We are flying to Namibia and overnighting in Joberg. Do we need a invitation letter from our outfitter in Namibia. We all have rifles and will be staying at Afton House.

Not required in Namibia, at least last year. It is probably the most firearm friendly country in Southern Africa, perhaps due to the German heritage there.

I believe you will need an "in transit" permit from SAPS, which requires an invitation letter. You can contact Hunters Support (www.hunterssupport.com) and they can give you correct info and/or get the required permit for you.

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I believe you will need an "in transit" permit from SAPS, which requires an invitation letter. You can contact Hunters Support (www.hunterssupport.com) and they can give you correct info and/or get the required permit for you.

If you are overnighting in JO'burg...you'll need to go through the SAPS process.

Depending upon your travel agency, they might arrange this for you. If you are using Gracy Travel, they definitely can.

Regards, D. Nelson

To answer your question in one word; Yes.

Jason

Done the trip twice with the third time coming in a few weeks.

First Trip (2008) we didn't over-night in J'berg. Bags didn't arrive in Windhoek when we got there. Had already filled out copies of the Namibian Gun Import forms, extra copies of my 4457's, extra copies of our passports and a "motivation" letter from the PH. Filed lost bag claim and gave the extra copies of to the clerk and went on our way with our PH.

Two day's later the bags and guns where brought to the PH's ranch six-hours away. The checked bags had about $500 worth of gifts missing, but he rifles and ammo all showed up.

Second Trip - last year, did the over-night in J'berg and with Afton House. We checked all our bags all the way through to Windhoek and kept enough "personal stuff" in our carry-on bags to have fresh cloths for the next day. Also, had all the SAPS paperwork filled out and copies of the PH's motivation letter just in case we HAD to claim our bags and guns. We flew Delta's Atlanta-J'berg direct flight.

Per Delta's web site last year as long as your lay-over was less than 24 hrs you didn't need to claim your checked bags. Only trouble we had was checking in a the Delta desk in Tampa. There were four of us (two couples) traveling together. We all four checked in at the same time but us with one agent and them with the next agent over. They had no problems checking in. Not so with us.

Our agent wouldn't check our bags all the way because "you aren't taking the next available flight" I told her that 1) when I booked the tickets there where no seats on the "next available flight" and that since we had tickets on the second flight of the day going to Windhoek we were in fact booked on the "next available flight". 2) Showed her a my copy of Delta's printed page that said "24 hrs or less. 3) The agent two counters over just ticketed our friends going on the same flight. She had to call her supervisor. In the end we all got bags checked all the way through and everything arrived in Windhoek with us the next day.

Side note - was not that impressed with Afton House. Nice folks and all but we didn't actually "stay" at Afton House. They subbed us out to another Guest House (nicer than Afton) down the street 5 min. Had us enter past a "jewelry" hawker, and to be perfectly honest I thought $25 for a mediocre steak, served family style with no offer/ability to take you "off-site" to a local restaurant - let me just say that I personally will not stay there again. Understand they are nice people and have a great rep, but I think I can do better.

Third Trip - This year, booked all the way through via SAA Tampa to JFK to J'berg to Windhoek. 4 hour connection in JFK and a 5 hour connection in J'berg. We are staying in Windhoek for a few days before our PH picks us up. Same drill, extra copies of PH "motivation" letter, pre-filled out Namibian gun form and copies of our passports just in case our guns/bags miss a connection.

Next time go through Frankfurt, then directly to Windhoek. Everything about that route is better than going through JNB.

Just got back from Namibia a few weeks ago. Letter was NOT needed, perhaps due to borrowing the PHs rifle in Namibia and not having to go through the JoBerg customs hassle. We also stayed at the Afton house the evening before departing for Windhoek. Fairly nice place, comfortable, quiet and clean but really nothing special. I also thought the $25 steak dinner was very mediocre at best... and way to small for someone that just spent 17 hours on a plane who had an appetite like a pride of lions.

Thank you for all the reply's. I received my invitation letter today from the outfitter. Cathi Klimes also helped me out with some example letters.

I to prefer the Frankfurt routing direct to Windhoek with Air Namibia. My gun problem has been with Delta in Frk.on the way home. Twice now I have had extended delays in Frk.because I was traveling with guns (apparently).I was subjected to extra scrutiny by check-in staff and waited another 20-30 minutes wait while they waited for the blessing of a "supervisor" before issuing a boarding pass.Has anyone else had a similar problem in Frankfurt ?

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Originally posted by Stopckmaker:
I to prefer the Frankfurt routing direct to Windhoek with Air Namibia. My gun problem has been with Delta in Frk.on the way home. Twice now I have had extended delays in Frk.because I was traveling with guns (apparently).I was subjected to extra scrutiny by check-in staff and waited another 20-30 minutes wait while they waited for the blessing of a "supervisor" before issuing a boarding pass.Has anyone else had a similar problem in Frankfurt ?

The only problem we had with Air Namibia-Delta was that the ticket agent in Namibia refused to check our baggage all the way through to our final destination (Austin), insisting that it had to be checked only to the port of entry (Atlanta), so we had to recheck it after going through customs instead of just redepositing it with the Delta baggage agent.

We didn't touch our checked baggage, including guns, either going or coming (except to go through customs in Atlanta), and all arrived both at Windhoek and back at home the same time we did. (The sound you hear is my knocking loudly on wood.)

We did need an invitation letter for hunting in Namibia. (Just returned 7/2). As to the Frankfurt route, we probably won't do that one again. The 12 hour layover in Frankfurt is brutal. Whoever said there is a day room available for $35-$50 was behind the times at best. We were quoted $180 and said no thanks. Never did find the Delta Crown Room. Stumbled around the airport for 12 hours (it was school tour day so every seat at restaurants was flooded with schoolchildren) in a zombie state after no sleep. Not a stellar time.