Question from a first timer

[Linkerman]

Me and my son will be going on our first African Safari for plains game sometime in mid-2027 with Cruiser Safaris. Cruiser has provided a very comprehensive list of just about anything and everything that could be thought of to ask. This along with the wealth of knowledge from this forum of which I have been reading for the past six months or so I can’t imagine anything that I am missing and have no unanswered questions. Yet I do have a question to all of you with experience which is….. As prepared as you were (or thought that you were) going on your first African Safari, what one thing did you overlook, miss, or not have?

 

[375Fox]

During the hunt chapstick. After the hunt I was caught off guard by dip and pack being an additional charge before shipping.

 

[Flipper Dude]

Have lots of smaller denominations $5,10, 20s as well as hundreds for tips. Bring envelopes and pen and stuff accordingly. Bring several bags of hard candy for the truck high rack. Split with the crew every morning. Bring a jacket for the ride out in the morning if winter.

 

[375Fox]

Have lots of smaller denominations $5,10, 20s as well as hundreds for tips. Bring envelopes and pen and stuff accordingly. Bring several bags of hard candy for the truck high rack. Split with the crew every morning. Bring a jacket for the ride out in the morning if winter.

I know this is common advice, but I have to disagree. Small bills in Zimbabwe is a huge advantage. In other countries it can be more difficult to exchange or mean they get a lesser exchange rate. I think asking outfitter how they tip in their camps is best advice. I’ve been on a lot of hunts where I hand tips directly to staff but they give it all to PH to exchange for local currency on their behalf anyway. $100s with a tip list has generally been most simple and easiest to carry to Africa.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Power converter.

 

[JimP]

A journal where you can jot down the days activities.

On my first trip I figured how much I was going to tip and brought that in SA rand plus extra since we were going to do a 8 day tour. Having rand in my pocket was easier for buying things. On my second trip the extra money wasn't needed since wherever we went they took Visa and the outfitter handled the tips with a CC transaction if you wanted. But some rand was nice just in case.

If just hunting you only need 3 sets of clothes, plus what you fly over in. You should have one set of hunting clothes in your carryon and wear your hunting boots over. Spray your clothing down with Permithin, you can get a spray bottle of it at Walmart or REI. A small can of bug spray with DEET for your skin.

Others will add to this

 

[Sabre]

I think things most people would overlook are:

Chapstick
Cost of dip and pack
Cost of shipping
Cost of import
Cost of taxidermy
(obviously those 4 could be bundled as "post hunt costs")
Not having a bit of extra money in the budget to shoot a really nice extra if it presents itself
Extra bootlaces
Cold and flu medicine (people get colds in hunting camps a lot)
Sunscreen
Neck gaiter of some sort for sun protection

 

[Betterinthebush]

Chapstick…uh, that’s it! Chapstick. I don’t know how I missed this item reading the posts here, but I did. One item that wasn’t ever mentioned that I needed was an eyeglasses repair kit.

 

[t7spoon]

Cold and flu medicine for sure. I always pack this when traveling internationally because the same medications often have different names in other countries. Add in a language barrier and a trip to a pharmacy gets fun. My wife got a bad cold on day 4 of our trip to SA this past June. She was in bed for 2 days. Luckily we had enough stuff to get her by without a trip to town. My friend’s wife then got the same cold and same 2 days of downtime right after my wife was on the mend.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Myself with scoped firearms, I take extra base and ring screws, torque wrench to fit those, a trigger, and cleaning equipment. First trip, I forgot a baclava and heavy gloves for the night varmint hunts.
In RSA, you can buy a lot of good to have items instead packing them. I know of one hunter that doesn't take rifles and goes on ten day RSA hunts with one carry on so there's always the possibility of taking too much.

 

[Sabre]

Myself with scoped firearms, I take extra base and ring screws, torque wrench to fit those, a trigger, and cleaning equipment. First trip, I forgot a baclava and heavy gloves for the night varmint hunts.
In RSA, you can buy a lot of good to have items instead packing them. I know of one hunter that doesn't take rifles and goes on ten day RSA hunts with one carry on so there's always the possibility of taking too much.

Are you saying an extra trigger for your rifle?

 

[USN]

Lens wipes, buy the box of zeiss at Sam’s. Leave what you don’t use. Your outfitter will thank you!

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Me and my son will be going on our first African Safari for plains game sometime in mid-2027 with Cruiser Safaris. Cruiser has provided a very comprehensive list of just about anything and everything that could be thought of to ask. This along with the wealth of knowledge from this forum of which I have been reading for the past six months or so I can’t imagine anything that I am missing and have no unanswered questions. Yet I do have a question to all of you with experience which is….. As prepared as you were (or thought that you were) going on your first African Safari, what one thing did you overlook, miss, or not have?

A razor ! Believe me, it’s when I learnt that you can shave with a Buck Model 110 out of compulsion. Just not very smoothly.

 

[jcs271]

Take three times as many photos as you think you need, particularly everyday activities, not just grinning dead animal shots. And bring a journal that you write in throughout the day and at the end of every evening.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Are you saying an extra trigger for your rifle?

Yes, had one go south in RSA, but these are custom receivers with hangers, not factory rifles.

 

[Hunt anything]

Yes, had one go south in RSA, but these are custom receivers with hangers, not factory rifles.

Did customs question why you had extra gun parts?
I took an extra scope in rings and they asked a ton of questions in South Africa but the people in Mozambique were more worried about how many cartridges I had.

 

[Matt8660]

depending on the time of year that you are going I found it colder then expected in the mornings and evenings

 

[Throwback]

Just budget more money to shoot more animals. However many you have planned out, you will want to take more. The animals are definitely there so it turns into an exercise in discipline to refrain. To make that easier I would have some flex in the budget. Cheers

 

[JimP]

If the PH tells you to shoot a animal not on your list, shoot it.

 

[Hunt anything]

Just budget more money to shoot more animals. However many you have planned out, you will want to take more. The animals are definitely there so it turns into an exercise in discipline to refrain. To make that easier I would have some flex in the budget. Cheers

Great advice if financially able. On my first trip I came home with a Lichtenstein hartebeest and a common reedbuck from Mozambique. Second trip a great waterbuck from the Eastern Cape. Third trip a gemsbok from the NW province and on my fifth trip a what I’m told a high record book common springbok ( I don’t measure or enter trophies in “the book”) he was one of those if you don’t shoot it I will things and a fantastic black wildebeest from the Free State.
Go, keep an open mind and have the hunt of a lifetime and cherish the time you have with your son.