What gifts to take on safari
 

I am going on a safari to Botswana and was told to take small gifts for the workers and others. First is this true? Secodnd, what should one take for gifts?

Thanks for the help.

I've usually taken small, green piecies of paper that they can exchange for food and necessities. I've never even seen anyone give anything other than cash, but I could be wrong. But, if that's the case, I can picture the workers with closets full of worthless crap -- stuff that we think will make them happy, and which they make accept with glee, but I think they'd prefer money! Maybe I'm too cynical, but if given the choice between cold, hard cash and a picture frame, pen or other trinket, I think they'd all take the cash.

david,

take a lot of pens with you. more silver shining the better. Especially for kids, they dont have pens and it is very difficult to buy them over there. We always collect them in hotels etc. for the next trip.

Chewing gum and chocolate (I know it melts, but we always take it and put it in the frigde in camp). A nice gift for your guide is a (and new) shirt.

We take old clothes as well but for this you should know where to deposit.

Have fun, Botswana is a wonderful place!

Money would be better. Why not take some beads thats what used to work in the past.

I would second taking small, green pieces of paper. You may feel like leaving a small gift at the end for someone eg like a spare memory card.

You will find that some people do take gifts. Often, these are repeat guests who have a rapport with the lodges and their staff..............

Please, eave the sweet stuff at home. Few of the children will ever see a dentist.

Rather, send a donation to Nothing But Nets, for mosquito nets in villages to prevent malaria. Or purchase Life Straws for use to clean water for drinking.

No need for children to be begging on the road for pens or sweets. If you have school supplies - colored paper, colored pens/pencils, maps, blow-up globes, soccer balls (with small pump), hand to an elder or school teacher for distribution. You'll never have sufficient amount of these items to hand out to all children and someone will be without.

thit_cho: I must have read your first sentence very slooowly because I actually had time to think, Whiskey – Tango…, before I burst out laughing! But, seriously, HOW do you REALLY FEEL on the subject?

davidjac:

I am sure you’ve gleaned (if you read between the lines very carefully - LOL!) from the first reply that this question has been asked here once or twice before – so you are not alone in this quandary and want to do the right thing. You can type ‘gift and or gifts’ into the search feature here and read many discussions on this subject.

Here are my thoughts…

Overall, I agree with thit_cho that cash is the best thing.

However, WHO suggested that you should bring small gifts for the workers?

If it was your contact in Botswana, who knows your ‘worker’ intimately, then I would suggest you ask your contact EXACTLY what this person would like that he/she perhaps cannot acquire at home OR the GIFT of a GIFT! Which could be something (ask EXACTLY) that a charity needs that the ‘worker’ is involved with and could give them him/herself knowing the best way to distribute etc. would be a meaningful gift.

If the ‘workers’ you are referring to are earning part of their income from you through cash ‘tips’, then, in my humble opinion, anything you purchase as A ‘GIFT’ -- SHOULD NOT CUT INTO THE CASH ‘TIP’ or the possible cash ‘bonus tip’ you would be giving them for services rendered and perhaps services rendered above and beyond the call of duty that inspire you give and move into the ‘cowboy or cowgal’ stratosphere of tippers.

Lastly, I basically had seven guides (which = workers I think) in total on my trip and I think maybe just a few of them actually had closets!

Den

I agree that cash is best for safari visitors. If you do search for other gifts threads, please note that one of the discussions is for gifts to be given by someone living in a community for an extended period of time and in that case I believe, based on personal experience, that small personal gifts are not only appropriate but better received than cash.

Pack what you think you need 1st for your safari. Then weigh for in flight transfers. Unpack and review those gifts again- Should you forgoe necessities for your safari? Are gifts a priority over clothes?Stacks of green stuff suffice.