Tipping on safari in Kenya
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Are you going on safari in Kenya? A Kenya safari is an experience you won’t soon forget. There are many unforgettable wildlife reserves in Kenya, including Masai Mara, Samburu, Likipia, Lewa, Amboseli, Tsavo, Chyulu, Nakuru, and Meru. Besides cooperative animals and a bit of luck, your game ranger, spotters, lodge staff, and camp manager are critical to an enjoyable trip. Do you know what the tipping guidelines are on a Kenyan safari? Our safari gratuity guide will help you understand who to tip and the expected tipping amounts in Kenya.
If you have a few extra days, spend some time in Nairobi and then travel to Moshi to take in the views of Mount Kilimanjaro. As they say in Swahili, a safari is going on a journey! You’ll undoubtedly be going on the trip of your dreams.
Answered: Tipping on safari In Kenya
It is customary for guests to tip staff on safaris and game drives in Kenya. Good tipping etiquette always includes the guide/ranger, tracker, housekeeping, and cooking staff. Staff in the safari tourism industry rely on guest tips to supplement their wages, so your tips are appreciated. While the tip amount is at your discretion at lodges that don’t include a service charge, we provide tipping guidelines in the following sections.
Keep in mind that only a few lodges and safari camps are set up to add tips on a guest’s credit card. For that reason, have enough dollars (USD), euros, or Kenyan shillings on hand for cash tips before heading to the lodge.
How much do you tip safari guides?
How much do you tip your safari guide in Kenya? You should tip 10 dollars per person per day to your safari guide. If you have a tour guide, they should also be tipped 10 dollars per person per day. It’s helpful to tip in Kenyan shillings, the local currency, but other currencies are also accepted.
How much do you tip trackers and spotters?
How much do you tip a safari tracker/spotters in Kenya? Plan on tipping 5 dollars per person per day to your tracker.
How much do you tip safari camp staff?
The camp staff or lodge staff should be tipped 3 to 5 dollars per person, per day. These staff members include housekeeping/cleaners, cooks, waiters, waitresses, bartenders, and porters.
How much do you tip airport transfer drivers?
The standard rule of thumb is to tip your airport transfer the local currency equivalent of a few dollars.
How should you leave the tip?
Typically, lodges and safari camps will leave three envelopes for tips. One envelope is for the safari guide, a second is for the tracker, and a third is for the housekeeping and cooking staff. Generally, these tip envelopes should be given directly to the safari guide and tracker but left at the lodge office or gratuities box for the housekeeping and cooking staff. Large groups might find it easier to pool their tips together by tent.
When leaving tips at the lodge office, you will leave them with the office manager or in a communal tip box. Tips in local currency are appreciated, but the foreign currency equivalent, such as dollars or euros, can also be given if you don’t have enough rand with you.