Gifts for guides
 

I really love all the good information on this forum, so my next question is:
We are going on a basic camping safari and would love to bring the guide and cook something that they might want/need....any ideas??

Besides the cash we always carry some goodies for our guides/trackers/staff

- headlamp plus spare batteries
- small Mac Light in camouflage optic
- (fake) Leatherman or Swiss knife in belt-bag
- camping cutlery in belt-bag; despite they have it
while being with guests many of our guides appreciated
that gift

We all the time look for "specials" and buy occasionally for trips. Most items are in the 10€ range.

Happy travels!

((@))

For fun they liked baseball caps with US team logos and glow in the dark bracelets. We had lots of fun sitting by the campfire playing with those.

Thanks great ideas......10 more days, I'm so excited!!!!

If I know they have young children we take small gifts for the kids which seems appreciated. Also I try to take technology based items - for example small flash drives are inexpensive here but really valuable elsewhere.

Our guide in Masai Mara indicated they would love DVD's (apparently they have something to play them on - during any downtime and of course being away from home for weeks at a time) and DVD's of movies are great entertainment for them and perhaps a way to enhance language skills.
Anyway, we are sending our guide some through the main office (and hope it gets there) Hope this helps - we also gave them our mag lights before leaving, and the gift of gifts (thanks to Crosschecks suggestion for Kenyan guides) bubble pens of Obama! I had people begging for my last one..it was difficult; wish I had brought more. I ended up giving it to the manager (who I had already given one) and told him to give it to the "employee of the month".

I like to include a microfibre cleaning cloth (for keeping sunglasses clean) in the envelope.

I've also had great success with lipsticks (for wives and girlfriends), and unique gifts from home like mammal and bird guidebooks to where I live, leatherwood honey and lavender and huon pine products have been appreciated.

Cheers,


Pol.