I am doing the N. Tanzania safari circuit and am wondering how much cash to bring. Can you only get money changed in Arusha? Are ATM machines accessible in Arusha? Is there an ATM at the Kilimanjaro airport? If not is it better to bring cash or are Traveler's Checks easy to change? Any ideas? I was thinking about $200 for tips and then $300-$400 for gifts, souveniers, etc. I have no idea!
Trixie

I don't recall seeing an ATM at Kilimanjaro airport. There's an exchange booth at the airport, but I don't know how their rates compare with the ones in Arusha.

You can pay almost everything at the lodges (tips, drinks etc) in US dollars. Exceptions might be if you stopped at small stores along the way.

"Can you only get money changed in Arusha?"

On our last trip all the lodges would change USD to Tsh but at a rate of 1,000 or 1,100 to 1 ... in Arusha we changed about $150 at a rate of 1,200-1, only took 30 seconds or so. Your driver will know the best place (or at least ours did).

"Is there an ATM at the Kilimanjaro airport?"

Didn't see one, didn't look either ... probably not. When you arrive it's pretty bare-bones, just a couple of lines for visas and then the baggage claim.

"If not is it better to bring cash or are Traveler's Checks easy to change?"

We take cash.

Can you only get money changed in Arusha?

You can get money changed at most places out on safari as most of the lodges will change money for you. You get the best rate in Arusha though, so it's best to change a good chunk of money before you leave. Just ask your driver and they will take you somewhere with a good rate.

Are ATM machines accessible in Arusha?

Yes, there are ATM's in Arusha. Our driver took us to the one at Barclay's We all got money with our different cards (some had mastercard, some had visa) with no problems.

Is there an ATM at the Kilimanjaro airport?

I didn't see an ATM at the Kilimanjaro airport. There is money exchange booth there. I changed a little bit of my money there on arrival. I got almost the same rate there as I got in Arusha.

If not is it better to bring cash or are Traveler's Checks easy to change? Any ideas?

I don't like to bring traveler's checks because I think they can be a pain. That said, one of my traveling companions ran out of cash when we were out on safari. Our driver took her to the ATM in Karatu, but her card wouldn't work there for some odd reason. Had she had traveler's checks she could have cashed them at the bank there. I personally just took plenty of cash and didn't have any problems.

It has been 18 months now but we actually got the best rate we saw at the airport. No memory of ATM's & as a side note one of our companions had some trouble getting money from an ATM in Arusha because they were all "down"! So don't rely on them totally. We carry a variety of forms of money to cover our bases!

Happy same travels

J