We are very excited and are getting ready to leave for a 18 day trip in about three weeks. I am now trying to figure out how much extra money we need to bring for tipping and what are guidelines. We are three adults with a private guide/driver for the entire trip. I know that there will be other people such as rangers, trackers, porters, lodge staff that we will also want to tip. If someone can give some feedback, if would be greatly appreciated.
Uganda trip and Tipping
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Hi lh
That's a very controversial topic as Americans tip generously and others tip according to the average income at the destination. Means IF a trakcer earns 200US$/month it's widely considered sufficient to tip for one day more than 10US$/per person when service is good.
Tip is meant to show appreciation and not as a second salary or even top the original salary.
Anyway - there will be many suggestions flying in I assume.
We do safaris for almost 20 years and have gradually increased out tips in the years.
Here is what we do - having received very warm Thank you by the trackers and guides:
10US$ per person per day for the tracker and the guide - we don't differentiate between tracker and guide.
As a couple we hand out 20 US$ for the tracker and the same for the guide per day at the end of the stay/trip.
10 $ per day for the overall staff goes into the tipping box (waiter, laundry, kitchen, tent steward)
We also have presents which we hand out if we feel a guide or a tracker should get it - depending where we are, how remote it is and when we feel the individual might appreciate it:
headlamps with additional batteries
camping cutlery
kind of swiss knife with belt case
kind of letterman (sp?) tool
nail clipper
cooling scarf
scissors
we also always take nail polish, cosmetics, small soaps from hotels, shapoos, conditioner with us as hand outs for the ladies in camps or give it to the gentlemen to take it home.
Spare luggage (if we still have allowance) with used but good cloths even pullover etc which we leave with the camp staff or trackers.
Pens and pencils
engl. books on geography, countries, history
all kinds of maps
booklets
etc etc etc
We even take balloons for the smallers ones, inflateable footballs, measures....
Happy Planning!
SV
Spassvogel- Thank you for your input. Our situation is a little different. We are going to have the same guide/driver for the entire 18 days. How much would you tip per day per person for him? Then we also are going to have trackers,rangers,boats guides, porters, etc. at each park that we visit that will accompany us with our guide for different games drives, chimp treks and birdwatching. What is customary to tip these other people?