Safari Info Hub | White Lion Safaris

Frequently Asked Questions

What does my hunt Package / Daily rates include?

The hunting concessions are all located in various different parts of Southern Africa and depending on your wishlist, we will bring you to thearea best suited to your safari and ensure a successful safari with top quality trophies and an experience of a lifetime.

“Plains game” refers to all the non-dangerous African animals such as Impala, Kudu, Zebra, Wildebeest, etc.

Daily rates cover accommodation in a comfortable, luxury hunting lodge, gourmet meals, non-alcoholic drinks & snacks, beer, wine, daily laundry, hunting licenses, services of a qualified professional hunter plus team of trackers/skinners and field dressing and preparation of trophies (caping & drying). If you purchased a package deal, all these amenities are included.

All road transfers during your hunt, hunting vehicles, recovery teams. Your ‘’PH’’ professional hunter will have good tri – pod shooting sticks, but if you favor a certain type, please be sure to bring it along.

We offer 51 available species across all of our hunting concessions. The cost for each animal is called it’s “trophy fee”.

For available species and costs, please refer to the “Trophy Fees” section on our pricelist, or send us an e mail for a detailed list and quote.

Some species may occur on certain concessions only or the quality of some species may be better in some areas than others, therefore it is good to inquire from us should you not be 100% sure.

Your hunt package/ Daily rates does not include the following:

Flights to and from South Africa.
35 – 40 mins flight from Johannesburg to the nearest airport as discussed with your outfitter ahead of time.
We can assist with the booking of this flight.
Should you wish to be picked up and dropped off in Johannesburg, we can arrange it at an agreed upon rate for your group.
Accommodation before or after the start of your hunt
Your arrival day and departure day is free of charge.
Hard Liquor.
Rifle rental @ $55/day + ammunition at cost price.
Trophy fees on any animals shot or wounded outside of your package price if a package was bought.
Delivery of trophies to Red Dune Taxidermy ($100/hunter)
Dipping & Packing or Taxidermy charges
Shipping trophies back to home country
Gratuities (at your discretion) to professional hunter, tracker & skinners and other staff. We will supply a suggested list.

How long in advance do I have to book and complete my hunt?

• Depending on availability on our hunting areas and lodges, we can accommodate you on safari on very short notice, although, to prepare properly, we prefer 6 months in advance for your bookings.

• Booking at short notice might leave you with a fully booked camp at your preferred time. Most safaris are booked 6 to 12 months in advance. We except bookings up to 2 years in advance.

How do I book my hunt and any side trips?

• To book your hunt and any side trips, please contact ricus@whitelionsafaris.com or nelia12@mweb.co.za cell: +27 83 23 63 293. Alternative no. +27 720234399.
• Luke Gerhart is conveniently situated in the USA and bookings can be done directly through him. luke@gerhartoutdoors.com Tel. 530 330 0412
• Once we receive your request for a booking we will help you step by step. We offer services from a very well experienced travel agent along with our personal expertise from over 10 years of experience in the industry.
• We offer fantastic side trips to Cape Town, Kruger park and Victoria Falls also

What sightseeing side trips do you offer that I can do before or after my hunt?

We offer 3 Fantastic individual trips or a combination of them:

Cape Town trip with all the activities, private guide and fantastic accommodations on the beach.
Kruger park with Game drives, elephant back safaris, bush dinners etc.
A trip through Botswana viewing the magnificent Makgadikgadi pans, Accommodations on the Chobe river, with game viewing river cruizes, game drives in true wilderness, fishing for tiger fish, local markets etc. The tour finishes up at Victoria Falls with a full experience of the falls and fantastic accommodations.
This adds to your experience in a great way. Please let us know in advance so that we can arrange your side trip in good time.

How would I get there?

You need to fly to Johannesburg, South Africa – O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB), and from there take another short flight to either Bloemfontein airport (BFN) or Kimberley airport. This is where we will meet you personally and drive to our hunting area and lodge. We can assist with a travel agent and would be happy to help you plan.

You will need to complete a booking form (sent separately), advising us of your date and time of arrival as well as departure. This will ensure that we know when to meet you at the airport to transfer you to the hunting concession. It also has a section to advise us on meal and drinks preferences or allergies etc.

What travel documents do I need?

Make sure your passport is valid for 6 months after your expected date of return, and has a minimum of 4 blank pages.
PLEASE MAKE SURE BEFORE DEPARTURE THAT THERE ARE NO NEW REGULATIONS IN PLACE FOR YOUR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

Australian citizens do not require a Visa for tourist or business travel of up to 90 days.
U.S citizens do not require a visa for business or tourist travel of up to 90 days.

*Please ensure you have the necessary documents if you plan to do side trips to neighboring countries.

*NB – Please note that there are extra documents needed if you are traveling with a child under the age of 18. Please be sure to check with your travel agent or with us directly so that we can help you get everything prepared.

When is a good time of year to hunt?

Hunting can be done year around, but we recommend hunting during our cooler months for the sake of comfort.

Our regular hunting season is March 1st – October 31st. November and December are also good months, but it gets warmer during this time and we might experience some thunder storms during the afternoons. The hunting is still good though.

The hunting concessions are located in a summer rainfall area with an average annual precipitation of about 450 mm. The hottest month of the year is January and February with mean daily maximum temperatures ranging between 30 – 32°C (86 – 89ºF) and the mean minimum temperatures ranging between 14 – 16°C (57 – 60°F) The coldest month of the year is July with mean maximum temperatures of between 14 – 16°C (57 – 60°F) and mean minimum temperatures of between -2 – 0°C (28 – 32°F) Typically the daily range between maximum and minimum temperatures is 14 – 16°C (57 – 60°F).

Do I need any vaccinations?

You will be hunting in a disease – free area of South Africa. You do not need any vaccinations for our main hunting areas in south Africa.
However, as your hunt or side trips may take you other parts of the country, we suggest you check with your healthcare provider for their recommendations. If you are not sure, please just contact us for information. We have a very safe area with no malaria or anything else that you would need vaccinations for.

What if I get injured or sick?

Although we take every precaution to conduct our day to day activities in the safest manner we are very prepared for any situation. First aid kits are kept at the lodge and in the 4×4 vehicles. If there is an emergency we are in reach of qualified nurses in the surrounding area or Bloemfontein with highly qualified doctors and excellent medical facilities. South Africa has top notch medical care and facilities.

* Please remember to pack any personal medication.

What kind of clothing do you recommend?

Clothing in neutral, darker colors (preferably dark khaki, dull or dark greens or camouflage). No light colors.

During winter months (May – August) warm jackets will be required. Please also bring a fleece or a light jacket for the cooler mornings and evenings. Layering works well, as the winter daytime temperatures are warm, with cold mornings and evenings.
*The areas can be very rocky and hilly so shoes that protects your ankles are important.

Laundry is done daily; please keep that in mind when you pack. The midday sun can be fierce and a good sunscreen, sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat or cap is essential.

Do not forget to bring good quality binoculars and camera, and don’t forget spare batteries and film/memory sticks.

Do I need adapters for my electrical/electronic devices?

Electricity supply in South Africa is 220/240 volts AC 50 Hz. We have a limited supply of adapters for your use. We advise purchasing electrical adapters at Johannesburg airport upon arrival, just in case we do not have enough for everyone in your group.
If your appliances are 120V only, please be sure to bring a converter along.

Do you have internet and cellphone reception?

Yes, we do have internet available and limited cellphone reception in the lodge.
Vodacom is our major carrier, so please link with them should you bring your own cellphone. We have limited internet for important things like e mails etc.

Can you help with flights & gun permits, etc?

Your travel agent should be able to help you with this process.
Should you wish to use our travel agent, we can assist you with this process.
We suggest making use of Africa Sky Guesthouse to assist with pre – arranging rifle import permits. www.africaskyguesthouse.co.za

They also arrange a meet and greet service upon arrival at Johannesburg airport along with very safe and comfortable accommodations close to the airport. They offer a shuttle that will be sure to transport you to the guesthouse and back to the airport in a safe and timely manner.

What type of rifle do you recommend?

This will depend on the species you intend to hunt, but the following calibers are recommended for the average plains game: .300, .30-06, .308 and .270. The minimum caliber required for most plains game is a .270, although some are small enough to be taken with a .243. Minimum caliber requirement for dangerous game is .375.

The most common rifle our clients bring is the bolt action which is a very good choice. According to South African Law you may not bring semi-automatic firearms or a personal sidearm into the country, or more than 200 rounds of ammunition total.
We recommend 60 rounds.

You will have the opportunity to practice and sight in your rifle at our shooting range before the hunt.

• Ammo – We suggest using a good quality soft nose bullet that stays together. We DO NOT like ballistic tips or bullets that breaks up completely. We also DO NOT like solids on plains game.
• Good examples of bullets are Nosler prticions, Trophy bonded bear claws, Hornady DGS, Barnes X, although this is as hard as you would like to go.

Do I need to bring my own hunting rifles, or can White Lion Safaris provide some?

If you prefer to avoid the hassle of traveling with firearms, we offer a range of calibers to choose from @ $35/rifle/day + ammunition at cost.
It is suggested to use our rifles, since they are of good quality and saves you the hassle of traveling with fire arms.

Can I add extra days to my hunt?

Yes, adding additional days to your hunt is recommended, but not required. Your daily rate for extra days are listed on the pricelist.

Can I bring additional hunters or observers along?

Yes. Bringing more people in a group adds to the experience and we have more than enough space and numbers of game to accommodate large groups.
Contact us for a group offer.

Can I upgrade my hunt to include dangerous game such as Cape Buffalo, etc?

Yes, we offer Dangerous game hunting. We have fantastic buffalo hunts as well as other big game in different areas also, including Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

What do I need to do next to choose and secure my hunting dates?

Please contact Ricus de Villiers for date availability. When suitable available dates are chosen, we will need a booking deposit to secure your hunting dates.

* Please note that each hunter’s deposit will be deducted from their final invoice at the end of the hunt.
* Your deposit is a commitment to your hunt and certain dates. In case of an unforeseen event, we will be able to extend your hunt to a later time or a following year in most cases.
* Your travel insurance will be liable to refund your deposit in case of a cancelation.

How can I pay my final bill at the end of my hunt?

You can settle your final bill (trophy fees on animals shot, extra upgrades, etc), by credit card (Visa & MasterCard) or debit card, cash or wire transfer. If using credit cards, prior to leaving for your hunt, please ensure your card issuer is aware of your intentions to use the card for purchases in South Africa.
There is a 3% charge on credit card purchases.
• Please note that we do not except traveler’s checks! We expect to have each hunters account settled before departure from the hunting area on the final day of safari.

When should I plan to arrive and depart?

Arrival and departure days can count as hunting days if you are able to arrive early, so we recommend arriving as early as possible on the first day of your hunt, and depart again as late as possible on the last day of your hunt. Alternatively, if you arrive later in the day, your first hunting day will be the following day and your arrival and departure days will be free of charge.

If it’s not possible to arrive fairly early on the first day of your hunt, we recommend arriving a day before the hunt. We’ll accommodate your group in the hunting lodge overnight without additional cost.

Your departure day can be a hunting day also if you depart late in the day, or it can just be a relaxing day at no extra charge.

Can you give an idea of how much to tip, and who to consider?

We can give good suggestions with a list of people involved in your safari.

If you budget $ 100 – $ 150 per day you will be more than able to take care of everyone involved. Please contact us if you need a detailed list of all staff involved before your trip.