Tipping Guide

[sierraone]

Not sure where some of this was coming from. I haven't traveled as much as some of you, but I have done my share. And for the most part I have truly enjoyed most European countries. Hope to go back again. This is only the 881st post on the tipping thread!!!!!

 

[JimP]

They need to go through this thread and eliminate around 800 post in it...and get it back onto the subject of tipping in Africa.

 

[gordon kings langley]

Safari outfitters should pay the all staff a proper living wage, they should not have to rely on tipping.
It will be interesting to see if you publish this response.

 

[Hank2211]

Safari outfitters should pay the all staff a proper living wage, they should not have to rely on tipping.
It will be interesting to see if you publish this response.

Lots of people have said this before, including on this thread . . . not sure why it's interesting . . .

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

I note you have not published my recent response to the above.

It will be interesting to see if you publish this response.

Really not sure what you mean by the above comments.

Here are all of the replies that you made in thread since Sep 5, 2016.

 

[cls]

Safari outfitters should pay the all staff a proper living wage, they should not have to rely on tipping.
It will be interesting to see if you publish this response.

So that being said are you willing to pay more for your hunt to cover the extra costs or will you still shop for the cheapest deal and still not tip?

 

[sierraone]

Safari outfitters should pay the all staff a proper living wage, they should not have to rely on tipping.
It will be interesting to see if you publish this response.

In the years long history of this thread there have been members that have written journal length articles on why we should pay tips or not. And one line posts of the same. If you have time to read nearly 900 posts, have at it.

 

[Zambezi]

Love people that simply don't understand basic economics or the way things are done in Africa. They have this idea that we are all just screwing the indigenous population..... such a infantile and uninformed view.

To the current whiner... do you have any char helping you out? If not, why not. Don't you want to create employment? If you do then do you contribute to their kids education? Do you give extra money for the grandfather that has died for the eigth time this year? You may laugh but every worker has a myriad relatives that die and ask their employer for funeral money / transport / food / coffins etc etc... we give to those expenses even when we know it's BS... then you get the rich westerners that come in for a week or three treat the staff with distain or indifference and blow out again.... without so much as a tip.... but then tip their waiters at the local pub withou batting an eyelid....

So that waiter that is skilled in walking a plate from the kitchen to your table gets a tip but your expert chef, skinner or tracker deserves nothing??????????????????????????

Blows my mind!

 

[Hank2211]

So that being said are you willing to pay more for your hunt to cover the extra costs or will you still shop for the cheapest deal and still not tip?

We also need to address the issue of "living wage" - which in my view is quite low in many parts of Africa, and a "proper" living wage. I'm not sure what that is, but I know with certainty that it's miles from what I'd consider a living wage, let alone a proper living wage.

The reality of the hunting business in Africa is that the jobs it creates are virtually uniformly considered good jobs, regardless of tips or no tips. In Zimbabwe for instance, hunting camp workers generally get a wage, a place to live, a ration of meat (usually weekly), clothing, basic medical care and in many cases, schooling for children. Tips are a nice add-on, but I've never known anyone who would starve if a hunter didn't leave a tip.

And let's be clear - skinning and tracking aren't really skills which are transportable to urban environments, where the better paying jobs usually are (as well as the higher costs of living). Cooking and housekeeping, perhaps, but many others are rural jobs, in places where rural jobs are hard to come by.

So it's easy to blame outfitters and safari camp operators for not paying a "proper living wage" when in fact, they are paying such a wage, or no one would take the jobs or stay. Safari camp operators work in an extremely competitive market, and under-paying workers would result in workers leaving, , untrained workers, poor service, and unhappy clients. It's just not worth it. What might seem unacceptable to you may be at least a reasonable standard of living for rural Africa. Safari camp jobs are good jobs in Africa.

I know this won't end the tipping discussion (too many seem to have axes to grind) but I'll repeat what I said earlier: you should tip what you're comfortable tipping (and this thread used to provide some reasonable guidance on that topic!) and if you aren't comfortable tipping, or it's not part of your culture, then don't tip. I don't know of a single outfit I've visited in more than a dozen safaris which wouldn't welcome back a hunter, regardless of whether he or she tipped, tipped well, or didn't tip at all.

 

[dailordasailor]

I've been looking at this thread throughout the years and with my first trip coming up in 2 weeks I've asked around and re-read through. Plan to bring $1000 for tips. Was part of my hunt budget all along and I've tipped at least something on every hunt I've been guided on in the US or UK. Will I use all $1000, I have no idea but its there as needed and separate from other cost for the trip. If my PH is not the outfitter he will be tipped $500, everyone else will be tipped out of the remainder and bringing some small flashlights/pocket knives as added gifts.

 

[Bullet Safaris]

I've been looking at this thread throughout the years and with my first trip coming up in 2 weeks I've asked around and re-read through. Plan to bring $1000 for tips. Was part of my hunt budget all along and I've tipped at least something on every hunt I've been guided on in the US or UK. Will I use all $1000, I have no idea but its there as needed and separate from other cost for the trip. If my PH is not the outfitter he will be tipped $500, everyone else will be tipped out of the remainder and bringing some small flashlights/pocket knives as added gifts.

Interesting comment on the outfitter being your PH.
Why would that make a difference and in which way with the 500$ ?

 

[mark-hunter]

@Bullet Safaris
Nathan, there was one similar comment several posts earlier about PH being employed, or PH as outfitter, in almost identical contest about tipping.

 

[Hank2211]

Interesting comment on the outfitter being your PH.
Why would that make a difference and in which way with the 500$ ?

Again, I think this is cultural or local practice. In North America (I include Canada because the practice is pretty much the same), one doesn’t typically tip the owner of the business in the same way, or at all, as one would an employee. How this distinction developed is a bit of a mystery, but it seems to have to do with the fact that one doesn’t have to incentivize an owner of the business for better service, whereas one might have to do that with an employee. Recall that our view of tipping is not to reward someone for doing a job, but to incentivize good service.

Unsurprisingly, there are exceptions to this general rule, such as barbers and hairdressers, who may well be self-employed.

And for what it’s worth, the distinction does seem to be fading to some degree - everyone in North America seems to expect a tip these days.

 

[Chago]

I said many pages ago. For those who are so "uncomfortable" with tipping. Should be shown the "respectable employee pay" pricelist. For those who do tip will get the regular price list. We will see if all these people who are so "uncomfortable" will still want the cheaper list and still not tip. Give me a break. The argument is laughable. Regardless of what country you come from, how old you are, or income level. Tipping can even be something small if that is all you can afford. Tipping is not a contest. It's a sign of appreciation.

 

[Red Leg]

Again, I think this is cultural or local practice. In North America (I include Canada because the practice is pretty much the same), one doesn’t typically tip the owner of the business in the same way, or at all, as one would an employee. How this distinction developed is a bit of a mystery, but it seems to have to do with the fact that one doesn’t have to incentivize an owner of the business for better service, whereas one might have to do that with an employee. Recall that our view of tipping is not to reward someone for doing a job, but to incentivize good service.

Unsurprisingly, there are exceptions to this general rule, such as barbers and hairdressers, who may well be self-employed.

And for what it’s worth, the distinction does seem to be fading to some degree - everyone in North America seems to expect a tip these days.

I think that is pretty accurate. On a hunt, either in North America or Africa, my tips are targeted at my guide/PH and the staff. Should the owner guide me for all or part of the hunt, then I would include him as well. For instance, on my most recent hunt for buffalo in South Africa, the owner guided me for the buffalo and a couple of PG species that were on that particular ranch. I took a Black Wildebeest on a different ranch and was accompanied by one of his PH's. They were tipped proportionately.

If I know the owner well, then I try to hit duty free on the way in and get him something nice enough he will keep it far away from the camp bar. If your outfitter hunts leopards, it is never remiss to bring him a new trail camera.

 

[dailordasailor]

As far as my comment on the PH/outfitter I would tip the PH $500 as I imagine like most North American hunts he makes his lion share off of tips. I’d tip the owner maybe $250 because I already paid him $5000 and “assume” his money is made on selling hunts/animals. I’m not hard set on this but way my mind works. If a tracker is doing all the work, he’ll get a better tip.
I’ve tipped camp cooks more then guides on hunts before. Purely based on service and making my experience bette. If guides an asshole (doubtful in SA) you didn’t hold up your end of the deal for tipping.

 

[jeff]

Don't tip a set amount, tip according to the effort put out for you. I've had PHs that were incompetent and some who were extraordinary!

 

[Hank2211]

Don't tip a set amount, tip according to the effort put out for you. I've had PHs that were incompetent and some who were extraordinary!

Too bad about your PH’s. I’ve never had a bad PH in many trips. I have seen some bad ones, and always felt bad for the hunters saddled with them. Fortunately, many (but not all) of those hunters had no idea what a good PH was, so they didn’t feel bad!

 

[jeff]

Ive booked 20 hunts in SA and Namibia and only had one PH who was totally inadequate, a couple others who needed some seasoning.

 

[Hank2211]

The general quality of PH’s is pretty uniformly high.