The currency: pula, and where dollars work.
Botswana’s currency is the pula (BWP), divided into 100 thebe. “Pula” means rain in Setswana, which tells you a good deal about what matters in a dry country. It is a stable currency, and you can only really obtain it inside Botswana or in South Africa.
US dollars are widely accepted in safari camps and lodges and at many tourist businesses in Maun and Kasane, usually at a rate set by the business. South African rand and euros are accepted in some places. In supermarkets, petrol stations and village shops, you will need pula.
If you bring US dollars, bring clean notes printed in 2013 or later, in small denominations. Older, torn or marked notes are often refused across southern Africa.
Cards, ATMs and paying on the ground.
- Visa and Mastercard are accepted in most lodges, hotels, restaurants and larger shops in Maun, Kasane and Gaborone. American Express and Diners Club are accepted far less often.
- Remote camps may take cards for bar bills and curio shops, but the connection depends on a satellite link; carry a little cash as a back-up.
- ATMs are found in Maun, Kasane, Gaborone, Francistown and other towns, and dispense pula. There are none in the bush.
- Tell your bank before you travel, so a card used in Botswana is not blocked as suspicious.
- VAT is charged at 14% on most goods and services and is already included in our quoted rates.
How much cash to bring on safari.
On a fully inclusive journey with us, very little. We suggest a few hundred US dollars per person in small notes, to cover:
- Curios and crafts, especially baskets woven in the Okavango villages
- Drinks or meals in Maun or Kasane on arrival or departure days
- Visas and activities at the Victoria Falls, if they are on your route
- Premium wines and spirits where they are not included
- A personal extra for a guide, if you want to give one
Keep it in more than one place, and use the safe in your tent or room.
Why a Botswana safari costs what it does.
Botswana deliberately chose a high-value, low-volume model for tourism. Concessions are large, camps are small and few, vehicle numbers at sightings are limited, and much of what you pay funds conservation and the communities who own the land. The result is wilderness that feels empty in a way the busiest parks in East Africa rarely do.
Remote camps also cost more to run: everything, from food to fuel, arrives by light aircraft or a long sand road. That is why prices rise with remoteness, and why the green season, with rates up to 40% below peak, is such good value. Our four collections show what each level of comfort costs per person per day.
Tipping on safari in Botswana.
On every journey we sell, all gratuities are included: guides, trackers, polers, drivers and camp staff, at every collection. You do not need to carry tipping cash or work out the arithmetic at the end of each stay. If a guide was exceptional and you want to give something more, that is entirely your choice, and they will be glad of it.
If you are travelling with another operator, tipping is customary in Botswana and is a meaningful part of staff income. As a rough guide, many camps suggest:
- Guide: around US$10–20 per guest per day
- Tracker or mokoro poler: around US$5–10 per guest per day
- General camp staff: around US$5–10 per guest per day, placed in the communal staff box
- Transfer drivers and porters: a few dollars per transfer
Tips are usually given at the end of a stay, in an envelope, in US dollars or pula. In town restaurants, around 10% is normal where service is not included.
