How much cash to bring to RSA?

[BRICKBURN]

@BRICKBURN thanks for the heads up! So do you think my planned hunting attire is suitable?

Should work really well.

 

[Spooksar]

I normally take enough US cash for tips and $200 extra, I take what Rand I have at home. Use a credit card for the rest.

 

[rinehart0050]

Thanks for everyone's input

 

[Hank2211]

I tend to the more rather than less cash - currently am hunting and have an envelope with US$5,000 - and have never had a problem. I always lock my money, passport, etc. in my ammo box, which is a Pelican case about the size of a briefcase. I prefer that over the safe, which actually never looks all that safe. I have never had a problem.

 

[RolandtheHeadless]

How do you guys get by with so little cash? I've been thinking I have to carry more than $20k in cash and traveler's checks, just to cover the trophy fees.

And where do you get a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees?

 

[Erny]

Capital one venture card does not have Foriegn transaction fees.

 

[JimP]

If you don't want to carry a lot of cash for your trophy fees talk to your outfitter and see if you can just transfer the money when you arrive back home. I found out that very few businesses will accept travels checks due to there being so many of them counterfeited now.

As for carrying money, I put all of my SA rand except for 1,000 rand into my backpack that I used as my carry on. It was either in the plane overhead or on my back at all times. The US dollars were just in my wallet which never came out of my pocket. I kept $100 in 20's in my shirt pocket if I needed it.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

How do you guys get by with so little cash? I've been thinking I have to carry more than $20k in cash and traveler's checks, just to cover the trophy fees.

And where do you get a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees?

I usually do most of my payments with a wire transfer. I can do an international wire transfer online with my bank or credit union and it costs me $30 per transaction. Usually a wire transfer for the down payment when you book the hunt, another wire transfer to make the final payment 60 days before the hunt (if required). The last day of the hunt, when the trophy fees and misc are totaled up, make another wire transfer before you leave. It usually takes 3-4 business days for the transfer to clear. Only one time did a PH not agree to this, so I pre-paid some estimated trophy fees. The PH actually owed me a little money at the end of the week.

I also travel with some cash for tips for the trackers, camp staff, etc. US dollars are gladly accepted everywhere. Just as a FYI..........if you are bringing a bunch of US $100 bills, get the new ones. Some places won't accept the older bills.

 

[Red Leg]

I usually do most of my payments with a wire transfer. I can do an international wire transfer online with my bank or credit union and it costs me $30 per transaction. Usually a wire transfer for the down payment when you book the hunt, another wire transfer to make the final payment 60 days before the hunt (if required). The last day of the hunt, when the trophy fees and misc are totaled up, make another wire transfer before you leave. It usually takes 3-4 business days for the transfer to clear. Only one time did a PH not agree to this, so I pre-paid some estimated trophy fees. The PH actually owed me a little money at the end of the week.

I also travel with some cash for tips for the trackers, camp staff, etc. US dollars are gladly accepted everywhere. Just as a FYI..........if you are bringing a bunch of US $100 bills, get the new ones. Some places won't accept the older bills.

Agree. International wire transfers are the way to do larger sums. Different banks have different rates - mine is fifteen dollars. That is how I am handling my ibex hunt in Spain this fall. Also, as noted on another conversation, the better agents/consultants, offer a service for trophy fee deposits for hunts arranged through them. And really do make sure that you have the new $100 bill.

 

[Savage Hunter]

close out your bank accounts and take it all. that way you can shoot everything you will want to shoot.

 

[cpr0312]

Wire transfers cover most of the hunting cost for me, I usually just have cash or tips and maybe an extra animal

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

close out your bank accounts and take it all. that way you can shoot everything you will want to shoot.

Like a kid in a candy shop.........

 

[HuntingGold]

On our most recent trip (three weeks ago), I converted $600 US into rand as soon as we hit Johannesburg. There were several money exchangers there. We have a lot of family and needed that much to cover gift buying, tips to staff, etc. I was glad I had exchanged that much for our particular trip. I guess you just need to figure out what all you will be doing and go from there.

I found the curios to be quite inexpensive. We stuck the smaller items and bought a ton of them!

 

[Spooksar]

On one hunt I had got a bank draft for $14,000 US. Then my PH emailed and told me to bring cash instead. I ended up with $16,000 US cash with me. Got questioned leaving Calgary and had to show the cash and the bill for the hunt. Believe my I didn't feel all that comfortable carrying that much cash, since I had to pull it out right on the gangway to the plane. Now I do wire transfer well in advance.

 

[Rolf_T]

I do wire transfer before travelling+add extra for some extra animals not planned for (approx the same as tip amount). In cash I bring USD enough for tip, and enough for another trophy.
Some of this cash I use for souvernies/curios (remember to have small notes!). Never had any problem with this and yes, some of the curio shops got a little extra due to bad exchange rate (but we survive!)

 

[rinehart0050]

@Rolf_T Thanks for the tip. I like your idea of wiring funds to account for extra animals at approx. the tip amount.

 

[Rolf_T]

I also know that the outfitters prefer cash for tip. On all my safaris so far I always ended up with owing more money due to unplanned trophies.
The conversation usually goes like this:
PH: that animal over there is big
Me: how big - something you would shoot?
PH: yes, definelately!
Me: ok, BAANG!

Edit: this is the reason why I ended up with a big, bigger and biggest/huge warthog on my latest safari

 

[siml]

@375 Ruger Fan , you right about age of dollars, in Mozambique, don't accept dollars older then 2003.

 

[Waterguy631]

I took 3000 converted like 700 to rand it was 10000 rand I tipped my ph tracker and guide in cape town in USD the camp staff in rand some stuff we bought with CC some with rand used up all the rand by the way the girlfriend took 1500 that was 4500 between the 2 of us we came home with 2700 so we spent 1800 we were there 2 weeks

 

[BWH]

They make this pair of underwear, where you can stash your cash. Looks interesting.... You can store your cash safely & it will look like you are sporting big bulge.