GAMEBIRDS TRAIN AND LODGE BASED SHOOTING SAFARIS

The African Train-Shoot Safari concept dates back to the colonial 1950s, when Gamebirds founder Peter Johnson watched his father with a party of friends depart on a special train for a weekend of driven wild duck in a remote area of southern Africa. Recreating those early "train shoot safaris" remained a dream until 1989, when Johnson found entrepreneur Rohan Vos equipping and exquisitely refurbishing an entire colonial era train, steam engines and all, for visitors to tour Africa in the same comfort and style as that gracious period of rail travel. In the winter of 1990 Gamebirds successfully ran their first Train-Shoot Safari with Rovos Rail, aboard "The Pride of Africa".

Today Gamebirds Train-Shoot Safaris travel north from Cape Town to central Africa, linking South Africa with Namibia and Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania, via the best of the Gamebirds Association's long list of large private sporting estates, each with its' own uniquely different landscape and exceptional wildlife environment. Now for the first time within comfortable reach of the international sporting traveler, in one continuous safari, are many remote areas of the African wilderness. By adapting Rohan Vos's exceptional "The Pride of Africa" Train (also a member of the Leading Hotels group) completely restored to the golden age of colonial steam train travel, the Gamebirds expeditions provide, for a maximum of 30 people, an experience of superlative comfort, service and style - a safari truly without compare.

The Southern African Train-Shoot Safari starts from Rovos Rail's private station at Capital Park in Pretoria, a 30 minute drive from Johannesburg International Airport, then travels north to cross the Limpopo River and up through Zimbabwe, ending at the Victoria Falls. The South African Train-shoot, also from Pretoria, takes the southern route via historic Kimberley, the Vaal and Orange Rivers, across the "red sands" of the Kalahari back to Pretoria. The TanZam Train-Shoot begins in the Victoria Falls and runs north, past Lusaka and on through the length of Zambia, traversing the famous TanZam Railway line to end at Kasama on Zambia's northern border with Tanzania. Itineraries are kept flexible to bring guests the best of the season. Each day is different and may include short cross-country trips or charter flights to prime game bird and wildlife areas.

After an early rise guns (and non-shooters who wish to join the shoot) take a short drive into nearby 'bushveld' country for a full day of driven guinea fowl, spur fowl and francolin, dove and pigeon, shooting. The eight to twelve drives undertaken each day are a unique and fascinating spectacle with over a hundred beaters driving the guinea fowl, up to six species of spur fowl/francolin and four species of dove & pigeon, over the guns. Whilst driven guinea fowl are deceptively quick in the air as they cross the line, both Swainson's and Crested francolin will burst upwards from close to the beaters feet and fly high and fast in all sorts of directions!

If you are not too occupied with a sky full of birds you may catch sight of kudu, bush buck, reed buck, duiker, steenbok, bush pig, warthog, impala and other antelope, whilst on properties with extensive areas of acacia habitat you will certainly see a bewildering array of colorful bush bird life about you. Lunch at the farmhouse with your shoot host is a charming and always delicious interlude of fresh farm fare, excellent South African wines and warm conversation.

In the desert there is Namaqua Sand grouse shooting from traditional stone butts, sunk down into the sand in a wide circle around a distant waterhole, where up to 1500 and more birds will flight back and forth to drink in the mornings. High altitude Greywing francolin (partridges) are walked up behind English pointing dogs in the montane grasslands of the eastern Cape Drakensberg mountain range, providing guns with a supremely challenging and energetic day afield.

Similarly, for the other species of francolin, most of which occur in lower altitude bushveld country where the grass is much longer, walking guns are assisted by teams of local people who work the gundogs. Another day will take you to flight waterfowl, dove and pigeon, found in numbers in harvested fields nearby rivers or wetlands. Here Gamebirds has set up butts (blinds) for guns to wait, first for the flights of pigeon and dove. After enjoying lunch in the field, Spurwinged and Egyptian geese, plus three or four species of wild duck will fly until dusk.

Guests who wish to stalk plains game, or try the more traditional driven antelope shooting in the wide open spaces of the Karoo, have the opportunity to shoot Springbok and other plentiful game on the private estates of several well established South African families.

For non-shooting companions the sporting safari is combined with game-viewing in remote national parks and private game reserves, tracking big game on foot, bird-watching some of southern Africa's nearly 1000 different species or simply meeting local communities and enjoying spectacular wilderness scenery. The program includes flights over the Victoria Falls, boating on the Zambezi, visits to diamond diggings and travel to sites of historical or cultural interest and, where time allows, even big game-viewing from the deck of a yacht on Lake Kariba. There will also be plenty of time to shop for African art and artifacts in the main towns and larger villages.

The 1920s style superbly restored Rovos Rail Train with its air-conditioned Deluxe and "Royal" suites (each with its own spacious bathroom) historic dining saloon and charming panoramic observation car with bar mostly travels between wilderness locations overnight. By early morning it is "parked", at a different rail siding every day, near prime game bird or touring locations. The well-organized program, the comfort of the Train and the superb cellar ensure a world Class sporting safari visiting a variety of habitats rich in African wildlife, game birds and waterfowl - with the wonderful convenience of only having to unpack and pack once, during the entire length of the safari.

Initiated and developed by Gamebirds, to provide the exclusive resources needed to introduce the Train-Shoot Safari concept to the sporting world, their driven shooting for all wild African game birds, alongside ten years of concentrated wildlife conservation, has meant that shooting in southern Africa has come of age. The flourishing and dense game bird populations, on all the exclusively private estates in the Gamebirds portfolio, in many remote locations, offer an irresistible challenge and excitement to international guns and their companions.

THE "GAMEBIRDS" SAFARI PRICE INCLUDES

From the moment the client steps on board the Rovos Rail Train at the commencement of a "Gamebirds" Train-Shoot Safari until the client disembarks from the Train at the end of the safari, or boards the charter aircraft at the beginning of a Fly-In Shoot Safari until disembarking the charter aircraft at the end of the same safari, the following are included in the price paid: Accommodation, excursions, meals, beverages and all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, service and services, gratuities in the Lodges and on/for all shoots, 12 and 20 bore/gauge ammunition used, shoots, shootings, birds, field assistants, beaters, air charters, transfers, excursions, guides, tours, tour activities, shoot licenses, laundry, Game Park entrance fees. Unless otherwise stated and published in "Game birds" itineraries.

THE "GAMEBIRDS" SAFARI PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Guns, international or national airline tickets/carriers, airport taxes, passport and visa charges, Train staff gratuities, travel and personal insurance, items of a personal nature, taxis, transfers between hotels and airports, train and hotels and airports before joining or after departing the Train or the Fly-In Safaris, excess bag- gage charges, ammunition for shotguns that are not 12 or 20 gauge, rifles and ammunition, communications, antelope taken on plains game hunts, taxidermy, professional hunter assistance on plains game hunts. Unless otherwise stated and published in "Game- birds" itineraries.

TRIP CANCELLATION-TRAVEL INSURANCE

Before departure "Gamebirds" strongly recommends clients take out insurance to cover against the following risks:  Accidental Death and disability, Major Medical, emergency medical evacuation, rip cancellation, Loss of personal effects and personal liability.