Zimbabwe Buffalo 2023 - Recommendations

[Foxi]

This has nothing to do with the airlines but with the restrictive laws of the EU, but in all probability it only affects the gun owners of the EU.

The procedure for a member of the EU :

Flight to RSA, import of rifles in RSA and then from RSA travel to Zimbabwe with import of rifles from RSA to Zimbabwe. A lot of additional forms and visas. Rent a rifle is much easier.

Ultimately, I don't care about any of this. Everyone should just do what they want and deal with an accusation if they enjoy it. I won't take any risks, also because sometimes there can be changes in a travel itinerary.

Sometimes they miss it (like me) and it gets checked out after Zimb.

 

[grand veneur]

I also think that many of the authorities at the airport and from the airlines don't know a few things and that's why things are going well in the majority of cases, but I won't take the risk anymore.

 

[mark-hunter]

What a BS!
This brings completely new perspective on my plans to hunt Zim!

 

[grand veneur]

Everything changes.

I've been hunting around the world regularly for almost 40 years and I can say that the days when we could easily travel with rifles and ammunition will soon be over. We have to think about new concepts for our hunting trips in the future, also in terms of bringing back the trophies.

 

[DieJager]

Wow did not know this. I am looking for a future Elephant hunt in Zimbabwe ( hopefully the next couple of years) but this screws up of bringing my own gun. @VertigoBE you are aware of this with your plans to hunt in Zimbabwe with your own guns?

 

[mark-hunter]

We all have plans to hunt Zim with our own guns! This situation must be clarified ASAP!

@AfricaHunting.com
@BRICKBURN

Do you guys have any knowledge about Zimbabwe embargo and travelling with guns for hunting from EU to Zim?

 

[DieJager]

Book your hunt has a blogpost about that states the same. Travel through SA with separate tickets. Glad I read about it before getting indicted like the German fellow. Read an official document just know from our government that states the same.

 

[mark-hunter]

@DieJager
Can you give me the links? Can also on pm. Thanks

 

[DieJager]

@mark-hunter pm sent

 

[mark-hunter]

Thanks, received!

 

[buck wild]

Sorry for the late reply. That is a hard one, I have been Bill C on the forums since 2002, so I suspect you are thinking of another “BillC”

HA. I suspect you are correct there is/was another BillC. I think you'd know if you were THE ONE

 

[TRAVEL EXPRESS]

Thanks so far for your recommendations. I am in contact with several outfitters.

Another issue: there is a EU weapon-ban on Zimbabwe which does not allow to bring your weapon from Germany (or any other EU country) to ZIM.
Do you have any experience how to deal with it, what can I do to travel with my own rifle?

A hunter in Germany has been arrested at the Munich airport trying to travel to ZIM with his double rifle...

Jagdreise endet am Flughafen: Strafverfahren gegen Jäger

Trotz ordnungsgemäßer Verpackung und europäischen Feuerwaffenpass: Jagdreise endet für Jäger am Flughafen mit Strafanzeige.

www.pirsch.de

In reply to your original question @Luederitz , and the question from @mark-hunter ...
As others have already said, there is an issue going directly from the EU to Zimbabwe with firearms regardless of your citizenship. And yes the way around is to book one ticket from the EU to South Africa, then a second (separate) ticket from SA to Zimbabwe. Pretty simple really, although you do have the additional hassle of permits in SA... but you can just give Rifle Permits a call!

 

[pimes]

I’ve booked with Qatar a flight to Zimbabwe/Harare - starting Thursday from Munich to Doha and from Doha over Lusaka to Harare - want to bring my own gun = is there a possibility? Anybody an idea?

 

[Jeffrey]

LOL show me a direct flight from North America or Europe to Harare or Bulawayo. Such a flight doesn’t exist. You’re going to have to go through Joberg or Lusaka most likely. No stress. Two separate tickets. Isn’t this what everyone’s been doing for a while now?

Sounds like this German arrest was a case of misinformed airline employees and/or police. OR a situation where the police were given too much information and then given too much latitude in their decision making.

 

[pimes]

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Just finished a Buff Hunt in Sengwa with Gary Duckworth of Makore Safaris. Simply said, a hunt that dreams are made of, couldn't be any better. Met the also recommended Dalton of Makore, helluva a kid and no doubt a good hunter with a lot of energy. He was Garys apprentice. Sengwa is the coolest place I have ever been in Africa ,complete wilderness.

This is the Dalton we hunted with.

 

[DieJager]

Isn’t this what everyone’s been doing for a while now?

I for sure did not know.
Of course that there are currently no direct flights. In oktober condor will fly direct from Frankfurt to Victoria falls I think.

But that you have to buy two separate tickets is new for me.

 

[Luederitz]

Stupid EU regulations...
The Britains can be glad having performed the Brexit.

Today I talked with a safari operator. Booking a flight to JNB, register weapons in RSA and then, just by accident, taking the next flight to Harare. So you will not transport a weapon directly from EU to ZIM...
And for customs at home you receive an invitation letter for hunting in south africa.

PS: there are (at least scheduled) direct flights from FRA to VFA, this will create trouble.

 

[mark-hunter]

Stupid EU regulations...
The Britains can be glad having performed the Brexit.

Today I talked with a safari operator. Booking a flight to JNB, register weapons in RSA and then, just by accident, taking the next flight to Harare. So you will not transport a weapon directly from EU to ZIM...
And for customs at home you receive an invitation letter for hunting in south africa.

PS: there are (at least scheduled) direct flights from FRA to VFA, this will create trouble.

This means - collecting guns ar Joburg, clear them through police and costumes, and checking them in again for flight to Harare? Correct?

 

[Christot]

Simbabwe: Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise

Letzte Änderungen:Reiseinfos – Geld/KreditkartenEinreise und Zoll - VisumRedaktionelle Änderungen

www.auswaertiges-amt.de

A direct travel with rifles from the EU to Zimbabwe, also with transit, is therefore not possible.

I am currently planning a hunting trip to Zimbabwe. According to my intermediary in Germany, you have to enter South Africa with your rifle and then travel on from there to Zimbabwe. Everything is not that easy, so I will rent a rifle on the place.

This is an update recently made under Baerbock's ruling (greeny). The EU regulation is existing since 2004 and doesn't support this interpretation and no similar statement has been made for about 18y now. If germany didn't issue a national law which would support this Interpretation (they would have refered to in the link) this statement will not survive any legal proceeding.
Note: they refer to another department (Habeck's department= another greeny) for further Information but there is none.