Here we go again - tipping question

[Safari Dave]

That is way too high!


No one in Africa expects that kind of tips.

On my last safari, I tipped, somewhat, as an American is used to tipping, in America.

More than one person told me that I tipped more than they had ever been tipped.




Follow Jerome's advice.




(In America now, everyone expects a 20% tip just for taking your order at a takeout restaurant - it's gotten completely ridiculous).

 

[Safari Dave]

I went above my PH's advice on tipping for my last safari.

After this post, it seems that PH's have gotten wind of how much American's have been intimidated into tipping and are taking advantage of it...



Jerome - we need some professional advice!

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

I tip 5% these days. I used to tip 10 %,
15-20 ? I wouldn't even tip God that much.

Over the last 5 years I asked several Ph's in different camps what they thought was a fair for a tip, "What should the average working-man hunter give for a tip".
They all said, "5%".

Did you know that about 12-15 years ago 1 USD equaled 10 ZAR, now 1 USD is worth about 19 ZAR. The RSA outfitter expenses are mostly in Rands. (ZAR) That means that South Africa out fitters are getting nearly twice as much $$$ as they did fifteen years ago, for our South African hunts.

( Our USD is going nearly twice as far in South Africa. The out fitters never adjusted the exchange rate over the years with the real value of the USD. They are smart we are dumb!)

So what was once a $1,000 USD tip is now a $2,000 tip ( It is 2x as big in ZAR as was 12-15 years ago. That is just one of the reasons that I am happy to pay my 5% tip . It is the same as a 10% tip of 12 years ago.

Many of us travelling hunters spend 250,000 hunting/tourism dollars at least, in a life time of hunting in Africa. Travelling hunters pour a ton of money into the African economy, . I'm just saying. Brian

Costs escalations far outweigh the exchange rate difference believe me !!!!

 

[458JCE]

We don't have a tipping culture in Australia, so this is a bit daunting. My son and I are hunting Eastern Cape in August and until now, I haven't budgetted for tips. Our spiral horned slam hunt and 12 days will cost about US$18K or AU$25K - this is already a stretch for us. So I should take an additional AU$2500 for tips?

 

[cpr0312]

To the OP's question- That's more than high end!!!

I miss the days of "give each staff member a few bucks per day" -*This is SA and Namibia specific example here.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Being a lower income guy than many here I generally go on lower budget hunts.
I save and plan 10 to 15% into my budget for tips.
What throws me off is when more bodies than expected get thrown into the mix. It's happened a couple times. I only have my budgeted amount but feel someone is getting shorted when I have to start splitting that amount up.
Does my actual guide get it all? What about the extra spotter that came along to help I didn't expect.
Sometimes the guide is the cook also. Sometimes there's an actual cook. More people.
Hard to plan perfectly

 

[BRICKBURN]

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…….


Follow Jerome's Advice ….,,.. ).

J provided excellent reasonable direction in the original thread in safari planning. Just follow it.

Good luck

 

[AZDAVE]

When I tip I put the cash in 3 envelops and pay by the service.
One for the PH.
One for the Tracker/skinner.
One for the camp staff.

I give it to the PH or outfitter depending on which one is handling the Final bill close out. They are the ones that have to keep peace in their camp so I always figured it was better than me handing out to everyone.

I pay a price per day and that depend on if it is a DG or PG hunt and how the service was.

 

[Brian]

Costs escalations far outweigh the exchange rate difference believe me !!!!

Tally-Ho,
I am not up to date on the rising cost of operating a hunting operation. There seems to be no information available for the outsider like me to access. I am very interested,
Can you share some examples. Thanks for your post, Brian

 

[coreydb]

The PH is taking you for a ride. Jerome, the owner of this website, put a guideline up several years ago. Also, Google Tipping Guidelines on African Safaris. You'll get a tipping outline for every component of the hunt, from the PH, to the Tracker, Skinner, host, and housekeeping. ALL are optional and not required.

 

[Muskox]

I currently live in a non-tipping country, and spent part of my life in other non-tipping countries.

Being an American I always thought tipping was mandatory.

Now growing to detest it like I do, I feel as though it is mandatory in most hunting situations.

Here in Europe you tip 50-100 Euros with each guide where you killed something. This is what Germans and Austrians do, this is considered normal, neither one of these is a tipping country.

As it is normal that you will hunt with multiple guides during a hunt.

In Africa I feel as though a $80-100 per day for plains game, and another $50-80 split between the staff. If the cook is a white African I tip another $30-50 per day to them. Trackers get $20 a day minimum, but I give everything to the owner to sort out.

In North America I do the same as Africa.

I have not done a Texas exotic hunt in many years. When I do it again, I think I will stick to my plains game number. Tipping some guy 20% of a $8000 hunt that was over in 5 hours of a two day hunt is asinine. $100 a day, $50 for the cook and $20 if there is a person cleaning the room. I have had multiple Texas outfitters tell me their guides and staff get 25-35% of the cost of the hunt, these are not people I am going to book with but this the number they published.

 

[Kudu2024]

I hesitate to post this in the Tipping Guide section because I'm afraid that it will never be seen.

Over the years, my rule of thumb that I have followed for the sake of simplicity has been this: 10% for most hunts; 20% for dangerous game hunts or for exceptional results (e.g., Boone & Crockett animal in North America). That's the total amount to be spread among everyone. It has actually worked well and even maps fairly well to the tipping guides that I have seen. Only once have I deviated from that. That was a case in Canada where the guide was terrible - bordering on incompetent, to the point of putting both of our lives in danger. Then the tip was much less.

Here is my question. My next safari is for plains game. The outfitter has a suggested a tipping structure (mainly $/day for the PH) that would be equivalent to 25% - 33% of the total cost of the safari. That seems to be extremely generous. Is there something wrong with how I am looking at this? Thoughts?

My first plains hunt, I tipped the PH, kitchen and trackers / skinners all separately.
PH was approx. $150 per hunting day.

 

[Russ16]

I currently live in a non-tipping country, and spent part of my life in other non-tipping countries.

Being an American I always thought tipping was mandatory.

Now growing to detest it like I do, I feel as though it is mandatory in most hunting situations.

Here in Europe you tip 50-100 Euros with each guide where you killed something. This is what Germans and Austrians do, this is considered normal, neither one of these is a tipping country.

As it is normal that you will hunt with multiple guides during a hunt.

In Africa I feel as though a $80-100 per day for plains game, and another $50-80 split between the staff. If the cook is a white African I tip another $30-50 per day to them. Trackers get $20 a day minimum, but I give everything to the owner to sort out.

In North America I do the same as Africa.

I have not done a Texas exotic hunt in many years. When I do it again, I think I will stick to my plains game number. Tipping some guy 20% of a $8000 hunt that was over in 5 hours of a two day hunt is asinine. $100 a day, $50 for the cook and $20 if there is a person cleaning the room. I have had multiple Texas outfitters tell me their guides and staff get 25-35% of the cost of the hunt, these are not people I am going to book with but this the number they published.

I’m sorry but I can’t see justifying tipping a white cook more than a non-white cook for the same work.

Agree with you on hating tipping culture and I live in it daily.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Heard from a friend, Europeans don't tip. Also heard from a friend, some outfitters won't deal with Europeans.

 

[Paul K]

A working class man or women busts their butt and saves money for 10 years or more so he or she can live their dream. Then they have to work and save another year or more just to give someone a tip? What is wrong with that scenario? I don't mind tipping but 10 or 20% is ridiculous in my opinion, but to each his own.

 

[trperk1]

Ask for the tip guide before you book, or at least before you go. Calibrate on amounts if you're traveling with friends. Bring small bills for staff and tracker. Large bills are fine PH. Put your tip in envelopes and hand directly to each person. It my money, I want the joy of giving it to them. And if I come back, hopefully they remember. I may add a few more dollars if they did something special.

 

[timgress]

I hesitate to post this in the Tipping Guide section because I'm afraid that it will never be seen.

Over the years, my rule of thumb that I have followed for the sake of simplicity has been this: 10% for most hunts; 20% for dangerous game hunts or for exceptional results (e.g., Boone & Crockett animal in North America). That's the total amount to be spread among everyone. It has actually worked well and even maps fairly well to the tipping guides that I have seen. Only once have I deviated from that. That was a case in Canada where the guide was terrible - bordering on incompetent, to the point of putting both of our lives in danger. Then the tip was much less.

Here is my question. My next safari is for plains game. The outfitter has a suggested a tipping structure (mainly $/day for the PH) that would be equivalent to 25% - 33% of the total cost of the safari. That seems to be extremely generous. Is there something wrong with how I am looking at this? Thoughts?

That percentage is wat too much for plains game. I do 10 to 15 percent, I would tip more to the PH if he/she does a great job. 20 percent for a dangerous game hunt, ex. Cape Buffalo.

 

[JimP]

A working class man or women busts their butt and saves money for 10 years or more so he or she can live their dream. Then they have to work and save another year or more just to give someone a tip? What is wrong with that scenario? I don't mind tipping but 10 or 20% is ridiculous in my opinion, but to each his own.

You make it sound like you'll pay as much in tips as the hunt cost.

If you have never been to Africa on a hunt you may change your mind. The outfitter and staff will bend over backwards to get you what you want or need. In my opinion they will work harder than any restaurant or any other establishment that you visit and leave a tip.

On both of my hunts I used the recommended amount that is listed in the tipping thread. I have also increased the amount for my PH and tracker, they deserve it.

Over all those 15% or so tips of the overall cost of your hunt are not that bad.

 

[bashaw]

I read on this site several years ago if the PH owns the outfit you don’t tip him/her
Like I said earlier just tell me the price don’t expect tips, I will make decision

 

[Kudu2024]

You make it sound like you'll pay as much in tips as the hunt cost.

If you have never been to Africa on a hunt you may change your mind. The outfitter and staff will bend over backwards to get you what you want or need. In my opinion they will work harder than any restaurant or any other establishment that you visit and leave a tip.

On both of my hunts I used the recommended amount that is listed in the tipping thread. I have also increased the amount for my PH and tracker, they deserve it.

Over all those 15% or so tips of the overall cost of your hunt are not that bad.

My tips to the PH is based on the hunt only, not the overall cost. My outfitter told us not to tip them as owners, but to take care of their staff.