Tipping in Egypt and Jordan
 

I am starting another thread to ask fellow Fodorites what are they tipping on tours within Egypt and Jordan these days? I am taking a 16 day tour to both countries along with a 4 day/3 night cruise and am curious as to what most of you have paid for your tours in relation to guides being on the boat,etc.Do you tip at the beginnning or at the end? And to whom? I know that tipping is part of their existence over there but want to know a fair and reasonable tip for bell hops,maids,guides,tour drivers,etc. Thanks!

If you are touring with a major company such as GCT fear not they will give you all of the recommended tipping guide lines.

I am going with Lady Egypt. What were your guidelines if you don't mind?

I am back last night from my 16 day touring of Egypt and Jordan and I just want to tell EVERYONE that Egypt has got the majority of tourists hoodwinked with this tipping BS. I work as an international flight attendant and consider myself well traveled. My family has also lived and worked in various countries around the world including India which has great similarities to Egypt.

The entire family was thoroughly disgusted with Egypt and its tipping for EVERYTHING practice including telling "us foreigners" how much and when to tip as though we were totally clueless and had never left our homes before.Everywhere you turn you must tip so you learn to never talk to,smile or ask questions to ANYONE. There are never small bills to tip with so you seem to spend the majority of your time overthere looking for small bills or worrying about what you can use to tip with-talk about stress!

I travel overseas everyweek for work and understand the economics of various people's culture in regards to using tips as their salaries but Egypt is absolutely ridiculous. No matter where we were in Egypt and in Jordan, everyone who had just been to Egypt complained about the constant badgering for tips and said that they would probably never go back due to how obnoxious it was-I agree.

One USA lady we met in the airport in Luxor said that her tour company had given her a two page guide on tipping-she has traveled the world and said she could not believe it.An Australian family reported that they were told that they needed to tip $400 to their guide for a 3 day trip in Cairo?

My family and I have said that we think that Egypt has got everyone convinced that we don't know anything about the world and traveling thus they can give us "these guides" to educate us...duh?

One more thing-DON'T give people at the tombs USA quarters as tips as they cannot change them to Egyptian currency without major hassles. I saw women giving toilet people $1 USA bills to use the toilet as they did not have Egyptian currency-this for the chance to use the toilet without toilet paper or water? Come on people-stand up to these insane practices.

If you are going with GCT or any large tour company, know that you will go shopping plenty. I would judge my tip for my guide after taking into consideration what I bought that I know s/he took a healthy commission on. If you buy nothing that they earned commission on, then the suggested tips may be good to use. If you buy a carpet and don't get at least 50% off the starting price, know that your guide is already VERY happy!...and his/her children are well fed. :)

We were not taken to any shops during our trip so was very pleased with that.

Dutyfree.... was that $400 US or LE for the tour guide? I will probably get suckered in as I feel for folks who are not well off.

dutyfree - I agree that the men who are constantly begging for tips are annoying. And I can understand the difficulty a tourist - who is only there for a few days - might have. Having lived there, we learned how to deal with it. Like the relentless salesmen - you have to be firm. If someone is asking for a tip and they really haven't done anything for you - then you just have to say no. Not always easy, but eventually they get the hint. On the other hand, please don't neglect those who truly have been of assistance.

Debbie - correct me if I'm wrong, but from what we saw, the problem starts because most people either (1) have no idea what to tip and as a result over-tip, (2) feel some sort of guilt and just start handing out bills, or (3) have no sense of the value of the local currency and over-tip using US dollars, British pounds, or euros. Trust me, all the men are watching. If they see someone being generous with tips - then they swarm like bees to honey. From that moment on - you're pegged as a "tipper" and you're going to get hounded.

However, in defense of the ladies in the bathroom, in all likelihood - that is how they earn money to feed their children. Paying 1LE (about 20 cents) for some toilet paper just isn't that big a deal. There are, after all, "pay toilets" in the US. The Egyptian "pay toilets" are pretty well know (I think) and people should be prepared for it.

As for tourists who pass out quarters and $1 bills (where 1 LE bills will do) - I have little sympathy. It just means they went unprepared. While it's not easy to get small bills at major banks (or if you use an ATM), there are plenty of places where you can get get small bills (markets, pharmacies, shops, corner kiosks, etc). When we lived there, I had a drawer in a hall table where I stashed all my small denomination bills. I always needed it to tip the grocery/restaurant delivery boys.

Grcxx3, you say folks who don't have small bills are "unprepared". Maybe not. Some folks may be like me, they don't care about giving a larger LE tip because when you work out the currency conversion, it isn't much. I would happily pay $10 or $20 LE for a clean bathroom. I guess it is all relative to your lifestyle.

I have known some well off travellers who, whilst in Asia, bargained folks down to such a low degree and were delighted to boast about it. To me, I thought they should of been prepared to pay more to help someone who works so hard to care for his family. Where I life in Australia, we are lucky, not everyone has the same fortune we do.

<<they don't care about giving a larger LE tip because when you work out the currency conversion, it isn't much.>>

I realize 10-20 LE isn't much to most of us - but it's a HUGE amount to the Egyptians and over-tipping just leads to higher tip expectations for those who follow.

As for bargaining - be assured that an Egyptian will never sell an item for a loss. My general rule was to take the first quoted price, offer them 2/3 of that price, and settle somewhere in the middle. If I was happy with the price paid, and the merchant was satisfied with the price - all was good.

<<<I would happily pay $10 or $20 LE for a clean bathroom. I guess it is all relative to your lifestyle.>>>

I'm not really sure what the second sentence means. My "lifestyle" means I like clean bathrooms. I still think tipping $4.00 for a clean bathroom, which should be a given, is absurd. It's got nothing whatever to do with my income, or their's.

MissGreen-$400USD for a tip for the guide.
While I appreciate people giving service and I tip accordingly, the whole concept in Egypt is beyond imagination!
You tip the value of 50 cents in a washroom that the attendant has done NOTHING for you and then they yell at you for more because they don't think that that is enough.
If you ask for info from a policeman they want a tip.
If someone holds the door open in a restaurant, they want a tip.
The moment you get off the plane there is a hand in your face asking for a tip.It really gets to the point where you cannot enjoy the beauty and history of the country because you are being asked for a tip.
These comments were the whole topic of conversation whenever tourists got together on my various flights in and our of Cairo.One lady who had done Egypt twenty years ago that I met at the airport in Luxor said that she would not be coming back as Egypt had changed too much for her in the wrong direction.Seriously, the tipping and asking for it is WAY OUT OF CONTROL!(Even my 27 year old son who just finished living in India for the past two years said he thought it was ridiculous and obnoxious).
Jordan was such a nice respite from all of this crazy want of a tip in Egypt!

dutyfree - I agree that it's ridiculous for someone who has done nothing for you to expect a tip. That is just when you have to hold firm and walk on. Yes, they may fuss and yell, but too bad. But the reason most of these people keep asking/demanding/pushing for tips - is because there are people who will tip them. So, they figure why not?

Again, I do not begrudge the bathroom attendants. The women in Egypt do not have an easy life. I always gave them their 1LE and moved on.

Maybe we were just lucky but we did not have anything like dutyfree's experience - there were attendants in washrooms, etc and tipping was expected but we weren't berated for poor tips or asked for tips absent some form of service. I couldn't imagine not returning to Egypt because of the pressure for a tip....just wanted to mention that for people who have not yet traveled.

<< I couldn't imagine not returning to Egypt because of the pressure for a tip...>>

I agree.

Our experience was mixed - somewhere between dutyfree's and Elizabeth's. I remember one incident in particular that really galled me. We arrived early for our flight out from Cairo airport and couldn't get inside the terminal until our flight was posted (this was before the new terminal opened, and the old terminal was nothing but a crowded hallway and one cafe downstairs). We wanted to go downstairs to eat, but we had our bags with us. My daughter had a brace on her ankle, still recovering from ankle surgery. There was a man at the bottom of the stairs who offered to carry our bags down, but not for the tip I offered -- which was, as I recall, $1.00 per bag. He wanted more, so, having absolutely no choice, I scrounged for every bill I had, and ultimately gave him a combination of LE and $$ amounting to I think $5.00. This is the kind of thing dutyfree is talking about. Although he "did something" for us, this is the kind of thing someone here would do just to be helpful, there wouldn't be a hand out expecting anything other than a heartfelt "thank you" in return. I know here is here and there is there, but I understand what dutyfree is saying. Fortunately, LE is pretty much "play money", so you can go along without much of a cost in USD, but still, the process can be quite annoying.

Dutyfree, we had the exact same experience with tipping in Egypt and I can understand why people say they wouldn't go back. I have never encountered anything like it and that includes trips to India, China, and throughout Africa.

We were even 'held up' by a policeman who wouldn't let us pass until we paid him off. We were in some room at one of the sites (I think it was Edfu) and he blocked our path and wouldn't let us out until we had paid him. He kept saying he wanted more money until my husband stood up to him and then he laughed and let us go.

I don't have a problem with tipping. I actually overtip, especially in many of the places I have visited where there is such poverty. I just don't like getting a sheet telling me what I have to tip or being constantly badgered about it.

<<He kept saying he wanted more money until my husband stood up to him and then he laughed and let us go.>>

LOL!! That's the key! The more people that do that - the better!

"LOL!! That's the key! The more people that do that - the better!"

It's kind of hard though when he's holding a gun...

That wouldn't have worried me. I don't ever recall seeing a policeman or military guard ever pull out or even threaten to use the guns they carry.

My apologies.....did he actually HAVE the gun in his hand when talking to you?

He was holding a rifle...he didn't point it at us but I wasn't going to argue with the guy holding the gun!

Oh - I would have worried about that. I used to love seeing the guards around the school perimeter "napping" with their chins on the open end of their rifles. Made us all wonder if there really were bullets in the guns!

We never argued like people do in the US, but DH was very good about holding his ground with a big smile on his face. The Egyptians are very friendly people and you can get things to go your way much easier if you smile and laugh a little while you're saying "no!" ;)

Any time I have had someone chase me to push my trolley I just say............ NO Money - sorry! ........ and they look at me as if to say. What you came to Egypt and you have no money lol.

but I tell you what, it works. Ive had my trolley pushed for free 3 times !!!

and each time the men said some lovely arabic words to me as I left hahahaha! I think they were wishing me a great vacation :-)

Scotsgirl

I'll have to train my husband to be the pushy one to tell folks that we have no money, or "get out of my way"! I've told him he will have to protect my "virtue" too.. although he tells me he is practicing in Arabic - "you want the blonde girl!"

MissGreen - make sure he learns his numbers. The men will want to know "how many camels" he will want for you!!!!

I forgot to mention my funny tipping story. We were visiting Pompey's Pillar in Alexandria - it was very quiet there, just us and a large Egyptian family. They were taking many pictures of their group and the pillar, and kept passing the camera around to get a picture of everyone.

So I offered (via pantomime) to take a picture with their camera of all of them - much "Shukran" and many smiles later I had taken their picture and went to give the camera back. Via pantomime they asked that my husband take a picture of me with the family, again using their camera. (I stand out - 6 feet tall and blonde). So he did.

Then I took a calculated humour risk - I coyly put my hand out for a tip - well, we all lost it! Much laughter and pretend payment to me for being in the picture.

My beautiful 24 year old daughter was worth a million camels-my husband of 28 years was offered only 5 for me! It has become the family joke!

Yikes dutyfree, I'm sorry you had such a stressful visit! :( I just got back and would love to go to Egypt again someday.

While Egyptian men can do smarmy and oily like no other culture I've seen, I never felt truly hounded for a tip. The vendors were in our faces, but a firm la shukrun generally dealt with them and I simply did my 'friendly but very focused on something else' impression anytime a guard wanted to show me something. I rarely made eye contact with any of them so they would have had to get my attention before they could ask for a tip for anything.

I never had to pay to use the bathroom (I have a freakish bladder) but one of the families on my tour had two young girls. Every time they got coins or smaller bills, they would keep them aside as potty money. The hotel in Cairo was also happy to exchange larger bills for smaller ones. They also tipped $1 US often because it was the 3 of them.

Agree or disagree with the way it is, that's simply how Egypt is right now. I can't imagine giving up a visit to Egypt simply to avoid the tipping.

As for tipping within a tour, I really hope you mean 400LE (Egyptian pounds) and NOT $400 US. We were told to tip something like $2 per day total to be split between everyone on the cruise ship. I think we had to tip two bus drivers, and the suggested amount was $2 or $3 per day. The suggestion for tipping the guide was $4 or $5 per day, and that was in the tour literature, NOT ever mentioned by our guide.

Yes,$400USD.
Everyone that I talked to (and there were alot on various tours and at the airport) were given sheets by their tour company and it was basically 50-100LE per person per day for the guides;tour reps meeting you at the airport were between20=50LE a person per day,etc.
It wasn't stressful being in Egypt but annoying. We did things like walk the back alleys(where the tourists weren't at) in Old Cairo and generally go in areas where there were tourists and also regular neighborhoods-everyone wanted a tip for nothing.
The small pound notes and coins were impossible to get from anyone.
Examples of trying to buy or get change? I bought a book at the Nubian museum that was 78LE-the man refused to sell it to me unless I had exact change as he "wasn't going to give me any". I finally told him that he could go to the ticket office and change it-at first he did not want to go it.Come on?
On the cruise ship,the only thing that we bought was a bottle of water for 12LE. We gave the guy a 50LE note on the final day of checking out and they refused to give me change-after a standoff or telling them they could give it to me as a Christmas gift they finally decided to get change from their banking office on the boat.
As I said before, I travel everyweek overseas and am known as a good tipper. I understand different cultures overseas but my whole family agreed that they enjoyed the sights but not the constant nagging for tips.Our family is savvy about how you look walking through markets;getting into taxis,riding public buses,etc.
We were never asked if we were Americans which was shocking with our blonde and red hair.I think that we did alot of things on our own so did not have the tour guide buffer.

After reading some notes on other threads I think that I have finally realized what the difference was in our trips.
Most of you stayed at only 5 star hotels and usually were with your guide the whole time you were out and about.

We had a "day Egyptologist"(who had worked at the Pyramids for many years)for our time in Cairo and Alexandria and we stayed at a beloved 3 star hotel in Cairo which was in a working neighborhood.We also had a whole day without anyone before our tour started so were out using taxis,walking in working class areas,etc. without someone to run interference for us which is what we wanted.

Although we did our tour through Lady Egypt, I changed a few things before we left in regards to hotels-went down from the 5 stars to 4 stars.We alsp had another tour guide with us from Aswan(who was wonderful) down to Abu Simbel and up to Luxor the whole time which was nice but suffocating for our family at times.He always wanted us to be happy and not need anything but we finally made it clear to him that we did not need him 24/7 which worked out great!

In Luxor we ate lunch where the captains of the fellucas eat overlooking the Nile with cheap beers(well recommended in the guide book); had a marvelous meal at the local koshari restaurant that seemed no Westerners frequent yet again is in Rough guide;rode the public bus vans up and down the street,etc. for sightseeing the Nubian museum and going to the grocery store yet the tour company had us stay at a very upscale hotel there (Iberotel).
Quite honestly,we were upgraded a few times on our trip(the Nile Cruise,Luxor, Dead Sea) and although we enjoyed it it was just too sterile and bland. My kids referred to it as the sanitized or homogenized portions of the trip.
For our family in regards to traveling,the journey of the backroads is what we enjoy!Perhaps this is why we were hit more with the tipping than others?

dutyfree - that could be. You didn't have someone running interference for you and you weren't there long enough (like those of us who lived there) to learn the avoidance strategies.

Now, on to a more important topic - what beer did you have? :)

Actually, we also had a lot of free time, including a day and a half on our own in Cairo, Khan Al Khalili, the markets in Luxor and Aswan. We used the avoidance strategies learned 30 years ago in Morocco.

We just came back from Egypt, and our experience was closer to Elizabeth_S's in regards to tipping. Interestingly, we also had lots of free time,(more than 2 days in Cairo, 1.5 days in Luxor, and many free evenings), most of which we spent in non-touristed areas (we too enjoyed several meals at local koshari joints -- SO cheap and SO yummy!), and we rarely encountered situations in which people wanted tips for no reason. In fact, the farther away from the tourist areas we went, the less people bothered us in general. The only place it was an issue was in Luxor, where we made the mistake of giving a child baksheesh in the presence of other children. The other children followed us for over an hour asking for baksheesh (we had given baksheesh to the first child because he was our impromptu "guide" through the Old (non-tourist) Market, but we should have been much more discreet about tipping him. Other than that (and perhaps at the Cairo airport), we felt that most people asking for tips had provided some service, either direct or in-direct. Also, people were very gracious about the tips we gave and seldom asked for more (again, the airport was an exception).

And on the beer topic, Grcxx3, after copious sampling, I found that I liked Sakkara the best. :D

Oh boy, this thread reminds me of when I purchased something in Mexico, I was quoted some outrageous price for some handicrafts in a store, this is not uncommon in Mexico and customers are expected to bargain, after bargaining and the merchant and I agreed on a price, I paid the merchant, he bagged the goods and before giving them to me, said where's my tip. WTF!

Grcxx3

I agree with abby97...Sakkara was my favored brew...especially while relaxing on the top deck of the boat watching the banks of the Nile go by! The memory of those treasured moments brings a smile to my face now as I type this! Please tell me why vacations cannot last forever...in particular Egyptian vacations!?!

Sakkara and Stella were our favs too!

yup - I always liked Sakkara. My DH especially liked the Sakkara 7*!!!!

Here is the complete list of beers I do not like: