Globetrotting’s Guide to Tipping
In the spotlight
Many globetrotters, including us Aussies, aren’t familiar with the art of tipping and generally get quite lost at working out the right amount to tip without offending. Each of our horse riding holidays and safaris is different from the next in terms of whether tipping is expected, and how much. With that said, I’ve put together a guideline so you can budget prior to the trip, avoid getting flustered when working out the final amount, and have the cash on hand when your ride comes to an end.
Australia
You are not expected to tip at the end of any of the riding holidays we offer in Australia.
Tips for field staff (drivers, cooks, wranglers) and guides are ALL included in your ride price, so you don’t need to worry about scrounging around for spare cash at the end of your ride. If you want to say a special thank you to a specific person, please make a non-monetary gift or consider staying in touch with the person and finding a way to help them out down the road.
This is a present from the heart and clients should only tip if they are happy for the service provided. There are no hard and fast rules but your guide will help you on this. Tips are collected by the guide in any denomination you wish and distributed evenly amongst the staff.
In Canada it is standard practice to tip. Tipping and it applies with all service sectors such as restaurants, bars, guides, etc. To not leave a tip is a sign of either very poor manners or very poor service. Standard practices is 10-20% of bill. Tipping is considered good manners and a way to express gratitude for persons providing great service.
At our riding property in British Columbia, Canada there is a tipping policy of 10% -20% of the trip cost which is decided by each individual guests. It is paid at the end of your stay along with any incidental costs such as the bar or gift shop. It can be paid by Mastercard, Visa, or cash in USD. So for the 7 day lodge stay it’s from $200 to $300 USD per person.
The tips are put into a pool and divided evenly by all of the crew. We believe that each person that works at the lodge is a key component to the guests overall trip. Even though guides are out front and centre, it’s also the staff who work behind the scenes that are just as important to the overall guest experience.
Tipping on this ride isn’t obligatory and is a personal preference and a ‘thank you’ for staff performance. As a general guide, you can budget for a tip of around US $10 per person per day for your guides, and a tip of US$10-20 per day for general staff. This is a generous tip and it’s recommended that guests should tip as they can afford or wish to.
Guests normally tip their guides direct at the end of their stay, the rest of the camp staff can be tipped together and given to camp management to share out.
Our partners in Namibia recommend tipping £10 per day, so budget for £100 (or equivalent) for your entire trip. Again, the amount to tip is up to your discretion. The tip money is then pooled and divided among the junior staff on trail and is a wonderful addition to their salary, allowing them to have a few luxuries in life. Any currency will do but it’s preferable to tip in local Namibian dollars.
Argentina
In Argentina its customary to tip 10% on all bills in bars and restaurants for good service. An interesting note: when your server is taking your bill with payment away, saying ‘gracias’ usually implies that the server should keep the change as a tip. If you want change back, say ‘cambio, por favor’ instead. Note that tips can’t be added to credit card bills so please carry cash for this purpose.
On our Argentinean rides we recommend tipping at least $20 USD per person per day. Please carry cash with you for this purpose and place it in an envelope and hand to your guide at the end of the trip. They will split it evenly amongst the staff.
Brazil
In Brazil it’s custom to tip 10% on all bills in bars and restaurants. On our Brazilian rides we recommend at least $10 USD, per day. Please pass your tip onto the property’s owner and they’ll split the tip amongst the staff.
USA
In America it’s standard practice to tip. Tipping is considered good manners and a way to express gratitude for people providing great service.
At our riding property in Wyoming, a 15% service charge is added to the cost of your stay and does go to the staff as gratuity. Guests are welcome to tip extra if they would like but there is no customary amount, nor is it expected.
On the Big Horn Cattle Drive, guests are encouraged to tip a minimum $100 USD and give it to the cow boss, who will disperse it later to the crew. Please carry cash on you for this purpose.
The tips are put into a pool and divided evenly by all of the crew. We believe that each person that works at the ranch and riding outfit is a key component to the guests’ overall trip. Even though guides are out front and centre, it’s also the staff who work behind the scenes that are just as important to the overall guest experience.
I hope this helps give you a guideline for your next riding holiday.
