I am leaving for a hunt in Zimbabwe in three weeks. I booked a flight from Salt Lake City to Seattle to Dubai to Harare on Emirates because it sounded the easiest. Today I received a call from Travel With Guns saying if I stay at the hotel provided by Emirates in Dubai that I have to get another COVID test. I already knew I needed a COVID test at home before I leave and one in Harare before I come back. How many COVID tests does one need? The only option seems to be pay another $140 and stay in a hotel at the airport and avoid another test. Has anyone flown through Dubai lately, and what do you recommend? Sounds like it may not be any easier than flying through South Africa.

Also, I am not blaming this on Travel With Guns. They have always been great to work with.

I have also had both shots so I am totally vaccinated.

I'd double check. I was told if transiting you do not need another Covid test as far as I know and I am booked on Emirates (LAX, Dubai, Harare) as well and planning on taking the free hotel for my 13 hour layover. That being said you most likely will need a test on arrival at Harare due to 48 hours of elapsed time from when you get your results.

https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/world.php

48 hrs from first embarkation point. If you leave the transit area, you now will have made a second embarkation point.

Dale, sorry I can't help you with your question, but who are you using for your initial test? I am scheduled to fly out on June 8 and I'm struggling to find a local place here in the valley to do the test that will work for the timing. We might just have to do one of the expensive mail in tests but would really like a local option. Any suggestions that you've found?

I finally got a COVID test scheduled before my flight. It is with Olympus Health & Performance. They have locations in Salt Lake City and Provo, and can do a rush turnaround. For example, if you get the test on Monday, they will e-mail you the results not later than midnight Tuesday. The cost is $150 plus $50 if you need the rush.

Mike B.: Hope this helps you.

I forgot to include the contact information for Olympus Health $ Performance. Their phone is 385-645-6137 and their web site is utahcoronavirustest.com.

Awesome thank you for that info. I will check them out. I'm still hoping the test requirement goes away soon and proof of vaccine will work. I'm hopeful but it's highly unlikely I'm sure since there really is no rhyme or reason to any of this madness.

Friends arrived Sunday evening from the US, on their way to Zimbabwe.

Their flight out of here was Wednesday morning.

Travel agent suggested they get a PCR test no earlier than 10 am on Monday to meet the times scale required in Zimbabwe.

They did that and off they went.

Where are you hunting, Dale. I’m heading back to Dande with CMS tomorrow. I’m actually sitting in the parking lot of a COVID testing facility in Denver righ now waiting for results.

I will be at the Mukanga Camp in Dande, hunting for a leopard. Where will you be?

Awesome! Not sure which camp, but I’m hunting leopard and tuskless. I’m sure we’ll run into each other at some point.

Hope to see you there. My hunt starts April 24th. Good luck.

Please let me know if you run into anything I should know about entering Zimbabwe. I have never had any problems before.

My hunt ends on the 30th. I’ll post when I get to Amanzi on Thursday and let you know how it goes. I’m flying Ethiopian Air this time.

Leaving tomorrow for Zim. Same issue regarding TWGs and Dubai. I had to change to an in airport hotel because where they originally booked me would have been outside and caused me to have to get another covid test there. $170 extra for the hotel\room change. Was gonna be $120 for the test if I kept original hotel but decided not worth it due to arrival\departure times.
BTW - new regs regarding tough packs - no longer allowed to have anything but guns in them. No more clothing items allowed in with guns.

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BTW - new regs regarding tough packs - no longer allowed to have anything but guns in them. No more clothing items allowed in with guns.

Damn! So did you find that posted in TSA's Rules and REGs or was that passed on by word of mouth?

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Originally posted by Dale:
Hope to see you there. My hunt starts April 24th. Good luck.

Please let me know if you run into anything I should know about entering Zimbabwe. I have never had any problems before.

I didn’t have any issues in Harare, but I was flying business class and was literally the first person off the plane. I think it got pretty backed up behind me due to the COVID paperwork and social distancing. I would just plan on it taking longer than normal to get through the arrival process.

I have just returned from Dande.
Put all your worries to rest. The traveling thru Dubai was a breeze.
Lhook7 was on the inbound charter flight when i flew out.
The hotel that TWG suggested was great. Its is in the secured part of the airport so i did not have to retest.
Arrival in Harare was no problem. Just one new health form to fill out when you get there.
For the return, CMS staff took us to a test site for a new test.
Takes 1 1/2 hours and cost $60.00
Everything went smooth as could be

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Originally posted by bwanajay:

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BTW - new regs regarding tough packs - no longer allowed to have anything but guns in them. No more clothing items allowed in with guns.

Damn! So did you find that posted in TSA's Rules and REGs or was that passed on by word of mouth?

I had 2 jackets and extra gun slips in my Tuffpack and no issues at all