| Africa! - no other continent quite holds the attention and sparks the imagination of hunters like Africa does, the proverbial 'heart of darkness'. For most of us the riches of gold and oil don't mean much anymore rather it is Africa's greatest resource, her wildlife, that draws us to her and pulls at that adventurous string in our souls! |
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The cost of an African hunting Safari
I have noted a trend about African safari hunts recently - people are shocked at first and then their anger and frustration shows at how expensive hunting Safaris to Africa have become.
At the recent SCI hunters convention in Reno hunts to Africa had increased by so much that many visitors left empty handed and I assume disillusioned and upset. The overall impression I get is this: operators & outfitters are pricing themselves out of the market and this will have a severe impact because the majority of hunters visiting Africa from the US are not super rich.
To fully understand the current price increases in African safari hunting you have to step back and take stock of where the world's largest economy is right now. Whatever happens in America, no matter what, has ripple effects around the world and in Africa it is compounded by much of the continents reliance on foreign economic aid. Remember this, many struggling African nations, those where the best safari hunting is to be had, base much of their internal trade on the US dollar value. The tendency of African currencies to devaluate, in some cases by the hour, has meant most savvy businessmen over there think in dollars.
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Simply put, the mighty US dollar is not buying what it used to and this applies to both sides of the coin - both client and safari operator / outfitter. Over the last 5 years the dollar has weakened by as much as 40 percent against some of the African currencies and over 60 percent against that of Australia for example. The dollar is just not getting what it used to anymore and for the safari hunting industry a vicious cycle may develop as governments increase fees, operators struggle to turn a profit and international hunters get angry and stay away.
Africa's greatest resource
Africa is a giant repository for a great number of the natural beasts of the world, but Africa has the great beasts. It is the last place on earth where the megafauna, Elephants, Rhinoceroses and Buffalos, roam in great herds, where the super predators reign supreme in unhindered dominance. It is these great beasts that draw us as hunters to this continent, our desire to not only walk amidst them but also to pursue them in their natural range, on their terms, so to speak.
Without a doubt hunting plays a vital role in ensuring they have protection and enough unblemished habitat to survive continually because hunting takes that land which would otherwise fall to agriculture or deforestation and secures it with a purpose. Nowhere else is this more apparent than in Africa, hunting ensures protection of open wilderness for our game to expand freely and multiply.
In most countries, hunters only make up a tenth of any population yet it is largely their dollar making up the largest contribution towards conservation. Look at the United States - without the recreational hunter and fisherman most state wildlife divisions would have severely constricted budgets. The simple fact is that for the most part, hunters fund the greater part of conservation, not the general public or the high rolling animal welfare organisations which bay for our blood.
In the poorer African countries most locals cannot afford to pay for hunting thus making the role of international safari hunting ever more important. It is the legions of 'average joe's', visiting the continent in greater numbers that leads to more income ultimately filling the coffers of conservation. African wildlife authorities derive a great part of their budget from Safari Hunting and unless blessed with other natural resources like diamonds to rely on, hunting will remain in these nations. It goes without saying, both parties rely on each other in a sense and without question, the continued expansion and survival of Africa's beasts rests in both their hands.
African safari hunts are out of reach?
The first myth right now is that safaris to Africa are expensive. If you look around there are hunting trips to Africa which have remained the same price for the last 5 years ranging from $250 - $400 per day and packages with 5 trophies included running at around $5000. The days of an African hunt costing you within the $10,000 or less range after all is included are still here. You can still go to Africa for the same price as a Moose or Elk hunt in Canada or Colorado.
You just need to know what to expect from these trips because hunts at this end of the scale tend to be ranch hunts in South Africa or Namibia and your choice of outfitter needs to be wise. Seriously, there are some excellent deals out there and if you are prepared to embrace what hunting truly is then you can have a great time for many years to come. You see, between South Africa and Namibia you have a choice of over 60 different species available to hunt, be they on game ranches or open land and each does provide a memorable experience. |
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As a rule, hunts on game ranches provide better dollar value yet may not necessarily provide the true African hunting experience. The thing to remember here is that although you are on a fenced property, the hunt itself can be done in a typical African manner if you allow yourself to. This is the key and often it will mean standing up to your outfitter and PH and having the confidence to be patient.
The trend with outfitters however is to have you shoot as much as possible as they profit from trophy fees and often you'll find yourself charging around the bush on the back of a custom designed 'hunting' pickup taking pot shots at everything that moves. Trophy fees tend to add up so from the outset you need to be firm with your PH and dictate the type and style of hunting you'd like to do. There is no excuse for lazy hunting, the more effort you put in the greater your adventure and memories will be.
Often this demand for a cheaper safari takes away the very purpose of a hunt, making it a demeaning activity of collection. As outfitters trample each other to offer a cheaper hunt or a more bang for your buck safari, we lose sight of the spirit hunting imparts to us. We forget our morals, ethics fly out the window and profit makes our power and manipulation of the beasts necessary. We fence them in, we dart them, we move them, we release them and clients then shoot them all under the cloak of providing a cheaper hunt.
Our control over game makes it easier to provide a less expensive hunt because we confine game to a place where we are at an advantage, where it is easy for us to operate and get to, where we have facilities already built. Heck, we don't go to where the game is, we bring the game to us and if our trophy bulls are all gone then we just pick up the phone and have a few more delivered. This is Africa for sure, yet it is not the Africa we have lived through while reading Hemingway and Ruark, it is essentially Africa with her poison removed.
Hunting in Africa is not out of reach, and the true African Safari hunt is still there, you just have to adjust your sights and priorities realising there are more ways to approach this than those that are thrown at you by the many safari outfitters and operators.
The best trip I have ever done was leading 2 hunters into the heart of the kalahari dunes after Gemsbok and Springbok, that's all! We hunted on foot in 120 degree heat for 7 days, each lost about 20 pounds, slept next to the open fire, cooked our own meals and all ended up with great trophies and a hunting memory which still runs through our veins like it was yesterday.
2x1 10 day Sable hunt in Zambia - $12,900 per hunter (includes 10 full days hunting plus sable trophy fee) This ranch has a 47 inch Sable bull and a plus 44 inch bull, you will not find this anywhere else in this region. Other species also available at this ranch
7 day 2x1 plainsgame package hunt starts at $7,900 per hunter (includes 7 full hunting days plus trophy fees to share between 2 hunters for 1 Waterbuck, 1 Kudu, 2 zebra, 2 warthog, 2 reedbuck & 2 Impala) - this is great value hunting
Add a 2 day Kafue Lechwe hunt to any of the above packages for the true wilderness hunting experience as we camp out on the vast kafue flats and go after 30 inch plus lechwe bulls - $ 3,900
Email me for some great game ranch hunting ideas that reflect the real african hunting experience - EMAIL
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hunts that are out of reach!
The hunts that are ridiculously priced are those Safaris we consider as the classical African hunt. These are the trips that last up to a month, taking you into those parts of the continent that have remained unfenced and wild, very much like they were 100 years ago, after the big boys, those great beasts of Africa! These are the safaris that are becoming the domain of the very wealthy and already cater to this type of hunter. Ultra luxurious camps with 5 star chefs, air conditioned chalets, television & broadband, closed up air conditioned vehicles and hundreds of support staff. These safaris, after Lion, Elephant and Leopard are only set to increase and understandably so. Africa's natural abundance is not entirely like you see on the discovery channel and these species are not only scarce but should have the right to demand a premium. Yet to what extent does this premium for luxury extend.
Even hunts for that most sought after rogue of the African savannah, the blood thirsty Cape Buffalo, have increased tremendously. This may be due to the fact that the traditional buffalo hunting countries have either increased their fees or are not safe to visit right now. Tanzania & Zambia have both seen an increase in their fees, for all hunts, operators have no choice but to charge more. Zimbabwe on the other hand has gone through some tough, typically African turmoil yet remains one of the best hunting deals available right now. However I believe high safari fees have more to do with the one-upmanship that exists between operators.
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You see, these safaris, not that different from Hemingways adventures in 'The Green Hills of Africa', are expensive because of their very nature. When the first hunters arrived in Africa they found a paradise with all the creatures in great abundance yet it was also paradise untouched. They had to brave treacherous seas, make peace with hostile tribes, swim crocodile infested rivers, survive malaria, dysentery and snakes. Today, for a good safari you still need to head into the unknown, those parts of Africa where game has survived untouched in numbers great enough for us to hunt them. Getting here is not easy, operating here is difficult to say the least and knowing the 'lay of the land' is of utmost importance. You truly take on nature at it's strongest, this is their home ground and nothing is manipulated to give you more bang for your buck. This is simply how the 'real' safari is, you enter into the domain of the great beasts, a land that has resisted change for centuries and you walk amongst them on their terms.
Of course this type of Safari is going to cost your arm and leg because of what it takes to operate in this wilderness. Government fees increase each year, camps have to be built afresh, stocked with every imaginable brand of whiskey under the sun and of course ice makers and ice cream machines have to be installed. When you're paying top dollar you need the finer things in a hunting camp like an ice cream machine, or a chinese chef!? Of course you do, your buffalo or lion trophy just won't be the same without these!
Perhaps these hunts are too expensive because of all this 'luxury' demanded by the fact that rates and fees are so high. I've often heard people say "well... for that price there had better be ice in camp!" Are the standards, both those perceived and those provided, on these 'classic' safari hunts perhaps too much? After all, you're there to hunt and experience the African bush, you're not there to sit around sipping lattes in an air conditioned hut!
The fact here is that you are not given a choice either. If you'd prefer sleeping beneath the stars next to an open fire, can you not do this and be given a discount for not wanting all the luxury that accompanies such safaris? Don't you like gearing up for a trip and bringing it all with you or trying your favorite game recipe over an open fire? Often these are the most memorable parts of a hunt and they shouldn't cost a thing. In fact these rough type of hunts should costs less and should be offered by operators as an alternative because the 'average joe' often prefers this type of safari above the classical luxury deal everyone else offers.
If you'd like to know more about a true hunting trip into unfenced Africa, one that is a bit rough around the edges and doesn't pamper you but still gives you comfort and the chance at some great trophies then email me. For 2008 I have a few great hunting ideas and if you'd like to be part of an expedition style trip let me know soon and make a mark in your calendar for July & August 2008.
Happy hunting
Pete Swanepoel jnr
SafariBwana LLC, 5250 Cherry Creek South Drive, Denver, CO, 80246 Tel: 720-277 1920 info@safaribwana.com |
