Cape Town Hunting Safaris About Us

Born and bred Capetonians, Joe and Nicole da Silva, operate one of the longest running hunting outfits in Cape Town, namely Cape Town Hunting Safaris. They offer unique Game and Bird Hunting Experiences. Their headquarters are on a wheat farm, a mere 45 minute drive from Cape Town city's center.

Joe started hunting at an early age. He started off with plains game hunting and from there he ventured into big game hunting in the early 80's in Botswana. It is during this period that he decided to pursue his dream of owning his own hunting business. Joe started a gun shop in a suburb of Cape Town, called Parrow Arms, which he operated for 30 years with his taxidermist wife, Nicole. Joe started hunting and touring expeditions with clients and soon Cape Town Hunting Safaris and Tours were born. The hunting tours cover many parts of Africa, including South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Joe is also a qualified International Firearm Instructor and still conducts classes in his spare time when he is not on safari. Joe and Nicole are registered and qualified professional hunters and outfitters as well as registered and qualified tour guides with the department of Economic Development and Tourism of South Africa.

Joe is also the only operator in the Cape that specialises in bird hunting, with more than 36 years experience in this field. Joe was the first, and only, operator who started the "One Day Bird and Game Hunting Safaris" concept in Cape Town giving his clients easy access to a real African hunting experience.

Today, near Cape Town, one can hunt a variety of Plains game. Even a Cape buffalo may be spotted on a basic one day hunt. Cape Town has therefore become the place to hunt AND tour, giving the whole family a great holiday experience.

Nicole started her own registered taxidermy business, Buck 'n Bass Taxidermy in 2001. With outstanding workmanship and many years of experience, exporting your trophy anywhere in the world. Nicole is also a keen hunter who has hunted over 20 different species including big game.

Joe is happy to have Gidri Joubert on board as one of his professional hunters. Gidri started his hunting career at a young age and one of his biggest passions is collecting good quality firearms. He has excellent hunting skills and is an experienced big game hunter. Gidri is a friendly, funny guy that will keep you entertained for hours at end.

Knife making is yet another one of Joes skills. He has a fully operational workshop where he can make knives when he is not on safari. Read more about this on our Knives page.

Joe and Nicole have had the privilege of hosting some wonderful (and famous) people over the years. We would like to make special mention of a few who have spent time hunting and touring with us:

• Late Brigadier General Chuck Yeager and his wife Victoria, the first man to break the sound barrier on the 14th of October 1947.
• Astronaut Charlie Duke, and his wife Dottie, of Apollo 16 who was the youngest man and also the 10th man to walk on the moon.
• Vinnie Jones, famous Wimbledon soccer player and actor in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch and others.
• George Digweed, one of the world's greatest sporting shooters with over 26 world titles.
• Bill Weiss, who has hunted in Africa more then 42 times. He also hunted the big 5 with both a handgun and a rifle, twice.
• Joe also has had the privilege to meet Dr Lt. General Mikhail Kalashnikov (Mr AK 47) and sit and talk to him about his life.
• Joe and Nicole were also privileged to hunt with Ze Pardal on his last elephant hunt. He wrote a fascinating limited edition book called: "Hunting Elephant in Portuguese East Africa".
• Joe is extremely privileged and honoured at having such good friends as the late Adelino Serra Pires, famous for starting one of the biggest hunting operations in Mozambique called Safrique. He wrote an incredible book of his hunting encounters throughout Africa called "Winds of Havoc"
• The late Adelino's lovely wife, Fiona Claire Capstick, famed in her own right as the author of the award winning "Diana Files" and "Between Two fires". Fiona's late husband was the well-known hunting author, Peter Hathway Capstick.
• Joe and Nicole also had the privilege to spend many hours with late Brian Marsh the famous hunter and writer.
• Hunting experts, late Bert and Chris Klineburger, who opened new hunting areas to the world. These incredible brothers were also writers and real LEGENDS in the hunting community.

We could fill volumes with all the stories and anecdotes, adventures and memories we have had the pleasure to experience, but we keep them for sharing while socializing around an open fire... with a glass of our best locally produced wine, of course.
Come and experience these riches with us.
We will meet you as clients and you will leave as friends.

To sum it up we have a saying: "We don't compete with others, we only compete with ourselves".

We look forward to seeing you for your next SAFARI

Good Hunting and Touring,

Joe and Nicole da Silva