Tipping in South Africa in US currency
 

My daughter and I will be in Zambia and then at Londolozi and Camp Jabulani in SA. I have been told that using US currency is fine in Zambia and ok for SA also, is this correct?

Not sure. Email them and ask. Then please let us know!! I've done both.

Tipping in US is fine with guides and trackers alike in RSA. They actually prefer it.

ntabankosi, I'm curious, why do you say US$ tips are preferred in South Africa? I have often read the opposite, which is why we tipped in South African rand.

We always tipped in USD.
While it's easier for guide/trackers, camp staff if ZAR as they don't have to exchange - it's their own currency, we found the guides/trackers specifically was only too glad to accept the USD.

CW,

From a guide's perspective it's nice receiving USD because it 'forces' a guide to save it and not blow it immediately. More often than not, when guides go exchange their dollars they will deposit is straight into the bank. Please remember that it is a subjective perspective of a current guide.

Kind Regards,

NN

NN, thanks for your reply. I like your "strategy" and understand how this can vary from person to person.

While tips in dollars are okay at the very expensive lodges, elsewhere in South Africa that's not the case. If your trip includes places other than safari lodges, (e.g. local restaurants, local hotels) tips in rands are better.

I'm an American who once lived for a short while in South Africa, and I find the idea of tipping in dollars as odd as I would the idea of tipping in Rands while in Chicago. I know that it's done at the high-end safari lodges, but I still find it strange.

As Celia mentions, while USD work at many of the safari camps, when it comes to tipping locally in CPT, JNB, sightseeing, small purchases, meals (when not using credit cards), of course use local ZAR. Easy to withdraw from ATMs everywhere.

I can just imagine any visitor to the US trying to use their home currency to purchase or tip when visiting Stateside! NOT!

I guess guides at lodges can exchange the dollars at the lodge. For any other South African it would incur enormous bank charges to deposit US$. I am sure they would prefer to be tipped in R.