KLM begins flights to Windhoek in October

[JES Adventures]

A nice option for travel to Namibia, not direct though as there is a stop in Luande.
From Amsterdam Tuesday's, Friday's and Sunday's. Return from Windhoek Wednesday's, Saturday's and Monday's

http://allafrica.com/stories/201608240935.html

 

[CAustin]

I like it because they are partners with Delta!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@JGRaider

 

[sierraone]

How far in hours is this airport from the primary hunting areas? Do you need another flight or can you drive in a reasonable amount of time?

 

[JGRaider]

Outstanding.....I think?

 

[Hank2211]

Just remember that Schiphol Airport has some pretty strict rules about things like transit permits for firearms and ammunition, as well as complete bans on such things as broad head arrows and folding knives, if you can believe it.

Personally, I'll give my business to the Germans, who had some dumb rules, but realized they were dumb, and got rid of them.

 

[JES Adventures]

How far in hours is this airport from the primary hunting areas? Do you need another flight or can you drive in a reasonable amount of time?

Arriving at 12:15 I believe you will be able to clear customs with rifles and make it to most camps the same day

 

[JES Adventures]

Just remember that Schiphol Airport has some pretty strict rules about things like transit permits for firearms and ammunition, as well as complete bans on such things as broad head arrows and folding knives, if you can believe it.

Personally, I'll give my business to the Germans, who had some dumb rules, but realized they were dumb, and got rid of them.

I used KLM to Arusha a couple years back with no problems transiting Schipol with guns, ammo and knife. I use Steve Turner - Travel With Guns and they handled all the documents for me.

 

[sierraone]

Just remember that Schiphol Airport has some pretty strict rules about things like transit permits for firearms and ammunition, as well as complete bans on such things as broad head arrows and folding knives, if you can believe it.

Personally, I'll give my business to the Germans, who had some dumb rules, but realized they were dumb, and got rid of them.

Agree Hank, the last I read maybe two months ago, is it takes 6-8 weeks just to get a transit permit for rifles. If you go this route, rent a rifle and avoid this BS. What the hell does a transit permit accomplished if you are never going to touch or even see the rifles?

 

[Philip Glass]

How far in hours is this airport from the primary hunting areas? Do you need another flight or can you drive in a reasonable amount of time?

Sierraone,
Aru Game Lodge is 1 hour drive from WDH airport. Pretty cool!
Many others are a few hours away. Caprivi is accessed by a domestic flight to Katima (domestic airport about an hours drive from International airport). Of course charter flights are available anywhere. I've been through all these scenarios. I love Namibia but won't likely be flying KLM due to Amsterdam not being gun friendly.

Regards,
Philip

 

[Red Leg]

Namibia is a big country. A number of game farms are within three hours of Windhoek. Most of the free range ranch and conservancy hunting begins about mid-way up - say a five to six-hour drive. Most of the DG game hunting (with the exception of leopard) is in the Caprivi Strip, which typically takes a follow-on flight. I have flown the Frankfurt-Windhoek route a couple of times before and much prefer it to transiting Jo'burg. The Windhoek leg is on Air Namibia so a KLM alternative would be a nice.

 

[pinotguy]

Will let folks know how things go as I am headed to Namibia next month on Condor. Will be taking a somewhat similar route through Germany as Air Namibia - Frankfurt/Windhoek (going) and Windhoek/Munich (returning).

The KLM route does not seem appealing to me. The Dutch rifle transit permit process is lengthy and cumbersome and that layover, albeit brief, in Angola (both ways) has the potential to be problematic, imo. Does Angola require a transit permit for firearms?

Still holding out hope for a direct flight from the eastern U.S. to Windhoek. It seems unlikely but you never know.

 

[johnnyblues]

Yep they'll took you to Namibia but not some trophies...

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The stop in Luanda would be an eye opening experiece for many. I worked in Angola for 5+years and the scenery at the airport is interesting, an airplane boneyard with lots of old Russian & US type aircraft. Depending on how long you are on the ground in Luanda, this may or may not be a good flight option.

 

[DaneNav]

I'm here in Angola now. No the airport is not what we are used to elsewhere but if it's a quick stopover flight, they may not ask you to deplane. There are no ramps to and from the gates, they have stinky busses. Airport is not the greatest but it's better than Lagos and a million times better than Port Harcourt.

 

[sestoppelman]

Much as I dislike the long flight to Jo and then on to WDK from there, its probably easier all in all than this KLM route at least for us in the states. I did the KLM from NY to Sch in 1985 on the way to Tanzania and back then the guns were not that big of a deal to them. My wife and I spent about a half day there touring around Amsterdam and doing a canal boat ride etc. pretty cool. The flight to Africa was a junket run, with stops at Vienna, and Khartoum before getting to Kilimanjaro. Back in the days of smoking flights too and I had only just quit that nasty habit a couple years previous and was still pretty much in 'hate all smokers' mode. Lori at Express Travel is of the opinion that the JO route is still probably the best option, especially with the long layover in Frankfurt on the German route.

 

[CAustin]

I was initially excited about this but seems like there are a lot of issues to deal with. That said it would seem to get you to Namibia faster that ATL to JNB overnight then fly to Windhoek the following day.

 

[pinotguy]

Old thread revival but just noticed that Euro Wings (low cost carrier affiliated with Lufthansa) is starting non-stop seasonal service to Windhoek from Cologne this Summer (July). Really attractive fares +/- $500 from CGN to WDH. They also operate from a few U.S. airports so, depending on flights, you could get to Namibia for less than $1K round trip. It may cost a little more if you have to connect to Las Vegas, Seattle, Miami, or Orlando. They will transport firearms (50 Euro each way). That fee is annoying and you would have to deal with the pesky German transit permit but it is another option for getting to Namibia while avoiding RSA or the Middle East.

 

[sierraone]

Unless recently changed, any flight/passenger transiting through Amsterdam with firearms require a gun transit permit with a 8 week lead time.

 

[CAustin]

Good to know @sierraone