Tipping on Safari in Kenya and Tanzania: A Simple Guide
How much to tip on safari in Kenya and Tanzania: your driver-guide, lodge staff, porters on gorilla treks, and the practical details of when and how to tip.
Tipping is a normal part of safari life in East Africa, and one of the questions travellers ask us most. It is never compulsory, it should always reflect the service you received, and a little guidance takes the awkwardness out of it.
Why tipping matters
Tips are an important part of income for guides, camp staff and porters, and they are a direct way of recognising people who made your trip special. In the communities around the parks, that income goes a long way.
Your driver-guide
Your driver-guide is with you from the first morning to the last, and has more influence on your safari than anyone else. Volcan’s published guideline for tips is US$10 per person per day, and most travellers give the largest share of their tips to their guide. Many give more for exceptional service, particularly on longer private trips.
Tip at the end of the trip, in one envelope, with a thank-you note if you like. It is the moment most guides remember.
Lodge and camp staff
Most lodges and camps have a communal tip box at reception, shared among all the staff, including the kitchen, housekeeping and maintenance teams you rarely see. This is the fairest way to tip at a camp. If a particular person, a butler, a tracker or a walking guide, looked after you personally, a separate tip for them is welcome.
Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking
On a gorilla or chimpanzee trek, you will be accompanied by a ranger guide and trackers, and you can hire a porter at the trailhead to carry your bag. Porters are usually paid a set fee, and a tip on top is customary. Tip the ranger and trackers at the end of the trek. Hiring a porter is also one of the best ways to support local families around the park.
Currency
- US dollars are widely accepted for tips. Bring recent, clean, undamaged notes, as older or torn notes are often refused.
- Local currency, Kenyan or Tanzanian shillings, Ugandan shillings or Rwandan francs, is equally welcome and often easier for the recipient to use.
- Bring smaller notes, as change can be hard to find in the bush.
- M-Pesa, Kenya’s mobile money service, is used everywhere in Kenya and is increasingly accepted for tips.
Some simple rules
- Tip at the end of your stay or trip, not at every meal or drive.
- Tip in cash, discreetly, and with a thank-you.
- If service was poor, tell us. Tips are a thank-you, and your feedback helps us put things right.
Plan for it
Tips are not included in safari prices, so set aside an amount for them when you budget. Every Volcan quote lists what is and is not included, so there are no surprises. See our guide to what a private safari costs, or ask us about tipping on your specific route.
