Anyone notice the US$ to Rand

[johnnyblues]

While we are talking about exchange rates etc...Since this will be my first safari do I pay all tips in rand or dollars?.

 

[Wheels]

While we are talking about exchange rates etc...Since this will be my first safari do I pay all tips in rand or dollars?.

Most PH's throughout southern Africa prefer Zimbabwe Dollars. I can get you a great deal on a few hundred trillion of them if you want to buy them before you go!

 

[johnnyblues]

Very funny!

 

[Wheels]

Most PH's throughout southern Africa prefer Zimbabwe Dollars. I can get you a great deal on a few hundred trillion of them if you want to buy them before you go!

View attachment 39187

The sad thing is that as the rand is devaluing, the Zim dollar is going up at an amazing rate.!

I bought about 160 of the One Hundred Trillion Dollar notes about 5 years ago for (I believe) under $20USD. I gave these away as a novelty to friends. I even put one in the collection plate at church.(not sure what happened to that one) Even told my CPA he needed to deduct the One Hundred Trillion from my taxes. That didn't work.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...nkw=zimbabwe+100+trillion&ghostText=&_sacat=0

Now they are selling on ebay for $20-50 each.

If I had been smart enough to buy 2,500 of them for $300USD, I would have been able to finance a one month Tanzania safari all in!

If I had bought.............

Oh well, the story of our lives.

All the best.

 

[SheHunter]

We are booked for Namibia in August, and wonder about exchanging US dollars for Rand while on layover at the Johannesberg airport. Our hosts have advised that the Namibia banks will no longer accept travelers cheques, and US dollars are difficult for them to handle (they do not take credit card either). I am sure that an after-safari bank transfer will be easy, but would like to have funds on hand for tips & souvenier shopping.
Any advise or suggestions ?

 

[sierraone]

We are booked for Namibia in August, and wonder about exchanging US dollars for Rand while on layover at the Johannesberg airport. Our hosts have advised that the Namibia banks will no longer accept travelers cheques, and US dollars are difficult for them to handle (they do not take credit card either). I am sure that an after-safari bank transfer will be easy, but would like to have funds on hand for tips & souvenier shopping.
Any advise or suggestions ?

See post #20 on this thread. The only difference today is the dollar is worth 11.92 rand. The day of the #20 post the dollar was 12.35 rand.

 

[htx519]

SheHunter,

The best rate of exchange is still at an ATM. There are several in the Airport terminal in Jo'burg. All ATM cards in the Cirrus Network are accepted. You will get a better exchange rate than you will at the money exchange kiosks. The downside is that your daily transaction is usually limited to $300 U.S. Dollars per 24 hour period at an ATM.... Also, there will be no problem using any major credit card at any of the merchants in the Jo'burg airport.

 

[Wheels]

I have never exchanged funds at WDH but figure there would have to be a few FOREX shops there. Check with your PH regarding the FOREX shops at the airport or in town.

Unless something has happened recently, RSA Rand circulates freely in Namibia and trades on par with Namibian Dollars. Buy Rand at Tambo and tip in Rand in Namibia. This is what I have done.

Again, check with your PH before doing either but either should work.

All the best.