Travel to Zimbabwe.....
Nov 8, 2009, 10:12 am
#1
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Travel to Zimbabwe.....
I'm a UK national and have agreed with my employer to a short business trip to Zimbabwe. We intend to be in Harare for approximately one week. Hopefully, our assembled experts can answer a few questions:
i) Is it possible to obtain a business visa on arrival or should we apply in advance?
ii) What can we expect in terms of the attitude and questions from immigration officers, customs and security staff on arrival (I ask this because I know the President of Zimbabwe has issues with the British government)?
iii) Are there any safety/security concerns we need to be aware of on arrival (i.e. at and around Harare airport)?
iv) I understand I will probably have to carry more cash into the country than I would normally find comfortable (I'm Mr Plastic, I'm afraid).... Can we expect the hotels (or possibly an approved guest house in our case) to take plastic?
Edit: One more question: Who flies there? I'm not seeing any direct flights from Europe though a colleague from SA told me he saw a BA 747 parked at Harare a while back....
i) Is it possible to obtain a business visa on arrival or should we apply in advance?
ii) What can we expect in terms of the attitude and questions from immigration officers, customs and security staff on arrival (I ask this because I know the President of Zimbabwe has issues with the British government)?
iii) Are there any safety/security concerns we need to be aware of on arrival (i.e. at and around Harare airport)?
iv) I understand I will probably have to carry more cash into the country than I would normally find comfortable (I'm Mr Plastic, I'm afraid).... Can we expect the hotels (or possibly an approved guest house in our case) to take plastic?
Edit: One more question: Who flies there? I'm not seeing any direct flights from Europe though a colleague from SA told me he saw a BA 747 parked at Harare a while back....
Last edited by Internaut; Nov 8, 2009 at 10:40 am
Nov 8, 2009, 3:11 pm
#2
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iv) There were ATMs , but only for local cards, no plastic could be used, except in places that routed you through Zambia or South African banks and charged in USD or ZAR
v) Comair (BA)/SAA from JNB, Kenya from NBO, Ethiopian from ADD, and of course Air Zimbabwe from Gatwick
Nov 8, 2009, 3:40 pm
#3
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iv) There were ATMs , but only for local cards, no plastic could be used, except in places that routed you through Zambia or South African banks and charged in USD or ZAR
v) Comair (BA)/SAA from JNB, Kenya from NBO, Ethiopian from ADD, and of course Air Zimbabwe from Gatwick
v) Comair (BA)/SAA from JNB, Kenya from NBO, Ethiopian from ADD, and of course Air Zimbabwe from Gatwick
) so going through JNB it is!
Nov 8, 2009, 7:45 pm
#4
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Comair also has a dodgy safety record in South Africa.
If you are flying in business class, Kenya has flat beds to Nairobi from London, and comfortable 737s for the short flight. I would choose SA>KQ>BA>Air Zim
Nov 9, 2009, 3:21 am
#5
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Nov 9, 2009, 7:41 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
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I'm a UK national and have agreed with my employer to a short business trip to Zimbabwe. We intend to be in Harare for approximately one week. Hopefully, our assembled experts can answer a few questions:
i) Is it possible to obtain a business visa on arrival or should we apply in advance?
ii) What can we expect in terms of the attitude and questions from immigration officers, customs and security staff on arrival (I ask this because I know the President of Zimbabwe has issues with the British government)?
iii) Are there any safety/security concerns we need to be aware of on arrival (i.e. at and around Harare airport)?
iv) I understand I will probably have to carry more cash into the country than I would normally find comfortable (I'm Mr Plastic, I'm afraid).... Can we expect the hotels (or possibly an approved guest house in our case) to take plastic?
Edit: One more question: Who flies there? I'm not seeing any direct flights from Europe though a colleague from SA told me he saw a BA 747 parked at Harare a while back....
i) Is it possible to obtain a business visa on arrival or should we apply in advance?
ii) What can we expect in terms of the attitude and questions from immigration officers, customs and security staff on arrival (I ask this because I know the President of Zimbabwe has issues with the British government)?
iii) Are there any safety/security concerns we need to be aware of on arrival (i.e. at and around Harare airport)?
iv) I understand I will probably have to carry more cash into the country than I would normally find comfortable (I'm Mr Plastic, I'm afraid).... Can we expect the hotels (or possibly an approved guest house in our case) to take plastic?
Edit: One more question: Who flies there? I'm not seeing any direct flights from Europe though a colleague from SA told me he saw a BA 747 parked at Harare a while back....
ii) Assuming that you are not representing the British government or a human rights NGO, you should have no problem with the Immigration staff. They are generally good natured and accommodating. Customs should be no problem assuming you have a regular amount of luggage.
iii) Harare Airport is very safe, and was designed to handle far more traffic than it now handles, so there are no crowds and it is all pretty relaxed.
iv) The major hotels will accept credit cards and will bill you in US$. But it is important to take enough cash for day to day use, preferably in small denomination US$ or ZAR, both of which are equally acceptable. Sterling is ok, and Euros are also acceptable. Everything is priced in US$. There is always a shortage of small change, so $1 bills or R10 notes are very useful. As far as I am aware, ATMs are not dispensing cash yet.
The only direct flights are with Air Zimbabwe, but DO NOT be tempted. Rather fly in via Jo'burg with SAA or BA!
Nov 9, 2009, 7:43 am
#7
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I must admit, I found Comair's service to Windhoek very comfortable. Now, an answer I managed to get for myself today:
Yes, it is possible to by a business visa on arrival. My quest for information is not helped by the fact my best source of information (originally a Zimbo himself) travelled out there over the weekend and now has spotty internet connectivity.
I'm starting to warm to this trip.
Yes, it is possible to by a business visa on arrival. My quest for information is not helped by the fact my best source of information (originally a Zimbo himself) travelled out there over the weekend and now has spotty internet connectivity.
I'm starting to warm to this trip.
Nov 9, 2009, 7:47 am
#8
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i) No problem getting a visa on arrival, it should cost about $50 for a single entry or $70 for a multiple entry.
ii) Assuming that you are not representing the British government or a human rights NGO, you should have no problem with the Immigration staff. They are generally good natured and accommodating. Customs should be no problem assuming you have a regular amount of luggage.
iii) Harare Airport is very safe, and was designed to handle far more traffic than it now handles, so there are no crowds and it is all pretty relaxed.
iv) The major hotels will accept credit cards and will bill you in US$. But it is important to take enough cash for day to day use, preferably in small denomination US$ or ZAR, both of which are equally acceptable. Sterling is ok, and Euros are also acceptable. Everything is priced in US$. There is always a shortage of small change, so $1 bills or R10 notes are very useful. As far as I am aware, ATMs are not dispensing cash yet.
The only direct flights are with Air Zimbabwe, but DO NOT be tempted. Rather fly in via Jo'burg with SAA or BA!
ii) Assuming that you are not representing the British government or a human rights NGO, you should have no problem with the Immigration staff. They are generally good natured and accommodating. Customs should be no problem assuming you have a regular amount of luggage.
iii) Harare Airport is very safe, and was designed to handle far more traffic than it now handles, so there are no crowds and it is all pretty relaxed.
iv) The major hotels will accept credit cards and will bill you in US$. But it is important to take enough cash for day to day use, preferably in small denomination US$ or ZAR, both of which are equally acceptable. Sterling is ok, and Euros are also acceptable. Everything is priced in US$. There is always a shortage of small change, so $1 bills or R10 notes are very useful. As far as I am aware, ATMs are not dispensing cash yet.
The only direct flights are with Air Zimbabwe, but DO NOT be tempted. Rather fly in via Jo'burg with SAA or BA!
Nov 9, 2009, 8:05 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: RSA
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Jan 10, 2010, 3:16 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 6
OP
Hope you had a great trip. Would mind sharing your experience? I'm flying to HRE this week. IAD -> JNB -> HRE. Any tips most welcome.
Two years ago we went YYZ -> LHR -> HRE. Best route ever. Too bad BA cancelled there direct flights. Those flights were always packed. No wonder BA is in financial troubles now...
Two years ago we went YYZ -> LHR -> HRE. Best route ever. Too bad BA cancelled there direct flights. Those flights were always packed. No wonder BA is in financial troubles now...
Jan 11, 2010, 12:05 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 1,056
Hope you had a great trip. Would mind sharing your experience? I'm flying to HRE this week. IAD -> JNB -> HRE. Any tips most welcome.
Two years ago we went YYZ -> LHR -> HRE. Best route ever. Too bad BA cancelled there direct flights. Those flights were always packed. No wonder BA is in financial troubles now...
Two years ago we went YYZ -> LHR -> HRE. Best route ever. Too bad BA cancelled there direct flights. Those flights were always packed. No wonder BA is in financial troubles now...
At Harare you used to have to identify your checked bags on the tarmac before you boarded the aircraft. The bar at the airport was also by far the most rollicking airport watering hole I've ever drunk in. Shame all that's happened there since.