Question: Sorry if this has already been addressed in the thread and I missed it. From what I've read a typical tip for a PH is 6-10% of daily rate plus trophy fees. Does it make any difference if you are hunting 1 x 1 or 2 x 1 with the PH?
No. The total daily rate is how you calculate a tip. So if 2:1 the total daily fees are $10,000....then calculate accordingly. If 1:1 the daily fees are $8000, same percentages apply.
This was a really complicated topic for me before my first safari and now its not so complicated anymore.
You have to ask what was involved in the hunt? If you have a hunt in Tanzania or Zambia or even Zim and its a fly camp or wilderness area with a staff of 10, you need to tip more people and probably a higher percentage if they did a great job. If its an operation where you stay with a family and there is one scout/skinner on the truck and the PH, and Mrs. PH and their family do the cooking and hospitality....that's like 4 people involved. Probably less tip percentage because it was less logistical work involved even if they worked very hard for you.
My PH charges between $300 and $1500 a day depending on a lot of location variables. He NETS about the same amount either way. (let that sink in for a minute) So a smaller tip on the East Cape $300 day is appropriate and a larger tip on the $1500 a day fly camp is also appropriate because about $1300 of that $1500 each day is overhead, trucks, staff, generators, diesel, gas, more diesel, more diesel, replacement tires for the ones that fail, etc. etc.
Here it is in the end: No one ever says "I had the time of my life, the best hunt of my lifetime...but I really regret giving away such a big tip!". If you're having an amazing time, you're not a fool for giving a tip that is generous. If you think you might not be giving enough tip, you're probably right.
Sometimes the PH has an unfortunate mechanical event on the hunt and after expenses, they lose money without that tip. Things happen. 10% per day tip for PH and $10 a day per person in hospitality is a decent tip average. It was not uncommon to give a best London rifle as a tip in the past for a truly great hunt, even if the hunter wasn't extremely affluent, so consider that if you had a fantastic time it is not out of place to give even a 100% tip.
That's what it is, a tip. How much more would you pay than your Daily Rate and Trophy fees for the best hunt of your lifetime, better than you could ever imagine? If that's exactly what happened, pay the people a LOT.