Gratuities and tip

[Tom Y. Hanssen]

If this pandemic situation normalises over the next couple of months I and my son will embark on our first visit to South Africa to hunt Cape buffalo and various plains game over a period of 10 days in February 2021. I understand that there is a culture/expectation to serve gratuities to the PH and members of his staff (both joining in on the hunt and staff at the lodgings). If we are successful and have a great time I do wish to compensate extra for this. So, what is your understanding of what is the going rates for this without being seen as cheap, but also not going totally overboard?

 

[mark-hunter]

Hi, welcome to the forum.
Here you have plenty info on that.

Tipping Guide

Here is an article that I wrote about tipping, feel free to comment and discuss this subject further, give your opinion or share examples of what you have given as a tip. Tipping Guide Tipping is something that I get asked about quite regularly, I believe this is because there is a lot of...

www.africahunting.com

 

[R.M.C.]

Welcome!!!! Lots of info on every aspect of safaris here, including tipping. I usually just go with ten percent or so if I had a decent time and more like fifteen percent if the experience was outstanding. Then of course you have the various camp staff (cooks, housekeeper, skinner, tracker) that would probably get about a hundred bucks each. Good luck on your upcoming trip!!! Hope everything works out!!!

 

[Red Leg]

Welcome!!!! Lots of info on every aspect of safaris here, including tipping. I usually just go with ten percent or so if I had a decent time and more like fifteen percent if the experience was outstanding. Then of course you have the various camp staff (cooks, housekeeper, skinner, tracker) that would probably get about a hundred bucks each. Good luck on your upcoming trip!!! Hope everything works out!!!

10 or 15% of what? You were first to jump in with a recommendation. Based on your African experience, is that 10 or 15% of the daily rate, the package, or the daily rate plus total trophy fees? Is that based on a remote area daily rate? A dangerous game daily rate? Perhaps a combination of the two?

My only point is that blanket percentages are not always applicable in Africa.

I would urge anyone planning their first trip to wade through the pages and pages of comments in the thread mentioned in @mark-hunter 's post. The OP will also find a lot of comment by other European hunters who have hunted Africa.

 

[Nyati]

Welcome to AH Tom !

It is not easy to give a general figure, as there will be different circumstances.

I would recommend that you speak about it openly with your outfitter, and follow his recommendations.

 

[WAB]

I generally tip $100/day for the PH and use his recommendation on the balance. I have tipped significantly more than that when I felt it was justified.

 

[Newboomer]

I gave my PH $100.00 a day for a successful day and $75.00 a day otherwise. Tracker, skinner got $100.00. Camp staff got $50.00 each. USD.

 

[JimP]

I went with $100 a day to the PH, I don't remember just what I gave to the camp staff, trackers, or skinners but I do know that my personal tracker made out quite well.

Also on the gifts, that is exactly what they are gifts. Most trackers, and skinners have knifes that they use and really don't need a fancy one that they quite likely will never use. Now camo sweatshirts, T-shirts, gloves, caps and such make for a nice gift to them. But they should never take the place of a tip.

Your PH quite likely also has the knives and other equipment that they want. Now if they mention that a piece of your equipment is very nice and that they don't have one then it would be a good gesture to leave that piece of equipment with them, that is if you can afford to. But once again that is a gift and not a gratuity.

 

[autofire]

PG tip is one rate, DG tip is different. PH will let you know about tips for trackers, spinners, cam staff.

 

[Ridge Runner]

If this pandemic situation normalises over the next couple of months I and my son will embark on our first visit to South Africa to hunt Cape buffalo and various plains game over a period of 10 days in February 2021. I understand that there is a culture/expectation to serve gratuities to the PH and members of his staff (both joining in on the hunt and staff at the lodgings). If we are successful and have a great time I do wish to compensate extra for this. So, what is your understanding of what is the going rates for this without being seen as cheap, but also not going totally overboard?

To give a definitive answer on how much to tip......there isn't one.

If your daily hunts start before daylight and end well after dark. Your PH has worked and tracker have worked throughout the day to get you on your animals. You feel/ experienced a very memorable hunt that met your expectations.

For a PG only hunt: (7-10 hunting days)
I agree with what several others have already said, $100.00-$150.00 USD/hunting day tip to your PH and $50.00-$75.00 USD/hunting day tip to your tracker.

Your accommodations, meals, laundry, etc are satisfactory. Seek your Outfitter's or PH's recommendations for staff tips. These tip amounts may be in Rand or USD, depending on outfitter and location.

Staying at a lodge, figure R20/day per staff member or $20-$40 USD for your entire stay. Again coordinate amount of each staff member tip with your outfitter or PH.

Skinners generally, and depending on other variables like helping with recovery of your animal(s), R20-R40 per animal or depending on total number and size of animals $10-$50 USD.

Taxidermist/taxidermist staff, if employees of your outfitter, seldom if ever get a tip. And these are the people responsible for doing your dip and ship or mounts.

I was so pleased by the work they did on my first trip, on my second trip (Again with my PH's approval and the Taxidermist's approval and recommendation) I tipped my Taxidermist R300 or R350 and each member of the taxidermy staff R220 or R240 on my second trip.

Some ideas as gifts:

Sewing kits
Hot Hands, hand and body warmers
Random school supplies for the kids
Personal small first aid kit
Firearm cleaning supplies
Unused ammo

 

[curtism1234]

If we are successful and have a great time I do wish to compensate extra for this.

Imo lack of success should not affect the tip provided they worked hard for you. This is hunting, sometimes the animals win. Now if there were "issues' that caused the failure, sure, by all means adjust accordingly.

 

[daawg1963]

If this pandemic situation normalises over the next couple of months I and my son will embark on our first visit to South Africa to hunt Cape buffalo and various plains game over a period of 10 days in February 2021. I understand that there is a culture/expectation to serve gratuities to the PH and members of his staff (both joining in on the hunt and staff at the lodgings). If we are successful and have a great time I do wish to compensate extra for this. So, what is your understanding of what is the going rates for this without being seen as cheap, but also not going totally overboard?

ive seen effort were the amount would never been enough but i a ton other times zero is TOO DAMN much