Coronavirus 1 Namibian Safari 0

[Tazz]

Having booked a 19 day hunt/safari in Namibia after having an epic 14 day one last year we have been watching the ramp up of restrictions and regulation changes regarding Coronavirus with increasing concern. This culminated in us pulling the date forward by a week to this Tuesday getting to Johannesburg and short hop on to Windhoek in Namibia on the 18 March. Frustratingly the SA president put a travel ban in place starting the 18 March the UK is top of that banning list. Missed getting there by a day, however had we got there it may well have turned out to be a much longer stay than we planned. I do love Namibia but I don’t want to emigrate there by default. The outfitters and PH’s in both SA and Namibia have had 2-3 years of poor/no rains and this year the rains came so they were all expecting a great season, this will be devastating for both the hunting and general hospitality sector. It’s equally going to have a negative effect on our economy and most of the rest of the developed world.

I can now go and unpack all my kit. That was one Chinese export the world could have done without

 

[CarlW]

Having booked a 19 day hunt/safari in Namibia after having an epic 14 day one last year we have been watching the ramp up of restrictions and regulation changes regarding Coronavirus with increasing concern. This culminated in us pulling the date forward by a week to this Tuesday getting to Johannesburg and short hop on to Windhoek in Namibia on the 18 March. Frustratingly the SA president put a travel ban in place starting the 18 March the UK is top of that banning list. Missed getting there by a day, however had we got there it may well have turned out to be a much longer stay than we planned. I do love Namibia but I don’t want to emigrate there by default. The outfitters and PH’s in both SA and Namibia have had 2-3 years of poor/no rains and this year the rains came so they were all expecting a great season, this will be devastating for both the hunting and general hospitality sector. It’s equally going to have a negative effect on our economy and most of the rest of the developed world.

I can now go and unpack all my kit. That was one Chinese export the world could have done without

Sorry about this, Tazz.

There are other routes in. Fly down to Harare then across to Windhoek and hire a rifle (no UK rifles supposed to enter Zim).

However, as you say, it depends if you are willing to risk it being a rather longer trip than expected.

There is also a moral question about infecting people who have a poor healthcare system. I am currently wrestling with the risk of me making my staff in Moz sick later this year.

Either way, this will eventually blow over and you'll be hunting again next year...so long as you don't die of the lurgy, of course...

 

[bogtrotter]

Its a bummer for sure, but it is also the same in reverse for those of us who depend on overseas hunters it looks like this
year will be a right off.

 

[Tazz]

On our game syndicate both lots of Danish guys who come over for CWD have cancelled. If you look at the airline reaction there won’t be many flying anywhere by the end of the week. Like many I had it down as panic driven by the media in the early days but it is going to have a major effect commercially as well as a health issue

 

[Tazz]

i now don’t think anyone from abroad will be coming over here to hunt and clearly we Brits won’t be going abroad to hunt. Last of our CWD guys cancelled

 

[Bavarianbrit]

The ferries/airports will close down in days to keep brexiteers safe but Kingsdown beach near Deal is still taking immigrants I am sure.

 

[Namman]

Having booked a 19 day hunt/safari in Namibia after having an epic 14 day one last year we have been watching the ramp up of restrictions and regulation changes regarding Coronavirus with increasing concern. This culminated in us pulling the date forward by a week to this Tuesday getting to Johannesburg and short hop on to Windhoek in Namibia on the 18 March. Frustratingly the SA president put a travel ban in place starting the 18 March the UK is top of that banning list. Missed getting there by a day, however had we got there it may well have turned out to be a much longer stay than we planned. I do love Namibia but I don’t want to emigrate there by default. The outfitters and PH’s in both SA and Namibia have had 2-3 years of poor/no rains and this year the rains came so they were all expecting a great season, this will be devastating for both the hunting and general hospitality sector. It’s equally going to have a negative effect on our economy and most of the rest of the developed world.

I can now go and unpack all my kit. That was one Chinese export the world could have done without

I'm in the same boat. I finally booked a hunt in Namibia for June having watched the rain situation for months . It would have been my 6th hunt there. I love the country,the hunting ,the landscapes and the fact that it is so sparsely populated.
I just love going there and I always endeavour to visit non hunting attractions as well. As you said this will be devastating for the hunting and hospitality sector. Let's hope that the World recovers from this catastrophe and life can get back to normal.

 

[Tazz]

I'm in the same boat. I finally booked a hunt in Namibia for June having watched the rain situation for months . It would have been my 6th hunt there. I love the country,the hunting ,the landscapes and the fact that it is so sparsely populated.
I just love going there and I always endeavour to visit non hunting attractions as well. As you said this will be devastating for the hunting and hospitality sector. Let's hope that the World recovers from this catastrophe and life can get back to normal.

Yes Namman, while it’s very frustrating for us it’s livelihoods at stake in Namibia and SA, both counties have had a couple of years of low bookings due to the lack of rains and now this. Even worse is that the countries where the infection rates are rising are where most of their bookings come from USA, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and the U.K. The game shooting season over here is a long way away but it will be interesting to see how that plays out as the prep and effort starts a long time before the season plus lots of shooters may need to review their “disposable income” pots by the Autumn

 

[Namman]

Yes Namman, while it’s very frustrating for us it’s livelihoods at stake in Namibia and SA, both counties have had a couple of years of low bookings due to the lack of rains and now this. Even worse is that the countries where the infection rates are rising are where most of their bookings come from USA, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and the U.K. The game shooting season over here is a long way away but it will be interesting to see how that plays out as the prep and effort starts a long time before the season plus lots of shooters may need to review their “disposable income” pots by the Autumn

Agree totally with you Tazz.

 

[ChrisBehier]

I'm in the same boat. I finally booked a hunt in Namibia for June having watched the rain situation for months . It would have been my 6th hunt there. I love the country,the hunting ,the landscapes and the fact that it is so sparsely populated.
I just love going there and I always endeavour to visit non hunting attractions as well. As you said this will be devastating for the hunting and hospitality sector. Let's hope that the World recovers from this catastrophe and life can get back to normal.

Hopefully more game will be out there when the pandemic lifts

 

[Tazz]

I have now stopped looking at the pictures from Namibia with all that lush grass and game out there too depressing!! However on the upside I have paid a deposit and have voucher from SAA for flights out there. Slightly nervous about SAA as they are being propped up by the SA government financially and having the fleet grounded will not be helping their financial position. However there are bigger and more important things happening currently so let’s hope we are out there soon