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South Africa is very a safe place for international travellers. However, it is sensible to take normal precautions while travelling, particularly when in a city. We recommend the use of credit cards rather than large amounts of cash just as when you travel to other adventure destinations. Remember that every one of the staff at Zander Bierman Safaris is committed to the health and safety of you and your family while you are in our care. We will be with you the entire time of your safari, from picking you up at the airport, to dropping you off for your departure. The areas where we will be hunting are typically quite rural and crime is not a significant problem at all. Your PH/guide will see to it that you do not get into any questionable situations while on safari.
No visiting clients have ever been harmed while in the care of Zander Bierman Safaris and our aim is to keep it that way. We invite you to relax and enjoy every moment.
The South African Rand is the currency used in South Africa for all purchases.
You can see how your currency converts by linking to the following website: www.xe.com
You may exchange your currency for Rand at the airport when you arrive or you may arrange exchange with us. Most ATM machines support the Cirrus network cards. You can check with your bank before you leave and find out if your ATM card will be accepted in South Africa.
Most shops/stores and restaurants accept Visa, Master Card and American Express.
Keep your passport available as you may need picture ID when you use a credit card.
Be sure to inform your bank that you will be travelling and using your card Internationally before you depart from your country of residence.
Depending on where you are from, there may be a time difference between South Africa and your country of residence. This is something to keep in mind when contacting us, or friends/family back home while you are here.
Click here to view the time difference: https://www.timeanddate.com/time/difference/south-africa/johannesburg
Autumn/Fall – 1 March – 31 May
It is generally warm and sunny with days getting shorter and the temperature cooling in the early morning and evenings as it gets closer to winter. Some days may be cloudy and it may rain from time to time.
Average temperatures: 30˚ C – 38˚C (86˚F – 100˚F)
Winter – 1 June – 31 August
Days are mostly warm and sunny with cloudless blue skies, punctuated now and then by a few days of cold fronts.
Average temperatures: 3˚ C – 34˚C (37˚F – 93˚F)
Spring – 1 September – 30 November
In spring it warms up fast and days are mostly sunny. Some days may be overcast/cloudy with chances of light rain.
Average temperatures: 28˚ C – 41C (82˚F – 105˚F)
Summer – 1 December – 28/29 February
Over much of South Africa, summer means warm, sunny weather – often with afternoon thunderstorms that clear quickly, leaving a warm and earthy smell in the air. In our area it gets very hot with little to no breeze/wind and low humidity.
Average temperatures: 30˚ C – 45˚C (86˚F – 113˚F)
Yes, we do have power/electricity. However, it may be down from time to time due to load shedding.
Load shedding refers to strategic blackouts in South Africa, where citizens are left without power between six to twelve hours a day. The load shedding process means turning off the electricity supply to ease pressure on a failing power grid.
We are usually informed via an app on when the power will be off and we will keep you informed.
South Africa operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Depending on where you are from, you may need both a converter to plug your items into and an adapter to plug into the outlet. The converter will change the voltage from 230 Volts, 50 HZ to 120 Volts. You can find converters and adapters at any electronics store, department store or on Amazon.
Please note that most of our guests over the years have been using only adapters. This has worked perfectly for charging cell phones, cameras, laptops, etc. as well as running CPAP machines.
The only times it has causes issues has been with hair dryers/straighteners.
We have complimentary Wi-Fi at the lodge and we encourage you to bring your Wi-Fi enabled devices to keep in touch with friends and family.
If you have a GMS enabled US cell phone, you may make international calls ONLY if you have the international calls feature turned on. In most cases, this requires a visit to your carrier’s store or a phone call to their customer service department. Once you have enabled international calling, you will be able to make calls in most areas of the country, depending on your carrier and the agreements they have in place with local carriers to provide service to their clients. Another option would be a satellite phone.
We always suggest downloading the app called WhatsApp on your phone before you come and asking the friends and family that you wish to stay connected with to do the same. WhatsApp works on Wi-Fi and/or regular cell service, using data. Since we have Wi-Fi in camp, this is the easiest way to stay connected. Through WhatsApp, you can send text messages and pictures, make regular voice calls or even video calls.
Click here to download WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/download
No vaccinations/shots are required to enter South Africa.
Should you decide to consult your doctor, pharmacist, or local travel nurse, they will surely tell you differently and, of course, it is completely up to you whether you decide to follow their advice. There are, however, no compulsory vaccines/shots you need to get to be able to travel to South Africa.
As for Malaria – the area in which Zander Bierman Safaris is situated, is malaria- free. If your hunt takes you to other areas, we will inform you if a malaria medicine is needed, in which case you will need to start taking the medicine at least a week before you come. Should this be the case, we suggest that you consult your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.
You can visit the CDC’s website to learn more about health issues in South Africa.
Just click on the link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/south-africa?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001
South Africa has some excellent medical facilities and medical care. These facilities are located within a reasonable drive from Zander Bierman Safaris. In the case of illness or injury, we will ensure you get the necessary medical care.
As for filling prescriptions, we would suggest that you bring enough of your medication to last for the entire trip. The reason for this is the simple fact that we do not always have all the same medications as that of other countries. So, we suggest informing your doctor of your travel plans and ensuring you bring enough medication with you.
Our water supply is completely safe to drink from the tap. We also keep an abundant supply of bottled water on hand for our guests if they prefer.
All the housing facilities have bathrooms inside. Each luxury tent has its own en suite bathroom with flushing toilet, sink and shower (hot/cold running water). The chalets each have two bedrooms, sharing one bathroom.
What you bring is up to you, but we have put together a checklist for your convenience.
Please note that your laundry will be done every other day, so do not overpack.
The most important thing for this hunt is good footwear. We highly recommend leather boots that are well broken in as well as high quality hiking socks. This is NOT the trip to break in a new pair of boots or to wear cheap socks. You may be walking a great deal, and blisters on a safari are no fun. You may want to bring comfortable shoes to wear in the evening.
Long pants or shorts are both good while hunting. Pants with legs that zip out and convert to shorts can be quite handy. Keep in mind that you want a fabric that is not noisy when walking/stalking.
Think layered clothing for this hunt. It can be quite cool in the early morning and evening, but will warm up during the day. Having a nice, warm jacket, a pull over fleece or a sweater you can take off later in the day works well. A light rain jacket is also handy in case you encounter a rainy day on your hunt. Once again, a jacket that isn’t noisy when you walk/stalk is important.
You may want to bring a pair of warm gloves, a scarf, and a beanie for the cold mornings as well.
As far as colour of clothing, camouflage is great if you prefer, but it is not mandatory. Natural coloured clothing such as olive, dark green and tan also works well. It is best to avoid bright flashy coloured clothing if possible.
A hat is very important. One that covers your ears and the back of your neck is preferable.
A belt and a cartridge holder can make life much easier for you during the hunt.
Click here to download our checklist:
Depending on where you live, you will either take a connection flight, or a direct flight to OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa.
There, you will be met by a representative of Zander Bierman Safaris who will take you on the 4-hour drive and bring you directly to our lodge.
We have been making use of a great travel agent based in the USA who has assisted many of our clients with their flights.
Should you need some assistance, feel free to let us know and we will get you in touch with her.
You may purchase several types of insurance for your safari. Baggage insurance, firearm insurance, trip cancellation insurance, travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance are all areas to consider to make yourself more financially secure before you leave on your trip. Your travel agent can help you with trip cancellation, travel, and medical evacuation.
Upon arrival in South Africa, be sure to have the following at hand:
You will present these at the customs desk and that will get you through.
After clearing customs, you will check on which carousel to collect your luggage. Once you have your luggage, head towards the exit.
As soon as you pass through the last sliding doors on your right, where you will see everyone waiting to meet up, just keep to your right – a representative of Zander Bierman Safaris will be waiting to meet you.
For families traveling with children under the age of 18, please have an unabridged birth certificate in hand. For minors traveling with one parent or no parents, a letter of consent is also needed.
As a South African outfitter, we have exemption that allows us to hunt all year round.
Ideally, though, we prefer not to hunt during the warmest summer months (November to February). Rifle hunting is good throughout the year. Archery is best from mid-winter to spring (July to October).
Our lodge and hunting area is located 367 kilometres (228 miles) North of Johannesburg, in the Limpopo province of South Africa, near a small town called Steenbokpan. Here, we have three ranches differing in size as well as species available. Take note that we only have one lodge and this is where you will stay for the full duration of your safari, unless discussed otherwise. We also hunt on several other ranches/concessions in the area, depending on what we are looking for. One ranch may have better terrain for big Kudu bulls, while another may provide bigger Impala, this is just an example.
So, where we hunt will sometimes depend on what we are going after.
If you wish to hunt species not located in this area, we have concessions located throughout Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique) to serve your trophy needs.
Average shooting distance will be 50 – 185 meters (55 – 200 yards).
Unfortunately, the export/import of wild game or meat of any kind cannot be done without a proper license, which can not be acquired by just anyone. Therefore, the meat stays here.
During your stay, you will be able to try and taste several different South African game species. When you shoot an animal, once skinned out and matured for a day or two, we will remove the fillets/tenderloins and cook it in our traditional way. Sometimes, we also use the backstraps for several different dishes. We also process some of the meat which you can enjoy in the form of hamburgers, sausages, and ground meat/mince.
Well, what happens to the rest? Rest assured; nothing goes to waste. While some of it is enjoyed in camp by ourselves and our guests/clients, some will feed our staff and their families. As part of our business, the rest will be sold to local butchers who will process it and sell it on the market.
Each hunter will have their own guide/PH, unless otherwise discussed. This will ensure that every hunter has an equal and fair opportunity to get the trophies that he/she is going after. Some days, we may join up and hunt together.
Examples of when more than one hunter is most likely to share one guide/PH may be when it is a couple, father and son, etc.
This is completely up to you.
Bringing your own firearm is not as complicated as one might think. You will need to fill out some paperwork (which we will provide) and you will have to have your firearm checked by a Customs Official prior to departure from your country of residence. But the process is quite simple and many clients have done this without any trouble.
However, if you do not feel comfortable with this idea, or perhaps just do not want to fill out all the paperwork, at an extra fee, you can use our firearms. We have several different calibers to choose from and once you get here, you will start by shooting a few rounds on the shooting range to ensure that you are comfortable with the weapon before attempting to shoot an animal.
You can bring your bow/crossbow without having to complete any forms. This will count as a checked luggage item and will be checked in as such. Upon arrival in South Africa, you will collect your bow/crossbow from the carousel as with other checked luggage items.
When traveling with a firearm, we highly recommend that you use a permit import service. This service is very inexpensive and will save you time and hassle. By making use of this service, you will save anywhere from 1 – 4 hours of waiting for your firearm once you arrive in South Africa and you can rest assured that everything you need, is in order.
We recommend using Hunters Permits Africa: https://www.hunterspermitsafrica.co.za/
CBP Form 4457 shows that you had the items before leaving the U.S. and, therefore, allows a duty-free re-entry back to the U.S. You will only need this form if you are a US citizen and you are bringing your own firearm for your safari.
You will need to fill out this form and take it, along with your firearm/s to be checked and stamped by a US Customs Official before you depart from the USA. The US Customs Service has offices at any large international airport.
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF YOUR DEPARTURE TO GET THIS DONE. Do it AHEAD OF TIME!
You can download the form here: https://www.cbp.gov/document/forms/form-4457-certificate-registration-personal-effects-taken-abroad
After clearing customs, you will check on which carousel to collect your luggage. Take note that rifles will not be collected there. After getting your luggage, head to the exit.
As soon as you pass through the last sliding doors on your right, where you will see everyone waiting to meet up, just keep to your right – a representative of Zander Bierman Safaris will be waiting to meet you.
From there you will be taken to the SAPS police station to collect your rifle.
Make sure your rifle is shooting consistently and accurately with the ammunition you choose. If it is not, get different ammunition. The number one rule for practicing after that is:
GET OFF THE BENCH!
Go to your deer lease or find a rifle range that will allow you to practice OFF THE BENCH.
Shoot off a tree limb or a tree trunk. Better yet, get a good pair of shooting sticks and shoot from those. The biggest challenge is getting your scope on the target and getting the shot off quickly. Many trophies have gotten away because a hunter waits more than 2 to 3 seconds getting everything perfect before they shoot. These trophies do not wait around for you to aim at them. The best way to help yourself is make sure your rifle fits well, your rifle is shooting accurately and learn to shoot very quickly after the crosshairs are in place.
Practicing from shooting sticks at 50 – 100 yards would be ideal.
You do not need to run out and buy a new firearm unless you really want one.
Follow these guidelines:
Your firearm should be packed in a crash resistant plastic or metal case that locks. If the case has four places for locks, then all four spots MUST contain a lock. No ammunition is allowed in the case!
On the day of departure, you will need to make sure you get to the airport early enough to have your gun inspected by officials before it is placed on the airplane. It may be wise to call your airline about details of packing firearms and ammunition. They have the final say.
Once you arrive at Zander Bierman Safaris, we will provide you with a regular rifle bag for your time here.
Your ammunition needs to be packed in a lock-box. You can only import 60 rounds of ammunition per caliber of rifle that you are importing and most importantly, your ammunition AND lock-box all-together may not exceed 5 kilograms (11 pounds). The ammunition must be separated from the firearm which is why you need to put this lock-box inside your checked luggage.
It is important to note that you are not allowed to import ammunition that does not match the caliber of the rifle that you are bringing.
No more than 60 rounds per caliber.
We require a 20% deposit to confirm your booking. When booking at a show or in person, we can accept a check or credit card. When booking online or otherwise, we accept direct bank transfers/wires.
Transfers/wires can be made directly to our US bank account. Once you are booked, we require that the rest of your safari be paid in full at least a week before you arrive in South Africa.
Upon completion of your safari, should there be any outstanding balance for additional animals shot or other activities, a transfer/wire can be made to our US bank account. In the rare case where we may not have been able to harvest all the species on your list, the amount of those species/package will be discussed before you depart and the agreed upon amount will be refunded.
Our booking policy requires a 20% non-refundable deposit. In case of unforeseen circumstances such as death, illness, serious injury, etc. we will allow for the hunt/safari to be postponed by a year. In such cases, price changes may be applied as necessary. Details will be discussed in person.
At Zander Bierman Safaris we value the role of each member of our team and we know that by spending time here, you will too. Whilst tipping is not compulsory, it is greatly appreciated by every member of our staff.
This is a very important aspect of your safari which is why we make use of a dedicated, reliable taxidermist to take care of your trophies. At the end of your hunt, before you depart from Zander Bierman Safaris, we will take you to the taxidermy so you can meet the team and see their facilities.
Once you depart, your trophies will be collected and taken to the facility for either dipping, crating, and shipping to your taxidermy of choice, or for the taxidermy of your trophies. Upon collection, you will receive an E-mail notification as well as a formal quote on your request of trophy handling.
Click here to view Bendito Dip & Taxidermy: https://www.benditodip.com/
You will pay the shipping company in South Africa and the receiving company/broker in your country of residence. It will be two different payments as they are not the same company.
You will receive an E-mail or phone call from the shipping company in South Africa telling you that your order is ready to be shipped. Once you pay them, your trophies will be shipped. The receiving company in your country of residence will contact you when your trophies have arrived.
They will hold your trophies until you pay for them. You can either pick them up personally, have your taxidermist pick them up or have them shipped to your address of choice.
This will depend on whether you just do the dipping here and have the raw products packed and shipped to your country of residence to be mounted there, OR you have the taxidermy done here and have the mounts shipped to you.
Once your crate arrives in your country of residence, it usually takes another 2 -3 weeks to be checked and cleared.
Zander Bierman Safaris is the ideal South African destination to live the African dream. Offering a variety of guided hunting safaris, and set in the pristine Bushveld region, our rustic yet luxurious camp and friendly staff promise to make you feel right at home!
We will go above and beyond to ensure that you have an unforgettable experience.
Postnet Suite 137
Private Bag X7501
Onverwacht, 0557
South Africa