Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Let’s talk tipping.

So, standard plains game hunt. 8 days hunting, 2 hunters, maybe 12 animals harvested to include standard fare of kudu, zebra, wildebeest, etc. what is an appropriate amount to tip for the trip? I am seeing quotes of around 30%. Is this in line with the normal tipping practice? This is also assuming that the hunt goes well with no major issues. Thanks.

There is a great tipping article on Africahunting.com find it and read it.I t is detailed and reasonable and a great many PHs refer to it. If someone is quoting you 30% tipping that is very odd.

When and where are you planning on hunting?

Many outfitters offer guides to tipping. There is a lot of info here:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1411043/m/275107462?r=411105562#411105562

PH, 100 bucks per day.
Tracker, 50 bucks per day.
Camp Staff/Skinners, 100 bucks per 7 day week, each.

It was not quoted as 30% but that is what it calculated out to.

I also found it interesting that they wanted it paid directly to them so they can “distribute it to their staff.” They expressly ask that it be monies and not items.

Just wondering

I have read on other forums that the PH wants it given to them for distribution because the staff will disappear for a while when they get the tips and spend it on booze. That was one of the explanations

I asked the outfitter. I was going to pay much more than he advised. I`m glad I did ask...and I considered it a far tip.
My outfitter held some money back from the staff. including the tracker..and gave it to them for Christman for presents.
Good Luck

My PH gave recommendation for the trackers, skinners etc. I gave him the money and hopefully he passed on. I asked and he said ok to me giving tip direct to the head tracker.
I gave the PH about $200 per day.

I was the U.S. rep for an esteemed safari company for eight years. Tipping is the one subject that EVERY client wanted help with. Our company discussed the matter with peers often. The general consensus was that it was, first and foremost, entirely discretionary. We had clients who had saved for years to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime African experience and simply couldn't afford a tip. All of our clients, from the one's who stretched to the billionaires who arrived by private jet, had exactly the same safari and were treated the same before, during and after their safari.

Now all that being said, a tip of 10% of the total daily fees is considered an excellent gratuity in the business. We asked clients to tip a lump sum (if tipping) that we distributed to all of our staff according to their "rank" (the chef received more than the laundress, etc.). The Professional Hunter is most often tipped separately. (By the way, don't tip guns, optics, knives, clothes, etc.; tip cash. Know that if you tip the PH in cash, he will take a hit when he exchanges US$ for local currency.)

Most importantly, don't get your knickers in a twist about tipping, how much, etc. Go on safari and have a great time.

One more thing. Please do not use the term "harvest" when talking about killing a game animal unless you are "hunting" a put-and-take operation. It demeans the animal, the operation, the PH and you.

RS

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/tipping-guide.183/

GRF and I have hunted with the same outfitter/PH. He refers to the above article. Choose between dangerous game hunt or plains game.

My PH liked my camera, so I bought him one, plus tripod, pouch, extra battery etc. He was happy with that.

He had me tip each staff member directly. He prefers foreign currency. If I tipped in rand, they may not show up again until they ran out of money. When the staff is tipped in USD, or CAD, they have no easy way to spend it. They take the money to the outfitter/PH who banks it for them. He keeps a ledger and what the exchange rate was on the date of tip payment. When they have slack time and they request money, the outfitter/PH dispurses the money in rand. The staff really do act like adolescents with money. He tries to help them save money, or they would drink it/whore it away. I'm sorry to say that.

This is exactly what I was told by my PH in '15 when I went to SA.

Wish I worked for you.
Hell, many people around here bust their butt for lower wages, No tips.


Tipping is something I absolutely hate.
If it wasn't expected, I would be glad to do it.
But, like RipSnort said, sometimes, if a tip is necessary, the service is out of range.
Point is, if someone makes me super darn happy. Service I didn't expect. I want to reward them.

Anything less?

Done paid for that.

So, you're supposed to say you "smoked 'em" or "made 'em take a dirt nap"?

I tipped 15%. 10% to the pH and 5% to the staff. I also tipped the US based outfitter seperately. Our group pooled money for the staff and the pH paid it out how he saw fit. He asked us to give it him to distribute because they would disappear if it was given to them all at once. He joked that he would be the only one there for the next hunters if the staff got their money all at once

Thanks
I harvest tomato’s, and some other veggies. I never kill the plant though.
Game animals, that’s another story, they are killed, not harvested.

I Tip 10% of the Total Hunt. A $20,000 Hunt is a Total $2000 Tip. If I take an Exceptional animal I Tip The P.H. 10% and the rest of the Crew as Recommended by the P.H. I also leave the Trackers and Game Scout some nice shirts. On a Plains Game Hunt I would Tip a Total of 10%.

on the trophy fees also?....concession fee.....dip and pack?.....etc...…..or just on the daily total rate...…..bob

Yes 10% of the entire Hunt. The amount paid to the Outfitter.

Good guide.

Not to get bitchy about the semantics, but I'm not into "harvest" either. Just say animals taken. It's to the point and doesn't try to sanitize what we do.

I tipped my PH $450 on a $4300 hunt and he was MIA one day (out of 6), I gave the cook $100 and the tracker $50.