Tipping in Zambia | Expert Africa

Tipping in Zambia

Tipping explained

"Who should we tip, when and how much?" is a question we are asked regularly by guests travelling to Zambia. The information below will hopefully outline the points and issues involved, in order to help you sidestep any potentially uncomfortable situations regarding tipping.

Tipping in Zambia and the effects on local economy.

Gratuities are of course always voluntary and tend to be dependent upon the quality of the services provided. We do believe that great service should be appreciated but whilst we encourage travellers to feel the same, you should be aware of the potential impacts that tipping may have on the local community.

Tips obviously make a significant difference to the salary of those working in the service industry, including waiting staff, guides and scouts. There's a fine line, however, between the right amount to tip and tipping too much - it might not seem like it has an impact, but it can really tilt the balance of the local economy.

To better appreciate this, consider the jobs of the rangers within the parks. These obviously are vital roles, requiring sufficient knowledge of the area. It's important to have someone competent and educated carrying out this role and as such, posts usually require a high level of education and are generally occupied by those who have worked for several years within the national parks. Salaries are reasonable but not at the high end of the scale.

On the other hand, you have the general assistant staff of the camps. Their responsibility is to help out, perhaps carry luggage. Whilst this is still important, the levels of education and experience required for the job are not as high and thus the responsibility and wages are significantly less than those of the rangers. Consider then the result if such an employee receives much higher tips, perhaps up to US$500 a month. The likelihood is then that they will be making more than the rangers.

In this situation, higher than average gratuities can tip the balance of responsibility and remuneration. If this is a regular occurrence, rangers may well have less motivation to work as hard or take on as much responsibility, possibly quitting their jobs to take on a role that would (with tips included) end up paying them more. This then has severe impacts on the park and the visitors.

Consequently, we would ask that you consider the importance of the work of each individual and tip accordingly.

On safari in Zambia, which members of staff do you tip?

Tipping your guides

Tips for the back of house team

There are many people working to make sure your trip runs smoothly, many of whom you may not even see, including kitchen, maintenance and housekeeping staff. Most lodges have a general tip box that is then split equally between this team.

Should you tip the managers?

Occasionally we're asked if the managers should get tips. They're obviously important to your trip, but consider, would you tip the manager of a restaurant you'd visited? There may be exceptions to the rule but in general we wouldn't usually recommend tipping the camp managers.

In conclusion, in Zambia we would suggest that you tip the guide separately to the back of house team, as you spend the majority of your time with them. It would be uncommon to tip your camp manager.

When to tip

Occasionally we get asked when is the right time to give the tips. There are a few options:

After each activity
At the end of each day
At the end of your stay

General rule of thumb: just tip once, always at the end of your stay at each safari camp or lodge. Not at the end of each activity, or each day.

Guides wouldn't expect you to tip after each of the daily activities, as it could create the impression that the guides need to 'perform' for the person giving the tips, which can distort the relationship between them and the other guests. Imagine the position other guests might find themselves in should you be offering tips this frequently and they were not.

How to tip

In general, Zambian camps will have a main 'tip box' that is shared out between the staff equally. Some camps will exclude the guides and spotters from this, others won't.

The majority of the camps will explain their own tipping policy in their camp literature, but managers will be able to explain if this isn't the case. It's then up to you as to how you'd like to split your tips between the different members of the team - in Zambia you'd usually tip the guides and scouts directly, then the other staff split the 'tip box'. The practice does vary between camps, so please ask if you're not sure!

We do get asked if it's possible to tip by credit card. This is not normal practice, and many safari camps in Zambia won't be able to process this, so we would recommend that you take cash for tipping. You'll find that this is most common anyway, with the preferred currency being US dollars, easily exchanged into Zambian kwacha by camp staff if necessary.

If you want to be incredibly well prepared for your trip then a great idea is to bring envelopes, possibly with thank you notes, to prepare individual tips for the staff. Towards the end of your trip you can name each envelope, add the appropriate tips and then either put them into the main tip box or hand them to the individuals.

How much to tip

We can only offer our own advice on this from our experiences in Zambia. Tipping is not compulsory but always appreciated and depends entirely on your own opinion and your personal satisfaction, moderated by the topics mentioned above.

Having said that, we'd recommend that for good service our travellers tip around:

US$10-20 per guest per day for a group guide
US$5-10 per guest per day for the general staff
US$5-10 per guest per day for a scout

In conclusion, although tipping is a sensitive issue, it's a normal part of Zambia's service industry so there's no need to be embarrassed by it. Remember that more affluent visitors can potentially have a large impact on the local community: tipping can influence the social and economic balance, so do bear that in mind when you're tipping staff during your safari in Zambia.

Our top picks for holidays to Zambia

We'll always tailor-make your Safari for you. Here are some of our favourites to inspire you.

Puku Safari

11 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LIVINGSTONE AIRPORT

Discover South Luangwa’s prolific wildlife before exploring the wildly remote pans of Liuwa Plain National Park and relaxing in one of the Livingstone area’s most romantic and exclusive hideaways. A safari of luxury, style and impressive diversity.

US$13,200 - US$19,920 per person

Perekani Walking Trail

10 days • 5 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

Five smart but rustic bushcamps are the comfortable staging posts for this walking safari in South Luangwa. The route offers outstanding seclusion and rich wildlife with top-quality guiding throughout.

US$9,250 - US$11,500 per person

Crawshay's Zebra Safari

10 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

This superb safari combines two of Zambia’s best national parks, the South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi. The camps are small and high quality with excellent safari guides.

US$10,460 - US$13,820 per person

Duiker Safari

10 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

Three luxurious bushcamps in stunning riverside locations, split between the South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi national parks, offer a wide variety of expert-guided safari activities in stunning game-rich environments.

US$8,060 - US$11,220 per person

Hippo Safari

10 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LIVINGSTONE AIRPORT

Combining excellent game with aspects of remoter safari in South Luangwa, as well as the cultural delights of Livingstone, this trip also makes use of long-stay discounts, making it an excellent-value and well-rounded adventure.

US$7,480 - US$9,520 per person

Giraffe Safari

9 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

A safari to the remotest parts of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. Perfect for experienced safari goers and first-time Africa adventurers. Explore with expert guides whilst staying at small bushcamps.

US$8,390 - US$9,740 per person

Defassa Waterbuck Safari

9 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

Stay in three intimate, owner-run camps during this exploration of Kafue National Park. Remote locations, true wilderness and a range of activities make for a real adventure off the beaten track.

US$8,240 - US$9,360 per person

Civet Safari

9 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

Combining three intimate bushcamps in the quieter south of the South Luangwa, this safari will appeal to those looking for an interesting mix of walking and vehicle safari.

US$7,480 - US$9,970 per person

Purple Roller Safari

8 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

Explore the varied habitats and terrain of Kafue National Park with stays in two wonderfully remote bushcamps: sister camps that offer access to both the centre of the park and the wildlife-rich Busanga Plains.

US$8,790 - US$9,320 per person

Greater Bushbaby Safari

8 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT

The perfect safari for a family or group of friends during which to create everlasting memories. Visit Zambia’s two most productive wildlife parks staying in four-bedroom houses, designed in a unique and fun way.

US$9,400 - US$13,240 per person

View all holidays in Zambia

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