Are you on a safari in South Africa? Has your guide and tracker found everything you want to see? A South African safari game drive is an experience you won’t soon forget, whether it’s a private lodge or a trip through Kruger National Park. 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 South African safari? Our safari gratuity guide will help you understand who to tip and the expected tipping amounts in South Africa.
Answered: Tipping On a South African Safari
In South Africa, it is customary for guests to tip staff on safaris and game drives. Good tipping etiquette 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 are set up to add tips on a guest’s credit card. For that reason, have enough South African rand on hand before heading to the lodge. Otherwise, staff will also accept tips in US dollars or other major currencies.
How Much Should Do You Tip Safari Guides
How much do you tip your safari guide in South Africa? At a luxury lodge, you can leave your safari guide/ranger 200 – 300 South African rand (abbreviated as R) per family per day. Otherwise, R100 to R200 rand per family per day is more than enough to show your appreciation.
How Much Do You Tip Trackers and Spotters?
How much do you tip a safari tracker in South Africa? If you are staying at a luxury lodge, leave your safari tracker 100 – 200 rand per family per day. Otherwise, 50 – 100 rand per day is an appropriate tip.
How Much Do You Tip The Lodge Staff?
How much should you tip the lodge staff? At a luxury lodge, R50 to R100 per family per day can be left as a combined tip. Otherwise, R25 to R50 per family per day is standard. The lodge service staff includes housekeeping/cleaners, cooks, waiters, waitresses, and porters.
How Much Do You Tip Airport Transfer Drivers?
The standard rule of thumb is to tip your airport transfer driver 10 percent of the fare.
How Should You Leave The Tip?
Typically, a safari lodge will leave three envelopes for tips: one for the safari guide, a second for the tracker, and a third for the housekeeping and cooking staff. Generally, tips should be personally given to the safari guide and tracker but left at the lodge office for the housekeeping and cooking staff.
When leaving tips at the lodge office, you will leave them with the office manager or in a communal tip box. The local currency is appreciated, but the foreign currency equivalent, such as dollars or euros, can also be given if you don’t have enough rand with you.