We will be flying to Namibia in April 2010 with an overnight in Jo-Berg with a early flight the next day to Windhoek. Should we check our Luggage & Guns thru to Namibia or claim them in Jo-Berg and re-check the next morning which means going thru the SAPS office twice?

Also we will travel by car from Namibia to Upington SA and then flying to Capetown for a couple days, then flying home via Jo-Berg. I suspect we will need to go thru a SAPS office at the border crossing as well as Capetown. Then I would guess we check all luggage at Capetown to Dulles in DC?

My main question is what all do we need for paperwork?

Larry

First I'd like to say if you use a travel agent such as Gracy Travel or Kathi Klimes that specialize in this type of travel they could answer all your questions and prompt you on what you need.

You should retreive your guns and luggage upon arrival at O.R. Tembo and check them onto your Windhoek flight the next day. You'll go through SAPS only once on arrival. I highly recommend you enlist a service to provide a pre approved gun permit. The service willprompt you on everything you need. Once you have the RSA gun permit dated from the day you arrive RSA through the date of your departure you'll only need your passport to transit border posts etc.

Mark

Thanks for the info Mark.

Larry.

Mark is right with his direction. A service is well worth not having the problems and one less item to deal with in Tembo.

I have a different take on this one. In August on our trip, Albuquerque/D.C./JoBerg/Beira we overnighted at the Afton House. Three of us checked our bags all the way to Biera and did not pick anything up in JoBerg.

On arrival in JoBerg we went to the SAPS office to check that our guns were there, and would be kept there, then put on our flight the next morning to Biera. SAPS was very helpful and let us see our guncases and assured us all was well. A quick check of our bags in the secure holding area for continuing flights proved all was well there also. The next AM watched our gun cases and luggage being loaded for Biera, from a mere distance of 10ft and all was well.

This may not always be the case, but not having to get forms, clear SAPS and drag all our luggage to the Afton House for a short overnight stay was a pure joy. A two minute check-in the next morning and we were set.

Worked for us, but do as you like.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

On my last trip to Nam, in August, we weren't allowed because our layover was more than 12 hours, because we arrived at 530, and didnt leave till 930 the next morning, so nothing was allowed to be checked all the way through. So I would plan for that, my travel agent swore we could check all the way through, the lade at the counter in Dallas said, absolutely not, so take that under advisory. I would plan on picking everything up...it's a nice feeling know you've got all your stuff. Use a service for guns, afton house has their own gun permit people, really nice, good people.

Thanks for the updates. I will work with Kathi on this.

Oryx - It's my understanding that it's not the time/hours of your layover that is the issue, you mentioned 12 hours. The rule is that you have to take the next scheduled flight on to your destination. We had a 18 hour layover, but took the first scheduled flight so was able to check the bags all the way through.

Maybe Steve Turner or Kathi can expound more on this issue?

Larry Sellers

quote:

Originally posted by Oryxhunter1983:
On my last trip to Nam, in August, we weren't allowed because our layover was more than 12 hours, because we arrived at 530, and didnt leave till 930 the next morning, so nothing was allowed to be checked all the way through. So I would plan for that, my travel agent swore we could check all the way through, the lade at the counter in Dallas said, absolutely not, so take that under advisory. I would plan on picking everything up...it's a nice feeling know you've got all your stuff. Use a service for guns, afton house has their own gun permit people, really nice, good people.

Larry,
All I can say is this, my travel agent swore to me that we could check everything all the way through, at the check in counter in dallas, the people at united didn't give a rip what my travel agent said and we had to collect everything in Joberg. So I don't care what anyone is telling you, whatever the lady behind checkin says, goes! So I would advise you to plan for the worst, so get a pre-approved permit, and sleep well knowing all your stuff is with you.

I agree, plan for the worst and hope for something better. I will discuss this with my PH from RSA in Dallas also.
Thanks for the input.

You can check your bags and guns all the way through --

But, given that one of the very worst things that can happen on a safari is losing one's guns, I always pick them up in Jo'burg, take them to my hotel and recheck them the next day to my final destination. I use Air 2000 to help me with all of that and it's pretty painless.

Some folks save the bucks and the hassle and never have a problem -- but I've never wanted to take the chance since the airport is something of a den of thieves.

I like the post from Larry Sellers about having the SAPS people keep them in their Holding Area for the Flight the next morning? I will be checking into doing that.