TRAVEL INFORMATION FLIGHT INFO
For hunting in the Eastern Cape you need to route all your flights through OR Tambo International Airport, with the final destination as Port Elizabeth. Iberia, American Airlines, British Airways, South African Airways as well as Delta Airlines have direct flights to South Africa. Delta miles can be used on South African Airways. In most cases no visas are required to enter South Africa, depending on your country of origin. Our representatives in the USA, Spain, Norway and Mexico are experts in the field of travel planning and will assist you with bookings, custom declarations, firearm import and export, and the completion of necessary travel documentation.
For destinations other than the Eastern Cape clients will be informed of specific routes, documentation needed and the final destination.
TRAVEL TIPS
SAFARI CHECKLIST
CURRENCY AND ELECTICAL APPLIANCES / PHONE CONNECTIONS
South African currency is rands and trades between 6 and 7.5 to the US $ and 7.5 to the Euro. Most shops outside touristic hot spots only accept rands. You are advised to consult the outfitter for information on currency exchange bureaus for the best rates of exchange.
Electrical currency is 220V and plug adapters are available in the bedrooms. Most chargers for laptops, digital cameras, video cameras etc. are rated from 100V to 240V so no converters are needed. Hairdryers from the USA do not work in South Africa. Thus each bedroom has a hairdryer for your personal use.
The mobile phone operators in South Africa are Vodacom, MTN and Cell C all of whom are generally compatible with European service providers and phones. Currently mobile phones from the USA are not functional in South Africa. You will be able to hire a phone upon arrival in South Africa, for the duration of your stay.
Check with your service provider before leaving your home country and make sure that you activate international roaming. Coverage is good on the main routes in South Africa as well as at the Aloe and Elephant Lodge. You should be able to use your mobile phone at least once a day when hunting in South Africa.
LAUNDRY
As we do your laundry daily we recommend that you limit the clothing you bring along to 2 sets of hunting clothes, one set of casual/traveling clothes and 3 sets of underwear and socks would be sufficient.
MEET AND GREET SERVICE AT OLIVER TAMBO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
We aim to assist all clients travelling to South Africa in such a way that they wish to make a return journey to South Africa. We offer assistance for the the following categories of persons:
To everyone we offer:
We assist all clients prior to departure from their home countries, upon arrival or connecting at OR Tambo International Airport through to the final destination.
VIP Assistance
Arrivals: You are met and assisted after coming off the Aircraft. You will not stand in lines at Immigration but are taken through without delay. Your baggage is then retrieved for you and you are assisted in clearing Customs. We take you directly to your awaiting transport or connecting flight.
Departures: Clients are assisted with their baggage upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport from the arriving vehicle to the applicable Departing Airline and check-in counters. We have staff at the Airline containers who are advised of your baggage tag numbers and that your baggage has been dispatched on the conveyor system. Our staff retrieve your baggage, taking care that it is loaded in the container.
After clearing Immigration we take the passenger to the Lounge of the relevant Airline. If you do not have access to a Lounge because of your ticket category we can arrange at a minimum charge that you are comfortably ensconced in one. You will be given a verification card that details your baggage information, noting the container in which your baggage was loaded and at what time.
You will be collected at the Lounge before boarding starts and taken to the correct gates for boarding. You will be assisted to the Aircraft and if allowed by the Airline we will board with you so as to deliver your hand baggage to the aircraft’s overhead compartment. We then bid you bon voyage!
Connecting Passengers
In order to ensure ease of movement between connecting flights, we offer check-in assistance and baggage assistance for those passengers who are booked on connecting flights from OR Tambo International Airport.
Our Concierge will meet you as you come off the aircraft, directing you immediately to the transfer area from where you are checked in. You will then be escorted to a lounge, or directly to the applicable boarding area and to the Aircraft.
The tag numbers for your bags are forwarded to our personnel who are awaiting your bags as they are offloaded at the baggage area. They identify and remove your baggage directly to the connecting flight’s container once it passes through security checks. The concierge receives confirmation of this process, and then you are informed of the container number in which your baggage has been placed by means of a verification card.
If for some reason you have not been checked onto your connecting flight we will assist you in the shortest possible time to check-in at Departures for your connecting flight.
Clients that enter the Country to catch a connecting domestic flight will be assisted through Immigration and Customs to the relevant transfer area. They are further assisted as per the Departure procedure stated above.
I can assure you that all clients will find this service most convenient. You never carry a bag or hand baggage during the entire time that we assist you. The service is completely oriented towards making your travel experience a convenient and enjoyable one.
Passengers with no time to spare between arrival and departure will find our service fast and convenient. And best of all with our assistance you can been assured that your baggage will be on your connecting flight.
Hunters Support and Assistance: Hunters get the same service upon arrival, departure or connecting to other flights in terms of check-in, Lounges and Baggage that our regular clients receive.
However our service is extended slightly, as hunters need additional assistance with their guns. We have an efficient support structure in place for the benefit of Hunters who pass through the Airport.
Gun Clearance
We provide Hunters with the documentation needed to clear their firearms upon entering South Africa. The document, the SAP 520 can also be downloaded from the SAPS web site. We then check the documents and advise if anything is still outstanding. We also advise Hunters on any additional documents that might be needed when entering South Africa with a firearm.
Hunters connecting to other destinations from Johannesburg will get the same assistance as any other VIP, with one difference. We ensure that your firearms are transferred and loaded. We also ensure this upon checking in at OR Tambo International Airport and before departure from the Airport.
Passenger Support
Please forward flight details as well as return flight details for passengers that need assistance upon arriving, connecting or departing from OR Tambo International Airport.
Lost Property
On several occasions our client’s baggage was not transferred in Atlanta or other Hubs. If this were to happen to you we will check to see if your baggage and or firearm did not make the connecting flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg and we will assist you to find your baggage. We request that you report your missing pieces of baggage and/or the firearm to the Airline and get the airline reference number. We have access to the world tracer system and will be able to trace the retrieval of your bags or firearm, if we do not find it first. Upon finding the firearm and/or baggage we dispatch the baggage and/or firearm to your intended destination. We will keep you informed of the progress of the retrieval and dispatch of your baggage and/or firearm. We will continue to assist you until your bags and/or firearm are back in your possession.
Costs
The dollar rate will be US$ 80.00 per person assisted in clearing firearms through SAPS and Customs. This rate does not include the pre-arrangement of Temporary Import Permits for clients, which will cost an additional US$50.00. The total cost to the client is US$ 130.00 per hunter assisted.
We have a special rate for clients that use us both ways. The charge is US$ 100.00 return and includes all assistance except pre-arrangement of Temporary Import Permits.
Please be advised that pre-arrangement of Temporary Import Permits are not necessary for everyone and that completion of the SAP 520 document and bringing the required copies will suffice under normal circumstances.
We only provide this part of the service for hunters or people with a specific need for it. This includes:
Handguns or Semi-Automatic Firearms: Hunters that want to Hunt with Handguns or Semi-Automatic firearms, and need to have them cleared. We will endeavour to assist in any way possible, although clearance of these firearms is often problematic.
Short Connecting Flights: It is advisable to arrange a Temporary Import Permit to expedite the clearance of your firearms, especially if you have not allowed for much time between your connecting flights.
Convenience
Please post all original documentation and required copies of Documentation to us at: P.O. Box 1346, Johannesburg International Airport, 2000, Gauteng, South Africa. Mark it for attention: VIP Department. I will advise clients upon receiving the documentation.
If you would like to pre-arrange your Temporary Import permits, please request the necessary documentation from us and we will send it post haste.
Central Firearms Register
Copies and documentation must be very clear and legible. The Central firearms Registry will not accept applications with copies that are not clearly visible. For example a person’s face on the copy of the passport must be clearly visible, as well as the copies of the airline tickets etc.
Hunters who want us to check if the SAPS 520 was completed correctly can fax it to us as usual. You will be advised of our receipt of faxes as well. You could also send us your documentation to be kept on file until your arrival. Receipt of this documentation will also be acknowledged.
Observers, Wives etc.
People who accompany hunters will be charged at US$ 45.00 per person as per the assistance needed.
Children under the age of 13 years who are travelling with their parents or guardian will be assisted free of charge. However if children are travelling unaccompanied they will be charged at US$ 45.00 per child assisted.
In-transit clients: To assist passengers with sporting weapons and baggage to next flight.....
Clients who have bows or other sporting equipment besides firearms will be charged at US$ 45.00 per person assisted.
Form of Payment
Please note the charges as mentioned above includes assistance to the client twice, i.e. arrival and departure from OR International Airport.
Service Guarantee
As we guarantee our service, any client who is not satisfied with the service provided will receive a full refund. In this way we ensure that you continue to receive First Class Service.
I trust that your perusal of the information provided here has been favourable and that I will be hearing from you soon as regards the booking of your hunting trip to South Africa or beyond. Please contact me if you need any additional information.
Cape Town International Airport
We will be operating from Cape Town International Airport from this year, if you would like to utilize the service there.
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Please note that although no innoculations are needed for visiting the Eastern Cape some precautions may be necessary for other areas. All our representatives are well informed as far as this is concerned.