Dogleg just got back from RSA so if he says a trip can be done for $10K I will not argue. Tanzania was a lot more expensive than that. The system they have is that you pay a set fee for a 7,10,16,21,or 28 day hunt. The longer the package the more species on it, and the more you can take of each species. We went on a 10 day hunt, paid trophy fees on 1 buffalo, 1 impala, 1 wildebeest, and 1 warthog, my licence allowed 2 buffalo, 2 wildebeest, 1 hartebeest, 2 baboon, 1 zebra. There is a host of additional fees including trophy fees, conservation fees, dipping fees,observer fee for my wife, camp fee tips, and so on, and so forth and such like. Then you still have to get the trophies sent out and dealt with by a taxidermist. I just got a call last week on mine, the freight and brokerage fees are nearly $2K USD.
Contact Chris Hatty at Zuka Safari. Zuka is a South African Company which also operates in Tanzania. We found out about Zuka because our PH used Zuka's Lukula camp and personnel in the Selous Game Reserve. Chris would be able to answer your questions and give you a realistic cost of the adventure - but the trip would be tailored precisely to your interests and budget. He might also be able to provide a contact for a hunt on a private ranch which would be cheaper than a tented camp safari. The Ranches there are huge, and you could hunt for days without seeing a fence. When you talk to Chris, request a copy of "Zuka Safaris Annual Review". I have the 2005 issue, there are excellent pictures of the camps, game, and the magazine is packed with information including 40 some references with phone numbers. If we go again, Zuka would be the company we would deal with.
Sounds like some PM's to Boer seun might be in order as well.
By the way, if you plan to take your own rifle(s), as soon as you have your travel dates arranged, contact the consulates of any country you will transit (in our case it was the US and Holland) and request a transit permit for your firearms. You will also be looking at a fee to bring the firearms into the host country (Tanzania was $200.00 USD) and we were limited to 11 kilos of ammo. Make sure the ammunition head stamp matches the chambering stamp on the barrel.
One last thing - get used to thinking in US dollars. That is the currency of preference, and in Tanzania at least was accepted more readily than Tanzanian Shillings. South African currency is the Rand, and both Rand and Shillings run about 20 cents on the dollar.
