Who's been through there lately and what's the process with guns?
Any issues with locals ransacking your luggage?
Any other issues?

I'm using a meet and Greet service, but figure I'd lean on others who have ben through lately for the benefit of all.

Jeff, the Meet and Greet is the way to go, for sure...

AIR 2000. DON'T GO WITHOUT THEM

Jeff, the meet and greet has saved you from being harrassed for tips by the porters for sure. Apart from that, everything running smoothly. Who are you using for the meet and greet? Well worth the money.

Agreed. I wouldn't go without using a service, period. Once we arrived at a time that happened to be during a shift change. Our guy from Africa Sky (fantastic place and service) took me to SAPS office where several of us were waiting for our rifles. We waited, waited, and waited while no rifles were being brought up front. He found out about the shift change and actually went back behind closed doors himself and found my rifle. We got done while the others were still standing around wondering what was going on.

We had no problems in June, used Gracy travel.

In our hotel room an hour after we landed.

Gracy does have a great hookup with Africa Sky, Jeff. Highly recommended

I will be using Gracy Travel again, this August. Used to be not a big deal to work your way thru the Joburg customs- not anymore! I think the Meet and Greet services are now nearly essential for everyone travelling with firearms.

I booked through African Odyssey and they set me up with Air2000, as the meet-and-greet. Was met by them and they retrieved my luggage, rifle and ammo.They took me to the SAPS office. Was in and out in 15 minutes. No issues, no bribes. They took me to my connecting flight to Kimberley where my luggage was checked. I was escorted to another SAPS office where my rifle and ammo was checked in for the connection.

I was very pleased with the way it was handled. I thought they were very professional and efficient.

The only issue, which was a small one, and was discussed is various threads in this forum, was the ammo. I'm glad I planned in case the issue arose. I put my ammo in a cheap Harbor Freight lockable ammo can, which was stowed in my luggage. At Heathrow prior to boarding for the flight to J'Berg I was paged to report to the ticketing agent. When I reported the agent asked if I had ammo in my luggage. Told her I did and she said it had to be sent separately. She printed another luggage tag and I was escorted to the Jetway where my suitcase was waiting. I removed the ammo can, they tagged it and put it back in the cargo area. I was slightly worried that it wasn't going to make it. Everything made it to my final destination. Didn't have any issues with any items missing from my luggage.

Two issues in J'Berg airport, minor ones, albeit. Every time you went to the bathroom, there was the attendant with his hand out, "welcome to my office!" I referred to it as a "urination tax". The bathroom was extremely clean, I'll give him that. I tipped him a buck the first time.

The other was when I was in a souvenir shop getting items for the grand kids. I was approached by a fat, Rosie O'Donnell, looking woman. She walked up to me out of the blue and told me if I was here to hunt that I should be ashamed of myself. I complimented her on her matching leather shoes and purse and told her to not eat anymore meat. Wished her a nice day and to get away from me.

I was very pleased with the service and will book through them again.

Respectfully to all,
Dave

I was supposed to pay that guy?
He didn't offer to hold it, or anything....
No wonder he gave me the dead fish handshake.

I actually had a fellow in Jo-Berg Airport thank me for going hunting.....
he said it helped his people.


Slave

It was my first trip, so I can plead ignorance....

I travelled through Joberg with my rifle in late May. Used Gracey travel (as usual) for VIP meet & greet as well as rifle import. Bruce from Gracey handled everything with his usual efficiency. We made our connection to Port Elizabeth on SAA with plenty of time to spare. Overnight stay was not necessary. No issues whatsoever. Luggage was intact. Nothing missing. Came back via Cape Town. Gracey again handled the arrangements via Bid Air. Again, no issues.

I think the Nando's in the airport isn't as good as a regular chain location. The one in Windhoek@Stein St. is way better than any of them, nice girls as staff/friendly/clean.

Craft beer place is OK, food was decent (ribs& chicken), did the beer sampler and enjoyed them and I'm not much of a drinker.



The passport control line is the sucky part, if you are using a service, won't really much effect you. I used a service on one trip as I had a connection and thats where it payed off (Henry at riflepermits).

I cleared my own guns 2x last 3 trips and no bribes, not even implied; so different then say 10-12 years ago. About 1/2 hr each time, spent more time last fall talking to SA PH that was guiding in Zambia and ogling his 465HH Royal than anything.


Good luck on hunt, local guy has hunted with Muchinga several times and always has had a good time.

African Sky thru Gracey

Africa Sky made my trip through Joburg a breeze

The overnight at their B&B was top shelf as well

Same here Ted. I used them twice and would do so again in a heartbeat. Someone needs to remind hatari to lay off of AS's free booze though.

This was 17 years ago but if someone hadn't been there for me I'd have gotten screwed over royally.

Arrival in J'berg was uneventful. I knew what paperwork to do and it only took about 45 minutes IIRC to get through the receiving area there, mostly because there were a whole bunch of hunters arriving and doing paperwork at the same time. JJ Hack was waiting outside the receiving area for me and the trip to the hunting area was fine.

Departure was altogether different. Went through the ticket counter and got all squared away there, then went around the right to a small room to check my rifles. Three black guys with extremely snarky attitudes were in there and let it be known in a round about but very clear manner that I had better pay them or my bags would never get on the plane. I forget the circumstances of why he was there but fortunately JJ arrived and spoke pretty brusque Afrikaans with them and their attitudes changed right quick from smirky to angry but obedient. All bags including my rifles arrived home with me safe and sound.

It's well worth the money to have someone who knows the ropes guide you personally as far as possible through the arrival and departure process.

We flew to South Africa a month ago and returned a couple of week ago. Our PH at Lianga Safaris preapproved our guns for us and met us when we got off the plane and then took us to the SAP office where the gun check took less than 5 minutes. Leaving Joberg our PH delivered us to our airline and SAP took five minutes again. No problems, no hassles. Our luggage was fine and all went well. The only advice I would give you, "make sure your gun case is easy to get into and close without a lot of extra items because you will be opening and closing it a lot."

Piece of cake, another reason I'll continue to book with biggamehuntingadventures.com, my PH's and Photographer have met me on both trips at the airport, they'll get you through customs, drive you to camp, return you to the airport and back through customs, even buy you a giant seafood platter dinner then walk you to your departure gate!

I don't think they can be beat, I do use travelswithguns.com for the ticket booking and flight insurance, another great service.

Africa Sky is where my wife first tried Amarula

We now stock it in our liquor selection in our house.

Was thru there twice in March April. I do my own paperwork. I stay in the City Lodge which is in the airport. No problems.
The biggest issue with your luggage not showing up when you do relates to the connection times on your flights. Never had an issue since I started using Steve Turner and Patrick at Travel With Guns.
Smiling and being polite will take care of just about all potential problems...don’t be a jackass...ever.

Oh I dress like a guy on a golfing holiday not a ninja swat play-soldier. I think that helps.

I just got back Wednesday. No problems. Used Bruce from Graceys on the way over and checked guns all the way through from Windhoek on the way back. Got stuck in a part of the airport where the help counters were. No Delta agents on duty. Wouldn't let us through without a fresh boarding pass. Had to wait for them to show up (our layover was 4 hours or so).

I thought the City Lodge hotel was a nice touch but would have rather not had to check my rifles there just to go to Namibia. I'll never fly the Atlanta-J'bg flight again. It took me 2 hours to clear customs with my rifles on the way back. It takes 5 minutes in Phx or Douglas. Too many hunters on that flight and it bogs things down.

Everyone in J'bg had their hand out for money. I had to fight a porter off on the way to the hotel. Just be firm and don't give in. They hit my buddy for $10 to get out of the [bleep]. He was pretty hot after that.

The ladies in the gun clearing room were lobbying for $$. They even asked for it! I think I gave them $2. I didn't have to bribe anyone in Namibia.

I didn't take ammo home and this streamlined things.

The Americans were the worst in my opinion; heavy handed and ransacked my luggage.

Used Travel With Guns for everything in June on way to Namibia. They booked the meet and greet and Africa Sky. Easy/breezy.

Guys i dont mean to hijack the OP’s thread but just wondering if companies like Air2000, African Sky and Gracy Travel only help book complete trips meaning airfare, meet and greet, guns/luggage or can you use them if you airfare is already booked? I will be heading to SA in 40 days and booked my flight thru Delta almost a year ago. At the time i didnt know anything about any of these companies. I think i like the idea of using them for firearm shipping and meet and greet. Is this possible for people like myself who already have airfare paid for otherwise? Thanks

Randall

Air2000 and Riflepermits.com will help anyone. Africa Sky and Afton House, both have the permit service, but not sure if it's available if you don't stay with them. Gracy and Travel with Guns are both travel agents, not sure if they will help if you don't buy your tickets from them.

Use Air 2000 with complete confidence. They have been around nearly 30 years and know the ropes. Yes they will help you as their business is rifle permits, meet & greet, drivers and internal Africa charter flights. Call them and set it up. Well worth it.

Thanks guys!

Don't use Afton House, Mr. X lost my rifle permits and I was at the SAPs Office for a long time!

I borrow or rent a rifle for all my overseas hunts. Unless you're on the trip to test and write an article about a particular rifle/bullet/powder/whatever, or just really want to use a particular rifle for whatever reason, I see no downside to renting one. I guess dangerous game would be an exception, since you'll really want to be comfortable with your rifle.

Lots of people have no problems getting through firearms control at the JoBerg Airport, but I know enough people with nightmare stories about it to steer away. I guess it is luck of the draw as to who is working the counter when you get there. The meet and greet services could substantially cut this risk I guess. I know one guy who supposedly had the transporter's vehicle broken into and the guns were stolen when they stopped at a gift shop somewhere. Holy jesus.....what would you do then? I know that's a RARE case but with South Africa's gun laws, I fully intend to keep renting rifles on any future trip I go on there.

“I guess dangerous game would be an exception “?? Not really. 2 elephants, 2 buffalo, 3 hippo, 2 crocs, and a leopard with camp rifles ( not to mention a boatload of plains game) has taught me that it is the shooter and not the rifle. I can hit a nail with any hammer- I don’t need my own...... Now it’s time for the “ if I can’t hunt with my own rifle I won’t go “ crowd to chime in.

I'm sure most of time an unfamiliar rifle would be fine, but having no experience with Africa's dangerous game, it's not a gamble I would take.

I suspect LOTS of others WITH dangerous game experience would also disagree with you on that point, but maybe not. We'll see I guess.

I’ve tried calling the +27 number that is listed online for Air 2000 several times with no answer. Guess i’ll Keep trying.

Randall

Call or e-mail riflepermits. Used them last time and using them again in 10 days.

And here I am...

Email is probably best bet for communication. Anne always replied promptly to my inquiries.