Zimbabwe opened its airports to international travel on October 1st and TODAY(!), I am en route to Zimbabwe to host an Imvelo Safari Lodges educational trip – and I couldn’t be more excited!
I’m happy – and relieved – that all recent studies point to the safety of air travel during COVID, and I’ve picked up a few products to go the extra mile. I will of course be bringing hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes to clean my personal seat area on the plane. I’ve also picked up some consumer-grade (non-medical) masks that promise to filter ≥95% particles with a size of 0.3 microns. They have adjustable nose pieces so that I can get a close fit. While we are not fans of disposable, single-use items at the Kusini Collection, these times call for some exceptions. The other bit of PPE I chose to buy is a pair of safety glasses thinking they would be more practical and comfortable for a long haul journey than a face shield. I looked for a while before landing on these. They are lightweight, fit perfectly and almost look like regular glasses.
Once kitted out, then came navigating Zimbabwe’s entry requirements. Currently, travelers must present a negative PCR test which is no older than 48 hours prior to arrival. Yep, that’s a tight timeline, especially given that my journey will take about 40 hours (see below for more on that). The Zim safari industry is lobbying hard for an extension, but for the purposes of my trip I had to figure out how to meet the 48 hour requirement. A friend and colleague in the industry pointed me to The Covid Consultants for a ‘guaranteed’ 24 hour test turnaround from lab receipt (I was not able to find any other servicers that would guarantee such a quick turnaround). Shipping is via FedEx and for the best pricing, order your test at least three business days in advance so you do not need to pay a premium for shipment to you. Return shipping is included in the $219 base price (additional shipping charges are added based on how quickly you need the test sent to you). Other at-home PCT tests can also be found at Costco, Safeway and other outlets that have varying turnaround times, but I needed a 24 hour guarantee based on my itinerary.
On Friday, I opted for a community test here in Denver, which is free and available to anyone. Results can take 3-5 days, so that is my backup plan. The one other time I used this service, it took about 72 hours for results. I took the Covid Consultants’ test on Saturday and took it to a FedEx drop off. The Covid Consultants guarantees that I will have results no later than Monday night. They will email them to me, and while I hope to have the chance to print them out, I will at least have an electronic copy before I arrive in Zim on Wednesday at 2pm local time (5 am Wednesday Denver time), just under the 48hr requirement. If I have to go to a ‘plan C,’ testing is available at Vic Falls airport on arrival for approx. $60 with a promised 3-4hr turnaround.
One final hiccup was Ethiopian Airlines changing their flight schedule a week after booking my flight (and a week before leaving). Thankfully, the team at United Airlines managed to rebook me on a completely different routing a day earlier (quite a bit of work on their part), leaving me with an extra day in Victoria Falls. Perhaps I owe Ethiopian a thank you? It was momentarily frustrating, but it’s a good reminder that in this era of travel, people should count on needing a little bit of extra patience. That said, I think most people traveling right now are exactly the sort that expect that flexibility may be required.
As for the Zimbabwe safari itself, I’m so excited to host a group from the USA who will be experiencing Imvelo Safari Lodges for the first time. Hwange is a magical park, and between Imvelo’s expert guides, wonderful camps and unique experiential activities, I’m sure they will be blown away. We will kick things off at what just might be my favorite camp in Africa – the uber-remote and ultra fantastic Jozibanini. In addition to awesome activities that include mountain biking and walking safaris, the sunken photographic hide leaves guests speechless with views and perspectives like the one above. Then there’s the matter of the star beds. I don’t think there’s anything much better than having nothing but a mosquito net between you and the African night. Sweet dreams!
We will also spend several nights each at Camelthorn Lodge, Bomani Tented Lodge and Nehimba Lodge with a ride on the unique and oh-so-fun Elephant Express safari train thrown in! Day and night game drives, walks, sundowners, campfire time, hearty meals while watching elephants drink from the swimming pool (yes, really!)…we have a lot of fun in our near future. Stay tuned to Facebook and Instagram for updates on the experience of traveling to Zimbabwe – and better yet – what it’s like to be on safari in Zimbabwe right now.
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