Cash in Africa

Lots of you bloggers adventuring through Africa share stories about needing American cash $$.
Sometimes for safaris, or visa entry requirements, use as back up when ATMs not working/available.
I am wondering-
How much is enough for 6+ months in Africa?
Did you bring it all at once or can you get it at banks?
Where would you stash such cash? Ok I can figure this one out, but are people really traveling with so much cash??? unbelievable

and if people don't feel comfortable sharing on a forum, please shoot me a message through Travelblog...


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Hey,

I spent 3 months in Africa at the end of last year and another 2 months the year before... and I have to say that getting money was the bane of my life!!! As far as local currency goes, take as many different types of bank cards as you have - visa, mastercard, switch etc. Most ATMs I tried were Visa only, but then I got stuck in a few Visa free ATM places. I actually had 2 different visa cards from two different banks, one debit card and one credit card, and still had problems. Sometimes the ATM just doesn't like your card (assuming its actually working of course, never guaranteed... because it's a Monday, its blue, there's a y in the name of the month, its... whatever. ATMs are a nightmare. And the advice I was given... if there's not a queue for the ATM then don't use it because chances are its been done to copy your card or you're more likely to get robbed. If you can always use one in shopping center with security guards.

As to USD, yup everyone wants it but getting it.... Visas fees were typically USD only. One tour I managed to pay for in local currency in the end but they always try and get USD cash out of you. Banks wouldn't give us USD cash because we didn't have an account with them, or at least they would but only after we'd joined 3 different queues, got permission off of 2 different people etc etc etc. In the end it was easiest to get cash out of the ATM, find a local money changer and use them to change it into USD - just watch the age and state of the notes they give you - pre @2000 or torn and no one will take them from you. I took enough USD cash with me for the first few tours/boarders and for an emergency fund (becuase I didn't feel comfortable carrying too much) but after that I used the ATM/money exchanger routine - I only had to do that a few times though.

Also, if you're going to Rwanda the ATMs there don't take international cards, although the main bank in Kigali will do cash advances on a credit card if you go in... there's a larger fee for that obviously.

Enjoy!!

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Haven't been to Africa yet, but have done much research for a (hopefully soon) jaunt through Africa.

As #4 alluded to, the CFA franc (used in all of W. Africa, except Mauritania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, & Nigeria) was fixed 100:1 to the french franc and thus now fixed to the Euro (655:1)...so the Euro is supreme there. In North Africa, Euros are more-readily exchanged, due to the volume of European tourists as well as expats in Europe sending their money home. Morocco & Egypt will take both as readily.

Everywhere else in sub-Saharan Africa, the dollar is king. As mentioned, many borders will accept visa fees only in dollars. Also, most banks are reluctant to give dollars. In a few random locations, though, getting dollars isn't terribly hard. I can't recall the exact countries, but I remember reading that in some places in West Africa (I might guess in parts of Nigeria) ATMs dispense dollars. I would image that in Zimbabwe, which has recently switched to the dollar as the de facto currency, dollars may be found at banks. Also, many hotels (even backpacker hostels) give their rates in dollars, especially in tourist-prone places.

If travelling in southern African countries (I know at least Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and likely Lesotho & Swaziland), the South African rand is easy to exchange and/or use (the Namibian currency is fixed 1:1). The pound sterling is familiar to many Comonwealth countries, but still not as accepted as USD. Other major currencies like Euros (outside WA), Aussie dollars, yen, & Canadian dollars can only be traded at some of the largest African banks.

Be careful to use all your local currency before crossing borders (keep just a little if taking a bus across a border as you will want drinks/food on what can be very long rides). This is especially true in West Africa, where changing CFA francs in countries like Ghana or Nigeria (and vice versa) is next to impossible...even in towns near the border! Also important to note is that the west African CFA franc (used from Senegal east to Benin/Niger) and the central African CFA franc (Chad south to R. Congo/CAR) are NOT interchangeable even though they have the same value and name!! You can tell as the banknotes have different designs.

When exchanging USD/Euros, the larger notes will fetch better exchange rates, while a small amount of small notes will be useful in places where prices are small and in USD (some tourist attractions, border crossings, and countries like Zimbabwe where dollars are accepted by everyone). Because of counterfeiting concerns, banks will not accept older or poor condition notes and in turn vendors/exchangers/etc will not take them. Try to bring only 2003 or newer dollars which are in decent condition (especially the newer $5, $10, $20, & $50 notes with color). Not sure whether there is such a concern about Euro banknotes.

As far as how to get money, your best bet is probably to use ATMs. Today every city and town has at least one ATM to use. If using a debit/bank card, take note of the international networks it uses (there are images on the back) such as Plus, Interlink, Star. Many major banks' ATMs will be connected to such international networks to allow you to withdraw money straight from your checking account. To be on the safe side, just stop at your bank and inform them of your African travels so your card isn't flagged (or worse cancelled) because of fraud concerns (frequent withdrawals from your account from Africa are bound to raise flags). Keep in mind that most ATMs have a withdrawal limit of US$100-200 (although you can visit multiple ATMs for more $$). If your debit/bank card is affiliated with Visa or Mastercard, you can only worry about finding ATMs with the Visa or Mastercard logo. It is helpful to have BOTH a Visa and a Mastercard-affiliated debit/bank/credit card as you will find many smaller cities where only one of those ATM can be found (or at least is easy to find). Be sure to use in-bank or indoors ATMs (such as in non-crowded malls/stores) and certainly NOT ones outdoors along streets to minimize your chance of being robbed. Another thing to note is that ATMs have proliferated in the last decade, so if others who comment that there aren't that many ATMs and haven't been to Africa in the last five years, they could be quite wrong.

Worldwide Visa ATM locator

Worldwide Mastercard ATM locator

In addition to those, the Bradt line of travel guides include ATMs for all cities/towns/villages. If you will only (or primarily) be visiting a couple of countries, the Bradt guides as good as you can get and the mentioning of ATMs only makes them better. I believe South Africa, Egypt, Libya, Chad, Mauritania, CAR, Somalia, Namibia, Lesotho, & Swaziland are the only African countries for which they do not have a guide book.

A credit card is great for an emergency and you should carry at least one, but all the interest that adds up can be a boon. Cash advances using them will also incur lots of fees from both Visa/Mastercard and the bank you are getting an advance from. A good thing for safety would be to scan or photograph your card and email it to yourself, so you can cancel it if lost.

Travelers' cheques are easy to cash in most cities, but difficult to cash in most smaller cities and towns. Many banks will reject them outright. Unlike most Western countries, they receive a POORER exchange rate than cash. However, they are replaceable if stolen and a good emergency stash in addition to credit cards. Also, if you live in a country where it's hard to get ahold of USD, you may be better off bringing Aus$/Can$/Euro/etc travelers' cheques to exchange than face the fees associated with exchanging your currency into USD then into local currencies. Same as with credit cards, scan/photograph and email to self in case you lose the numbers (cash them in order to help you know which you've spent and which may have been stolen).

So to sum things up, plan on using your debit/bank card for the majority of cash and USD/Euros for a minority and keep a credit card or travelers' cheques for emergencies. I'll let others chime in on how to keep your money safe. Reply to this

Just wanted to add some of my experiences as I just back from Africa a couple of days ago in fact and travelled through both East and Southern Africa.

Zimbabwe - the local currency doesn't exist - you'll find that everything in the shops will be priced in US Dollars although they will also accept Rand and Botswana Pula. I also went to Vic Falls Town, Gweru, Bulawayo and Mutare and NONE of the ATMs worked for anyone (local or tourist) -they were literally closed. The only way to get money was in person at the bank - but they would only do that if you were a member. Therefore, make sure you have enough US Dollars/Rand/Pula before you enter Zimbabwe to last your entire stay - travellers cheques were only accepted at VERY VERY VERY touristy places (e.g. Antelope Park in Gweru) and a credit card is just a useless piece of plastic as far as everyone's concerned.
Also just be aware that you'll see lots of guys on the street trying to sell you the old Zimbabwe Dollar ("Do you want fifty trillion?") - it is illegal in Zimbabwe to buy anything on the street so if you want some try and buy from a curio shop if you can! Also be aware that the money is WORTHLESS, it won't buy you a piece of bread, it won't buy you any curios and you certainly won't be able to walk into a Bureax De Change and change it back into US dollars. If you buy any of the money for souvenir purposes do not pay anymore than $1US for it even the biggest note which I believe is 100 trillion - remember - it's worth nothing!

The currency in Botswana (Pula) is almost as strong as the Rand and just wanted to correct AHeneen's comment in regards to this; the shops will NOT accept Rand. You can easily change Rand into Pula at a bureax de change but apart from that - Rand is no more valuable than the dollar. (The ATM's disperse Pula only). General rate of Pula to US Dollars 1 US Dollar: 8 Pula

The currency in Mozambique is strong enough that even the bars at the campsites will NOT accept US dollars although I was able to pay for a few activities with US Dollars - the problem is that the Bureax De Changes in Mozambique aren't as open as much as they are in other countries. We arrived in Mozambique on a Sunday and we had to find a dodgy guy on the street to change money for us (which is illegal so if you're forced to do this make sure you're quiet about it). Visa in US Dollars and possibly Rand - I remember seeing a sign saying that you could pay in Rand but US Dollars to be sure!

Mozambique MetCash (their currency) is useless after you cross the border so before you leave try and change it into Rand or US Dollars. 1 US Dollar: 25-28 MetCash (the rate is higher the more you go south). You will only ever get MetCash from the Atms.

South Africa - Rand, Rand, Rand, Rand, Rand. On the bright side, the ATM's usually work in South Africa!!! 1 US Dollar: 7 Rand

Namibia - I didn't visit Namibia but heard that you can get Rand out from the Atm's and that they ATM's are usually pretty convenient! Can anyone who's recently visited Namibia confirm this?

Kenya - Bureau De Changes convert from the Dollar although some places will also change the Euro, Rand, Pound and even some places changed Aussie Dollars but it's all US Dollars on the safe side. No one in our group ever had to use the ATMs in Kenya although we didn't trust them. I however did use my credit card to make a purchase in a shop once which wasn't a problem (just make sure it's a large chain supermarket). But everything in the shops will have to be paid in Kenyan Shillings. Curio Shops will take Kenyan Shillings or US Dollars. Bars in Campsites will want Kenya Shillings or US Dollars. Visa in US Dollars Only

Tanzania - Bureau De Changes will convert from US Dollars mainly although some will also convert Kenyan Shillings, Aussie Dollars, Pound, Euro and Rand. Again didn't use the ATM's in Tanzania. Curio Shops will take Tanzania Shillings, Kenya Shillings, US Dollars. All the shops will want Tanzanian Shillings and the bars at campsites etc will want Tanzania Shillings or Us Dollars. Make sure you convert back all your Tanzanian Shillings before you leave Tanzania - you won't be able to change it anywhere else. Visa in US Dollars Only

I can't remember the exact conversion rates for Tanzania Shillings and Kenya Shillings to the US Dollar but the Kenyan Shilling is about ten times stronger than the Tanzanian. Once you get out of East Africa make sure you convert back your Kenyan Shillings - they are worthless outside of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The good thing about the Kenyan/Tanzanian Border is that there are bureau de changes on the border post which wasn't always the case in other countries.

I really hope this helps! Haha, maybe by the end we'll have detailed info for every country in Africa Reply to this