Chance Venture Tours Tipping Guide

Tipping in Tanzania when on safari is considered customary, but not mandatory. It’s a way of showing your appreciation for the people who work to make your safari experience an unforgettable one.

Is tipping mandatory on a Tanzania Safari?

No. Tipping is not mandatory in the Tanzanian service and tourism industry. However, it is a bit customary. It is seen as a way to show your appreciation for the services provided. However, whether you tip or not should come down to your level of satisfaction with the service, you should never be forced into a situation where you feel you absolutely have to tip.

Our view is that tips, when deserved, can help boost the confidence of the staff and validate the care and attention that they provide.

Simplified rule:

If you are satisfied and want to tip, absolutely do so.

If you aren’t satisfied, it is ok to not do so.

 What is the right time to tip?

For your safari driver-guides

When it comes to tipping your safari driver-guide, the customary practice is to at the end of the safari, as you bid farewell. Not only does this allow you to assess the overall quality of their service but also is seen as a parting gift.

For Kilimanjaro Mountain climbing

For Mountain climbers on Kilimanjaro, or even other mountains in Tanzania, the custom is to usually tip on the last day. You will often find the entire team coming together for a celebration, bidding you farewell on the start of the hike on your last day, descending to one of the gates. This is a good time to consolidate your group tips and hand it over to the head guide. The head guide would then distribute the tips to the entire team later on. If you want to specifically tip an individual team member then you can surely do that as well.

Tipping your safari driver-guides

For Small Group Safaris, between 2-4 people

You may tip between USD 10 and USD 20 per traveller, per day.

E.g. USD 200 for a 5-day safari for a honeymoon couple.

For Large Group Safaris, more than 5 people

You may tip collectively between USD 30 to USD 40 per group, per day.

E.g. USD 280 for a 7 day safari for a family of 6.

For half-day safaris and tours, you may tip half the suggested range. Tips to Safari Driver-Guides are usually given at the end of the Safari when bidding farewell.

Tipping staff at camps and lodges

You may tip between USD 2 and USD 4 per traveller, per day – at checkout if you are tipping in the community tip jar, or you may also tip a similar amount individually to help and support staff that have served you personally during your stay.

Tipping Staff at Restaurants

Tips of between 3-5% of the total bill are considered normal, whereas tips of about 10% of your bill would be considered very generous. If you are paying by card, and the establishment does allow you to process a tip payment, then you can do that as well.

Tipping Porters

Hotel and airport porters may be tipped USD 1.00 to USD 3.00 either each time you happen to use them or in general upon checkout (if part of a Camp or Lodge).

Tipping City/Airport Transfer Drivers

Tips for transfers are not common and not expected. However, if you do feel like giving a tip on a private city transfer then you may tip between USD 2.00 and USD 4.00 per transfer depending on the distance and time taken.

Kilimanjaro Tipping Guide

Tips for the Mountain crew are regular practice and Tipping on Kilimanjaro is vast as you will need to whole team to climb with you, like guides, porters, cooks and other crew members. However, the decision on How Much Should You to Tip on Kilimanjaro does not depend on whether you have reached the summit or not but how well the Kilimanjaro guides served you.

We Recommend You to Tip Moderately but Definitely To the Hard-Working Kilimanjaro Staff Who Strive 24/7 Hours to Make Your Climb Successful.

A simple guide to tipping right on Kilimanjaro—because appreciation goes a long way. summit success.

Guides $20-25 per day           

Assistant Guide          $15-20 per day

Cook $13-15 per day  ­

Porter $10-12 per day

This table show the tipping structure and Total amount per Climber

	1 Climber	2 Climber	3 Climber	4 Climber
Guides	$120-150	$120-150	$240-300	$240-300
Ass. Guide	–	$90-120	$90 – 120	$180-240
Cooks	$90	$90	$180	$180
Porters	$120-180	$300-360	$480-540	$840-900
Total For Group	$330-420	$600-720	$990-1140	$1440-1620
Per Climber	$330-420	$300-360	$330-380	$360-405

Final Thoughts?

While this Tanzania Tipping Guide is designed to help you get a starting point, it is by no means cast in stone and you may use your own experience and you own good judgement to tip, or not to tip, the way you deem reasonable.

As an important reiteration, you should never be made to feel pressured into tipping. If you are ever in such a case then engage your safari guide, or better yet your safari operator, and bring up the issue so that it can be worked on.