John,
To answer your question about why some countries use the tipping system - simple because they can - I'm not being facitious. Unfortunately, it's far more profitable for the company owners to pass the buck (so to speak) to the consumer.

It's simply part of an ingrained marketing ploy that's gone on for centuries to make us feel like our trips/meals etc. are really costing us less than we think. As Sandi stated above, most people only start to consider the incidentals after their trip is booked. Thusly, this may be the reason some stiff the help and make excuses to make themselves feel better.

It's rather unfortunate that guides and other professionals have fallen into this cheesey tipping system but it is what it is.

Ultimately, we'd have to pay up at either end though as it's gone to far to change. So for now, we suck it up, pay up and shut up unless anyone's got some great way of rallying company owners to make changes.
Sherry

John....sounds like good advice.

Hari....you would be shocked at some things that are going on in Kenya, especially with the small private vehicle owners based in Nairobi and Mombassa. I have met a guide who is not even paid a salary!!! Him and his colleagues are just given the keys to the vehicle, water for the clients and enough money to cover fuel cost. He relied 100% on tips as his salary. He was looking for another employer but it wasn't easy. He told me that there were more like him and that he stilled earned enough money to maintain his family. I also know of guides who have been given incentives by employers for reducing milage during a safari and the money saved can be kept by the guide. This why I carefully select the companies who provide private guides in East Africa.

Lodge/camp based guides are different and are not affected by such scandalous operations.

Gaurang,

Jeez, that's pitiful!!!

The saving grace was your concluding statement, that lodge/camp based guides are not subject to any of these pathetic state of affairs.....

So, you are talking about those independent companies in East Africa that does all the booking at lodges and just use their guides? I have mentioned prior, that i had a shocking experience with Ranger Safaris (Tanzania) in 2002.....awful!!!!!

However, my trips to the Masai Mara with stays at Governors camp and Kitchwa Tembo were both very good....

Hari

Sandi,
I would not mind AT ALL if costumers knew what my employer (if I had one) was paying me and making it clear they might take their business to someone paying more decent salaries. That workmates know each other’s salaries is absolutely essential if they’re going to be able fight together for better conditions. The kind of salary secrecy you describe is and excellent divide and rule technique for employers. In East Africa where workers generally are treated very badly – though guides are among the more privileged - I think salaries should be a factor when deciding where to take your money. On the other hand people do judge each other’s worth as human being from how much we are earning and sometimes it’s hard to avoid fluffing up, I personally have a tendency to fluff up, especially, for some reason, when in Kenya. So, maybe it would be better to ask about ranges of salaries at safari companies and lodges/camps, while letting the person you’re asking pretend he is in the higher end of the range. I really don’t think it’s rude to ask about salaries in Kenya. I’m VERY often – though not that often by guides - asked where I come from, if I’m married and have kids, if I have a boyfriend, what’s my job, how much I’m earning, what’s my religion etc. – all questions in less than 5 minutes. Some people have religion as their second question.

I'm slow so please forigve me for repeating the question...but just to clarify...

$10.00-$15.00 per person to the guide for a shared vehicle?

$10.00-$15.00 per person to the guide (a separate human)???

$5.00-$10.00 per day per person for the camp staff?

Potentially $40.00 a day? Is that what I should budget?

Liz, close enough. Budget that and tip more if you feel like it, less if you feel like it.

Thanks...I'm assuming that all of this tipping is in US$. I'm not used to carrying that much cash while traveling - I'm more of an ATM girl on trips. How did you handle leaving $500.00 in cash in the tent while you were out enjoying the ride? Dinner? I've read some stories here about items being taken from the tents while guests were out on safari. I don't want to feel paranoid for 12 days out in the bush. Should I take my new and very expensive, nifty camera to breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Liz, I forget to take the camera (and, more importantly, the memory cards) to dinner, etc., but I probably should take it. And I always keep my $ with me.

<b>Do not leave money or valuables in your tent during dinner or any other time.</b> Ask if the lodge has a safe. I carried my backpack with my cash, passport, tickets, camera, memory cards with me at all times. (the only time i didn't, it was stolen from the tent but later recovered) Keep the cash in a pouch at the bottom of your pack covered with a shirt or something and don't go into that pocket too much as it might fall out. It is nerve wracking to walk around with that much cash since most of us use plastic, but that makes you less likely to leave it laying around.

I carried my things around in a backpack and had it with me most times as well. There were times that I forgot my camera when I went to dinner though.


By the way, I always put my cash in a few different spots, so I'm not carrying around one big wad.

Jenn

I found this the most helpful on the tipping delema - thank you everyone! I always tip too much when I'm happy. But yes I'm American and have worked in the service industry. I always say - a few dollars is nothing to me but could mean a lot to someone else!