African Hunting Camps

African hunting camps or hunt lodges usually fall into one of the following categories...

Permanent structures with chalet or rondavel accommodation units - mostly found in southern Africa.
Temporary tented camps which must be dismantled after every hunt season - often found in wilderness areas such as the Selous Reserve, Tanzania.
Permanent tented sleeping accommodation with other permanent structures like dining room/bar. Tents of a more permanent nature with all mod-cons, pitched over a concrete base are used give a more authentic African atmosphere.

"Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water." W C Fields

Permanent Hunting Camps

An average of about 6 chalets or rondavels (typical African houses, usually round with a thatched roof, constructed of wood, stones or bricks). Levels of 'rustic-ness' vary so get some detailed pictures to see if they match your requirements.
Permanent camps are often have a perimeter fence of sorts and situated with good views or close to a waterhole so you can watch game. The home range around a camp is, in most cases, strictly not part of the hunting area, so game is happy to gather here. Tough luck if the warthog of your dreams is grazing outside your door.
Most accommodation for overseas hunters has all mod cons with en suite bathroom facilities, showers, hot and cold running water, mains or solar-powered electricity, ceiling fans or air-conditioning and insect screening at the windows. Beds may be 2 singles or 1 double. Ask about adapting the bed arrangement if this is important to you and your family.
There will be a dining area and kitchen with fridge, freezer and stove, usually run on gas. Sometimes the food may be actually cooked elsewhere such as at the main house and just served in the hunting camp.
Depending on the standard of hunting camp, food will usually be fresh produce based on typical South African cuisine. On a typical hunt day, you can help yourself to a light breakfast of cereal, toast and coffee before going out early. Then on your late morning return, a large brunch is served with various hot dishes such as eggs, bacon and all the trimmings. Dinner in the evening is usually a three course meal which will include various game meat dishes, so you can sample what you have shot.
Often there will be a lounge or recreation area in a nice trophy room setting. Most camps have a full bar from which to serve alcoholic drinks in the evening.
There will usually be a camp fire area with outside seating. On some days your hosts may serve you a sumptuous braai (barbecue) cooked on the fire.
Set well away from the camp will be the skinning shed and butchery facility. All the trophies are stored in a dry, insect and other animal-proof room. The meat from your trophy animal is the property of the hunt area owner and is generally processed in a professionally equipped butchery.
Other facilities that may or may not be available are a swimming pool and other amusements like satellite TV and DVD, snooker tables, beauty parlours and jacuzzis. Ask about additional facilities if you need them, particularly to keep your family members entertained while you are hunting.
Some of the bigger hunting areas also cater for photographic safari clients. You won't be hunting in the same area as they are doing their game viewing but you might run into them at dinner. Though you might not like the idea of having, possibly judgemental, non-hunters around, these camps do generally offer a good range of safari activities which may be of interest to your family.
You also may find some of the smaller southern African hunting camps have more of a 'family feel' about them, which may or may not be to your liking. For instance, the owner and family may come to join you in the evenings or invite you into their home on occasion.
Southern African hunting camps vary greatly in their efforts to give the hunting client a 'back to nature' experience so do be advised to check out the facilities, possibly get some pictures, to definitely make sure everything will suit you as far as possible.

Permanent Hunting Camps In South Africa

Wilderness African Hunting Camps

These hunting camps, typically found in Tanzania, are usually a temporary structure, built and dismantled every hunting season. Every sign of human habitation, in the Selous Reserve for example, must be removed so the area may return to pristine wilderness. The camp facilities are as fancy as the outfitter feels his clientele require - it all has to be brought in by truck - so this will be reflected in the daily rate.

The hunters will be accommodated in large 2 bedded safari tents with en suite bathroom facilities at built at the back of the tent. So you unzip the rear of the tent and step through to an exterior open-air cubicle housing the shower, washbasin and WC (flushable usually). Cold water is supplied to the bathroom from a tank which is topped up as required. Hot water is also supplied as required at shower times - in the morning and evening. This water is boiled and filtered. There may be a plumbed-in basin or a bowl and water jug for hand-washing.
Electricity is supplied usually from a generator which is turned off during the day and switched on at dusk until the camp retires.
The camp dining area is usually a separate thatched grass structure often with a cement floor. There is usually a fridge/freezer nearby for cold drinks and ice.
The camp will be unfenced on the perimeter but may have low grass fences to demarcate pathways and higher fences to screen off the 'behind the scenes' areas and staff quarters. Animals will be able to get into the camp area should they want to, so it is not advisable to go outside of your tent at night. Animals in camp is not unusual, especially at the start of the hunting season, when the camp is newly built and the animals in the immediate area have not learnt to avoid it.
Wilderness camp layouts should comply to obvious 'health & safety' issues regarding water supply, drainage and the siting of the skinning shed but the quality of the furnishings will be be left to the operator's expenditure and imagination.
Again, there will usually be a pleasant camp fire area with seating to relax round in the evenings.
The skinning shed will be set well away from the camp and the trophies will be stored in a strong structure of branches and wire to keep the most determined hyenas out.
There will not be any other amenities like a pool. Though it has been known for the occasional outfitter to bring in a satellite TV or jet-ski, this is hardly the norm.
Behind the scenes there will be a laundry, bush kitchen, store rooms, vehicle refuelling area, mechanics section and all the staff tents - a whole working community to service the hunting camp.
Standards of food in wilderness African hunting camps will vary according to the level of 'luxury' that you booked. The swishest hunting camps can offer the finest 5 star hotel cuisine and silver service. The more average camps will serve good hearty food which includes a lot of game meat which you will supply. Fresh produce requirements are carefully calculated according to the size of the hunting group but items can run out occasionally and it is not possible to run to the corner shop to get more. When a hunter flies into the hunt area, the aircraft is loaded with a new stock of fresh food which may include seafood and fish to serve on the first night until the hunting gets underway.
If you are a picky eater and liable not to like certain foods or if you really love certain foods and are likely to eat a large amount of something - tell your outfitter ahead of time on the Hunting Client Information form.
These African hunting camps are definitely a more 'back to nature' experience only limited by the outfitter's imagination and taste.