Diani Reef Resort - African Theme Dinner
Tipping is an oft ignored aspect of making traveling plans. And it can be frustrating to arrive in a foreign country without foreknowledge of how much to bring in cash for tips. Even worse is constantly wondering when people expect you to leave them a tip!
As soon as we got to Kenya, we asked our local travel adviser for advice on how much and when to tip. We also asked the hotel reception and the restaurant staff (after we’d become familiar with them). So, this advice comes from an combination of our experience and the information given to us by locals.
But before I get down to specifics, let me be honest: my husband and I usually tip way over the local standard – which was especially true in Kenya. Why? Let me put it this way: The GNI (Gross National Income) in Canada is $20,000. In the USA, it’s $33,000 and in the United Kingdom, it’s $24,000. Kenya’s GNI is $350. So, while tipping may seem a bit inconvenient, it is a relatively small portion of your holiday spending – and a little goes a long way.
Tipping Culture
While we were in Kenya, no one at the resort or on safari explicitly asked us for a tip. So, if you absolutely don’t want to tip, you wouldn’t really have to as long as you don’t mind a bit of an awkward pause after having received a service. As our travel adviser from Mombasa told us, tips are appreciated but not required. Also, do note that if someone offers to show you around or carry something for you (especially at the beach or airport), they are expecting a tip. In the case of a “beach or reef tour”, make sure to settle on a price before hand.
Walking along the reef in Diani, guided by a beach "boy"
Basic Tipping Guidelines for Kenya
This is based on exchange rates on 12 May, 2011 (1 GBP=140 KES, 1 USD=85 KES).
|
|
Amount |
||
|
|
Kenyan |
Pound Sterling |
US Dollar |
|
Safari Guide / |
200 per day per person |
1.43 |
2.35 |
|
Short Tour Guide |
100 per person |
0.71 |
1.18 |
|
Airport |
100 (total) |
0.71 |
1.18 |
|
Hotel Wait |
50 (per meal) |
0.36 |
0.59 |
|
Baggage Porter |
50 |
0.36 |
0.59 |
|
Spa Therapist |
100 per treatment |
0.71 |
1.18 |
|
Hotel Room |
50 per day |
0.36 |
0.59 |
As I mentioned before, we tend to tip a bit more depending on the service we receive. Just to give you an idea, below is a summary of we ended up spending on tips.
|
|
Our Average Tip |
||
|
|
Kenyan |
Pound Sterling |
US Dollar |
|
Safari Guide / |
400 per day per person |
2.86 |
4.71 |
|
Short Tour Guide |
200 per person |
1.42 |
2.36 |
|
Airport |
200 (total) |
1.42 |
2.36 |
|
Hotel Wait |
50 (per round of drinks) or 200 (per meal) |
0.36 / 1.42
|
0.59 / 2.36 |
|
Baggage Porter |
50 per bag |
0.36 |
0.59 |
|
Spa Therapist |
200 per treatment |
1.42 |
2.36 |
|
Hotel Room |
100 per day (room) / 600 per week (gym) |
0.71 |
1.18 |
Now for our grand total for tipping (bearing in mind that this is well above the average):
For a three-day safari: KES 2,400
Airport/Excursion transfers: KES 800
Restaurant Staff (10 day total): KES 2,500
Baggage Porters: KES 200
Spa Treatments: KES 400
Hotel Room Attendants: KES 1,000
Gym Attendant: KES 600
TOTAL: KES 7,900 (GBP 56, USD 93)
On safari in Tsavo East
Some Final Tips on Tipping
- Give the tip directly to the person you want to acknowledge.
- For drivers and guides, give your tip as you leave.
- Have small notes ready (50s and 200s). You can’t hand out a 1,000 Schilling note and expect change (We saw this happen; it was awkward.).
- Carry tips separately from the bulk of your cash, as you don’t necessarily want to reveal stacks of notes in public.
- Give room attendants a quarter of your tip near the beginning of your stay and the rest as you leave.
And finally, treat guides and staff with respect, and you will get better service even if you choose not to tip. This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised at how often holiday-goers seem to forget that local workers are people too. We find that simply exchanging smiles (or even a few words, like “Jambo!” or “Hello!”) goes a long way.
Related Posts:
What To Do with Leftovers: Easy Stir Fry Pork Recipe
Vanilla Crème Brûlée: Deliciously Creamy and…
Piri Piri Chicken Recipe
Loading tweets...
4 comments
1 ping
Skip to comment form ↓
Anna
July 23, 2012 at 3:46 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Just want to leave a quick thank you note for sharing your valuable experience. My husband and I are leaving for our Safari trip in Kenya soon and since we don’t really have a tipping culture in Australia, we found your article extremely helpful!
Linda, the Hungry Host
September 25, 2012 at 1:03 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Glad I could help! I know what you mean about tipping culture – we’re from Canada but we live in the UK, and our UK friends always think we tip too much. When we travel, I hate not knowing when and how much to tip – has resulted in a few awkward moments!!
Roy
October 16, 2012 at 5:42 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Thank you for your advice on tipping we leave for kenya just after Christmas and will be able to take-sufficient small value notes to leave a sufficient tip
Linda, the Hungry Host
October 29, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Glad you found it useful! We always like knowing what’s expected regarding tipping – otherwise we end up feeling so awkward! One note about small value notes – try to get them changed into larger value notes before coming back because some exchanges won’t take the very small notes (at least in our experience)! Have a great trip!!! We absolutely LOVED Kenya and we hope to go back one day
Know Your Tipping - Wild About Travel
February 11, 2013 at 3:11 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Croatia (3-5%), Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland (10%), Kenya, Pakistan (only in expensive restaurants), Portugal (very small), Romania (10%), Slovenia [...]