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Answers to some of
the most common questions regarding African hunting and travel
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What is the weather like in Africa |
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The summer months are from
October to April with day time temperatures ranging from 85 -
105F throughout most of our areas. The winter months are
from May to September with day time temperatures ranging from 65
- 85F. Nights can be cold during this period with temperatures
dropping to 35F. The rainy season normally starts in the middle
of November and end in March. Our prime safari season is from
May to September in the southern countries and October and
November in
Tanzania.
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What is the recommended
clothing while on safari |
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We recommend four sets of brown,
green or dark khaki lightweight safari outfits, a soft
comfortable hat, good walking boots that are quiet and worn in.
It is also advisable to bring fleece pullovers
and/or windproof
jackets for the cool early mornings and evenings. Clients should
bring a pair of long trousers (not blue jeans) as it is a
requirement in a lot of hotels in
Zimbabwe. Excessive sets of
clothing is not normally necessary as laundry service is
provided daily in most of our camps.
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What are the accommodations
like on Safari |
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accommodations at most of our areas are very nice.
Most have private chalets with en suite bathrooms, hot and cold
running water and showers. Some of the more remote camps are
tented. These tents are built on platforms and also have en
suite bathes with hot and cold running water. Most of our
clients have returned extremely surprised at the quality of our
accommodations. |
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Is it difficult to get firearms into
Africa |
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| No. We assist you in
preparing all paperwork regarding traveling with your firearms.
There is a
link on our website to the forms needed to take firearms
into South Africa. We recommend using a gun importation service
located in South Africa and will put you in touch with the
appropriate company. All countries in Africa require a letter of
invite from the safari company you will be hunting with. This
letter is needed in order to import your firearms. We ensure
this letter is sent to you in sufficient time to secure your
permits. |
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What calibers are required
for hunting in Africa |
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This is largely a matter of
personal choice. The most important factor is to bring a firearm
you are comfortable with.
For hunting buffalo, elephant, lion,
hippo, or giraffe you have to use a .375 or better. Bring
premium soft-point bullets with good weight retention qualities
and solid bullets. 20 rounds of each type should be sufficient.
For plains game, and leopard, bring your favorite .300 caliber
weapon and around 50 rounds. If you are hunting lion or leopard
then the rifle you are planning to use should have a scope with
good light-gathering capabilities. Often times cats are taken at
dusk or dawn.
Bird hunting is also available in most of the safari areas. If
you plan on bringing a shotgun let us know. Semi- automatic
shotguns are allowed in some countries but may require
additional paperwork.
There is a link to the rules and regulations regarding
traveling with firearms on our website.
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| What
are the medical requirements to travel to Africa |
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| Most of the areas we conduct
safaris in do not require any inoculations. Regardless of
this, we recommend all of our clients consult with their primary
physician for advice regarding their healthcare while traveling
abroad. Many of our safari areas are in malaria prone zones and
therefore require malaria prophylactics. For health information
regarding travel in Africa we provide the following
Center for Disease control link. You do not have to be
concerned with the water quality in any of our safari camps. All
water is from wells dedicated to the camp in which you are
staying. If you are uncomfortable with drinking the tap water in
any of our camps bottled water is available. We recommend
medical evacuation insurance for all of our clients as well
as trip cancellation insurance. |
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What types of food is served on safari |
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| All of our camps offer a full
three meal a day menu. You will be provided with fantastic full
course meals prepared by full time chefs. Wine and local
beers are served with all meals. All meals include fresh
vegetables and meats. A cooler box is usually on each vehicle
which allows you to stop for a cold drink while watching a
famous South African sunset. If you have any special dietary
needs we ask you to make us aware of this and a special menu
will be prepared to accommodate your needs. |
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Will my electrical equipment
work in Africa |
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Most of southern Africa's
electricity supply is 220 volts AC 50 Hz. Appliances of a lesser
voltage require transformers and adaptors. Adaptor kits can be
purchase at several locations in the states prior to your
departure.
Kits are recommended as the requirements and plugs differ
from country to country in Africa. We have personally used
digital cameras, video cameras, hair dryers and other electrical
equipment with no problems in all of our camps with the aid of
proper
adapters.
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| Can
I communicate with home while on safari |
| Most camps are equipped with
satellite phones. In addition to satellite phones cell
phones work in many of the remote locations throughout southern
Africa. If it is determined that the location that you are
traveling to does not have a satellite phone or cell phone
coverage we can refer you to several companies that rent
satellite phones. |
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What kind of camera gear do I
need to take |
| A good quality compact digital
camera is a must. On average, we see clients taking
between three to six hundred pictures while on a typical safari.
We recommend taking sufficient memory sticks to accommodate
these numbers. We also recommend an extra battery as well. There
is electricity via a generator in every camp but we recommend
being cautious in regards to recharging electronic equipment. It
is important to have a good quality camera case as the dust in
Africa is very fine and has tendency to find it's way into every
nook and cranny. If you would like to take a camcorder the
same rules apply. Compact and good quality are the name of the
game. We also recommend taking a large enough zip lock bag to
accommodate your camera. This will help keep any dust and
debris out of your equipment. Remember to take a camera with a
high pixel count. This will allow you to enlarge some of
your photos to 8X10 or larger and maintain their quality. |
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How do my trophies get sent
to me |
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| Your hides and horns will be
prepared by the outfitter. They will then be forwarded to
a shipping company generally located in Johannesburg, South
Africa. This company will in turn ship your trophies to
the address you have given to your outfitter when arriving in
camp for your safari. Most taxidermist will provide you
with shipping tags for this purpose. Your trophies will arrive
at a port of entry that is closest to your home address. On the
east coast this is usually New York or Miami. Upon arrival a
customs broker will contact you to inform your trophies have
arrived and will take care of all needed paperwork to clear them
with U.S. Fish &
Wildlife. Once your trophies have been cleared with
Fish & Wildlife they will be forwarded to your taxidermist or
whatever address you have provided the outfitter. The fee
for this process varies depending on the number and size of
trophies you are having shipped. Contact our office for current
estimates.
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What is your cancellation
policy |
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| In case of cancellation the
cancellation policy of the particular outfitter you are
scheduled to go on safari with will apply. Farren Global
Adventures charges a 15% service fee with a maximum $500.00 on
all cancellations. This fee is waived if the safari is
simply rescheduled with the same outfitter and not cancelled
entirely. Most outfitters have a fairly liberal
cancellation policy. This information is available by simply
contacting our office. We recommend that all clients purchase
medical evacuation insurance and
trip
cancellation insurance. |
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Farren
Global Adventures 
