Credit cards to be compulsory at gates from next year?

Sunday 2nd September 2007

There are strong rumours that the Kilimanjaro National Parks Authority are looking to make it compulsory for trekkers to pay for their park fees at the gates by credit card. It has only been a couple of months since KINAPA introduced credit-card machines at Marangu, Machame and, presumably, Londorossi gates; previously, everybody had to pay by cash or travellers’ cheques.

However, it is said that by next year KINAPA are looking to ban cash and travellers’ cheques as ways of paying for the park fees and only credit cards will be allowed.

Whilst credit cards are undoubtedly a safer and more convenient way of paying the park fees than carrying a bag full of cash or a wad of travellers’ cheques’ around, if these rumours are true it’s a shame that they can’t just keep the current situation - whereby you can pay with whatever means you prefer.

I’ll be contacting KINAPA in the very near future to find out if these rumours have any basis in fact.

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