Call us at 1 307 355 9356 or 0274303876 within NZ

BEFORE THE HUNT

We look forward to hunting with you! There are loads of helpful travel tips here to make planning your trip and arrival into the country simple. If you have any questions that haven't been answered here, please feel free to contact us.

Our Travel Tips

You will fly into Christchurch International (2.1 hours from the ldoge) in the South Island where we will pick you up and drop you off unless you are self driving. Most flights leave San Francisco, LA, Houston, New York or Vancouver with our main carrier Air New Zealand (code share United) and fly into Auckland with other airlines via Australia into Christchurch. Itineraries often follow US > Auckland > Christchurch. At Auckland International Airport follow the green line to the domestic terminal which is a 10 minute easy walk or shuttle bus (there are hourly flights from Auckland so don't panic if you miss it). The lodge and most of the hunting areas are in Fairlie wich is South Canterbury, South Island. You will need a visitors visa coming into New Zealand which is easiest done online. You will find instructions for the NZeTA a couple lines down on this page.

Travel insurance is recommended and a passport is required.

Bringing your gun and/or ammunition into New Zealand is quite easy with a little planning. At least 1 month in advance of travel, you'll need to visit the following link to apply for your visitors license and import permit. 

  • Visitor Firearm License and Import Permit

    You will need to know:
  • Your personal details
  • Your passport details
  • Country of Issue
  • Evidence you have a firearms license (or equivalent) in your own country. When completing the form section - 'firearms license number in country of origin', we suggest that you leavethis blank and bring a past or current USA/State hunting license, firearm or hunter safety certificate. This number can be entered if required. 
  • Address while in NZ: 626 Hamilton Road Fairlie, South Island 7987
  • Place where firearms will be stored while in NZ: Lodge Firearm Storage
  • Who with: James Gibson
  • Their NZ Firearms No. : S0483407
  • Purpose of importation: booking hunting and touring stay
  • Flights: Arrival and Departure Airport, Date and Flight Numbers
  • Firearm Details: Description, Make, Model/Caliber, Serial Number, Ammunition Quantity

Check with the airlines on their specific requirements. Some will require the firearm and ammunition to be in seperate bags, and most require the bolt to be removed from the gun. Reguarding your ammunition be aware that the airlines have a specific weight restriction (typically a maximum of 5kgs) on the amount of ammunition permitted in checked paggage. This equates to 2-4 boxes or 60-80 rounds of rifle ammo. Do not exceed the weight limit. 

You will need to complete a CBP Form 4457 to ensure a problem free return to the US. To complete the form contact US Customs and Boarder Protection to register your firearm for export and reentry.  This can be done in advance at a Port of Entry or during the course of your travel (it is advised to allow an extra 2-3 hours if you choose this route).

Individuals are required to have a firearms license authorizing posession of the class of firearm. If the firearm is restricted or prohibited, a registration certificate and an Authorization to Transpoart (ATT) are also required. You can apply for an ATT by calling 1-800-731-4000. If a firearm is transported to another country, it may require an export permit from the Export Controls Division of the Global Affairs Canada. A customs officer may ask to see a copy of that permit upon re-entry to Canada. 

You will be given a Passenger Arrival Card to complete on your flight. 

To make your trip through Customs and BioSecurity easier: 

 

Effective 1 July 2019, our government has enforced an International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) of $35.00 per person which is payable upon arrival into New Zealand. This applies to most international visitors. You can see the details and what it's used for in the link below.

Some visitors can travel to New Zealand without a visa if they get an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) before they travel. Please visit the following link to obtain additional details and if necessary apply for your NZeTA.

1. Land

2. Proceed through Customs and Immigration with your completed Passenger Arrival Card that will be provided to you on your flight. 

*Passengers from UK, New Zealand, Australia, US, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland and Netherlands can use the eGates for faster processing. 

3. Proceed to baggage claim and the NZ Police counter to collect your gun (if applicable). 

4. Go through Biosecurity with your Passenger Arrival Card. 

*Be sure that all of your gear is clean. And remember ALL food must be declared or you may have to discard it. 

5. Follow the signs/green line (inter terminal walkway) to the domestic terminal. It's approximately a 10 minute walk, or you can use the inter terminal busses that depart every 15 minutes. 

If you are bringing your firearm into the country, domestic flights require the ammunition to be in a seperate bag and the bolt removed. 

Allow a minimum of 2 hours between international and domestic flights. There are regular flights on the hour to most cities if connections are missed. 

 

 Commodore Hotel (discount NZSAFARI)
www.commodorehotel.co.nz  

Novotel Christchurch
all.accor.com/hotel/A542/index.en.shtml

Distinction
www.distinctionhotelchristchurch.co.nz/

 

 

GENERAL INFO

Planning Your Trip:

We recommend that you start making your hotel and airline flight reservations 9-10 months in advance and take out travel insurance, as the most ecomomic travel and accommodation can be hard to book at specific times during the season, if lelft at short notice. However, you may want to wait until at least September/October, in an attempt to book around the hight USA travel/booking season. When you contact the travel agent you must keep in mine that when traveling to NZ you will 'lose' a day getting here. For example if you depart the US on the 1st you will arrive in NZ on the 3rd. And in regard to your return trip, if you depart on the 9th you will arrive back in the US on the 9th. Furthermore we reccommend you arrive in Christchurch at least one day before the start date of your hunt - or your first hunting day. This allows you to relax from your journey and adjust to the climate and time changes, and also not be rushed into your hunting. For example, if your hunt starts on the 4th you would need to depart on the 1st to arrive on the 3rd. You would have one night in Christchurch, which would be for the 3rd, checking out the 4th. We would then pick you up from your htoel on the morning of the 4th and transfer you to the hunting lodge that morning to start your hunt. 

Check with us if you have any quesitons on your arrival and departure dates from the hunt so you can plan your travel accordingly. We have a lot of clients that like to self drive before and after the hunt, if you are doing this you may be able to arrive the night before your hunts start. We do also offer pick up from the airport when you land in Christchurch but please touch base with Jim to look at arranging this. 

Booking online with Air New Zealand is simple and at times considerably cheaper than a travel agent. Look at all departure airport options in your area and use the search by week option to get the best fare for flights. There are many airlines not coming to NZ like United, Air New Zealand, Lufthansa, Quantas. We find Air New Zealand is best to travel with coming our of the US.

If you need help booking your flights or plan to stay and experience a little more of the country you would like your tour pre-planned Explande Travel are very good to deal with. 

www.esplandetravel.com

www.airnewzealand.com

Additional Questions:

If you have any questions that haven't been answered here, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hunting with you for the experience of a lifetime with New Zealand Safaris!

© 2020 New Zealand Safaris Ltd.
All rights reserved.

100% New Zealand owned and operated. 

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