14 December 2017
Perhaps we are a little biased, but we think Tanzanians are the best people you could meet. Our clients often grow fond of their guide(s) and have nothing but praise for the staff they meet in the lodges along the way. They are friendly, funny, open, warm-hearted and always ready to help. So on safari you will probably want to tip the people who look after you. The only question is: how much?
SMALL TIPPING TANZANIA
Smaller tips are normally reserved for the staff at the accommodation where you are staying overnight. Think of the person who carries your bags when you arrive, or that great waiter in the restaurant. Tipping them a little is entirely normal, and something in the region of 1 – 5 USD per person, or 2,000 to 10,000 Tanzanian shilling, is always welcome.
Another option is to leave something for everyone who works there: at most places you will find a box for this at reception. Putting in 5 – 10 USD, or 10,000 – 20,000 Tanzanian shillings, for each night you stay is perfectly reasonable.
It helps to have a few dollar notes or Tanzanian shilling bills on you for exactly this reason.
TIPPING YOUR GUIDE/ DRIVER
It would also mean a lot to us if you rewarded your guide (plus the driver, where there is one) when the trip comes to an end. Our rule of thumb: 10 USD a day from each member of your party, for every day you are out on safari.
For a party of 4 on a safari lasting several days, that can come to a few hundred dollars for a single driver/guide. It may sound like a great deal, but remember that your guide is with you around the clock and looks after everything you need throughout the safari.
TIPPING YOUR GUIDE/ DRIVER
On a Kilimanjaro climb you are supported by a whole team of guides, porters and cooks. Tips are a strong motivator, because they are a welcome supplement to each team member's income. And as they are at your side day and night for the entire climb, a tip is also a way of thanking them for looking after you so well on the mountain.
The customary amounts from a climbing party, for every day on the mountain, are 15 USD daily for the lead guide, 10 USD daily for the assistant guide, 10 USD daily for the cook and 8 USD daily for each porter.
Bear in mind that a climb needs anywhere from 8 (for 1 climber) to 48 (12 climbers) staff members, so the total in tips easily passes 400 USD over the course of the climb. Once more, that looks like a lot, but these are the people who lead you up the mountain, keep an eye on your health, carry all your gear and cook you wonderful food in tough conditions.
TIPPING: YOU DECIDE
We hope your safari or climb turns out to be so good that tipping your guide or porters at the end feels like the natural thing to do. That said, you should never feel you are obliged to!
In the end, our guides are paid a decent wage, and tips are a welcome bonus on top. Because poverty is still widespread in Tanzania and there is little or no social security, that money frequently goes into savings or towards supporting the wider family.
Read more on our blog: How much does a safari in Tanzania cost?
