How Can I Pay for My Uganda Safari in a Safe and Secure Way? We understand that it is not easy to trust a business you have never met in person with a large amount of money. However, for a few reasons, we believe in the organization and trust that we are working with people who will provide the services we have paid for.
In this article, I will discuss safe and secure ways to pay for your Uganda safari and also explain how Uganda tour operators can offer financial security.
Most operators do not support many different payment options. However, I have put together a list of some of the most common and secure ways to pay.
Bank Transfer (EFT)
The safest way to pay for your safari is by making a direct bank transfer to a business bank account. This method is also known as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) or wire transfer.
It usually takes four to seven days for the money to reach the operator’s account.
Pesapal
Pesapal works in a similar way to CheckOut, but CheckOut is more well-known and available in more countries.
Pesapal allows you to safely pay with your credit card (Visa or MasterCard) through an embedded form on the operator’s website.
As a verification step, Pesapal usually sends a confirmation link to your email.
PayPal
Uganda is one of the countries that PayPal does not fully support, which is still a problem today. Although we do not know when this will change, we are hopeful that PayPal will lift its restrictions, especially after the introduction of national identity cards.
Otherwise, PayPal would have been one of the safest and most secure ways to send money to Uganda. Some operators do accept PayPal transactions, but they use verified accounts from outside Uganda.
Ugandan PayPal accounts can only be used for making payments and purchases; they cannot receive money.
Credit Card
You should only give your credit card details to a trusted operator. Few operators have point-of-sale (POS) machines, but those who do can charge your credit card as long as you provide the correct details.
Payment Methods to Avoid
The four payment methods mentioned above are safe and secure for paying for your trip. Try to avoid payment methods that are not recommended in this article, such as personal bank account transfers, Western Union, MoneyGram, Skrill (Moneybookers), Payza, cryptocurrencies, Perfect Money, and other similar platforms.
Many scammers use these payment platforms, so unless you are completely sure about the business you are dealing with, think carefully before using them.
Related Article: Uganda Trip Cost – Comprehensive Guide to Safari Expenses, Gorilla Permits & Budgeting Tips
