Zimbabwe hunting - How traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is?

[Sivie]

Wondering how traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is . I found one ticket stopping in Doha . Is this a good place for a layover of 4 hours . Not planning on leaving the airport .

 

[Tanks]

I assume Qatar airlines. They have great reviews. I am taking that airline through Doha this year.

 

[Doug3006]

Hi Sivie. I travelled to Zim in Aug on Emirates through Dubai. It was a great experience. The Doha route is on Qatar. I traveled to Namibia on Qatar in 2019. Both airlines are top notch and Doha and Dubai are fabulous airports. I think Qatar is a little bit better…but not by much.

 

[Sivie]

Hi Sivie. I travelled to Zim in Aug on Emirates through Dubai. It was a great experience. The Doha route is on Qatar. I traveled to Namibia on Qatar in 2019. Both airlines are top notch and Doha and Dubai are fabulous airports. I think Qatar is a little bit better…but not by much.

Good to hear thanks for the info

 

[Philip Glass]

Wondering how traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is . I found one ticket stopping in Doha . Is this a good place for a layover of 4 hours . Not planning on leaving the airport .

I’ve been twice through JNB. This year we are going with Qatar through Doha. You can pay to use the lounges there and is the best and newest airport. Qatar has the best service and guns are no prob. I recommend using TWG for your travel agent.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Wondering how traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is . I found one ticket stopping in Doha . Is this a good place for a layover of 4 hours . Not planning on leaving the airport .

All things considered that sounds like a pretty easy route. Qatar does a nice job and Harare is a small airport. I say go and enjoy your trip.

 

[Vic]

Wondering how traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is . I found one ticket stopping in Doha . Is this a good place for a layover of 4 hours . Not planning on leaving the airport .

Currently in Bulawayo. I flew Qatar Airways to Doha-Jo’burg. Great flight. Go to one of the various airport lounges in Doha.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

i had 2 clients last year, flew qatar airlines through Doha, only good things were said about the route and the airline

 

[buck wild]

I went Emirates and built in a lay over on the way back in Dubai for another day. We hit the spice market then went on one of those desert dinner safaris and wife liked it. It was a good way to break up that exhausting return flight. I've flown Emirates twice now and no issues either time altho I much preferred the double decker A380 Airbus we flew in 2015. There weren't enough passengers for Emirates to continue using that plane during the pandemic.

 

[thriller]

Wondering how traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is . I found one ticket stopping in Doha . Is this a good place for a layover of 4 hours . Not planning on leaving the airport .

this is the route I took in June it was long but smooth and had no issues. Doha airport was very nice.

 

[rookhawk]

Wondering how traveling to Harare Zimbabwe is . I found one ticket stopping in Doha . Is this a good place for a layover of 4 hours . Not planning on leaving the airport .

Yes. Doha, Qatar layovers on Qatari Airways Dubai, UAE for Emirates Airlines are Like a layover on Rodeo drive. If you want to buy small gifts like $5000 bottles of cognac or $60,000 watches, you can do that inside the airport.

Put another way. Safest, most affluent airports in the world. Far more like to be stabbed getting out of your cab at the US airport than during your layover in the middle east on your way to Harare.

 

[Sivie]

How about any issues flying with guns on this layover .?

 

[rookhawk]

How about any issues flying with guns on this layover .?

Not sure. Generally speaking, you’re ill advised to leave the sanitary side of an Arab airport when flying with guns. They don’t like that at all.

 

[Philip Glass]

How about any issues flying with guns on this layover .?

No issues flying with rifles on Qatar. I can’t wait to fly them again

 

[rookhawk]

No issues flying with rifles on Qatar. I can’t wait to fly them again

That wasn’t his question. He didn’t ask about connecting, he asked about laying over.

That goes into the “f around and find out” scenarios.

 

[Doug3006]

How about any issues flying with guns on this layover .?

I have not experienced a bit of trouble transiting either airport. But PLEASE use the services of Gracey, TWG or other hunting travel agent. It’s about $300 and worth every penny. They’ll make sure your airline permits are ready and there will be less chance of a hassle. This forum has multiple examples of hunters who booked themselves and had trouble.

 

[Sivie]

That wasn’t his question. He didn’t ask about connecting, he asked about laying over.

That goes into the “f around and find out” scenarios.

Actually I wanted all the info layover . Connections etc .

 

[Sivie]

I have not experienced a bit of trouble transiting either airport. But PLEASE use the services of Gracey, TWG or other hunting travel agent. It’s about $300 and worth every penny. They’ll make sure your airline permits are ready and there will be less chance of a hassle. This forum has multiple examples of hunters who booked themselves and had trouble.

What is graces and or two . I had some look for me but it was like 1200 more than what I was seeing myself .

 

[rookhawk]

Actually I wanted all the info layover . Connections etc .

Checking through your bags on a layover is easy with the Arabs. They take guns very seriously, but they are cut-and-dried if you have the pre-approval they make sure the rifle makes the connection.

But you would need to hire a fleet of lawyers to explore all the permutations of problems that could arise if you opt to layover, leave the sanitary area of the airport, whether you need to collect your guns, whether they would be seized and deemed abandoned, whether they must be stored with the police, etc, etc.

Arabs think of guns as the source of revolutions. They do not like them. That works great when you’re just passing through becuase they make more certain than anyone else that your guns are on the plane and staying with you on your journey. It’s just that all sorts of bureaucracies come into play when someone wants to stroll into an Arab country with the guns, perhaps lingering for a day or two, etc, etc.

 

[rookhawk]

What is graces and or two . I had some look for me but it was like 1200 more than what I was seeing myself .

Yep. I just called them for a quote the other day, remaining skeptical of travel agent fees. It was for a Qatari flight that was $4616 on qatariairlines website. Gracy and the other sponsor here both quoted me but their prices were around $5300. The travel agents just can’t get the discounts that the carriers are offering direct to consumer. Then add in the travel agent service fees and it is a fairly large uplift. Rough math suggests $700-$1100 more for the use of a travel agent in the cases I’ve looked into related to Emirates and Qatari.

I’m not slamming anyone that wants the travel agent convenience and services, just assigning the correct price tag to the transaction.

No gun permit is easier to do yourself than Emirates. It appears Qatari is only slightly more difficult because it requires you to print and email a form rather than do an online web submission.