Recommended amount of foreign currency to get in advance?

Matt_WY

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I'm a few weeks out from Namibia and trying to get final items in order. One of the last is how much foreign currency to take.
  • Not planning on going shopping
  • Hunt is fully paid unless I take extra animals, in which case I should be able to do Bank transfer
  • Was planning on tipping in US currency (bad idea?)
I'll be transiting through RSA but won't be an overnight and won't leave the airport (i.e. it's just a connection).

Most of my non-hunting trips the last few years I have taken very little (if any) local currency due to widespread ability to use cc's.

Any thoughts on how much you like to have on hand? Just a couple hundred bucks in small bills for 'incidentals'?

Thanks!
 
I would suggest taking Rand. If you take dollars the guys you give it to can't spend it until they get it changed.
I've never come across any demand for or pricing in USD in Namibia because their currency is on a par with the Rand.
You can spend either Namibian dollars or Rand in Namibia.
Unless you go to Zimbabwe where the dollar is sought after for currency you should be taking local currency, especially to Namibia where you will be doing the people you give it to a favour by offering their own money.
Don't rely on being able to use credit cards.
Speak to your outfitter and ask about tipping and have an idea of how much you want to give, get your USD changed for SAR and you'll be sorted.
 
Never had a Rand in my pocket, always used credit card or Euro bills.
 
Wait until you arrive and withdraw whatever you want at an ATM. It's worked best for my three trips so far. It'll give you the best exchange rates. Just make sure you let your bank know you'll be using your card (s) in South Africa and Namibia. Tips to the PH is fine in USD. If tipping directly to skinners and others Rand or Namibian Dollar may be best, ask your outfitter.
 
The people in Namibia will, like most (all?) of us, take any currency you give them. But as pointed out, if you want to make life easy for those who lack “western” connections, rand or N$ are the way to go. Otherwise they will have to exchange the money, and many don’t understand the vagaries of exchange rates and are easily taken by unscrupulous money changers.

Most banks in bigger cities in NA can get rand without too much trouble, if they don’t already have any. N$ are harder to find and likely have to be ordered in advance, but as pointed out, the rand circulates in Namibia.
 
When I went on my safari I took $1000 US cash in nice crisp $100 bills.

I also took over $1000 US converted over to rand which equaled to around 14,000 rand. Tips to the staff took around half of the rand that I had and I gave my PH US dollars. We then went on a two week tour where most of the rest of the rand was ate up. However we usually used credit cards for gas and eating money but paid for our B&B nightly stays in rand. At the end of my trip I had and still have 1800 rand for another trip if I go.
 
Thanks for thus guidance gents. I'll take a little bit of USD and mostly Rand. Cheers.
 
On the US money, a lot of those who take it like it nice and crisp like a good leaf of lettuce. They don't want the old beat up paper stuff.

A friend thought that I was nuts when I broke out the old steam iron and went to work on some older bills.
 
I would get the money at the airport. It's still a hose job but the banks in the U.S. are just a skosh above shylocks when it comes to changing currency. You'll pay ten percent or more. The online sites ARE shylocks.
 
The PH's in my experience prefer the US dollar. They will watch the exchange rate and trade the USD for Rand when they feel the time is right. Today it may be at 10 to 1 where next week it is trading 14 to 1. If they can afford to hold on to their USD they can make a little extra.

Your credit card company will most likely be able to get a better exchange rate than you so when you are able by all means use one. What do you do if the card will not work through no fault of your own?

When spending locally in Namibia I try to always use the Nam currency and save back the "Mandela's"
because they can be used in both countries. The reason being if you happen to wind up in RSA like a Joberg connection, which could happen even if that wasn't part of the original plan. I don't mind having a few left over Mandela's in the safe because my hope is to always make it back for another hunt. Good luck!
 
If you are taking any $100 US bills be sure to take the newer issue "blue bills". They seem to trust them more.
Those US Dollars come in handy for some Namibians when/if they travel to the US.
 
If you are taking any $100 US bills be sure to take the newer issue "blue bills". They seem to trust them more.
Those US Dollars come in handy for some Namibians when/if they travel to the US.

The banks in RSA won't take the old hundred dollar bills. Too many counterfeits in circulation.
 
Just FYI checks are no longer used at all in the country of Namibia. Cash, CC, or wire transfer.
 
I just got back from Namibia, I paid my PH and staff in U.S. dollars and only exchanged $100 into rand for alcohol and food purchase at the airport.
 
Just back from Namibia. We brought about $1,000 in small bills. Tipped head tracker $150 and the driver and junior tracker $100. Gave the cook $175, and the two cleaning ladies each got $50. We tipped the PH in USD (10% of total) when we wired final payment from the States. Don't sweat getting local currencies in the States. Contact your bank and credit card companies and have them put travel alerts on your accounts. This way you can access ATMs, make charges when abroad. Use your bank card in SA or Nam as that's how you get the very best rate.
 
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My local bank gave me a lot better exchange rate than that money changing booth in the airport at Dulles was going to. My partner asked at the booth what the exchange rate was when we got back and almost passed out when they told him. Another hunter with us just used the ATM's when he wanted some cash, but I never did ask him how he handled the tips.
 
My local bank gave me a lot better exchange rate than that money changing booth in the airport at Dulles was going to. My partner asked at the booth what the exchange rate was when we got back and almost passed out when they told him. Another hunter with us just used the ATM's when he wanted some cash, but I never did ask him how he handled the tips.
For exchanging money, Dulles and other airports in the U.S. are a bad choice. I pity foreign travelers coming to the U.S. and exchanging their currency at these booths. They need a sign that says "Welcome to America. Bend Over".
 
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