Tumuga Hunting Safaris
General Tips and Information:
We recommend a hunting safari between seven and twelve days during the winter months of April until September. Other dates, however, will be considered.
The summer months, September to April is hot and dry with moderate rainfall. It normally rains for a short period only and clears up after a few hours. Changes in weather conditions could always occur.
Our reserves are situated in a very low risk malaria area. Insect repellent against mosquitoes and other bugs, such as ticks, are advised during the summer months, although not problematic.
Climate and Seasons:
The hunting season starts as early as April until the end of September. April is our last summer month and the bushes are a bit denser, depending on our summer rainfall. The days are hot. Our winter months are from May until August. The early mornings and evenings are fairly chilly and temperatures can drop below freezing point, especially at the ranch in Mokopane. Days are moderate and warm with an average temperature of 60 - 80°F or 15 - 25°C. Special care needs to be taken against sunburn and sun block lotion and hats are always advised!
Check the local weather forecast for:
- Swartwater: http://www.accuweather.com/en-us/za/limpopo/swartwater/forecast.aspx
- Mokopane: http://www.accuweather.com/en-us/za/limpopo/potgietersrus/forecast.aspx
Click on "English" for forecasts in Fahrenheit and "Metric" for forecasts in Celsius.
For general information on South African weather visit www.weathersa.co.za
Recommended Clothing/Gear:
Shirts, pants and jackets should be of neutral colours. Cotton khaki shirts and pants are the best. The material should not make any squeaky sounds during the walking and stalking of animals. Laundry is done daily, except for the days that we switch between our ranches.
- Three (3) changes of clothing, including comfortable trousers or shorts for the bush and a belt;
- One (1) pair of lightweight ankle-high boots or shoes, well broken in;
- Four (4) pairs of socks (heavy cotton and lightweight synthetic blend), preferably some non-stick sock covers (gaiters) and underwear;
- Your choice of hat. Ball caps (of neutral colour) are acceptable, except that the sun can get intense and your ears may get sun burned. A brimmed hat is best;
- Two (2) sweaters, light jackets or turtleneck pullovers;
- One (1) medium jacket for evenings and early mornings as the temperatures can drop below freezing point;
- One (1) pair of lightweight gloves so that you can still handle your gun safely and comfortably;
- One (1) causal outfit for use before and after the safari (if required), as well as travelling clothes;
- One (1) pair of canvas or tennis type shoes (sneakers) for wearing at the camps;
- Warm sleepwear as we do not have central heating;
- Shaving kit and personal items;
- Medical prescriptions and drugs (if needed);
- Sunglasses;
- Sun screen and anti-tick spray (no need to bring large quantities);
- Binoculars. We do have some shooting sticks that you can use, if required;
- Camera;
- Hairdryers are available
 |
 |
 |
| Alison & Cara Banks Enjoying the Scenery at Mokopane Ranch | Geared for the Hunting Day | Remember Your Binoculars! |
Travel Arrangements:
Currently, citizens of the United States of America, Canada and the European Union, DO NOT require Visas to visit South Africa for bona fide tourism, business or transit purposes. Please obtain more information from your travel agent during your booking since this information is subject to change. Always ensure that you have two blank pages, side-by-side, open in your passport. Your passport must be valid for six months after your return to the USA.
Direct flights to South Africa are offered by South African Airways from NYC or Washington DC. Delta Airlines offer flights from Atlanta. Several flights via Europe are available. Check flights and pricing with your local travel agent or visit the following websites as recommended by former clients: www.gracytravel.com and www.trekkerstravel.com Gracy travel offers very competitive rates and specializes in booking trips for hunting in South Africa.
Travel Tips:
In South Africa, many services rely on tipping, especially at the airports. Make sure you have some $1 bills for the tipping of porters, as it can get very pricy if you do not have small denominations for tipping purposes. As recommended by ACSA (Airports Company South Africa) a good guideline is to tip $2 per bag or parcel. Remember that it is illegal to tip a Police Officer for handling your rifle.
It is recommended to bring an empty duffelbag packed in your luggage to fill up with curios and souvenirs upon your return.
Camera Equipment and Electricity:
It is recommended that you bring camera equipment as well as binoculars (very important that each person has their own). If you have a long lens for your camera, it will be very useful on a side trip to the Kruger National Park and Victoria Falls.
If you want to make use of a digital camera, you are welcome to download your photographs on our PC during your safari and we will gladly burn a CD/DVD with all your photographs.
The standard electrical supply in South Africa is 220V. Please bring a voltage adapter to charge all electronic camera equipment. However, the latest technology equipment does allow the usage of both 220V and 110V on certain electronic devices. Please check your equipment carefully before your departure. You will need a "converter plug" to convert your standard plug points to the thick South African 3-point plug, or thin 2-point plug. This is obtainable from most travel stores.
 |
 |
 |
| Standard Two-point and Three-point Plugs Used in South Africa | ||
Health Requirements and Travel Insurance:
You can call the Centre for Disease Control in the USA at 404 332 4559, or visit their website at www.cdc.gov to find helpful health information and recommendations for the country you are visiting. Please discuss this information with your personal physician or your local travel clinic.
South Africa offers excellent health care in numerous private hospitals and general practitions. In our area, there are two major hospital groups: Medi-Clinic and Netcare. The Limpopo Medi-Clinic is a fifty-minute drive from the Mokopane Ranch and just over two hour's drive from the Limpopo Ranch. Most hospitals in Gauteng are two to three hour's drive from the Mokopane Ranch, which includes a choice of thirty-nine private hospitals from the above hospital groups. Ambulances and emergency helicopter pick-up services are available countrywide.
Good qualified general practitioners are available in all towns. From the Mokopane Ranch the closest GP is fifteen minutes away, and twenty-five minutes from the Limpopo Ranch.
Trip Cancellation Insurance is available through numerous companies for travel peace of mind. For more information, click here.
Health Information Regarding Possible Malaria Risk:
Our Limpopo Ranch is situated in a low-risk malaria area. However, in almost 30 years, we have never had a report of malaria obtained on one of our ranches. We do have some mosquitoes during our summer months from September to May, although not problematic. If you do decide to take malaria prophylaxis, it is essential to take the drugs according to the directions on the package insert. Please consult your physician or a registered healthcare professional about the possible side effects from the drugs.
Always consult or enquire with a healthcare specialist or travel clinic about updated information regarding malaria risks. The information below is for information purposes only as found on the internet at www.sa-venues.com/malaria-risk-areas.htm and must never be used as a set rule!
Low Risk Areas: In low-risk areas, no anti-malaria drugs are necessary. In the North West Province and the Northern Cape along the Molopo and Orange Rivers, including the Augrabies Falls and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, malaria is only occasionally locally transmitted. It is not necessary to take anti-malaria drugs when visiting these areas, but precautionary measures to prevent mosquito bites should be taken.
Intermediate Risk Areas: In intermediate risk areas (Kosi Bay, Sodwana Bay, Mkuze Game Reserve and St Lucia Lake (not the town of St Lucia and the river mouth), the use of anti-malarial drugs is advisable only for high-risk people from October to May. Check with your physician or travel clinic.
During the summer months of September to May, the use of anti-malaria drugs is recommended in high-risk areas such as Kruger National Park, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Security and Safety:
Our clients' safety and security are of utmost importance, therefore a Tumuga guide will accompany you during your entire trip with Tumuga Hunting Safaris. This will ensure you peace of mind and a relaxing trip.
Please call the US State Departement at 202 647 5225 to request travel information for the country you will be visiting. You can also visit their website at www.travel.state.gov/travel.
Information regarding current TSA airport security measures can be found at www.tsa.gov.
