Namibia Outfitter Recommendations

[MikeCLT]

Can anyone recommend a good outfitter in Namibia for a PG hunt? I am looking for a free range hunt, spot and stalk, lots of walking.
Coming from the US is it recommended to fly to JNB and then to Windhoek or to UK or Germany then to Windhoek? We will be bringing rifles.

Thank you.

 

[375Fox]

I’ve had 3 really good safaris with Jamy Traut safaris in a few regions of Namibia more recently. Most of the sponsors we have listed on this site are good options too. Unless you are tracking eland, I wouldn’t expect to do a lot of walking for a PG hunt in Namibia though. The PG hunting is primarily spot and stalk from vehicle with some glassing from high points. An outfitter could probably arrange a mountainous kudu hunt that involved more waking also.
I’ve only used the route through Johannesburg. I like landing in Johannesburg in evening then getting a hotel for night. I wake up on African time and continue to Namibia in morning. I think both routes are equally acceptable.

 

[Doug3006]

You might want to look into flying Lufthansa from Raleigh Durham to Frankfurt. Then a direct flight to Windhoek. I flew them on my last trip from St. Louis to Frankfurt. It was nice having just one connection.

 

[MikeCLT]

You might want to look into flying Lufthansa from Raleigh Durham to Frankfurt. Then a direct flight to Windhoek. I flew them on my last trip from St. Louis to Frankfurt. It was nice having just one connection.

Thanks. They fly direct from Charlotte where I live as well. How is travelling with a rifle through Frankfurt?

 

[Doug3006]

Thanks. They fly direct from Charlotte where I live as well. How is travelling with a rifle through Frankfurt?

I had zero issues. My guns were checked straight through from St. Louis to Windhoek, so I never touched them until arrival in Namibia. I used Gracy Travel to handle the paperwork. That said, Lufthansa’s policy makes it pretty easy. Just inform them at booking, fill out a form and pay them. I forget what the fee was, so it wasn’t too much.

 

[dchum]

Site sponsor Philip Hennings of @KHOMAS HIGHLAND HUNTING SAFARIS has a great operation.

I have hunted with him twice. I’ve taken friends and family on each trip to hunt.

We do lots of walking and some of the terrain is truly amazing. Namibia is a big country and has lots of different bioms. Much is very flat and sandy.

Philip is in the heart of the Khomas Mountains and it is steep and rocky. the land is old cattle ranches. Hartmanns zebra, and tons of oryx, warthogs, steenbok, duiker and some nice kudu live in the terrain. It is very fun hunting.

If you have any questions PM me! I think it would make a great first safari for you. Focusing on native game and hunting hard. Very rewarding. You can’t go wrong.

We left the truck and worked the mountains up and down looking for mountain zebra.

 

[375Ruger416]

I can recommend Kowa’s adventure safaris. I am going back in June for a second trip and bringing my kids and parents. Will do some touring after 5 days of hunting.

Traveling through Frankfurt with a rifle to Windhoek was a non issue. You do need to arrange a permit for Frankfurt as well even though you are just passing through. I used Travel Express (site sponsor) and they organized everything for me.

Enjoy! Namibia is great

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Thanks. They fly direct from Charlotte where I live as well. How is travelling with a rifle through Frankfurt?

I flew Lufthansa last July from IAH to WDH. Despite a long layover in FRA, my bag didn't get on the Discover (Lufthansa related airline) to WDH. I had AirTags and told them exactly where my bag was and it took them 10 days to get me my bag. On the trip home, my rifles didn't show up in Houston and were left behind in FRA. I had a United flight to my final home destination. The Lufthansa rep told me my rifles would be delivered to me the next day. He lied! I had to drive to Houston a couple days later to unlock my rifle case and clear them through customs.

FRA has a bad rep for losing bags. I will try to avoid that place, if possible.

 

[dchum]

I’ve had 3 really good safaris with Jamy Traut safaris in a few regions of Namibia more recently. Most of the sponsors we have listed on this site are good options too. Unless you are tracking eland, I wouldn’t expect to do a lot of walking for a PG hunt in Namibia though. The PG hunting is primarily spot and stalk from vehicle with some glassing from high points. An outfitter could probably arrange a mountainous kudu hunt that involved more waking also.
I’ve only used the route through Johannesburg. I like landing in Johannesburg in evening then getting a hotel for night. I wake up on African time and continue to Namibia in morning. I think both routes are equally acceptable.

Yes I second the Jo burg route.
I did Qatar my first trip because it was “quicker” and I didn’t have to over night anywhere. Turns out the rest and day to get acclimated in SA is very nice. And you arrive in Namibia at a really decent hour and feel refreshed.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

RDB Safaris has a nice concession in Namibia. They will pick you up in Joburg and drive over if you want. 150,000 acres.

 

[uplander01]

Hunted with Burchell/Wolf Safaris last Sept in Namibia. Helluva good group of people. Rough country and not an overly easy hunt. Access to lot of land, 50k+ acres a pop and I know they were working on the roads, and because the properties are mostly contiguous, they were going to remove a bunch of the border fences and just have one perimeter fence, I think their total behind one set of fence was going to be 150k acres. Fair price for the hunt as well. If a guy is after Klippy,DikDik, Kudu, Oryx it would be hard to find a better place. I also hunted Roan but we went to a property neighboring Etosha National park for that, and that place was way to swanky for me,....but we had the full lion and rhino experience LOL. My favorite hunt was for the Mountain Zebra, it was hot as hell and damn near killed me,...but he'll look great as a rug in my trophy room.

 

[dchum]

Hunted with Burchell/Wolf Safaris last Sept in Namibia. Helluva good group of people. Rough country and not an overly easy hunt. Access to lot of land, 50k+ acres a pop and I know they were working on the roads, and because the properties are mostly contiguous, they were going to remove a bunch of the border fences and just have one perimeter fence, I think their total behind one set of fence was going to be 150k acres. Fair price for the hunt as well. If a guy is after Klippy,DikDik, Kudu, Oryx it would be hard to find a better place. I also hunted Roan but we went to a property neighboring Etosha National park for that, and that place was way to swanky for me,....but we had the full lion and rhino experience LOL. My favorite hunt was for the Mountain Zebra, it was hot as hell and damn near killed me,...but he'll look great as a rug in my trophy room.

Isn't most of their hunting high fenced?

That was my understanding

 

[dchum]

RDB Safaris has a nice concession in Namibia. They will pick you up in Joburg and drive over if you want. 150,000 acres.

Jo burg to Namibia?
Nice 26 hour drive.

That’s one way to get to know your PH before the hunt lol

You might be thinking of another county

 

[uplander01]

Is some of there hunting high fenced thoug?

That was my understanding

Yes to fences,....Namibia is a lot like SA, you can find free range but it's mostly ranches. Once you get up to the Caprivi it's a different story, also a different price level. I feel your question, I'm not a big fan of seeing fences but if the properties are big enough it doesn't bother me.

Also hunted with Danene at ARU in the past, she is a fantastic host, their ranches are very large, 75k acres each I think. I'd hunt with them again. I can say you won't find better food anywhere; she writes cookbooks for wild game.

 

[375Fox]

Yes to fences,....Namibia is a lot like SA, you can find free range but it's mostly ranches. Once you get up to the Caprivi it's a different story, also a different price level. I feel your question, I'm not a big fan of seeing fences but if the properties are big enough it doesn't bother me.

Also hunted with Danene at ARU in the past, she is a fantastic host, their ranches are very large, 75k acres each I think. I'd hunt with them again. I can say you won't find better food anywhere; she writes cookbooks for wild game.

I have to disagree with this part slightly (at least as written). I think Namibia differs a lot from South Africa because of access to low fence/free range. What I’ve seen in South Africa is primarily high fence with some access to low fence. I’ve done 5 safaris in Namibia with 2 outfitters and a portion of one hunt hunting from a 3rd outfitter’s lodge and properties. It’s been pretty consistent that I’ve seen. Outfitters base from a high fence property then have access to a huge amount of low fence cattle farms. NW Namibia north of veterinary fence is extremely wild. Not every outfitter will have a huge interest in offering, but a PG hunt in Caprivi for basic PG is pretty affordable. I think ranch hunting for PG is a better experience than Caprivi though unless you are going to add a lechwe or some DG.

 

[uplander01]

I have to disagree with this part slightly. I think Namibia differs a lot from South Africa because of access to low fence/free range. What I’ve seen in South Africa is primarily high fence with some access to low fence. I’ve done 5 safaris in Namibia with 2 outfitters and a portion of one hunt hunting from a 3rd outfitter’s lodge and properties. It’s been pretty consistent that I’ve seen. Outfitters base from a high fence property then have access to a huge amount of low fence cattle farms. NW Namibia north of veterinary fence is extremely wild. Not every outfitter will have a huge interest in offering, but a PG hunt in Caprivi for basic PG is pretty affordable. I think ranch hunting for PG is a better experience than Caprivi though unless you are going to add a lechwe or some DG.

You may be totally right, I've only been there twice, and it was large ranch situations with perimeter fences. I agree with your end statement about ranch hunting possibly being a better experience overall for plains game. I vacillate mentally on ranchs, fences, no fences, wilderness......it's all a helluva good time. But there is a difference between a "ranch" and say million acre Coutada concession in Mozambique, but I haven't experienced the in-between/hybrid set up where you have a ranch and then 10's of thousands of acres of low fence cattle land with no perimeter.....

 

[BruceS]

Can anyone recommend a good outfitter in Namibia for a PG hunt? I am looking for a free range hunt, spot and stalk, lots of walking.
Coming from the US is it recommended to fly to JNB and then to Windhoek or to UK or Germany then to Windhoek? We will be bringing rifles.

Thank you.

I've hunted twice with Jan Oelofse Safaris. Going back again in 27. About 3 hrs north of Windhoek. Beautiful area, fantastic variety of game and great family run operation. The ATL to JNB, overnight and then to WND is a nice connection

 

[375Fox]

You may be totally right, I've only been there twice, and it was large ranch situations with perimeter fences. I agree with your end statement about ranch hunting possibly being a better experience overall for plains game. I vacillate mentally on ranchs, fences, no fences, wilderness......it's all a helluva good time. But there is a difference between a "ranch" and say million acre Coutada concession in Mozambique, but I haven't experienced the in-between/hybrid set up where you have a ranch and then 10's of thousands of acres of low fence cattle land with no perimeter.....

That’s interesting. I have to wonder if it’s because Burchell Safari’s is a South African they have a different approach or that area has a higher percentage of fences. I’ve hunted ranches near Otavi, Kalkfeld, and Rehoboth and it’s been a similar situation in those regions that I saw.

 

[375Fox]

I've hunted twice with Jan Oelofse Safaris. Going back again in 27. About 3 hrs north of Windhoek. Beautiful area, fantastic variety of game and great family run operation. The ATL to JNB, overnight and then to WND is a nice connection

They were my first 2 safaris in early 2000s. Always nice to see a positive report on them. Looks like very little has changed in 20+ years.

 

[uplander01]

That’s interesting. I have to wonder if it’s because Burchell Safari’s is a South African they have a different approach or that area has a higher percentage of fences. I’ve hunted ranches near Otavi, Kalkfeld, and Rehoboth and it’s been a similar situation in those regions that I saw.

Don't know , we were NW of Outjo if I remember correctly. What I do remember is the main road on the main ranch was in need of a dozer and about 3 weeks of work. It was indeed some of the roughest off roading I've ever done, over there anyway. My back did not appreciate it.