TOOTABI VALLEY SAFARIS
WHERE HUNTING IS A WAY OF LIFE
Tootabi Valley Safaris boasts an experienced team of professionals dedicated to ensuring your African safari is of the highest quality. We prioritize exceptional trophies and personalized service to provide you with an unparalleled safari experience.
THE TEAM
"BEANS" DU PREEZ
Outfitter & Owner
Born and raised in 1976 on a farm in the Paterson area of the Eastern Cape, Beans du Preez developed a passion for hunting from a very young age. He quickly qualified as a professional hunter soon after leaving high school.
Beans rapidly established himself as a highly skilled hunter, guiding his clients to trophy successes in the remote regions of Southern Africa. Beans is a dangerous game certified hunter, who has led numerous expeditions on traditional 20-day safaris in the grasslands of northern Mozambique.
With over 30 years of experience in hunting both dangerous game and plains game, Beans' expertise is unparalleled. His many international clients consistently commend his skill in understanding animal behaviours, often predicting their movements before they happen.
Hard work and a deep respect for fair chase hunting have shaped Beans du Preez into the highly respected hunter he is today.
WERNER NORTJE
Professional Hunter
Werner Nortje, born and raised in the Eastern Cape, has extensive experience in dangerous game hunting. He easily shares his expertise with clients, guiding them through the nuances of stalking big game and educating them about the region's unique wildlife.
While he thrives on the thrill of pursuing large game, Werner also enjoys the refined art of waterfowl hunting, where patience and precision are key
HANRIE VAN BERGEN
Professional Hunter
Hanrie van Bergen, raised in the Free State, discovered her passion for hunting early in life. Over the years, she has refined her skills through dedication and hands-on experience, guiding clients in both plains game and dangerous game hunting. Hanrie takes great pride in her work, but her greatest satisfaction comes from guiding fellow huntresses as they take their first buffalo.
As a specialist in nighttime hunting, Hanrie boasts impressive success rates with elusive species such as genets, civets, jackals, and caracals.
PETER DU PREEZ
Marketer
Born in Port Elizabeth in 1975, Peter grew up on the family farm in the Tootabi Valley, where his earliest hunting memories were made during winter walk-and-stalk hunts for the elusive Cape Bushbuck.
After a successful tech career, Peter now focuses on marketing Tootabi Valley Safaris, ensuring every experience, from thrilling hunts to serene safaris and exquisite Cape Town wine estate lunches, is truly unforgettable.
HISTORY
Tootabi Valley Safaris has deep roots in the Eastern Cape, dating back to the late 1800s, when the du Preez family acquired several land parcels including Bluegum Hill, Tootabi, Doornhoek, Glen Rollo, and De Poort. These properties, purchased on July 12, 1867, collectively form the picturesque Tootabi Valley.
Following the advent of democracy in 1994, South Africa, along with Zimbabwe and Namibia, underwent significant legal changes that granted private landowners’ full control over wildlife on their properties. This led to the expansion of wildlife tourism, including hunting, on private lands. The Eastern Cape embraced these new regulations, with landowners protecting their wildlife and introducing new bloodlines and species to the region.
Tootabi Valley Safaris embraced these trends with substantial investments of our own, including property refencing and the reintroduction of Cape Buffalo. Today, the property boasts a thriving and healthy herd of foot-and-mouth-free Cape Buffalo, alongside other prized species such as Cape Bushbuck, Cape Kudu, and Blue Duiker.
The future of safari hunting in Africa faces formidable challenges. Zambia and Botswana have closed their doors to hunting, while Zimbabwe grapples with land distribution and poaching. However, South Africa stands as a beacon of success, demonstrating how private ownership of wildlife and land can lead to population recovery and genetic diversity of many species, including Sable antelope whose numbers were reduced to mere hundreds in the 1980s only to recover to many thousands in private hands.
Tootabi Valley Safaris has been hosting clients across Southern Africa for over three decades, crafting unforgettable hunting experiences.
REFERENCES
JAKE ROWDEN
“Hunting with Tootabi Valley Safaris is a
wonderful experience from beginning to end.
Beans sets you up for success even before you get to Africa. All my entry paperwork was waiting when I landed, getting through customs was a breeze. I wanted to hunt for several different species during my 2-week safari. I was not disappointed. Beans scouted out every trophy from Kudu to Warthog and knows all the habits of each animal.”
REMI WARREN
“Beans is an incredible professional hunter.
He has a vast knowledge of the animals and always goes above and beyond to make sure you have a great experience. You may arrive as a client, but you will definitely leave as a friend. His attention to detail and skill in the field as a hunter goes above and beyond.
If anyone is interested in hunting in Africa, I always recommend Tootabi Valley Safaris because I know they will have the trip of a lifetime.”
SCOTT SHEPERD
“Beans has been a familiar name around my house for almost 10 years. My wife had made two trips to South Africa with her family in years past to hunt, and no one could tell a story about Beans without a smile and a laugh. I recently had the privilege to experience hunting with him firsthand
and all I can say is I can’t wait to go back! He knows more about each animal than I could imagine, he knows their habits, their history and their weaknesses.”
TOOTABI VALLEY SAFARIS
Tootabi Valley Safaris offers year round hunts, specializing is custom experiences throughout Southern Africa. We provide unique opportunities for hunting Africa’s Big Five, other rare and endemic species for collectors and plains game trophies. Custom wing shooting packages are tailored for clients who seek to collect the rich variety of bird species that Africa offers including guineafowl, water fowl and diverse array of doves and pigeons.
