When you’re on a safari, you might be stressed about more than wildlife spotting. One of the most controversial safari questions is, how much should you tip a safari guide? While safari guides, camp personnel, and other service providers generally welcome tips, determining the appropriate amount to give (and knowing when/how to do it) can be awkward for many travelers.
Tipping is a widespread custom in numerous countries, including many popular safari destinations such as South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya. In the safari industry, staff wages are often relatively modest, with gratuities forming a substantial part of their earnings. Consequently, it’s typically anticipated that guests will offer tips for a job well done to their guides, trackers, transfer drivers, and camp staff upon concluding their stay.
The appropriate tip amount can fluctuate based on several factors, including the quality of service received, the specific role of the individual being tipped, and the cost of the safari.
How Much Should You Tip a Safari Guide?
Etiquette experts recommend tipping safari guides $15-$25 per day. We advise tipping to the higher end of the scale on luxury safaris, or if your guide has gone out of their way to make your trip special.
Safari Tipping Guidelines
| Guide | $20-$30 per person, per day |
| Tracker | $20-$30 per person, per day |
| Transfer drivers | $5 per person, per trip |
| Housekeeping | $5 per person, per day |
| Safari camp staff | $10-$15 per person, per day |
| Butler | $10-$15 per person, per day |
When to Tip on Safari
Many safari lodges and tour operators have a frequently asked questions section on their website that outlines tipping guidelines. Some safari camps prefer that you tip staff directly, whereas others will put out a locked box where you can anonymously leave gratuities that will be split among the staff equally. On many safaris, you’ll be expected to tip your tracker and guide individually, and then you can give the camp manager a pool of cash to be split among the rest of the staff.
Generally, tipping should be done at the end of your safari. However, if you’re moving camps or dealing with a staff member you likely won’t see again (like the driver who picked you up at the airport) we recommend tipping discreetly in the moment.
Always tip in cash. Credit cards charge high fees for transactions, and cash is always preferred for tips on safari. US dollars are perfectly fine for tipping if you don’t want to get local currency. We like to bring small thank you cards that we can write a nice note in to put the cash in and give to guides at the end of our trip, as this is less awkward than handing over a lump of cash.
How Much Should You Tip a Private Safari Guide?
Safari guides, trackers, and drivers will make less from tips on a private safari than they would if they were taking out a big group, so it’s appropriate to give more of a gratuity compared to a shared safari. We recommend tipping a private safari guide and tracker $30-$50 per person, per day.
How Much Do You Tip a Safari Driver?
Safari guides will generally do double duty as the safari driver, so you don’t have to worry about tipping those roles separately. If you do have a dedicated safari driver, we recommend tipping between $10-$15 per person, per day.
Botswana Safari Tipping Guide
Tipping for Botswana safaris follows our same general safari guidance. However, on many Botswana safaris, you will have a mokoro poler, a guide who will paddle your boat through the water on river safaris. We recommend tipping them $10-$15 per person, per day.
Botswana Safari Tipping Guidelines
| Guide | $20-$30 per person, per day |
| Tracker | $20-$30 per person, per day |
| Mokoro Poler | $10-$15 per person, per day |
| Transfer drivers | $5 per person, per trip |
| Housekeeping | $5 per person, per day |
| Safari camp staff | $10-$15 per person, per day |
| Butler | $10-$15 per person, per day |
How Much Do You Tip a Safari Guide in South Africa?
Etiquette experts recommend tipping safari guides in South Africa between $20-$30 per person, per day. If you are taking a luxury safari, you should tip more in the range of $30-$40 per person, per day. Tips are accepted in either USD or South African Rand.
Looking for an incredible luxury safari in South Africa? Read our review of Lion Sands River Lodge.
Kenya Safari Tipping Guide
If you’re tipping in foreign currency in Kenya, try to give small bills, which are easier to exchange. Also, check your cash before giving it as a tip, as dollar bills printed before 2003 are not accepted in Kenya. We recommend tipping safari guides and trackers between $20-$30 per person, per day in Kenya, and giving $15 per person, per day to the safari camp staff tip box.
Tanzania Safari Tipping Guide
Tipping in either Tanzanian Shillings or USD is completely acceptable. We recommend tipping safari guides and trackers between $20-$30 per person, per day in Kenya, or higher if they went above and beyond for you.
Considering a safari in Tanzania? Check out our review of Lemala Mpingo Ridge Lodge in Tarangire National Park.
Need help deciding what to pack for a safari? Read our Ultimate Safari Packing List.