We are frequently asked –
How much to tip my guide and porter in Nepal?
Before we dive straight into how much to tip, let us provide some background on the team to understand them –
Life as a Porter or a Guide in Nepal
Your Guides and Porters are your local experts in the Himalayan Terrain. The help you accomplish a safe and memorable experience. Moreover, they also have government certifications, proper training, and a good network of connections in the villages and areas. This makes them well prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. However, your Guide and Porters have transitioned from a traditional agrarian lifestyle to being a service provider. They have shifted towards the tourism industry mainly because of financial reasons. The income from the Tourism industry is seasonal and not consistent. Thus, the extra income from tips will undoubtedly help your guide and porters to support their family.
From a cultural perspective, Nepali service providers are not accustomed to getting tips and usually do not have such expectations. However, with the influx of global tourists and the boom of the tourism industry, especially on the trekking business, there is a new norm in the tourism industry for tipping. The tip that you provide not only helps improve the service provider’s livelihood, but also acts as a positive reinforcement for them to keep up their service level and work hard.
We did our research in the travel communities of TripAdvisor and Lonelyplanet. We have come up with the easiest formula to help you calculate the minimum amount of tipping we recommend:
How much to tip my guide and porter in Nepal?
Normal Tip = 1 Day of Wages for 5 Days of service
Somewhere around 15% – 20%
Standard daily wages of the trekking team members
- Guide: $25 per day or more
- Porter Guide: $18 – $20 per day or more
- Porter: $15 per day or more
If you use the services of a Guide and a Porter for a 5 day trek, then the minimum tip you could give them is $25 for the Guide and $15 for the Porter respectively. If their service has delighted you, and if you are willing and able to tip more, then please feel free to tip more.
We recommend tipping them at the end of the trek and not the end of the journey because most of the time the Guide and the Porter might not be joining you after the trek.
Furthermore, if you carry plain envelopes to put the tip inside the envelope and give it to the Guides and the Porter, they will really appreciate it. Culturally, it is more acceptable for Nepali guides and porter to accept an envelope with cash inside.
