Travel to Namibia

[slam8031]

I too flew Dulles via Ethiopian Air. No complaints. Under 24 hours total travel both ways. I have also done the ATL to JNB and overnight then on to Windhoek. Both were good for me.

 

[UKHunter]

I go in May and am travelling London to Frankfurt to Windhoek.

 

[Mountaineer]

I just returned yesterday from Namibia using Ethiopian Air through ADD. Layovers are tight both directions (approximately 1.5 hours). It’s a rat race, but after sitting for 14 hours who cares. Us and all our luggage made it both directions. I would offer two tips - sit as close to the front of the plane as possible (I have been upgrading to row 11) and when you step off the plane if there isn’t someone standing there with your name start telling the first person with a green coat you need to verify your weapon.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have a trip to Namibia in the back of my mind. Spoke with a outfit from Namibia at a hunting show recently and it has perked my interest. I have a safari booked in another country in 2025 so it would be after that before I could go.
I am just curious as to travel routes and time to get to Namibia from the east coast of the US.

@62flint
The only concern travelling to Namibia is if you have minor children travelling with you. You will need their birth certificate and letters from the non accompanying parents to say it's ok. You even need the birth certificate if you have both parents with them
Namibia I a beautiful country and has some big oryx/ gemsbok. 39 inches plus isn't uncommon on the bulls where we hunted.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Im here now (Namibia) and fly US to Frankfurt, grab lunch in town, then Frankfurt to WIndhoek. Of course our drive is another 8 hours from Windhoek which kind of sucks

@Jason Miller
Fortunately we only had a bit over two hours to our first property in the edge of the Kalahari.
Are you doing Etosha national park. Well worth a couple of nights there and the Okahanja markets are with a look. Nankara tannery is a good place to buy leather goods and skins a great prices
Anyone visiting Windhoek has to do Joes Beer Garden. It's an institution for hunters and brilliant food.
Bob

 

[harmon756]

Just returning from a hunt today. I took United through Newark. Then airlink from South Africa to Windhoek. I’ll take the route again. Overnight in Johannesburg on way there. Then a few hour layover in Cape Town on way back. Newark was much easier with a gun than I thought. Only small inconvenience is you have to recheck your rifle in South Africa both times even when checked through.

I'm flying on United and Airlink to Windhoek next week (Dulles - Cape Town - Windhoek) also with a few hour layover in Cape Town. Is Cape Town the same as Johannesburg where we will have to recheck our rifles in CPT? How does that work and how will we know we have to recheck them? This is my first time flying though SA so want to make sure I know what to expect.

 

[375er]

I'm flying on United and Airlink to Windhoek next week (Dulles - Cape Town - Windhoek) also with a few hour layover in Cape Town. Is Cape Town the same as Johannesburg where we will have to recheck our rifles in CPT? How does that work and how will we know we have to recheck them? This is my first time flying though SA so want to make sure I know what to expect.

How did you book your flights? Agent should know the answer.

 

[Mountaineer]

I have flown Windhoek- Johannesburg - Dulles and had my guns and bags checked all the way through. You do have to get approval a head of time to take firearms on Airlink. Gravy’s Travel handled that for me.

 

[analog_peninsula]

I did the dfw-Doha-wdh thing on Qatar last time, and thought it was the least bad way to make the trip. I’m sorry to see that option disappear, as it was a great way to avoid the SA firearms import process.

 

[375Ruger416]

I’m doing Calgary-Frankfurt-Windhoek in September with my wife on Lufthansa. Booked with Travel Express. Not many options from western Canada though…

 

[375Fox]

I'm flying on United and Airlink to Windhoek next week (Dulles - Cape Town - Windhoek) also with a few hour layover in Cape Town. Is Cape Town the same as Johannesburg where we will have to recheck our rifles in CPT? How does that work and how will we know we have to recheck them? This is my first time flying though SA so want to make sure I know what to expect.

I’m not sure there is a definitive answer. On way through Johannesburg I expected to collect my gun since I was overnighting and did as usual but my bag with ammo automatically transferred to airlink. On way back I only had a shorter layover in Cape Town and expected my bags to go to United automatically. I couldn’t get a clear answer so I waited at baggage claim and gun office to make sure my bags never arrived there. They didn’t and when I asked airlink rep they said it would all transfer over, made sense to me. About 1.5 hour before my flight I heard my name on loudspeaker to go to gate. They said I should have collected my guns off the airlink flight. They had me sit and wait and then had the gun and ammo brought to me to go through normal permit and signature process. Because I was only transiting through South Africa and had my final destination on bag tags I was not expecting to need to claim gun. My checked bag (no ammo this time) was automatically transferred. I’m not sure the answer but I would say assume you may need to collect gun and ask at airport as quickly as you can to give yourself some time if you need to. Cape Town does appear a very functional airport though. Everyone there seems to do their job much better than at Johannesburg from the little I saw.

 

[375Fox]

How did you book your flights? Agent should know the answer.

I’m not sure there is a clear answer yet since it’s a newer route with guns. I gave agent my feedback so she could look into further for the next client.

 

[harmon756]

I’m not sure there is a definitive answer. On way through Johannesburg I expected to collect my gun since I was overnighting and did as usual but my bag with ammo automatically transferred to airlink. On way back I only had a shorter layover in Cape Town and expected my bags to go to United automatically. I couldn’t get a clear answer so I waited at baggage claim and gun office to make sure my bags never arrived there. They didn’t and when I asked airlink rep they said it would all transfer over, made sense to me. About 1.5 hour before my flight I heard my name on loudspeaker to go to gate. They said I should have collected my guns off the airlink flight. They had me sit and wait and then had the gun and ammo brought to me to go through normal permit and signature process. Because I was only transiting through South Africa and had my final destination on bag tags I was not expecting to need to claim gun. My checked bag (no ammo this time) was automatically transferred. I’m not sure the answer but I would say assume you may need to collect gun and ask at airport as quickly as you can to give yourself some time if you need to. Cape Town does appear a very functional airport though. Everyone there seems to do their job much better than at Johannesburg from the little I saw.

Thanks for the detailed response! I'm starting to understand that things there can be dynamic and should just be prepared for anything. I'll be sure to ask as soon as we land.

 

[harmon756]

I’m not sure there is a clear answer yet since it’s a newer route with guns. I gave agent my feedback so she could look into further for the next client.

We booked our flights ourselves as most of the group has been to Namibia multiple times. Of course they haven't been in 10 years and don't remember to idiosyncrasies of traveling through SA.

 

[TxHunter55]

I am currently looking at going to Namibia for the first time next year and looking at logistics as well. For those that have gone from the states and through JNB did you have a flight plan with Windhoek as your final destination or 2 separate tickets. I am looking at flying w/ points from the states to JNB and then having another flight ticket from JNB to Windhoek and the same in reverse on the way back. Has anyone done it this way and if so how much of a hassle is it. I am assuming you would have to go through customs, have passport stamped in JNB and then go back through security to board flight form JNB to Windhoek. I will also be traveling with archery equipment which I'm assuming wont change much?

 

[375er]

I am currently looking at going to Namibia for the first time next year and looking at logistics as well. For those that have gone from the states and through JNB did you have a flight plan with Windhoek as your final destination or 2 separate tickets. I am looking at flying w/ points from the states to JNB and then having another flight ticket from JNB to Windhoek and the same in reverse on the way back. Has anyone done it this way and if so how much of a hassle is it. I am assuming you would have to go through customs, have passport stamped in JNB and then go back through security to board flight form JNB to Windhoek. I will also be traveling with archery equipment which I'm assuming wont change much?

Easy enough to do and yes you will be switching airlines so different tickets. Contact Travelexpress on here and it will be smooth sailing.

 

[Doubleplay]

If anybody wants to save money I would highly suggest not flying with United or Delta to JNB specially flying business class.
They are the only non stop flights of of US and they take full advantage of that.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

I’m flying Business Class to Namibia in July and heading through Frankfurt and on to Windhoek on Lufthansa.
11 1/2 hours to Frankfurt
6 hour layover
10 1/2 hours to Windhoek

Same flights back with only 3 hour layover.

HH