Organising First Trip To South Africa

[Bobpuckett]

What no Contract???? your getting some great advice here on the forum and the east cape is a great place to hunt and there are many outfitters mentioned here on AH that I would highly recommend. If you have any questions please just ask we would rather help you then see you get screwed. btw Welcome to AH.

 

[James.Grage]

Hi Alena, Welcome to AH

The last thing we all want is for your family to have a great time and experience when you go to Africa. Please reread the comments from our members and be guided by there reply's.

In your opening line you indicated that - you have booked with African Sky. Now have you sent a deposit, with out a contract?

If African Sky cannot supply you with answers now it will not get any better if you go with them.

Our resident experts have provide there insight to South African law for a safari.

In my safari's e mails and phone call were the norm, plus a contract.

Good Afternoon all,

I am in the process of arranging a first hunting safari for my family in South Africa. After I've done some initial research I decided to book a customized trip with African Sky.
First I was alerted when they could not provide the pictures for the lodge we were planning to stay in, but that was not the main issue.
When I asked to send a contract, I've been told that there is no such thing. I've been referred to T&C which cover only cancellation policies and the fact that African sky is not liable for any damage.
To the questions about min. trophies sizes, right to decline the shot, wounded animals etc I received a simple answer if animal is shot you pay, together with the pictures from the website of previous trophies ( which were nice but hardly answer any of my questions)

I find it hard to believe that this is a common approach and wanted to ask about your experience with African sky or other outfitters.

Thank you in advance,
Alena

 

[Alena]

Firstly I would like thank everybody for the warm welcome and great advice! Overwhelming really! I based my choice on the reviews and quality of the website, but glad I registered here before transferring the deposit. Will continue my search! Thank you again, Alena

 

[Adrian]

I haven't hunted in SA so perhaps my comments don't hold much sway but from my time here, I know very well which two outfitters I would want to hunt with and it will be a hard choice to decide one over another when the time comes.

I have based my decision upon private message contact with them, their helpfulness in answering questions, giving advice, their websites, what they offer and their prices.

If providing you with their names will help and give you direction, please send me a PM as I don't want to cause offence or embarrassment to anyone on the open forum.

 

[Diamondhitch]

Firstly I would like thank everybody for the warm welcome and great advice! Overwhelming really! I based my choice on the reviews and quality of the website, but glad I registered here before transferring the deposit. Will continue my search! Thank you again, Alena

A wise choice I think, given the issues you had. Put CT-safaris on your short list, I have hunted 2x with Chris and he can tailor a safari for you that you will not forget. Here are a couple of my reviews, there are many on here for them, all very positive.

African Hunting Outfitter of distinction offering safaris in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique - www.ct-safaris.com

http://www.africahunting.com/south-africa-hunting-reports/5751-ct-safaris-classy-outfit.html
http://www.africahunting.com/south-africa-hunting-reports/8177-another-great-hunt-ct-safaris.html

 

[vancewalker007]

If you are still looking my father and just did an 8 day Safari with Limcroma. Their camps are in the thorn brush of the Limpopo. We had an unbelievable experience, walked and stalked and took 15 trophies. I'm sure Hannes would at least give you a nice quote. We just saw him at the Vegas SCI show. I am getting ready to set up a trip for 2015 with my son. His outfit is very family friendly.

 

[buchnerl]

Good day Alena,

First off all I would like to welcome you to his as you already know wonderful and information rich source of outfitters and hunters. You have made a very fine choice to first sign up with AH.com and requesting advice. See, here you go with so many information and knowledge that you distanced yourself from potential danger and dissatisfaction. What would be worse than to have a bad African safari experience, and only write negative reports? Nothing nice, as it is also not cheap.

There is many fine outfitters here and whom have already made contact with you. Listen to what they say, and make use of their opinions, it will save you lots of turmoil and sadness in the end.

This quote from Chris Troskie, is so true.

I hunt in several Provinces of SA and in all of these a hunt contract (or remuneration agreement) is compulsory for a legal hunt.

The relevant Provincial Ordinance stipulates the basic terms and what must be included in such a contract and this protects both Outfitter and Client so it is mutually beneficial.

It is a legal requirement to have a contract signed and as someone who prefers to stay on the right side of the Law this is the way I and most reputable Outfitters I know sell hunts - even if we were to book repeat customers / friends.

I would not recommend booking a hunt without a contract. Regardless of who or how well-known the outfitter is - this is a recipe for disaster - and illegal on top of that.

Chris, you could not have said this better. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!!

Good luck on your planning and if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask me, or any of this fine men and women on this forum. We are all here to assist each other.

Regards,

 

[CAustin]

Hi Alena,
First of all a hunt in Africa is a dream come true. My dream became reality last April with African Sky. I could not have been happier. I began my search for an outfitter the same as you asking questions of others and searching web sites. In the end I chose African Sky because I was able to speak with references they provided. For me it was a farmer in Iowa and a retired airline pilot in San Antonio. If you would like to speak with me email Andrew at African Sky and he will give you the contact info for me. My PH was Hennie du Toit for the Bushveld hunt that I booked for my son and myself. My wife also went along and took 1600 pictures. Everything that was promised was delivered. From the greet at the airport, getting my guns through customs, to sizing up animals. For me it was hard to pass up animals.....never before had i heard " no he is not that good...we can do better". You will be amazed at what you pass up. When Hennie took us to the airport the last day we simply didn't want to leave.
Now as for some of your concerns. African Sky provided me a booking reservation with everything detailed out from cost for every item to where we would be lodged. We stayed at Nico's lodge on the Elands river in the main building pictured on the web site. It was outstanding! Food service, beds, cleaning, fire at night....just what one would hope for. I was concerned like you about everything before I left the states but my concerns were put to rest quickly. Every day Hennie and the lodge owner asked if I was happy with the day and could they do anything for us. Great concern was shown for my wife and her comfort the whole trip.
As for taking a shot we felt no pressure to do so. In fact on day one my son was going to shoot first at a massive Kudu that kept moving. Hennie told him to wait and not take the shot if he was not comfortable. He didn't but two days later my son shot a 50 inch Kudu bull. My son did also shoot a warthog that we did not recover from the river . Yes we paid for that animal which is the ethical thing to do. We shot the land owners animal as evidenced by blood so we paid. A day later I shot a blue wildebeest at 200 yards. Thought we had lost him but the trackers found him 3/4 of a mile away. I was prepared to pay for that animal as well had we not finally found him. The African tracker Jacobe was amazing. He skinned everything as well with a great sense of pride.
As for size of the trophy don't worry about that. You will get a very good representation of the specie. My Kudu qualifies for the SCI records at 54 1/4 x 10 1/2 inch bases. It's pictured on the website in the second section of pictures under photos. The spread was 33 inches. My sons impala was 21 inches and my warthog had 11 inch upper tusks not record book but very good.
I recently went to an SCI show in Overland Park Kansas. Two of the many outfitters I saw and spoke with knew the African Sky folks and spoke highly of them. At the end of the day you need to speak voice to voice with someone who has used the outfitter and ask all the questions you can think of. Write them down in advance and take notes during the conversation. Call back another time and ask more questions. I did! And I got all questions answered. Remember the folks in an office are being very matter of fact as it is difficult to communicate thru email. That's why I say talk to someone who has been on the phone.
I hope I have helped you some and calmed your concerns about African Sky. By the way I am going back this April to hunt with them again. One of the lodges that I am staying in don't have pictures but the other is on the website so I'm not worried. If you use these guys you will not be sorry.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

No Hunting Contract no deal I do not care who you are, the days of parting with your money on a hand shake are over... No matter how much we wish they were not...

Contracts protect hunters as well as outfitters, IMO it is a simple procedure which includes all that was discussed, preliminary final pricing as well as a FORCE MAJURE.

My best always

 

[Ado]

Hi Alena,

As other have said, welcome to AH.

When I first started to hunt I was also not aware if a contract was or wasn't needed - I took terms as said & read.

Over the last four years I have been on three safaris with AfricanSky, and over that time come to know them all personally. I have hunted with another outfit that had full term sheets, contracts and the like, with no difference. Many of my friends hunt in SA, and between us we have 15 safaris under our belt, with 5 different operators.

My advice is simple - does the safari outfitter have a great reputation, and can you directly talk to past clients about the experience? If so, then they will ensure they maintain that reputation at all costs. A contract will not help you if they are scoundrels!

Would I hunt with them again? Yes.
Do I trust them? Yes.
Do I know of any past client unhappy with their experience? No.
When my next safari with AfricanSky booked? July 2014.

Please feel free to contact me.

Thanks,

Ado.