EC HUNTING SAFARIS
HUNTING REVIEWS
Bill Clayton
Rapid City, South Dakota
(1-605-863-0109)
I hunted with Marius Eygelaar and Bernard “Bessie” Bester at EC Hunting Safaris in July 2024. We used the facilities at Lakeside Private Reserve, outside Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape of South Africa for my hunt. The facilities, food, and service were top-notch; clean, comfortable, and with everything you need to make your stay comfortable! I have known Bessie for several years and hunted with him in other places twice previously. Meeting and hunting with someone new can make for a nervous start, but Marius immediately made me feel right at home as we discussed various hunting strategies and joked like old buddies. We quickly became good friends and frequently share stories of hunting adventures, reloading, and gunsmithing projects from opposite sides of the globe. Bessie and I have remained in constant contact ever since we first met. I can honestly call both of these fine gentlemen good friends! EC Hunting Safaris has access to a multitude of quality trophy animals. Even after 3 very successful previous trips to South Africa, I took 5 really nice trophy plains game animals with them! Marius and Bessie guided me to a great trophy Warthog that eclipses the one I already had on my wall! This was a dream come true for me. I also took a wonderful White-Flanked impala, the first of this rare species I had ever seen! I got a bonus Caracal, an elusive cat most hunters never get to see, much less shoot! My most memorable moments were on a night hunt with a great rifle and thermal scope that allowed me to take two wonderful Black-Backed Jackal, an animal I had wanted for years! I must add, EC Safaris has quality rifles for hire, if you don’t want to bring your own or need one for a special purpose, as I did! The biggest plus I can mention about hunting with Marius and Bessie is that they have access to several other hunting areas to meet your trophy needs and desires! So many PHs are locked into a single property, which can really limit your trophy choices. EC Hunting Safaris is ready to work with you and help you plan your hunt of a lifetime! They will go out of their way to meet your every need and every trophy request! Get with them. You’ll be glad you did! I sure was!
Coenraad Stassen
Cofounder
Highland Field Company, Michigan USA
An Unforgettable Safari with EC Hunting Safaris.
I recently had the opportunity to hunt in the Eastern Cape of South Africa with EC Hunting Safaris. From beginning to end, it was a first-class experience.
This was a safari I will never forget. I was fortunate enough to harvest a Cape Eland, Eastern Cape Kudu, Nyala, Bushbuck, two Impalas and a warthog, which allowed me to complete the sought-after Spiral slam.
Every hunt brought its own challenges and memories that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
What really made this trip special was the people. The entire team worked together to make sure we had an outstanding experience both in the field and back at the lodge.
My professional hunters, Marius and Uncle Sid, were excellent.
Their knowledge, professionalism, patience, and sense of humor made every day in the field enjoyable. Having both with me has added all the experience you need to be successful.
Our tracker Tero worked extremely hard every day and was amazing at his craft. His dedication, tracking ability, and determination played a big part in my success.
The amount of work that goes into caping, butchering and preserving the animal is a true art and trust me when I say you need skilled hands to handle this for you.
Thank you Tero and everyone from Trumpetters Drift for all your hard work.
Esme from Veld & Paw Productions followed me throughout the entire hunt, filming everything from the beginning of the day through each successful hunt. Having the safari professionally documented is something I will truly appreciate for years to come. Esme captured not only the harvests, but the stalks, the anticipation, and the many moments that made the trip memorable. I highly recommend getting Esme to film your adventure.
Our stay at Lakeside Safaris was first class. The attention to detail was evident every day. Laundry was done daily, and coolers were packed each morning with snacks and drinks for the day in the field.
Uncle Sid prepared the daily lunch Braai, which became one of the highlights of the trip. It was also where we would meet up with the other hunters and their PH’s.
We would sit down together, share stories about our morning hunts, talk about what everyone had seen and enjoy a great meal.
Those lunches created a real sense of camaraderie among everyone at camp.
Back at the lodge, Chef Michael kept us well fed with excellent, South African inspired meals, while Tiaan was our all-around stud and grill master. The food, hospitality, and atmosphere after a long day of hunting were exactly what you hope for on an African Safari.
To Marius, Uncle Sid, Esme, Michael, Tiaan, Tero and everyone at EC Hunting Safaris- Thank you for a fantastic safari and memories that will last a lifetime.
Great Hunting, great people, first-class service, and experience I would highly recommend to anyone considering an African Safari. I’m already looking forward to the next one.
John Gallagher
Highland Field Company
I hunted the Eastern Cape in March 2026 with EC Hunting Safaris and Marius Eygelaar, staying at Lakeside near Grahamstown. Representing Highland Field Company, I was looking for an operation we could stand behind — and this team delivered from the first morning.
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Lakeside delivered on every front that matters after a day in the veld: solid amenities, excellent food, and staff who were warm, capable, and genuinely glad you were there. It felt looked after, not processed.
EC Hunting Safaris kept game in front of us and ran a professional, accommodating operation from start to finish. No wasted motion. They adjusted when the country asked for it and always kept cool about it.
Esme (Veld and Paw) was an outstanding addition to the team. She filmed the whole arc of the day — morning coffee at the lodge through army-crawling the brush — then turned that footage into reels, videos, and stills with real craft. Those are images and cuts you actually want to share.
My PH, Bernard “Bessy” Bester, was the utmost gentleman. Good conversation, patient, and genuinely supportive when the hunt got tight. We had a successful hunt in the country around Grahamstown.
Five stars across the board. I would book this team again without hesitation.
