Tipping Guide

[jeff]

Discussed this with my outfitter and agreed on double the 2011 amounts for staff and maintaining the percentage for the PH.

Very generous, my wages didn't double since 2011

 

[Troubleshooter]

Good point, my wages actually decreased since 2011. Maybe I should drop the tip amounts by the same percentage? OTOH inflation has continued to increase and especially in the past year. Add in the fact that bookings decreased precipitously due to COVID so little income for the PH and staff this past 18 months or so.

But I'll mention it to my outfitter when I speak to him today and ask him if I should decrease the tip amounts. Anybody care to make a side bet on his response?

 

[Troubleshooter]

(Tried to edit previous post). ETA:

The other factor is that many outfitters have reduced prices by a sufficient amount that even with the increased tips, the overall cost remains very reasonable. So it's still a good deal. Frankly it's what helped make the decision to book the hunt.

 

[Zambezi]

Good point, my wages actually decreased since 2011. Maybe I should drop the tip amounts by the same percentage? OTOH inflation has continued to increase and especially in the past year. Add in the fact that bookings decreased precipitously due to COVID so little income for the PH and staff this past 18 months or so.

But I'll mention it to my outfitter when I speak to him today and ask him if I should decrease the tip amounts. Anybody care to make a side bet on his response?

Not that it matters to me but the R/$ exchange rate in 2011 was $1=R7... It is now more than double that at $1=R15

But tipping is always up to the client.

 

[Dean2]

Not that it matters to me but the R/$ exchange rate in 2011 was $1=R7... It is now more than double that at $1=R15

But tipping is always up to the client.

So question for you, does it now take 15 Rand to buy what 7 Rand used to in 2011, as in has inflation eaten up the change in exchange rate? If so, have wages increased enough since 2007 to offset the inflation?

 

[Zambezi]

So question for you, does it now take 15 Rand to buy what 7 Rand used to in 2011, as in has inflation eaten up the change in exchange rate? If so, have wages increased enough since 2007 to offset the inflation?

The short answer is yes it does take R15 now... if not more. One must remember that we are governed by a bunch of socialists/communists that have taken the country down the toilet. Since 2011 we have had the Zuma / Gupta era where BILLIONS were looted. We have annual increases in electricity prices in the region of 12% - 15%, and myriad other failing sectors. And then there's covid.

Wage increases are generally well below the OFFICIAL inflation rate of around 6.8% (true inflation rate I would put closer to 10%). If you are lucky enough to get an increase at all it is usually below 5%.

 

[ack]

20 bucks for each animal,,plains game for each tracker,,, is plenty...Remember the exchange rate in Africa....Maybe a piece of equipment you don't need in end...

 

[Tgood1]

Always keep in mind that the overall positive experience when hunting in africa is mostly found in the camp, trackers, cooks, laundry etc. Tip appropriately as u see fit

 

[Sabattiboy]

Some years back my wife and I booked a 14 day cruise and the cruise line policy at that time was Tips are included in the price and distributed by the cruise people. I liked that policy very much. That policy lasted one year then went back to individual tipping. I would guess the average cruise worker probably received less then they usually did for the same service provided.
I read an article as was written at the start of this thread that helped me realize the services received that I took as incidental; IE conversation with tour personal but conversation that would not have taken place outside of the tour. I just need to know what is properly expected so I can plan for it.

I can not plan nor afford to compensate for unethical operators in any industry. And I will not book and hunt with too many questions left unanswered. So I lose out on the experience I could have had and the industry looses out on a service sale.

All that I've read about hunting Africa indicates there are a thousand ways the entire trip can go south. Luggage handling, firearms shipping and paperwork then the process of guns and ammo retrieval once there, layover accommodations, paying/tipping porters etc to help be in the right line or can get your stuff through easier and will stay with your stuff so it doesn't walk off etc etc etc. So a hunter is actually paying/tipping for a lot of things to make their trip a success and remove potential headaches before arriving at the hunt camp. It is easy to take the hunt related personal for granted at that point because they are being paid.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

I hope this thread continues to stay active. This is a very important part of any Safari. For first time Africa hunters/visitors, most are very confused not only as to much for who, but how do I actually give them their tip. We offer the same excellent service to all of our guests, but we have seen tips range anywhere from $1.00 to absolutely jaw dropping amounts.

 

[Sabattiboy]

I hope this thread continues to stay active. This is a very important part of any Safari. For first time Africa hunters/visitors, most are very confused not only as to much for who, but how do I actually give them their tip. We offer the same excellent service to all of our guests, but we have seen tips range anywhere from $1.00 to absolutely jaw dropping amounts.

Sometimes Americans find strange services.
I spent some time in New Zealand and went to a laundromat to wash clothes. When I went to put coins in the machines to start them it caused an uproar. THEY put the money in the machines and a bill was tendered when washing and drying was done but they handled none of the wash. Being an American this system left me head scratching. Their town, their way.
In my town we went to a local laundromat and when I put coins in the start the wash, which is how it is done here, the owner/operator came over bucking and snorting about something. It made no sense to me so I stood him down and he backed off. I later reasoned he was likely from NZ and was running his laundromat the way it was done there. At a Vietnamese restaurant we sat at a table expecting a waitress to come to the table. They looked at us with a strange look and finally did. Another family came in and after watching them realized they were doing things probably like would be done in their country. We left a tip as we normally would and again got strange looks.

Tipping has become a strange animal because it is handled differently by other cultures. Some do no tipping so would get strange looks for not tipping. The cruise ships have a variety of nationals working them but know tipping is part of their salary. My brain thinks people would convert to how things are done in the country they are living in but don't find that to be common.
On the cruise ship my wife has no trouble dripping tip money wherever she went. That we already paid the tips as included had no effect on her actions.
If I was to book a safari it would be much easier to get trampled by a herd of Cape Buffalo then sorting out the tipping. I would have to rely on the PH or managers assistance.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

I ask my PH's for their recommendations. I used that information as a basis and then tipped according to what I experienced. On top of cash tips, my wife and I gave the staff whatever we could spare of things we brought.

 

[JimP]

A number of the outfitters now have a tipping guide on their web site that you can follow.

When I looked at my hunt for this June it pretty much still follows what is in this thread in the beginning.

 

[Sabattiboy]

A number of the outfitters now have a tipping guide on their web site that you can follow.

When I looked at my hunt for this June it pretty much still follows what is in this thread in the beginning.

A tipping guide by the PH gives something to compare if it seems out of line and for sure lets their clients know what to expect. If I recall correctly, I think someone posted an experience of unreasonable tipping expectations. My guess is that this is not common.
Having a hunt tainted over tipping at the end does nobody any good.

 

[Dbrown4183]

Is there a rule of thumb for tipping the PH when hunting 2x1?
If approximately $100 per day for the PH is deemed reasonable for 1x1, is a combined $125 to $150 per day in the ballpark for 2x1?

Was there ever a response to this. I am also very curious

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Was there ever a response to this. I am also very curious

I would like to mention, normally the PH is paid by the Safari Co. that he works for. He may not be receiving 1 extra $ for a 2x1 hunt. The Safari company charges for added hunters, guests, spouses, photographers, not the PH. Of course there are exceptions.

 

[shootist~]

Was there ever a response to this. I am also very curious

Not that I remember. I ended up hunting 1x1 and the other two in our group did 2x1. We all Tipped on the high side of those numbers.

 

[curtism1234]

Was there ever a response to this. I am also very curious

I would think 1.5x 1on1 is fine

 

[Tanks]

I hope this thread continues to stay active. This is a very important part of any Safari. For first time Africa hunters/visitors, most are very confused not only as to much for who, but how do I actually give them their tip. We offer the same excellent service to all of our guests, but we have seen tips range anywhere from $1.00 to absolutely jaw dropping amounts.

It is confusing even for those of us experienced in Safaris, also amount of tips and number of people to tip differ. For example in my Zimbabwe hunts I have.
- The PH
- Trackers (3)
- Cook
- Waiter/Laundry
- Skinner
- Ranger (Parks)
- Game scout (if hunting in communal areas)
- Groundskeeper.

That's ten people you are tipping, by the time you are done you have spent enough on tips (14 or 21 day hunt) to finance an RSA PG hunt in its entirety.

 

[dailordasailor]

Just got back from my first African trip. This pamphlet was in the lodge for reference.

we shot 11 plains game including 3 culls between wife and I.
tipped the tracker $140 and gave him clothes and Samsung Tablet
Gave the PH/ranch manager $860 to distribute his tip and rest of the team. By their “suggestions” that’s a few hundred low but feel it was still very fair.