Photo credit: www.businessinsider.com
Understanding Tipping Costs on Safari Adventures
Tipping is a common practice throughout much of Africa, and it’s an essential aspect of budgeting for your safari experience. The amounts can accumulate surprisingly quickly depending on whom you are tipping and for what services.
Meg van Niekerk, a safari planner at Go2Africa, shared insights on the significance of these gratuities for lodge staff, many of whom have families relying on their earnings. “It’s like a blessing,” she remarked, highlighting the impact that tips have on the livelihoods of service workers in the tourism industry.
The good news is that most safari tipping norms are fairly consistent, making it easier for travelers to incorporate them into their overall travel budgets. For instance, Go2Africa suggests a daily tip of around $20 for guides, $20 for general hotel personnel, $15 for butlers, and another $15 for safari trackers.
Additionally, travelers should also consider unforeseen personnel who might deserve a tip, such as drivers for transfers or guides for cultural visits. Based on personal experience, I found that budgeting approximately $100 per day for tipping seemed reasonable during my safari adventure.
Van Niekerk stressed that these figures are merely recommendations, and travelers have the flexibility to adjust their tipping based on their personal financial situations and the quality of service they receive.
Source
www.businessinsider.com