Tipping on birding tours is frequently fraught with uncertainty. In some places tipping is discouraged and considered offensive, in others it is expected. People often want to show appreciation for good service with a tip. Gratuities are at your discretion, nonetheless people always ask about it and how much is appropriate.

When budgeting for tips, one source suggests expecting to tip from 5–20% of the total tour cost. So if your tour cost is $1000, this means the total tips you can plan on is between $50 - $200.

Our intention here is to provide simple guidelines for tipping on birding tours and our standard suggestion is in the box below. Beyond that, it can get a little complicated so we have included some links to web sites that can help you get a sense of how various countries view tipping.

On a successful birding tour, guides and drivers often work extremely long hours.
It is likely that they receive low basic wages so tips for them can be an important part of their annual income.

Beyond birding trips, this web site offers suggestions for tipping in several different countries:

• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy web site has tips on International Tipping Etiquette.

Comments & suggestions are welcome to [email protected]

Good Birding!

Updated December 2024

Photo credits:
Jamaican Tody, Jamaica, by Steve Bird
Green Aracari, Guyana, by Gina Nichol.

NOTE: Linked web sites are not under the control of Sunrise Birding and Sunrise Birding is not responsible for the contents of any linked site or any link contained in a linked site. Sunrise Birding provides these links only as a convenience, and the inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement of the linked site by Sunrise Birding.