Going to Zim again this year via Hararre. I am considering going from Amsterdam to Nairobi and then connect to Harrare with a stop in Lusaka. Anyone ever done this and had any issues with guns. I know the stops alone may create problems with baggage but otherwise any legal issues. I have never had any experience with Kenyan air. Anyone else?

Thanks for all help.

Where are you starting from?

Detroit via Amsterdam to Nairobi

Awhile back I think someone here said that you can not take guns thru Nairobi. I do not know anything for sure but it is something to check.

What about the EU restrictions on flying guns to ZIM? Is that still in effect?

I have to ask why you are considering this three stop European passage? Cost? Using FF miles? Avoiding World Cup?

Most of the European routes that I've looked at result in 40, 50, and 60 hour journeys while the routes through J-berg are more like half of that. HRE is about 25 hours from ATL on delta then SAA.

You could go SAA from Washington (DET - DC - JNB - HRE) or Delta from ATL (DET - ATL - JNB - HRE) in much less time.

Yes, I am looking at FF miles in BClass. Only option to get there without using premium mileage was to go through Nairobi. It is actually only one additional connection but it does change airlines from KLM to Kenya. The Lusaka stop is just a milk run and if I can avoid Jburg and the time there along with gun permits it is good. I just do not want to get to Nairobi and be told my guns have been confiscated. I thought someone may have had that experience. On the return I will do the Jburg to atlanta connection. This was on the way in. Thanks for all experience and advice. As to other question about europe and zim I think the only issue is if you go through the UK to Zim. They will not allow guns to go to Zim.

Larry

Larry:

We looked into doing this route to get to Lusaka last summer. Getting guns through Nairobi was going to be a big question mark so we wound up going through jburg. We used our miles and flew business class on NW and KLM. We had no problems whatsoever.

The more stops you have the more chance your luggage will get lost.

465H&H

The only time we have had our guns not arrive with us in Africa was on KLM. The flight was from Amsterdam to Dar thru Arusha.

If you fly the route with an EU connection, especially thru AMS on KLM, give yourself an extra day at your destination to give your luggage an opportunity to find you. This will about double your chances of hunting with your own firearms while wearing your own clothes.

It's a shame that JNB is the only real choice for accessing southern africa. JNB is a real PITA even without the world cup. With the cup crowd in town it must be horriffic.