The hunting area is situated approximately 125 miles north of Port Elizabeth in the Cape Midland Highlands.  This is a malaria-free area characterized by rocky, rolling terrain.  This particular safari outfitter conducts the bulk of their hunting on family-owned properties which exceed 60,000 areas in areal extent.  However, in order to ensure the best quality trophies are available for their clients, they also hunt additional properties which encompass in excess of 120,000 acres.

All hunts originate at Port Elizabeth via either Cape Town or Johannesburg.

Ground transportation to/from Port Elizabeth and between specific properties; four wheel drive vehicle in the hunt area(s).

Guests are accommodated in African-style guest houses with en-suite bathrooms, flush toilets and hot/cold running water.  Daily laundry service is provided as a courtesy for the guests.

As an alternative to the accommodations at the lodge, guests may wish to stay out at the Nyala Oxwagon Camp for an evening – which provides a traditional wilderness experience.

Meals prepared by the outfitter feature exquisite cuisine with various menus including local game, ample fresh produce and fruit along with a selection of fine South African wines.  The bar is also stocked with a selection of liquor, beer and soft drinks.  Packed lunches are prepared for each hunting day.

Alcoholic beverages will be provided in moderation and will include a selection of South African wines, domestic beer and a limited supply of distilled spirits.  Those individuals wishing to imbibe a specific brand of American, Canadian or Scottish spirits would be advised to purchase a bottle in the duty free shops in transit to ensure that your preferred brand is available.

Breakfast and dinner will be served each day and will include a selection of breads, meats, fruits and vegetables based on availability and individual preferences.  Meats served during your stay will include a sampling of the local wild game and will be expertly prepared for your dining pleasure.

Fair chase hunting utilizing spot and stalk techniques early and late in the day.  Late morning and early afternoon periods may be spent sitting in blinds on waterholes or water troughs.

Blesbok (common and white), bontebok, buffalo, bushbuck, duiker (both blue and southern bush), eland (Cape), gemsbok, grysbok (Cape), impala, klipspringer, kudu (Cape), mountain reedbuck, nyala, ostrich, red hartebeest, red lechwe, sable, springbok (black, Cape, copper and white), steenbok, vaal rhebok, warthog, wildebeest (black and blue), waterbuck and zebra.

The hunting season in South Africa generally runs from March through November, with the optimum season being late May through mid-September.

Any flat-shooting caliber from the .270 Winchester upwards should be sufficient for most of the plains game species; however, we recommend a .300 Winchester Magnum or equivalent if available – particularly for gemsbok, wildebeest and zebra.  The bullet selected should be a premium bonded core soft point.  Specific recommendations can be made upon request.  We would also recommend a variable power scope with a low power setting somewhere around 3X to 4X and a high power setting somewhere around 10X to 12X.

Be advised that semi-automatic and/or military-style rifles are generally not allowed in Africa.

For the smaller antelope such as duiker, grysbok, klipspringer and steenbok, the hunter should consider bringing a small-bore rifle such as the .22 Magnum or .22 Hornet, if available, in order to prevent potentially serious damage to the capes of these small antelope resulting from larger diameter, high-velocity bullets.  These calibers have a slower muzzle velocity and less muzzle energy, which is ideal for these light, small-bodied animals.

A permit issued by the South African Police Service will be required for the importation of sporting firearms into South Africa.  The permit application will be approved upon entry in South Africa and the approved permit must accompany the firearms at all times.  A copy of the SAPS Form 520 will be supplied upon booking along with assistance in completing the application.

Much of the shooting will be done while standing utilizing shooting sticks – as is standard practice throughout Africa.  We highly recommend that you obtain a pair of shooting sticks such as those offered by Long Grass Outfitters or African Sporting Creations and practice shooting from the standing position off of the sticks.  Shots on some plains game species can often exceed 200 yards, so you need to know the ballistics of your rifle and be comfortable shooting out to 300 yards.  In other words, practice, practice, practice!

A list of recommended clothing and equipment will be furnished upon booking. For initial hunt planning purposes, general recommendations can be made upon request.

March to May is autumn in South Africa with average daytime temperatures of 80ºF with cooler evenings.

June and July are the winter months in South Africa with daytime temperatures approaching 65ºF and cooler temperatures (down to freezing) at night.  A coat will be required in the early morning and late evening.

August through November represents the spring months in the southern hemisphere with climatic conditions very similar to the spring months.  The ambient temperatures will steadily increase from August through November, with daily temperatures in the high 80’s and low 90’s not uncommon in November.

Take a small digital camera that you can carry in your shirt or vest pocket for your trophy photos and learn how to use the camera before your trip.  I would also recommend taking a slightly larger camera such as the Canon PowerShot SX-1 IS or the PowerShot SX-10 IS – both of which have a 20X optical zoom (equal to a 560 mm telephoto lens) for shots of wildlife while you are driving around the bush or sitting at the waterhole.  After four trips to Africa, I assure you that you won’t regret the investment and you will bring home outstanding photos of the African wildlife that the smaller cameras just don’t have the optical zoom to capture.

Depending on your specific hunting location, the terrain in the Eastern Cape Province can be somewhat challenging as areas within the Province are characterized by an incised ridge/valley topographic system where the slopes of the ridges are relatively steep and covered with dense bush, while the ridge tops and generally narrow valley bottoms are somewhat more open.  These areas harbor good populations of both Cape bushbuck and Cape kudu.  Both bushbuck and kudu are typically hunted by glassing adjacent slopes and valley floors and then stalking within range for the shot.

Other species such as mountain reedbuck and vaal rhebok are typically found in the more mountainous/rocky terrain of the Eastern Cape (as well as certain areas within KwaZulu-Natal) which could require some fairly extensive walking and/or climbing in order to obtain a good trophy.  Make sure that your hunting boots are well broken in before your safari!

The remaining plains game species will be found in the rocky, rolling terrain of the semi-mountainous Cape Midland Highlands where the main hunting lodge is located.

On a fitness scale of one to ten (with one being very poor physical condition and ten being excellent physical condition), I would rate the physical level of the hunting in the Cape Midland Highlands at five to six.

So long as the hunter is able to walk reasonable distances with some climbing, there should not be a problem from a physical standpoint.  Keep in mind that your Professional Hunter will be very happy to gear the pace of the hunt to fit your particular physical abilities – so don’t hesitate to advise if he is moving too fast, walking too far, etc.  It is, after all, your safari, so don’t be afraid to speak up and advise your PH of your expectations, abilities or limitations!