Is retiring to Africa a wise decision?

[Mark A Ouellette]

As I near retirement I am considering a lot of options. None of them are to grow old in a climate such as that which makes every joint in my body ache with every approaching storm. Let’s face it, winters in Michigan or any northern state are painful for most who are over 60! I am now paying for my youthful athletic indiscretions...

Aside from buying a game farm in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, or other “stable” sun-Saharan African country, are there any options to invest as a shareholder into a ranch, game farm, or other safe animal land where one could live most of the year and at times hunt a few animals?

 

[WAB]

Mark, with your connections, Zambia seems like a logical choice. Why don’t you PM @spikeT and see how he has managed it?

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Mark, with your connections, Zambia seems like a logical choice. Why don’t you PM @spikeT and see how he has managed it?

Thanks, I sure Mike with be along soon... He and his lovely, charming bride were at my wife and my formal Zambian wedding. If I even become remotely serious about such an endeavor, I will probably arrange a face to face conversation with Mike.

Presently I am looking for input pro and con. Brainstorming if you will...
I don't do anything without a backup plan. For now, I am simply gathering information and perhaps additional contacts.

 

[HankBuck]

As I near retirement I am considering a lot of options. None of them are to grow old in a climate such as that which makes every joint in my body ache with every approaching storm. Let’s face it, winters in Michigan or any northern state are painful for most who are over 60! I am now paying for my youthful athletic indiscretions...

Aside from buying a game farm in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, or other “stable” sun-Saharan African country, are there any options to invest as a shareholder into a ranch, game farm, or other safe animal land where one could live most of the year and at times hunt a few animals?

You pose a Very thoughtful question and one that I’ve considered - not Africa specifically but living somewhere that I “connect with” for hunting & outdoors. Regarding Africa my initial questions (after where’s the best Hunting & cost of living) would be: Close access to advanced medical care and Political stability. I’m leery of any country that has changed names in the last 100 years or changed/revalued currency. Since I have grown children and family in the U.S. - I could never leave permanently (would miss them too much) but would consider extended travel.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Mark, I like your thinking. Why don’t they have retirement hunting communities. Where you belong to a Co-Op of sorts. Where you get discounts or draw for a hunting opportunity.

Similar to a golf or plane flying community.

Heck, I have joked about going over there as free labor for room and board.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Every future retiree runs in to the same question, is there good health care available and nearby? Retirement to the boondocks always looks good until one gets sick.

 

[WAB]

We gave this great thought when we lived in Alaska. Alaska is tempting for retirement, but in our analysis, did not have what we needed. In summary:

Climate: are there seasonal weather extremes that would impede your ability to enjoy the outdoors?

Outdoors: do you have reasonable access to the activities you love?

Medical: this is a big one. We all face health issues as we age. Will you have access to the required care?

Senior Services: fairly self explanatory. They either exist or they don’t. In Alaska they don’t.

People: are the culture and the people ones that you will enjoy? We are from Canada. Alaskan and Southern culture suit is fine. The eastern seaboard and California would be no go zone for us.

We ended up on a farm in Alabama. We traded inhospitable winter weather for inhospitable summer weather.

My financial advisor has a client who lives very well in Romania on modest means. We have friends who are considering Majorca. There are many answers, you are asking the right question.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Great idea! Namibia has some restrictions on foreign land ownership and I’m guessing other countries do too. Might need a local 51% partner.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I read articles and watch a lot of YouTube videos on retiring. There is a lot of information about retiring to Central America, Spain, and other places where a couple could live very well on their savings.
Why not sub-Saharan Africa?

Medical care is a big one. Hmmm, a couple months ago my wife's mother had to go to the ER in Lusaka. The "public" hospital option was a non-starter. We sent her to a private hospital where she was put in intensive care for a few days, had a CAT scan, and other tests. Mother in law is doing pretty good now. The total hospital bill was around $1000.

Medical evacuation insurance is probably a good idea in case needed medical care isn't available. If one is 80 years old, will a company still offer evac insurance?

 

[Tanks]

One thing to think about in regard to retirement is access to speedy and quality medical care.

 

[TarponBum]

This is a super interesting topic…. Especially with the booming population in Africa and changing political atmosphere..

 

[Doubleplay]

We ponder this question a lot as we're very close to retirement.
Hunting aside there are a lot of nice and interesting places in the World to live as a retiree than here,
US unfortunately became a place where you get less and less for your money unless you don't care about money and very wealthy. Obviously if you have no yardstick to compare you probably won't know but I'm assuming most people here are well traveled and aware.
One solution is to find a place where you can live part time and spend 5-6 months there when the weather is better and then come back to your permanent residence.
As an example if you live in the South where Summers are becoming unbearable spend Summers in South hemisphere like Namibia, Botswana, Argentina etc.. and Winter back home.
Doing that you can pick a different country every year and have options.
Also your financial commitment will be zero if there are problems.
As far as Heath care I don't see it as an issue unless you need something very specialized and immediate.
For basic health care most countries mentioned above are very good and it's extremely affordable even when you pay out of pocket and doctors spend time with you unlike here.
Food for thought.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Spain is good all around for an expat retirement

 

[HankBuck]

We ponder this question a lot as we're very close to retirement.
Hunting aside there are a lot of nice and interesting places in the World to live as a retiree than here,
US unfortunately became a place where you get less and less for your money unless you don't care about money and very wealthy. Obviously if you have no yardstick to compare you probably won't know but I'm assuming most people here are well traveled and aware.
One solution is to find a place where you can live part time and spend 5-6 months there when the weather is better and then come back to your permanent residence.
As an example if you live in the South where Summers are becoming unbearable spend Summers in South hemisphere like Namibia, Botswana, Argentina etc.. and Winter back home.
Doing that you can pick a different country every year and have options.
Also your financial commitment will be zero if there are problems.
As far as Heath care I don't see it as an issue unless you need something very specialized and immediate.
For basic health care most countries mentioned above are very good and it's extremely affordable even when you pay out of pocket and doctors spend time with you unlike here.
Food for thought.

Doubleplay you make good points and especially like your approach to dealing with unfavorable climate - pick your Season & “Hemisphere” and you can keep your favorite seasons Year Round. I think your comment on Health Care “don’t see it as an issue unless you need something specialized & immediate” misses the concerns of many. No one needs Health Care “unless” something specialized or immediate arises. and then - Healthcare becomes the MOST Important thing in our life. I don’t live my life in a constant state of worry and “what if” but I do accept the reality that at some point - Health Care will become critical and that can be either with advanced warning —- or complete surprise. While I don’t want to live my life around “what might happen” - I’d hate to die sooner then my destiny over something “stupid” - like an infection, virus, broken bone etc.. all often easily cured with “prompt & proper” medical attention. I realize this concern limits my options to go some places that I would LOVE to live in - it is a dilemma and one that some people may be willing to take the risk — for the reward of Living their Dream....I admire them

 

[spike.t]

Mark as you know there are private hospitals here, and there is medical insurance you can get . One of the hospitals at least has its own medical aid scheme with one ofvthe big insurance companies....you can get medical insurance for medevac to hospitals outside of here, but from memory it's around usd 3000 a year...but was while ago when I looked so might be wrong...as for getting a shareholding in a ranch I would have thought might be a possibility, but think would need to ask around....and depends on what your budget is

 

[PARA45]

My parents built their retirement home in Nicaragua, in the same town my brothers, sister and I were born. They go and spend 2-3 months at a time, and come back to the US for medical checkups. Med treatment there is mediocre at best.

My parents do not hunt, or fish. Hunting is so, so for big game, but great for ducks and birds, unless you go to the Atlantic coast, and that brings a boatload of other issues. Fishing is fantastic, especially on the South Pacific coast, great for rooster fish, tuna, marlin and sails.

The political climate there is so, so. Don’t get involved in politics, and you’ll be fine.

They have a modest size home, of prob 2000 sq ft, with about an acre of land. The house is paid off, and for roughly $1000 a month, they have two maids, a gardener, security, food, and utilities.

Unfortunately it’s not Africa.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

@spike.t I am brainstorming this.
Shareholder(s) in a gamefarm or other operation?
As another mentioned, perhaps something like a golf community?
What are the possibilities?

@PARA45 Yes something like your parents have but in Africa would be an option.

 

[abnhog]

@spike.t I am brainstorming this.
Shareholder(s) in a gamefarm or other operation?
As another mentioned, perhaps something like a golf community?
What are the possibilities?

@PARA45 Yes something like your parents have but in Africa would be an option.

I’m currently eligible to retire and would love to spend part of the year in Southern Africa. I thought about building a chalet to keep my trophies (save on getting them sent to the US and a place to put the ones that can’t be imported to the US). I have talked with some outfitters about building and they can use the chalet when I’m not around and in return someone would look after it for me.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

At the top of my recommendation would be to buy into a hunting ranch operation near Hoedspruit South Africa. Why?
1. It is a civilized country.
2. Excellent health care.
3. Good internet.
4. Very well stocked shops, you can get anything.
5. Enough wild to give you the Africa experience.
6. The game operations are fenced, you are safe in there.
7. Excellent air services from Johannesburg to most centres in the country, including Hoedspruit.
8. Hoedspruit is near Kruger Park, it is warm.
9. Cost of living is reasonable.

It is difficult to get a residence permit, but I believe there is an investment to retire option.

 

[Doubleplay]

Doubleplay you make good points and especially like your approach to dealing with unfavorable climate - pick your Season & “Hemisphere” and you can keep your favorite seasons Year Round. I think your comment on Health Care “don’t see it as an issue unless you need something specialized & immediate” misses the concerns of many. No one needs Health Care “unless” something specialized or immediate arises. and then - Healthcare becomes the MOST Important thing in our life. I don’t live my life in a constant state of worry and “what if” but I do accept the reality that at some point - Health Care will become critical and that can be either with advanced warning —- or complete surprise. While I don’t want to live my life around “what might happen” - I’d hate to die sooner then my destiny over something “stupid” - like an infection, virus, broken bone etc.. all often easily cured with “prompt & proper” medical attention. I realize this concern limits my options to go some places that I would LOVE to live in - it is a dilemma and one that some people may be willing to take the risk — for the reward of Living their Dream....I admire them

I don't know if you have ever received medical care in anywhere outside US in your life for what you call "Stupid" like infection, virus or broken bone?
I did in many countries in private institutions and trust me the care was at least par and some cases was better than here for 1/5th of the price and this is coming from someone who's daughter in law is board certified internal medicine physician here in US. US basic heath care is very overrated and not as good as people think because of various reasons...