private tour guide tipping

How Much Should You Tip on a Guided Tour? All Your Gratuity Questions Answered

Everything you need to know about tipping on a guided tour..

The Scoop: What to Know About Trafalgar Tours

When you book a guided tour , it may seem like you’re covering most of your vacation costs before you even depart. Most tours include accommodations, trip leaders, local guides, transportation during the trip, admission fees, and many meals all in the upfront cost. But the addd cost of tour leader tips and other customary gratuities can sneak up on you unless you’ve factored them in at the beginning.

Inspired by my own frustration about the vague information available about how much to tip on guided tours, I’ve compared tipping guidelines and recommendations from a dozen different tour companies to create this tipping guide for tours. You can use it to get a sense of tour operator tipping norms and then plan accordingly.

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Which Gratuities Are Covered in Most Tours?

Many tour companies build tips for support staff into the tour price. That could include hotel staff, waiters, and sometimes (but not always) bus drivers. If your guided tour has a dedicated motor coach driver for the entire trip, for example, you may be expected to tip the driver in addition to your guides.

And almost none of the tour operators I spoke with include the priciest of all tips—tour leader gratuities—into the cost of a tour. The exception is Road Scholar , which includes group leader gratuities in the up-front tour cost. 

Which Gratuities Are Not Covered in Most Tours?

Beyond the above-mentioned exceptions, most tour companies do not include tips for guides and hotel housekeeping. Often, these people rely on tips as a vital part of their income, so it’s important to set your own budget accordingly to make sure you’re tipping at an appropriate level for their service.

• Tour Leader/Director: I’ll go into more detail below about tipping tour leaders, but in terms of the biggest gratuity expense to budget for on a tour, this is it, since the customary amount may well be in the hundreds of dollars.
• Local Tour Guides: Some tour companies will include local tour guides into the gratuities covered in the cost of the tour, while others say you should tip local tour guides individually. If you’re expected to tip local guides on your own, the daily amount usually falls somewhere in the $2 to $10 range. Local tour guides tend to be used for day tours, so you’ll want to tip them at the end of the day, as you may not see them again.
• Hotel Housekeeping: In-room tips for the cleaning staff aren’t generally paid by tour companies. TourScoop’s sister site FamilyVacationist has an explainer about hotel housekeeping tipping etiquette , but generally speaking the customary range is $3 to $10 per day depending on the hotel class. 
• Independent Meals: Learn tipping customs for your destinations before you go, since you’ll likely have some meals on your own and will want to be able to tip or not tip as the culture dictates. 

Why You Should Always Tip Your Tour Leaders

Ask a tour company why you should tip your tour leader and you’ll likely get some version of, “Well, it’s the customary way to thank them for all their hard work” or “It’s how you show appreciation and gratitude.” 

Intrepid Travel goes a bit deeper on its explanation, noting that “tipping is still a big part of leaders’ overall income” and that tipping locals for their guiding services is actually a powerful way to inject cash into the local economy. Since tip money doesn’t pass through a third party, the money “either go[es] straight to the leader, or get[s] divided up among your porters and local guides.”

A great tour leader turns a good experience into a great one, and it’s natural to want to make sure they feel appreciated, even if you have some resistance to the structures that require guests to heavily subsidize these hard-working wonders.

How Much to Tip Your Tour Leaders

The less helpful but most accurate answer to the question of how much to tip your tour leader is that information about tipping is generally found in the final documents you receive before your trip, so be sure to read those pages carefully when you get them (usually somewhere between a month and two weeks before the start of a tour). To give you a ballpark estimate, though, the daily per person tip for a tour leader tip should be somewhere in the range of $7 to $12, with $10 per person per day being the most widely recommended amount. 

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That amount can add up quickly, especially if you have more than one tour leader and/or are traveling with a family group . For instance, Adventures by Disney (which is refreshingly up-front about its tipping recommendations) pencils out gratuities for a 10-day tour with a family of four at $720 to $880, since its family travel adventures always include two tour leaders. That can be sticker-shock territory, which is why I suspect so many tour companies are so cagey about how much to tip tour leaders. 

How and When to Tip on a Guided Tour

Some companies—including Trafalgar , Globus , and Collette —may give you the option to pre-pay tour leader tips with your credit card at the time of booking. On the one hand, that’s great, since it means you don’t need to carry around cash to give at the very end of the trip. On the other hand, it pokes holes in the industry-wide story that the tip is tied to the service you’ve received.

Most tour companies still recommend tipping your tour leader at the end of the tour. Plan to tip in either the local currency or U.S. dollars if it’s a widely accepted currency in the destination country. Some tour leaders also accept Venmo or PayPal.

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How Much Should I Tip My Guide? We Asked Guides How Much to Give.

Tipping is part of life, but it often feels confusing and stressful. Whether you’re on a river trip, a safari, or taking a ski lesson, we asked all the hard questions to provide these guidelines on how much to give—and how to do it right.

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I was on a backcountry hut trip in British Columbia last winter, and at the end of an incredible, powder-filled week, my group of friends and I realized what most of us had forgotten: cash. Specifically, enough money to tip our two hard-working ski guides, as well as the cook, who’d been making us delicious meals morning and night, and the hut caretaker, who’d been pre-heating the sauna and shoveling the path to the outhouse.

It was a major oversight on our part. In the end, we cobbled together what cash we had and the rest of us chipped in via PayPal, a clunky fix.

In America, we know that when we go into a restaurant, it’s expected that, assuming the service is decent, you will leave your waiter a 15 to 20 percent tip on the bill. But when you go on, say, a guided backcountry ski trip or a whitewater rafting trip with a commercial outfitter or an afternoon of guided fly-fishing, the assumptions of gratuity are less clear. Are you always supposed to tip in those cases, and if so, how much?

“Guiding is very similar to the restaurant industry. It’s a service industry,” says Shane Robinson, a Seattle-based mountain guide and the founder of Graybird Guiding . He also guides for the company Alpine Ascents International . “Unfortunately, guides are probably not paid as well as they should be. So, most guides rely on those tips to make ends meet.”

Tips for outdoor guides and instructors vary wildly—some people tip a lot, some less, others don’t tip at all—and every destination is different. If you’re traveling internationally, many countries don’t have a tipping culture like the U.S.

“Tipping these days is much more common, but it’s not across the board,” says Dave Hahn, a long-time guide for RMI Expeditions who has guided on peaks like Mount Rainier and Mount Everest. “I think of a tip as a reward for a meaningful time or for someone putting themselves out there for you, not as an expectation.”

Given that guides are often the one who makes your trip or instruction stand out above the rest, we recommend always being prepared to tip. But sorting out how much to give and when to give it after a shared adventure can be awkward, confusing, and feel so hush hush, like no one’s talking openly about it.

Well, we are. We asked all the hard and awkward questions to provide these dos-and-don’ts guidelines on how to tip like a pro.

1. Do the Math

Typically, the gratuity rate for guides should be around 10 to 20 percent of the total trip cost. That means if you’re paying $500 for a day or two of guided rock climbing, an appropriate tip for your guide would be between $50 and $100.

2. Do Tip Even On Pricey Trips

Maybe you’ve just thrown down $5,000 for a Grand Canyon river trip. That’s a huge chunk of cash for a guided trip. Do you really have to tip on top of that? The answer is yes. “I sometimes find that when the cost of the trip is higher, people tend to tip less,” says Canadian guide Holly Walker, an ACMG-certified hiking and ski guide and owner of Fall Line Guides .

What helps me is to go ahead and factor in a 10 to 20 percent tip based on the total price of the trip into my initial budget to reduce the shock factor. So for that $5,000 trip, I’d tip $500 to $1,000 to be split up amongst the guides.

3. Do Prepare Ahead

Being a good tipper means planning in advance. You don’t want to get caught at the end of your trip without any cash. (Like, um, me.) Sandy Cunningham, CEO and co-founder of the adventure travel company Uncharted , advises her clients to pack a dozen or so envelopes, each filled with predetermined amounts of money and labeled for their recipient: driver, guide, cook, cleaning staff, etc. “You have your travel pouch with all the important things: passports, vaccination cards, envelopes with tip money,” Cunningham says. “That way you’re ready.”

4. Do Tip at the End of Your Trip

Some guiding services will offer a tip for the guide to be added onto your credit card purchase when you book the trip. But tipping is a token of gratitude that should be delivered at the end of your trip, based on a job well done. Typically, there’s a parting moment, when you and your guide are saying your goodbyes. That’s the best time to pass over the envelope and say thank you for the experience.

“At the end of your time, you pull the envelope out and give it to the person directly,” says Cunningham. “I will often bring my own thank you cards and write a personal note, too.”

5. Do Bring Cash

“I joke that I’ll take whatever form you’re paying in. We’re grateful for however it comes,” Shane Robinson says. But cash is king. If you can’t get cash or don’t want to travel with a wad of bills, American guides are accustomed to receiving online tips via Venmo these days. Just make sure you get their Venmo handle so you pay the right person. “It’s sometimes easier to divide up an electronic tip amongst a guide staff,” adds Hahn.

Venmo is currently only supported in the U.S., so if your guide is Canadian or from any other country, cash is the best form of payment. If you book your guide through a site like 57Hours , the app has tipping built in, and that’s a fine way to tip your guide. If you’re tipping porters, drivers, and local guides directly, cash is always preferred.

6. Do Give U.S. Dollars

Ask Walker, the Canadian guide, about preferred currency and she will say: “U.S. dollars are always OK.” So, feel free to get cash from an ATM at home before leaving the country if you don’t want to deal with picking up local currency when you arrive. “Unless it’s stipulated otherwise, people love U.S. Dollars, especially if their currency is weak,” adds Sandy Cunningham.

7. Don’t Forget About Instructional Settings

Guiding can come in many forms—including lessons from a wide range of instructors. Say your kid takes a private lesson from an instructor at a ski resort in the U.S. or you sign up for a mountain bike clinic or a running retreat. A tip is always appreciated. Again, 10 to 20 percent of the lesson price would be about right. Many guides also teach avalanche safety classes or mountaineering courses, and though tips are far less common in those situations because they’re less service oriented, the guides say they’re very grateful when people think to tip afterward. “As guides, the work is essentially the same,” Robinson says.

8. Do Remember the Rest of the Staff

Whether you’re at a backcountry hut, a wilderness lodge, or a safari camp, you might have a guide or two, as well as a cook, caretaker, or cleaning staff. At the end of your trip, plan on tipping out everybody in a service position. First, tip your guide 10 to 20 percent of the total cost. If you have multiple guides, you can tip the lead guide and they can split that up amongst the other guides. Then leave a separate tip—look for a designated tip box, or ask your guide where to leave it—to be distributed amongst the rest of the staff.

“If you’re heli-skiing, you’ve got pilots, waiters, housekeeping, bartenders, tail guides. If you’re on Kilimanjaro, you’ve got porters, people building tents, local guides,” Hahn says. “Those are times when you probably want to touch base with your guide. You can say, ‘How do I take care of the support staff?’ I don’t want to be bashful about those conversations. I consider that part of my job as your guide to make sure that local staff gets tipped properly. They’re much more dependent on those tips than I am.”

9. Do Collect Your Tips if You’re in a Group

If you’re traveling with family or a group of friends, it’s best to collect your cash into one joint gratuity. You can agree on a set amount per person or each contribute what you’re able. That way, the guide isn’t receiving stealthy handshakes with cash from a dozen different people from the same group. “Having the group collect the tip is definitely preferred and nicer for everyone,” says Walker. “Everyone can still say their goodbyes, but it’s less transactions that way.”

10. Don’t Tip in Beer

Any sign of gratitude—be it a hand-written card or a gift certificate or a nice bottle of whiskey—will be appreciated. But again, cash rules. “Buying your guide a meal or beer at the end of the trip—everyone will appreciate that. That’s nice in addition to your tip,” Hahn says. “My point is anything is nice. If someone had a really good trip and credits you with it and expresses that, they don’t always have to say that in money.”

11. Do Tip Even If You Didn’t Summit

So, you paid for a guided trip and for one reason or another, things didn’t go as planned. Like all adventures in the outdoors, final outcomes can be unpredictable. “Nobody should have to pay for service that was subpar,” Cunningham says. If your guide really let you down, factor that into your tip.

But if you didn’t make it to the summit, that doesn’t mean your guide didn’t work hard. “Sometimes good guiding means saying no,” Hahn says. “There’s this perception that you didn’t get us to the top of the mountain, so perhaps you didn’t work as hard as you might have. But obviously, on those days where it’s avalanche conditions or storms or something happened where you had the good sense to not get anyone hurt, that’s still hard work.”

12. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

Gratuity in general has so many nuances, especially so in the outdoor world. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Before you go, check with the operation that you’re booking through if you have any questions about tipping,” Hahn says. Outfitters these days will often provide an exact number or a range of what to consider tipping.

But maybe don’t ask your guide out right what you should pay them as a tip: That exact number is still up to you. “I guided a family for a week and as we were saying our goodbyes, they said, ‘If you were us, how much would you tip you?’” Walker recalls. “It felt very awkward to ask me that directly. I told them, ‘I would tip a percentage that I thought was appropriate.’”

The bottom line is, be prepared to tip. Guiding is hard and often low-pay work, and gratuities are always appreciated.

Outside Correspondent Megan Michelson is an avid traveler who has used many guides on her adventures around the world.

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A Guide to Tipping for Travelers

Andersen Ross Photography Inc / Getty Images

Tipping correctly can save you time, embarrassment, and money. While traveling, many people will offer their services to help make life easier, but it can sometimes be hard to tell who's just doing their job and who expects a tip.

Tipping is payment for a service rendered, but tipping can also be an act of gratitude for someone who goes beyond the call of duty, like a concierge securing front-row seats to the hottest show in town. Choosing not to tip will send a clear message that you have been dissatisfied with the service you've received.

These tipping guidelines are for the United States only. Expectations (and tipping amounts) can vary quite a bit from country to country. Check the travel guide for the particular country you will be visiting for the proper tipping etiquette.

Hotels and Resorts

Occasionally, you might stay at a hotel or resort with a no-tipping policy. In this case, you might find that you are already paying for service by way of a resort fee or service charge added your final bill.

• When valeting your car, tip $1 to $2 to the attendant when he retrieves your car. You can also tip when dropping your car off, but this is optional.
• You don't need to tip the doorman when he opens the door for you, but if he hails you a cab, you should tip $1 to $2.
• Tip bellhops and luggage porters $1 to $2 for every bag they bring up to your room. At a luxury hotel, you might tip more, as much as $5 per bag.
• For housekeeping, leave a daily tip of $1 to $5 per day, depending on the type of hotel and the size of the mess you've made.
• If you order room service, you'll find most hotels already include a service charge on the bill. If there's no service charge, tip 15 percent.
• The hotel concierge exists to help guests, so it's not necessary to tip if they give you directions or make a restaurant recommendation. However, if the service has been especially valuable, such as getting reservations to a restaurant that claims to be totally booked, tipping $5 to $20 is reasonable.
• Be sure to check out our guide for tipping in Las Vegas as well.

In general, more and more cruise lines are moving away from traditional tipping and adding service charges, which will be split evenly among the crew. It varies from line to line, so make sure to ask about their tipping policy before you book your next cruise.

• If the cruise line automatically adds the service charge to your account, you may be able to adjust it lower or higher as you deem necessary. The recommended amount is $10 to $20 per passenger for every day of your cruise.
• Baggage handlers work for the port and not the cruise ship, so you should tip $1 to $2 per bag or $4 to $5 per party.
• Like at a hotel, you can leave $1 to $5 per day for housekeeping in your cabin.
• You will most likely have different servers every day, but if there is someone that stands out (like a bartender who remembers your drink order), feel free to hand them a small token of appreciation.
• Upon any delivery to your cabin, like room service or a special request, you should tip $1 to $3 per visit depending on how much you order.
• Tipping the head waiter isn't necessary, but you can give $5 to $10 if they accommodate a special request or go above and beyond.
• Onshore excursions, you should tip your guides based on the level of personalization from $2 to $10.
• For children's club counselors, tipping is not necessary.
• It's the ship captain's job to command the ship and, occasionally, socialize with guests. Tipping is not necessary and would most likely be refused.

Restaurants and Bars

Whether you're enjoying a night out on the town or just popping down to the hotel lounge for a nightcap, standard tipping practices still apply when you're traveling.

• Tip your server 15 percent to 20 percent of the bill based on the pre-tax total of the bill or more if you enjoyed the service. If a service charge has already been included, feel free to leave without tipping.
• Bartenders should be tipped $1 per drink served, even if they're just pouring beer or wine.
• Tip the sommelier 10 percent of your wine costs, even if it's a less expensive vintage.
• If there is a bathroom attendant, who doesn't just hand out towels but also keeps the bathroom clean, drop a few coins in the tip jar or tip $1 per visit.
• When collecting your things at the coat check, tip $1 per item checked.

Transportation

Depending on how you choose to get around when you travel, you might be expected to tip.

• It's customary to tip cab drivers 15 percent to 20 percent of the fare.
• If you use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft, you're not obligated to tip the driver, but it's considerate to give $1 to $2 for a short trip or more for a long-haul ride.
• If you arrange an airport shuttle transfer, tip $1 for every bag handled.
• Tip limousine drivers 15 percent to 20 percent, unless a service charge is included.

How much you tip a tour guide varies depending on the tour's length, size, and overall quality. In most countries, tipping your guide at the end of a tour is standard practice and will be rarely turned down.

• For a tour that only lasts a few hours, tip your guide 10 percent to 20 percent the cost of the tour. How much you tip also depends on the size of your tour, so you should tip more for a more personalized experience.
• For a multi-day tour, you should tip your guide $5 to $10 per day on the last day.
• If there was a driver in addition to a guide, tip them $1 to $5 per day.
• For free tours, which are offered in many large cities , you should tip between $5 to $10, depending on the quality of the tour.

Spas and Salons

If you purchase an individualized service at a spa or salon, you'll be expected to leave a tip. Some spas might already include a service charge, so make sure to ask about this at the front desk when you go to pay.

• For a spa treatment like a massage or a facial, tip 15 percent to 20 percent if no service fee has been included. If you're getting the treatment at a discount, your tip should be based on the original price.
• There's no need to tip if you're visiting a spa with common facilities like saunas or hot springs without purchasing an extra treatment.
• Medical spas might have more complicated treatments, like botox injections. Usually, tipping is not allowed for these kinds of services.
• Hairstylists and manicurists should be tipped at 15 percent to 20 percent.
• If someone else washes your hair, you can give them a $1 to $5.

Golf Courses

If you decide to go for a round of golf on vacation, you might run into these tipping scenarios.

• On a golf course, the bag boy takes your clubs when you arrive and sets them up in a golf cart for you. He will also wipe them down before you leave, so tip $1 to $2 on arrival and $2 to $5 as you leave.
• If you arrive without a tee time and the starter fits you in, you can tip them $1 to $5.
• Caddies should be tipped 50 percent of the caddie fee, adjusted higher or lower for your satisfaction with their service.
• A forecaddie works for a group of golfers and should be tipped $20 to $25 per player.

A Guide to Tipping in New York City

A Guide to Tipping Hotel Employees

A Guide to Tipping in Germany

A Guide to Tipping in Portugal

A Guide to Tipping in India

How Much You Should Tip in Amsterdam

A Guide to Tipping in Chicago

A Guide to Tipping in Mexico

A Guide to Tipping in France

A Guide to Tipping in the United Kingdom

A Guide to Tipping in Ireland

A Guide to Tipping in Nepal

A Guide to Tipping in Peru

A Guide to Tipping in Asia

Guide to Tipping in Las Vegas

A Guide to Tipping in Canada

How Much To Tip a Tour Guide in the U.S. and Europe

Let’s face it. Tipping can be a delicate topic, and how much to tip a tour guide can seem especially ambiguous. What’s the right amount? When do you tip? Is gratuity ever included? Do you tip for kids, too? What if you had a bad experience? Does the amount you need to tip change based on how long the tour is?

Those are all valid questions. We’ve worked with hundreds of local tour guides to offer tours in over a dozen cities across the U.S. and Europe. With that experience, we have some tipping know-how for tours in top tourist destinations like Paris, New York, and Rome. This isn’t meant as a rule book. Tipping is always at the guest’s discretion, but whether you tour with us or someone else, we want to demystify tour guide gratuities for everyone.

Below, we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about tipping tour guides (plus a few you hadn’t thought to ask). But first, let’s define what gratuities are.

Gratuities and tour guides: an introduction

A gratuity is an amount of money given voluntarily to certain service workers as a thank you for excellent service. 

It’s considerably less than the full cost of the service, often a percentage or a flat amount, and it really is a way to show appreciation. Gratuity comes from the Latin word gratus , meaning thankful, the same word that gives us “gratitude.” And you thought we wouldn’t be covering etymology in this blog post.

Gratuities are most common in the restaurant and hospitality industry. You often tip cab drivers, bartenders, hair stylists, bellhops, and valets but not other service professionals like your accountant or plumber. Tour guides — those fearless leaders who show us new places and take us on exciting travel experiences — are in the group of hospitality workers who frequently are tipped for good service.

Should I tip my tour guide?

Basic tipping etiquette says, yes, you should tip your tour guide. There are exceptions if your specific tour experience includes gratuities or you simply didn’t have a good time, but in general, tipping your guide at the end of the tour is customary in the U.S. and Europe, though it’s much more common in the States.

Is tipping on vacation different in the U.S. vs. Europe?

Tipping is much more prevalent in the United States than it is in Europe. In America, a traveler will tip for all kinds of hospitality services, from wait staff to the person who carries your bags to your room.

People don’t tip as much in Europe, so travelers don’t there as much either. For example, servers at restaurants are paid a normal wage and don’t rely on tips for part of their income.

When it comes to tipping tour guides, a tip isn’t required in either region, but it’s much more expected in U.S. culture. Tips, when given, aren’t typically as high in Europe. Tipping a few euros after an excellent walking tour of 1-2 hours is considered sufficient. For a longer tour or a tour with a higher price point because it includes tickets, you might tip more, around 5%-10% of the total tour cost for each person in your group.

Because of globalization, especially with many American tourists in Western European countries like France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, you don’t have to worry about gratuity being awkward or unwelcome. Most tour guides are familiar with the custom of tipping and will anticipate (and appreciate) this from their guests. But even more so than in the U.S., tipping is a sign of excellent service, so if you feel your guide did a fabulous job, a tip is a good way to show that.

How much should I tip my tour guide?

This is the harder question, but it’s probably why you’re here. So you had a good time. Your tour guide shared some local recommendations, made you smile, and overall added to your experience. How much is the right amount to tip?

It’s up to each guest — and at the end of the day, it’s optional — but here are some rules of thumb from our guides and tour operators on the ground.

• For a short guided tour in the U.S.: Tip $5-$10 (or more) per person if your tour is around two hours or less. This would be an appropriate amount for most walking tours, like our JFK Assassination Tour , as well as some attraction tours, like our express Statue of Liberty visit. For a slightly longer tour, like our Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tour , you might increase the gratuity some.
• For a full-day guided tour in the U.S.: Tip $10-$20 per person if it’s a longer guided tour (think six hours or more). A family of four might tip $40 for our guided six-hour Getty Center and Griffith Observatory Tour .
• For a short guided tour in Europe: Tip €5-€10 per person for a neighborhood walking tour that’s under two hours. This would be a good fit for our 90-minute Le Marais Walking Tour in Paris. For something longer, you might add a few more euros.
• For a full-day guided tour in Europe: Tip €10-€20 per person — or about 5%-10% of the total tour price — for a full-day guided tour. If it’s a bus tour, like our Normandy beach tour from Paris , it’s customary to include a tip for the bus driver as well.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Guided Tour

Those ranges above are averages, and tipping may end up being more or less, but they’re practical guideposts that any tour guide would feel good about receiving.

When do you tip your guide?

This one is easy. You tip most commonly at the end of the tour. As you’re saying your goodbyes to the guide, you can simply hand off the money. 

“A tip shows that I did an outstanding job, that I exceeded guests’ expectations, especially here in Europe where it’s less common that in the U.S.” Cristina Carrisi, Barcelona tour guide

We’ve seen many people like to do it in a “secret handshake” sort of way, slipping them the money as they shake hands. This works, but a simple hand-off is fine, too.

What if I don’t have cash?

More and more today, people don’t carry cash when they travel. Guides are aware of this, and most have other ways to accept payment, such as Venmo or Zelle. Some guides even have a QR code guests can scan. 

If you’re not sure, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask what kind of electronic payment methods they accept for gratuities. You’ll find most guides have a way to tip without cash. For example, most of our guides in the U.S. have Venmo accounts. In Europe, cash is king, so bring money if you plan to tip.

Do you tip the driver for a bus tour?

This varies by tour. It’s common for bus drivers to have a jar or box near the front where guests can drop a few bills on their way out.

For our U.S.-based bus tours at ExperienceFirst, tipping $5-$10 per guest is appropriate to cover both the guide and the driver. The guides split their tips with the driver, so giving your tip directly to the guide works best. In Europe, tipping the bus driver is customary. Around 5%-10% of the tour price is a good rule of thumb.

This rate matches about how much you’d tip for a traditional 90-minute walking tour. Even though bus tours are much longer, buses tend to be fuller than a walking tour, so this smaller tip amount is adequate. As always, tipping more is appreciated, and it’s a great way to tell your guide they did an outstanding job.

Ancient Rome Walking Tour

How much do you tip a private tour guide?

Everything works pretty much the same for a private tour. On private tours, people are sometimes less likely to tip, but unless gratuity has been included in the tour cost, it’s a nice gesture to thank your guide for their time, especially if they went above and beyond to make it a special experience for your group.

When people do tip for private tours, they typically tip more since gratuity is usually a percentage of the total service cost, and prices are higher for private tours. Private tours are also often longer and frequently involve private transportation. For a longer private driving tour, for example, such as a private Los Angeles tour , $50-$100 in tips is common, but for a larger group of, say, eight people, that’s only around $10 per person.

Do you tip for free tours?

What about those “free” walking tours? Are they really free? In short, no. Locals who offer free walking tours expect gratuities nearly always, so you should factor this into your costs when you plan.

There are a few exceptions. Sometimes a tour will say “no tips accepted” or something similar. Perhaps it’s being put on by the local convention and visitors bureau or other tourism organization. In this case, take them at their word. The walking tour really is free. Here’s one such example of a genuinely free walking tour in Bath, England.

Is gratuity included with your tour ticket?

Generally, gratuity isn’t included in the tour price because it’s optional. A few tour operators may include gratuities, particularly for multi-day excursions that also include room and board, but this is typically listed under inclusions. If you’re unsure, feel free to ask before or after booking. 

Good tour operators will make it clear if gratuities are included or not. After all, the last thing we want is for people to be surprised or feel unprepared.

Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour With Alcatraz Ticket

Do you tip if you didn’t like the tour?

If you didn’t enjoy the tour, it’s acceptable not to tip. A gratuity really is a sign that you had a great time and want to show the guide your appreciation.

That said, not giving a tip sends the message that you didn’t enjoy the tour. You can view the tip as a way to communicate your feelings about the tour. 

Do you tip for every person in your group, including kids?

Does the tip amount change if you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or traveling with friends or kids in tow? It’s a good question. Tips are generally per person. While your guide probably isn’t expecting gratuity to cover an infant in arms, kids often require the guide’s attention as well as adults, so they’re typically factored into the tipping amount.

However, if you’re a larger family, it’s understandable to consider a sliding scale that you feel comfortable with to cover your group. A family with six kids might tip the same amount as one with five. As always with tipping, do what you feel is right for you.

What if you don’t know if tipping is appropriate?

After reading this article, hopefully you understand when and how much to tip guides. But you might be in a situation where you’re still not sure for some reason. Maybe it’s not even for a tour.

But there’s one hack you can always use — just ask. Even the famed Emily Post Institute, which provides etiquette training to businesses and individuals around the world, says it’s OK to simply ask in advance if you’re not sure about tipping protocols for the experience or country you’ll be in. Calling or emailing in advance with your questions can help settle any concerns you might have, and it’s better to know before you go, so you can come prepared and decide what you’d like to do.

What tips mean for tour guides

As we mentioned above, a tip shows appreciation. Tipping vs. not tipping lets the guide know if you did or didn’t have a good time. We asked a couple of our guides what tipping means to them. Here’s what they said.

“It is very appreciated when we receive tips,” said Jonathan Mannato, a tour guide in NYC. “For example, there was a tour I gave in pouring rain. We give tours rain or shine, but this obstacle can be hard to keep the guests happy and engaged. We work extra hard because of this. A family of four at the end generously tipped me for my work, and it made me as a guide feel valued. While we know tipping is not required, it is very helpful with our income in this role.”

Eiffel Tower Guided Climb

“A tip shows that I did an outstanding job, that I exceeded guests’ expectations, especially here in Europe where it’s less common that in the U.S.,” said Cristina Carrisi, a tour guide in Barcelona. “I remember one time as I was giving a tour, a 5 year old accidentally broke a small statue inside a shop. Her mother had stepped away to look for the rest of the family. I patiently took care of the child while still giving the tour. The tip her family gave me at the end of the tour showed me how well I had handled the situation.”

Demystifying tour guide tipping

I hope we helped demystify how, when, and how much to tip your tour guide. Not knowing the cultural norms or expectations around tipping can make guests feel nervous, which is the last thing any tour guide or operator wants. You’re on this trip to explore and have fun, not worry.

Now that you know how to tip your tour guide, tell a friend what you learned or join the conversation on Facebook if you have more questions. We’d love to hear from you.

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How much should I tip when I travel?

Editor's Note

Even the most seasoned travelers may find tipping while traveling to be complicated and stressful.

After all, most of us want to thank the right people for great service and don't want to stiff underpaid employees who might be depending on gratuities. At the same time, we don't want to double-pay service charges already included in our bills or inadvertently insult someone in a foreign country.

So, who deserves a tip, and when and where should you give it? Also, how much should you tip?

Tipping customs vary based on your destination and what sort of travel you are doing. For hotels, tipping can depend on the room rate, the level of service and the details of your stay. (Did you refuse housekeeping for the duration of your trip? Or, did you trash the room with a massive all-night party?)

The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted the world of tipping. Housekeepers, for example, may have much more extensive cleaning regimens even though they might not touch your room during your stay. Also, short-staffed hotels may add more responsibilities for already overworked employees.

To help you decide how much you should tip during specific travel situations, from tours to hotels to all-inclusive vacations, here's what to know.

Tipping tour guides

Let's start with how much to tip tour guides. Not unlike when you dine at a restaurant, there's a general consensus to tip tour guides based on the level of service you receive.

For tour guides, we recommend tipping 10% to 20% of the overall tour's cost. Of course, you're always welcome (and encouraged) to tip more for exceptional service if you feel inclined.

Whom to tip at hotels

When many hotels eliminated housekeeping services during the COVID-19 pandemic, I got out of the habit of traveling with the cash I used to carry specifically for tipping housekeeping.

But if there's anyone within hotels you should tip, it's housekeeping. Many experts agree that you should tip housekeeping $3 to $5 per day, depending on the length of your stay, your room rate and the level of service.

"These are the hardest-working people in the hotel and the least recognized," Tom Waithe, general manager of the Alexis Hotel Seattle, previously told TPG.

You should, however, be on the lookout for hidden housekeeping fees that some hotels have been adding to room charges — sometimes up to $40 per day. In these cases, a gratuity is not expected, though it's still possible that those hotels are not sharing these fees with staff.

A rule of thumb states that luggage attendants who help you with your bags at hotels (and airports) should receive $1 to $5 per bag. Round up for large groups of bags or if the attendant must take multiple trips or handle fragile or special-request items.

For car valets, a couple of dollars is typically appropriate; you may want to tip more if the valet delivers on a rush request. If you're staying at a hotel for a while and expect to use your car often, start the valet out with a larger tip of about $10 dollars, and explain your situation. You'll likely get your car parked closer and delivered ahead of other people's cars daily.

Butlers and concierges, especially at luxury hotels, should also be tipped an amount determined by what services they've delivered for you. Tipping the head door person at a hotel can also be a way to get improved service during a longer visit.

Who doesn't need a tip at a hotel, then? The people delivering room service meals where a (usually hefty) service charge has already been added to the tab do not necessitate a tip. Of course, you can still feel free to tip them. In the rare cases when gratuity isn't included or if you've asked the staff for some out-of-the-ordinary services, those circumstances would warrant tipping.

Related: Innovations in hotel stays: How to give guests the next-level experience

Tipping around the world

If you've ever traveled outside the U.S., you may have received mixed messages about tipping or confused faces from non-Americans when discussing tipping culture in this country.

In some countries — such as Australia, Japan and China — tipping is not common. It's actually frowned upon in Japan.

"Tipping abroad is so much more than converting currencies. Many countries and cultures each adopt their own nuanced take on this, at times, delicate matter," Tom Marchant, co-founder of the luxury travel company Black Tomato, told TPG. In Australia, where tipping is "not a common transaction," it can even make recipients a bit uncomfortable.

Otherwise, you should distribute tips as you do in the U.S. when visiting most of Europe, touristy areas of Mexico, the Caribbean (excluding all-inclusive resorts ) and Canada. Tipping is also customary in India and the Middle East.

In Central and South America, leaving small amounts of change in the local currency is greatly appreciated. If you're traveling to Africa, expect more intricacies, depending on whether or not you're on safari or staying at an urban property in a major city.

If you're unsure what's customary in a specific destination, feel free to ask around or err on the side of being overly generous.

Related: The ultimate guide to tipping in Europe

When to tip on an all-inclusive vacation

Speaking of all-inclusive resorts, know that daily service charges are typically included in your bill if you're on a cruise or staying at an all-inclusive resort. However, be sure to double-check your folio carefully or inquire with the front desk upon check-in. Also, be sure to verify what's included in a property's resort fees, even for non-inclusive properties.

According to Lindsey Epperly Sulek — founder of Jetset World Travel and a Caribbean travel expert — most traditional all-inclusive resorts, like Sandals in the Caribbean, include gratuity.

If gratuities are not included, you can follow the previously mentioned hotel guidelines : $1 to $5 per bag for the bellhop, $5 per day for housekeeping (left every day), nothing extra for room service (if included on the bill) and a sliding scale for concierges, depending on the task's difficulty.

If you're taking a tour from an all-inclusive resort — such as for a safari — tip your guides and the driver.

Related: The 17 best all-inclusive resorts in the US for a spectacular vacation

Tipping staff during a cruise

Whether they're called service charges or gratuities, the automatic fees cruise lines charge daily to passengers' onboard accounts — sometimes as much as $25.50 per person, per day — are designed to replace cash tipping. It's a policy that was put in place so cruisers won't feel obligated to tip or worry about when and where to present gratuities.

In addition to passenger-facing crew members, such as waitstaff and cabin stewards, many other crew members see a portion of service fees. This includes people who wash dishes and work in cruise ship laundry rooms. You can pay these fees in advance or have them added to your onboard bill. You can adjust the gratuity amount up or down by visiting the guest services desk during your sailing.

If you want to provide an extra boost to a crew member who has gone above and beyond, mention them in your post-cruise survey so they can receive higher-level recognition. This is something that could come with more long-term benefits than a tip.

If you find yourself on a sailing that doesn't charge daily gratuities or you want to tip extra for stellar service, be sure to bring cash. There might also be a tip box by the reception desk.

Have a favorite bartender or waiter on your sailing? An extra gratuity paid early during your trip will go a long way to ensure that above-average service continues throughout your vacation. Keep in mind that most cruise bar purchases and spa treatments automatically include gratuities ranging from about 15% to 18%. There's no need to tip extra unless you want to.

Related: Can I remove prepaid gratuities on a cruise?

Tipping flight attendants and airport employees

Generally, airline employees like flight attendants are not allowed to accept any tips on the job. However, airport staff members are permitted to do so.

One notable exception is Frontier Airlines, which has an inflight tipping program.

Airline employee unions have fought against allowing flight attendants to accept tips, which may seem counterintuitive. However, labor laws allow employers to pay sub-minimum wages if the employees are assumed to be receiving gratuities on a regular basis. Don't be insulted if flight attendants refuse your tip offers — they're doing so to protect their salaries.

Many airlines provide ways passengers can recognize services provided by flight attendants and other employees. For example, Southwest Airlines has its Commend an Employee program that lets you leave positive comments online. This may have a more positive impact than the dollar tip you offered for your gin and tonic.

Should you want to show your appreciation for a particularly friendly or helpful flight attendant, note that gifts such as snacks or coffee shop gift cards are OK.

Bottom line

Tipping is often customary when traveling, depending on where you go, what service you receive and the level of service provided.

Bookmark this guide for your next international trip.

Related reading:

• 8 lessons I learned from my 1st all-inclusive vacation
• 10 times you do not need to tip on a cruise
• Mobile tipping comes to hotels: Will housekeepers really benefit
• We asked a flight attendant for their top insider tips on flying like a pro

UponArriving

Should You Tip US Tour Guides? (Simple Formula)

Figuring out what to tip a tour guide is not always so straightforward.

But there are some ways to break down your travel experience that can help you intelligently decide on a number to tip (or not to tip).

Below is a breakdown that may help you arrive had a good tipping number for tour guides. (This will be mostly applicable in the US since tipping is not so customary in other countries.)

Table of Contents

General tour guide tipping formula

I would generally recommend to tip your tour guides between 5% to 15% depending on the range of relevant factors that I discuss below.

What is the actual cost of your tour?

Sometimes, you might be turned off by the suggested tip amount when you look at the percentage of your total tour cost.

In these cases, it can really help to break down the different components of your tour so that you can properly assess the right tipping percentage.

The idea is just to tip based on the value of work that the tour guide actually did.

For example, if you booked a bear viewing tour in Alaska that cost $1,000 but $600 of that was just covering airfare then the effective value of your tour guide’s service is $400.

It would make more sense to base your tip on $400 which might make tipping 10% to 15% much more doable for you .

Typically, you would subtract items from your total for things like: meals, entrance fees/permits, transportation, and lodging.

Once you have figured out the actual cost of your tour, then you can decide on if you want to tip based on a percentage or a flat rate.

Tour guide tipping formula

This simple formula will help you come up with appropriate tips for your tour guides.

I’ll explain how it works in detail below but essentially you assume a baseline tip of 5% and then add an additional % based on what the tour guide had to offer.

There are five factors I consider:

Safety (+2%)

Education (+2%).

• Entertainment (+2%)

Length (+2%)

• Over and beyond (+2% or more)

The idea is that you just quickly tally up what factors apply to your tour and then that gives you the percentage number to go with. You can then round up or down to make things easy.

Note that I have placed 2% by each of these factors but you can come up with a percentage that makes sense for you and your budget.

I’ll show you a quick example so you can see how this formula works out.

Let’s say I’m going on a tour in a glow worm cave in New Zealand.

The tour guide is competent and safely navigates us one hour through the cave while educating us on the local ecosystems and some of the natural scenery surrounding us.

The guide is not particularly entertaining and I don’t really get the sense that he is going above and beyond for us in any capacity.

I’m probably going to give him the baseline 5% plus extra points for safety and education. That means that I’d be looking to tip out about 10% with a tendency to round down.

The percentages can help you determine how much to tip but sometimes those percentages can add up to a pretty huge chunk if you were doing a particularly expensive tour.

For that reason, you may want to just offer a flat rate tip.

Let’s say that your total tour was $1,000.

If you apply the above formula and came out to a 15% tip, maybe $150 is a little bit too expensive of a tip for you. So in this case you simply place the ceiling on the tip at maybe $50 or $100.

If you are tipping at a flat rate I would try to keep your tip to at least at or above 5% of your actual tour cost.

Breaking down the tipping formula

Baseline (5%).

A good baseline tip for tour guides of all types is 5% of the total cost.

If the tour was very cheap then try to just tip at minimum of $2 since $1 tips don’t always go over well.

I like to add an additional 2% whenever my safety is in the hands of a tour guide. This would be the case on things like a boat tour, helicopter tour, scuba dive, etc.

If my life could be in jeopardy due to a poor performance by the operator then that means I’m adding 2% to the formula.

At the same time, if your safety is at stake and the tour guide shows a lack of regard for it, that could be a reason for completely removing a tip.

For example, you might be on a scuba dive and having equipment issues but your dive instructor does not seem to have a regard for your safety or maybe they are nowhere to be found.

If the tour guide provides a quality educational experience then I add an additional 2% to the tip formula.

This is often the case on walking tours, food tours, historic site tours, gardens, etc.

If you feel like your knowledge has been enriched after a tour that is a good sign that you should add 2% for the education bonus.

Sometimes I do a lot of research before visiting a location and I don’t necessarily learn a lot but I recognize that the guide was pouring out interesting knowledge left and right and so I will still add the bonus.

Entertaining (+2%)

Some tour guides are more charismatic than others and provide for a more entertaining experience. These tour guides create good vibes and the time can just fly when they are doing what they do.

If your tour guide has you constantly cracking up throughout the tour or just really interested in what he or she is saying, then that’s a good reason to reward them with an extra 2% and consider more for going above and beyond.

I’ll usually add on a couple of percentage points if the tour guide is offering his or her services for an extended period of time.

This is especially true if the tour guide has to be “on” at pretty much all times.

We once did an airboat tour in the Everglades and we had an excellent tour guide who took us through all sorts of different areas. The tour only lasted a couple of hours but he had to be on point during that entire time so that we didn’t crash and end up as gator soup.

That type of focus can be taxing so I like to reward it whenever I can.

Over and beyond (+?%)

When a tour guide goes over and beyond, I believe you should reward them with some additional points.

These situations arise whenever a tour guide is doing whatever they can to help you out even if that means doing things that don’t fall within their job description.

I’ll give some examples of these below to give you an idea what I’m talking about but this is usually something pretty easy to spot.

Bad experience (-?%)

Every now and again you may have a very bad experience on a tour which would justify reducing your tip or even completely avoiding giving a tip.

The biggest reasons why I would decide to NOT leave a tip for a tour guide as if:

• They were rude
• incompetent/negligent
• company made some type of misrepresentation

Rude or inconsiderate

I try to be fair when it comes to tour guides because it can be a pretty difficult job when dealing with lots of people. But some tour guides can get pretty inconsiderate when herding groups of tourists around.

Incompetent/negligent

As mentioned above, when you feel like your safety is at risk because the tour guide is incompetent, that’s a good sign that you should not tip.

In fact, you should report them to management so that you can reduce the risk of something happening to other travelers in the future.

Misrepresentations

Sometimes the tour company misrepresents what they are going to offer you.

For example, I have called ahead to book tours and asked if we would be able to access certain sites only for tour companies to exaggerate what they can do or fail to take the time to verify things. This has led to some pretty big disappointments.

In those situations, I may choose not to tip if I feel like the tour guide could fix the problem but decides not to. Otherwise, I might still leave a tip but will definitely voice a complaint with the company.

(Unfortunately, when running a travel blog you run into this type of thing way too frequently.)

Different tipping scenarios

Now let’s apply this formula to different tour scenarios.

I’ll give you some different scenarios and list out some factors that you’ll want to think about when trying to decide on how much to tip.

A walking tour

A walking tour is usually about learning about all of the history and stories of different sites in a given city or neighborhood, so you’ll be adding points for the education and then perhaps more if they provide the entertainment.

A good walking tour guide will take the time to answer any questions raised and ideally know what they are talking about when answering.

If you’re going through a rough area such as through favelas or some other type of region like that then consider adding an additional 2% for taking care of your safety.

If you are doing a free walking tour then obviously you don’t have a percentage to go on. In that case, you might want to just throw them something like $5 or just match what you see other people giving them.

Your safety is definitely at risk whenever you head into the water on a boat tour or some other type of activity like a kayak tour, canoe tour, etc.

You might also be learning about some of the wildlife or even spotting things like whales, sea turtles, dolphins, etc., so there is potential for getting that knowledge enrichment.

When it comes to wildlife, sometimes guides will go out of their way to help you get good views and photographs to make sure that you don’t miss anything. That can make a good opportunity to add that additional % for going above and beyond.

One example that comes to mind is when we were on a whale shark diving tour and I knocked my GoPro off my head and into the deep ocean. They made us wear lifejackets so with one of those on, there was no way for me to dive beneath the water to save the GoPro.

But without hesitation our guide dove off the boat and rescued the GoPro. That definitely scored him some above and beyond points!

Guides on kayak tours can be really helpful by showing you the best technique and ensuring that you get in and out of your kayak without too much trouble. It’s all about them taking that extra step to make sure you have a good experience.

For a boat tour that goes well, I’m usually looking to tip 15%.

Van drivers

If you’re getting driven around in a van, the van driver may deserve a good tip. For one, safety is a factor especially during certain types of tours like one van trip I did through narrow mountain roads in Mexico.

We once did a northern lights tour and our driver was taking us around on icy roads and in the snow so his driving skills were definitely a major factor to keeping us safe. Plus, he had to keep this up for many hours so it required a lot of focus.

Sometimes during the van ride you might get some inside information from the driver and in those cases you want to add some pints.

Also, because there are typically not many passengers in the van the driver can be attentive to your comfort needs and help out with things like regulating the temperature, volume level of the music, etc.

Bus drivers

If you’re taking a bus tour it’s less likely that you will have interactions with the driver than you would with a smaller van.

Also, because buses require more awareness than a van the bus driver may not be participating in the tour in terms of pointing things out to you.

For those type of tours you may want to only tip 5% to the driver and in other cases you may not necessarily be expected to tip the bus driver anything.

I should also point out that sometimes the van or bus driver will share tips with other guides who are able to be more engaging. If you are dealing with multiple drivers or guides on a tour then consider just applying the formula to the overall experience.

ATV/Jeep tours

If you’re headed off road especially on serious technical off-road routes, you don’t want to take the driving skills of your driver for granted. One major mistake could jeopardize your safety or leave you stranded so you want to take that into consideration.

These tours are usually pretty entertaining as well so that’s a chance for another couple of points. Tips for these usually range from 10 to 15% for me.

Helicopter tours

Helicopter tours are a prime example of when your life is in the hands of a guide/pilot — safety is obviously a big thing.

The pilots also have the ability to talk to you over the headset and provide you with really good information about all of the sites that you’ll be seeing which will likely be an overwhelming amount.

A good pilot will point out all sorts of interesting tidbits especially in places like Hawaii or Alaska where you’ll find dramatic scenery at seemingly every corner.

A nice sense of humor is also a great way to keep your nerves at ease if you are a little bit anxious up in the air.

I’ve now done several helicopter tours and some pilots have gone above and beyond while others have not.

Those that stick out are the ones who really want to cater the experience to your needs. They will be constantly asking you if you want to go higher/lower or get another look at a certain site. For those type of pilots, I definitely add on points and usually end up tipping around 15%.

Snorkel/scuba diving

A good diving instructor will keep a constant eye on all of the divers and never venture too far.

Also, if you have an issue whether it is with your equipment or you are just a mental basket case, they will do whatever they can to help you out. Talented scuba instructors can also help point out wildlife and even assist with taking photographs or video for you.

A lot of diving instructors are also a bit goofy and don’t take life too seriously which helps you to have a good time and not get overly anxious about heading into the ocean. I’m usually tipping 15% for dives.

Private tour

For private tours, I think the factors above apply but I would also add another factor which would apply to individual attention.

I wouldn’t necessarily add points for getting individual attention because that is what you are paying for with the private tour but I would certainly take away points if that doesn’t happen.

When you book a private tour you’re doing so for a specific reason.

You want to avoid the hassle of crowds and get individualized attention, possibly for your specific needs. For example, maybe there are a couple of sites along the tour where you wanted to spend a little bit of extra time.

The best way to get the most out of a private tour is to communicate all of your specific needs beforehand and get verification that the company will be able to meet those needs. The tour guide should then strive to make those things happen barring any unexpected circumstances.

On occasion, I’ve done a private tour where my prior outreach efforts did not seem to have an effect on the tour guide and that was always disappointing which led me to tipping a lot less.

I like breaking down my tips like this because it helps me to feel like I’m giving a tip based on performance which is what tips should usually be based on.

This usually results in me giving a 10% tip except for those scenarios where a tour guide really goes above and beyond. In those situations, there really is no ceiling on the tip and it sort of depends on how much money I’ve already spent on my trip!

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

I like your formula approach, and how you explain each tier. Helpful stuff, thanks.

Thanks for the useful guide. As a New Zealander, I’d like to tell readers that tipping is not the norm in New Zealand and staff do not need to top up their wages with tips in order to earn a living wage. Therefore, the NZ glow worm tour example is not a good one. New Zealanders would not tip the guides and would get good cheerful service regardless.

I just asked Siri what a good tip for a tour guide is. Half the time she says 15-20%. The other half, she quotes your article by saying that 5% is good. She doesn’t read any of the points about adding 2%. She just tells people 5%. As a tour guide who works hard to provide an excellent experience for all my guests, it’s a bit disconcerting that Apple phones will tell half of their users that 5% is adequate.

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Tipping: The Ultimate Guide to Tipping for Travelers

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Executive Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Caroline has a passion for adventure travel and has hiked to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the bottom of the Grand Canyon in pursuit of a good story. Follow her around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline .

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Knowing who to tip—along with how much to give and when you should hand over the cash—is one of the most stressful parts of traveling. We’re aiming to take the mystery out of tipping with SmarterTravel’s Ultimate Guide to Tipping for Travelers. This guide was designed to clear up confusion around tipping the people you most commonly encounter on your travels, from waiters to hotel housekeeping. 

Tipping expectations vary significantly around the world. These guidelines are based on current US standards for tips, and will be most useful for domestic trips and US-based cruise lines/tour groups/hotel chains.

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For multi-day trips, most tour companies will offer guidelines for tipping that they will share with you after booking. Here’s how much to tip on shorter tours. 

Many cruise lines will cover the topic of tipping in their FAQ section of their website. This is where you can learn if gratuities are included in the cost of your cruise. Most cruise lines automatically add about $15-$20 per person, per day, to your onboard bill at the end of the trip to cover tips. These gratuities go into a pool that’s split between the people you’d typically tip (like waiters and housekeeping staff.) 

If an employee went above and beyond for you on a cruise, you can tip them a bit extra at the end of your voyage to show your appreciation. 

7 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise Ship

Should You Tip the Bartender on a Cruise?

Automatic gratuities are typically added on to your bill when you order drinks, so be sure to check your receipt before tipping the bartender. The same goes for spa treatments—tips are usually automatically added.

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• Tipping Guide
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How Much to Tip a Tour Guide? (Read This First!)

When you’re on vacation, one of the best ways to get a feel for the local culture is to take a guided tour.

And when you take a guided tour, it’s customary to tip your tour guide. But how much should you tip?

And why should you tip at all?

In this blog post, we’ll answer all of your questions about tipping tour guides!

Table of Contents

What is a tour guide, and what do they do?

A tour guide is a person who leads a group of people through an area, pointing out landmarks and giving information about the history and culture of the place.

A tour guide might work for a company that provides tours, or they might be self-employed.

Tour guides usually have a lot of knowledge about the area they’re showing you, and they’re also good at keeping people entertained!

Why should you tip your tour guide?

Tour guides work hard to give you a good experience, and they don’t always get paid very well.

Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation for their work.

How much should you tip your tour guide?

10% and 20% of what the tour cost.

For example, if the tour cost $100 per person, you should tip $20.

But there are other things to consider when deciding how much to tip.

If the tour was especially long or difficult, you might want to give a larger tip.

And if the tour guide went above and beyond to make sure you had a good time, you might also want to give a larger tip.

When in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of giving too much rather than too little.

What if you can’t afford to tip?

If you can’t afford to tip, that’s okay!

You can still show your appreciation by saying thank you.

Remember, tipping is just a way of showing your appreciation – it’s not required.

If you can, leave a review on TripAdvisor or Google Maps so other people can see what a great job your tour guide did!

What are some other ways to show appreciation to your tour guide?

In addition to tipping, there are other ways to show your appreciation for your tour guide.

You could write a positive review on TripAdvisor or Google Maps, or you could recommend the tour to your friends and family.

You could also send a thank-you note to the tour company – they’ll be sure to pass it on to your tour guide!

Tipping tour guides is a great way to show your appreciation for their hard work.

Should You Tip Tour Guides?

Yes, you should tip tour guides!

Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation for their work, and it’s customary to tip tour guides.

Tour guides usually work for a company or they might be self-employed, and they work hard to give you a good experience.

What Is the Standard for Tipping Tour Guides?

In general, the standard for tipping tour guides is 10-20% of what the tour cost.

For example, if the tour cost $100 per person, you should tip between $20.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding how much to tip:

• The length of the tour
• The difficulty of the tour
• If the guide went above and beyond
• What the tour cost

In general, it’s always better to give a little more than you planned on giving.

How to Tip Tour Guide?

At the end of the tour, you can hand the guide cash or you could leave it in an envelope with a note.

If you’re leaving a tip in an envelope, you can put the money in first and then write a note saying thank you and how much you appreciated the tour.

Your guide may make a quick joke about now is the time you tip me, or they may some way to get your attention to tipping.

If that is the case, they will tell you how to Venmo or PayPal them the tip.

They may also pass around a hat, which means this is where you can put the cash for tip-in.

How Much Do You Tip a Private Tour Guide?

A private tour guide is someone who works independently and not for any particular tour company.

The standard for tipping a private tour guide is also 20% of the total cost.

For example, if your tour cost $500 for the day, you should tip $100.

As with any other type of tour guide, you can always give more or less depending on how happy you were with the tour.

Some people prefer to tip private guides in cash, but you could also Venmo or PayPal them the tip.

How Much Do You Tip a Tour Guide and Driver?

A tour guide and driver are two different people.

Your tour guide is the person who walks with you, telling you about the sights.

The driver is the person who drives the vehicle between destinations.

There are no hard and fast rules for how much to tip a tour guide and driver , but a good rule of thumb is to tip them each for about $20 per day.

Do You Tip Museum Tour Guides?

Museum tour guides do not need to be tipped.

Museums do not allow their employees to accept tips because it could be seen as a conflict of interest.

Keep in mind that this is not expected or required, and most museum guides will be happy with a simple thank you.

Do You Tip Ghost Tour Guides?

Ghost tour guides are no different than regular tour guides, and you should tip them the same amount – about 20% of the cost of the tour.

These tours can be a lot of fun, and your guide will appreciate your appreciation!

Ghost tours average around $20 dollars, so your tip should be around $5 dollars per person.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to tipping your tour guide, there are no hard and fast rules.

However, the general guideline is to tip between 10-20% of what the tour cost.

This percentage usually depends on how pleased you were with the tour.

It’s always a good idea to give more than you planned on giving, especially if your guide went above and beyond.

The bottom line is this: if you had a good time and learned something, show your appreciation with a tip!

Do you have any questions about tipping tour guides?

Let us know!

And don’t forget to check out our other blog posts for more travel tips and tricks!

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John Goldsmith

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• Travel Guide

How Much Should I Tip A Tour Guide

Published: December 12, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Raf Marchand

• Plan Your Trip
• Travel Tips

Introduction

When embarking on a guided adventure, whether it’s a hike through the rainforest, a historical tour of ancient ruins, or a safari through the savannah, it’s customary to show appreciation to the tour guide who enhances the experience. However, many travelers often find themselves unsure of how much they should tip their tour guide.

While there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to tipping, there are several factors to consider when determining an appropriate amount. In this article, we will explore these factors and provide some guidance on how to make a fair and reasonable decision. Keep in mind that tipping customs can vary across different countries and regions, so it’s important to take cultural norms into account as well.

Before delving into the specifics of tipping, it’s important to understand the crucial role that a tour guide plays. Tour guides are not only knowledgeable about the destinations they lead tours in, but they are also responsible for ensuring the safety and enjoyment of their guests. They often go above and beyond to provide insightful commentary, answer questions, and create a memorable experience for everyone involved.

When considering how much to tip your tour guide, it’s helpful to know industry standards and recommendations. In some countries, tipping tour guides is a common practice, while in others, it may not be as prevalent. Researching the tipping customs of your destination before you embark on your adventure can provide valuable guidance.

However, keep in mind that there can be regional differences within a country as well. Urban areas may have different tipping norms compared to rural or less touristy regions. Consulting local travel forums or seeking advice from travel experts can offer insight into the appropriate tipping practices of specific areas.

The size of your tour group and the duration of the tour can also influence your tipping decision. If you are part of a small group or a private tour, the guide’s attention may be more personalized, warranting a higher tip. Conversely, if you are part of a large group, individual attention may be limited, and the tip amount can be adjusted accordingly.

Aside from the group size, the quality of service provided by the tour guide should be taken into consideration. Did they go above and beyond to make your experience enjoyable? Did they demonstrate exceptional knowledge and enthusiasm? Consider these factors when determining a tip amount, as a truly exceptional guide may merit a more generous tip.

Factors to Consider

When deciding how much to tip your tour guide, there are several factors to take into account:

• The quality of service: Consider how knowledgeable, engaging, and accommodating your tour guide was throughout the experience. Did they provide interesting and relevant information? Did they handle any issues or challenges with professionalism and grace? A guide who goes above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction may warrant a higher tip.
• The duration of the tour: If your tour lasted several hours or even days, it’s important to factor in the length of time the guide dedicated to making your experience enjoyable. A longer tour may require more effort and energy from the guide, which could influence your tip amount.
• The difficulty or specialized nature of the tour: Some tours may involve more physical exertion, such as hiking or climbing. Others may require specialized knowledge, such as a photography tour or birdwatching expedition. If your guide had to navigate challenging terrain or provide expert insights, it may be appropriate to consider a higher tip.
• The level of personalization: If your tour was personalized or customized to your interests and preferences, it indicates that the guide put in extra effort to cater to your needs. In such cases, a higher tip could be considered to show appreciation for the personalized attention.
• The size of the tour group: If you were part of a large group, the guide may have had to manage a larger number of people and may not have been able to provide as much individual attention. In such cases, a smaller tip may be reasonable.
• Cultural norms and local customs: It’s important to be mindful of the tipping customs in the country or region you are visiting. Some cultures have different perspectives on tipping, and it’s essential to respect and follow their customs.
• Your budget and financial ability: Ultimately, you should consider your personal financial situation and the overall budget of your trip. While it’s important to show appreciation to your guide, it’s equally important to ensure that your tipping amount is within your means.

By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision about how much to tip your tour guide. Remember, tipping is a gesture of appreciation for the service provided, and even a modest tip can go a long way in showing your gratitude.

Understanding the Role of a Tour Guide

A tour guide plays a vital role in enhancing your travel experience by providing valuable insights, historical context, and expert guidance. They are not simply there to lead you from one point of interest to another; they are storytellers, cultural ambassadors, and facilitators of unforgettable memories.

One of the primary responsibilities of a tour guide is to share their knowledge and expertise about the destination. They are well-versed in the history, culture, and significance of the places they guide you through. With their in-depth understanding, they can bring the landmarks, monuments, and natural wonders to life, enriching your understanding and appreciation of the surroundings.

Beyond their extensive knowledge, tour guides also possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills. They are skilled in engaging their audience, adapting their style to suit different groups, and creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. Their ability to connect with travelers and establish a rapport contributes to a more enjoyable and immersive experience.

Furthermore, tour guides are responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of their guests. They are trained to handle emergency situations, navigate challenging terrain, and provide assistance when needed. Whether it’s helping you navigate a crowded marketplace or offering helpful tips on local customs and etiquette, they are there to make your journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Another aspect of a tour guide’s role is to act as a cultural ambassador. They introduce you to the customs, traditions, and local way of life, offering insights that go beyond what can be found in guidebooks or online. They may also facilitate interactions with locals, giving you a glimpse into the daily lives of the community you are visiting. This cultural exchange can foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the destination.

A tour guide’s enthusiasm and passion for their work are contagious. Their love for the destination and their genuine excitement in sharing it with others can greatly enhance your overall experience. They may have anecdotal stories, insider tips, or lesser-known facts that can add depth and interest to your journey.

With their vast expertise, interpersonal skills, and passion for their work, tour guides contribute significantly to the success of your adventure. Recognizing and appreciating their role can help you understand the value they bring and guide you in determining an appropriate tip amount.

Industry Standards and Recommendations

While there is no universal standard for tipping tour guides, there are some general recommendations and industry standards that can serve as a helpful guideline. Keep in mind that these recommendations may vary depending on the country or region you are visiting, so it’s important to research the specific customs of your destination.

In many countries, it is customary to tip tour guides as a token of appreciation for their service. The typical range for tipping tour guides is around 10-20% of the total cost of the tour. However, this percentage can be adjusted based on various factors, such as the duration of the tour, the quality of service provided, and the overall cost of the experience.

Sometimes, tour companies include a recommended tip amount in their literature or inform you of the tipping expectations at the beginning of the tour. These recommendations can be a helpful starting point, but it’s important to consider your own experience and the factors mentioned earlier to determine an appropriate tip.

If you are unsure about the tipping customs of a particular country, it’s advisable to consult travel guides, websites, or forums to gather information. Many travel resources provide country-specific information on tipping norms and etiquette.

It’s important to note that some countries or regions may have different cultural norms when it comes to tipping. For example, in some Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea, tipping is not commonly practiced and may even be considered rude. In these cases, it is best to follow the local customs and not feel obligated to tip.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that some countries have laws or regulations that prohibit or discourage tipping. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any local laws or regulations related to tipping to avoid any unintended consequences.

Overall, it is advisable to use the industry standards and recommendations as a starting point and then consider the specific circumstances of your tour, the quality of service provided, and the local customs to determine an appropriate tip amount. Tipping is a way to show appreciation, and even a modest amount can be a meaningful gesture that recognizes and rewards your tour guide’s efforts.

Regional Differences

When it comes to tipping tour guides, it’s crucial to recognize that regional differences can greatly influence tipping customs. Tipping practices can vary significantly from one country to another, and even within a country, there may be variations based on the region or cultural norms.

In some parts of the world, such as the United States or Canada, tipping tour guides is expected and considered standard practice. In these countries, a common guideline is to tip around 15-20% of the total cost of the tour. However, it’s important to note that these percentages can vary based on the duration and complexity of the tour, as well as the quality of service provided.

On the other hand, in many European countries, tipping tour guides is not as prevalent or expected. In some cases, service charges may already be included in the tour price, eliminating the need for additional tipping. However, if you feel that your guide has provided exceptional service, a small token of appreciation is still appreciated. It’s best to research the specific customs of the country you are visiting to ensure that you are following the appropriate etiquette.

In Asian countries, tipping practices can vary significantly. For instance, in Japan and South Korea, tipping is not commonly practiced and may even be seen as impolite. In contrast, in countries like Thailand and Indonesia, tipping tour guides is appreciated and considered customary. It’s advisable to research the specific customs of each Asian country you visit to understand the appropriate tipping practices.

In Latin American countries, tipping tour guides is generally expected, but the percentages may vary. In countries like Mexico and Costa Rica, it is customary to tip around 10-15% of the tour cost, while in Brazil, a lower percentage of around 5-10% is common. Again, it’s important to research the tipping customs of the specific country you are visiting to ensure that you are following the local practices.

It’s worth mentioning that these are just a few examples, and tipping customs can differ significantly even within regions. For example, tipping practices in urban areas may differ from rural or less touristy regions. Consulting travel forums, checking reliable travel resources, or seeking advice from local experts can provide valuable insights into the tipping customs of specific areas.

Ultimately, being aware of and respecting regional differences is key when tipping tour guides. By familiarizing yourself with the tipping customs of your destination, you can ensure that your tip is appropriate and well-received, reflecting your appreciation for the services provided.

Group Size and Duration of the Tour

When deciding how much to tip your tour guide, it’s important to consider the group size and the duration of the tour. These factors can significantly impact the amount of effort and attention the tour guide needs to give to ensure a memorable experience for everyone.

If you are part of a large group, it’s important to recognize that the tour guide may have to manage more individuals and provide general information to the entire group. In such cases, it may be more challenging for the guide to provide personalized attention to each guest. While the quality of service should always be taken into consideration, it may be reasonable to adjust the tip amount slightly lower in recognition of the larger group size.

Conversely, if you are part of a small group or a private tour, the tour guide may be able to provide a more personalized experience. With a smaller group, the guide can offer individualized attention, answer specific questions, and tailor the tour based on the interests and preferences of the guests. In such cases, it may be appropriate to consider a higher tip amount in appreciation of the enhanced experience and dedicated attention provided.

The duration of the tour is another important factor to consider when determining the tip amount. If you are embarking on a multi-day or extended tour, the tour guide’s commitment and dedication to ensuring your satisfaction may be even greater. Leading a tour for an extended period of time requires additional energy, effort, and expertise from the guide. In such cases, it is reasonable to consider a higher tip amount to recognize the additional work put into making your experience enjoyable throughout the extended duration.

However, it’s important not to solely base your tip amount on the duration of the tour. The quality of service should always be a primary consideration. A shorter tour with exceptional service and attention to detail may warrant a higher tip than a longer tour where the guide did not meet your expectations.

Overall, both the group size and the duration of the tour play a role in determining an appropriate tip amount. It’s essential to consider these factors along with the quality of service provided when making your decision. Remember, while it’s important to reward exceptional service, it’s also important to be fair and reasonable to your guide based on the circumstances of the tour.

Quality of Service

When tipping a tour guide, one of the most important factors to consider is the quality of service provided. The level of service can greatly influence your overall experience and warrant a higher or lower tip amount.

A tour guide who goes above and beyond to ensure your satisfaction deserves recognition and appreciation. Did they demonstrate exceptional knowledge and expertise about the destinations you visited? Were they engaging and enthusiastic, making the tour informative and enjoyable? Did they show attentiveness to the needs and interests of the group?

If the guide provided exceptional service, such as going out of their way to accommodate requests, providing personalized insights, or showing genuine care for your comfort and enjoyment, it may be appropriate to consider a higher tip amount. Recognizing and rewarding excellent service is a way to show appreciation and incentivize tour guides to continue delivering outstanding experiences.

Conversely, if the tour guide’s service fell short of expectations, it may be appropriate to adjust the tip amount accordingly. Did they lack sufficient knowledge or provide inaccurate information? Were they unresponsive to questions or concerns? Were there any instances of unprofessional behavior?

If you feel that the quality of service did not meet your expectations, it’s reasonable to adjust the tip amount accordingly. However, it’s important to remember that everyone can have an off day, and it’s always a good idea to consider the overall experience and not solely base the tip on isolated incidents.

It’s worth noting that communication plays a significant role in evaluating the quality of service. A good tour guide should have clear and effective communication skills, ensuring that important information is relayed accurately and in an engaging manner. They should be able to answer questions, provide guidance, and address any concerns that arise during the tour.

In the end, tipping based on the quality of service is a way to reward tour guides who excel in their roles and provide exceptional experiences. By recognizing their efforts, you contribute to their professional growth and motivate them to continue delivering outstanding service to future travelers.

Cultural Etiquette

When tipping a tour guide, it’s essential to consider the cultural norms and etiquette of the country or region you are visiting. Tipping customs can vary significantly across different cultures, and it’s important to respect and adhere to these practices.

In some countries, tipping may not be expected or may even be considered inappropriate. For example, in Japan, tipping is not a common practice and can be seen as an affront to the service provided. Instead, focusing on expressing gratitude and appreciation verbally or with a small gift is more appropriate in Japanese culture.

On the other hand, in countries like the United States or Canada, tipping is a customary practice, and service industry workers rely on tips as a significant portion of their income. Failing to tip appropriately in these countries may be considered rude or disrespectful.

It’s crucial to research and understand the tipping customs of the specific country you are visiting. Consult reputable travel guides, websites, or local resources to gather information on how tipping is commonly practiced and what is considered an appropriate tip amount.

Additionally, cultural etiquette goes beyond tipping. Being mindful of cultural norms and customs during the tour is important to ensure that you are respectful and sensitive to the local culture. This includes being punctual, dressing appropriately for religious or cultural sites, and refraining from any actions or behaviors that may be considered disrespectful or inappropriate.

If you are unsure about the cultural etiquette of a particular country, it’s always a good idea to observe and follow the lead of the locals or seek guidance from your tour guide. They are knowledgeable about the local customs and can provide valuable insight on how to navigate cultural nuances.

By adhering to cultural etiquette, you show respect for the local culture and contribute to a positive interaction between yourself and the people of the destination. This extends to tipping, where adhering to the appropriate customs ensures that your token of appreciation and gratitude is received and understood in the right way.

Remember, cultural norms and etiquette can vary greatly from one country to another, so it’s important to approach each destination with an open mind and willingness to adapt to local customs.

Personal Budget and Financial Ability

When deciding how much to tip your tour guide, it’s important to consider your personal budget and financial ability. While it’s important to show appreciation for the service provided, it’s equally important to ensure that the tip amount is within your means.

It’s essential to set a realistic budget for your trip, including all expenses such as accommodations, transportation, meals, and activities. Tipping should be factored into this budget as well.

If you have limited financial resources, it’s perfectly acceptable to offer a modest tip. Remember, tipping is a gesture of gratitude, and even a small amount can still convey your appreciation for the tour guide’s efforts.

On the other hand, if you have the financial means, you may choose to offer a more generous tip to show extra appreciation for exceptional service or to demonstrate your satisfaction with the overall tour experience.

It’s important to strike a balance between showing appreciation for the service provided and being mindful of your own financial circumstances. You should never feel obligated to tip beyond what you can comfortably afford.

In some cases, if your budget is tight or if tipping is not customary in the country or region you are visiting, there are alternative ways to express gratitude. These can include writing a positive review, providing a testimonial, or recommending the tour guide to friends or fellow travelers.

Ultimately, tipping should be a voluntary and discretionary decision based on your personal financial ability and the quality of service provided. It’s important to be honest with yourself about what you can afford and to tip accordingly.

Remember that tour guides understand that tipping customs can vary, and they appreciate any gesture of gratitude, big or small. It’s the thought and appreciation behind the tip that counts.

By considering your personal budget and financial ability, you can make a tip that is meaningful and appropriate for you while still recognizing the efforts of your tour guide.

Alternative Ways to Show Appreciation

While tipping is a common way to show appreciation to tour guides, it’s important to note that it may not always be the most practical or appropriate option. Fortunately, there are alternative ways to express your gratitude and acknowledge the excellent service provided by your tour guide.

1. Write a positive review: Taking the time to write a glowing review of your tour guide’s services can go a long way in showing appreciation. Share your positive experience on travel websites, social media platforms, or directly to the tour company. This not only helps the tour guide in terms of recognition and future bookings but also provides valuable information for other travelers.

2. Provide a testimonial: If you had an exceptional experience with a tour guide, offer to provide a testimonial that they can use on their website or promotional materials. Your positive feedback can serve as a powerful endorsement and help boost their reputation.

3. Refer others: If you were thoroughly impressed with your tour guide, recommend them to friends, family, and fellow travelers who are planning a trip to the same destination. Word-of-mouth recommendations can make a significant impact and bring more business to the guide.

4. Offer feedback: Provide constructive feedback to the tour guide or the tour company. Let them know what you appreciated about their service and any areas where they could improve. This feedback can help them refine their services and deliver an even better experience to future travelers.

5. Show genuine interest: Engage with your tour guide during the tour by asking questions, showing curiosity, and demonstrating a genuine interest in the destination and its culture. A shared enthusiasm can make the experience more enjoyable for both you and the guide.

6. Respect the local culture: One of the best ways to show appreciation to your tour guide is by demonstrating respect for the local culture. Follow their guidance on appropriate behavior and cultural customs. Be open-minded, tolerant, and receptive to new experiences.

Remember that tour guides are passionate about sharing their knowledge and ensuring that you have an incredible experience. By expressing your appreciation in any of these alternative ways, you are not only recognizing their efforts but also contributing to their professional growth and success within the industry.

While these alternative methods may not provide immediate financial gratification, they are valuable ways to express gratitude and make a lasting impact on the tour guide’s career. So, even if tipping is not feasible or customary, there are many other meaningful ways to show appreciation and leave a positive impression on your tour guide.

Tipping tour guides is a way to show appreciation for the invaluable service they provide during your adventures. While there is no fixed rule for how much to tip, considering various factors can help you determine an appropriate amount. Factors such as the quality of service, group size, duration of the tour, and cultural norms should all be taken into account when making your decision.

Understanding the role of a tour guide and recognizing their efforts to enhance your experience is crucial in determining a fair tip. They go beyond simply guiding you through destinations, often serving as storytellers, cultural ambassadors, and facilitators of unforgettable memories.

Respecting regional differences and cultural etiquette is also vital when tipping. Tipping practices can vary significantly from one country to another, and it’s important to research and follow the local customs to ensure that your generosity is well-received.

While tipping is a traditional method of showing appreciation, it’s important to remember that there are alternative ways to recognize the exceptional service of tour guides. Writing positive reviews, providing testimonials, referring others, offering feedback, and demonstrating genuine interest in the local culture are all valuable ways to express gratitude.

Ultimately, it’s important to consider your personal budget and financial ability when deciding on a tip. It’s the thought and appreciation behind the tip that counts, and even a modest amount can convey your gratitude for a memorable adventure.

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Should you tip your tour leader? Here’s what we think.

Tipping is one of those topics than tends to split travellers into tribes: the Pro Tippers and the I’ve-Already-Paid-For-This-Service-Thank-You Anti-Tippers.

Usually the divide is simple: travellers who come from countries that tip versus travellers who didn’t grow up with a tipping culture. But it can be a thorny question. What are the rules? How much should you tip (if at all)? What are the consequences if you get it wrong?

We’ve already written a bit about tipping in America and Vietnam (and Smarter Travel has some good general advice) but today we’re talking about small group travel. In particular: whether or not to tip your tour leader.

Our position

We work closely with local unions and abide by regional laws on wages to make sure every local leader and porter gets a fair and decent wage. But tipping is still a big part of leaders’ overall income. Particularly in cultures where tipping is entrenched in the tourism industry, like America and South East Asia.

RELATED: HOW TO BUDGET LIKE A BOSS, SPEND LIKE A LOCAL ON YOUR NEXT BIG ADVENTURE

Why tipping matters

But beyond good manners, tipping injects cash into the local economy, which is really the big benefit of small group tourism. By tipping in local currency, you’re making sure money is going to those who deserve it most. Tips don’t pass through any third party (not even Intrepid). They either go straight to the leader, or get divided up among your porters and local guides.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR LOCAL LEADERS HERE

Do I have to tip?

All we ask is that you research the effects of tipping before making up your mind. And if you still don’t want to tip, find some other way to show your gratitude. Your local leader will really appreciate it.

RELATED: 12 COMMON (AND EXPENSIVE) TRAVEL MISTAKES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

How much should I tip?

If you haven’t been on an Intrepid trip before, and the idea of tipping is giving you mild anxiety, this is generally what happens: on the last day, over lunch or dinner, the group covertly gets together (like an office organising a colleague’s surprise party). Some discuss how much they’re thinking of tipping (talking about money can be awkward, so some travellers just put in what they feel), and there’s a quick whip-around in an envelope, which gets presented to the leader at the completion of the tour. It’s also fine to give your own tip separately from the rest of the group. The amount each traveller tips is usually anonymous.

How much you put in is up to you. Chat it over with your group. See what you think is fair. Whatever amount you decide on, we can almost guarantee it will make a substantial difference to your leader.

If I don’t feel like tipping, what should I do?

If you’d like some more info on tipping, or anything else to do with Intrepid leaders, check out our FAQ page. There’s some good general advice there.

Interesting in exploring the world on an Intrepid small group adventure? Search our range of tours now . 

All images C/O Intrepid Travel. 

Feeling inspired?

Intrepid Travel

Intrepid has been leading small group adventures for over 30 years. We’re a certified B Corp, which means we want to be the best travel company not just in the world, but for the world. To create positive change through the joy of travel. You can read our latest adventures right here.

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The Roaming Boomers

Ultimate european tipping guide.

Posted by David Porter on Friday, April 28, 2023 · 4 Comments  

Our ultimate European tipping guide is designed to give you tipping etiquette for the major European countries.

While many European countries have similar etiquettes, simply scroll down our list to find your destination countries.

Tipping Guidelines for European Countries

In France, tipping is not mandatory, as a service charge is usually included in the price. However, if you receive exceptional service, it is common to leave a small tip as a gesture of appreciation.

Here are some tipping guidelines to follow in France:

1. Restaurants: A service charge is often included in the price of the meal, but it is customary to round up the bill to the nearest euro or leave a small amount (5-10%) if the service was exceptional.

2. Cafes and bars: It is not necessary to tip at cafes and bars, but if you do, it is common to round up to the nearest euro.

3. Taxis: It is customary to round up to the nearest euro or add 10% of the fare as a tip.

4. Hairdressers: It is not expected to tip hairdressers in France, but you can round up the bill to the nearest euro or leave a small tip (5-10%) for exceptional service.

5. Hotel staff: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff in France, but you can leave a small amount (1-2 euros) for the maid or the porter if they provide exceptional service.

In England, it is customary to leave a gratuity or tip in certain situations, although it is not mandatory. Here are some general guidelines for tipping in England:

1. Restaurants: It is common to leave a tip of around 10-15% of the total bill in restaurants, especially if you have received good service. Some restaurants may include a service charge in the bill, so check before leaving an additional tip.

2. Pubs: It is not necessary to tip in pubs, but you may leave some loose change if you want to show appreciation for good service.

3. Cafes and coffee shops: Tipping is not expected, but you may leave a small amount of change in the tip jar if you wish.

4. Taxis: It is customary to round up the fare or leave a tip of around 10% of the total fare.

5. Hairdressers and beauty salons: It is common to leave a tip of around 10-15% for hairdressers and beauty therapists if you are happy with their service.

6. Hotels: It is customary to tip hotel staff who provide services, such as porters who carry your luggage or room service staff who bring food to your room. A tip of £1-£2 per bag for porters and 10-15% of the total room service bill is appropriate.

In Italy, tipping is not mandatory as service charges are usually included in the bill. However, it is customary to leave a small amount of cash as a gesture of appreciation for good service. Here are some tipping guidelines to follow in Italy:

1. Restaurants: If the service charge is not included in the bill, you can leave a tip of 5-10% of the total amount. It is common to round up the bill to the nearest euro or leave small change.

2. Cafes and Bars: Tipping is not expected in cafes and bars, but if you are happy with the service, you can round up the bill to the nearest euro or leave some small change.

3. Taxis: Tipping taxi drivers is not expected, but it is common to round up the fare to the nearest euro or leave some small change.

4. Hotels: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff, but you can leave a small amount for the cleaning staff, around 1-2 euros per day, and for the porter or concierge, around 1-2 euros per bag or service rendered.

In Germany, tipping is generally not as common or expected as it is in some other countries. However, it is still appreciated in certain situations. Here are some general guidelines for tipping in Germany:

1. Restaurants: In Germany, it is customary to round up the bill to the nearest euro or leave a small tip of around 5-10% if you are very satisfied with the service. Unlike in other countries, the tip is not usually calculated as a percentage of the total bill.

2. Bars: Tipping in bars is not expected, but it is common to round up the bill or leave a small tip of around 1-2 euros for good service.

3. Taxis: Tipping taxi drivers is not mandatory, but rounding up the fare or adding a small tip of around 5-10% is appreciated.

4. Hairdressers and beauty salons: It is customary to tip hairdressers and beauty salon staff around 5-10% for good service.

5. Hotel staff: It is common to tip hotel staff who provide extra services such as carrying your luggage or cleaning your room. A tip of 1-2 euros per service is sufficient.

Overall, tipping is considered a gesture of appreciation in Germany rather than an obligation. It is up to your discretion whether to tip or not, but it is always appreciated when you do.

In Spain, tipping is not obligatory, but it is customary to leave a small tip if you have received good service. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Restaurants: Tipping in restaurants is not mandatory, but it is common to leave a small tip of 5-10% of the total bill if you are happy with the service. Some restaurants may include a service charge in the bill, in which case tipping is not necessary.

2. Bars and cafes: It is not common to tip in bars and cafes, but you can leave small change (such as rounding up to the nearest euro) if you wish.

3. Taxis: Tipping taxi drivers is not mandatory, but it is common to round up the fare to the nearest euro or to add a small amount (such as 5-10% of the total fare) as a tip.

4. Hotels: It is common to tip hotel staff, such as housekeepers, bellhops, and room service staff. A tip of 1-2 euros per day for housekeeping is appropriate, and you can give a small tip (such as 1-2 euros) to bellhops who help with your luggage.

5. Other services: In general, it is not necessary to tip for other services, such as hairdressers, spa treatments, or tour guides. However, if you are pleased with the service, you can leave a small tip (such as 5-10% of the total cost) as a token of appreciation.

It’s important to note that tipping customs may vary depending on the region and the type of establishment, so it’s always a good idea to ask locals or check with the staff to see what is customary.

In Portugal, tipping is generally not expected, but it is appreciated for good service. Here are some tipping guidelines to keep in mind:

1. Restaurants: It is common to leave a tip of 5-10% of the total bill if you are satisfied with the service. However, many restaurants include a service charge of around 10% in the bill, so it is worth checking before leaving an additional tip.

2. Cafés and bars: Tipping is not expected in cafés or bars, but you can leave some loose change as a token of appreciation for good service.

3. Taxis: Tipping taxi drivers is not expected, but it is common to round up to the nearest euro as a courtesy.

4. Hotels: Tipping hotel staff is not expected, but it is appreciated for good service. You can leave a few euros for the housekeeping staff, and a small tip for the porter who carries your luggage.

5. Tour guides: If you take a guided tour, it is common to leave a tip of around 10% of the tour cost for the guide.

Remember, tipping is always optional and should be based on the level of service provided.

In Ireland, tipping is generally not expected, but it is appreciated for good service. Here are some tipping guidelines to keep in mind:

1. Restaurants and Bars: In restaurants, it is common to tip 10-15% of the total bill for good service. However, some restaurants include a service charge in the bill, so be sure to check before adding a tip. In bars, it is not expected to tip unless you receive exceptional service or want to buy a round of drinks for your group.

2. Taxis: Tipping taxi drivers is not expected, but rounding up to the nearest euro is appreciated.

3. Hairdressers and Beauty Salons: It is common to tip hairdressers and beauty salon staff 10-15% of the total bill.

4. Hotel Staff: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff, but if you receive exceptional service from housekeeping or room service, a small tip of 1-2 euros per day is appreciated.

5. Tour Guides: It is common to tip tour guides 10% of the tour cost if they provide good service.

Overall, tipping in Ireland is a matter of personal preference and should be based on the quality of service received.

Tipping in Austria is generally expected in many service industries, but it is not always mandatory. Here are some tipping guidelines to follow in Austria:

1. Restaurants: Tipping in restaurants is customary in Austria, with the usual amount being between 5-10% of the total bill. If you receive excellent service, you can consider tipping more.

2. Cafés: Tipping in cafés is not mandatory, but it is appreciated. You can round up the bill or leave a small amount of change on the table.

3. Bars: In bars, it is common to round up the bill to the nearest euro or leave a small tip for good service.

4. Taxi drivers: You can round up the fare to the nearest euro or leave a 10% tip if you receive good service.

5. Hairdressers and beauticians: Tipping 5-10% is common in these industries if you are happy with the service.

6. Hotel staff: It is customary to tip hotel staff, such as housekeeping or bellhops, 1-2 euros per day of your stay.

Remember that tipping in Austria is not mandatory, and you should only do so if you are happy with the service you receive.

Tipping is a common practice in Hungary, but the amount can vary depending on the situation. Here are some general guidelines for tipping in Hungary:

1. Restaurants: It’s customary to leave a 10-15% tip at restaurants, depending on the quality of service. Some restaurants may include a service charge in the bill, so be sure to check before tipping.

2. Bars: Tipping at bars is not expected, but if you received good service, you can round up the bill to the nearest round figure or leave a small amount as a token of appreciation.

3. Taxis: You can round up the fare to the nearest round figure as a tip. If you received exceptional service, you can add a little extra.

4. Hotels: It’s common to leave a small tip for housekeeping, usually around 200-500 HUF per night. For porters, you can tip around 200-500 HUF per bag.

5. Tour guides: If you take a guided tour, you can tip the guide around 2000-3000 HUF per person, depending on the length of the tour and the quality of the guide.

Remember that tipping is always voluntary and based on your satisfaction with the service provided.

Tipping customs in Greece can vary depending on the type of service and location. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Restaurants: Tipping in Greece is not obligatory, but it is customary to leave a small amount of change, usually 5-10% of the total bill. If the service was exceptional, you may want to leave a bit more.

2. Cafes and bars: It is not common to tip in cafes or bars, but you may leave some small change if you had good service.

3. Taxis: Tipping taxi drivers in Greece is not expected, but rounding up to the nearest euro is appreciated.

4. Hotel staff: It is customary to tip hotel staff, such as maids and bellhops, a small amount of money for their services. Typically, 1-2 euros per day for the maid and 1-2 euros per bag for the bellhop is sufficient.

5. Tour guides: If you have a private tour guide, it is customary to tip them around 10% of the total cost of the tour.

Overall, it’s important to note that tipping in Greece is not obligatory, and you should only tip if you feel the service was exceptional.

Netherlands

Tipping in the Netherlands is not mandatory, but it is customary to round up the total amount of your bill or to leave a small amount of change as a gesture of appreciation for good service. Here are some general tipping guidelines to keep in mind when traveling in the Netherlands:

1. Restaurants: It is common to round up the bill to the nearest euro or to add a small tip of around 5-10% for exceptional service. However, keep in mind that many restaurants in the Netherlands include a service charge in the bill, so it is always a good idea to check your bill first.

2. Cafes and Bars: Tipping in cafes and bars is not common, but it is appreciated if you round up the total amount of your bill or leave some small change.

3. Hotels: It is common to leave a small amount of change for the hotel staff who carry your luggage or clean your room, usually around 1-2 euros per bag or per day.

4. Taxi drivers: Rounding up the fare to the nearest euro or adding a small tip of around 5-10% is customary for taxi drivers.

5. Tour guides: Tipping for tour guides is not mandatory, but if you enjoyed the tour, it is a nice gesture to leave a small tip of around 5-10% of the total cost of the tour.

It is important to note that tipping is always at your discretion, and you should not feel obligated to leave a tip if you did not receive good service.

In Norway, tipping is not as customary as it is in some other countries, as service charges are often included in the prices of goods and services. However, it is still polite to leave a small tip for good service. Here are some tipping guidelines for travelers in Norway:

1. Restaurants: A service charge of 12-15% is typically included in the bill, so it is not necessary to tip further. However, it is common to round up to the nearest whole number or add a few extra kroner for exceptional service.

2. Bars: It is not necessary to tip at bars in Norway, as service charges are typically included in the price of drinks.

3. Taxis: It is customary to round up to the nearest whole number when paying for a taxi ride. For example, if the fare is 145 kroner, you could round up to 150 kroner.

4. Hotels: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff in Norway, but you could leave a small amount for the housekeeping staff if you feel that they have done an exceptional job.

5. Tour guides: If you go on a guided tour, it is common to tip the guide between 50-100 kroner per person, depending on the length and quality of the tour.

Overall, tipping in Norway is not expected, but it is appreciated for exceptional service.

In Sweden, tipping is not as common as it is in other countries, but it is still appreciated in certain situations. Here are some tipping guidelines for travelers to Sweden:

1. Restaurants: It is not customary to tip in restaurants in Sweden, as a service charge is usually included in the bill. However, if you feel that the service was exceptional, you can leave a small tip of 5-10% of the total bill.

2. Bars: Tipping at bars is also not common in Sweden. If you do want to tip, rounding up the bill to the nearest whole number is generally enough.

3. Taxis: It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers in Sweden, but rounding up the fare to the nearest whole number is appreciated.

4. Hotels: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff in Sweden, as a service charge is usually included in the bill. However, if you feel that the service was exceptional, you can leave a small tip for the housekeeping staff.

5. Tour guides: If you take a guided tour, it is not necessary to tip the guide in Sweden, but if you feel that the guide did an exceptional job, a small tip of 5-10% of the total cost of the tour is appreciated.

Overall, tipping in Sweden is not expected, but it is always appreciated if you feel that the service was exceptional.

In Denmark, tipping is not a common practice as service charges are usually included in the prices of goods and services. However, if you wish to show appreciation for exceptional service, you can follow these general tipping guidelines:

1. Restaurants: It is not necessary to tip in restaurants as a service charge is usually included in the bill. However, if you wish to leave a tip for exceptional service, you can round up the bill to the nearest 10 or 20 DKK.

2. Bars: Tipping is not expected in bars, but you can round up the bill to the nearest 10 or 20 DKK if you are satisfied with the service.

3. Hotels: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff, but you can leave a small amount for the housekeeping staff if you wish.

4. Taxi: It is not expected to tip taxi drivers in Denmark, but you can round up the fare to the nearest 10 DKK as a gesture of appreciation.

Overall, tipping in Denmark is not expected, but a small gesture of appreciation for exceptional service is always appreciated.

In Finland, tipping is not as common or expected as it is in some other countries, and service charges are usually included in the price of goods and services. However, it is still appropriate to leave a small tip for good service, particularly in restaurants.

Here are some general guidelines for tipping in Finland:

1. Restaurants: Tipping is not expected, but leaving a small amount (5-10%) for excellent service is appreciated.

2. Taxis: Tipping is not necessary, but rounding up to the nearest euro is common.

3. Hotels: It is not necessary to tip hotel staff, but leaving a small amount (1-2 euros) for the housekeeping staff is appreciated.

4. Tour guides: Tipping is not expected, but if you feel the guide did an excellent job, a small amount (5-10 euros) is appropriate.

Overall, it’s important to remember that tipping in Finland is not as common as in other countries, and it’s not expected. However, if you feel that you’ve received exceptional service, a small tip is always appreciated.

Tipping in Iceland is not expected, but it is appreciated in some cases. Here are some general guidelines for tipping in Iceland:

1. Restaurants: Tipping is not expected in Iceland, but rounding up the bill or leaving a small tip (around 10%) is appreciated for good service.

2. Bars: Tipping is not expected in bars, but rounding up the bill or leaving a small tip (around 10%) is appreciated for good service.

3. Tour guides: Tipping tour guides is not expected, but it is appreciated for exceptional service. A tip of 500-1000 ISK (around $4-$8 USD) per person is a good guideline.

4. Taxi drivers: Tipping taxi drivers is not expected, but rounding up the fare is appreciated.

5. Hotel staff: Tipping hotel staff is not expected, but leaving a small tip for housekeeping (around 200-500 ISK, or $2-$4 USD per day) is appreciated.

Overall, it’s important to remember that tipping is not expected in Iceland, but it is appreciated for good service. If you receive exceptional service, feel free to leave a small tip to show your appreciation.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, tipping is a common practice, but it’s not mandatory. Service charges are typically included in the bill in restaurants, cafes, and bars, but if you feel the service was exceptional, you may want to leave a tip. Here are some general guidelines for tipping in Switzerland:

• Restaurants: A service charge of around 10-15% may be included in the bill, but it’s common to round up the total to the nearest franc or leave an additional 5-10% as a tip for good service.
• Taxis: Rounding up to the nearest franc is standard practice, but if the driver provided extra assistance with your luggage or was particularly friendly, you may want to add a few extra francs.
• Hotels: It’s customary to tip hotel staff who provide a service, such as porters who carry your luggage, housekeeping, or room service. For porters, a tip of 2-5 francs per bag is appropriate, while for housekeeping, leaving 2-5 francs per day is common.
• Tour guides: Tipping for tour guides is not expected, but if you feel the guide provided an excellent service, you may want to give them 10-20 francs.

Overall, it’s important to remember that tipping in Switzerland is discretionary, and it’s up to your discretion. If you’re unsure, you can always ask locals or staff for advice.

In Croatia, tipping is a common practice, but it’s not mandatory. Service charges are often included in the bill in restaurants, cafes, and bars, but if you feel the service was exceptional, you may want to leave a tip. Here are some general guidelines for tipping in Croatia:

• Restaurants: A service charge of 10% may be included in the bill, but it’s common to round up the total to the nearest kuna or leave an additional 5-10% as a tip for good service.
• Taxis: Rounding up to the nearest kuna is standard practice, but if the driver provided extra assistance with your luggage or was particularly friendly, you may want to add a few extra kuna.
• Hotels: It’s customary to tip hotel staff who provide a service, such as porters who carry your luggage, housekeeping, or room service. For porters, a tip of 5-10 kuna per bag is appropriate, while for housekeeping, leaving 10-20 kuna per day is common.
• Tour guides: Tipping for tour guides is not expected, but if you feel the guide provided an excellent service, you may want to give them 10-20 kuna.</

Overall, it’s important to remember that tipping in Croatia is discretionary, and it’s up to your discretion. If you’re unsure, you can always ask locals or staff for advice

We also recommend that you leave the U.S. with maybe $100 converted into the currency of your destination in small bills.  That way, you have some pocket money to tip the many people who will get you to your ultimate destination.  After that, we recommend that you use the many bank ATMs all over Europe’s major cities to get additional cash if needed.

Have fun.  We hope you found this article helpful.

Category: Travel News & Tips · Tags: Travel News

4 Comments on “ Ultimate European Tipping Guide ”

How can I get a copy (pdf) to take with me and keep in my travel folder?

Hi Larry. Go to the top of the page, click print on your browser, and then save it as a PDF.

This is great, thanks. Any thoughts on Switzerland or Croatia?

I just added Switzerland and Croatia. Great to hear from you. 🙂

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How Much Do You Tip a Private Tour Guide in Paris?

By Michael Ferguson

When you visit Paris and decide to hire a private tour guide, one question that often comes to mind is how much should you tip them? Tipping customs can vary from country to country, and it’s important to be aware of the local norms. In this article, we will explore the tipping etiquette for private tour guides in Paris.

Why Should You Tip Your Private Tour Guide?

Before we delve into the specifics of tipping in Paris, let’s first understand why it is customary to tip your private tour guide. Tipping is not only a way to show appreciation for their services but also a means of acknowledging their hard work and expertise.

Tipping is a common practice in the service industry worldwide. It is an additional reward for exceptional service beyond what is expected. By tipping your guide, you are not only showing gratitude but also supporting their livelihood.

Tipping Guidelines for Private Tour Guides in Paris

The general rule of thumb when it comes to tipping private tour guides in Paris is to give around 10-15% of the total cost of the tour. However, there are a few factors that can influence this amount:

• The quality of service: If your tour guide goes above and beyond your expectations, providing exceptional knowledge and making your experience truly memorable, you might consider tipping on the higher end of the range.
• The duration of the tour: Longer tours may warrant a slightly higher tip as they require more time and effort from your guide.
• The size of your group: If you’re traveling with a larger group, it’s customary to tip more as the guide has more people to manage and cater to.

How to Tip Your Private Tour Guide

In Paris, tipping is usually done in cash. It’s best to have some small bills or coins readily available for tipping purposes. When handing over the tip, you can simply say “ merci beaucoup ,” which means “thank you very much” in French.

Note: Some private tour guides may also accept tips via credit card, but it’s always best to ask beforehand to avoid any confusion.

When Not to Tip Your Private Tour Guide

In certain situations, such as when the service provided was below expectations or if you encountered any issues during the tour, it’s okay not to tip. However, it’s important to communicate your concerns with the tour guide or their company so that they have an opportunity to address the problem and improve their services.

In Conclusion

Tipping your private tour guide in Paris is a way to show appreciation for their expertise and hard work. While there are general guidelines for tipping, it ultimately comes down to your satisfaction with the service provided. Remember that tipping is voluntary and should be based on your own judgment and experience.

So, when you’re exploring the beautiful streets of Paris with a private tour guide, don’t forget to show your gratitude by leaving a generous tip!

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The ultimate guide to tipping around the world

Oct 28, 2019 • 19 min read

If you’ve ever found yourself nervously flicking through a stack of notes at the end of a meal when on the road, or fumbling for loose change in the back of a taxi in an unfamiliar city, you’ll understand. Tipping is an elusive custom that seems to change its rules the world over – what is deemed a generous token of appreciation in some countries, can offend the subtle cultural sensibilities of others.

To help steer you through the quagmire of uncertainty and doubt that gratuities can throw up, we’ve put together the ultimate guide to tipping around the world. Whilst it’s important to acknowledge that tipping customs are always morphing and developing – particularly under the influence of mass tourism – this guide will shed at least some light on your travel tipping quandaries and monetary confusion, from restaurants and bars to hotels and taxis. And if after reading you’re still in doubt, there’s no need to worry – you’ll find detailed notes on the tipping conventions of your specific destination in the back of your Lonely Planet guidebook  (hint, hint).

Restaurants and bars Restaurant tipping in Europe is often misunderstood by non-European visitors, with US tourists in particular applying their own generous tipping culture where it isn’t necessarily appropriate. Many countries within the EU have laws that accommodate and standardise gratuity, and larger tips left after even the heartiest of meals, i.e. 15% and upwards, aren’t necessary.

Generally speaking, most European countries, including France , Germany , Spain , Czech Republic , Hungary , Ireland , Portugal and the UK , will add a service charge to a bill but, if not, leave between 5% and 10% (in local currency cash) unless the service and/or food has been poor. Certain other countries including Italy , Austria and Russia won’t always add service charge or expect a tip, but it is common to round up the bill, as wages in the hospitality industry tend to be lower. If eating in a restaurant in Italy , you may see the word ‘ corperto ’ on your bill – this is ‘cover charge’, but won’t necessarily go to the wait staff, so if you’re keen to tip, do it with cash and give it to your server.

Renowned for being eye-wateringly expensive, you’ll be relieved to note that restaurant tipping in Scandinavia and Iceland isn’t expected, and is usually covered in the overall price of the meal.

Adding tips in European bars isn’t expected, but if you’re feeling a bit generous (read: tipsy) after a few drinks, feel free to round up the bill. Tipping in London pubs (and indeed, pubs in the rest of the UK ) is a bit of a head-scratcher for tourists, but it isn’t commonly done. If you find yourself riding high on the general bonhomie that the traditional British pub is known for, do offer to buy the bartender a drink using the phrase “and one for yourself” (with or without your best attempt at a cockney “guv’nor” following it).

Hotel staff Hotel tipping etiquette for many European countries is fairly similar – note that tipping housekeeping staff here is generally less common than in the USA. In the UK , France , Spain , Italy , Germany , Czech Republic and Hungary , if you feel you want to tip, giving €1 to €2 per bag to porters and around €2 to €5 to housekeeping staff is a good rule. Slightly smaller amounts are required in Balkan and Eastern European countries.

In Russia , hotel staff are used to larger tips – between 200 and 250 rubles for porters and 100 to 200 rubles for housekeeping staff.

In pricey Scandinavia and Iceland , hotel staff do not expect tips as service charges are already included in their wages. The same is true for Switzerland , but here handing the housekeeping staff a small amount (roughly 5 to 10 francs) at the end of your stay will be greatly appreciated, even if not expected.

Tour guides Tour guides and drivers in almost all countries in Europe are tipped separately. In Central and Eastern European countries and Italy , tip both about 10 to 20% per day of the tour depending on how much you enjoyed it. In most Western European countries, including France , Germany , Spain and the UK , a tip of around €25 to €40 (or local currency equivalent) a day for the guide, and €10 to €15 for the driver is fair. Russian guides and drivers may expect slightly more – around 3000 rubles for guides and 2,000 for drivers.

Private car drivers in Turkey will expect significant tips of around 200 to 300 lira per day, whilst group tour guides are usually tipped around 60 to 100 lira, and closer to 450 lira for private tour guides.

In Scandinavian countries and Iceland , tips for tour guides and drivers are not expected, but if you feel your experience warrants it, tipping 10% to both guide and driver is a nice gesture. Alternatively, you can offer to buy them both some lunch.

Taxi drivers Taxi tipping in Europe is straightforward – pretty much across the continent drivers don’t expect tips, but rounding up the fare is customary, even as more and more taxis are being fitted with card machines. The only exceptions to this rule are France , Russia and Switzerland , whereby taxi drivers often expect a 10 to 15% tip at the end of a ride, and Scandinavia and Iceland , where tipping taxi drivers, even by rounding up the fare, is not expected at all.

The Americas

Restaurants and bars For restaurants in the USA and Canada , service charge isn’t always added into the bill, and so tipping is pretty much a foregone conclusion – around 15 to 20% is the norm, unless the meal was truly inedible and/or the waitstaff were obnoxious (then it’s more like 5%...). In bars, tipping around $1 per drink, or 15 to 20% of the total bill is customary.

In Central and South American countries, including Mexico , Nicaragua , Argentina and Peru , service charge is more commonly added, but if you want to tip your waitstaff personally, between 10 to 15% (in local currency or US dollars) is a good amount. In others like Brazil , Chile and Costa Rica , restaurants will often include a 10% ‘sit-down’ charge (‘ cubierto ’ in Chile), meaning that a tip is not expected, but around 5% will still be appreciated if you’d like to give it. Tipping in bars here isn’t the norm, but feel free to round up the overall bill.

If you’re dining in the Caribbean (outside of a fancy resort), check the bill to see if the gratuity has been included already. If not, tip around 15 to 20% in restaurants, or round up the bill at a bar.

Hotel staff Leaving tips for hotel staff in the USA and Canada , particularly housekeeping staff, is common practice. Around $3 to $5 a day for housekeeping staff is a good amount, and $1 per bag for porters. 

Tipping slightly less in Central and South American hotels is fine. US dollars are usually accepted (although local currency is preferred). For porters in countries including Costa Rica , Mexico , Nicaragua , Brazil , Chile , Peru and Colombia , go with the local currency equivalent of $1 per bag for porters and $1 to $2  a day for housekeeping staff. Particularly in South America, rural haciendas are popular accommodation options. These are usually tended by a family of staff who will cook, clean and maintain the gardens, so leaving a pooled tip at the end of your stay of around $10 to $15 (or the local currency equivalent) per guest is appreciated.

Tour guides When embarking upon an organised tour in the USA , Canada or Colombia , you can expect similar tipping etiquette – about $10 to $20 in local currency for a tour guide per day, and around $5 to $10 for a driver. As in Europe, both guides and drivers are tipped separately. 

In most Central and South American countries, tour guides are tipped around $5 to $10 (or local currency equivalent) for a day’s work, whilst drivers are accustomed to receiving half that. Note that slightly different rules apply for Andes Trek and Inca Trail porters – this is covered in the last section.

The exception to the general South America tipping rule (aside from Colombia), is Brazil . Here, tourism industry professionals rely heavily on tips, and more generous amounts are appreciated. Think around 100 to 200 reals for a tour guide per day, and slightly less for drivers. It’s also worth noting that Brazilians are very discreet when it comes to business transactions, so don’t make your generous tipping too obvious!

Caribbean bus tours are a popular way to see different parts of whichever island you’re staying on and, if you choose to hop aboard one, tipping the driver a few US dollars is customary. For private tour guides, tip about $20 a day and for drivers around $10.

Taxi drivers  In the USA , Canada and the Caribbean , tipping taxi drivers about 10 to 15% of your fare is the norm, or a couple of dollar bills will suffice for short journeys. 

Taxi rides in Central and South America fall into two camps when it comes to tipping expectations. If you’ve pre-negotiated (or haggled) the fare before getting into the taxi, don’t worry about tipping unless you formed a particularly strong bond with the driver. If the fare is fixed, feel free to round it up at the end of the journey.

Restaurants and bars China , Myanmar , Singapore and Taiwan do not have a strong tipping culture, and so leaving extra money at the end of the meal, or in a bar, is largely deemed unnecessary. However, influenced by the influx of overseas tourists into larger cities, some chic new restaurants in China are starting to accept small tips when offered. The same ever-increasing numbers of tourists in much of Southeast Asia, including Cambodia , Thailand , Vietnam , Indonesia and Malaysia are becoming more and more accustomed to receiving tips, but they still aren’t expected and not leaving one is fine.

In India , service staff have become used to tips from tourists, despite tipping not traditionally being part of Indian culture. In more established restaurants (where service charge is not included), leave 5 to 10% if you really enjoyed the meal, and in smaller, less formal places, either leave a few coins or round up the bill. You can also tip bartenders up to 10% if they’ve really put in the hours serving you.

Other Asian countries, including Japan and Nepal , believe that tipping is only for exceptionally good service – being treated with hospitality and warmth is the norm and shouldn’t be ‘rewarded’. In Japan, some servers might even politely refuse a tip if you leave one.

Hotel staff China ’s no tipping culture prevails when it comes to hotels, but if you’re living the high life in a particularly luxurious establishment, feel free to tip the porter around 5 yuan per bag. You may also find that in high-end hotels, a 10% service charge will be added to the overall bill. Japanese hotels also do not expect their staff to be tipped, particularly in a traditional ryokan  (inn). If you feel particularly inclined, leave around 5000 yen (for a short stay) in an envelope, but it may be politely refused if you hand it over in person. 

India ’s hotel staff are notoriously poorly paid, and so tipping the porter about 50 rupees per bag, and the housekeeping staff 250 rupees a day are particularly welcome gestures.

Throughout most of Southeast Asia, including Thailand , Cambodia , Indonesia , the Philippines , Singapore , Vietnam and Malaysia , a service charge will almost always be included in your overall bill upon check out, and so tips are not expected, although it isn’t uncommon to tip porters the local currency equivalent of $1 per bag. Tipping housekeeping staff is less common but, if you feel you want to, the local currency equivalent of a couple of US dollars per night is fine.

Tour guides As you can probably guess by now, tour guides and drivers in China do not expect tips. South Korean and Taiwanese tour guides do expect to take home a little extra on organised excursions – around 10% of the tour cost is fine to split between the guide and driver. In Japan , tip tour guides around 2500 to 5000 yen for a full day, handed over in an envelope. If you’re using a private driver, it’s a nice gesture to offer to buy them lunch.

A general rule of thumb in India is to tip between 300 to 500 rupees a day for guides and 100 to 200 rupees for drivers.

In Singapore and the Philippines , tipping tour guides and drivers a combined 10% of the overall tour cost is fair – they should split it between themselves. Other Southeast Asian countries like Thailand , Vietnam , Malaysia , Cambodia and Indonesia observe a convention of tipping around $10 to $20 (in local currency) for a tour guide per day, and half of that amount for the driver. It’s customary to give the total tipping amount to the guide, who will then siphon off some for the driver.

Taxi drivers No tips are expected by taxi drivers in China or South Korea , but rounding up the fare is standard practice in Japan . Indian taxi and rickshaw drivers are not accustomed to tips (however much they will insist otherwise), but telling them to keep the change is a genial gesture.

In Cambodia and Thailand , the local currency equivalent of $1 is a good tip for taxi and tuk tuk drivers, whilst in Indonesia , the Philippines and Malaysia , a 10% tip for fixed-fare rides is standard. In Singapore and Vietnam , simply round up the fare or offer the driver to keep the change.

The Middle East

Restaurants and bars In the UAE , Qatar , Jordan and Saudi Arabia , servers in restaurants will expect a 10 to 15% tip at the end of a meal. Even in Dubai , where the government mandates 10% being added to bills at restaurants, hotels and bars, waitstaff will still expect a tip of up to 15%, or even 20%.

Restaurants in Israel will often add a 10% service charge to bills in restaurants and bars, so always check before you start counting out your notes to avoid unnecessary double tipping.

Hotel staff Dubai ’s government-mandated 10% service charge at hotels means that tipping is primarily reserved for those who are feeling particularly flash. In the rest of the UAE , concierges expect a tip for significant requests, like securing a table at a popular restaurant or organising a tour – between 100 and 120 dirhams should suffice. Tip porters around 7 dirhams per bag, and housekeeping staff around 10 to 11 dirhams per day.

In other popular Middle Eastern holiday destinations including Jordan and Israel , tip the local currency equivalent of $1.50 per bag for porters, the same per day for housekeeping, and around $2 to the concierge for small favours if you require them.

Tour guides In Dubai , the rest of the UAE and Qatar , tipping a tour guide the local currency equivalent of around $10 to $15, and a private driver half that amount is a good way to go. After an excursion in other popular tourist countries in the Middle East, including Israel and Jordan , a slightly larger tip of between $25 to $35 (in local currency) for guides and $35 to $45 for driver guides is appropriate.

Taxi drivers Dubai taxi drivers don’t expect tips, but round up the fare if you’re feeling generous. In most other Middle Eastern countries, including the rest of the UAE , Israel , Jordan , Qatar and Saudi Arabia , tip taxi drivers around 10 to 15% of the overall fare.

Restaurants and bars Popular restaurants and bars in holiday hotspots like Egypt , Morocco and South Africa will add a 10% service charge to the bill. If there isn’t one, it’s common to leave a tip of around 10 to 15% if you were happy with your meal.

Throughout the rest of Africa , for the most part, leaving 10 to 15% is a normal tip for good service in restaurants, as is rounding up the bill in bars. Waitstaff and bar staff across much of Africa often earn a very basic living wage, therefore tips are a hugely welcome supplement.

Hotel staff In certain northern African destinations like Egypt and Morocco , hotel concierges are powerful forces. Tip them generously (around the local currency equivalent of $15 to $20) at the start of your stay to ensure good service for the duration. Housekeeping staff should be tipped about $3 to $5 a day in local currency, and porters $1 per bag. 

Throughout Africa’s popular tourist destinations, including South Africa , Kenya and Tanzania , hotels will expect small tips of $1 in local currency to the porter for each bag, and to housekeeping staff each day. Concierges can be useful for pulling strings in these countries, so feel free to tip them around $3 to $5 in local currency for any favours they do for you. Luxury safari camps will often provide a general tipping box at the front desk, and anything placed into this box should be spread evenly among the camp’s staff. If you wish to tip a certain member of staff specifically, make sure you hand it to them in person.

Tour guides When taking tours in North African countries, $20 a day (in local currency) is a good amount to tip guides and driver guides, while drivers can be tipped a bit less. In Morocco particularly, tipping of this nature is best done discreetly.

In other African countries where you might embark on an excursion, tipping about 10% of the overall cost to tour guides and drivers is appreciated. On safari drives, the general idea is to tip your guide the local currency equivalent of $10, and your tracker $5 per day, but give these as cumulative tips at the end of the safari.

Taxi drivers Throughout most of the African continent, the norm when it comes to tipping taxi drivers is to round up the final fare, or tell the driver to keep the change. In countries more accustomed to mass tourism, like Egypt and South Africa , drivers will usually expect a 10% tip at the end of a journey.

Restaurants and bars As staff in the hospitality industry are generally assumed to earn a decent wage in Australia and New Zealand , tipping in restaurants and bars here is not expected, but a standard 10 to 15% is appreciated if you feel the experience warrants it.

On the South Pacific Islands , tipping in restaurants and bars is even less of a concern, as the practice is not part of the indigenous cultures. That said, if you visit a particularly swanky restaurant and have your mind blown with incredible food and service, do feel free to add on 10% to the overall bill, as much as it won’t be expected.

Hotel staff Australia and New Zealand ’s hotel staff are used to fairly standard tips – think around $1 (in either Australian or NZ dollars) per bag for porters and $3 to $5 a day for housekeeping staff.

The South Pacific Islands take a more hospitable stance – when you initially check into your hotel you are considered an honoured guest, and if you stay a second time, family. Suffice it to say, neither of these are expected to tip. If you do feel you want to reward particular staff members financially however, do it face-to-face, otherwise it won’t be taken. This is particularly true of housekeeping staff.

Tour guides Tour guides and private drivers in Australia and New Zealand should be tipped between $20 and $50 (in local currency) per day, whilst bus tour operators can be given around a $5 to $10 tip for a day’s work. 

If you’ve been given a particularly good tour guide or private driver in the South Pacific Islands , showing your appreciation with a tip is acceptable, if not expected. The amount is up to you, but always tip in local currency, as US dollars are hard to trade.

Taxi drivers Similarly, drivers in Australia , New Zealand and the South Pacific Islands will not expect you to tip at the end of a taxi ride, but rounding up the fare to the nearest $1 to $5 is common practice. 

Other top troublesome tipping questions:

How much should you tip for ‘free’ walking tours? A sightseeing option in many major cities worldwide, free walking tours are offered by various companies, but are united in their ‘pay what you want’ approach. Often led by locals, the tours are generally a couple of hours long, consisting of a predetermined, walking route that takes in specific city sites. Attendees are then asked at the end of the tour to leave tips of an unspecified amount if they feel inclined. Theoretically these tours are free, in that you are not obligated to leave any money at all at the end. However, it is generally expected that if you have stayed for the duration of the tour, you should leave the guide with something. A good rule of thumb is to tip the local currency equivalent of around $5 to $10 per person, but you are, of course, welcome to leave more.

Should you tip gondoliers in Venice? Contrary to popular opinion, tipping gondoliers in Venice isn’t really customary, but by all means leave a few euros if you’re feeling flush.

How much should you leave when visiting a mosque or a temple? There isn’t really a hard-and-fast rule here, but try leaving the local currency equivalent of $1 to the person handing out robes and scarves to women, and 50 cents to the person who minds the shoes if there is one.

How much should you tip for a Thai massage? If you grab a quick massage on the Khao San Road or similar, don’t feel obliged to tip more than about 30 baht. If you indulge in a more upmarket massage, your tip should be more around the 150 to 300 baht mark. Resorts and retreats that include multiple treatments will usually state the tipping policy upfront.

How much should you tip Inca Trail porters? The wages of brawny local porters who lug your bags and camping equipment along hiking routes such as the Inca Trail , are often included in a guided tour, but their truly invaluable work shouldn’t go untipped – around 15 to 20 nuevo soles per person, per day, is a good amount to give. 

When should you give baksheesh? When travelling in the Middle East and South Asia, you will often be asked for ‘baksheesh’. The term often applies to a simple gratuity or service charge, but can refer to all kinds of financial tokens of appreciation. If someone asks you for baksheesh without providing a service, this is considered begging, and so giving money is completely at your discretion, although not usually advisable. Baksheesh can be politely asked for by those who have provided a service, but it can be refused at any time and – like almost all tipping customs – is not mandatory, whatever you may be lead to believe. 

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• Electrostal History and Art Museum

You can spend time exploring the galleries in Electrostal History and Art Museum in Elektrostal. Take in the museums while you're in the area.

• Cities near Elektrostal

• Places of interest
• Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
• Central Museum of the Air Forces at Monino
• Peter the Great Military Academy
• Ramenskii History and Art Museum
• Bykovo Manor
• Balashikha Arena
• Malenky Puppet Theater
• Balashikha Museum of History and Local Lore
• Pekhorka Park
• Saturn Stadium
• Orekhovo Zuevsky City Exhibition Hall
• Noginsk Museum and Exhibition Center