We are leaving in 5 days for Kenya. As we have guides and understanding the tipping protocol, I am wondering if $50 US bills are acceptable or do we have to use all small bills like $20's.

I can't speak specifically for Kenya, but I know in other places I have found $20 bills to be more acceptable.

In Egypt, in particular, they were always very skeptical of $100 bills. The $20 bills are more common and therefore would be less likely to cause problems.

Hi Sylvia-

Ohmigosh, I wish I were going with you guys!! Please give Daniel a big hug for us!

I have taken $50 bills for tips each year, no one said anything to me, so I would think it's OK. Sure is easier to carry, but hopefully I didn't cause anyone any trouble!

Have a wonderful time, I know your nephew will be in awe. Our son told me the other day that he really feels that Africa stirred something in him, and that it truly was the hight of his life so far.

Of course they're acceptable.

What do you think that the recipients do with a dollar or euro note that they get? Take it down to he local convenience store and buy a pack of smokes?

Seems to me far more likely that all of the foreign cash is pooled, brought to a bank for conversion to shillings or whatever, and then deposited in individuals' accounts. In which case, any denomination bill in any currency accepted by a bank for foreign exchange would be acceptable as a tip.

LyndaS: Yes we are very excited. Daniel and Molly will be joining us in Samburu. Which brings another question, did you tip Daniel also? As he runs the business I was not sure, I know in the states you generally do not tip an owner only his staff.

rizzuto: Sorry if you think we are bumpkins but this site continually recommends small bills. And I seriously doubt that if I tip a bartender, a waitress or a Masai warrior that he is going to pool his money with others.

Sylvia, small bills are recommended so facilitate the small ad hoc tips to barkeeps, waiters, and so on. But when tipping a guide or anyone else for a longer term service, a $50 bill is a lot more convenient for everyone than 50 ones. Just don't expect change!

2 quick points-

1- Not everyone HAS an individual bank account. My housekeeper in Egypt did everything on a cash basis -from paying her rent to paying her monthly cell phone bill.

2- I had several problems with $100 bills in Cairo at banks. There were a few years in which there were problems with counterfeiting. Rather than check each individual bill, the banks simply refused to take bills printed in certain years (can't remember which right now). I used to pay my son's piano teacher in USD and often gave her $100 bills. I finally stopped (and went with smaller bills) after she had several instances of the bank not accepting them.

Again, I am speaking from my experience with $100 bills (not $50s) and in Egypt, not Kenya - but similar issues could arise. Just an FYI, nothing more.

$50 notes are fine in Kenya. It's the $100 notes that are often refused as they feel these maybe counterfeit. However, in Tanzania they gladly accept $100. Go figure!

If your total tip for guide after safari is more than $50, then sure the 50s will be accepted.

In both Kenya and Uganda we were told exactly what Sandi says -- that people are often suspicious of $100 bills because they might be counterfeit.

Something else worth knowing: in Uganda, especially, many people preferred not to take $1s, $5s or $10s, because they said they got a much worse exchange rate for these smaller bills at their bank than they did for $20s. Our hiking guide, for instance, asked if it would be possible for everyone in our group to combine our tip into a few larger bills rather than a stack of $5s and $10s. He was not trying to scam us for a bigger tip -- he just simply requested the same amount in larger bills and explained about the bank. We had the same comment from our chimp trekking guide in Kibale, requesting the same amount in $20 bills rather than $10s.

Of course......if you tip in the local currency...this isn't an issue!!!!

On the other hand, when my DH and younger son were in Zimbabwe a few years ago, people/merchants refused to take the local currency because they said it was worthless. They insisted on USD .....and then would give change in the local currency...which, then, no one else would accept! Good thing DH has a sense of humor!

Grcxx-3 - The Zim$ is like Monopoly money, which honestly is an afront to Monopoly which at least is fun! The Zim notes aren't worth the paper they're printed on!

sandi - My son had to write a travel essay for school and he choose this trip. This "story" about the money was one of the highlights....along with the Tiger Fish that "got away!"

<i>Of course......if you tip in the local currency...this isn't an issue!!!!</i>

I'm surprised how many posts it took for someone to say this!

If you tip in USD, also make sure to use newer bills. I changed some pre-2000 bills for camp staff on my last trip as these are very difficult to exchange.

Good point about the newer bills, Patty! That was definitely the case for us on both of our East Africa trips, especially when changing money.

We tipped in local currency for Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa (but were told in all those cases that dollars would have been fine too), but in Uganda and Rwanda our guides told us specifically they preferred US dollars. I'm not sure if that's generally true or not for those countries.

Sylvia,

Regarding Daniel, I'm just not sure what to say! When he goes with us at our request for the entire safari, yes we do indeed tip him - as a safari director. But I would say no if he is just coming out to visit for a day at Samburu. You could always throw a small souvenir from your home town in your bag for him, I'm sure he and Molly would like that! You are going to love both of them, they are so cool.

I used ALL $50.00 bills to tip my guide/driver at the end of the Safari.

I specifically asked him if he would have problems with $50.00 bills...he said

"No, not a problem "!

Percy - I'd GLADLY take $50 bills from you, too!!!!

The answer to this question seems to be country-specific. In Ethiopia, you could only exchange $50 and $100 bills. Even $20 bills seemed useless.

Several times, people asked us (as Americans) to exchange money for them. A woman in Bahir Dar had been given a $1 bill, which she couldn't use. We happily gave her 13 birr in exchange for the American currency.

LyndaS: We have many gifts we are bringing from home. I will play it by ear to see if he and Molly are going to be our guides or just tag along. I think he wants to check out Samburu after the flooding as all the lodges and camps along the river were pretty much wiped out.

We leave on Monday!