What are the tipping customs in Kenya?

Did your tour guide make your Kenya safari special? Did the lodge staff make you feel welcome and look after you during your stay? You might like to express your gratitude with a tip. It is customary to give tips in Kenya, especially in tourism and hospitality. Everyone who is part of your trip, everyone who contributes, expects a tip. However, tipping is not obligatory. It is considered a voluntary token of appreciation for good service.

But how much is appropriate? Which currency is suitable? And when is a tip given? You don’t want to get it wrong, or offend anyone.

In this blog, we have summarized the most important tips for you and share do’s and don’ts. So that you can travel more relaxed.

In which currency should you give the tip?

In Kenya, you can tip in US dollars or Kenyan shillings (KES).

Both are useful, but the best choice depends on where you are.

US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, hotels and safari lodges. If you plan to tip in dollars, bring newer, clean and undamaged banknotes. Older or damaged notes may be refused.

Kenyan shillings are often the better choice in local markets, small shops and remote areas. They are easier for people to use directly, while foreign currency can be more difficult to exchange or may attract an unfavourable exchange rate in those areas.

How much do you tip on safari in Kenya?

This is an answer you perhaps don’t want to hear: it depends. The size of your tip varies by situation. It depends on your experience, the activity, and the number of people. That also makes it difficult for many tourists to understand. Using four examples, we will clarify how it works:

1. Tipping at the lodge

A typical safari lodge can employ around 20 to 40 staff members. They are the people who ensure the lodge is clean and that everything is taken care of.

Many lodges have a general tip box at reception for the entire team. So, if you want to tip, put it in the general tip box – that way, everyone benefits, not just the people who are visible.

As a general guideline, you can budget around USD 10–20 per day you stayed. So, if you stay at a lodge for three nights, that works out to around USD 30–60. There are also small situations where you feel you want or need to give a tip. Sometimes, for example, someone at the lodge asks you to wash your shoes. Yes, you can always give a small token if someone does something for you.

For these small services, you can give about a dollar. However, to make it a bit easier for yourself, you could also say: ‘Thank you, do you have a tip box? Then I can put something in there for you and your colleagues when I check out.’ That shows: I appreciate your help, I want to give something in return, but for you and your whole team. box at reception for the entire team. So, if you want to tip, put it in the general tip box – that way, everyone benefits, not just the people who are visible.

2. Tipping a local guide

During your safari in Kenya, you may take part in an activity led by someone from the local community. A guided village walk, for example. For local guides, this is often their only source of income. If your guide has done a great job and you have really enjoyed the experience, a tip of around USD 5, in addition to the activity fee, is a thoughtful way to show your appreciation. It no small amount: the average wage for unskilled work in Kenya is around USD 5 per day.

3. Tipping your tour guide

Your tour guide is the most important person of your trip. He drives you around. He organizes everything. And he introduces you to Kenya customs.

Being a tour guide isn’t a 9-to-5 job. You have a lot of responsibility, 24/7. At Greenway Nature Tours Africa, we pay our tour guides very well. Exactly how much tip you give at the end of your trip depends, of course, on your experience.

But if we look around us, we see that $10 – $20 per day is common.

4. Tipping in Restaurants

On some travel days in Kenya, as you travel from A to B with your tour guide, you will eat en route. We ensure that you stop at the best local restaurants so that you have a fun, unique experience. Also, in this way, we ensure that restaurants along the route also benefit from tourism. The tour guide often settles the bill, when all meals are included in your trip.

However, if you wish, you may still give a tip in these cases. For instance, if you know the bill was $40, you can very well put $5 in the tip box. You can expect to give around 10%.

Please note that these are only guidelines and you can adjust the amount of the tip at any time to suit your personal satisfaction.

When do you give a tip?

Lodges and safari camps often have a tip box. Instead of tipping daily, you can contribute your share at check-out or before departure. For directly provided services – for example, by a local guide– it is advisable to hand over the tip immediately.

A personal handover is customary with safari guides and drivers. If you are traveling together for several days, it is best to thank them at the end of the safari or after your last drive together.

Dos and don'ts regarding tipping

To wrap up the whole story and send you on your Kenya safari trip relaxed, we have a few do’s and don’ts for you regarding tipping in Kenya.

Do's

Take small bills with you. It is always recommended to put some small bills in your pocket. That way, you can easily pull a note out of your pocket along the way to give a tip.

Hand over the tip yourself. Ensure you always hand it over yourself. A tip is something personal.

Ask your tour guide for help. If you are not sure, you can always ask your tour guide: if I tip now, am I tipping this person? Or are there multiple people who will benefit? That way, you can better estimate how much to give. You can also literally coordinate with your tour guide and ask what the expectations are.

Give feedback. Suppose you give a very small tip because you weren’t satisfied; then offer some constructive feedback. That way, the person in question knows what the problem is. And you also give him or her the chance to do better next time.

Don'ts

Do not give coins. The smallest banknote in Uganda is 50 shillings. If you give coins, it is actually considered poor etiquette and can even be seen as an insult.

Don’t let it get to you. As in every country, people can sometimes be annoying about tip. Don’t let it get to you. If it doesn’t feel right to you, don’t give anything.

We hope you have enough information to travel in a relaxed manner. If you would like to know more, feel free contact us. Or you can browse through our other blogs.

What are the tipping customs in Kenya?

In which currency should you give the tip?