April departure for South Africa

[Daveboone]

After over five years of planning and delays, we are a go for our (wife and I ) long planned trip to South Africa...Eastern Province out of Port Elizabeth. She had always wanted to do the animal viewing thing, and I have long dreamed of Kudu since reading Ruark as a kid (and many times since). Only a very modest package for impala, wart hog (only if with exceptional tusks,) Kudu...which is my primary, and surprisingly enough my wife insisted on me getting her a zebra rug! Okie dokey! We are split five days being a tourist (including visiting Addo elephant reserve, deep sea fishing, big cat rehabilitation, visiting street markets among others, and five days in the field. Using my guides .270, which greatly simplifies the travel plans. 

We are in the "pulling all the stuff together" phase, to be sure we dont miss anything, and to minimize our packing. Of course once back, I will post highlights. Hopefully this will compensate for my poor showing for the past fall deer hunting. 

[grampy]

Sounds like the trip of a lifetime! Wishing you good travels and great hunting! Looking forward to the pic's!

[Salmon_Run]

Exciting trip planned for sure, congrats and best travel wishes !

It's a long way from Tug Hill! 

[PraiseDiana]

Awesome! How did you choose your guide/outfitter?

[Steve D]

Enjoy your trip but please don't bring any "variants" back with you.

[ApexerER]

Sounds like an awesome Trip. Are you going to go cage diving with White Sharks? I would love to do that!

[Robhuntandfish]

Watched a hunting show one time where a guy was hunting Ostrich with a bow. It looked amazing. I'm too chicken to go do something like this but it sounds like a great adventure.  You should ask @Dinsdale for some tips. 

[grampy]

5 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Watched a hunting show one time where a guy was hunting Ostrich with a bow. It looked amazing. I'm too chicken to go do something like this but it sounds like a great adventure.  You should ask @Dinsdale for some tips. 

Dinsdale has many African trips under his belt, and I'm sure he can, and will give some tips. 

It's on my bucket list after retirement, to accompany him on an African adventure!!!

[coonhunter]

Have fun on your trip Daveboone. I hope you and your wife have a trip of a lifetime.

And grampy, that is a hell of a plan. I hope it works out for you too.

[sbuff]

Enjoy and safe travels 

[Dinsdale]

Port Elizabeth….Summerstrand area has a good street market on the boardwalk. Coachman restaurant (good steaks) and in same building The Ocean Basket. Both have outdoor seating overlooking beach. Something Good Roadhouse same area was really good. Theres a Nando’s there too and no trip to SA is complete with out a trip to one (grilled chicken with peri-peri sauce, its a fast food place). Stayed at guest house Windermere, nice rooms; outstanding breakfast, one street off main ocean

Addo’s fun, just down the road from PE. Not huge, but plenty to see and convenient for many folks to see wildlife.

Tons of birds if you are into it; “Pocket Guide from Ian Sinclair” is a great reference and covers most of regular sightings. (Southern Africa has well over 500 species, not uncommon to see 40-100 different in a day) The tomb for serious birders is  “Roberts”, great app for smartphone with calls.

 

Pack hard bags for checked luggage. I’m using Pelican Air, but any hard case copy will do. J’berg airport is not great and luggage theft in checked bags and soft sides and duffles are an easier target. Take a extra wallet for a coupe hundred in small bills, singles/fives/twenties. Easy to grease the way or tips and not flash cash.

City Lodge is attached to airport if you overnight in J’berg (Ive stayed there 4 times) and the other hotel The Intercontinental, has terrific restaurant. (Its just a pricier stay, you can walk to both from inside the airport) 

With lower hunting pressure for last 2 years, trophy quality is up, and April you’ll be before main push of hunts. Should be able to be a bit selective for Kudu and Impala. Warthog are hit and miss depending on property, its often rocky on many areas there and tusks get worn down. But you can always get lucky or if there’s some agriculture around. Best Impala Ive shot was free range in East Cape, and Ive shot more then a few.

Have fun…….

[Lucky118]

Dont bring back Ebola  please lol

[Daveboone]

21 hours ago, PraiseDiana said:

Awesome! How did you choose your guide/outfitter?

Google searches online, reference follow up, He actually contacted me in reference to some questions I posted on another forum. I contacted over twenty references, many of whom were repeat customers, all of which responded enthusiastically. He is a small outfitter compared to many, very personally oriented and the whole trip is 100% around what we want to do, and we are the only party present.

[Daveboone]

21 hours ago, ApexerER said:

Sounds like an awesome Trip. Are you going to go cage diving with White Sharks? I would love to do that!

No sharks for us. No bridge jumping, no night clubs, we are spending as much of our time as possible off the beaten track. We are spending a day deep sea fishing, and are looking forward to getting a tour of the owners sheep ranch (no comments) and farm, and have some down time planned for some beach combing along the Indian Ocean, which one of our hunting properties borders. We absolutely are looking forward to the local foods, and the guide knows I want to sear some game tenderloin over a camp fire, just as I would venison at home. I hope we have a chance to check out one of thier gun shops. Ten days are going to go by very quickly.

[Daveboone]

21 hours ago, grampy said:

Dinsdale has many African trips under his belt, and I'm sure he can, and will give some tips. 

It's on my bucket list after retirement, to accompany him on an African adventure!!!

Look into it sooner than later. Africa (especially SA) is much more affordable than what most folks think. Other than airfare, our 10 days in SA for both of us with four species (pretty common plains game) time split between hunting and day trip stuff, is less than a one week Newfoundland moose hunt.