Complete Guide to Paying for Safari Holidays

A safari vacation in places like Kenya, Tanzania, or Botswana represents a dream cherished by travelers all over the world. Images of groups of antelopes  grazing at dawn while lions pursue them have been ingrained in our collective public consciousness, and for good reason: safari trips are an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime event. 

The problem with safari trips is that they do cost very much and can be an expense one can make once, or even never during his life. According to the expert Ashley Donohoe, from PaydayBears, it is an important expense even for rich people. Sometimes wealthy people too have to borrow money in order to afford a safari holiday. Sometimes it is only after many years of work that this trip can become true, at the age of retirement. 

Flights, guides, permits, hotels, and park fees may easily total tens of thousands of dollars, so the last thing any of us wants to do is have to find an extra chunk of cash to cover bank transfer, card, or international transaction costs. Not sure what we’re talking about? Then continue reading.

Domestic Travel Agents

An option for booking your trip is that of doing it through a domestic travel agent. The agent will charge you in your local currency, and you will pay them with a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer, and they will handle everything for you. Of course this is comfortable and you can be hundred percent sure of how much you are paying. The problem with it is that it implies additional costs for the services of the travel agent. 

This could make you willing to recur to a travel provider directly in Africa, so you can pay less. Let us discover all about it. 

Bank Transfers

To book your safari, you must pay for it well in advance. The provider in Africa will give you a pricing in local currency and will most likely ask you to pay by bank transfer. However, if you pay with a bank card, the journey will cost you far more than it should. Indeed, there are hidden costs you might not be taking into consideration. 

What happens is that international bank transfers are not quite easy, unlike national ones. The fees your bank could charge you, might be considerably high, although it depends on which bank you use. An additional cost might be represented by intermediary banks.

Not always your bank has direct contacts and relationships with other banks, thus the transaction happens thanks to an intermediary bank, which will certainly charge a fee. But that’s not all.

When we send money abroad from our bank, the currency conversion is handled by the bank. They convert the funds into the recipient’s currency and then send them on their way. Rather than using the open market exchange rate, they utilize a “marked up” rate that permits them to make 2-4% on the transaction at the expense of the clients. 

Credit Card Payments

You can also pay for safari holidays with your credit card. Do not yet be too optimistic: it is an international transaction and as such it implies a cost for money conversion. Credit card firms, like banks, charge a mark-up exchange rate on all foreign currency transactions; this is why they constantly encourage you to use it when on vacation. In the United States, this percentage typically ranges between 2-3%. You cut costs on fees, but conversion still creates problems. 

Money Transfers Specialists

Money transfer firms are regulated and licensed financial service providers that offer consumers reduced costs and better foreign currency rates than banks on overseas transfers. Some of the companies offer almost real exchange rates, this is because they usually offer 0-1% depending on the currency in question. 

Conclusion

As you could read, a safari vacation can become one of the most important expenses in your life. This thanks to the hidden costs of sending money to Africa. Thus, please consider the offers and costs before booking the trip.