Money & Tipping

MONEY 

The currency in Zambia is the Kwacha.  Whilst in the care of Norman Carr Safaris it will not be necessary to have changed money into the local currency.  As with most international tourist facilities in Zambia hard currency is readily accepted.  We recommend that you bring a small amount of cash US Dollars with you.

Cash US Dollars are accepted in all tourist facilities in Zambia and are preferable for purchasing visas and airport taxes.  Be sure to bring notes of varying denominations since change is often a problem in Africa and all notes must have "large heads" - the old series notes with small heads are no longer accepted anywhere in Zambia.

UK Sterling cash is also accepted in most places but change would normally be given in US$ or Zambian Kwacha.

Credit cards are accepted in many places but it is safer not to rely on any single card to get you through Africa.  Authorisation usually needs to be obtained for larger purchases and this is sometimes difficult to obtain.  Visa is the easiest card to use in Zambia, followed by Mastercard and then American Express.  At Norman Carr Safaris we are only able to process Visa cards, but due to unreliable telephone lines and difficulties in obtaining authorisation, it can be a very lengthy process to complete a transaction and it is definitely best to settle any outstanding bills well in advance of your intended departure time.

TIPPING

When staying in a hotel or camp or when eating in a restaurant in Zambia, it is a statutory requirement for a 10% service charge to be added to your bill (or, more usually, incorporated within it).  This is passed onto the staff and is designed to replace the optional gratuity.

Having said this, it is customary to tip staff a small amount if you feel that service has been up to scratch.  In a restaurant this would usually not exceed 10%.

In the camps we prefer guests not to tip staff during the course of their stay but rather to leave something with the camp manager at the end of their stay.  This will then be divided amongst all the staff, both those you have seen and those you have not.  As a guideline we advise something in the region of $10 per guest per day but of course this is entirely discretionary.  The safari guides are not included in this tip sharing system so if you feel you have been well taken care of then you can tip your guide separately, either in person or through the camp manager at the end of your stay.

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