Money On Your Uganda Rwanda Safari

When visiting Uganda or Rwanda, it is best to bring US dollars in cash.
We suggest that visitors to Uganda or Rwanda exchange some of their dollars for local currency so they can utilize it for roadside expenses like beverages and souvenirs. We recommend a mix of small denomination notes (USD 1, 5, 10, 50) and USD 100 bills.

Make sure the bills are from after 2006 because, in general, only those from after 2006 series are accepted in Uganda and feature the “large heads” on them. The older notes show different senators with “smaller heads,” which may sound a little confusing, but it will become clearer when you compare the notes. Please make sure all US dollars are undamaged, meaning they are free of rips, tears, and other marks.

Keep in mind that there is typically a fee associated with changing smaller notes, even if it is more convenient to do so and eliminates the need to carry around large quantities of local currency. Keep your slips; if you have proof of purchase when you leave the country, you can convert any extra local currency back to cash.

Even in big cities, it can be extremely challenging to cash traveler’s checks, especially on the weekends and after hours, and the conversion rates are typically incredibly poor. It is nearly impossible to change TCs in the remainder of the nation.

Credit Cards:

To the best of our knowledge, only a small number of banks in Kampala are permitted to offer credit card cash advances. MasterCards are not guaranteed and can only be cashed if they pass specific internal security checks, however Visa cards are usually accepted. The maximum amount that can be taken out is limited to banking hours. In addition to having bad exchange rates, businesses could impose high service charges.

In certain locations, only VISA or MASTERCARD can be used to pay for services using a credit card. This method of payment is typically only accepted by large hotels, and they will additionally add a fee of at least 5% to any bills. In summary, you should only use your credit card in an emergency.

ATMs

Although there are now some ATMs in Entebbe, Kampala, and major upcountry towns, they are frequently broken. They only pay in local currency, and the client can only withdraw money using specific cards and requires an international PIN code. The daily maximum is Ush2 million, or roughly USD1200, however it may be less depending on each client’s unique bank setup.

Additionally, please be advised that Kampala has awful traffic, making it possible to spend up to an hour simply standing in traffic on your way to the bank.

Rwanda: Comparable to the aforementioned Uganda. Basically, cash is the greatest in both countries!
Spending money: USD 20–40 each day per person, plus the occasional dinner not included (please refer to your plan), will cover drinks, curios, tips, etc.

At the time of writing, the exchange rates were around USH 3650 = 1 USD and RF 600 = 1 USD.