August 2023 I hunted 7 days with Awie Pieterse of BP Safaris in the Limpopo province by the town of Ohrigstad, South Africa. This is my third trip to South Africa to hunt and my first-time hunting with Awie.
We hunted 10,000 perimeter fenced hectares. This equals 24,711 acres or over 38 square miles. The only interior fences are a garden, roan breeding enclosure, and a citrus grove in a corner of the property. These areas are a non-factor in my opinion.
Our plan is to hunt bush pig, warthog, mountain reedbuck, a management Cape buffalo bull. The bush pig was hunted after sundown over bait. Before the hunt they were showing up on camera on a regular basis.
I found Awie to be very knowledgeable and considerate and put forth a great effort to ensure I had an enjoyable time and a pleasure to be around. His hunting vehicle was top notch.
The manager, Eghardt accompanied us on most of the hunts on the property and the assistant manager, Darius, was with us on all the hunts. Both men were very knowledgeable and a lot of fun to be around. I was very glad they were part of the hunt.
Other game in abundance are impala, duiker, blesbok, stein buck, eland, kudu, sable, red hartebeest, tessebe, ostrich, giraffe, zebra, nyala. One animal that was absent was blue wildebeest but there are plans to reintroduce them.
The lodging was outstanding. There are two chalets per unit with a common wall between each with a balcony. The rooms are climate controlled, cleaned daily and your clothes are washed daily. The bathroom/shower facilities are very good. The oversized bed was very comfortable and there was a TV and a refrigerator. The only issue I could see is the electrical plugins are different then other places I’ve stayed at in South Africa but I did have the correct adapter with for my converter.
The lodge had tourists groups come in every day after lunch. They would eat supper, spend the night, have breakfast and then depart. Once we left the lodge area, we never knew they were there and while hunting the only other people we saw were people coming to assist with taking game back to the lodge.
Dining was quite nice. Breakfast and supper was buffet style with many options. At supper you had multiple options of wild game, salads, side dishes and desserts. Fish and chicken was often available. Lunch was just the four of us so that was prepared for us.
The game skinning facilities and game processing area were very clean and well organized. The people in charge of this part of the hunt are very good.
I was very satisfied with the hunting. The hilly terrain afforded good visibility so there was plenty of wildlife to see.
We took a good mountain reedbuck, a monstrous warthog and the management buffalo was exactly what I expected.
We took one day and left the property to hunt black wildebeest. It was much more challenging than I anticipated but eventually things went our way and we took a very good bull. A very satisfying hunt.
For six nights we sat for bush pig but never saw one. A honey badger and two civet came in and one night a herd of buffalo came past. These animals never knew we were there so I don’t think we spooked the bush pigs I think they just moved on. I found this part of the hunt very enjoyable and I am glad we gave it a try.
On Awie’s suggestion, the day of departure we stopped at a bird of prey sanctuary. This was most interesting and enjoyable. This is definitely something I would recommend and try to be there when the handler’s are doing shows with the birds.
Upon arriving at the airport Awie accompanied me inside as far as he was allowed, then stayed until I headed towards security. This was very much appreciated on my part.
The one thing I would have changed if I could is more time hunting with BP Safaris. I totally enjoyed my time with Awie and would have liked to have had time to experience some of the other properties he hunts.
We communicated quite often before the hunt and everything went as was discussed. Awie is very open to questions and takes the time and effort to answer.
Because of Awie’s honesty, the quality of the hunt and experience I would, without hesitation, tell someone asking about hunting South Africa to take a look at what BP Safaris has to offer.
Sincerely,

Our Safari Experience
I highly recommend BP Safaris for your hunting needs in Africa. My sons and I took our first Safari with them and had a great experience. Awie has multiple concessions across Africa.

No matter what game you are pursuing, he has it covered. Going to Africa for the first time can be a bit nerve wrecking. Am I picking the right people? What kind of issues will I have going into the country etc. It didn’t take more than two days in, that I realized we had made the right decision with BP. Looking forward to the next trip.

Dear Awie,
We would like to say thank you for all the excellent work and the endless hours of service that you dedicated to making our first safari a rememberable one. Planning a Safari for the first time was a daunting task, and I would like to say thank you for making it as easy as possible. When we first spoke back in April 2022, I could tell immediately that BP Safaris was going to be our choice of host. You and your wife Sandra’s prompt replies and willingness to accommodate our wishes cannot be spoken of highly enough. Where I found most other outfitters to only be concerned with the dollars and rushing to get the hunt over with, you made sure that we actually got to experience Africa in all her majesty.

When we first landed and met at the airport, you ensured that our departure and arrival at the Afton Safari Lodge went off without a hitch. The food and accommodations could not have been better, especially after a long flight and some not so appetizing food on board the aircraft. That next morning, we again enjoyed some excellent food for breakfast and I’m still carving those koeksisters. The trip to our final destination at Hannah Game lodge was great and we got to enjoy some excellent scenery on our drive.

The accommodations at Hannah game lodge were excellent. We found the rooms were clean and well maintained along with a friendly and accommodating staff who took care of our needs. Again, the food was exceptional with a wide variety of choices for even those with the pickiest palate. That can again be attributed to you and your wife’s attention to every detail. The main lodge where we dined each day was also spacious and allowed our party to fellowship each evening without feeling crowded by the other patrons that were there during our stay.

Now on to the hunt. As you can imagine, when first starting to prepare for hunting the various game Africa has to offer, all of us read, watched videos, and researched the thousands of possible firearm options, calibers, gear, etc… until we went cross-eyed. To say we overstudied for the “test” would be an understatement and having game around every turn only added to the excitement. I was great that we were the only hunting party there during our stay and having full range of the 18000+/- acre facility to hunt was first-rate. Your expertise of the terrain and ability to judge the vast amount of game we encountered left us with plenty of stories to tell, some exceptional trophies to hang on wall and memories to last a lifetime. My father, who has wanted to hunt in Africa for well over 4 decades being able to bag his first Cape Buffalo, us hiking up the mountains chasing kudu, my brother’s skirmish with his buffalo and even the SCI record breaking tree Mr. Tackleberry bagged are memories we all will cherish forever.

On the last day, seeing all our trophies lined up was incredible and while we did want to see our families back in the States, heading to the airport was definitely bittersweet. They say once you hunt in Africa it gets into you blood and they are right.

I will unquestionably be recommending BP Safari’s to anyone who is thinking about taking their first trip to Africa and we cannot wait for our next adventure with you, my friend.
Regards,

In February 2021, I was invited to join my good friend and his family on a hunting trip to Africa. Since then, we have put in many hours of extra work, along with lots of reading—“Dr. Kevin Robertson” African Game Trails, Death in the tall grass, Horn of the Hunter, and many others to prepare for the trip.

My wife was invited to join also. This was her first international trip, her first time flying, and her first time taking big game. Awie and the other PH’s were very friendly, professional, and supportive towards making this a great first trip for her as well as the rest of the party.

When we arrived and first shook hands with Awie, our PH (Professional Hunter), I was immediately put at ease. Yes, dealing with customs and flying into nighttime/darkness in a new place was a little unsettling. Our party of 5 adults was met by our travel agency, assisted through customs, and our gear was loaded for us. Awie sat in the back of the van and immediately began getting to know us all. We were taken to Afton Lodge for our first night – Incredible meals, taxidermy to admire, and great service. I remember my carryon bag still on my shoulders and being blown away by the taxidermy. When we got to our assigned rooms, my wife was escorted up with our luggage first, and I was immediately blown away by the first-class accommodations. The BP hats and personalized hunting vests for us were a nice surprise. I wore mine every day, except for the day it was being laundered.

The next morning, we went to the Game preserve for 12 days where I met two more top-notch PH’s that I have come to consider friends. My wife, friends, and I were always put first in our comfort and safety. We made the most incredible memories on our first trip taking Zebra, Cape Buffalo, Jackal, Sable, Kudu, Eland, and Red Hartebeest. They kept us rested, fed amazingly well, medicated when allergies kicked up, and we were in the best company with the PH’s.

Awie and I quickly made fast permanent friends.

On this trip we laughed a lot, shed a tear or two over a cull, and I learned new things daily.

Our group has already begun planning a 2027 trip, and Awie is the ONLY person I would trust to make that adventure happen.

8/27/23-9/8/23

I was invited to go on a 12-day South African Safari with my husband and three of his friends. This was my first international trip, my first time flying, and my first time taking big game. Awie with BP Safaris set up an amazing experience – the accommodations, the food, the hunting expeditions, everything was top-notch and planned well. He is an extremely knowledgeable and skilled guide, able to provide an incredible experience and great hunts. With his expertise and contacts, he can handle hunters of various experience levels and provide a variety of hunting opportunities.

Our stay at the Game Lodge was amazing. Awie and the lodge’s PHs were great – friendly, professional, and they always put our comfort, safety, and wishes first. The stay was awesome – the amazing food, the awe-inspiring views, and the wonderful rooms and staff.

I was apprehensive about my first trip and my first hunting trip, but I’m glad I did it and am looking forward to planning the next one.