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The uber rich hunting Africa have made tipping expectations unrealistic anymore.

And they would be very quick to point out that if others can't afford that level of tip they should just stay home.

Always ask, always. They money is important and if you ask the outfitter they know the whole show, forwards and backwards. It is their business to know, how much, when, who, cash or check, type of funds, etc. Taxes or fees, know everything and write it down all before you walk out the door at home.

This tipping guide is a good guide to tipping.

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/tipping-guide.14381/

From his article - "The reason is simple, P.H.'s, trackers and camp staff derive much of their income from the tips they receive which creates the incentive for them to perform at their highest level for each and every client."

This is the problem with the tipping issue. Employees should always perform at their highest level because they were employed to do exactly that regardless of tipping. If they aren't performing at the highest level, they should be replaced with the thousands of other potential employees that are interested at performing at their highest level.

Pretty much everything else he says does not apply to any other hunter outside of the US. You're not going to convince a German hunter he must tip. You may find an English hunter that may tip but only for the PH and not the staff. So once again, the US hunter is "special" when it comes to tipping.

No one should feel compelled to tip.

20 years ago I was hunting in Mozambique. One of the PH’ in camp was bitching around the campfire that his next clients were from Germany. He knew there was no tip forthcoming. It was a 2:1 hunt and one of the hunters was damn near blind. He repeatedly pointed out animals to the blind guy who simply couldn’t see them, often as close as 20-25 yards. Drove them both nuts. Trust me, Americans are the cash cows, expected to make up for the European/Australian/ New Zealand shortfalls. Ridiculous…..

Two of the biggest scams in the African hunting industry is when we switched from paying in Rands to US dollars and the other is milking US hunters for tips to pay operating costs.

Tips are optional, last time I checked.

They should be, but I heard the word "Tip" way too often this last trip, which similar to someone else's experience that was posted in another thread and on here, really dampened the overall trip experience.

Not a matter of being able to afford something or not, its not something that should ever be brought up unless asked about.

I'm sick of the little pay here Kiosks at restaurants, the fast food joints, etc. that all ask for a tip.

You haven't checked the 'fire.

Ha, you're right. Many of the tips around here are worth what you pay for them.

Hunt with a different outfitter then. I've hunted with Kowas Safaris in Namibia 3 times and haven't heard it from them once. They do such a stellar job I' more than happy to though, but they dont' ask or beg for it.

My experience with who I hunted with in SA (two different some years apart), Namibia and Zimbabwe. Tips were never mentioned except in Zim where the request came from my PH that if I felt tips were due give them directly to the employees.

Well said.

Right now, with the rand at 19.75 to the dollar, we are really getting hosed….

my last trip it was before we left is that you tip what ever you want to, no amount suggestions.

One aspect of tipping I don’t see addressed is a situation where the PH is also the Outfitter/ Land owner. I’ve hunted six times with Jan du Plessis of Sebra Hunting Safaris in Namibia. Jan does all his own tracking and his skinners are primarily his regular ranch workers. His cook is his wonderful wife Mariesje and I give her a generous cash tip. I give the skinners tips through Jan as well as the housekeeping staff. I try to give Jan the equivalent of 8% +\-
of the total cost of my hunt (daily rate of $3500 plus trophy fees). Jan knows I’m a 76 year old retiree living on a fixed income and that I sold a bunch of fine rifles to finance my last hunt with him in August 2022.

In 2016 I went on a 6 day 5 animal hunt that was $4350. I killed all my animals, food was good but not 5 star. I left the PH $500, cook $100, skinner driver $50 ( I wanted to leave $100 but owner said that was too much plus he hit a tree driving when I was in the high rack) and the laundry woman $50 even though I got the wrong socks and underwear everyday, she wasn’t happy when I let her know about it! Everyone seems happy, the laundry woman was shocked!

I just returned yesterday from my third trip to South Africa.

Here are the outfitters suggested guidelines:

Per hunting group (shared by the members in your hunting party):
Cook- $100
Cook 2- $100
Cooks Assistant- $50
Laundry Lady- $50
Housekeeper- $50

Per individual Hunter in the group:
Tracker- $100
Driver/skinner- $100
Skinner- $15 per animal
Professional Hunter: at your discretion (typically $75- $100 per day)

Geeeez.