Tipping in Nepal
Tipping culture and etiquette vary from country to country. On multi-day expeditions, a great amount of organizational work is done by support staff who work around the clock to ensure travelers have the best possible experience. Travelers should consider the region (including its cost of living), the size of your group, the length of your expedition, the amount of work and quality of service received while tipping.
Each trekking group in Nepal requires a skilled team of guides, assistant guides, and guides-in-training / porters.
Travelers often want to know how many staff members to anticipate and how to accurately tip each individual. The charts below should serve as a helpful guide when considering a tip at the end of your trek. These amounts are simply a suggestion (and are on the higher end). Travelers are welcome to tip more or less as they see fit.
Annapurna Discovery / Mardi Himal / Langtang Journey - 7 Day Treks:
* Solo Travelers can choose to tip in a range between $125 - $300
Annapurna Base Camp - 10 Day Trek:
* Solo Travelers can choose to tip in a range between $220 - $320
Manaslu Circuit - 13 Day Trek:
* Solo Travelers can choose to tip in a range between $250 - $350
Everest Base Camp - 14 Day Trek:
* Solo Travelers can choose to tip in a range between $250 - $450
Some Important Things to Note:
Talk to your support team to learn about their home country and experience working on the trail. If there is a language barrier, simply showing your team that you appreciate them with a smile and words of encouragement goes a long way!
Tipping usually occurs on the last day of the trek prior to leaving your support team. It is customary to separate tips by individual if possible. If not possible, tipping the guide, assistant guide, and guides-in-training/porters separately is highly recommended.
Travelers can tip in Nepalese Rupees or US Dollars. Be sure to bring new/crisp small bills (nothing higher than $20) in order to tip evenly among all staff. If you prefer to exchange money, you can do so in Kathmandu prior to your trek at any money exchange office or bank.
Our recommendations are on the high end of the suggested tipping range for Nepal treks. While you might be inclined to tip higher if you’ve received exceptional service, it’s encouraged to tip a standard amount so that your guide and support staff can continue making a living from their job rather than relying on tips. That said, please tip as you see fit based on your overall experience!
USD to Nepalese Rupees Calculator
Nepalese Rupees are generally 112 to 1 USD depending on the day of conversion. Click or tap the button below to be taken to an online USD to Sol converter with the most recent exchange rates.
Still have questions? Email us at info@oneseedexpeditions.com or ask your head guide on the trail. Guides are happy to provide you with information on the total number of support staff, names, roles, etc.