The Ultimate Guide to Tipping During Uganda Safaris

You have probably finalized planning your Uganda safari and crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s for making your trip memorable.

Practically, most of our visitors ask questions about tipping during Uganda safaris because like any other aspect that deals with money, people’s perceptions on tipping are usually shaped by a number of things that include individual’s relationship with money, culture of where you come from and where you are visiting, social norms as well as expectations of the service you have been provided.

In most cases when you travel with a highly regarded tour operator, spend overnight/s with a small and secluded Safari Lodge/Tented Camp, the staff who will be attending to you through your Uganda safari are paid peanuts. However, you don’t have to be compelled to tip or do it out of a feeling of pity but instead do it for the amazing service you have been provided. Remember that tipping in Uganda isn’t actually mandatory but rather voluntary after a service is provided, but it greatly helps the local community. The tip can be more or less depending on the level of service you have been provided. Here is the ultimate guide to tipping during Uganda safaris;

Why you should tip during your Uganda safari

You might be probably wondering why you should tip during your trip but the answer is that some staff usually go beyond and extra to provide services. Why wouldn’t you tip someone who remembered you favorite drink, or the one who tried so much to find the animal that you wished to tick off your check-list? For instance, Lodge staff wake up so early to make sure that your breakfast is ready and hot when you get up and sometimes have to be up late in the night as you enjoy your drinks. Tipping is simply a way of appreciating the good work that someone puts in taking care of your personal needs during the trip.

Do you tip with cash or a credit card?

Another question that confuses travelers during Uganda safaris is whether to tip with credit card or cash and the answer is the latter.

In what currency do you tip?

For most of our trips, US Dollars is the common currency for tipping and make sure that the bills/notes are not older than 2009. However, you can also tip in Uganda’s local currency.

Who to tip and how much?

Most times, the people you tip during your Uganda safari haven’t received special education for the role they play in providing a remarkable trip. The individuals you tip include;

Lodge/Hotel staff

For Hotels/Safari Lodges, you will find tipping boxes and whatever you put in them will be shared to all staff members of the Accommodation facility-Chefs, security guards, housekeepers, laundry attendants, waiters/waitresses and many others. There is no set figure for tipping here but anything between $10 and $20 per traveler per day will be fine. We advise having different envelopes for each Safari Lodge/Camp and place in the tipping box.

Safari driver/s

The Safari driver/s are the representatives of the Company during your Uganda safari and will be with you throughout the trip. You can tip anything from $10 to $20 per person per day and can be given directly at the end of the safari.

Park Rangers

We don’t need to re-echo that the Park Rangers you will come across during Uganda safaris are paid fair wage for their safari, provided training, health insurance and uniforms. Usually, your tip will be shared among all other guides on the same activity. We recommend $30 to $50 per person per activity which will include tip for the head guide, back-up guides and trackers (if it is gorilla tracking you are booked for).

Porters

When you book for gorilla tracking, chimpanzee trekking or mountain climbing in Uganda, you might need to hire someone to carry your backpack and offer support for maneuvering through the steep, muddy and slippery slopes. Majority of the porters you will come across are paid small wage and also, hiring and tipping makes it possible for community members to earn from tourism and conservation. Since they are paid between $10 and $15 per activity, a tip of $5 to $10 is not a bad idea.

Transfer drivers

The drivers that pick-up and drop you off at/from the Airport can be tipped between 5 and 10% of the total fare for longer transfers.

Restaurant waiters/waitresses

The restaurant waiters/waitresses can be tipped about 10% of the entire bills (especially if it’s not included on the bill).