The below will assist you in planning your hunting safari so that you get the best experience
The aims and goals of Livingstone Trails:
Offering value for money to our hunting clients and the non hunters who accompany them: South Africa has become one of the most popular hunting destinations in Africa. Prices for hunting also became much more expensive over the past few years, due to this popularity, the state that the world economy is in, more laws and regulations as well as many other reasons. We have noticed that the number of average people coming to hunt in South Africa has become less. Lately it is more and more only the wealthy hunters who can afford to hunt in South Africa. Livingstone Trails is dedicated to give all foreign and South African hunters the opportunity to hunt at reasonable and affordable prices and rates, without cutting back on quality of our professional hunters, our vehicles, the animals hunted and accommodation. We feel it is in the best interest of tourism to South Africa as well as hunting in South Africa over the next few decades. We are willing to make smaller profits and have more satisfied hunters who will recommend our services to others.
We have further designed our packages to be shorter with more animals hunted, and to make them all inclusive so that you as the hunter exactly know what it will cost. Our day rates are slightly less than most other outfitters which quickly add up, but the big difference is in the prices we charge for animals hunted. This does not mean that the animals that you hunt with us are less of a trophy or smaller than others. We promise you the same quality and size, as we sell the meat to lodges, restaurants and butcheries at the end of the hunt to make up for the price difference.
Hunting for the experience: We have recently introduced this concept, which allows the foreign hunter who could never afford an African hunt, to come on holiday to South Africa and at the same time fit a short hunt into his / her / their holiday. These hunts allow them to hunt large adult animals with horns or teeth not suitable to be a trophy, at a very affordable rate. It is also ideal for a partner or a friend of a trophy hunter who is a beginner to hunt an African animal at an affordable price. Experience the thrill of the hunt, take photos of the hunt and with your animals hunted, without having to pay for a trophy animal.
Trophy hunting with Livingstone Trails: Livingstone Trails offers fantastic trophy hunting opportunities for the hunter who's looking for that / those special trophies to remember his / her hunt by. Livingstone Trails is in partnerships with a number of hunting farms / ranches in the North West and Limpopo provinces of South Africa, as well as with a large hunting concession in the Kalahari. We are further in partnership with two game (wildlife) dealers and game catching companies who we deal with on a daily basis. Livingstone Trails breeds with a number of South African more exotic game species at our farm in De Wildt, North West province. Therefore we work throughout the year with other breeders, game farms, game dealers and game catchers, which gave us the opportunity to meet up and work with many game farms or hunting farms / ranches within 3 hours from Johannesburg. We know where to find and hunt good trophies at affordable rates.
Livingstone Trails sub contract a number of outfitters and their registered professional hunters, at our rates to ensure that our hunters get the best staff and rates. Our professional hunters have years of experience and will ensure that you are able to hunt the best possible trophy in the area where you are hunting. We do the majority of our package hunting close to Northam, where we hunt on a game farm / ranch used by a number of outfitters listed by SCI. In other words, we hunt the same animals, but we charge our clients a fraction of the prices that most of these outfitters charge their clients. We further have contracts with a number of other game farms / ranches between Brits and Thabazimbi, where we also hunt certain species. Game farms / ranches each have an animals specie or two which they are known for. We are based at one game ranch in the middle of a number of game farms / ranches who offer brilliant hunting on various animals. All these farms are within a radius of two hours, and we will hunt on a variety of game farms / ranches to ensure that you get the best possible trophy at the rates that we advertise in this website.
Accommodation while on a hunt:
(1) Package hunts LTH01 to LTH 08: We always stay in a lovely 4 star lodge on our 1600 hectares game farm / ranch close to Northam. See "Accommodation" in this website for photos and information. We also own a backpackers lodge on a small game farm in De Wildt, close to Brits and Hartbeespoort, where we can stay during the hunts for those people who might just not be able to afford or hunting packages. Keep in mind that the accommodation might be cheaper, but that the additional transport cost will be for your account. The backpackers lodge is only one and half hours from our hunting grounds in Northam. For more information and photos on the backpackers lodge, click here.
(2) Custom or tailor made trophy hunts: We want to ensure that you will get the best possible trophies possible. Therefore we will have to travel throughout South Africa to ensure quality trophies. Please let us know what type and star grading, you would prefer to stay in, so that we can assure of the best possible accommodation within your budget and requirements.
Firearms, ammunition and temporary import permits:
Please note that the below is the norm, but may change as the laws change.
The conservation laws of South Africa (and most other southern Africa countries) requires that plains game have to be hunted with a minimum caliber of at least .270, and dangerous game with a minimum caliber of at least .375 Each hunter is allowed to temporary import a maximum of two hunting rifles with a maximum of 100 rounds of ammunition per rifle, into South Africa.
You are not allowed to import the following firearms into South Africa: * Any automatic or semi-automatic firearms * More than one firearm per caliber per person * More than 100 rounds of ammunition per person per firearm * Any pistol or revolver
Please note that your temporary import permit will be denied if: * If you are younger than 21 years of age * If you have any of the above mentioned firearms and/or ammunition for the above firearms * If any of the below documents or documentation can not be produced by yourself when applying for the temporary import permit or permits at the port of entry
Documentation required when applying for a temporary import permit for firearms and ammunition at the port of entry into South Africa: * Temporary import application form (see below) * A valid passport * A return airline / flight ticket to country of residence * Invitation letter from your hunting outfitter or outfitters * Firearm license in country of residence and proof of ownership * Proof of export from country of residence * Motivation letter written by yourself to motivate why you wish to import rifles into South Africa
Temporary import application form (SAPS 520)(8 pages): * Click here for a SAPS 520 temporary import permit application form, and print. * It is advised to complete the form in advance to safe time. The form must completed in black ink. * Do not sign the form in advance. It must be signed in front of the police official handling your application at the port of entry.
Collecting your firearms and ammunition at the airport, when arriving in South Africa: Your firearms and ammunition will be taken directly to the South African Police Service office at the airport. After getting off the plane you continue through the immigration, customs and luggage collection as normal. Proceed to the South African Police office at the airport, where you will hand in all the above documentation, collect your temporary import permit and firearms.
Process if your application is denied: The South African Police will confiscate your firearms and ammunition, which will be returned to you when leaving South Africa again.
Before leaving home: Prior to the day of your flight you will need to go to the local Customs Office (usually located at all international airports) and get a Form 4457 (Certificate of Registration of Personal Effects Taken Abroad). The reason for this form is to show the Custom Officials of your country that you own the firearms prior to your depature and will be returning with the same firearms.
Hire a rifle from Livingstone Trails: It can be a long and painful process to travel with firearms, especially if you are continuing on a holiday to other countries where you will not be hunting. Many of our shorter packages are designed to fit in with your holiday while in South Africa, and the hunting part may be only a short part of your holiday. Therefore you may not want to travel with your own firearms, which always has to be locked in gun safes etc.
Livingstone Trails will rent you a firearm (as below) appropriate for your hunting requirements, if you wish or choose not to bring your own hunting rifles. Plains game: .270 or .3006 or .303 or .308 Dangerous game: .375 or .440 or .458
Rifle hire per day per hunter: R 350 (US$ 50) Ammunition per round fired: R 80 (US$ 10)
When do we hunt through the year:
Female animals: Only during the winter months.
Male animals: Throughout the year.
The weather in South Africa:
Summer months: The days and evenings are warm to hot. The summer months is also the rainy season for the majority of the country (except Western Cape). The rains in the North West and Limpopo provinces normally falls down for a hour or two late afternoon to early evening.
Winter months: The days are generally warm, but early morning and evenings can be very cold.
What to pack:
Clothing: Keep in mind that we do offer laundry services, which means that you do not need to pack a set of clothing for every day. Hunting clothing should be neutral colors such as light green, olive, khaki or camouflage in color. Also keep in mind that the hunting fields / grounds of the bushveld has plenty of very sharp and hooked thorns that rip clothing easily. Long sleeve shirts and long pants are recommended as hunting clothing, as it helps with protection against thorns, ticks and the sun. It is advisable to pack lighter and comfortable clothing for the times that you are not in the bush busy hunting. Swim wear and a towel are always a good idea during the summer months. A very warm jacket and gloves are recommended for the winter evenings and mornings. An additional lighter jacket or pullover is also advisable. Casual clothing for before and after your hunt. Underwear is obviously your own department, which you will have to make the decisions about.
Footwear: Comfortable closed walking boots or shoes are recommended with thick socks for when you are hunting. Comfortable light shoes and sandals or open shoes are recommended for when you are not hunting.
Toiletries: Personal toiletries that you would normally pack for a holiday. You will have hot water every day.
Other miscellaneous: Medical prescriptions / medicines Sunscreen or block and lip balm Binoculars
Sunglasses and other eyewear Pen and paper Torch or flashlight Nail clippers
Hat or cap Camera with extra film or memory cards and batteries Locks for luggage Basic first aid kit
