here a contract or just a verbal/email agreement? I would ask many questions but still proceed with the safari.

Yeah the kwacha has gone up against usd ..gbp etc...but those are the 2 that matter to me....it has gained around 30% plus ...20% since just early /mid Dec ....and no prices coming down...so getting ever so slightly hammered....gbp 1000 last june/July was getting around k36800 to k37000....now around k25600.....and been told it it will get worse closer we get to the elections.....rand just dipped below r16 to usd for a short period today....

 

[steve white]

Are there outside organizations/government officials that help enforce contract agreements in that part of Africa