Is it safe in Africa?

Transcription

1 CC 2007/201482/23 Cell: Cell: Fax: Office: Website: Is it safe in Africa? South Africa is a very safe place for international travellers. However, it's sensible to take normal precautions while travelling, particularly while in the City. Our hunting guests and their families are normally only in a large City when we meet them at the Customs exit at Johannesburg International Airport (OR Tambo International airport). Likhulu Safaris recommends the use of Travellers checks or credit cards rather than large amounts of cash just as when you travel to other adventure destinations (cash is recommend for tips). Alternatively, you can wire money to our USA account, before commencement of your Safari for the daily rates. Remember that every one of the staff at Likhulu Safaris is committed to the health and safety of you and your family while you are in our care. The Likhulu staff will be with you and your family the entire time of your safari, from picking you up at Johannesburg Airport until dropping you off at the airport for your departure. The areas where we will be hunting are typically quite rural and crime is not a significant problem at all. Your Professional Hunters will see to it that you don't get into any questionable situations on your safari. No visiting hunters or their families have ever been harmed while in the care of Likhulu Safaris. We invite you and your family to relax and enjoy the sights, the sounds and the wonders that are Africa. How long should a Safari be? The minimum days to book a Safari are 7 days, but we recommend 10 days. It will usually take a person a day or so to get into a routine with sleeping habits etc. It also takes a day or two to get used to your PH and trackers, as well as the way they hunt. We of course, plan and book a Safari according to everyone s budget and needs. How many days you want to book for your safari, is completely up to you. You might be lucky to shoot all of your trophies in the first 5 days and then what, but it might also take you the whole time while on Safari to select good trophies. When is the best time to go hunting in South Africa? We prefer our guests to come between March 31 and October 31. This is late summer, winter and early spring for us so, our weather is quite nice. If your schedule doesn t work for those dates, we will be happy to accommodate you when your schedule allows. What is the weather like? It is almost always sunny and dry from March through to October. Temperatures range from 15 F in the morning and can warm up to the high 80s F during the day. Some days will be cooler than that. It can rain occasionally so make sure your jacket is water resistant.south Africa is famous for its sunshine and champagne days. Our coastal regions are warm even in winter particularly the east coast regions of Kwa-Zulu Natal thanks to the warm Agulhas Current that runs into the Indian Ocean. In contrast the cold Benguela Current (fresh from Antarctica) runs up the west coasts Atlantic Ocean. As a result there are striking contrasts between the East and West coast temperatures. In the interior plateau the altitude (around 1694 meters / 5500 feet) keeps

2 the average summer temperatures below 30C (86F). However In winter, for the same reason, the temperatures at night can drop to freezing point and lower. The far northern regions can average summer temperatures of between 35 42C (95 107F) but freezing nights are not uncommon. South Africa is a relatively dry country with an average rainfall in the region of 464mm. Most of the country is a summer-rainfall region except for the Western Cape which gets most of its rainfall in winter. Being in the southern hemisphere, our seasons are totally opposite to those of Europe and North America. As hard as it is to imagine, we spend Christmas and New Year in our swimming pools and on our beautiful beaches! MONTH KWAZULU NATAL PROVINCE Northern areas of RSA & BOTSWANA CAPE PROVINCE FREE STATE PROVINCE MIN MAX MIN MAX MIN MAX MIN MAX F C F C F C F C F C F C F C F C March April May June July August September October Where will I hunt? Your African adventure for you and your family will take place in South Africa located on the Southern tip of the African continent. It covers approximately 1, 227, 000 square kilometres (1, square miles) of differing terrains: from desert to mountains to bushveld to lush, green tropics. Likhulu Safaris main camp is in the Free State Province (Dipka Lodge) of South Africa, about a 2 hour drive southeast of Johannesburg International Airport. Here, you will find species like Blesbuck, Springbuck, Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, and others. Likhulu Safaris also makes use of several other hunting area and lodges/guest houses around the country and in neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe and Mozambique. These camps will only be used when we are required to travel to these areas to hunt species we cannot find in our own areas. We also offer hunts to Zimbabwe and Mozambique, please contact us for more information on these areas. Tell us exactly what your expectations are in terms of trophy quality for each animal that is important to you. It is our job to be certain that you will have the opportunity to take an animal of that quality. Not every place in Africa is great for every species. Even if species are listed in a brochure it doesn't mean that they will always have the size animal you expect. Be specific. Be sure to disclose any physical limitations that you may have to your Professional Hunter. A good Professional Hunter will have a variety of options to suit your physical abilities. Wear sun block; get the strongest stuff you can find. The African sun can be absolutely brutal. Something with a rating of SPF30 or higher is best. Most of the lodges which Likhulu Safaris use have cell phone coverage. If you want to stay in touch with your family during the hunt (I know you don't want to talk to your office), set up a long distance phone card BEFORE you leave the US. You can get cards that charge as low as.15 cents a minute to call Africa from the

3 US. The best way to handle this is to home and tell them what time to call you with the phone card. Most of these cards do not charge the same amount to call from Africa to the US. Dipka Lodge North Eastern Free State Province Most common species at Dipka Lodge and area:

4 Zebra, Common and White Blesbuck, Red Hartebeest, Black Wildebeest, Mountain Reedbuck Common Springbuck, Steenbok, Common Duiker, Fallow Deer, Common Reedbuck, Gemsbuck, Black Springbuck, Cape Eland. Boschrant Lodge Central Free State Province Most Common Species at Boschrant Lodge and area: Red Lechwe, Common, White, Copper and Black Springbuck, Waterbuck, Gemsbuck, Zebra, Mountain Reedbuck, Sable, Buffalo, Blue Wildebeest Nkonka Lodge: Kwa- Zulu Natal Province:

5 Main Species at Nkonka Lodge: Kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck, Impala, Zebra, Warthog, Bush pig, Common Duiker. There are several other species in the area all within 1-2 hours drive from camp. This hunting area is in excess of acres, and is unfenced. It is hard hunting with hills and mountains. Mozambique: Coutada 14 Marromeu Zambezi Delta: Situated in the North Eastern Parts of Mozambique next to the Zambezi River, this area has abundant Cape Buffalo, Sable, Chobe Bushbuck, Crocodile, Hippo, Lichtenstein Hartebeest, Common Reedbuck. This area is for the TRUE ADVENTURER and NOT for the faint hearted. This is TRUE Hunting in every sense of the word. Please contact us for more information and prices. There are only a certain number of packages or game on quota available and dates for this specific area so please contact is well in advance to avoid disappointment. General Info: Remember that our first Language is Afrikaans and not English. It will happen that your Professional Hunter will communicate with his trackers/skinners in Afrikaans, and that is not that so that the client can not understand what they are saying, but it makes communication better and it limits the chances of any miss communication between the Professional Hunter and staff. He will translate back to you as client in English what they have talked about, and discuss the same plan with you in English. Rest assured that NO ONE will talk in Afrikaans to exclude a Client from a conversation, or to talk about him/her. Also remember to do exactly what your PH tells you to do out in the hunting field, or any where else for that matter. The culture in Africa is different from what you are used to back home, and should a Professional Hunter tell you something to do, there is a good reason for it, and they will explain later.

6 Guide Line for Tipping: PH: $80 -$120 a day/animal Trackers/Skinners/Apprentice: $20 - $30 a day/animal per group Cook/Camp Manager: $50 - $80 a day per group Camp/Lodge Staff: $10 -$20 a day per group These are just guide lines, and NOT a must. Another more common way to work out tips is to leave an additional 15% -20% on top of your total bill as tips. This will then cover all staff etc. On a donation hunt, you will take the value of the donation, plus the additional rates/trophies to work out a 15%-20% value for tipping. Payment: We accept cash, traveler s checks, Electronic Fund Transfers and Credit Cards. We require a $1000, 00 deposit to secure dates. Certain hunts where Dangerous Game is included we do require a 50% deposit on the trophy fee for these animals 90 days before your hunt. On ALL hunts Outside of South Africa, the full daily rates are payable 90 days before commencement of your hunt, and the balance of the trophy fees hunted at the end of your Safari, unless you/we have made prior arrangements. Packing List: Laundry is done on a daily basis so you do not need to pack to much clothing. Casual/Comfortable wear for dinners, campfires or traveling between hunting areas Bush hat/cap Warm Sweater or Jacket (Early mornings / evenings) Four sets of hunting clothes- warm and cold conditions (olive, dark green gray etc. No light khaki, as animals can see light-colored clothing) Lightweight cotton, long-sleeved shirts, and long trousers are recommended for hunting as protection against thorns and the sun. Shorts and short-sleeved shirts are acceptable should you prefer. 2 Pairs of comfortable well-worn hunting boots Tennis shoes to relax in Several pairs of socks / underwear Rain Gear Gloves and warm head gear Camera, equipment and enough film if you still use a film camera. Otherwise just and additional memory card. Flashlight and extra batteries Hunting Knife / Leatherman Binoculars (8x30 / 10x42) Ammo pouch and belt rounds per caliber (Maximum of 200 rounds per rifle, or 11-lbs of the total weight of luggage. Rifle and hard case Soft gun case for traveling in hunting areas Copies of all-important documents Personal toiletries Personal/Special medical supplies Chap Stick Sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) and sunglasses Reading Material Journal to Write in

7 Bring a good camera. The whole trip is about taking pictures. Don't skimp when purchasing a camera. Buy a good "point and shoot" camera that won't be difficult to carry around with you in the bush. Take pictures of everything, the terrain, the staff, and the food even your sleeping area. When you get home, you will be happy you did. Even though your spouse or mother will get sick of looking at your pictures, your hunting buddies will never get sick of them. We do have step down converters in our camps as well as International wall plug sets. What type of clothing should I bring? The most important thing is well worn hunting boots/shoes.we highly recommend boots that are well broken in, as well as high quality hiking socks. This is NOT the trip to break in a new pair of boots or to wear cheap socks. You may be walking a great deal, and blisters on a safari are no fun. You may want to bring camp shoes, so you can get out of your boots if you like in the evenings. Long pants or shorts are both good while hunting. Pants with legs that zip off and convert to shorts can be quite handy. Think layered clothing for the hunt. It will be quite cool in the morning but usually will warm up during the day. Having a nice, warm jacket, a pull over fleece, or a sweater you can take off later in the day works well. You will want to bring a pair of warm gloves for the cold mornings as well. A light rain jacket is also a great idea in case you encounter an extremely rare wet day on your hunt. As far as colour of clothing, camouflage is great if you prefer. Dark clothing such as olive, dark green and dark tan also works well. It s best to avoid light colour khaki clothing if at all possible. Do not go out and buy brand new clothes for your hunt in South Africa. Use your normal everyday hunting cloths you would use back home. Check with us, as far as camo clothing goes, as some of our neighbouring countries do not allow any camo clothing. In South Africa camo clothing is not a problem Don t forget a hat or cap of your choosing for skin protection. A belt and a cartridge holder can make life much easier for you during the hunt. Health and Insurance Keep in mind that malaria is only in certain areas of South Africa and not an everyday occurrence like the rest of Africa. All hunting areas are malaria free and no vaccinations or medication is required for travelling in South Africa, but getting a tetanus shot is a good idea. Consult with your doctor before leaving, and listen to them. But if you don t want to take any malaria medicine, then try not to, as it does have a few side effects. You may need a good tick/bug repellent in some areas. Private hospitals and doctors are within 30 minutes -2 hours drive from all camps that LIKHULU SAFARIS use. All vehicles and camps are equipped with first aid kits. What about special insurance coverage? You may purchase several types of insurance for your safari. Baggage insurance, firearm insurance, trip cancellation insurance, travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance are all areas to consider to make yourself more financially secure before you leave on your trip. Your travel agent can help you with trip cancellation, travel and medical evacuation. You have multiple choices for medical evacuation companies. You can buy a year policy or a policy that covers just your individual trip. Here are a few companies you can check with: Travel Guard- or Med Jet- or Global Rescue

8 Do I need insurance to go on an Africa hunting safari? We recommend that our clients take medical evacuation insurance as well as trip cancellation insurance. After hearing of a few horror stories of folks getting injured in Africa and not being able to get home for less than a small fortune, we began to recommend medical evacuation insurance. For a reasonable yearly fee, or as part of a comprehensive travel insurance plan you can be evacuated from the location of your injury to a local hospital, and then flown to your home hospital in a fully equipped medical evacuation airplane. We also strongly encourage you to have trip cancellation insurance. Since deposits are not refundable it is wise to be insured against any eventuality that might prevent you from taking your safari as planned. Please click here for more information on Travel Insurance. Do I need any immunizations before I come to South Africa? No immunizations are required to enter South Africa. A tetanus booster and Hepatitis A vaccines are recommended by the Centre for Disease Control. We recommend you look at the CDC website at to learn more about health issues in South Africa. It s a good idea to consult with your personal physician about travelling to Africa well before you leave. The primary hunting areas Likhulu Safaris use are malaria free. If your hunt takes you to other Provinces/Countries, we will inform you if malaria medicine is needed. You will need to start taking the medicine at least a week before you come. Again, consult your doctor and pharmacist for instructions. What happens if I need to fill a prescription or see a doctor? Your prescription can be refilled here in South Africa. It would be best if you bring enough of your medication to last for the entire trip so we don t take away from important hunting time. If you re concerned about running out, have your doctor write a prescription for you and bring it with you. South Africa has excellent medical facilities and medical care. Things to do before you leave: Passport- Check your expiration date. You need two to four blank consecutive pages in it for RSA stamps, and at least 6 months before the expiration date in your passport. It is the responsibility of every client to check the Visa requirements to every country they wish to visit. Consult with your personal insurance broker for travel insurance, insurance on your guns and equipment or try Travel Guard or visit them at, wwwtravelgaurd.com Have any prescription medicine and personal medicine filled. Let us know in advance of any food and other allergies, or special diets. If you are planning to use your credit card in South Africa, increase your daily limit and notify your Bank/Credit Card Company in the US that you intend to travel to South Africa, and supply them with dates, etc. Know your credit card s pin number if you want to draw cash from an ATM. Pack ammo separate from guns. Pack it so that it can be reached easily, for you will have to take it out for inspection. (Maximum of 200 rounds per gun) Get something to read at camp/airplane and a journal to Wright in. DOCUMENTS TO BRING ALONG:

9 Firearm permits will be issued upon arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport. Citizens of the USA must ensure that they are in possession of a completely signed UNITED STATES CUSTOMS FORM nr. 4457, listing applicable firearms and serial numbers. This form is available at any USA Customs Office and will only be issued after a physical inspection of the firearms. Visit the PHASA website (Professional Hunters Association of South Africa) or VIP Meet and Assist for more information. These are the companies we use, and recommend to help you in getting a PRE-ISSUE gun permit: Owner: Annelise Bekker AFTONIO GUEST HOUSE Telephone: Telephone: Telephone: Fax: Cell phone: Web page: aftongh@netactive.co.za PROOF OF OWNERSHIP OF RIFLE (US 4457) - US CITIZENS ONLY LIKHULU SAFARIS INVITATION FORM FIREARM IMPORT EXPORT FORM (SAP 520) COPY OF PASSPORT COPY OF PLANE TICKET/ITINERARY NOTE: PERSONS MUST BE 21 YEARS OR OLDER TO BRING FIREARMS INTO SOUTH AFRICA. ONLY 2 RIFLES OF DIFFERENT CALIBER AND 1 SHOTGUN ALLOWED PER HUNTER. (NO SEMI OR AUTOMATICS) Arriving at OR Tambo (Johannesburg) Airport: Go through passport control Collect your normal luggage at the appropriate conveyer belt. Proceed on the GREEN line through customs. For passengers arriving in Terminal A please exit the arrivals hall and turn right. Look out for your PH (They will have a sign with your name on it). From here you will go to the South African Police office to get your guns. How do I get my U.S. Customs Form 4457? You will need to go by a U.S. Customs office and fill out a Customs Form 4457 before you go on your trip. The US Customs Service has offices at any large international airport. Check your government pages in the phone book to find the phone number for your local Customs office. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEPARTURE TO GET THIS FORM AT THE AIRPORT. GET IT AT LEAST 3 MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME! How do I pick up my rifle once I arrive in South Africa? Upon arrival, after passing through passport control, you will pick up your checked baggage. You then pass through customs and proceed to the meeting area. You will be met there by one of the staff members of Likhulu Safaris, or if you have made use of a company to obtain Pre-issue gun permits then a representative of that specific company will meet you, whom will provide you with your paperwork and escort you to the South African Police Service (SAPS) firearm control office. When your firearm arrives, you will then complete your

10 import of your rifle into South Africa with the help of the Pre-Issue Gun permit representative. Make sure you don t lose your rifle permit. Remember, if you bring a firearm in, you must take it back out with you. It is illegal to leave your firearm in South Africa. If you book your hunt with us, we will provide you with more details on what is required. What caliber rifle should I bring on an Africa hunting safari? This is one of the most frequently asked questions we get. The answer is that you should bring the rifle that you shoot the best with, as long as it meets the minimum legal standards for the country and game you are hunting. In general though, for plains game, any rifle above.270 caliber will do fine as long as you use the best quality bullets available. For the.270, I would lean toward the heavier end of the bullet weights available. If you have a 300 Magnum of any type from 300 WSM to 300 Dakota that would be preferable on plains game; however, if you don't shoot it, well don't bring it to Africa! What sense does it make to bring a rifle on a once in a lifetime trip if you hate to shoot it? For dangerous games such as Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Hippo and Lion most countries require a.375 caliber at a minimum. The bottom line on rifles is that if a bullet is well placed, it will be effective. If an animal is poorly shot, no matter how big the bullet is, it will never make up for a bad hit. Best advice on this topic no matter what caliber rifle you choose for Africa, is to go to the range and shoot as much as possible. Don't go "over gunned." Anything from a.270 to a.300 Magnum will suffice for African plains game. Bring a rifle that you like to shoot, and practice with it out to 200 yards. If you can consistently hit a 10 inch circle at 200 yards you are ready. Remember that shots can be from yards, so practice. If you are going to be pursuing any of Africa's larger animals or dangerous game use a.375 H&H caliber rifle or larger. Make sure you practice with it. If you are recoil sensitive get a rifle with a muzzle brake and a mercury recoil reducer. There is no sense in hunting with a rifle that you are more afraid of than the game you are going to pursue. You don t need to run out and buy a new rifle unless you really want one. Plan on bringing a maximum of two sporting rifles into South Africa. How much and what type of ammunition should I bring? The airlines restrict how much ammunition you can carry by weight. You are allowed by South African law to bring in 200 rounds per firearm (As long as the total weight of the ammo does not exceed 11 lbs). Most hunters bring 60 to 80 rounds of ammunition. The best bullets we have seen are Premium type ammunition loaded with Barnes X, Swift A Frame or Nosler Partition bullets. We recommend you shoot a grain bullet, whichever your rifle shoots most accurately. What type of shooting practice should I do to get ready for my safari? Make sure your rifle is shooting consistently and accurately with the ammunition you choose. If it s not, get different ammunition. The number one rule for practicing after that is: GET OFF THE BENCH! Go to your deer lease or find a rifle range that will allow you to practice OFF THE BENCH. Shoot from the sitting and kneeling positions. Shoot off a tree limb or a tree trunk. Get a good pair of shooting sticks and shoot from those. The biggest challenge is getting your scope on the target and getting the shot off quickly. Many trophies have gotten away because a hunter waits more than 2 to 3 seconds getting everything perfect before they shoot. These trophies don t get big and old by standing around looking at you aim at them. The best way to help yourself is make sure your rifle fits well; your rifle is shooting accurately and learn to shoot very quickly after the crosshairs are in place. How long will the shots be? Most of your shots will be 150 yards or less. It doesn t always work that way, and longer shots are taken, but typically, 150 yards or less is the normal shot. It s best if you know where your bullet will strike at 50, 100, 150 and 200 yards. We work very hard to keep all shots to yards or less as we don t want to spend your

11 valuable hunting time chasing a wounded animal through the bush. The most important part of shooting here is, is that many of the shots come quickly so it s important to be able to put your face on your rifle, look down the scope and acquire the target and shoot accurately within 2 to 3 seconds. The trophy animals here haven t survived by standing around. What kind of gun case should I ship my gun in? Your gun should be packed in a crash resistant plastic or metal case that locks. Don t use the plastic case that s on sale at the end of hunting season for $ In the US, you will need to make sure you get to the airport early enough to have your gun inspected by TSA before it is placed on the airplane. Call your airline about details of packing guns and bullets. They are the final word. How do I ship my ammunition? Your ammunition needs to be packed in a lock-box. The lock-box and the ammunition together cannot exceed 11 pounds/5 kilograms. You can only import 200 rounds of ammunition for the calibre of rifle you are importing, and most importantly, your ammunition AND lock-box cannot exceed 11 pounds/5 kilograms. You are NOT ALLOWED to import ammunition that does not match the calibre of the rifle you are importing. How long does it take to get my heads, hides and horns back? Sometime between four and eight months depending in which area/country we hunt, and on how fast the South African Parks officials will issue an export permit after it is requested. It also depends on when you go. Typically, if you hunt later in the season, it takes longer to get your trophies back. The one definite answer is there are no concrete answers when it comes to your trophies. Once we deliver your trophies to the taxidermist or dipping agent, this issue is now in their hands. Who do I pay for the dipping, packing and shipping? You will pay the shipping company in South Africa and the receiving company/broker here in the US. It will be two different payments as they are not the same company. You will usually receive a fax, or phone call from the shipping company in South Africa telling you that your order is ready to be shipped. Once you pay them, either by credit card or bank transfer, your trophies will be shipped. The receiving company in the US will contact you when your trophies have arrived. They will hold your trophies until you pay for them. You can either pick them up personally, have your taxidermist pick them up, or ship them to your taxidermist for mounting. Dipping and Shipping of Trophies: So, you have hunted in South Africa or you are planning a hunt, but what happens to your trophies after your hunt? Or let s say, how do you get your raw hides and skulls back to the USA so that your local taxidermist can mount them? This is a question that a lot of our clients and users are faced with. Likhulu Safaris use the Company Swift Dip for all our Dipping & Shipping needs. Below is some more information on them. The contact person for Swift Dip is Natasha, one of the Directors of the company. Collection of Trophies: After your hunt, Swift Dip will collect your trophies from Likhulu Safaris, or we will deliver the trophies to them. Once the client has completed his or her Hunting Safari, the Outfitter will contact the dip and pack company for the collection of the client s trophies. We will then agree on a date and time to collect the

12 trophies. Swift Dip tries to collect the trophies in the same week that the client has ended his/her Safari. This is to speed up the process as we strive to get our clients trophies to them in less than 4 months. On collection of the client s trophies Swift Dip will go through each and every trophy, together with the Hunting Outfitter or representative of the company. We make sure that all trophies are in good order and that they are tagged properly. All trophies are recorded on a Collection Register, of which the Hunting Outfitter receives a copy after it has been signed by the responsible person. Upon return to Swift Dip s office, a copy of the collection register is handed in and the hunting documentation received from the outfitter is processed. All clients will be contacted via to notify the client of the receipt of his/her trophies and will be notified on the status of his/her trophies. All of these documents below are forwarded to the shipping company of choice and sent to nature conservation for the application of your export permits. We will ensure that all documents are handed in as soon as possible and on time, so that the issuing of the export permits has no delays. We will apply for your veterinary certificate from the Department of Agriculture the same time as the export permits. This veterinary certificate will be handed in at the shipping company for export procedures. Please feel free to contact Swift Dip on the following contact details: Website: natasha@swiftdip.co.za Tel: Taxidermy Batson Taxidermy: Batson's Taxidermy is located in Bishop, Georgia. Kevin Batson, the owner of Batson Taxidermy has a big passion and love of the outdoors and that is what drives him to provide his clients the most artistic and life-like mounts. You take pride in your trophies and I take equal pride in preserving your trophy of a lifetime Being inspired by the greatness of African wildlife, Batson Taxidermy was founded in It all started in a small single room studio to more than 2000m² working area today, everyone at Batson Taxidermy is proud to offer a reputable service and taxidermy craftsmanship of the highest level to all of their customers all over the world. Contact Details: kevinbatson@yahoo.com Tel: Address: 1211 Elder Ridge Drive Bishop, GA Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any additional information, or if you are not sure about something. DARE TO DREAM