CTFC Home  *Latest Notices* Your First Flight Pilot Training The CTFC Fleet Aircraft Rental Foreign PPL Rates & Forms Booking System Flight Planning Cape Flights Flying Safaris Aviation Links Glossary Useful Stuff  *Latest Notices* Our Location Our Facilities Our People Our Committee Achievements CTFC Newsletter Rules & Regs Useful Links

Longer Safaris in Southern Africa

There are of course plenty of places to fly to in Southern Africa. Decide where you want to go, and chances are that there will be an airfield nearby. Our insurance prevents our aircraft from flying over the Okavango Swamps and the mountainous parts of Lesotho. If you want this waived, you might have to pay an extra premium. You are permitted to fly to Maun in Botswana, but not over the Okavango swamps themselves.

When flying to a National Park, it is important to phone for permission to fly in when booking.

 

Southern African round-trip

This is a major trip requiring a few weeks and more than 30 hours. It involves flying in the direction of Johannesburg, Durban or the Kruger Park, then on into Zimbabwe to Victoria Falls, followed by a stop at the Chobe or Maun in Botswana. Fly on into Namibia, possibly stopping at Etosha, Swakopmund, etc. and then head on down South back to Cape Town. You could choose plenty of interesting stopovers to make this an unforgettable trip.

 

Augrabies Waterfalls

There is a 1400m strip on a farm near Augrabies National Park (S28:37 E20:19, 332 nm from Cape Town). There is good accommodation and facilities in the park. The falls are well worth seeing and there is plenty else to do in the area. If you want to use the strip, you must phone the owner, Chris Steenkamp at 054-451 0081. Fuel is available at Upington.

 

Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

This is an absolutely fantastic place to visit by air. The scenery is amazing, there are excellent facilities and good game viewing and you avoid a long, hot, dusty drive. There is a 2000m tarred strip at the main camp, Twee Rivieren, (S26:26 E20:36, 483 nm from Cape Town via Upington for fuel). You are not allowed to fly into the other camps. A word of warning - do not walk to the camp from the airfield as the local lions and cheetah regard pilots as a delicacy. The airfield is fenced in.Twee Rivieren has excellent facilities. There is camping, or you can rent well-equipped chalets. There is a shop, as well as a restaurant and most important, you can hire a car. Contact Avis in Upington for booking. You can arrive with just your clothes and get everything else there, if weight is a problem. Flying to the Gemsbok Park is an experience you will never forget.

 

Namibia

Namibia is a mostly semi-arid, sparsely populated land of vast distances and wide open spaces. It is a natural habitat for the light touring aircraft.

• Surface: 824.292 km2 (3,4 times the size of Great Britain)
• Inhabitants: 1,757 million
• Capital: Windhoek
• Summer: December - March (thunderstorm activity mainly in the afternoons; temperatures up to 40°C in the interior)
• Winter: June - September (dry season)

There are numerous places to go in Namibia and plenty of airfields. Many tourists and some farmers get around by aircraft, so almost every town, lodge, guest farm, National Park, etc. either has an airstrip or has access to one nearby. If you want to go somewhere, phone them and ask them where the nearest airstrip is.

 

Etosha Pan

In the far north, one of the best game parks in Africa. There are strips at all three camps and one at Mokuti Lodge just outside the park.
Mokuti Lodge (FYMO): elevation 3650’, 2200m long
Fuel is available. Rental cars (AVIS) can be organised from Tsumeb (about 100 km).
Guided tours are also available at the lodge.
It is approximately 2 km to the entrance of the Etoscha Pan.
mokuti@mweb.com.na
www.namibsunhotels.com.na

 

Skeleton Coast Park

The park is located on the west coast and starts approximately 160 km (100 miles) north of Swakopmund. Very nice area and sparsely populated. At Terrace Bay there is a camp with bungalows and a restaurant.
Runway is approximately 800 m (gravel)
Fly over the lodge to inform the lodge for pick-up (about 2km)
Pre-booking via the Namibia Wildlife Resort Ltd. is required.
reservations@nwr.com.na
www.namibiawildliferesorts.com
Tel: +264-(0)-61-236 975 / 6 / 7 / 8
Fax: +264-(0)-61-224 900

 

Namib Naukluft Park: Sesriem & Sossusvlei

This is an amazing place with the world's highest sand dunes and is a must for a visit to Namibia. It is approximately halfway between Lüderitz and Windhoek. There is camping inside the park, and a very unusual hotel just outside the gate. The Sesriem strip FYSS (S24:30 E15:46 150nm from Luderitz, 619nm from Cape Town) is long, but quite narrow and fairly rocky. If going to Sesriem from Lüderitz or Swakopmund it is advisable and more scenic to fly along the coast, before cutting inland. A direct track goes over some very inhospitable terrain.

 

Klein-Aus Vista

3 km west of Aus, 115 km east of Lüderitz
Desert Horse Inn guest house, self-catering and camping facilities
Airstrip: 26°41’S 16°18’E
ausvista@namibhorses.com
www.namibhorses.com
Tel. +264-63-258021 or +264-63-258116

 

Damaraland:

Palmwag Lodge (FYPW)
Runway 07/25 is approximately 800 m (gravel).
Lodge is about 2 km west.
travel@palmwag.com.na
www.palmwag.com.na

Twyfelfontein Lodge (FYTF)
Runway 18/36 is approximately 2.000 m (gravel).
Lodge is about 4 km west.
www.namibialodges.com

 

Lüderitz

(FYLZ) is a small picturesque town on the west coast.
The runway is approximately 2000 m long (tarred) and the airfield is located east of town. Organise pick-up beforehand.

 

Swakopmund

(FYSM), a coastal resort, somewhat bigger than Lüderitz.
Runway 06/24 is approximately 1600 m long (sand) and the airfield is near the town.

 

Henties Bay

(FYHN) is app. 60 km north of Swakopmund and is a small village.
Runway 09/27 is approximately 1200 m long (sand) and the airfield is near the town.
Accommodation : De Duine Hotel
deduineh@iway.na
www.namibialodges.com

 

Fish River Canyon

The Fish River Canyon in the southern part of Namibia is the second largest canyon in the world and a proclaimed National Park. It is approximately 120 km southwest of Keetmannshoop. There are airstrips at Hobas, the northern camp near the viewsites, and at Ai Ais, the southern camp at the hot springs. There are fewer facilities at Hobas, but it is quieter.
Accommodation at the Canon Lodge approximately 18 km from the Fish River Canyon.
Very nice bungalows with nice views
Runway (FYXX) 03/21 app. 1100 m long (gravel).
Fly over the lodge to inform the lodge for pick-up (app. 5km)
Summer is very hot but dry and not crowded.
nature.i@mweb.com.na
www.natron.net/canyonlodge (German/English)

 

Email: info@capetownflyingclub.co.za  ·  Phone: +27 (21) 934-0257  ·  Fax: +27 (21) 934-0827
Address: Cape Town Flying Club, P.O. Box 31, Cape Town International Airport, 7525