I’ve flown into Jwaneng twice now, and honestly, the most surprising part...

I’ve flown into Jwaneng twice now, and honestly, the most surprising part isn’t the runway itself. It’s the contrast. You land in this incredibly remote, arid landscape with dust and scrub brush for miles, and then you’re immediately inside a facility that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. The runway is paved and long enough to handle 737s, which I didn’t expect for a private airstrip. But what really stuck with me was the security. You don’t just walk off the plane. There’s a full screening process, and they check your vehicle before you even drive onto the mine property. It’s because that runway isn’t just for people. It’s for moving high value cargo, including rough diamonds, under armed escort.

One thing nobody talks about is the air traffic control. It’s not like a normal airport where you hear chatter from other planes. It’s almost silent. The tower communicates directly with the mine’s operations center, not with general aviation. So if you’re a pilot used to standard procedures, it throws you off. You have to remember that you’re landing on a corporate airfield, not a public one. Also, the fuel is self service. They have a pump, but you pay through the mine’s administration office, not a typical fuel company. Bring cash or a company account number.

If you’re planning to go, book well ahead. They only allow a set number of landings per day, and you need prior permission from Debswana’s aviation department. No walk ins.

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Okotie-Eboh Sheun @sheunokotie-eboh4855

Wait the security thing blew my mind when I read this. Like... they check your VEHICLE before you even drive onto the property?? That's wild. I've flown into some sketchy remote strips before but nothing like that. Out of curiosity, do they let you keep your phone or take pics on the ground? Or is that all locked down too?
12 days ago

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