My first Safari will be this May.
When I did a Forum Search, the question of Tipping was all over the place, from a hand shake to lot's of money.
I emailed my outfitter and ask about tips. He said it's up to the individual on how much to tip. As far as who gets a tip, this was his suggestion: Tip the PH, Tracker and Driver personally. (Should I tip the Skinner?)
This is his policy for the others behind the scene (cooks, room maids, laundry, etc.) I decide what to give each and give it to my outfitter as a lump sum. The way I understand this, is he will distribute it to the others. I have no problem with this.
My question is how much should I tip the other people per day on an 8 day safari?

Thanks for any information.

MauserK98

Cleaning staff and such I usually tip $20 to $30 on a 10 day safari. The cook, however, I have been known to tip $50 at the beginning of the safari. Never mess with anyone who handles your food.

it really is up to you but the PH should be able to give specifics/recommedations as to each individual. Suggest you NOT give it in one lump sum for him to distribute but shake each individuals hand and personally deliver the tip.
All camp staff - skinner included - should receive a portion/tip. I know it doesn't directly answer but hope it provides some guidance.
Steve

your PH should definitely give you guidance on how it gets split up. Just tell him look I want to give out $X amount, how should it be split up and you can adjust from there.

Tipping is always a touchy subject but I do have some personal guidelines that I use and of course as has been previously said tipping is up to the individual and is not required.

On a PG hunt I think $50-$75 per day for the PH is about right and the same for the crew divided between all of them. I always let the PH distribute this or ask him for suggestions on what to give who. For a DG hunt I think it deserves a larger tip dependent on how hard the crew worked.

Mark

Our system is a lump camp tip. The skilled staff such as chef, skinner etc get the Lions share. There is a set scale.

Knives, multi tools, head torches etc are good bonuses for those who have worked hard for you.

If you are happy with the PH then a grand would not go amiss.

I tipped the PH, each skinner, the head skinner, one amount to be distributed to the cleaning crew, cooks, hosts, etc.

Tipping is very personal and I had two tremendous safaris and paid more than I had planned on because things were so so good.

It is all a personal thing but I always tip more when things are better. I still tip well even when the trip was not great but the guide did everything he could.

This is an area where it is really difficult to come to consensus. I can only tell you what I have done for my past 4 safaris and what I will do for my next one ( I fly in 8 days, but who's counting!).

First of all, I hand out all tips personally at the end of the hunt, usually the last morning before I get in the bush plane to head back to Harare. The rule of thumb I use is:

PH - $100 per day. If he gets me a really spectacular animal or saves my skin from some marauding beast (I call this doing "PH stuff"), I may give another $100-$200

Camp Manager - $100

Trackers - $200 to $250 each depending on how well they did

Skinners - $75 each. Skinners seem to be higher in the social pecking order in camp, and my PH has always advised me to give them a little more than the rest of the camp staff

Camp staff - this includes the cook, waiter, boiler person, maid etc - each gets $50

Like I said earlier, I hand each person their tip individually and shake their hand at the end of the hunt. I also tip the bush pilot $50 to stay with my gun case and make sure it gets on the plane to Jo'Burg. I found this to be a very good investment.

I hope this helps.

With 3 plains game hunts and one dangerous game hunt my tips for the PH fits within what Mark H. prescribes.

My South African PH is the owner/outfitter. He says there is a definite pecking order among the other staff members. The Lead Tracker should get more than the other staff members.

My opinion is tip amounts are dependent on level of service.
Did the PH give the extra effort for your trophy eg. trophy selection, positioning you for an almost can't miss shot. Does the PH & tracker fit the stalk to your physical ability or do they expect you to keep up with them (these guys can flat out go at times)?

ENJOY !

I always ask the Outfitter or PH prior to leaving how many will be in camp and what there duties are.
Usually you will have a:
1. Lead tracker
2. Skinner
3. Cook
4. Laundry

Depending on camp you may have:
1. Back up tracker
2. Waiter - Wake up person
3. Camp security
4. Second Skinner
5. Grounds keeper
6. Hot water Person

They all have a job and try to do the very best they can and if you have issues bring them up as soon as you notice them. Like laundry person only picks up your dirty clothing if it is in the wicker basket, and not the floor by the basket.

I take a small gift for the members that i was told about. Like a knife each for the tracker and Skinner. Cook & Laundry if a woman soaps and hand cream.

Money wise. Start out at $5 dollars a day for cook and laundry and if you think they have done a very good job then i will up it to double that.

Tracker Start at about $7.50 a day and if we have a great safari will go to $10 a day or better. If your shooting make this guy work is but off to find your game it need to double or triple the tip. Remember One lost large animal is more than all the tips combined.

Now the Skinner - what are you having done. Shoulder mounts, full life size mounts or just the euro mounts or a combo. This tip ties in with the number of game animals you get and type of mounts you want done. So i start at $5 a day for this person and if we keep him busy because we shot everything that moved and he was working till dark city every night the tip will move to $10 a day.

I always sit down with the PH the night before the last day and go over the books. Money owed and what tips to give the staff and we have a debate on who get what. This is quite interesting as when i have my pool of money laid out we debate what each one will get. and move money from one pile to another.

I pass out all the tips myself and shake everyone hand and sometimes take a picture of what we did.

PH for a 10 day Safari that you have a good time i Have a Bank envelope in it with $500 in $20,00 dollar bills and if i think we had a extra successful safari i will add another $200 to that.

I try to be flexible and basically have about 10% of my safari cost set aside for tips. This is for Plains game safari.

To me tipping is the most uncomfortable part of the safari.First, you have to determine what you can afford. I'm a retired mailman so I scratch and claw for every penny. Therefore I'm not able to lay out the kind of money that someone who pays $100,000 for a safari. There are some guidelines I use on the CM safaris web site. On my last safari the PH, trackers,driver and the skinner worked EXTREMELY hard on a very tough ele hunt. Trackers tracked him 7 hrs. after I shot him.I dug as deep in my pocket as I could afford for going over and above. I give the camp staff, except the cook, in a lump sum. The game scout tip depends on how helpful and friendly he is. A good attitude on the hunters part during the whole safari is always a good tip.

I also followed my PH's guidelines (CMS website is also a good source). One thing I did (advice from a friend) was to take several small envelopes and write each person's name on it. The tip was then sealed inside, and I personally handed it to each person on the last day with a grateful handshake. That way each person knows they got what YOU wanted them to have.

quote:

Originally posted by subsailor74:
This is an area where it is really difficult to come to consensus. I can only tell you what I have done for my past 4 safaris and what I will do for my next one ( I fly in 8 days, but who's counting!).

First of all, I hand out all tips personally at the end of the hunt, usually the last morning before I get in the bush plane to head back to Harare. The rule of thumb I use is:

PH - $100 per day. If he gets me a really spectacular animal or saves my skin from some marauding beast (I call this doing "PH stuff"), I may give another $100-$200

Camp Manager - $100

Trackers - $200 to $250 each depending on how well they did

Skinners - $75 each. Skinners seem to be higher in the social pecking order in camp, and my PH has always advised me to give them a little more than the rest of the camp staff

Camp staff - this includes the cook, waiter, boiler person, maid etc - each gets $50

Like I said earlier, I hand each person their tip individually and shake their hand at the end of the hunt. I also tip the bush pilot $50 to stay with my gun case and make sure it gets on the plane to Jo'Burg. I found this to be a very good investment.

I hope this helps.

This is almost spot on where I tip for a 10 day dangerous game hunt with a little bit more to the PH. If I had a great hunt I and the help really did all they could at the end of the day I typically tip about 12% or so of the total safari cost.

I have only gone on three African hunts so my experience is limited. Like some others, I have to save several years for each trip and as a result probably don't tip as lavishly as some-- because I can't. I try to make up for it by being a good sport about everything, helping haul and skin where appropriate, learning to at least say "thank you" in the local language, etc. As for the PH, I have always left unused ammo behind (.270 WIn or .375 H&H.) The PH either can use that or trade for it, and ammo is way cheaper here than there!

Definitely get input from your PH on tips to camp staff, tracker, driver, etc.

There are many, many things I love about American culture, but tipping is not one of them.

I believe in making exceptional payments through choice not expectation. If it is expected and somehow forms an essential part of their income then just include it in the Safari price so we all know where we are.

I believe the acceptable norm for the PH is no less than a Bespoke VC Double in 500 Nitro. Anything less and you will be considered a cheapskate

I think Andrew can back me up on that one

Good day,gents.
This is the most difficult issue to me, anyway, of a hunting trip.

I have had several hunts, over a dozen, and each with its own set of circumstances. The most annoying thing is when a tip is expected and even the amount told prior to the start of the hunt. One outfitter told me to tip well so his hunter will be compensated well and will return the next year. (My thought is why don't you pay him will to begin with?).

The above comments on this thread are very well stated. In my experience I like to tip each member of the staff myself as I have had two instances of PHs keeping the tip money for themselves or keeping a part of it. Also I want to show my appreciation for their work.

The other problem with tipping is many feel it is expected. I feel a tip should be earned. Yes, a small tip for those at the low end of the chain for menial tasks is fine. For the upper end of the chain, if I comment the pizza was outstanding and I would like it another night and it happens, that is a plus. If ignored that is minus.

I will tip more to friendly and smiling staff who ask me what they can do for me. I tip less to an unsmiling and unfriendly dolt who waits around until ordered to do something. (Kind of line the average teenager or Wal Mart employee).

The most confusing thing to me the the PH tip. A PH who works for the company is also working for my tip. However, and I would ask you gents to comment, what is the tip if the owner of the company is the PH? He is already making a bunch off the hunt compared to the hired PH making $250 a day. Do any of you men differentiate this?

I tipped my last PH a Leica 10x40 binocs on one hunt that was good and a .460 Weatherby where he treated me well. On our last hunt it was only couple of hundred as the buff was poor and other factors contributed to a mediocre experience.

Cheers, mates.
Cal

What I definitely not like is if I got the impression that my tips are actually paying the salary of the camp staff. According to a lot of PH's this is not so much a concern of American clients. In any case I am not accepting any preformed suggestions but make up my own mind. Especially a set scale as described by Andrew I consider difficult e.g. If the cook performs poorly he will not get a single penny from me and this is in my own discretion.

Nothing wrecks a good safari more than tipping

I think its wrong when you need to calculate/instructed to pay like 5000usd in tips before you have even seen how the staff "work"...

My work are in the service business and I have been offerd tip hundreds of times but I have never accepted any, for me it just feels wrong..

With that said

My last Ph got around 2k in tip.

I have never seen tips like those in Africa being paid anywhere else in the world.

There is some good advice here, and perhaps some not so good, IMO. I have averaged one safari per year since 1995 and here are some things I use as guidance for tipping.

PH = 10% of the daily rate +/- depending on how hard he works and how well he manages the hunt. Trophy quality has little to do with it as it's hunting, not shopping, so sometimes hard work simply does not pay off and that should not impact the tip. On the other hand, a great trophy may warrant a bit extra. I've only had two PHs who didn't perform well for me.

Your PH should provide advice on the tips for the following:

Trackers are at the top, with head tracker getting a few $ more. You will spend long hours each day with them, so be friendly and talk with them, beginning on day one.

Cook gets more than any other camp staff member. Try to make a visit to the kitchen early in the hunt and show some interest in their cooking methods. You'll be amazed and will appreciate the quality of the meals served even more.

Skinners - if you are having full mount or shoulder mounts they get more than for flat skins and/or euro mounts. If you ask for bullet recovery and they deliver that's a good thing. I always try to visit the skinning shed after my first trophies and deliver some candy and knives to the skinners at that time and have a chat with them. This shows you are interested in quality work and understand their task. Always good to ask questions as you can learn something.

Game Scout/Ranger can be touchy. They don't work for the safari company but are government employees, but will be on the truck with you daily. I've had good ones, bad ones and exceptional ones. They all get a tip (in an envelope) and a gift, but it is dependent on the amount of work they perform in helping trackers cut roads, track and recover game, etc., and not for simply being present.

All other camp staff in accordance with PH guidance. Perhaps a couple $ more for the waiters if they have done a good job, have a sundowner waiting for you as the truck pulls into camp well after dark at the end of a long, hot and dusty day. And remember that the staff you don't see are also working hard at their tasks to guarantee you a pleasant safari experience. Nobody likes a cold shower or a dirty toilet. And be mindful of any special requests you make, such as cleaning the dried mud off your boots or sewing a tear in your hunting shorts.

Like my friend subsailor74, I like to put tips into envelopes - you can combine waiters into one envelope. I have the PH arrange for ALL staff to be present on the last morning and I personally thank each one, hand them their tip and a small gift and shake their hand.

Gifts can include inexpensive knives - once you see them sharpen them on stones you won't want to give them an expensive knife (this is also why you never loan someone your personal knife to use) - small flashlights w/batteries installed, caps, t-shirts, wrist watches, neckerchiefs, balaclavas, gloves or anything of practical value. I will often take items to the truck for the trackers in the morning the day following a long track or just for fun. I always take a giant bag of individually wrapped candy to give out on a daily basis. Luggage weight has a direct impact on gifts. Clothing is heavy. Back in the day we could take 70# per bag and that made it easy to take things for schools and clinics in the hunt area but the 50# weight limit has had a negative impact on this. BTW, I do not give cigarettes as tips and don't consider it a good practice.

Take lots of small US bills for tips. $1, $5, $10 and $20 make the most sense and are much easier for them to use than $50 & $100s. Keep some $1s in your pocket when traveling through airports and eating in restaurants. Don't pull out your wallet or flash a big roll of cash anywhere in africa. Keep your tickets, passport and $$ locked in your gun box or the camp safe.

Plan on a couple hours to sort out your tips and be sure not to forget anyone. This should be an enjoyable and fun conclusion to your safari, so don't allow the process to stress you out. Do remember that most africans have very little and are grateful for whatever you give them and they will smile with delight at your kindness.

Hope this helps.

Yes, very helpful, especially where you point out that giving the staff a feeling for their contribution at the start of the safari is very sound advice.

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:

PH = 10% of the daily rate +/- depending on how hard he works and how well he manages the hunt.

So is this a tip or an unquoted charge? A tip in my book is for exceptional service. Better than could be reasonably expected.

If it is expected it's not a tip at all but an unquoted charge.

quote:

The most confusing thing to me the the PH tip. A PH who works for the company is also working for my tip. However, and I would ask you gents to comment, what is the tip if the owner of the company is the PH? He is already making a bunch off the hunt compared to the hired PH making $250 a day. Do any of you men differentiate this?

I would like to see some ideas on this one. Especially fishing guides that generally own and operate their own company and charge the same as if you were going with a guide they hired. Do they deserve or earn a tip at all if they are receiving full benifit anyway? Same with some of the owner/operator hunting guides here in the US. We are going to Texas Whitetail hunting this next season with the owner/operator of the ranch. No expenses to hired guides. Why tip owners at all?

quote:

Originally posted by Maximus Brutus:

quote:

Originally posted by LionHunter:

PH = 10% of the daily rate +/- depending on how hard he works and how well he manages the hunt.

So is this a tip or an unquoted charge? A tip in my book is for exceptional service. Better than could be reasonably expected.

If it is expected it's not a tip at all but an unquoted charge.

I totally agree. Tips are becoming "mandatory" where they should only be handed out for going above and beyond normal expectations. I would rather pay everything upfront and not have to worry about offending someone because they expected a bigger tip. Just an example: hardly worth repeating, but me and a buddy ended up at a "gentlemans club" a while back, had dinner and drinks while taking in the sites and the waitress was a bitch the whole time. Nearly had to beg her to get us a drink or anything. When it came to settle the bill I justifiably in my opinion did not tip her. The manager came over as we were leaving and chastised me for not leaving her a tip, even though I stated I did not appreciate her attitude and she did nothing exemplary to deserve a tip. Just because you did your job does not mean you deserve anything extra

My system is easy. Assuming all is well and everyone gave a good effort, I do this.

$100 per day for the camp (cooks, waiters, butlers, laundry, garden boys, guards, etc). 10 day = $1000, 21 day = $2100.

$100 per week for each tracker, with slightly more for the senior guy on the truck. Typically they get some hand me down swag as well.

Just less than the least tracker's tip for the game scout.

PH gets a tip that is a factor of per diem and how many DG animals we are hunting. Example, a three week hunt for buff, leopard, and ele wouldn't be dramatically more tip than a ten day hunt for four buffalo. I think what you and the PH put into those hunting days is more important than the total number of days. Typically the average is $150 to $200 per day for a pretty major hunt.

Personally I've always thought that a tip was for a job well done. With that in mind why would you not tip a company owner if he did a great job? Yeah! He owns the company and makes more money but he spends more money also. Perhaps at the end of the day he has no more money than his PHs. PHs in Tanzania make a significantly higher daily rate than their counterparts in Zimbabwe so you would anyone tip these guys less? Of course not.

Mark

The question is "what is a tip?"

Is it optional or mandatory (or at least expected)?

If it's not optional why isn't it included in the Safari cost?

Mark,

As I mentioned early on in this thread in my mind a tip is not required. If a safari operator has let their staff expect a tip regardless of whether they did a great job or not it's the operators fault if the crew is upset when they receive little of no tip.

I'd also like to say that this 10% of the daily fees is a poor guideline in my opinion. If you book a safari in Masailand you might have $70,000 in daily fees. So a $7,000 tip just for the PH? I believe in tipping but that's ridiculous.

Mark

Tips are the tough part as has been discussed. I like to find out before I leave how many make up the camp staff and what the PH feels as adequate. If I do it before I get there I have a guage of how I observe how they work in camp. If the camp staff seems unusually large from what I think before leaving I ask up front the reasoning. I don't like surprises.
One landowner in South Africa had a very specific tip of his two main guys on his farm we hunted. One received $100 US and the other $50 US. Based on how they worked it was more than fair. Every night these two hands would come to his house and they would watch on TV the exchange rate and he would tell them if it was the right time to exchange. He didn't want them getting ripped off. When the exchange was favorable he would exchange the dollars for Rand. Always ask how the money should be handed out there may be a good reason.

You mean a typical PH tip in Namibia is NOT $4,000, like I was told? KARL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

Will,

As you know, one of the issues in Tanzania is that you may well find 15 or more names on your tip list at the end of the safari. Some of whom you never even saw, but who added value to your hunt. $100 a day split that many ways doesn't amount to much.

Also, (not directed to Will) I would point out that there is a definite pecking order in camp and you can upset the applecart if your tips don't take that into account. Take your PH's advice.

My experience is that the PH doesn't want the staff to get cash mid-season -- he wants them to show up for the next safari, sober. So they usually do a "tip sheet" where the PH works out what everyone in camp gets -- that way no one gets left out, not even the kitchen mtoto who I never met. And, they know the money is forthcoming at the end of the season.

If it was a "happy camp" as Ruark described it, I usually bump the PH's original estimate, sometimes considerably -- he looks at me disgustedly and starts a new form. Something truly special, such as saving a potentially lost animal (or my tender white ass) would deserve something special.

Yes, you should definitely tip the skinners -- they are pretty important and pretty interesting if you hang around the skinning shed for a while. I do.

I think game scouts should be tipped privately and discretely. On my last safari, my game scout pressed a small package into my hand as I got on the truck. It was a beaded cross, along with a note written on the inside of a foil wrapper. The cross has been displayed prominantly in my home. It was a "happy camp;" I was sorry to leave it.

quote:

The most confusing thing to me the the PH tip. A PH who works for the company is also working for my tip. However, and I would ask you gents to comment, what is the tip if the owner of the company is the PH? He is already making a bunch off the hunt compared to the hired PH making $250 a day. Do any of you men differentiate this?

There are plenty of outfitters around at the moment who are doing it tough... it is incorrect to assume they are making a bunch off any hunt.... just saying...

On our last trip, I had purchased enough socks & knit caps to pass out as gifts when we first arrived in order to start things off on good footing & show appreciation upfront for the service we expected to receive.
It worked quite well with only one exception.
I have hunted with a ph who owned his own company & chose not to tip him, but tipped his staff generously, he did not seem to mind.
On my only DG hunt, I tipped the ph $100 a day, the head tracker $18 a day, The driver & secondary tracker $16 a day, the game scout who also worked hard to make my hunt a success $10 a day, the rest of the staff, all 12 of them split $450 with the cook deciding who got what. I also tipped the camp manager $200.
To me, tipping is a sign of appreciation for a job well done, if I'm not happy, their tip will be small enough to be an insult.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:

Also, (not directed to Will) I would point out that there is a definite pecking order in camp and you can upset the applecart if your tips don't take that into account.

That's the beauty of it. The whole crew assembles on the final morning and you present the tip to the senior guy (usually a cook) and they have a system to distribute and divide the money based on the pecking order. The PH emphasizes to them all that it is a shared tip. Everyone sees how much money is handed over and there are no secrets, no problems, no issues.

We do the same at the skinning shed. Total tip goes to senior skinner and he distributes per the pecking order. Everyone sees the money change hands and everyone knows how much money has been paid.

I know some camps have more staff, but I do not include trackers, skinners, PH, camp managers, or scouts in my 100 per day tip.

I labored over the tip deal for five safaris before a PH gave me these guidelines. At least for Zim, they are similing when I arrive and smiling bigger when I leave. I've been told what I leave is overly generous, but I may have to reevaluate WHEN I get to Tanzania some day.

Will,

I knew your $100 a day didn't include PH's, trackers, or gamescouts. I'm just saying there are a lot of guys on the list.

A good tip, although not really applicable in Africa, but still good advice as a general matter, if only in colder climes, is the following: Do not, no matter how parched you may be, ever eat yellow snow.

I usually tip service people here in the US. I have NEVER tipped a chef no matter how good the food was. I made 8 safaris to Africa. The first 2 I had a PH,the last 5 the owner/outfitter was my PH and personal friend. I would no more think of tipping him than I would my brother. However I did give him a substantial BONUS for a good safari. I have always given the cook a bonus and the tracker also. The staff I usually leave a composite tip with the outfitter to distribute. On every safari I have made substantial gifts from knives to flashlights to clothes for all the staff and once I gave the cook many rolls of color film as he was a photographer and then sent him a sleeping bag. I have quite probably overpaid in almost everycase,but my satisfaction has been far above my expectations in all of my safaris and it has each and every one been the event of a lifetime and as such is beyond price.

I have typically asked the PH what a typical tip is for the camp staff, trackers, and game scout and modified it by my feelings of how well they worked for me. If I ever get horrible service, there will be no tip, and there will be no question in the camp manager's or PH's mind why it happened.

For the PH, I typically start at $125/day for DG hunts, and go up based on whether or not they did more than I expected them to.

I try and avoid a "percentage" basis as I think that's foolish when you realize what these countries pay the average worker and that the safari cost has lots of middlemen involved. I have not paid over $6K in tips even on big Tanzanian hunts where I was absolutely impressed with the service. Interestingly enough, I have been told that I do tend to tip on the high side (whether this is BS or not, I don't know.)

Also, I feel its wrong to tip based on how many animals or quality of animals. Effort is what should be tipped, not the bag.

I don't think a tip is mandatory, and I don't think that many PH's see it as such, although I suspect they expect to get one.

Lately, I have seen a practice that I like actually, where you give each staff member a handshake and a piece of paper with the amount of their tip on it. This is then added to your TF bill and you pay it when you get back. They then know how much you have tipped them, yet you don't have to feel paranoid about having $10K in cash on you in some 3rd world airport watching for pickpockets. (of course this really only works with honest outfitters and clients...)

I have had it before when the client tipped the staff well before I got there and the staff left to spend the money.