tipping in Tanzania

At hotels in Tanzania, it is important to check at the front desk and inquire about the guidelines for tipping staff members.  Sometimes in hotels there is a tip box, however if one is not available, it is best to tip the staff directly.  Be sure to only tip if you are satisfied with the service.  Do not reward people for poor or rude service.  You should tip porters/bellboys $1 - $2 USD for each bag they carry.  Housekeeping should also receive a small tip for each day; about $2 - $4 USD is reasonable.  Many hotels will exchange money for the local currency.

In Tanzania, it is not customary to tip spa staff. However, if you are satisfied with the service you receive, it is generous to leave a small tip of about 10%, but it really won't be expected.

At restaurants in Tanzania, especially in major cities, it is customary to tip 5%, if a service charge is not included. Alternatively if you are satisfied with the service you can round the bill up to an even amount. Don't worry about tipping too much thought: locals tend to not tip at restaurants.

Tipping is an important part of the safari and trekking experiences in Tanzania.  As such you should tip the drivers, guides, porters and cooks on your tour. Many tour operators have tipping guidelines, so it is best to find out the tipping policy before your trip.  In general, you should expect to tip about $10 USD to $15 USD per group per day for the driver and/or guide.  For the cook, it is suggested you tip about $8 USD to $10 USD.

If you are on a guided trek most guides and porters receive minimal wages.  You should plan to tip about 10% of the total amount and divide between guides and porters.  It also varies for different routes.  For the Marangu route, it is common to tip $40 USD to $60 USD for the guide and $15 USD for each porter.  For national parks, such as Udzungwa Mountains National Park, many times daily rates are usually predetermined by the park.