Botswana Currency Guide
Botswana’s currency is the Pula, divided into 100 thebe, and it is the currency you want for fuel, markets, taxis and tipping, though US dollars are widely accepted at safari camps and lodges. Visa and Mastercard work in towns and at most camps while American Express and Diners Club frequently do not. Botswana is a southern African country whose Pula is among the region’s stronger currencies, with ATMs concentrated in Gaborone, Maun, Kasane and Francistown and none to speak of beyond them.
The Pula and What It Is Worth on a Botswana Safari
Pula means rain in Setswana, which tells you most of what matters about a country that is 70 percent Kalahari. The subunit, thebe, means shield. Notes run in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Pula, with coins for 1 and 2 Pula and smaller thebe pieces.
It is a genuinely stable currency by regional standards and holds its value better than most of its neighbours. Rates move, so check a converter close to your travel dates rather than relying on a figure from an article.
Getting Pula before you leave home is difficult outside southern Africa, since few banks stock it. Most travellers withdraw from an ATM on arrival or exchange at a bureau in Maun, Kasane or Gaborone.
Using US Dollars and Other Currencies on Safari
Dollars work more widely in Botswana than in most African countries, and at safari camps they are often the preferred cash for tips and curio purchases. Mid-range and upper-tier lodges and tour operators frequently quote and accept payment in dollars.
Two conditions attach. Notes must be clean, undamaged and recent, since older US notes are refused across the region and anything printed before around 2012 causes problems. Small denominations matter more than large ones, because two and five dollar bills are what you actually need for tips and craft markets.
Pounds sterling, euros and South African rand are all exchangeable at banks. Rand is useful if you are arriving overland from South Africa and can be used on cross-border buses and for vehicle fees at the border.
Outside tourism settings, dollars stop being useful. A fuel station in Nata or a supermarket in Maun wants Pula, and paying in foreign currency where it is accepted usually means a poor rate.
Bring a stack of small US notes set aside for tipping, separate from your main cash. Camps that do not take card tips leave you looking for change at the end of a stay, and nobody at a bush camp can break a hundred.
ATMs and Withdrawing Cash During a Botswana Trip
ATMs are reliable in Gaborone, Maun, Kasane and Francistown, and they accept international Visa and Mastercard along with Maestro debit cards. Withdrawing on arrival at the airport or in town is the simplest way to get Pula.
Beyond those towns, assume nothing. There are no ATMs in the Okavango Delta, in Chobe outside Kasane, or across the Central Kalahari. Withdraw what you need before leaving town, because there is no machine to find later.
Two practical warnings. Machines run out of cash, particularly around month end when salaries are paid. And withdrawal limits per transaction are lower than many travellers expect, so a large sum may take several withdrawals and several sets of fees.
Use ATMs inside bank branches or shopping centres during the day rather than street machines at night, and check for tampering as you would anywhere.
Paying by Card on a Botswana Safari
Visa and Mastercard are accepted at hotels, lodges, restaurants, supermarkets and fuel stations across the towns, and at the large majority of safari camps for bar bills, curio purchases and extras.
American Express and Diners Club are a different matter and are frequently declined by Botswana banks and camps alike. Do not travel with one of these as your only card.
A surcharge is sometimes applied to card payments, usually small. Tell your bank you are travelling before you go, since a first transaction in Botswana on a card that has never left home is exactly the pattern fraud systems block.
Several camp groups now allow staff tips to be paid by card, which cuts down the cash you need to carry considerably. Ask when booking rather than assuming.
How Much Cash to Carry on a Botswana Safari
This depends almost entirely on how you are travelling, and the two answers are quite different.
On a fully inclusive fly-in safari with camps prebooked, you may need very little. Meals, drinks and activities are covered, cards handle bar extras and curio shops, and cash is really for tips and market purchases. Some travellers complete the whole trip without exchanging anything into Pula.
On a self-drive or overland trip, carry Pula and carry more than feels necessary. Fuel, campsite fees, park entry at the gate, roadside purchases and small-town shops all run on cash, and card machines at remote payment points are unreliable or non-functional. Smaller border posts operate cash only when the network drops.
Split cash between people and locations rather than keeping it in one place, and keep the bulk in the camp safe rather than in a day bag.
Pay in Pula. Fuel, supermarkets, taxis, local markets and craft stalls, campsite fees, park entry at the gate, small-town shops, border post charges.
US dollars work. Safari camp tips, curio shops at lodges, some park and activity fees, mid-range and upper-tier lodges and operators quoting in dollars. Notes must be clean and recent.
Card works. Hotels, lodges and camps, restaurants, supermarkets, fuel stations in towns, most camp bar bills. Visa and Mastercard only in practice.
Declaring Currency at Botswana Borders
There is no limit on how much money you can bring into or take out of Botswana, and there is a declaration threshold that applies in both directions.
Anyone carrying Pula or foreign banknotes equal to or above the equivalent of ten thousand Pula must declare the amount on entry and on exit. The purpose is anti-money-laundering and statistical rather than revenue collection, so declaring costs nothing beyond a form at the counter.
Travellers cheques and other monetary instruments do not require declaration, only banknotes. Groups travelling together with pooled tip money reach the threshold more easily than they expect, so add it up before you get to immigration.
Exchanging Money and Getting a Fair Rate
Banks and licensed foreign exchange bureaus give better rates than hotels and lodges, which is the general rule almost everywhere and holds here. First National Bank, Absa and Standard Chartered all handle exchange, and bureaus operate in the main towns and at airports.
Airport bureau rates tend to be the worst of the reasonable options, so change a small amount on arrival for immediate needs and do the rest in town. Comparing two bureaus in Maun takes ten minutes and is usually worth it.
Banking hours run roughly half past eight to half past three on weekdays and a short Saturday morning, so plan around them rather than arriving at four on a Friday.
Change only what you expect to spend. Converting leftover Pula back on departure costs you twice, and the currency is difficult to exchange once you are home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Money in Botswana
What currency should I take to Botswana?
Take US dollars in clean, recent, small denominations for tips and lodge purchases, and withdraw Pula from an ATM on arrival for everything else. Pula is difficult to obtain outside southern Africa, so pre-ordering it at home is usually not practical. Pounds, euros and rand can all be exchanged at Botswana banks. If you are self-driving, weight your cash heavily toward Pula, since fuel stations, campsites and small shops will not take anything else.
Can I use US dollars in Botswana?
At safari camps, lodges and tour operators, usually yes, and dollars are often preferred for tipping. Outside tourism settings the answer is no: fuel stations, supermarkets, taxis and markets want Pula. Notes must be clean, undamaged and recent, as older US notes are widely refused across southern Africa and anything printed before roughly 2012 causes difficulty. Carry small denominations, since nobody at a remote camp can give change for a hundred dollar bill.
Are there ATMs in the Okavango Delta?
No. ATMs exist in Maun, Kasane, Gaborone and Francistown, and nowhere else worth counting on. There are none in the Delta, none in Chobe beyond Kasane and none across the Central Kalahari. Withdraw what you need before flying or driving out. Machines also run short of cash around month end when salaries are paid, and per-transaction withdrawal limits are lower than many visitors expect, so allow time and expect several transactions if you need a larger sum.
Are credit cards accepted in Botswana?
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted at hotels, lodges, camps, restaurants, supermarkets and town fuel stations. American Express and Diners Club are frequently declined by both Botswana banks and safari camps, so never travel with one as your only card. Small surcharges are sometimes applied. Notify your bank before travelling, since a first transaction in Botswana is precisely the pattern that triggers a fraud block on a card that has never been used abroad.
How much cash do I need for a Botswana safari?
On an all-inclusive fly-in safari, surprisingly little. Meals, drinks and activities are covered, cards handle bar bills and curio shops, and cash is mainly for tipping, so budgeting around 20 US dollars per traveller per night for the guide and a similar amount for camp staff covers most of it. On a self-drive or overland trip, carry considerably more in Pula, since fuel, campsites, gate fees and small shops are cash-only and remote card machines are unreliable.
Do I have to declare cash entering Botswana?
Only above a threshold. Carrying Pula or foreign banknotes equal to or exceeding the equivalent of ten thousand Pula must be declared both entering and leaving the country. There is no limit on the amount you may carry, and the declaration is for anti-money-laundering and statistical purposes rather than tax. Travellers cheques and other monetary instruments are exempt. Groups pooling tip money frequently cross the threshold without realising, so total it before reaching immigration.
Booking Your Botswana Trip
The safari companies and tour operators listed on this website put trips like this together for a living and know which camps, guides and routes actually deliver. We are an independent guide to Botswana; we do not book or sell tours ourselves.
When you are ready, arrange your safari, tour or holiday with one of the recognised operators listed here. Tell them your dates and what matters most, and a real person, not a form, will handle the itinerary, park bookings and logistics for you.