Going back to Zim in Oct. Fly from Dulles to JIA and have 1.5 hours until flight to Zim. Land at 3pm and then 6 hour drive, hunt starts the next day. I don't sleep well on planes.

Is it worth it to leave a day early and spend the night at the Afton house? Or is it a major pain to do the gun thing in S.A. two days in a row? I take it if I go straight to Zim, I do not have to mess with the guns in S.A.?

Or, arrive in Zim a day early and spend the night in Zim?

Thanks for any info, PG

I would first off talk seriously with my personal physician and arrange to sleep on that plane ride. It is a real blessing. I would get to Zim as soon as possible and not try to deal with all the RSA gun import issues. I usually try to plan for a few days of knocking around near the hunting area on photo safari or sight seeing just to rest a bit and get acclimated. It has also given my baggage a chance to catch up to me on one occasion. Nice to do the photo safari thing as it gets you out in the bush looking for animals and zeroing in on them without trophy fees involved until you get your legs back under you again so to speak. Good hunting.

Last year we left the guns in transist all the way to Zim to avoid the S.A. gun thing. No hassles at all.
Have you considered a charter instead of the drive? No sleep on the big bird, then a 6 hour car ride might put a damper on your first day's hunt.
Hope your trip goes smooth and your hunt successful!
Cheers.

If I were you I will go one or two days earlier to Zim and relax at the hotel.
L

I'm with "D". Get some help with the sleep on the plane. It works like a charm. I never thought I would take a sleeping pill but against my better judgment I let someone talk me into it for my first trip to RSA (cuz I can't sleep in planes or on vehicles either). Anyway, it worked as advertised and I was fresh as a daisy for my first day in Africa, without a hint of jet lag for the whole trip. Its way worth it.

Cheers,
Canuck

I spent the night at a B&B in Harare last Oct. Woke up fresh and ready to make the drive to camp in the AM. Time to do the rifle sight in after arriving at camp. Hit the hay early then when you wake up you are ready to hunt.

I will do the same this year as well. It worked out great. Gives your bag and rifle an extra day to catch up if needed too.

Let me know if you want the name of the B&B. Run by a nice lady named Georgie. Cost were $100/night, breakfast and dinner included. Recomended to me by Roger Whittall Safaris, and it was a good recomendation. Ended up spending the night before departure there too due to a bit of a schedule change. That worked too.

JPK

Definetly with sleeping crew..take an Ambian when you start over the atlantic, and you'll wake up in J'Berg!

I always stay 2 nights at the Afton House.
Gets rid of Jet Lag and i do a little shopping.
Louie get you through the Airport with little or no Drama.

I like you find it almost impossible to sleep on airplanes even when exhausted.

On both my hunts to Zimbabwe, we overnighted in JNB and I believe it was entirely the right thing to do. However you do have to go through the SA gun permit process plus the zoo that airport can be.

On the first hunt we overnighted on the way back because of some airfare minimum stay requirement but on the second hunt we checked our guns and luggage through to the US from Harare.

Someone mentioned a overnight in Zimbabwe which may be the ideal solution if there is somewhere in the Harare, Bulawayo or Victoria Falls you can stay without having to wander off far for meals.

Regardless, I feel the overnight somewhere in southern africa after the flight over will be well worth your while.

We have done it both ways.

I liked last years the best. We stayed on SAA all the way to Harare. Got an intransit room in J'burg, until the flight to Zim, then bed and breakfast room in Harare and drove to camp the next day. (Or charter if inclined) No gun hassles in J-B, checked them straight through.

Thanks all for the info. It will be the Afton house unless my PH can set something up in Bulawayo.

Regards, PG

Louie is great at the Afton house. He will take great care of you. Take that ambian or lunesta. It seems like you just said,"Beam me over to Africa Scotty" You take off, eat dinner, take the little helper and you wake up there, fresh and ready to go from 8 hours rest.