We just completed an early season hunt with CMS in Dande East. Below is some info some of you might find interesting:
We flew on Qatar and had to go thru Joburg (Emirates didn’t have flights to Harare when we booked but now have a flight several times per week). Given the time restrictions imposed on covid testing by Zim and SA, we tested as close to departure time as possible, I tested the morning of departure and my wife tested the evening before due to receiving her second vaccine on that day. We booked straight thru and checked everything thru to Harare to avoid leaving the secured area at O R Tambo (good idea but didn’t work too well, different post later). SA requires a new form to be completed prior to arrival and Zim required 3 forms to be completed, both said the forms are/will be on their website and travel agents gave them (don’t think TWG had them or we would’ve gotten them). We had to show covid test results at 3 locations in SA and 2 in Zim.
I had about 7 hours left on my 48 hour test limit when we were leaving SA, my wife’s was about 7 hours past 48. They told her it was expired and she couldn’t board and would probably have to quarantine. We got a supervisor involved and since we were only “transferring”, they would allow her to continue. Some passengers were not so fortunate, some who had stayed overnight were refused boarding. I believe if I was going thru Joburg in the near future I would not do an overnight layover. I’m pretty sure a new covid test would be required.
Harare was pretty straight forward and easy but there, too, test results took about 6-8 hours so it’s not really feasible to get the test the same day as your return flight unless you test very early in the morning or have a late flight.
Interesting procedure at Harare airport, a covid test is required to enter the airport and you must walk thru a tunnel that “mists” you with disinfectant, then a guy on the inside sprays your luggage with disinfectant from a garden sprayer.
I’ll post a couple of photos when I get home showing the apparatus as well as a covid med-pack which is in wide use.

Finally, at Joburg tonight while at the transfer desk getting boarding passes, a young lady in front of us was told her covid test was no good. She was sent to immigration. They are pretty serious about this.

Just had a client go through JNB about 10 days ago. It's somewhat of a cluster fuck there. I'm recommending folks just don't route through there for the time being.

Mark

Great information. It's requirements like this that is causing me to sit on the sidelines, when it comes to African travel, for the second year in a row.

Sure hope it improves by September when I transit.....

The 48 hours is the reason I did not use my tickets from last year that were transiting through J'Burg and bought new tickets on Emirates to Harare. Overnighting at J'Burg would have meant a new test.

Flying Qatar April 10th. Transitting through Joberg but get there early enough to catch my flight to Bulawayo same day. Luggage will be checked all the way through to Bulawayo. Hoping no flight delays, as that will likely put me out of the 48 hour window.

Thanks for this info. Extremely helpful.

I leave Wed 4/7. So the rapid PCR test is accepted then, good. I was going to overnight in the complimentary Emirates Hotel but it would require a new test as you will have left airport security unlike staying in the International Transit Hotel, where you are still considered "in transit."

Which website for the forms? Emirates says "on board."

FMC I stayed at the complimentary Emirates Hotel on my way to Uganda on 3/11. My Texas issued PCR Test was all that I needed to enter the airport on 3/12.
A Dubai PCR Test was not required.

I'm very hopeful that in the coming months as more and more people are vaccinated that a "vaccine passport" will be accepted in lieu of testing. I didn't hear about vaccine programs in SA but in Zim they vaccine is pretty widely available and lots of people are receiving the jab.We are headed to Moz in early September and that flight requires an overnight in Joburg, which will require a new test unless something changes. The US State Department has a list of preferred providers for PCR testing in both Joburg and Harare, we used Lancet Medical and were very surprised at how efficiently the operation was run.

Oh yeah...to be sure we received our results in time for our 1:00 pm flight from Harare, we left camp the afternoon before (however, Lancet is open 24 hours so I guess that might not have been required, but better safe than sorry) and were going to have dinner with the Charton's, only to find out Buzz had been diagnosed with covid the day before! He was doing fine, had been banished to their guest cottage and had very mild symptoms. Got a note and voicemail saying he was feeling better and expected to be 100% in a couple of days. Also, got a photo his wife sent showing that he appeared to be in good spirits.

Thanks for passing along the info. I am due to be flying into Bulawayo on 4/29. I am confused on the 48 the requirement. TWG advised me that you must have your results issued no more than 48 hrs prior to your initial flight departure, but it sounds like in your case they gave you a 48 hr window to enter Zim from the time you received your results. Am I interpreting that correctly or am I just a moron?

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
Oh yeah...to be sure we received our results in time for our 1:00 pm flight from Harare, we left camp the afternoon before (however, Lancet is open 24 hours so I guess that might not have been required, but better safe than sorry) and were going to have dinner with the Charton's, only to find out Buzz had been diagnosed with covid the day before! He was doing fine, had been banished to their guest cottage and had very mild symptoms. Got a note and voicemail saying he was feeling better and expected to be 100% in a couple of days. Also, got a photo his wife sent showing that he appeared to be in good spirits.

Karl
I am leaving tomorrow to hunt with CMS.
I was planning on staying the first night in the Buzz guest house. That changed
How were the temps in the valley??
I am sure the bush was green and thick

Ethiopian, Dulles-Addis-Harare $1,444.00
I refuse to go through Joberg.
Qatar dates won't work for me.
Scott

I suppose if you are going to JNB and not connecting on to another country, not much can go wrong?

Chris...Dande East was incredibly thick and green, by far the thickest and greenest I’ve seen. It was pretty warm, low to mid-90’s and very humid. But it was a bit cooler the last two days of our hunt.

Many people in Zim are taking Ivermectin as a cure/preventative treatment, Ivermectin and not Ivermectin Plus. I use Ivermectin on my cattle, so I'm sure I've absorbed enough to get a full dose. However, I do know two veterinarian's that have taken this drug (neither had covid, either. Also, there is a "pill pack" that contains Ivermectin along with zinc, Vit D and possibly other things that is wide use in Zim, India and surely some other countries. It costs between $1.00 and $4.00 US...bet it would be at least $50.00 here in the states. Photo below, I hope.

Well, that didn't work as planned but you can see the photos if you choose. Here they are...

The covid test facility in Harare was surprisingly efficient, below are a couple of photos of the Lancet test facility, a photo of the "disinfecting tunnel" at the entrance to the airport in Harare and lastly a photo of the main hallway at O R Tambo at about 3;30 pm on Sunday afternoon...almost a ghost airport.

Karl,

Thanks for posting, I’m heading to Zim to hunt with CMS in a little over a week. I’m flying through Addis Ababa. What were the three forms you were required to fill out for Zim? I have not yet received them from TWG

Emirates is flying to Zimbabwe now.

Had friends travel on Emirates last week.

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
Karl,

Thanks for posting, I’m heading to Zim to hunt with CMS in a little over a week. I’m flying through Addis Ababa. What were the three forms you were required to fill out for Zim? I have not yet received them from TWG

They were covid related forms, one thing they were adamant about was a Zim contact phone number and address, I used the CMS office address and Myles' phone number. They will give you two of the forms on the plane and the third upon landing. The health "official" said that these forms had been provided to airlines and travel agents but I really have my doubts about that.

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:
Well, that didn't work as planned but you can see the photos if you choose. Here they are...

Guess post image didn't like my photos...

quote:

Originally posted by K Evans:

quote:

Originally posted by Lhook7:
Karl,

Thanks for posting, I’m heading to Zim to hunt with CMS in a little over a week. I’m flying through Addis Ababa. What were the three forms you were required to fill out for Zim? I have not yet received them from TWG

They were covid related forms, one thing they were adamant about was a Zim contact phone number and address, I used the CMS office address and Myles' phone number. They will give you two of the forms on the plane and the third upon landing. The health "official" said that these forms had been provided to airlines and travel agents but I really have my doubts about that.

Thanks Karl!