Tips or Gifts for Safari Trip
Aug 15th, 2005, 07:15 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tips or Gifts for Safari Trip
On safari, is it better to tip with money (I know always appreciated)or are there alternatives (packable) that would suffice or be of more interest? If money is the better, then how about US dollar coins?
Thank you for any opinions!
Thank you for any opinions!
Aug 15th, 2005, 07:40 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 814
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No coins. While US bills are accepted and changed by the banks, coins are not. Coins are a problem, a curiousity...not a tip. If you want to tip someone less than a dollar, change your dollars into local currency on arrival and tip with those.
Cash is king. Cash is necessary and what these people live on...so anything else that you give as a gift is over and on top of the appropriate cash tip. Once you have given an appropriate cash tip, something that you don't want or need to carry home (a baseball cap with your hometown team, extra film, leftover mosquito repellant, pens, shoes, flipflops, extra journal notebooks are appreciated. It's not that these things are worth very much, it's just that for people who are poor everything counts.
But many of the things that you would bring are actually cheaper there anyway...so just tip in cash.
Cash is king. Cash is necessary and what these people live on...so anything else that you give as a gift is over and on top of the appropriate cash tip. Once you have given an appropriate cash tip, something that you don't want or need to carry home (a baseball cap with your hometown team, extra film, leftover mosquito repellant, pens, shoes, flipflops, extra journal notebooks are appreciated. It's not that these things are worth very much, it's just that for people who are poor everything counts.
But many of the things that you would bring are actually cheaper there anyway...so just tip in cash.
Aug 18th, 2005, 07:57 AM
#6
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One other thing that might be useful for you to know...
Not only would coins not be acceptable, but actually some places in Tanzania are quite particular rules about foreign bills too. Of course, this won't be the case when tipping, but you may find in locals hotels, shops, etc. (and even some foreign currency exchanges!) that alot of places won't accept "old" American bills, but instead only the "newer" ones (I believe there's a difference in the size of the head on the bills etc.) Maybe someone else knows more about this? It's just definitely something to be aware of, when exchanging your money at the bank before your trip...
And I definitely agree with all of tashak's comments... extra gifts are nice and very appreciated, but only on top of a cash tip.
Not only would coins not be acceptable, but actually some places in Tanzania are quite particular rules about foreign bills too. Of course, this won't be the case when tipping, but you may find in locals hotels, shops, etc. (and even some foreign currency exchanges!) that alot of places won't accept "old" American bills, but instead only the "newer" ones (I believe there's a difference in the size of the head on the bills etc.) Maybe someone else knows more about this? It's just definitely something to be aware of, when exchanging your money at the bank before your trip...
And I definitely agree with all of tashak's comments... extra gifts are nice and very appreciated, but only on top of a cash tip.
Aug 18th, 2005, 09:00 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,407
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you are going to Kenya, there are ATMs everywhere in Nairobi and other larger cities and towns as well. That will give you a pretty good exchange rate. Don't know about ATM availability in Tanzania.
