Going back to South Africa in April. We will be spending 3 days in Kruger, then heading to hunting camp for 6 days, finishing up with 4 days in Cape Town. Question: how much should we take along for tipping. Cape Town will in crude some tours and restaurants.
Thanks for any help
APOLOGIES FOR THE LENGTHY RESPONSE. BUT THIS TOPIC IS WELL COVERED. AND IMO AMERICANS HAVE BEEN OVER EXPLOITED, BECAUSE AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO TIP, AND TO TIP WELL.
RUDE, CURD, AND MOST LIKELY RESENTED BY MANY OUTFITTERS; JMPO BUT AMERICANS NEED TO JOIN OTHER CULTURES AND QUIT TIPPING ALL OTHERS!! THAN PH and PH's tracker.
FIRST AND FOREMOST ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR PH AND ASK FOR HIS APPROVAL AND HIS RECOMMENDATION AMOUNT OF TIP IS BOTH SATISFACTORY AND YOUR ASSURED THOSE ADDITIONAL WILL NOT TAKE AN UNEXPECTED LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THEIR EMPLOYER.
As
@Hyde Hunter mentioned tipping is a long standing topic here on AH.
Your on a 13 day trip. Plan your expenses accordingly.
Should you decide to tip your PH and trackers, and maybe concession(s)/ farm rep(s) that should be based on participation and how easy or difficult the individual hunts are.
I recommend you base your tips based on first what you can afford, secondly per hunt, finally by overall performance and service(s).
Just as an example:
I have 3 different tip scales for: PG, DG, and PG/DG combination hunts.
Since you didn't specify your 6 day hunt is for multiple PG or one DG or a combination of DG with PG.
For a strictly PG hunt I start each day to tip my PH X amount and Tracker 1/2 X amount. These amounts are in USD. Any additional farm/concession rep that participates in my hunt I tip in Rand at an X per day or X per animal if multipleanimals are hunted on that property that day. I also tend to tip, also in Rand, any additional skinner(s) that assist my PH's tracker; based on per animal they skin or assist in skinning; mainly the bigger PG like gemsbuck, eland, wildebeest, and alike. If, they allow me to get bloody, I tip for their educating me. I've yet to tip for the latter as there has been a communication misunderstandings to my intent. Respect not wanting to insult the skinner. I video and learn from my video. Photoing and/ or video ingredient the other skinners has always resulted in a very friendly / "ego boosting" experience for the skinner(s).
Now for actual figures: Hypothetically Speaking:
You are on a PG only hunt 3 animals.
You can afford $100USD/ day tip for your PH.
That would be $50USD/ day tip for the PH's tracker.
$100.00 × 6 = $600.00 PH
$50.00 X 6 = $300.00 tracker
On lodge premises 2 skinners @ R100/ animal x 3 animals = R600 @R16/1.00USD exchange rate roughly less than $18.00USD /skinner.
Way, way, way, too many variables as to how much or how little, or even to tip at all or maybe not tip your PH and just tip your tracker.
Remember: These following people are on full time outfitter staff: You are tipping! Not paying / substituting for outfitter wages!
Chef/Cook: 6 days @ 18 number of meals x R20 = R360 or roughly $22.00USD.
Maid and Laundress: 6 days @ 6 washings and maid service × R20 X 2 = R240 or roughly $15.00USD each.
OFTEN YOUR CHEF/ COOK/ MAID/ LAUNDRESS ARE THE SAME OR A COMBINATION OF STAFF MEMBERS SO TIP ACCORDINGLY.
In these circumstances I would generally tip R200 or $15 - $20USD / member on a 6 day visit to the outfitter.
NOTE: THINK ABOUT IT; Americans' are the only culture noted for tipping. Europeans' and Asians' are not noted for tipping. POOR SERVICE NO OR POOR TIP! EXCELLENT SERVICE BETTER TIP!! ONLY IF YOU, THE CLIENT!, WANTS TO TIP.
JMO BUT SINCE STAFF MEMBERS PREFORM THE SAME TASK KNOWING THEY AREN'T GETTING A TIP FROM OTHER NON AMERICANS THEY (STAFF MEMBERS) SHOULD BE GREATFUL THAT NO MATTER THE AMOUNT OF TIP THEY RECEIVE FROM AMERICANS THEY (STAFF MEMBERS) SHOULD BE GREATFUL THAT AMERICANS REGARDLESS OF THE AMERICANS' ABILITY /AFFORDABILITY TO TIP SHOULD BE RESPECTFUL; BECAUSE NOT ALL AMERICANS CONTRARY, TO WHAT STAFF MEMBERS THINK OR BEEN TOLD, ARE RICH OR CAN AFFORD WHAT OTHER MORE SUBSTANTIAL AMERICANS CAN AFFORD TO TIP!!
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Hunt tips covered.
As for Kruger and Cape Town simple: pay your meal, hotel bill in Rand!!! If you wish to tip staff, tip in Rand at the same rate: 0% to 25% the same as you would or would not tip the same person or for equal service poor to excellent as you would tip that same vocation here in the US.
Example Only:
Your out on the town and your meal is R300, excellent service and you feel 15% tip is appropriate. Your bill should be R345 or @ R16/1USD........R16 x1 = ~$22USD.
By your scenerio:
Kruger N.P. is a tourist trap. Why tip your guide? After all it's his/her primary employment and if / should there be a problem, you can take the problem to management in similar to the same way when visiting a US tourist trap.
However, if it's your outfitter, outfitter/PH, PH guiding you through Kruger N.P. this would create a variable of scenarios that may or may not include an additional tip to your PH as additional or not included fees to your hunt.
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For a DG, and DG/PG combo hunt I double my daily PH and PH's tracker tip and work down the tip based on daily activity and success results.
This is just my hypothetical scenerio on how I choose to tip or not tip.
A stop at a roadside, aka " convientent store for a snack or lunch break I don't tip. At a real restaurant and I want to pay for lunch I'll tip the waiter/waitress based on service and quality of food, same as here in the states. But I always pay in Rand.
Paying in Rand on the "economy" is simple and straightforward.
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I strongly recommend carry both:
USD for PH and PH Tracker tips and a reasonable amount of USD for extra animals and such.
Roughly $400 - $500USD in RSA Rand for your expenses before, during, and after the hunt.
