Tipping Guide

[FOsteology]

And you’re from one of the only tipping cultures in the world. Imagine how it looks to people from countries that don’t tip at all.
It’s one of the things that always stopped me from doing Africa.
Add 50% to every hunt for currency exchange and then another 10-15% for tips just because it’s expected as most clients these days are from a country that does it.

I grew up in W. Germany, so I understand where you're coming from.

 

[375Fox]

And you’re from one of the only tipping cultures in the world. Imagine how it looks to people from countries that don’t tip at all.
It’s one of the things that always stopped me from doing Africa.
Add 50% to every hunt for currency exchange and then another 10-15% for tips just because it’s expected as most clients these days are from a country that does it.

I get tired of the whining about tipping. Imagine what European VAT taxes of 20-25% look to me. Australia isn’t a low tax country. Paying a tip direct to an individual for good service isn’t the end of the world. If tipping stops someone from going to Africa they were looking for an excuse. If you’re looking for ways to keep costs in check it’s very doable if someone actually wants to go.

 

[MHYOUNG 375]

Agreed! If you want to go on safari, find a way. A tip is not an excuse for not going plus it's not mandatory to tip although it is expected if the safari went well. You don't want to tip? That's OK but you need to own it.

 

[Paul K]

Don't let tipping stop you from fulfilling your dream. If you feel a tip is appropriate, tip what you can offord. To hell with what other people say or think. Ĥow many times have you received a tip for doing your job. It's not a tip, it's a bonus. 10, 15,20% ? What was your last raise the last time you got one, 3% maybe? If you want to go to Africa, go and don't let some silly tipping guide stop you.

Paul

 

[Sabre]

I get tired of the whining about tipping. Imagine what European VAT taxes of 20-25% look to me. Australia isn’t a low tax country. Paying a tip direct to an individual for good service isn’t the end of the world. If tipping stops someone from going to Africa they were looking for an excuse. If you’re looking for ways to keep costs in check it’s very doable if someone actually wants to go.

This is an interesting way to look at it. Being from the US, I am used to tipping. However, I would much prefer to give 10-20% to a person who has helped me immensely in a service industry role than to give 20-25% to a government agency to p*ss away on some more fraud.

 

[Luederitz]

Most important is to discuss the tipping and expectation upfront.
Then you can decide to book the hunt or not.

Unfortunately the PHs are often paid not very well, also the camp staff is not paid accordingly, so they depend on tips.

On the other hand you deserve service.
In our last hunt we tipped on the upper level of the recommended spread for camp team, PH, tracker, park guide...
But the camp manager (black lady) showed the first time up, when we left the camp. We have never seen her in entire week and she just came and asked for a tip higher than the entire camp team and trackers, skinners and so on asked for. We gave this lazy bi*** nothing...

 

[MHYOUNG 375]

This is entirely not done. Nobody should be asking you directly for a tip. In any camp I've hunted from and with the safari operators I represent that would never happen. Whoever is the owner there should be relieving her of her duties and send her packing.

 

[RolandtheHeadless]

I've finally made it through the whole thread! I'd appreciate opinions on the amounts I'm budgeting for tips for a 14-day DG (leopard, buff, croc) and PG hunt I've booked in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia for July 2027--a concession hunt. There will be two hunters plus an observer to one PH and hunting party.

Daily fees are $2,850. Cost of the hunt, minus trophy fees but including government fees and air charter to camp, is $60,900. Plus expected trophy fees around $35-40 k. So the hunt is likely to cost ~$100,000.

I'm assuming two trackers, one skinner, one driver. I don't know how many camp staff. I'm thinking of these amounts, depending on the service.

PH - 2,500-3,000.
Trackers (2) - 350 each
Driver - 350
Skinner - 250 (we aren't expecting to take many, if any, trophies home).
Camp managers (two--a married couple) - 400 total
Camp staff? 1,000 total?

It shouldn't make any difference, imho, but I am an American.

 

[375Fox]

I've finally made it through the whole thread! I'd appreciate opinions on the amounts I'm budgeting for tips for a 14-day DG (leopard, buff, croc) and PG hunt I've booked in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia for July 2027--a concession hunt. There will be two hunters plus an observer to one PH and hunting party.

Daily fees are $2,850. Cost of the hunt, minus trophy fees but including government fees and air charter to camp, is $60,900. Plus expected trophy fees around $35-40 k. So the hunt is likely to cost ~$100,000.

I'm assuming two trackers, one skinner, one driver. I don't know how many camp staff. I'm thinking of these amounts, depending on the service.

PH - 2,500-3,000.
Trackers (2) - 350 each
Driver - 350
Skinner - 250 (we aren't expecting to take many, if any, trophies home).
Camp managers (two--a married couple) - 400 total
Camp staff? 1,000 total?

It shouldn't make any difference, imho, but I am an American.

If I was going to critique I’d say you’re a bit low on the trackers and driver and very high on camp staff and camp managers. Depending what day you get your leopard, a leopard hunt can be a lot more work and more hours for trackers than the average hunt. Camp staff in a concession area is typically a cook, waiter, maybe a maid, maybe a camp attendant often required by contract more than necessity. I like tipping the trackers and driver because their extra work is easy to see. Camp staff I often look at as an unquoted cost because they are just doing their jobs generally. I wouldn’t consider tipping a camp manager more than a tracker. I’ve generally thought $100 was sufficient.

 

[BJH65]

I've finally made it through the whole thread! I'd appreciate opinions on the amounts I'm budgeting for tips for a 14-day DG (leopard, buff, croc) and PG hunt I've booked in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia for July 2027--a concession hunt. There will be two hunters plus an observer to one PH and hunting party.

Daily fees are $2,850. Cost of the hunt, minus trophy fees but including government fees and air charter to camp, is $60,900. Plus expected trophy fees around $35-40 k. So the hunt is likely to cost ~$100,000.

I'm assuming two trackers, one skinner, one driver. I don't know how many camp staff. I'm thinking of these amounts, depending on the service.

PH - 2,500-3,000.
Trackers (2) - 350 each
Driver - 350
Skinner - 250 (we aren't expecting to take many, if any, trophies home).
Camp managers (two--a married couple) - 400 total
Camp staff? 1,000 total?

It shouldn't make any difference, imho, but I am an American.

I think it’s reasonable. I would give more to the PH and trackers. Your proposed tips are very similar to what I recently gave minus the driver on a combo ele & buff hunt but the total hunt cost was 1/3 of what you will be paying.

 

[Andrew Short]

I competed an elk hunt on 9/23 and tipped 10% of my total cost. Looking at other outfitters, specifically a notable outfitter in Colorado states “20% gratuity is expected.” Personally, I believe the tipping culture is out of control.

 

[Flipper Dude]

I may be the exception, but I don’t think so. My tips are totally unrelated to the costs of the hunt. The job is the same for the staff, trackers, skinners, etc if I’m hunting a blue wildebeest or an expensive sable. I pay a per day rate, more if dangerous game, to the trackers and PH. I pay the skinners per animal, depending on what they are doing. If not much, that’s not their fault, so they get a certain amount regardless. If I take a day or two off, I still pay tips as if I’ve hunted all day. Cooks and staff get a day rate.

Safari last month the tracker doubled as the driver, doubled as the skinner as well. He had some long days. He came out ok tip wise! Long days, though.

 

[MHYOUNG 375]

I agree! To me as I said before the cost of the hunt is irrelevant. My tips are solely based on the degree of hard work the PH and the staff have put out.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Same here as stated before. Cost of the hunt is irrelevant to my tipping. I tip X$ per day to each person, PH, Trackers, Skinners. Cook and camp support personnel. The amount depends on hunt. PG or DG, and camp, South Africa Lodge or Bush Camp.

 

[Rare Breed]

I've finally made it through the whole thread! I'd appreciate opinions on the amounts I'm budgeting for tips for a 14-day DG (leopard, buff, croc) and PG hunt I've booked in the Luangwa Valley of Zambia for July 2027--a concession hunt. There will be two hunters plus an observer to one PH and hunting party.

Daily fees are $2,850. Cost of the hunt, minus trophy fees but including government fees and air charter to camp, is $60,900. Plus expected trophy fees around $35-40 k. So the hunt is likely to cost ~$100,000.

I'm assuming two trackers, one skinner, one driver. I don't know how many camp staff. I'm thinking of these amounts, depending on the service.

PH - 2,500-3,000.
Trackers (2) - 350 each
Driver - 350
Skinner - 250 (we aren't expecting to take many, if any, trophies home).
Camp managers (two--a married couple) - 400 total
Camp staff? 1,000 total?

It shouldn't make any difference, imho, but I am an American.

If it was me your close. I would raise trackers to $400 each. I would pay camp managers $150 each Camp staff covering cooks and clothes washers and room cleaners $100 each. Again just me

 

[SCHUNTER73]

I was recently on a hunt where the outfitter recommended a particular tip, which I thought seemed higher than I was used to. He followed his recommended tip by telling how many people he had on staff and had to pay. In my opinion, his employees should be factored into the hunt cost and not part of the tipping structure. The tip should be part of a “reward” for service, etc during the hunt. Am I wrong?

 

[375Fox]

I was recently on a hunt where the outfitter recommended a particular tip, which I thought seemed higher than I was used to. He followed his recommended tip by telling how many people he had on staff and had to pay. In my opinion, his employees should be factored into the hunt cost and not part of the tipping structure. The tip should be part of a “reward” for service, etc during the hunt. Am I wrong?

I agree. It gets taken advantage of. I wouldn’t hunt with an outfitter that only wants tips paid to him. If I don’t see them during my hunt I don’t think I should be tipping them.

 

[Andrew62]

I was recently on a hunt where the outfitter recommended a particular tip, which I thought seemed higher than I was used to. He followed his recommended tip by telling how many people he had on staff and had to pay. In my opinion, his employees should be factored into the hunt cost and not part of the tipping structure. The tip should be part of a “reward” for service, etc during the hunt. Am I wrong?

Here are two things I have shared a number of times before:

1) On one particular hunt I asked the outfitter at the end of the hunt how much I should tip the staff. His response, "I have a staff of 35", I laid down some amount of money and said, 'you figure it out', and walked off. So no, you are not wrong for tipping what you felt would be an appropriate tip.

2) Sometimes a lot of shine wears off of a wonderful hunt during the tipping process.

 

[375Fox]

1) On one particular hunt I asked the outfitter at the end of the hunt how much I should tip the staff. His response, "I have a staff of 35", I laid down some amount of money and said, 'you figure it out', and walked off. So no, you are not wrong for tipping what you felt would be an appropriate tip.

I would argue Cameroon is a very different case and one most hunters reading this won’t experience. Essentially an unquoted cost. On my hunt, I was told $1500 was expected for the camp (trackers, cook, waiters, anti-poaching guys, everyone). I gave to camp manager on last day. She counted for everyone so nothing hidden, then it was given to my PH to exchange for local currency in town. They decided how it was divided up according to seniority and position. I’ll pay it in Cameroon, but I wouldn’t remotely consider that in South Africa. I’ll tip the people directly involved in my hunt how I see fit. Employees of the farm or outfitter I don’t see are just that and paid a wage.