Tipping culture is not so popular in Nepal. So it’s hard to figure out how much to tip your guide in Nepal. Similar issue can arise while you tip your porter.
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About Guide in Nepal:
Nepal welcomes over a million tourist each year. Being blessed by the immensely beautiful nature and rich cultural heritage, Nepal has developed as the major tourist destination over the years. Travel enthusiasts from all over the world visit Nepal to witness the majestic Mountain View (including Mt. Everest, world’s tallest mountain). Tourist has made their impact on the life of local people, providing employment for thousands of Nepalese.
Many Nepalese youths works as a guide and porters for the trekkers while the majority of the family in Everest, Annapurna and Langtang region are making their income through homestay and restaurant. And, you will notice that the charge they take for the service is cheap (you can say it minimum). Thus besides the regular income, the tip received from the tourist is also a medium to support their family. As a tourist, you must be often wondering with questions as How is tipping done in Nepal? Or How much tip is an expected from tourists in Nepal? So, here is the complete tipping guide in Nepal.
Well, like any other place in the world, there’s no fixed tipping rate in Nepal. But remember that the workers as guides and porters don’t have definite work. The source of income is the money when they get a job once tourist hires them. Due to the lack of secured income source, they expect some tip to add an extra amount for livelihood. So it’s likely you be generous while you tip your guide
How much to tip your guide?
There no definite amount you can tip your guide, it’s all about your choice. In restaurants and café, if you like the service, you can tip about 10% and above to show your appreciation. Over some restaurants, they add 10% service charge to the bill which is not a government-levied tax. In such restaurants, you are not expected to be tipping. You can tip housekeeping staff or hotel bellboys in the hotel if you like their service.
When you are in a cab (Taxi as they call in Nepal), you can tip a small amount as the US $1. The best way is to pay the nearest whole amount and ask them to keep the change.
Tipping trekking guide and porters in Nepal:
You might not be expected to tip in a restaurant or taxi, but as a tourist, you are expected to give some tip to the guide and porters for a job well done. Since they belong to the remote area and have a very insecure job, your tip can be a help for their livelihood.
A guideline on how much you should tip your guide in case of any doubts is as follows.
In case of a Group
Service USD/day
Trekking guide 10$-15$
Porter 10$- $12
In case of Solo- trekking
Trekking guide 4$-5$
Porter 4$-5$
Note: Guides usually receive more tip than a porter.
This is a guide for rather a short tip of a week or so. If you are planning a month-long expedition, $200-$250 USD works well.
Also, when you complete your trek, you might give them the trekking gear that you no longer need. Since they will be traveling for many times, you can consider giving your team the extra equipment.
How to Tip in Nepal?
Tipping culture is not popular and may sometimes cause embarrassment in the situation. This might not occur in restaurants but in other places, rather than tipping in public, you can either put your tip into an envelope or tip them when they are alone. For the trekking staff, you can show your gratitude on the last evening of your hike. Some staff may not be available in your departure time, so it is best to tip in the last evening.
Things to avoid while you tip your guide:
You can tip in Nepali Rupees or US Dollars- tipping in Nepali rupees is more convenient.
Do not showboat your generosity.
Don’t give worn-out clothes and old goods which sound like humiliating to the person receiving
Do not tip too less- below Rs. 50
Conclusion:
That is who you tip your guide in Nepal. in the end, the choice is all yours.
We can book your trek to Nepal here. We can make all the necessary arrangements along with finding a guide and porter.
