Info

USEFUL INFORMATION

This informational guide serves as a valuable resource for hunters preparing for an African safari. If you have any unanswered questions, please feel free to reach out to us via email for more information.

Hunting Season

Hunting in Africa happens from March through to November. Climate: The months of March to May are our Autumn months with an average daytime temperature of 80°F with cooler evenings. Although June and July are our Winter months (with daytime temperatures of 65°F) very mild winter conditions are experienced during the day with cooler temperatures (32°F) at night. August to November are the Spring months with climatic conditions very similar to Autumn.

What should you bring?

South Africa can be warm to hot during the months of March, April, September and October with temperatures ranging between 18 - 30 Degrees Celsuis The months of May through August are winter and the night temp's can drop to below zero, warming up to the mid 15 or 20 Degree Celsius by midday.

The following list is only a general guideline of what to bring on Safari. There is a daily laundry service except for the days of arrival/departure and when camps are changed from south to north. Pack light ensuring you have the basic comfortable clothing/equipment and keep in mind you'll always need luggage space for African souvenirs you'll buy along the way.

Clothing:

Hunting boots – good ankle support lace-up boots (Always worn-in) – A MUST.

Camp shoes.

3 Pair of hunting socks.

3 Pair of camp socks.

3 Pair of hunting pants (khaki, green, brown or camo).

3 Pair of underwear.

3 Hunting shirts (khaki, green, brown or camo).

3 T-shirts (if you wear them).

1 Light weight coat.

1 Heavy coat.

1 Hunting cap (baseball, safari).

1 Stocking cap.

1 Pair of leather gloves.

1 Pair of medium duty gloves.

Rain gear.

Sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm.

Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc).

Electrical adaptor and converter.

Traveling & Visa Requirements:

South Africa is one of the most stable countries in Africa and its first world infrastructure of roads and scheduled flights make getting around a pleasure. Your main entry into South Africa will be at our international airports in Johannesburg and Cape Town. From either airport, you can catch connecting flights to Port Elizabeth.

When you arrive in Port Elizabeth, our shuttle and guides will welcome you at arrivals. Look out for a sign with your name on. From the Airport it is a 2 hour drive to your destination at Umvuleni African Safaris.

When booking your safari, it is essential that you arrive one day prior to your first hunting day and leave the day after your last hunting day. Please check that your travel schedule indicates this.

Passports are required for travel to South Africa. Please note that for the most part no Visas are required. British and European Union passports are sufficient for entries into South Africa.

SAFARI CHARGES DO NOT INCLUDE:

Trophy fees of animals killed, wounded and lost if you hunt on a day rate. Trophy fees are included in the package hunts.
Airfares: international, national or charter.
Any costs arising before or after scheduled pick up or departure.
Freight charges for shipment to USA or any other country, customhouse broker fees, insurance, inland freight from airport to taxidermy studio or tannery or to your home.
Staff gratuities. Normally in the region of $50 per day for staff (this includes trackers, skinners, cook, cleaning ladies, laundry ladies.) Tips for PH’s varies from $120 to whatever you feel like your guide was worth per day.
For those who do not have a suitable rifle, one is available @ US$35 per day, per firearm.
Dip and pack or you can have them mounted with us – see African Wildlife Artistry Taxidermy price list.
Videographers available on request

MEDICAL CONCEDARATIONS

Umvuleni African Safaris is not able to provide you with professional medical advice. We suggest that you consult your personal physician or contact a doctor in your country who is able to offer medical advice and who can prescribe any medication should they deem it necessary. We do, however, recommend that you take the following into consideration:

MALARIA

Our base camp is situated in a Malaria-free area. Malaria medication is not required.

ALLERGIES

Dust and pollen encountered in the various hunting areas may aggravate any allergies you might have. It is recommended that you consult your physician regarding precautions which can be taken in this regard. Although allergies can be triggered all year round, it is important to note that the advent of spring (September) is especially known as "allergy season", due to the high occurrence of flowering plants. Remember to communicate any food allergies so that the hunting camp's staff are duly prepared.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION

If you plan to arrive with prescription medication, we suggest that bring along your prescription as well as the original boxes/containers in which you received your medication. South Africa is generally less austere regarding controlled medications, but it’s nevertheless prudent to arrive prepared.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Good medical facilities are available in Somerset East within a 30min drive from base camp. Emergency evacuation to Port Elizabeth by helicopter can be arranged on short notice for specialized medical attention.

South Africa has world-class medical facilities and doctors who are, in some cases, regarded to be amongst the leaders in their field globally. Umvuleni African Safaris does not, however, offer medical or travel insurance.

Medical insurance is essential. Ensure that this is arranged prior to your travels in the unlikely event of a medical emergency.

TAXIDERMY

We work closely with AFRICAN WILDLIFE ARTISTRY for raw preparation and mounting of trophies.

Trophies can be shipped from Southern Africa either raw or mounted. In the case of a raw shipment, it will be sent to a taxidermist of your choice in your country of origin after being thoroughly treated by a South African taxidermist.

The regulations and procedures for exporting varies depending on the species hunted.

AFRICAN WILDLIFE ARTISTRY

BROCHURE

Download here

TRAVELLING WITH A RIFLE / BOW:

Hiring a rifle?

Those hunters travelling to South Africa without their personal rifle/s, wishing to hire a rifle from UMVULENI AFRICAN SAFARIS, can do so on a first come first serve basis. We have a wide selection of rifles available for hire, all fitted with known and proven brands of telescopes. (See pricelist for prices).

We have more than one rifle per caliber available to hire - with calibers ranging from:

30-06, 375 H&H, 7MM WIN MAG & .270

Hunters traveling with rifle/s to South Africa

South Africa requires a temporary import/export permit for firearms and ammunition when traveling to South Africa. Firearm Import/Export permits can be issued at both our international ports of entry, Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airports, or applied for before your arrival in South Africa. Please contact us if you would like to import your own rifles.

If you would like to complete this process yourself, the document, SAP520 can be downloaded below. Please make contact with us regarding the importation of your rifle. Our friendly team can assist in this process and complete all necessary documents to ensure the safe arrival of your rifles.

Always ensure you have a strong protective rifle case to travel with internationally, with a separate case for ammunition. Having good locks on these cases are essential.

Zero all rifles with scopes before leaving home. Scopes will be checked again before hunting starts as they might have shifted during transit. Where possible go for a scope with variable power and try and find scope covers, as dust and moisture can affect ones’ chances of success.

Select a good multi-purpose expanding bullet for your trip. Barnes X, Trophy Bonded or Hornedy all have proved to work very well in the past. We prefer soft nose tough expanding bullets for large plains game species and solids for smaller plains game species. For all dangerous game calibers we recommend a 50/50 split in soft noses and solids.

Rules & Regulations for the import/export/transit of Firearm/s to/from South Africa

You may temporarily import a maximum of four firearms per hunter, but not more than one of the same calibre.

ONLY Flysafair and SA Airlink allow the transportation of firearms domestically within South Africa. Ensure your domestic flight/s you are booked on indicate it is an flysafair/SA Airlink flight AND NOT a SHARED CARRIER flight. The shared carrier will not honour or permit the carry of firearms. Even if your flight indicates it’s an Flysafair/SA Airlink flight, double check it is not a shared carrier flight. Please note there will be an extra baggage charge for both rifle case and ammunition case. Ammunition case to not exceed 5kg/11lbs.

Rifles and shotguns will not be accepted as Checked Baggage, unless approved no less than three (3) working days prior to departure through Airlink Reservations Control Tel +27 11 451 7350/ Your Travel Agent. Rifles must be unloaded with the safety catch on, and suitably packed and accompanied by all documents legally required by the countries of departure, destination and any stopovers.

You may only bring ammunition applicable to the firearms that you will be carrying.

No person under the age of 21 may bring firearm/s into South Africa or apply for a temporary import permit in his / her name.

The barrel, frame or action is to be marked with the same serial number.

Semi-automatic shotguns for bird hunting or a custom-made handgun/s can be bought into South Africa for hunting purposes only.

No self-protection firearm/s allowed.

If in transit, permits are required by any passenger spending the night in South Africa while in transit to a third country. The same pre-requisites apply as to obtain the standard temporary import permit.

Rules & Regulations for traveling with ammunition for your firearm/s to/from South Africa

ALL ammunition you are travelling with, internationally arriving/departing in/out of South Africa and within South Africa / regionally within Southern Africa on SA Airlink/flysafair must be in a separate locked hard metal/plastic ammunition case. (No tapped cardboard boxes allowed) Ammunition is no longer allowed to be checked within checked luggage arriving in South Africa.

Ammunition will never be carried in the cabin or flight deck of the aircraft. Ammunition must be packed separately and securely from the firearm case and not in the checked bag onto final destination (Port Elizabeth/Home).

Also note a maximum of 200 rounds of ammunition is allowed per firearm/per calibre. Most airlines have a weight limit on ammunition of 5KG/11 LBS, which is approximately 140 rounds of 243 / 120 rounds of 300 Win Mag / 100 rounds of 375. From past experience we would recommend no more than 80 rounds per calibre.

IF you would prefer to handle the customs clearing process with rifle/s entirely on your own, then you will require the following documents.

1. UMVULENI AFRICAN SAFARIS Letter of Invitation (Contact us for your Invitation letter)

2. SAPS 520.

3. Notarized copy of your passport.

4. Notarized copy of FIREARMS OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATE (Whichever is applicable to proof ownership).

5. Hard copy of your flight itinerary.

DOWNLOAD SAPS520

Click here

DOWNLOAD SAPS 520 INFORMATION

Click here

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN

Your African hunting adventure starts here. Contact us today for a quotation and begin planning the hunting experience of a lifetime.