US Travel Bans/Restrictions South Africa

[Fastrig]

Sir, most cities in South Africa have a testing center. Your outfitter should be taking care of you. Worst case scenario is that you will need to give up a morning hunt an get the test two days before your departure date. Your PH will take you to the location for the test. Let them send the results to his phone, then he can forward it to you. ( Might be a good idea to download Signal or Whatsapp)

Thank you very much!! I spoke with my PH and he assured me getting the covid test won't be an issue. Very excited for my first trip to Africa and praying our new president doesn't shut travel down to SA.

 

[machinistbutler]

Does your health insurance cover you if you did get covid and have to be hospitalized?

I wonder with all these darn travel restrictions if they would try and find a way out of it.

If you did have to isolate for two weeks is there a place to store your rifles, or can they stay with you in isolation?

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Thank you very much!! I spoke with my PH and he assured me getting the covid test won't be an issue. Very excited for my first trip to Africa and praying our new president doesn't shut travel down to SA.

Great news. Thank you for still planning on making the trip. Africa needs you guys now, more than ever. I think I speak on behalf of all outfitters, we appreciate it.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Does your health insurance cover you if you did get covid and have to be hospitalized?

I wonder with all these darn travel restrictions if they would try and find a way out of it.

If you did have to isolate for two weeks is there a place to store your rifles, or can they stay with you in isolation?

Isolate at the lodge. Problem solved.
I'm sure that your outfitter will be more than willing to work on something for you. Since you won't be needing a PH, the day fee should come down considerably.

 

[machinistbutler]

That would be great. So much fun in the planning for these trips, but this type of planning isn't any fun .

The treatment and hospitality I received in Africa was by far and away the best I have had anywhere.

So looking forward to returning!

 

[JimP]

A lot of this is where you need to really look at your health insurance policy and perhaps talk with your agent if you have one.

That along with thinking about a policy with @Global Rescue or another company for your trip to Africa. You also need to see just what it does and doesn't cover in the event that you have to be quarantined one way or another.

 

[npm352]

I got tickets for my March hunt last week with Qatar. We will see what happens. I am trying to remain optimistic. I want to make the hunt happen and RSA needs hunters. There is alot up in the air, but I just try to think of the wonderful feeling on the first morning of the hunt with a rifle in my hand. I get my second dose of Moderna in three weeks, so hopefully the negative tests going and coming won't be a problem.

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

This new variant makes South Africa sounds even more dangerous than what a lot of people think it is.
We are in the peak of our second wave with a new strain of Covid and our highest daily new cases toped out at 20 odd thousand in 24 hrs???

Also this is the figures our goverment makes public, but who can trust them as they cannot explain where R577billion in COVID relief money has gone too.

What i am saying it is nothing worst than anywhere in the world and yes people are dying of it but so are they dying of alot of other things as well.

South Africa has many testing stations and i am sure all outfitters will ensure the client gets to a testing station in the said time.

If the borders stay open, get on a plane and come and enjoy what we as South Africans can offer.

My best

 

[jeff]

There seems to be a lot of vague info on testing, do you need a PCR test or is a antigen test sufficient to reenter the US?

 

[Woody631]

Seems funny were supposed to be one of the most advanced in medical and health care but yet I Having trouble finding a place to get a test and allow me to travel to South Africa in the recommended amount of time. But I can get a test from someone in the middle of nowhere that will allow me to get home from South Africa.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

There seems to be a lot of vague info on testing, do you need a PCR test or is a antigen test sufficient to reenter the US?

I hear you! I have called all around my area.
Only place I found that will guarantee me the paper work on time is Covid Consultants. It’s a mail in kit done by you family doctor.

 

[Clifford Johnson]

Going to Zimbabwe on Feb 19. PH says I can get tested at the airport on arrival. Then test again 2 days before departure. Lots of empty seats on the Ethiopian Airlines flight. Cheap too!

 

[Vintageguy]

As I’ve said Biden will put in all kinds of restrictions for a little while. The virus is on its way out anyway but he will take credit this spring and all will be lifted.
Remember Obama had everyone stop reporting H1N1 so it would “go away”.
Philip

This year I had flu A and when I told the doctor that it was about the worst thing I could remember having they said, "it should've been because it was actually H1N1 but no-one was referring to it as that but instead flu A".

 

[Mort Hill]

Going to Zimbabwe on Feb 19. PH says I can get tested at the airport on arrival. Then test again 2 days before departure. Lots of empty seats on the Ethiopian Airlines flight. Cheap too!

Headed there in May and hear same thing! My plans are to go, and treat all this extra stuff no differently than anything else having to do with Africa, which is things change and just go with the flow!

 

[rinehart0050]

Well my wife is officially freaking out about my trip in April. Right now the ban doesn‘t apply to US citizens re-entering but not sure how I’m supposed to get a COVID test three days before my return date when I’m only in country eight days and will be in the field. Trying to decide what to do as this was only a one-week hunt I’m going on and the testing requirement both ways is putting a damper on things. My guess is with the new strain that has hit SA it’s only a matter of time before US citizen restrictions are imposed. Grrrrr, having to cancel for the second year in a row is going to really piss me off

Outfitters like @Limcroma Safaris have already arranged with local clinics to provide their clients with the tests they need to return to USA.

They posted this a few days ago on facebook:

 

[Scott CWO]

I won’t stay home either but I will get the vaccine as soon as it is available. I lost one of my best friends to COVID yesterday. He was 60 and healthy.

We have had eight folks come down with it in our small country church since Christmas. Symptoms range from a mild cold to my buddy’s death. Four of the eight cases developed into pneumonia. From what I am seeing you don’t want to catch this crap.

@WAB have you heard of a testing facility in Botswana? Perhaps we will have to fly through Gabarone? Nothing in Maun I am told so far.

 

[TSALA HUNTING SAFARIS]

There seems to be a lot of vague info on testing, do you need a PCR test or is a antigen test sufficient to reenter the US?

Hi Jeff

It looks like the PCR test is the test the airline would want.

Most clinics will do the the PCR test for around R350 per person and you should receive your result within 48 hours.Most clinics in the rural areas away from the big cities are not that busy at the moment.We did go through the process last week with one of our staff.

On another positive point our infection numbers have show a steady decrease over the last couple of week down from around 18 000 per day beginning of Jan to around 4000 in the last 24 hours.

Thank you for everyone that is planning to hunt this year.All outfitters will their best to accommodate you , keep you safe and help you to get the necessary testing done.

Regards

Rouan

 

[TSALA HUNTING SAFARIS]

Correction cost will be R850

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

Hey all

yes you need a pcr test, there are now test centres at Johannesburg int airport and they say u can get the results in 4-6 hours

if you dont want to take that risk then there are plenty of labs that do the test and you will get results in time for flights

 

[HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS]

most of our hunters have indicated that they will move their hunts to next year, there is just to much going on and because our camp is very remot,e travel to and from camp becomes a problem with the curfew as well as the fact that we would lose a whole day of hunting to go to the nearest testing station and what if a clients tests positive just to many unknowns. we can survive another year and have a hell of a hunting season in 2022..........