Guidelines for Tipping on Safari

claudiskies - in African Adventures, On Safari, Travel Tips

August 04th, 2010 at 3:13pm

Tags: Guide, Safari

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• 1: 

  Very useful information - especially as i’m going on safari next week and had been wondering about this.

  
  emmagass

  August 04th, 2010 at 3:24pm

  
  
• 2: 

  ok, its still a bit confusing though. surely it would all be much easier if the tips (all of them) were just included in the bill, and if you really really really liked someone in particular you can tip them directly. just a thought.

  
  NicolaWade11

  August 04th, 2010 at 3:24pm

  
  
• 3: 

  I think the best way to overcome this potential minefield of etiquette rules and “what is appropriate” is to write a note at the end of your stay, thanking all the staff, by name if possible, and then slipping a “lump sum” in the envelope - hand it over to the manager with instructions to share equally among the staff. If someone really stood out, then prepare a separate envelope just for them.

  
  Vanessa

  August 04th, 2010 at 3:41pm

  
  
• 4: 

  Tipping at lodges is a sensitive topic. As an ex-guide I apprecited tips, however there is room for a change in the industry here…

  
  Derek Boshard

  August 04th, 2010 at 3:47pm

  
  
• 5: 

  Oh so true ... it is SUCH a minefield - and especially at a safari lodge, you don’t want to ask your fellow guests what they are leaving, because it is just ‘not the done thing’ and tipping is a personal matter; you feel too embarrassed to walk into Reception and ask someone there … so what to do ??

  Some lodges will put a ‘guideline’ in their brochure, which I honestly think are sometimes a bit OTT in their expectations, somy personalgeneral ‘rule of thumb’ is as follows :

  Your Ranger - by the end of your stay at the safari lodge, he or she will probably be your new ‘best friend’. And of course you want to thank them profusely for having shown you the best ever lion / leopard / elephant / rhino sightings in the entire history of mankind. However, there is no need to go overboard and give them the equivalent of a month’s salary (even if you CAN afford it) as this could set a level of expectation that future guests just could not match. What Inormally recommend is think about it in terms of what would your ranger really appreciate, and that could be something like the money to cover a really good meal out for 2, with a nice bottle of wine, so that he / she can treat themselves (and their boy / girlfriend !) on their valuable time off.

  Your Tracker – he will have proved himself to be invaluable, as he will no doubt have spotted things that the normal human could never hope to see – a chameleon on the lowest branch of a tree on the way back to the lodge at night, or a leopard hiding behind a rock – again, tipping too much would not be appropriate.I would therefore recommend tipping something equivalent to giving him a good night out in a local bar, where he can buy himself and friends a few round of drinks !

  Cleaning Staff - if they have kept your room spotless, then a tip is certainly a nice gesture – but maybe just the equivalent of a couple of drinks.

  Please ...this is just a personal opinion, and I am not for one minute promoting the partaking of alcohol beverages … but Ihave found, having been on a lot of safaris, that this rule of thumb works pretty well and it is a relatively easy way of estimating a tip amount that should not offend anyone.

  
  TravelButlers

  August 05th, 2010 at 3:36pm

  
  
• 6: 

  I have stepped in the minefield ... but pre-safari. On my trips to South Africa, I typically stay at a friends house. After my first trip, word got back to me that the live-in house keeper who did some wash for me and cooked several family meals should have been tipped. a guideline of ~$10/day was suggested.
  Next trip I properly tipped, but wasn’t sure what to do about the ‘missed tip’ from the first trip.

  
  buddy4344

  August 05th, 2010 at 3:59pm

  
  
• 7: 

  I’m so pleased that a “reasonable” side has been shown in this discussion. When I started doing the maths, i was quite shocked at what rangers and trackers in particular would make each day over and above their salaries! I like TravelButlers way of thinking.

  
  emmagass

  August 05th, 2010 at 4:32pm

  
  
• 8: 

  I agree. TravelButler does seem to have the most reasonable solutions.
  I guess what it all comes down to is to remember that the amount you tip is really up to you, and depends on what you are comforatable with and what you deem to be reasonable.

  
  claudiskies

  August 06th, 2010 at 10:07am

  
  
• 9: 

  I must comment on this topic as I have worked as a lodge manager at a game reserve in South Africa for two years and my partner was a game ranger. This is the INSIDE SCOOP! A common occurance is that rangers often don’t get tippedbecause guests simply don’t know thattipping the ranger is customary.
  But first, when it comes to tipping the general staff, it’s best to do it once-off at the end of your stay. The reason for this is that you don’t want to be digging into your pockets every five minutes during your stay on the game reserve and you don’t want to worry, ‘is it enough?’ The best thing to do is leave a lump sum for all the staff ie. housekeepers, waiters, barmen, laundry, cooks, gardeners etc. In my experience a minimum of R100/couple is suitable for a 2/3 night stay. If you have just loved the staff, found them incredibly friendly and helpfuldo leave a bit more - say R300+ from you and your partner. Ask the receptionist/manager for an envelope and they will ensure it gets distributed equally. Let a staff member know that you’ve done that just to ensure the cash gets to where it belongs.
  Where I worked the general staff tips were pooled and every two weeks the staff would divide itequally amongst each other.
  RANGERS: Game rangers and field guides in Southern Africa work because they are passionate about the bush, but more importantly, for tips. This is because their salaries are dismal, around R4000/month sometimes less. That is why they are so efficient, friendly, funny, hospitable and incredibly knowledgable. They want you to have the best time with them and when you depart, to leave them a monetary ‘thank you’ that you feel is well deserved. At a 3* spot I would recommend R100/day/couple. For a 5* spot I would recommend R200/day/couple.
  Have a GREAT SAFARI

  
  martina

  August 06th, 2010 at 12:41pm

  
  
• 10: 

  Great post! We get a lot of safari clients asking about tipping and what’s appropriate and what’s not. This post was very clear and informative.

  
  HillsofAfrica

  August 06th, 2010 at 10:22pm

  
  
• 11: 

  Loved the article, this definitely is a contentious issue which has had me contemplating the various pieces of advise as well. I am not an advocate of tipping just for the sake of it, however do believe in awarding compensation for good to excellent service across the board regardless of what type of establishment you visit(i.e. lodge, hotel or restaurant), making sure you include all that had a hand in making your experience what it was and not just the guys you have face to face contact with.

  
  Ramona

  August 10th, 2010 at 4:18pm

  
  
• 12: 

  Good guideline and we really like TravelButlers response. The idea to give your ranger the equivalent of a nice meal out is perfect.
  There is always an issue with expectancy…...I’ve seen staff literally stand with their hands held out.
  My general rule is: give what you can afford and give what you feel the person was worth. It is there job, but if they made your experience extra special, show them.

  
  AfricanArray

  September 08th, 2010 at 12:39pm