African trophy import costs

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SikaMalc pointed me at Rainbow freight a couple of years ago. My prior experience was relatively eye watering.
Shipping trophies back from Africa or wherever is not for any of us an everyday event. Consequently I feel we are often put over a barrel.
 
I have zebra , kudu , impala and blesbok skins to bring back from SA from a 2019 hunt, the shoulder mounts came back earlier as they were ready first just before the first lockdown, have heard prices have gone sky high now . So will watch this thread with interest.
 
Thanks.

I am told that there will a vet fee per import Permit (person) though it will all be in one crate which is total different when I last imported stuff, there was only one vet’s fee.

I would have thought there is a set vet fee etc charges laid down, if only I could find them.....
 
At the moment all air freight has gone through the roof, ridiculous costs. Any crate over 60 plus inches is going to cost even more in an air craft. I always advise clients to send back their trophies dried and not mounted as it takes up far less room. You can also have them mounted one at a time in the UK and can see the finished result before paying. Also it has to be aircraft grade timber for the crate, not just any old wood banged together.
Personally I cannot see prices going down for freight for a very long time. Rainbow freight and K.G. Logistics are the two companies I would recommend to use. Most freight companies do not handle animal products from abroad.
 
I see grapes from Namibia appearing in Lidl again. Presumably these are air freighted as they’re perishable. Costs must have come down to make it economically viable.
 
As a rough guide, between a couple of friends about a year ago we had a springbok, impala, roan and sable, all skull mounts. Including taxidermy, air freight, taxes, fees and delivery to Scotland it was £2k all in.
Edit to add - Martin @ Questfreight did everything on the UK end for us.
 
+ for quest/rainbow freight brilliant service and communication..
They were who my taxidermist JS taxidermy used via spherical freight for the African end.
Mine have taken about 12 months to get to me on both occasions and that was pre COVID-19
 
My advice after 23 years of guiding clients in africa is get quotes in writing and a time scale,
And please consider sea freight its a month longer and half the price
 
Grannysmith said:
My advice after 23 years of guiding clients in africa is get quotes in writing and a time scale,
And please consider sea freight its a month longer and half the price
Click to expand...
Sensible advice.
Sea freight is much longer but also 50% cheaper normally.
All shipping agents seem to do is think of a number and double and add handling charges , various paper work and vat .
 
Jon P said:
I have zebra , kudu , impala and blesbok skins to bring back from SA from a 2019 hunt, the shoulder mounts came back earlier as they were ready first just before the first lockdown, have heard prices have gone sky high now . So will watch this thread with interest.
Click to expand...
Box was 48 cm x 48 cm x 28 cm and weighed 16kg. Total cost from. SA to my door was £640
 
I've just had 2 crates come back with 11 shoulder mounts and 5 full mounts in. Each was approx 2.4x1.2x1.2m. Cost goes on volumetric weight. Flight from SA to UK all in was $3600 and UK cost was £1543 total with clearance and delivery to my house. Total approx £4200 so works out at £262.50 per mount average.
The flight was Turkish Airlines and cleared by Rainbow Freight. Costs are definately higher at present.
Hope that helps.
 
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