soods

I know it is customary to tip a number of people at the end of safari. I have read that that includes the guide, the tracker, the butler and the camp staff. I have read a variety of suggestions when it comes to the amount. The latest thing I read was $115 Rand per day per couple for the guide and $110 for the others. Can those of you that have gone recently tell me the current appropriate amount?

Also when taking a day tour given by the owner and sole employee of the tour company, is it necessary to tip as well?

Thanks!

uhoh_busted

The lodges you stay in should tell you the tipping norms in the material about the camp you will get when you get to your room. We tipped our guides (there was no tracker) approximately $20/day per couple because they gave us such a wonderful experience and went "way beyond" our expectations. The guidelines our camps had suggested were between ZAR 100-300, so you can figure it as we went to the high end.

If a tour guide is the owner and only employee of the company, you aren't expected to tip beyond that. We were once in that situation, but had an over-the-top good time together and when we tried to tip him, he only suggested that we could pay his dinner tab (we all ate together).

soods

Thanks Uhoh... Sounds like good advise

FranknSense

We too tip only $20 USD/day, only a fraction of what our guides have been worth but that's what I was told as well

Its so unfair, because only the highest quality people can attain these positions. Its like having a Fortune 500 Top Exec at your beck and call for peanuts

soods

Franknsense, isn't that the truth -so many of the most talented people and hardest workers are sorely undervalued?!

uhoh_busted

They really love their jobs, but they MUST be "on" all the time...intelligent, charming, helpful, all that, no matter what the client is like. It is demanding and I can imagine if they aren't good at it, they don't last long.