Useful tips on money for tourists visiting Kenya

Many Kenyans in the tour travel industry are not paid significantly well and therefore rely on tips. Therefore a tourist should tip the Kenyan staff according to the service they get. As a tourist you should tip according to what you know is well-deserved and you should do it in Kenyan shillings.

It is usually hard for Kenyans to change foreign currency since a significant amount is lost to commissions. It is also very fundamental to note that foreign coins cannot be changed.

These are some quick tips concerning money for tourists visiting Kenya

1. It costs Ksh. 200 for baggage porters who carry bags into hotel rooms at the beginning or end of the holiday.
2. An airport Transfer Driver is paid starting from Ksh.100 (shared package transfer) to Ksh. 500. You will part with Ksh. 5000 for private transfer to the South Coast Ukunda where Diani beach is located.
3. A pool attendant is paid Ksh. 100 per day while room staff receive Ksh. 1000 per week. Ksh. 50 – Ksh. 100 per round of drinks is well befitting bar attendants. When running a tab round up to the nearest convenient figure up to 10 per cent total.
4. A rough estimate of about Ksh. 100 to Ksh. 200 can be paid to a food waiter at a local restaurant up to 10 per cent of the bill.
5. A safari guide is worth being paid Ksh. 1000/- per day payable at the end of the safari.
6. It is advisable to tip room staff and pool attendants half of what you intend to tip them at the beginning of the holiday. You could then tip the rest at the end of the holiday depending on the kind of service you received.
7. Remember to tip gardeners, handymen, kitchen staff and other support staff by placing them in a tip box where the money is shared between all the staff.
8. Changing money in a bank ATM may pose float challenges. For the simple reason that you may be given notes of Ksh. 1000 and Ksh. 500. Many small- scale shops may not have enough float to give you the balance for merchandise like snacks and a bottle of water. Therefore it is highly advisable that you ask the bank or foreign exchange bureau to give you notes of smaller denominations Like Ksh. 50, 100 and 200 notes.
9. When withdrawing money from an ATM it is highly advisable to ask for Ksh. 19,900 instead of Ksh. 20,000. You will at least get some smaller notes of either Ksh. 200 or Ksh. 100.
10. These are the exchange rates for the Kenyan currency according to the Central Bank of Kenya as at 4th December 2017: