Travel

International travel always requires lots of arranging, and travelling for the purposes of a hunting safari even more so. For this reason, don’t try to tackle all the arrangements yourself. Use a travel agent you trust, and preferably one who specialises in hunting safaris to Namibia.

A good travel will be able to get you the best possible prices, will know what’s required to fulfil regulations around travelling with firearms and ammunition, and will be able to advise you on insurance, among the many other tasks that need to be done for this kind of travel.

Importantly, your travel agent will be able to advise you on what the airline you’re using requires in terms of travelling with firearms and ammunitions; some airlines simply don’t allow this at all, while others have their own set rules and procedures.

• Areva Travel in Texas – www.arevatravel.com (Speak to Annalise du Bose)
• XL The Travel Professionals in Windhoek, Namibia – http://www.xlthetravelpro.co.za
• Please let us know if you were happy with your travel agent’s services and would recommend them to others, so we can add them to this list of recommended agents.

Most international flights, with the exception of some from Frankfurt (Germany), route through Johannesburg (South Africa) to Windhoek in Namibia.

Hosea Kutako International Airport (WHK), situated 45km east of the capital city of Windhoek, is Namibia’s main point of entry for international flights.

Other big airports include Eros (in Windhoek), Walvis Bay, Rundu (in the Okavango region), Odangwa (in the north) and Katima Mulilo (the gateway to the tropical Caprivi region).

There are landing strips throughout the country, and air-charter services are available from/in Windhoek and Swakopmund.

Namibia Airports Company: http://www.airports.com.na

Major airlines that fly into Namibia include:
Air Namibia: http://www.airnamibia.com
South African Airways (SAA): http://www.flysaa.com
Lufthansa: http://www.lufthansa.com
Delta: http://www.delta.com

Although by far the majority of hunting safaris go off without the slightest hitch, it would be foolhardy not to prepare for unforeseeable circumstances and unfortunate incidents. For this reason, we strongly advise that you take out comprehensive health insurance before your trip. Be sure to tell the company providing the cover that you’ll be on a hunting safari, as some companies won’t provide coverage if you’re participating in a dangerous activity that they deem an extraordinary risk.

• Some credit-card companies provide automatic health insurance when you buy your air ticket. Read the small print very carefully to ensure it’s adequate for your needs.
• If you have particular concerns about your health, investigate taking out medical evacuation coverage. One company that provides this service worldwide is Global Rescue: www.GlobalRescue.com

Your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months after your intended departure date from Namibia, and it must have at least six blank pages.

You must have a valid return/onward air ticket or proof of other means of transport out of Namibia.
Visas are required for certain nationalities and are valid for three months from the date of issue.

The only legal vaccination requirement for entry into Namibia is a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers coming from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. For a list of these areas, go to http://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/maps/africa.html

Citizens of the following countries do not require a visa: Angola, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Cuba, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavian countries, South Africa, Spain, Singapore, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe

For visitors from other countries, please check with your nearest Namibian Consulate.

Although this information was correct at the time of writing, visa requirements do change from time to time, so please double-check all entry requirements when planning your trip.

Namibia Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration: http://www.mha.gov.na/
Embassy of the USA in Namibia: http://windhoek.usembassy.gov/
Embassy of the Republic of Namibia in the USA: http://www.namibianembassyusa.org/
Searchable database of embassies and consulates worldwide: http://embassy.goabroad.com/
US passports and international travel (US Department of State: Bureau of Consular Affairs): www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Travel Document Systems, for visa, passport and other document expediting needs: www.traveldocs.com

The temporary importation of firearms and ammunition into Namibia is quick, easy and free of charge. There’s no permit or charges for bringing in a bow and arrows.

Although it’s not required by law in Namibia, it’s a good idea to carry a copy of your gun licence and/or proof of ownership.

Fill in an application import/export permit (see page 21) for all firearms and ammunition. On entry into Namibia, you’ll have to present this, along with a copy of your hunting permit and a Letter of Invitation indicating the farm name and  number on which you’ll be trophy-hunting.

We will have applied for and obtained the hunting permit in advance on your behalf, and will email you a copy. We’ll also email you the Letter of Invitation.

If you’re passing through South Africa on your way to Namibia, your firearms and ammunition should simply be transited through without your having to fill in any paperwork, while you remain in the transit area.
It’s very important, however, to check with the airline if this is their practice, because if not, you’ll have to collect all your luggage and firearms and go through the South African customs-clearing process.

When checking in your luggage, firearms and ammunition at your point of departure, be sure to instruct the airline agent to check everything in all the way to your final destination in Namibia.

If it’s not possible for your firearms and ammunition to be transited straight through, South African customs will require:

• A completed South Africa Firearms Permit Application Form SAPS 520.
• A South African letter of invitation from the hunting company, which we can email you on request (leave plenty of time before your departure to get this). This is so you can secure a temporary firearm import permit from the South African Police Services (SAPS). The permit is free. Bows and arrows don’t need a permit.
• A letter of intent stating the handgun will be used only for hunting purposes.
• A letter from a registered association of your country of origin, stating that you’re a registered member of the association and that the handgun will be used exclusively for hunting purposes.

The Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA) recommends that you apply for and, if possible, obtain any temporary import permits prior to your arrival. They also recommend leaving a minimum of three hours between flight connections at Johannesburg International Airport, to ensure there’s plenty of time for all the legalities to be completed.

• For more information about the legalities of transiting firearms and ammunition through South Africa, click here: http://www.saps.gov.za/services/flash/firearms/importation.php
• Rifle Permits is a South African company that works with SAPS to expedite the paperwork for importing or transiting firearms. Visit www.riflepermits.com/

Laws and regulations around travelling with firearms and ammunitions, including in transit, are specific to each country, and are constantly changing, so you need to ensure you have up-to-date information before you plan your trip. Your travel agent should be able to advise you.

Resource

www.africahunting.com/threads/importation-or-transiting-procedures-through-countries-with-weapons-ammunition.14376/