Namibia the journey begins. Part one

Hi all, just back from the most amazing hunting trip in Namibia. I will start with the 4 of us meeting at T2 Heathrow. Flying with South African Airways, I have always flown with them as there is no hasle, no extra charge etc, why the **** would you fly BA.
We got there 4 hours before the flight as we all had 2 rifles each to check in. When we arrived at check in there was all ready 7 guys in front of us to check in firearms so I thought good job we got there early.
Checked in and off to Border force to do the rifle check. All was going well until the whole job slowed right up. It turned out that one of the guys in the party of 7 thought it was O.K. to present a photo copy of his firearms cert:cuckoo:
He had actually brought the original but didn't think he needed it so left it in his car, needless to say the car was parked off airport. He was told that no fly matey. now time is kicking on at this point with the porters looking at their watches it was starting to look like we wouldn't get our guns on the flight and this ***** didn't even have the courtesy to apologise to us let alone the other members of his group. Don't know if he made it and don't really care.
Any way we did make it, just. So we are away.
Arrived Jo,berg straight though to international transfers and breakfast.
So we are on the tarmac ready to go but the passenger manifest has mistakes so more delays and then a fault on the aircraft so we actually left for Windhoek 3 hours late.
On arrival got the rifles processed very fast when the policeman arrived unlike S.A. it is just a sheet of A4 with about 7 questions, met our friend on the other side and we were off 3 hours south of Windhoek.
You probably have guessed by now that this journey was also not straight forward as only an hour later fan belt broke and radiator split. We actually got to the farm at 9.15 p.m. Dinner and lots of red wine calmed us all down and off to bed about midnight. except for 2.
So we are now in the middle of Namibia,s wilderness eagerly awaiting to hunt 10,000 hectres of totally wild game.
Part 2 , The hunt , to follow
Tusker
 
Very interesting. Is there some sort of management plan agreed between the farms, i.e. how do they ensure that the animals aren't wiped out by people who might only be thinking about the financial side rather than the preservation of the wild animals?

Its in no ones interests to wipe them out and if they’re pressured too hard they will move on to quieter areas, you’re talking vast landscapes out there, and lots of game. I’m not certain but I think they have quotas as when we went there was a permit already for us to hunt the species we were after, it wasn’t a free for all. Can’t wait to go back!!!
 
Cracking trip and write up wish i was there now. So much so that i am reaching for the keys to go off and see if i can bag a buck.
 
Namibia the follow up.
I think I will start with the kit. Rifle one. CZ 550 American 30-06 with a Swarovski 6 x 42 scope. Ammunition 165 grn Partitions 55.5 grns of H4350 home load, plus 180 grn RWS factory loads for the Eland.
Rifle two. CZ 550 Lux but fitted into a Boyds varmint thumbhole stock. Cal. 243 win. Hausken moderator. Bushnell 4-12 x 40 Legend scope with parallax adjustment. ammunition 85 grn Sierra Gameking, 36 grns of Varget home load.
Bushnell 8x40 H2O binos.
There was 4 of us hunting and the final tally for the week was.
38 Animals, 8 Species.
Baboon 15 (not including 5 shot by the owner)
Oryx (Gemsbok) 9
Springbok 7
Eland 2
Zebra 2
Kudu 1
Warthog1
Jackal 1
So not much more to add really eccept the accommodation , food and general friendliness of all the land owners , their workers and the maids who did the washing and cleaning was totally outstanding. You may all be thinking wow I wish I could afford a trip like that, Well if you can afford to do a week in Scotland and shoot 2 stags then you could afford to do this.
I will post some more photo,s just as soon as I get my camera back as I left it on the plane on returning to Heathrow the wonderful staff at SAA have it and it is on its way to me .
Tusker
 
IMG_0816.jpgView from dinning room window.
IMG_1073.jpgThere is no argument as to which 4x4 is the best, this is the best totally indestructible.
IMG_1182.jpgMy Eland a day and half of hard graft. This photo was taken in darkness as the truck had a puncture and it was dark when they got to me.
Tusker
 
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Looks like a great trip. Someday I’ll go on a trip like that. For now I’ll have to do reading about them!
 
Sounds great fun Tusker!!!
It was fantastic. My fourth trip to Africa, S.A. twice and Namibia twice. 2 things that now I am convinced about.
1. I will never go back to South Africa.
2. Quality over quantity every time.
Tusker
 
Namibia has been my favourite country in the world since my first trip there in 1992. My subsequent posting there was perhaps the happiest time of my life, looking back. Reading these recent trip reports has created some serious urges that may lead to untreatable impulsive behaviour.

To those considering hunting trips there, I can’t emphasise enough the extraordinary travel opportunities available to those able to tag on 2-3 weeks of self-drive touring (ideally several months!). Its a staggeringly beautiful country, and safe and easy as to get around. Against the splendour of the Namib, Naukluft, Waterburg, Skeleton Coat.... Damaraland in particular.... the hunting vistas of the western Kalahari actually begin to pale in comparison after a while, they become positively boring! Namibia is a gem of a country, long may it remain so.
 
...I can’t emphasise enough the extraordinary travel opportunities available to those able to tag on 2-3 weeks of self-drive touring (ideally several months!). Its a staggeringly beautiful country, and safe and easy as to get around. Against the splendour of the Namib, Naukluft, Waterburg, Skeleton Coat.... Damaraland in particular.... .

Amen to that. The wife and I flew into Windhoek in 2005 and picked up a 4x4 bakkie with roof tent. We did a self guided tour of the country taking in all of the places listed above plus Zebra river, Etosha and Walvis. Safe, easy, awesome. Would do it again in a flash. As soon as we get through the wife's bucket list, I am planning the Namibia trip!
DSC00743.jpgDSC00736.jpgDSC00771.jpg
 
Glad you had a good time. I got back on Saturday from my first trip to Namibia and am already thinking about a return visit; I was warned before I went that once wouldn't be enough!
 
It was fantastic. My fourth trip to Africa, S.A. twice and Namibia twice. 2 things that now I am convinced about.
1. I will never go back to South Africa.
2. Quality over quantity every time.
Tusker

I must admit I'm not sure I'm such a fan of SA anymore either sadly. Possibly some good news on hunting in Botswana at the moment
 
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