The Golden Age of Safari Hunting

When hunters, PHs, and historians talk about “the Golden Age of Safari Hunting,” they are referring to a specific window of time in East Africa — and it has a beginning, a middle, and end. Within this span there are three distinct phases that matter.

The Early Golden Age (1900–1939)

This was the Percival–Blixen–Bell period marked by the adventurous and romantic Hemingway‑era world of Frederick Selous, W.D.M. “Karamoja” Bell, Bror Blixen, Philip Percival, Denys Finch‑Hatton, and Theodore Roosevelt (1909 safari). This is the era most people imagine when they think “classic safari.”

Safaris of this era were characterized by:

• Long expeditions (3–6 months)

• Ox‑wagons, porters, and huge caravans

• Ivory hunting at its peak

• Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika wide open

• Safari as aristocratic adventure

The High Golden Age (1945–1970)

This was the professional safari company era — Ker & Downey, Hunters Africa, White Hunters Ltd., Safariland, and Tanzania Game Trackers (late 60s).

Notable PHs of the time included Harry Selby, John Kingsley‑Heath, Brian Nicholson, Robin Hurt, Tony Dyer, Terry Mathews, Mike Pettijohn, Bill Ryan, and David Ommaney. Most historians consider 1950–1970 the true Golden Age.

Characteristics:

• The rise of the modern PH

• 21 to 30-day safaris

• Land Rovers instead of ox wagons

• Kenya and Tanganyika at their absolute peak

• American hunters (and Hollywood) flood in

• SCI is born

• The best elephant, buffalo, and lion hunting ever recorded

The End of the Golden Age (1970–1977)

This timeframe experienced the unfortunate rapid collapse driven by politics and regulation:

• 1973 — Tanzania closes hunting

• 1977 — Kenya closes hunting

• Uganda collapses under Idi Amin

• Elephant poaching explodes

• Many PHs move to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe

By 1977, the classic East African safari was over.

But is it over?

No. Never. The Golden Age is a crucial historical reference in the hunting world that cannot be forgotten. And one thing is certain: the continent of Africa and the safari hunting industry has continuously survived a state of constant change.

Elite professional safari operators and new era, pantheon-type PHs have proved their resilience and agency to remake the Old Africa and even make it better. These safari operations and PHs are writing a new history now.

It takes an acute and deep understanding of the past—the history, the standards, the challenges, and the victories—to know precisely where superlative hunting exists today and the professional hunters who are the pillars of a new golden age.

We invite you to discover the state of the possible in today’s Africa and how we craft safaris of legend.