How much to tip Egypt guide and driver?

[MercedMike]

Let's do some math.

 

A one day excursion to Cairo arranged by the cruise line is about $160 pp. Multiply it by 50 persons makes the total value of the tour to become $8000. If we tip 10% to the guide, he is making $800 a day plus his regular pay and commission. Even the bus is only half full, he is still making $400 a day. I don't make that kind of money myself and most people don't either. Also, how much does a doctor or lawyer make in Egypt? Tour guide may be the highest paid profession in Africa.

 

I would not tip 10% on tours. I tip based on the average salary of the local economy. Tipping is a way to appreciate one's work well done, it is not mean to make someone rich.

 

Tipping on a large group bus tour is a vastly different thing. Most of the discussion on this board has been about private or very small group tours.

 

Accepted standards around the world are to tip a bus driver and bus guide about $5 to $10 a day. Once again it depends wholly on how much service they give you and how they have enhanced your tour experience. Being slightly mobility limited, I sometimes require a bit more attention from the guide. Many of them take excellent care of me and are very courteous about understanding my limitations. They get larger tips. Those who ignore my situation and go galloping across the countryside leaving me behind get smaller tips or none.

 

This tipping thing really is a VERY GOOD system! If we use it correctly, it results in very great benefits to us as tourists. Many guides get into the business because of their desire to earn good money in hard currencies. If we reward the best ones properly, they will stay in the business and work even harder to give good service. If we fail to subsidize the poor ones, very soon they will leave the business to the good ones. WE, as the tourists, are the winners. Our general experience around the world has been to have excellent guides in most places, and I think the tipping system is largely responsible for that!

[tiyana4]

A friend who was just in Egypt sent me a link to this excellent article about tipping (scroll down to the bottom for the tipping section):

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294201 c83628/Cairo:Egypt:Visa.Money.Tipping.html

Seems that in Egypt, tipping is more of a "per person" calculation rather than a percentage, as we are accustomed to here in North America - very interesting!

I agree that 15-20% of tour costs is not always realistic. Yes, superior service warrants an elevated tip, however it makes sense to adhere to their economy as well. I found the section about tipping guides/drivers very interesting. I have seen numbers across the board with regard to tipping. One thing to keep in mind is that many of the tipping amounts being quoted is the total amount for their entire group - not just 2 pp as it is in your case.

According to the article, the suggested minimum tip for a tour guide is the equivalent of $10 USD (per couple per day), while the recommended tip for a driver is $5.50 USD per couple. By American standards, these are very meager amounts, but for those in these foreign countries it is quite acceptable. Anything above and beyond that is always appreciated. My advice, give what you feel you can afford based on the level of service you receive. We are doing this same tour next year, and it is always nice to know beforehand what is expected....very good question.

[MercedMike]

 

 

 

According to the article, the suggested minimum tip for a tour guide is the equivalent of $10 USD (per couple per day), while the recommended tip for a driver is $5.50 USD per couple.

 

AFAIK, that would be the suggested tip for driver and guide on a multi-day bus tour in a large group. I also think it would apply to a single day bus excursion. But if you are with a private guide or in a very small group, then it is entirely different.

 

A bus of 40 people, tipping at the suggested rate, would give the guide about $200 in tips, a very good amount for most countries. Remember that the guides do not work every day, and often only work during a very short season.

 

It would be wholly unreasonable to expect a guide to spend the whole day with a private group of six people, giving them lots of personal attention and special attractions, and get only $30. Isn't that sensible? If the six people each pay $250 for the trip and each tip 10% or $25, that is only $150 for the guide. The wonderful service we have gotten from most of our guides around the world deserves much more!

[tiyana4]

AFAIK, that would be the suggested tip for driver and guide on a multi-day bus tour in a large group. I also think it would apply to a single day bus excursion. But if you are with a private guide or in a very small group, then it is entirely different.!

 

The article specifically spells out the differences between private excursions and those in a large group (bus), and whether or not it is per group or couples only. In all actuality, it is not that significant a difference.

 

A bus of 40 people, tipping at the suggested rate, would give the guide about $200 in tips,a very good amount for most countries. Remember that the guides do not work every day, and often only work during a very short season. !

 

I would suspect that most tour operators take this into account and build this into their pricing structure. I certainly felt that was the case in Alaska.

 

It would be wholly unreasonable to expect a guide to spend the whole day with a private group of six people, giving them lots of personal attention and special attractions, and get only $30. Isn't that sensible? If the six people each pay $250 for the trip and each tip 10% or $25, that is only $150 for the guide. The wonderful service we have gotten from most of our guides around the world deserves much more!

 

Again, we are talking about simple economics. Divide that same $150 in tips by the number of hours worked, and add the day's salary to that. I certainly don't feel that is an inadequate amount. The tip should be based on the level of service and THEIR economy. As another poster mentioned, tipping the equivalent of 1-3 month's salary to the guide is not necessary. If you choose to do that - fine, but not everyone shares your view.

 

As a reminder: Tipping is and always has been discretionary!