SANParks.org Forums

Your can use your credit card for almost all purchases.
Shops & restaurants
In and outside Kruger
Wild card
Almost everything

Except petrol
And toll ( but you seem to drive only a short portion of toll)
And tipping

I always have a amount with for petrol, tipping and dont use the credit card for buying ice cream for eg.
And its custom to tip the cleaning people at Kruger
Normal tipping is R10-30 per day
So R300 would do fine

Oh and yes, please remember you are in the bush and the telephone lines for the card machines occasionally don't work so some cash is essential.

Have a good trip.

Thanks saraf,
The credit card we will be using doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
It is one of the benefits of this particular card.
So your advice is well noted, on point and would be applicable to most people but we are lucky in this respect.

On the PIN, we don't have a PIN on this credit card.
Isn't the PIN needed only for cash withdrawals rather than for purchases?
We would only be using it for purchases.
We have a 3 digit CCV code on the back that is sometimes requested for extra security but have never needed a PIN for purchases.
Am I missing something here and a PIN is needed for purchases (not withdrawals) in SA?
I wonder if I need to investigate this further?
In the USA I use the credit card for purchases daily and never have needed a PIN.

We will bring both a Visa and MasterCard...neither with a PIN though.

Yes, we will call the credit card companies before we leave...a good reminder, thanks.

Heyya jhawktx!

You won't need to worry about your PIN unless you plan on using your card at an ATM. We used VISA and MC in/around the park with no troubles at all. We only used cash for buying gas, tips, and small purchases.

I did end up using my regular debit card at the ATM in Letaba with no problems. There was a fee involved, but it wasn't horrible. It's been a few years so I don't recall the total.

I also have a cc that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. What a great benefit. Also, if yours is a Visa Signature card, you can use the built in car rental insurance as primary on South Africa. (CDW and theft) Diners Club has a similar benefit.

Several UK credit cards don't charge commission for foreign transactions, but I don't know if you have that facility in the USA jhawktx, but if so, you could get one of those (if you haven't already got one!!)

As overseas visitors to SA on a very regular and extended basis, we put almost everything on our card, because it is just so much more convenient, and because we don't pay commision on the transactions it costs us nothing extra.

As previous peeps have said, most things can be bought with your card, except petrol and tolls, tips, camp launderettes, and the odd ice cream etc.

Again, our UK debit card allows us to draw cash at any ATM in South Africa, so we carry very little cash at one time. There are ATMs at Skukuza and Letaba, and most shopping malls and petrol stations outside the park,will have an ATM.

That of course is just my opinion!!!

Have a fab time!!!

In South Africa it's a mixed bit as far as I know.
I do have a PIN, and absolutely need it here (in Holland) to pay for anything.
No PIN, no transaction.
It is more or less your digital signature.
I think you will need your PIN, so just be safe, and request it from your bank(s).

With regards to withdrawing in Kruger....the machines are not always online.....power can be lost easily in the bush, so it's best to NOT rely on ATMs in the KNP.
At the larger bank's ATMs, we were always able to withdraw at least R2000.
You will need to have a FOUR digit pin....so if you have more than that you will have to change that before you go.
My ATM card worked fine...hubby's not at all...no idea why..we both notified the bank about our debit & credit cards at the same time
ALSO.....you cannot pay with credit cards at some gas stations in SA.....so you must be sure to have enough R at all times.

Hi, last month at OR Tambo we could only get about R1450 and with the same account like last year. At Skukuza we could get R2000 each day with each account. But last year we got R4000 max.

Another thing you might want to consider...we always take some traveler's checks as backup. There is a bank at Skukuza and we have never had any trouble cashing the checks there.

You will LOVE Kruger. Have a great trip!

I would get a pin for your card, just to be on the safe side. It won't cost anything and can not hurt. Call your bank. We have used our card (with 4 digit pin number) many times at the ATMs in the park. It has never been a problem and it is really nice to know that you can get some more cash if you need it.

One less thing to worry about.

I have to admit I'm a bit taken aback with all the talk of difficulty using a credit card without a PIN.
I've used credit cards in many countries and never needed a PIN.
Again, I am strictly talking about using the credit card to make purchases...food, lodging, etc. (not ATM withdrawals).

Stark seemed to get by with a credit card without a PIN...Stark is also from USA.
Perhaps different countries have different rules/processes for how PIN's are issued and used?????
DuQues talked about needing a PIN in Netherlands.
Maybe if the issuing country requires a PIN, that requirement carries over to the country you are visiting as well????
Whereas if the issuing country requires no PIN (as is the case in USA) for use in the issuing country then the same applies outside the country???
Again, I'm perplexed a bit.

My gut tells me I should be ok without the PIN.

In Canada ALL credit cards have to be CHIP enabled by Dec 31.....that means you insert your card differently and you need a PIN code...

I assumed we were following US standards.....

btw...when do/does your CC expire? You may be getting one with a chip......

Yes, yes, I think you will be fine without a pin if you are only using the card for purchases. But you never know when you might need more cash, so why not get the pin? If you don't need it, no harm...but if you DO, it will be nice to have. Also, sometimes the phone lines are down or there is some other issue with the card authorization so you CAN NOT charge your food. It's nice to have some extra cash in hand.

Don't mean to worry you by pointing out all of the possible pitfalls, it really isn't all that difficult, but I always feel better with lots of back up options.

Just to clarify, in Europe and SA, the CCs are the "chip and pin" type, where generally you enter your pin and don't have to sign a slip.

Unfortunately, chip and pin cards do not exist in the USA (with the rare exceptions that iLoveMeerkats points out), probably because the vast majority of USA customers will never travel overseas and apparently the CC companies don't want to go to the extra expense of changing to the chip and pin cards.

I have only had a problem with using a non-chip card at one shop in the UK (The Body Shop), and have never (yet?) had a problem with using a non-chip CC in SA.

Getting a pin for a US CC won't do you any good for purchases as the US cards don't have the chip technology, the pin in USA cards is only if you plan to use it for cash withdrawals.

Hope this makes some sense, it is a bit confusing — and frustrating that US technology is so behind the times. Most people seem to assume that the USA is always at the forefront of technology — a myth!

I dont think you need to spend the extra money in obtaining Rands before you leave the US? I think when ppl refer to ATM's offline, they refer to those inside Kruger, like at Letaba or LSabie? I prefer not to withdraw money from those little atm's as the charges I have to pay is the same if I withdrew R200 or R2000!

Maybe its your bank in the US limiting you from drawing upto a certain amount. I have my bankcard here from the Middle East and can draw R3000 five times per day from an ABSA ATM in South Africa (R15000).

Depending on which gate you go in at, there are numerous banks on the way to either Numbi (White River) or Malelane

Have a great trip!!