Tipping Guide

[M70375!]

Tipping is a very difficult subject and as far as the base rule goes we handle it this way.

We do not except to be tipped and work as hard as we should tipping is a bonus and that is what it should be seen as, not expected.
I'm not against tipping but the tip should be something special a reward for hard work or something unusual.

I will be more than happy if the client uses that tip money to bag another animal after all if you did your job well you will have return business. This is my take on the subject and I went into this business not too become a millionaire but too have a rich enjoyable life. If your in the business for $$$ your in the wrong place. That is my few cents of tipping money worth

Jerome great article and guidelines.

This doesn't pertain Africa, but I was just thinking about tipping on these Canadian sheep hunts that are costing $140,000 for a backpack freeze dried food hunt. Seems obvious to me that this must be a very lucrative hunt for the outfitters , so they can certainly afford to pay their help handsomely. So why do we need to subsidize them by paying extra tips when they can and should be paying their help well. They are gouging for the hunt and it seems an insult to be expected to pay even more.

 

[Frank Cavallo]

I’ve never tipped a bush pilot nor have I seen any of the other hunters I have shared/exchanged legs/rides with do so.

I prefer the PH provide me with envelopes or a list. I generally go above. I also do not like the entire tip be lumped together and prefer to individually thank those who have helped me.

Only once was I surprised where the tip (recommendation list by the camp manager) was clearly a mechanism to fund the entire camp ops./payroll. A lump sum was requested and was to be revealed to the entire camp just before the departure salutations.

Not cool. My (traveling) PH was furious. I tipped each individually.

 

[SETH RINGER]

I'M SCARED OF FLYING IN A PLANE THAT DOESN'T COST AS MUCH AS MY TRUCK SO I'M PASSING OUT HUGS AND $$ EVERY TIME I HIT THE GROUND!

 

[Hornedfrogbbq]

I'M SCARED OF FLYING IN A PLANE THAT DOESN'T COST AS MUCH AS MY TRUCK SO I'M PASSING OUT HUGS AND $$ EVERY TIME I HIT THE GROUND!

It all depends on HOW you hit the ground.

 

[Frank Cavallo]

Yup

 

[Trophyhunter01]

As Ron White says. “Hit it hard I don’t want to feel a thing “…..

 

[Sabre]

For some recent, up to date, perspective/reference on what to tip. Which does mostly align with the wisdom on AH website as well.

 

[johnnybow]

I recently booked a plains game hunt with my significant other. We both are hunting and have our own animals we are trying to shoot. We are doing 1 ph between the 2 of us. Do we each tip Individually or do we combine our tip percentage? Thanks

 

[chase0109]

I recently booked a plains game hunt with my significant other. We both are hunting and have our own animals we are trying to shoot. We are doing 1 ph between the 2 of us. Do we each tip Individually or do we combine our tip percentage? Thanks

I don’t have a definitive answer for you. But I would think you combine your tip percentages. Maybe tip 1.5 times what you would tip if you were doing this Hunt solo? Hopefully someone with more experience in this realm will give you a better response.

I actually have some of my own questions when it comes to tipping now that I’m doing 2X1 hunts more often than solo with my hunting partner.

 

[chase0109]

I don’t know if this is the right place to ask, but can we create a new updated tipping thread?

Hopefully a moderator will see this. This tipping thread has been wonderful. But the original post is now 17 years old and there are 76 pages of responses!

That’s a lot to sort through for anybody new coming to the site looking for tipping information and the original #’s are obviously not current.

I would suggest a new updated 2026 tipping thread that can be a sticky. The info from the original post could be copied and just update the numbers for how much to tip on both PG and DG Safaris per day. I think this would help a lot of newer users.

Chase

 

[JimP]

For me I hate when someone put out a number for me to tip. On all of my guided hunts I have tipped my guide well above the recommended tip except for one hunt. My guid owned the business and he flat out lied to me about a few things.

But I'd think with a 2 x 1 my tip would be decided on how long my PH spent with me 1 on 1 with a different percentage for when it was 2 x 1

 

[Tdruck]

The subject has probably been discussed here, but 76 pages is a lot to look through!
Question - If the PH is also the owner of the Safari Company, or part owner. (father and son), how would he be tipped?
This is common in west US hunting as well. My feeling is the owner isn't tipped in western hunting.

Thanks,

 

[375Fox]

The subject has probably been discussed here, but 76 pages is a lot to look through!
Question - If the PH is also the owner of the Safari Company, or part owner. (father and son), how would he be tipped?
This is common in west US hunting as well. My feeling is the owner isn't tipped in western hunting.

Thanks,

The same as any other PH or guide.

 

[sjones42347]

The subject has probably been discussed here, but 76 pages is a lot to look through!
Question - If the PH is also the owner of the Safari Company, or part owner. (father and son), how would he be tipped?
This is common in west US hunting as well. My feeling is the owner isn't tipped in western hunting.

Thanks,

I would say the same as if they arent the owner. My trp over last year however, the owner was our PH and he refused to accept a tip. He asked that whatever we were planning to give him be split up among the staff, which we did. However we did still all stuff some cash into his pocket against his will as we felt he definitely deserved something

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

I personally tip my PH the same, if owner, manager, or just contracted PH. I use a set amount per day for PG and DG daily tipping. I don't tip on hunt value but a daily rate

 

[Hank2211]

This particular question has been asked before I believe, and spawned a wide range of responses.

But if we get away from what one should do, and stick to what one is expected to do, I think you will find that PH owners or their PH relatives do expect to be treated the same as PH non-owners insofar as tips are concerned.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

The subject has probably been discussed here, but 76 pages is a lot to look through!
Question - If the PH is also the owner of the Safari Company, or part owner. (father and son), how would he be tipped?
This is common in west US hunting as well. My feeling is the owner isn't tipped in western hunting.

Thanks,

why not?
if he worked as your ph, why not tip him as you would your ph. he (as i would) will probably give it to his staff or add it the year end party fund or somehow find its way back to the staff

 

[mdwest]

I concur...

If the outfitter/owner is acting in the capacity of PH, then I think its appropriate to tip like you would tip a PH..

Like @Mark Biggerstaff I generally tip a fixed amount per day for the camp staff, PH, etc.. I dont tip a % of the value of the hunt (theyd generally get a lessor tip if I tipped a % of the hunt value as these days I generally dont hunt a huge number of animals (between my wife and I we might take 5 or 6 animals over the course of a week), and we're generally hunting lower cost animals like wildebeest, impala, zebra, etc.. and MIGHT have one big ticket animal on the list (sometimes not).. theyre better off getting a fixed day rate from me..