Some info that might help you planning your Safari with Stoke Safaris South Africa
Below we provide a guide to booking an African Safari, which outlines the whole process, as well as supporting information. We will personally work with you through every facet of the process. At times, it might be easier to speak to someone locally who has been on a safari.
Deciding on what trophies to hunt.
Choose one of our standard hunting packages, fully inclusive of:
– Daily rate (Accommodation, meals, land transportation & the services of an experienced professional hunter, plus 15% government tax on the daily rate)
– Trophy fees for the animals including permits if necessary which are specified in the package.
– We strive to offer you exceptional quality at competitive prices through our standard hunting packages.
Send us your wish list and we will customise a personal fully inclusive package just for you:
– Both the standard packages and customised packages are flexible – animals in a package may be exchanged for animals of similar value that occur in the same geographical area.
Opt for a Daily Rate Safari:
– There is a Daily rate, and add the animals you shoot as the opportunity arises – À la carte, if you will, as per our price list.
In any of the above cases – Additional trophies can be added at the price list rate.
Guests are welcomed upon arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg by myself and are returned there upon completion of the Safari.
Add on tours and photo safari day trips are available.
Mapungubwe Nature reserve or Kruger National park.
General safari information
Stoke Safaris understands that booking an African Safari is a big decision and that anyone thinking about it has several questions. We would like to be there for you all the way, from the moment you start planning until the day your precious trophies are on your wall in your home. We strive to offer you exceptional quality at competitive prices. Below is some information that will be helpful:
Booking a safari
When you have selected the safari, you would like to book, the safari contract, providing all the details of the upcoming safari, will be finalized and signed and you will be required to pay the deposit of $1000 or as required, depending on the nature of the safari.
Booking the airfare for your African safari
After we have agreed on the date of your safari and the number of days you are to be here in South Africa you can then book your airfare. A direct flight to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is recommended either with Delta out of Atlanta or United Airlines out of Newark. Please communicate with me during this process, we will work with the travel agent or yourself to make sure you are here for the correct number of days.
If you are a US citizen, you need only a valid passport with two clean pages to travel to South Africa. If you are NOT a US citizen, you might require a visa.
Importation of hunting rifles
A temporary import permit from the South African Police service is required to bring your rifle into South Africa. We work very closely with Mr. X from Mr X Africa Solution that will be doing the pre-approved permit application as-well as VIP meet and greet beforehand. You can contact Mr. X via email at mxafrica18@gmail.com or by phone at +27 76 106 3359. Upon arrival, you will be met by myself and a rifle agent, which will accompany you to the permit office where you will pick up your rifle and then travel to the Main Camp, that is about a 5 hour drive or you can take a connect flight to Polokwane Limpopo with SA Airlink that will then be a 2 hour drive to the hunting destination.
Health precautions
No shots are needed for South Africa. Our hunting areas are in Malaria free areas. Malaria medication is required if you are traveling to the Kruger National Park for a photo safari or hunting near Kruger National park any time between March and May & September and November. Malaria medication is required throughout the year if you are hunting in Zimbabwe or if you take a tour to Victoria Falls.
Hunting areas
Most of our standard hunting packages take place in two major areas. The Limpopo Province, referred to as the North, and the Free State province, referred to as the South. These two areas are very different from one another in topography and vegetation. The North consists mostly of thick acacia thorns brush and small rocky outcrops. The South is characterised by open plains with very little tree cover and mountains up to 11 000 feet. It is a real advantage to hunt in two different areas on one safari to experience more of what South Africa is like. Different animals occur in these two different areas. In Limpopo, our Main camp is located between Messina and Alldays about 30 miles south of the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. We also hunt in the Soutpansberg area for different species and bigger trophies that is about an hour’s drive from main camp.
Weather and temperatures
South Africa’s seasons are reversed from yours. For the most part, early mornings are crisp and cool but warm up around 9am. Mid-days are sunny and warm but start cooling down from 3pm and can range a great deal, so you have to pack to dress layers each day. Here as an indication of the temperatures that you might experience:
Months
Limpopo (North)
Free State (South)
March and April
50-80 °F
45-75 °F
May and June
40-70 °F
35-70 °F
July and August
35-70 °F
35-70 °F
September and October
50-80 °F
50-75 °F
What to pack for your African Safari:
Laundry is done daily; therefore, three sets of hunting clothes will do khaki or camo or whatever you prefer. A range of temperatures may be experienced in one day so dressing in layers is advisable. Please see the recommended packing list for more detailed guidelines.
Payment after the safari
Before leaving Stoke Safaris, this will be done via wire transfer, direct deposit to our bank account, or cash or credit card. (service fee applicable).
Payment of other items
Purchases of gifts and souvenirs.
South Africa’s currency is called “RAND”
Most stores outside of the airport WILL NOT accept dollars.
Most stores WILL accept ONLY MASTERCARD AND VISA credit cards.
We will assist you to exchange Dollars into Rands at the airport when you arrive.
Your trophies
The field preparation and care of our client’s trophies are a TOP priority at Stoke Safaris. Trophies may have to undergo a Dip & Pack process to be shipped raw and mounted by your local taxidermist in the USA, or you can have them mounted in South Africa prior to shipping I do recommend Trophex Taxidermy Bertus is a long life friend of mine you can contact him on bertus@trophex.co.za and his website is trophex.co.za.
Tipping
We are often asked, “How much should I tip my PH? How much should I tip the skinner/tracker? Lodge staff?” It is not an easy question to answer because tips are by no means obligatory and are at the discretion of the hunters. All staff are well informed of this fact and should accept anything given, as a bonus to their salaries.
Here are some suggestions – merely a point of reference:
Tips can be given in US Dollars or in South African currency, Rand.
On a typical basic 7-10 Day safari to the value of $6000 or $7000, the average tip for the Professional Hunter is around $700 – $1000.
On a big game hunt, the tip is generally more than on a plains game hunt.
We recommend $30 per animal that the Skinner skins for you and if he was also your tracker and helper out in the field each day – On a typical 7-10 safari, the average tip is between $300- $400.