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I've only gone to Africa twice. Once I planned it myself (without taking my gun), the second time I let Gracy handle flights, SAPS, lodging, etc. I'm sure they're not perfect, but without a doubt I'd use Gracy again.


It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
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I won't speak for their present competence only because I don't know but in '07 when I used them, they were impeccably perfect, redundancy noted and intended.

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Originally Posted by George_De_Vries_3rd

I won't speak for their present competence only because I don't know but in '07 when I used them, they were impeccably perfect, redundancy noted and intended.


Steve was there at that time. He could get things done that amazed me and saved a safari that was going south rapidly when an outfitter double-booked, and last second travel changes needed to be made.

I'm sure Gracy is still a fine agency, even without Steve.


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Acquit v. t. To render a judgment in a murder case in San Francisco... EQUAL, adj. As bad as something else. Ambrose Bierce “The Devil's Dictionary”







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Rolly Offline OP
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Guys, I'd use Gracy too but THEY DIDN'T RETURN MY E-MAILS. Duh! Do you think you'd use somebody if they DIDN'T RETURN YOUR E-MAILS? Come on. Give me a break for having tried. My post was to just inform you of what happened and perchance having someone with a contact at Gracy. Now, I have moved on. That ship has sailed with another captain. My regrets to Gracy.

And by the way, I agree with Mule Deer about having professional help on travel like this with firearms. That's why I initially contacted Gracy.


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Rolly,

I haven't been on a Gracy-organized trip since 2011, so can't am a little out of the loop. They were great for a dozen years before that, on trips not just to Africa but several other places, including Ireland! Sorry to hear about their lack of response.


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I used Gracy for at least ten trips but stopped because their service, which was great at first, fell off considerably. I felt like I was a number rather than a person. For the past four years or so I have used Steve Turner at Travel With Guns and he equals or exceeds the best service I formerly received at Gracy. During that former period Steve was there at Gracy.
Today, no doubt Steve Turner!

Last edited by RinB; 06/24/14.


“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”.
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Originally Posted by ingwe
Yep. Steve at Gracy fixed stuff for us�repeatedly�.


Same here after my eldest son met a French gal at a Dubai airport pub during layover.... cry Caused he, my wife and two other son's to miss their flight to Zim. I was meeting them via Kazakhstan. Steve sorted it all out right now and the trip went as planned.


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Originally Posted by RinB
I have used Steve Turner at Travel With Guns and he equals or exceeds the best service I formerly received at Gracy. During that former period Steve was there at Gracy.
Today, no doubt Steve Turner!



I always wondered if that were the same Steve. Good to know! I would follow him through the gates of hell, he did such a good job for us.


"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Steve did have a major medical issue awhile ago so it was difficult to speak to him. I always ask to speak with him directly. Sometimes successful people are busy and can't respond instantly...which I have noticed is demanded more in this electronic world. I don't view myself as the center of his world and start the planning as far in advance as possible. Going to Africa is not like booking a family trip to Walt Disney World. There is a lot of give and take. That is a good lesson to learn before you confront an official who issues rifle permits. A relaxed attitude and a smile will serve the traveling hunter well. Demanding and frustrated hunters are likely to get a chance to have more of the same.



“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away”.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Posted by Brad.
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Send an email to shawnatgracytraveldotcom. Shawn is great.

I used Gracy to go to Zim, through SA this past summer. Not always quick on the emails but they make it easy and will spend the time to explain things.

I really liked getting off my flight in SA and having someone meet me as I walked off the plane and walk my son and I through baggage check, gun permits, and even to the hotel in the airport we were using.

Its a great value, and one less thing to stress about, no way I would not use them when I go back.


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Never used Gracy, but i have used Steve Turner, Travel with Guns. If I were fortunate enough to ever go again, I'd use Steve, hands down.



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The E-World is a strange one. 100 years from now people will look back on the way we deal with computers and wonder how anything worked out.

Spam filters and damaged links cause problems that nobody will ever know about. I'd have picked up the phone and called, if no luck with that, moved on.


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Steve Turner at Travel with guns was OUTSTANDING! He saved my bacon and got me rerouted while I was literally sitting on a broken airplane 100yds from the terminal talking to him on my cell. I'll never use anybody else


"The difference between adventure and disaster is preparation"
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I'm sitting in the Joburg airport at this moment, returning from a fantastic safari. Gracy Travel walked us thru on both arrival and prep for departure, perfectly. I wouldn't think of going to Africa without their aid and planning. As to emails- Call them!!!


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I am the U.S. representative for Joof and Marina Lamprecht's Hunters Namibia Safaris. We strongly recommend Steve Turner's Travel With Guns to our clients. All we get from the relationship is happy hunters every time.

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Rolly Offline OP
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Since this thread is amazingly still alive, I thought I would tell you that I still have not heard from Gracy regarding my initial contact with them. Since there was no response from Gracy, I have been using African Odyssey for everything--airline tickets, gun permits, meet and greet, and room reservations in J-Berg. African Odyssey has an office in Florida and J-Berg, they answer their e-mails promptly AND return my phone calls if I can't get them immediately. Thus far, I can readily recommend them.


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Gracy did a great job for me, but I'm not naive enough to think they are perfect. None of them are. I had issues with TWG, and just recently African Odyssey in trying to set up my last two trips to Africa. There is a whole thread on TWG's misadventures over on AR forum. They all do great sometimes, and they all screw up sometimes. That's the reality of it all.


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Reading this plus other forum threads on using a service while traveling with archery, pistols and rifles.

One need to remember that there are many individuals traveling to hunting destinations around the world.

For some of us we use a service to assist us with our travels. And some elect to not use a service, that's their call. As mentioned in the many postings some have great experiences using the services. Mine have all been very positive. My wife thinks the service is the cat's meow.

I have used and not used services while traveling with my rifles.

Value for Money, i will continue to use the VIP services while traveling in and through South Africa. It is money well spent.

If you do not like the service provider you are currently using, then i suggest that you find a different one for your next trip. Shop around. Some individuals are troublesome and they will have to look good and hard to find someone to handle there requests. I does not pay to be a pain in the A$$.

As laws continually are changing in our country plus foreign countries, one needs to travel a well informed as you can.

Instead of bashing one service vs another give it a rest. There are more customers than any one service can take care of.

Simple courtesy is to ask if they have time to schedule your flights and process your firearm permit. I like to talk on the telephone to see if my trip is scheduled and to select flight times. Plus to see if we have the time to make all the priorities happen. At this time i obtain phone number(s) and get names plus e-mail addresses and then follow up with an e-mail.

Remember to stick with a reputable firearm travel agency company to make your safari memorable.

If you schedule your own airline flights, then look for an outside agency to process your firearm permit. Some have been mentioned on here.


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