First Trip info

[Rhoyland4]

I'm working on booking my first trip for June 27' with my daughter, who will be 17 and have a few questions. I already have a PH selected. We are looking to fly out of Atlanta into Johannesburg and come home from Cape Town with guns.

1) Do I set the dates with my PH and then book flights, or vice versa?
2) Looking at spending a day in Johannesburg and Windhoek, and two days in Cape Town. Suggestions on hotels, restaurants, and things to do (And not do).
3) What to do with the giraffe my daughter wants to shoot? Not sure I can afford or have room for a shoulder mount.
4) Can you ship dip/pack and euro mounts back together?

 

[Philip Glass]

1. Definitely set the Safari dates first and then contact a qualified travel agent who specializes in hunters travel.
2. I think you have unrealistic expectations for your first safari. How long do you plan to stay? You need at least 7 days hunting. Nothing to see in JNB. are you going to Namibia also? Cape Town would be nice. Again get with TA to decide some of your side trips and talk to PH as well.
3. I have an ottoman I like but you can make anything you can dream.
4. No. Dip and pack and finished taxidermy will have to ship separate. (Regulations change all the time so ask questions.
5. Watch my safari planning videos!

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Are you hunting in Namibia or RSA? Sounds like you will be entering RSA twice, meaning two times clearing your rifles. Not fun.

 

[BRICKBURN]

I'm working on booking my first trip for June 27' with my daughter, who will be 17 and have a few questions. I already have a PH selected. We are looking to fly out of Atlanta into Johannesburg and come home from Cape Town with guns.

1) Do I set the dates with my PH and then book flights, or vice versa?

Book your hunting dates and then start planning around that.

(No idea if you are hunting in Namibia or South Africa from your post).

FIREARMS:
Dragging firearms along on a tour is a huge PIA if you are flying between points. I've done it driving myself without issue.
1. Unless you have a legitimate reason to take guns into Namibia you will not be allowed to drag them along in your baggage for a day tour.
2. INTERNAL FLIGHTS with guns in RSA. Not many choices of carrier and that will impact your schedule. Some airlines do not carry firearms at all, other require advance planning.
3. There are storage services for Firearms. Your outfitter may even be willing to assist.

2) Looking at spending a day in Johannesburg and Windhoek, and two days in Cape Town. Suggestions on hotels, restaurants, and things to do (And not do).

There are certainly things to see and do in Joburg. If you like history and culture there are tours that can be taken. Typical hunters tend to have such short trips planned they leave little time for other possibilities.
A private driver can take you anywhere you want to go in Joburg. Africa Sky would likely know someone capable of helping you out.
Don't go into Alexandra.

Simple searches can find what you might be interested in.

Assume travel between the big cities will burn an entire day each way in your itinerary.

The Windy Corner has a lot of history and again, you can take a tour with reputable people and learn about the culture and history.
eg.

3) What to do with the giraffe my daughter wants to shoot? Not sure I can afford or have room for a shoulder mount.

I kept the skull and a rug. The rug is massive and you had best plan for it if you choose a rug. The skull is a large Euro mount in effect.

4) Can you ship dip/pack and euro mounts back together?

As noted, the regulations and policies change depending on the whim of the administration.



Good luck with your planning.

 

[Rhoyland4]

We are hunting in Namibia. The plan is to fly into Joburg, spend a day. Fly to Windhoek, spend a day. Hunt 7 days plus a day travel each way to and from the ranch. fly to Capetown, spend 2 days. Fly home. Total trip 16-17 days.

Taking guns is not 100%, but it would be part of the memories as I personally built both guns I intend to take.

I plan on using Gracy Travel or Travel Express. Leaning towards Gracy just because they are in Boerne, TX where I live.

 

[375Fox]

1.) you might consider roughly setting dates with PH then asking if any flexibility +/- 1 or 2 days based on flight cost. It can sometimes save you a few $100.
3.) carved giraffe leg bones are really nice
4.) talk with the exporter and import broker. I’ve had numerous shipments combine finished euros, tanned flat skins, and dip and pack.

 

[SETH RINGER]

YOUR BOOKING FAR ENOUGH OUT YOU CAN PROBABLY GET YOUR PH TO GIVE YOU A "WINDOW" TO PICK SAFARI DATES THAT WAY YOU CAN SET YOUR FLIGHTS UP FOR THE BEST AVAILABILITY AND PRICING. MUCH MORE TO DO IN CAPE TOWN, JUST OVERNIGHT IN JB AND SPEND THE EXTRA DAY THERE.
NECK MAKES A NICE GUNCASE AND LEAVES THE BODY LESS LEGS FOR A NICE SIZE AREA RUG.

 

[SETH RINGER]

HENRY @ RIFLEPERMITS.COM CAN GET YOU SET UP TO MAKE TAKING YOUR RIFLES EASY AT JOBURG AND CAPE TOWN, HE DID IT FOR US A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

 

[JimP]

For what you are planning I would rent camp rifles.

If not you'll have to clear them twice in South Africa and then again in Namibia, not to mention trying to find a secure storage area in South Africa.

I have always had the idea that if you are going hunting, then go hunting. If you want to tour, then do the tours, but not both together.

 

[Luminous Ham]

I would probably fly straight to Namibia, then leave rifle with PH, go and do your things in SA and return to Namibia for your flight home. Return flights are mostly cheaper than roundtrips.

 

[BryceM]

A few thoughts in no particular order:

- We're heading to Namibia again this year, and we'll be flying Denver to Frankfurt, then direct to Windhoek on Lufthansa. Airfare was quite reasonable compared to the Delta JNB flight. This route greatly simplifies things (avoids the whole RSA/SAPS gun waltz), and is possible to do with a German firearm import permit, which you need to arrange well in advance. Gracy can help with that. I'd leave the rifles in Namibia with the PH for the side trips.
- I'd skip Joberg. Yuck. There's PLENTY to see in Namibia.
- Capetown is nice (so I hear). A day or two there would be fun.
- Consider a side trip to Vic Falls or Swakopmund. A game reserve like Erindi is nice too.
- Consider a side trip to Etosha Park. It's spectacular.
- I hunted a giraffe a few trips back. EVERYTHING about them is expensive. I did a shoulder mount that rests on the floor and is still about 9' tall, carved leg bones (very nice, and not too expensive), the skull (surprisingly huge, and it looks like a dragon), and an ottoman. All of that was fun, but the total bill about made me choke. Shipping an ottoman or even just the cape will be expensive. Just the form for the mount was over $1000, and required freight costs to my taxidermy shop. The mount takes 3 or 4 guys to move. They are huge!
- Don't underestimate the size of these countries and the difficulties of travel. It's pretty common for flights to not leave on schedule, etc. "No airplane today, come back tomorrow."
- Don't overdo it on your first trip. I'd aim at making it a simple hunting trip with possibly one side trip. You can always come back, after all. Trying to do everything in one trip is something I've been guilty of. It dilutes the experience and isn't very relaxing.