Guide To Tipping In Rwanda.

After finalizing all planning for the trip to Rwanda to see the gorillas in the Virunga mountains, and chimpanzees in the Nyungwe forest and take a safari trip to see the big five in Akagera National Park, the last question asked, or topic of discussion is often about tipping. Travelers ask questions such as; how is tipping in Rwanda, should I tip? How much should I tip, and who should I tip? Below I shall guide you on the question of tipping in Rwanda.

Should I tip in Rwanda? It is not mandatory, but you should

First, tipping is not mandatory in Rwanda, and you will not receive an awkward look if you walk away after receiving a service. In a nutshell, tipping culture does not exist in Rwanda and has not been picked up by most people. I just wanted to let you know that tipping is left to your discretion. So, it is best to tip, and therefore plan to have a tipping budget when you travel to Rwanda.

The next question is, who should I tip?

You have so many people along the service chain, but maybe not everyone deserves the tip. The persons you interface with the most and those who visibly put in the effort to see you are satisfied with a service deserve the tip. Some of the people on your service chain include; waitresses & waiters, drivers, guides, and porters.

Now the most important question is, how much should I tip?

Most travelers coming from a tipping society know that they have to tip, but their question is how much should they tip. You can tip as much as you can afford depending on how you are satisfied with the service.

Waiters, waitresses, and other lower hotel personnel

Waiters, waitresses, and other support staff at the hotel can be tipped $5 Alternatively, you can change some dollars to Rwanda Francs and a tip from 1000 – 3000 Rwanda Francs is very decent. That is less than $5 but with good value in Rwandan currency.

Guides (guides at tourist sites)

Depending on the activity, you can tip from $10 – $20. Guides at local sites such as museums can be tipped at $10. Meanwhile, activity guides such as gorilla trekking, chimpanzee trekking, hiking, etc.… can get the biggest tip of $20+ because of the enormous work they do and their direct contribution towards conservation.

Tour drivers

Tour drivers are persons who spend the most time and share with you a wealth of information about different destinations. They also ensure you are safe all the time. These can be tipped for $10 – $15 per day, per tourist in the car. Should I also say tour drivers are one group that is used to being tipped and will be expecting a tip at the end of their service?

Porters

Porters are hired at $10 when trekking to help carry your backpack and provide a push or pull where necessary. At the end of the trek, you can tip them an extra $5 depending on how much more help they would have provided than just carrying the bag.

Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a Local tour operator based in Uganda with its head offices in Entebbe. Moreover, Safari Vacations and Travel Services is a business for Ugandan natives. We specialize in life-changing experiences, sustainable tours, and holidays for all East African countries. Also, we are members of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators and with registration from the Uganda Tourism Board. We have a good and long working relationship with the Uganda Wildlife Authority. We are making booking your gorilla permits and gorilla trekking safari easy. Safari Vacations and Travel Services is also high in Trip Advisor reviews.