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  • Travelling to Uganda – whats the best pocket money
  • maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    The girlf has to go to Uganda at short notice, quickly sorting out jabs and tablets and the rest…. But need to get some cash sorted. Someone’s suggested she takes US dollars then changes those locally, but didn’t really explain why. Better to do that than just get Ugandan cash to start with? (assuming Thomas Cook has any, maybe thats the reason to take the $$$s)

    Any better suggestions? Nectar points? Beenz?

    Yours… the 6 Million (Zimbabwean) Dollar Man

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    I’ve yet to find somewhere in the world you can’t use US dollars.

    McHamish
    Free Member

    I’ve yet to find somewhere in the world you can’t use US dollars.

    North Korea maybe…

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    jam-bo
    Full Member

    North Korea maybe…

    I’ve haven’t been to North Korea so my previous statement still stands.

    gonefishin
    Free Member

    I’ve yet to find somewhere in the world you can’t use US dollars.

    North Korea maybe…

    They take Euros.

    I doubt you’ll actually be able to get Ugandan currency outside the country. It is quite common for countries to not allow cash to be taken out of the country. Check the FCO website but other than that US Dollars are the most unversally accepted currency on the planet, North Korea being the only place that I’ve been where you can’t spend them.

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    cheers all

    Dead presidents it is then.

    Out of interest I checked the exchange rate on CoinMill for Ugandan Shillings £100 = 300,000 odd shillings

    The checked the rate for Zimabwean Dollars “£100 = infinity”!!!

    Helios
    Free Member

    jam bo – Member

    I’ve yet to find somewhere in the world you can’t use US dollars.

    Ummm… Almost everywhere?

    You can *change* US dollars all over the place, but you can’t use them to pay for stuff. When was the last time you walked into your local corner shop and handed over a 5 dollar bill to buy your newspaper?

    I’d recommend buying Ugandan Shillings – if you buy dollars here, then change them in Uganda you’ll be screwed by the exchange rate and commission twice – total waste of money. Admittedly I used to keep a handy few dollars in case I had to pay “fees” at the airport when I lived in Tanzania, but otherwise local currency is the way to go.

    And if you’re desperate to carry some western currency, in East Africa GBP is just as good as US dollars…

    trail_rat
    Free Member

    nice the ugandan shilling !

    deffo take dollars –

    its the standard rule of thumb when we are going to west africa – pack dollars – but use your credit card at the hole in the wall if at all possible ….

    gonefishin
    Free Member

    FCO advice

    We advise you to carry sufficient travellers’ cheques or cash (US $) to meet normal expenses. Travellers’ cheques can only be cashed in major towns, often at a much lower rate of exchange than cash. US dollars dated earlier than 2001 and notes smaller than US$50 are usually only exchanged at a less favourable rate and in some cases not accepted for exchange.

    So buy USD here and change when you get there. Quite a common thing to do to be honest.

    sl2000
    Full Member

    GBP is as easy to change as USD in Uganda. You can’t spend either USD or GBP in shops, but touristy things (eg hotels, national parks, rafting) will want payment in USD (and they’ll want a lot of it).

    Cash machines work well and are all over the place. Visa cards work in all machines. Mastercard you can only use in Stanbic – but there are loads of Stanbics around too, although maybe check if you’re not in a major town. You’ll almost certainly need to phone your bank from Uganda after the first blocked withdrawal (which will possibly be the first one you try), and periodically thereafter, but it’s quick and easy to buy a pay-as-you-go SIM and credit to do this.

    You need to hand over a fair wadge of cash (GBP 40?) when you arrive for your tourist visa.

    The current political situation isn’t ideal so maybe keep USD 500 safely somewhere as an emergemcy exit fund.

    It’s a really safe country (in the safe bits) so don’t worry too much about wandering around (within reason) with cash on you.

    maccruiskeen
    Full Member

    All good advice

    thanks chaps

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