ZIMBABWE: Harare International Airport vs Bulawayo Airport

[375 Ruger Fan]

I was discussing my recent hunt in southern Zim with a colleague at work (during lunch of course) and mentioned how nice the Bulawayo airport was and how quick and easy it was to get through it. From landing, through immigration, getting my bags and clearing customs, 15 minutes max.

My colleague went thru Harare International Airport a year ago and said it was as bad as any airport he'd seen (we both worked Angola and Nigeria and seen a few bad airports before).

This might figure into my future hunt planning. Any comments or thoughts from folks who have gone through both airports?

Thanks!

 

[ActionBob]

I had the same experience as you in Bulawayo. But never went through Harare. If I ever go to Zimbabwe again, I would certainly fly through Bulawayo and try my best to avoid crossing the border by car. We crossed via road on the way in and flew out. Lots of hours, hassles, long packed lines, frustation and sweat via road! Airport was exactly as you described.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

ActionBob,

Thanks for the reply and glad to hear your experience thru Bulawayo airport was very good, like mine. I think flying in from Joburg on a smaller, regional jet and the fact that Bulawayo might get one flight an hour during the day contributes to it keeping short lines and quick in and out. Sure did make it nice. Another thing that helped was my PH, John Sharp, emailed me a copy of the immigration form. I printed it out beforehand and had it all filled out ahead of time. Paid my $35 for a visa and was out the door.

Would love to hear some comments on Harare airport.

 

[Royal27]

I went into Harare last August. I wouldn't call it bad, I would call it inefficient.

It was slow. Remember, not like there is a ton of air traffic there... first there was the long slow line for customs and visa. Then a short but even slower line to get the guns and do that paperwork. The pilot for our charter helped and it was still really slow and they made me redo my paperwork because I had used the one sent me by my travel agency which was on different sized paper. Same form and noxes, different size. Then, we had to go back through security to get back out to the charter plane. The entire process took a be 45 minutes when it should have taken 20 tops. At the end of the day I can live with that.

What I will say though is that through the process I probably talked to six different people and without fail they all had a smile on their face and we're truly friendly. Nice stuff too like asking me why I was there, me saying to hunt, and getting a reply back of you must bring me some biltong!!!

 

[mikecatt13]

Obviously digging up an older post here but any recent opinions on this? Find the possibility of smaller and faster to be rather interesting if proximity to hunting area makes sense

 

[K-man]

My only experience with both airports was pre-covid and last summer. Bulawayo is small but if the proper flights are going into it, it can be very convenient. I prefer either one of them to arriving at Joberg. The smaller airports are only faster if there aren't a lot of people arriving, then it is painfully slow. If twelve hunters arrive in Bulawayo, it can take a while to clear. No P.H. will drive after dark in Zim, so if it saves you an overnight somewhere, it is definitely worth it. Good luck with the planning!