I am planning a trip to Africa next year for a once in a lifetime trip. I plan on bringing my girlfriend who does not hunt. We have been researching where to go for the "Classic African Safari" destination. I would like to hunt a Cape Buffalo for a few days and the rest of our two week trip would be spent taking pictures. With so many places in the world to see we most likely will only go this one time. The scenery, experience and wildlife are more of a priority than the hunt. I thought about one or two places along Roosevelt's path from Kenya into the Congo. Any advice would be appreciated.

Definitely take your wife. Fly Delta ATL - JNB. Spend the night at City Lodge at the JNB airport. Next morning fly JNB to Victoria Falls. Have Steve Turner with Travel With Guns do an escort through South Africa Police in JNB customs. He can also get your airline tickets to Vic Falls. He is a lot of help if airlines lose you firearm. Happened to me to me my first trip. Stay at Ilala Lodge for a few days to get over jet lag and let your gun catch up. In Vic Falls do evening booze cruise, tea at Victoria Falls Hotel veranda, see Falls, shop for light weight stuff, etc. Allows you to acclimate to Africa. Charter flight to Gache Gache safari area on Lake Kariba to hunt buffalo with Corris Ferreira Track-A -Hunt Safaris. While you are hunting your wife can fish for tiger fish with Carl or sight see and photo safari from boat. Corris has a very good re pore with natives in his Campfire Area so your wife can see life in an Africa village. The chef (not cook) serves 5 star meals. No cots or air mattresses. Your own chalet with real bed, hot running water and flush toilet. Bring deflated soccer balls with pump and inflation needles, candy and school supplies for village kids. After hunt drive to Bulawayo so you can see countryside. Corris will take you to a flea market in Bulawayo to buy stone sculptures and other souvenirs. Fly Bulawayo - JNB - ATL home.
Big Cave Camp, Matobo, Zimbabwe southeast of Bulawayo would be another excellent place to take your wive. We stayed at the Lodge on the Rocks. Wish we had stayed a couple days instead of one night.

You mentioned things for his wife to do. What about the girlfriend he mentioned in his post??

jdollar: My bad. He should just do what the Russians do with their travelling wives.

Good day Sir. Please feel free to contact me. I will be happy to present you with some ideas and options on a trip like this. We have set up many trips for hunters with their partners that includes hunting the first part of the safari,followed by non-hunting activities on different locations within Africa.
Please drop me a PM here on the forum or email me at [email protected]

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

If I were to go to Africa with my wife, several days on the coast would be mandatory. If you are only going over once I would shoot a bunch of plains game (at a minimum kudu, gemsbok and impala). Good luck!

First thing is....Leave your rifle at home and find a PH that will rent or let you use one of his.

For sightseeing and things to do:

Look at Namibia for the parks and ocean.
Look at Zambia/Zimbabwe for the falls
Look at South Africa for the Parks and ocean.
Look at Mozambique for the beaches
Look at Tanzania for the parks

I am not sure what your Price range is:

Now to find you a PH to hunt with for a good open range safari look at:
Namiba ~~ Zambia ~~~ Zimbabwe ~~~ Mozambique ~~ Tanzania

Bwana338

I am curious- why do you recommend using a gun, scope and ammo you are unfamiliar with on what could be the most important hunt in a lifetime

Because traveling with a gun has become a royal PITA to the point you have to hire "facilitators" to shepherd you through customs. And if you're going to multiple countries, it's that much worse.
The first time I went to JNB in '90, we just showed up at customs, filled in some forms (took about 20 mins) and were on our way to Vic Falls, where the process was very similar.
Nowadays, traveling with a firearm is like having a live elephant in your baggage train.


To your original question, DO NOT MISS Vic Falls or Capetown (especially the wine country about 45 mins north). As for various parks, if you're hunting a decent area you'll see more while hunting than you ever will in a park.

Essentially all reputable outfitters have decent quality camp rifles. They have to. What would happen if the airline lost your rifle? You going to turn around and go home? They have to be able to make a plan. For the record, I never take a firearm anymore-and I have managed to kill 2elephants, 2 crocs, 3 hippo, 3 buffalo, a leopard, and innumerable plains game, all with camp guns. Never lost a wounded animal and never regretted not having my own rifle. Again for the record, I killed a bunch of plains game and a buffalo before I get tired of the hassle and cost of taking my own. I figure I have saved well over $5000 in import permit fees, airline fees and and expeditor fees over the last dozen years.

#1 best advise so far

After #1 above, Best advise is to PM Marius and ask him what he advises. I've been to Africa a dozen and a half times from RSA to Cameroon. Marius was born and raised and lives there. That trumps anything the rest of us can say. JJhack has lived there 6 months a year for 25 years. Also a good PM to make.

Whatever, enjoy your adventure. You will treasure it all your days, I promise!

Spot on Jerry!

For a Once in a Lifetime trip to Africa I would only go were the Big 5 are. I wouldn't take a rifle either. Victoria Falls and Hwanga National Park area. Lin Stanton comes to mind. There are a lot of Hunting Concession's in that area. You could also do an area around Kruger National Park or in N.E. Namibia in The Caprivi Strip.