Grand Safari - Organizing Your Trip

Organizing Your Trip

The organizing of your safari is the start of your journey. This is a very important step to the success of your expedition. Grand Safari has made available to you a check list of important items, elaborated over years of experience in the African bush. This list may vary from one destination to an other, but the main aspects remain the same.

Choose your destination

according to your wishes, your professional and private schedules, and your physical and financial possibilities. Wherever you stand, Grand Safari will have the safari of your dreams..

Choosing your airline:

Grand Safari recommends South African Airways for all flights to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. You may consult their web site at la South African Airways Grand Safari has contact with various travel agencies in France, Spain and America. We will put you in contact with one of them and they will advise you regarding flying with your firearms to your hunting destination.

Health recommendations:

South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Tanzania do not require any shots. However, Grand Safari highly recommends the yellow fever shot for Tanzania, and tetanus shots for all destinations. Malaria treatment is also recommended for Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. It is NOT necessary for the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Legal advise / Firearm :

In regards to the importation of firearms and ammunition, please contact us and we will advise you according to your destination and its regulations. Grand Safari will take care of all import permits on your behalf, as this must be done well in advance. In order to do so, Grand Safari will need information from you, such as a copy of your passport, proof of ownership of your firearms (ie invoice in your name, police clearance, US Customs Declaration) and a copy of your hunting contract with Grand Safari duly filled in and signed.

Note to the hunter:

Grand Safari camps all offer daily laundry services. Three set of hunting outfits and three casual outfits should be enough to bring for a week. We suggest you bring one or two pairs of WELL BROKEN IN lightweight leather boots, plus binoculars: 10x40 for plains game and leopard, 8x30 for buffalo. Personal gear should include a hat, sunscreen (SPF 30 or better), lip balm, insect repellant (for Botswana and Tanzania), cartridge pouch, canteen with shoulder strap or belt clip, rain jacket "Gortex type", and a fleece jacket "Polartec type" with hood for mornings. A torch light, Xenon type, can also become handy in the feld. Don't forget your camera. Although Grand Safari has well stocked first aid kits in camps, we recommend you take your own medication for minor wounds, cuts, blisters...
MALARIA: NO Malaria in the Eastern Cape of RSA. Anti-malaria drugs are recommended in Botswana and Zimbabwe, consult your physician. Malaria drugs are strongly recommended in Tanzania and Mozambique.
Rifle and cartridge are a matter of personal choice. The most important issue is that you have had enough practice to be comfortable with your rifle. Your deer rifle may be a better choice than a rifle purchased for the hunt. A suggested marksmanship standard is 8 inch groups at 200 yards when shooting from a rest, and 8 inch groups at 50 yards when snap shooting from an off-hand (unsupported) standing position. We suggest that clients use either a 270 Winchester, 30-06, 7mm, or .300 Magnum for plains game like springbok, mountain reedbuck and greater kudu. Premium ammunition with a bullet that is heavy for its caliber is recommended; ask us for details. A .375 H&H Magnum would also be a good choice if bigger game like cape eland would be hunted. A .300 Magnum is the suggested minimum for eland. For big game in Tanzania .375 H&H Magnum is a good option. For Cape Buffalo, Hippo and Elephant, a bigger caliber, if you are comfortable with your gun, is a good idea. Fit your rifle with a good quality scope with variable power, such as 1.5-6 x 42 or 3-9 x 36. Consider bringing an inexpensive 4 power scope as a backup in case your primary scope is damaged. Sufficient ammunition to re-zero your scope is advised. Make sure your firearm is protected in a good quality LOCKED case for airline transportation. UNLOADED firearm and ammunition must be declared to an airline representative upon check-in.
Well before your departure, obtain a US Customs Form 4457 that records the serial number of your firearm: you will need this form upon re-entry to the United States, and serves as a "US firearm license" for some countries (such as France and Namibia). For airline transportation, it is best to remove the bolt from your rifle (or barrel from your shotgun) and place them both inside your locked case, in such a way that both are separately visible to a TSA x-ray machine. Factory ammunition boxes in a metal ammo can stored in a checked bag other than the firearm case will comply with all known airline regulations. Airlines prohibit tracer, incendiary, and explosive ammunition. Airline regulations require that a maximum of 10 pounds (or 5 kilograms) of ammunition in factory boxes is transported in checked baggage. A total of 100 rounds of ammunition (five boxes of 20 rounds) is a typical limit.

Climate / Weather report

African seasons are the opposite of Europe and North America. We mainly hunt during our Southern Winter when temperatures are moderate. You will find all weather details on www.southafrica.info and on www.weathersa.co.za for South Africa, and : www.wunderground.com for Tanzania.

Risk and responsability

Big game hunting is a risky activity minimized at the most by the great professionalism of the Grand Safari team. Under no circumstances shall Turquoise Horizon c.c. trading as Grand Safari be held responsible for the following conditions: delays, cancellations or rescheduling of any flights, loss of baggage, break down, loss of life or injury caused by a third party. Turquoise Horizon c.c. cannot be held responsible for the condition, availability, or lack thereof, of game, fauna and flora and weather.