Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Carrying cash to Africa

Do you declare your cash if you carry over $10K?

You'd better...But I dont think carrying any amount of cash to anywhere in Africa is a good idea.

Yep!

Well, just enough to pay "tips" to airport/immigration folks, and maybe some in the field to the government "game ranger" who accompanies all safaris. But it wouldn't be anywhere near $10,000.

Have gotten by fine with traveler's checks and credit cards on most safaris.

I carried $12K on my trip in June. I carried $9K and wife carried $3K. We both had it in multiple envelopes.

I have a nylon Money Belt that holds $2400 in folded up $100 bills. I’ll also carry $1600 in $100 bills in my wallet that’s in a zippered rear pocket. Having prepaid all my daily rate charges and most of my anticipated Trophy Fees via Wire Transfer, I have plenty of funds for PH and Staff tips and discretionary purchases. It works for me.

I’ve only ever carried enough cash for tips to the PH and staff and at the airport. I’ve always fo7nd a credit card to be the best way to pay for anything. I can’t think of a reason to carry over $10k but I’d certainly declare it f I did.

Mule Deer - I’m not sure that travelers checks are even a thing anymore. More than once I’ve had them refused here in the US.

Thanks for all the quick replies. I have read many of the posts concerning tips for staff and PH. It all adds up to quite alot on a 10 day hunt. Since the $10k is actually applied to a group (spouse included) it wouldnt leave much wiggle room.

Actually they still do exist--and even if years old can still be cashed.

The only time I've had them "refused" was in a pizza place in a small town north of New York City--which was owned by an Italian family. This was in 1986, and when we tried to pay with an Amex check, the mother said, "We don't take-a the checks." Whereupon her daughter said, "You gotta. They don't have any real money." So mama did....

If you have over 10k and it’s discovered it’s subject to seizure. The card is king in this world, why take the chance?

This.

Never heard of cash being confiscated, is that something new? On my first trip over in 2001 I had $7,000 cash in a money belt inside a plastic bag. On this last trip it was much less cash & more credit card, but again the confiscation surprises me. Someone help me out here.

Dick

Over $10,000 undeclared is subject to unconstitutional theft by government thugs.

Technically, and legally, if you're taking over $10K USD out or into the US, it is supposed to be "declared".
https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-195?language=en_US

The way to do this is now via: https://fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov/#/

While I can't talk to "all" of Africa, I do know that Namibia, RSA and Botswana banks do not accept traveler's checks. money orders or even bank certified checks. Internationally, travelers checks use/acceptance has pretty much shut down several years ago due to the extreme prevalence of fraudulent paper. Therefore; if a bank won't accept them, it's not too likely a business nor PH/Outfitter will accept them either.

Just a reminder on USD that you take, only the "new" US $100's with the blue security stripe will be accepted. This is not only Africa, but several European counties I've been to in the last couple of years. Even the smaller denominations have changed the printing and may or may not be accepted. I know last year in Namibia and Botswana, when I tried to exchange some $50's, they were of the older print and not accepted.

I agree with most that traveling with significant amounts of cash anywhere it a bit risky. However, once you are in an airline terminal and staying mostly within airline terminals and inside the security side's of the terminals, you're likely safer than out on the streets.

What I've been advising the last few years is to sort out payments with your PH/Outfitter, well in advance. Most will require a certain percentage of at least the total daily rate or of the total package hunt price wired over to secure the hunt and lock in your dates. Some will then require a further percentage wired over within a certain number of days before you arrive. What I recommend to those doing the daily rate hunts with individual trophy fees is to have your total daily rate paid in full along with 50%-75% of the total trophy fees on your wish list. IF you decide to wire over 100% of your daily fees and 100% of your wish list trophy fees and you don't get everything on your list, DON'T expect a refund. However, it could be bargained as part of the "tips" The idea is to keep the amount of cash you travel with to a minimum.

Secondly, it is possible that if you're dealing with a larger operation that has a significant number of clients thru every season, they MAY have a CC machine and you can settle out your account that way before you depart. Just make sure you've contacted your CC provider before hand to give them the name of the PH/Outfitter's CC account the country and an approximate amount or a maximum limit that can be charged. This is why this all needs to be sorted out well before you leave for your hunt.

Final option is to pay the bulk of your hunt upfront and then IF you have an outstanding balance due, pre-arrange with the PH/Outfitter if you can wire the balance when you get home. If they agree, they generally hold your trophies as "collateral" until the balance is received.

If you've never wired funds to an overseas bank, unfortunately, it's not as quick as portrayed on TV and in the movies. It can take several days from the time you submit the transfer until it actually shows up in the receiver's account.

Generally, most every hotel, restaurant, gift shop will take CC's. Only time you really need cash is for baggage handler tips, street food and souvenir vendors etc., and if you like to give camp staff/workers tips. Even this can be difficult.

For example, in Namibia, to try and stop the black market trade in USD, it is not legal for a Namibian citizen to exchange USD for Namibian Dollars. So, if you tip the staff in US, they have a very difficult time exchanging it. Even the PH/Outfitter may have to ask a client to exchange any USD they have previously been paid by other clients to exchange for them. USD are accepted in RSA and Botswana and citizens can exchange US for Rand or Pula.

Most important take-a-way on this is to sort this all out with the PH/Outfitter well before you go.

As an aside, I like to use the CC as much as possible but some CC companies charge to convert to foreign funds....some do not. Check ahead of time because this charge can amount to hundreds of $$$

Something I read about carrying large amount's of cash. $5000+. You draw out that much cash from the bank and the bank is required to inform law enforcement. Then if they catch you, the money is taken away as suspected drug money until you can prove it's not! I think if you were totake lost of cash I'd check into getting money used where your going well in advance. If all your taking is a credit card, I went back to Mich when my dad died and had to let the bank know I'd be using it back there. Doesn't seem to me like there's an easy way to take money and be able to use it!

Yes, bank transaction reporting regulations have gotten much more....nebulous. Old regs required banks to report all transactions over $10K. Current regulations "encourage" them to report any/all "suspicious" activity. What my friend, a bank owner actually, recommendation to me was when you make any usual transaction, deposit or withdrawal under $10K, to always put something in the memo to indicate it's purpose. The reason he gave was the initial determination of a "suspicious activity report" is with the bank itself. So, if you do a wire transfer for a safari/vacation etc., just put it in the memo. Same for a cash withdrawal - African Vacation. While it is just another sign of Big Brother being way to intrusive in our personal activity, vacations, hunting/safaris are still legitimate and legal so, BFD.

As Ingwe posted, I too do as much as I can via CC. I only have two. Both are no annual fee and I get cash back points of 1-3% on all transactions. Both are Visa based as MasterCard is not as widely accepted internationally. One card charges no international transaction fee at all and the other just 1% but, I get 2% cash back on the transactions.

Couple of tips on traveling out of the US with a CC.

1 - Don't sign the back. Instead write "PHOTO ID REQUIRED". This way, any business that takes your card without checking/confirming with a photo ID is responsible for a fraudulent charge.

2 - Memorize the CV Security code on the back and then scratch it off. The card might get "skimmed" but without the CV code it's almost worthless.

3 - IF you can use a different billing address than what is on your DL, without the CV code and billing address a crook trying to use the card is pretty much shut out. Unless you plan to actually rent a car and drive overseas, leave your DL at home or in your car at the A/P. Your passport is your primary form of international ID anyway and if you have any other form of ID with your name/photo but no or different address, take that.

4 - ALWAYS call your CC provider and tell them the dates of travel and countries you'll be traveling thru. EVEN IF they say you don't have to. The reason is, most CC if they detect an unusual transaction, they will send you a txt or email confirming the transaction. If you fail to respond in some specific time they automatically cancel the card. So, what happens IF you'er in country X and you don't have cell phone service and you don't get the txt or email. You're screwed. This has happened to me twice just after the CC provider said I no longer have to notify them of international travel. So, now what I do is I call them and ask to speak directly with their Fraud Department, explain the situation, tell them where I'm going and the dates and to under NO circumstances turn the card off and I will respond to a txt or email when I have WiFi service. So far, this has worked for the last 7-8 years.

All I'm intending to do here is pass along info I've learned the easy way and sometimes the hard way so no one else has to learn them the hard way.

"Catch you"? I have withdrawn $5000+ from my bank (Chase) many times with zero issues.

Lots of speculation re cash w/d’s and declaration. Read the forms your airline provides. Actually I never have had an issue because I book travel with an experienced firm (Patrick Wright).

I took lots of cash once. Very bad practice to do so.

I prepay as much as necessary by wire transfer using Swift system which pretty much all banks use. Fees at my bank are $50 on my end. Money then available in a day or so in country. Recipient pays a modest conversion fee. Check with outfitter first. Many have US accounts that they use when in US marketing.

I use VISA and my bank card shops for best exchange rate. Many outfitters accept VISA for settling up at end.

Years ago in Zimbabwe at the airport there was a “fee” due at takeoff that had to be paid in a new $20 USD bill. Don’t know if that is still required.

You can carry a few $100 bills but they need to be new. My bank will supply a small amount of local currency if arranged well in advance. I like have around $50. Usually your outfitter can exchange some for staff tips.

Always take a second CC card. Some require you to notify them if you are doing foreign travel so they won’t mistakenly decline a charge.

I only carry a few thousand. I use a transfer service to pay my final bill and ATM's to get local currency. The ATM debit card is to a MM that isn't tied to any of my other accounts and I only put a few thousand in it.

A wealth of sound advice here. Thanks to all for your comments and opinions.