Travel to Namibia

[62flint]

I have a trip to Namibia in the back of my mind. Spoke with a outfit from Namibia at a hunting show recently and it has perked my interest. I have a safari booked in another country in 2025 so it would be after that before I could go.
I am just curious as to travel routes and time to get to Namibia from the east coast of the US.

 

[375er]

Most direct is to Johannesburg SA. 15 hour flight from the east coast. Overnight then about a 2 hour flight to Windhoek. You can also go through Europe or the middle east but it adds travel time.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

What country is the other safari?

Several years ago, when I was living in Lagos, Nigeria, I hunted Zim and Nam back to back. Travel was Lagos to JNB on South Africa Airlines. Flew to Bulawayo on Airlink. Back to JNB on Airlink. Flew to Windhoek on Air Namibia and back to JNB. Flew back to Lagos on South Africa Airlines.

NOTE: I did both of these hunts using the PH furnished guns.

You might book your round trip ticket to/from the US on a separate ticket. Then you tickets for flight within Africa on another, separate ticket.

I am doing two hunts, both in Namibia, in 2025. Currently looking at best options and Lufthansa to Frankfurt and then direct to Windhoek looks interesting.

 

[NTX]

Both times I’ve been I went through Frankfurt. It’s easy to get guns through from Germany to Namibia as well. It’s about 26 hours travel if you time it well, and both flights are much easier than the 14 hours to Jberg if you buy the cheap seats like I do . The last trip I actually planned a 13-hour layover in Frankfurt and took a day trip to Heidelberg to break up the travel for my wife.

 

[Ryan]

I've gone via Frankfurt twice and I believe Frankfurt is how my outfitter from those trips goes when they come this way to shows. Flights from Frankfurt and RSA seemed to be the most common into that airport, which is a pretty small one. My first trip in there in 2013 we arrived in the early morning. It was dark and we actually watched them turn on runway and airport lights for our flight. Firearms through Frankfurt used to be a breeze, now it requires a transit permit. I think the permit in Namibia got more complicated too, sadly. So look into that and line it up early if you're bringing your own. Or contact your outfitter and use theirs.

 

[everett]

I personally prefer the flight to Jo’burg. Get the long flight over in one lick. Spend the night in Jo’burg. Short flight to Windhoek the next day, rested and ready.

This is assuming you’re hunting within a few hours drive of Windhoek.

 

[Jason Miller]

Im here now (Namibia) and fly US to Frankfurt, grab lunch in town, then Frankfurt to WIndhoek. Of course our drive is another 8 hours from Windhoek which kind of sucks

 

[Doubleplay]

Im here now (Namibia) and fly US to Frankfurt, grab lunch in town, then Frankfurt to WIndhoek. Of course our drive is another 8 hours from Windhoek which kind of sucks

Are you hunting in Namibia now?

 

[randallhebert]

You can fly qatar straight to Windhoek from doha.

 

[IronRanger]

I'm looking at going in 2026, one option along with those above is Ethiopian Air, flying into Adduas Abbai, then onto Windhoek. But I'm vomming from the Midwest, so Chicago start.... ug!

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

We flew Qatar air. DFW-Doha-Windhoek. On the way over it was 15 hour flight, 4 hour layover and 8 hour flight. On the way home it was 9 hour flight, 2-2.5 hour layover and 16 hour flight.

Pretty brutal to me (first time flyer). If I were to go back to Namibia I think I would stay the night in Joberg and fly the next day.

 

[375Fox]

Just returning from a hunt today. I took United through Newark. Then airlink from South Africa to Windhoek. I’ll take the route again. Overnight in Johannesburg on way there. Then a few hour layover in Cape Town on way back. Newark was much easier with a gun than I thought. Only small inconvenience is you have to recheck your rifle in South Africa both times even when checked through.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

You can fly qatar straight to Windhoek from doha.

I know that use to be the case, but not seeing direct flights now. Everything I've seen on the Qatar website shows going through JNB.

 

[Mountaineer]

I’m flying Ethiopian Airlines from Washington Dulles to Windhoek. 20 hrs over 24 hrs back.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I’m flying Ethiopian Airlines from Washington Dulles to Windhoek. 20 hrs over 24 hrs back.

I assume that's through Addis Ababa. How much layover?

Trivia facts: Elevation 7,723 ft. Runway length 12,467 ft. I would have guessed even longer. Denver has a 16,000 ft runway.

 

[Doug3006]

You can fly qatar straight to Windhoek from doha.

I’m pretty sure that Qatar discontinued its service to WDH. You can buy tickets from Qatar, but They now fly to JNB and SAA flies you to WDH.

 

[Doug3006]

I’m going back to Namibia for a third safari there in Apr 25. This time I plan to fly Lufthansa from Saint Louis (my home airport) to Windhoek via Frankfort. Now that Lufthansa flys out of STL my travel to Namibia is much simpler. I can check my guns in STL and not touch them again until I arrive in Windhoek.

 

[randallhebert]

I’m pretty sure that Qatar discontinued its service to WDH. You can buy tickets from Qatar, but They now fly to JNB and SAA flies you to WDH.

Yes they must have changed it. We flew that route in Aug last year.

 

[Philip Glass]

I have a trip to Namibia in the back of my mind. Spoke with a outfit from Namibia at a hunting show recently and it has perked my interest. I have a safari booked in another country in 2025 so it would be after that before I could go.
I am just curious as to travel routes and time to get to Namibia from the east coast of the US.

Namibia is my fav. We have mostly flown Delta through JNB. I used to be able to transit JNB and get on the late flight to WDH but now Delta arrives too late. I will be going next May so I will be looking into this soon. (Qatar Qsuite please!) I always want to check out the new routes and options for skipping JNB. I do not, nor does my TA, recommend transiting Europe for this trip. Qatar and Ethiopian fly to Windhoek (WDH) but I don't believe either one is a daily. My recommendation is to use a TA when you get ready to book and review all gun friendly routes.

 

[ArmyAV8tor]

I have had good success on Ethiopian using the Dulles Addis Windhoek route 3x.