How much more difficult or longer is it to get to Namibia from the USA than the EC of South Africa?

[Dbrown4183]

Hopefully this Covid mess will be behind us shortly and we will all be able to get back to hunting overseas.
We had a trip planned for South Africa that was cancelled due to Covid. We are rescheduling that when things are ok.

My question is how much more difficult or longer is it to get to Namibia fron the USA than it is to the Eastern Cape of South Africa? Are firearms a bigger issue? Now the domestic flights inside SA have become troublesome I wonder if it is the same travelling to Namibia. Also what are the basic cost differences? Are hunting trips similar in cost or on the average more expensive in Namibia?

I have hunted South Africa several times and am looking to explore something new.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Hopefully this Covid mess will be behind us shortly and we will all be able to get back to hunting overseas.
We had a trip planned for South Africa that was cancelled due to Covid. We are rescheduling that when things are ok.

My question is how much more difficult or longer is it to get to Namibia fron the USA than it is to the Eastern Cape of South Africa? Are firearms a bigger issue? Now the domestic flights inside SA have become troublesome I wonder if it is the same travelling to Namibia. Also what are the basic cost differences? Are hunting trips similar in cost or on the average more expensive in Namibia?

I have hunted South Africa several times and am looking to explore something new.

Sorry to hear about your delayed trip.
The difference in flying to Namibia as compared to flying to the Eastern Cape is probably one hour longer to Namibia, so pretty much nothing to write home about.
Namibia are generally easier compared to Johannesburg, as far as firearms are concerned, but flying through Johannesburg, you will need to deal with them in any ways, since you will need to clear your firearms in JHB. Unless you fly to Germany, and then fly directly to Windhoek from there and skip transiting through South Africa entirely.

As far as costs are concerned, it is impossible to say. It will entirely depend on the Outfitter that you choose. It is however important to state that you need to compare apples with apples in both countries. Both Namibia and the Eastern Cape can offer you wonderful experiences. Namibia is a great destination, but you can also not compare the Eastern Cape with anything else you have seen in South Africa.

Good luck with your choice and your research.

Take Care,
Marius Goosen

 

[375Fox]

Flying to Namibia is just as easy as flying anywhere in South Africa. Namibia gun permit is very simple as well issued in 15 minutes on arrival. The costs are +/- the same from my experience, but you’ll see certain trophies like kudu, gemsbok, eland that are common in Namibia are usually cheaper. You’ll notice right away in Namibia there are a lot less people and a lot more space, it’s a good country to hunt in.

 

[YancyW]

Flying into and out of Windhoek was very easy, but I connected through Johannesburg. So I'm not sure it would have been any more effort or time connecting to the EC. I would say there isn't enought difference to worry about.

 

[wesheltonj]

Just fly Qatar to Windhoek and skip the JNB airport and shake down.

 

[MarkCZ]

We have hunted SA Eastern cape previously but the last 3 times it has been Namibia.
Pro,s no hold ups at Jo,berg going through the firearms details (can take hours) you can pay someone £70 just to get them to do their job. If you email your firearms details to Namibia in advance you can clear the process in about 5 minutes. if you dont it could take 15 minutes.
less people , more wilderness and the place is heaving with animals roaming free, just driving from the airport you have baboons, warthog, oryx etc all over.
I have found the people more friendly and generally happy.
Most of the animals are a bit cheaper to hunt but what I like is the fact that there is very little high fence, all bar one place I have hunted are not fenced and you just never know what you are going to see.
I will always hunt in Namibia, love the place.
MarkCZ

 

[Hogpatrol]

Just fly Qatar to Windhoek and skip the JNB airport and shake down.

Where do you catch the Qatar flight to Windhoek without a stop in Joburg? I checked a PHL departure and there are two stops, one in Doha and the second in Joburg.


Somewhat OT but for those contemplating Nambia, you may want to read this thread.

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...otas-cut-80-due-to-drought.55694/#post-643132

 

[jasyblood]

Where do you catch the Qatar flight to Windhoek without a stop in Joburg? I checked a PHL departure and there are two stops, one in Doha and the second in Joburg.

I seem to remember that they used to fly to direct from Doha to Windoek 7 days a week. However, after looking at their website, it appears that they only fly direct to Windhoek on certain days of the week now.

 

[Dirtdart]

If you are going to the Caprivi you will have to change airports in Windhoek to get to Katima. It is almost impossible to do arrive in Windhoek and get to Katima in the same day without a private charter. Plan on spending the night and catching a flight to Katima the next day if the Caprivi is your destination.
The paperwork required for your hunting firearms in Namibia is not near the hassle as in RSA. It is important to me to use my personal hunting rifles when hunting and that SAPs BS paperwork is the main reason I avoid RSA as a hunting destination.

 

[375Fox]

Where do you catch the Qatar flight to Windhoek without a stop in Joburg? I checked a PHL departure and there are two stops, one in Doha and the second in Joburg.


Somewhat OT but for those contemplating Nambia, you may want to read this thread.

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...otas-cut-80-due-to-drought.55694/#post-643132

Quotas being cut only applied to communal conservancies with government issued quotas that were already previously low. It has no effect on private land which is the majority of hunting being done.

 

[wesheltonj]

Where do you catch the Qatar flight to Windhoek without a stop in Joburg? I checked a PHL departure and there are two stops, one in Doha and the second in Joburg. . . .

Look at Google flights, right now it looks like they are only flying on Tuesdays. But later in the year the flight frequency picks up.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Look at Google flights, right now it looks like they are only flying on Tuesdays. But later in the year the flight frequency picks up.

I can't find any flights that go to Windhoek from the U.S. without a stop in JNB. As an aside, Google flights is still listing SAA flying.

 

[JGRaider]

Dallas to WDH, 9 hr layover, then straight to WDH without J'Burg.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Dallas to WDH, 9 hr layover, then straight to WDH without J'Burg.

What airline?

 

[Beretta391]

Qatar

 

[Hogpatrol]

Qatar

Just checked, those Qatar flights from DFW stop Doha, then Joburg. I'm starting to think the old schedules and routes are going to change. I can find flights that bypass Joburg but at the expense of multiple stops, layovers and changing airlines and also at considerable more costs.

Ethiopian out of Dulles if one has the time, 36 hrs and two stops, one in Frankfurt and one in Addis Ababa

 

[Beretta391]

We flew Dfw to Doha to Windhoek February 2019. Not sure what they have now. We were supposed to fly Dfw-Doha-Johannesburg for hunt this year but Qatar cancelled the flight quite a while back. Who knows what they will have after this COVID stuff is over

 

[wesheltonj]

https://www.google.com/flights/?hl=en#flt=DOH.WDH.2020-07-07*WDH.DOH.2020-07-14;c:USD;e:1;sd:1;t:f

 

[Ryan]

I hunted Namibia twice, in '13 and '16. My flights went through Frankfurt direct to Windhoek from there. At the time firearms transitting Frankfurt was a breeze and into Namibia was simple, no charges with a simple form. Now, who knows if Frankfurt is happening, plus they have a transit permit now which was not prompt for me in February/March just as Covid-19 sent it all spinning. Costs of hunts is going to vary. I've had great, very reasonable ones in both in Namibia and the East Cape, just gotta look. There's a lot of unknowns right now.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Don't know where they get that price but you can pick up a leg to Doha through JFK for a lot less money round trip to Windhoek. I would surmise, Qatar is going to get a lot more business after the price hikes at Delta.