Summary
Tipping on the Inca Trail
Tips are not included in the overall price of Inca Trail treks; however, most trekkers choose to tip their guides, porters, and cooks on the penultimate or final day of the hike. Tipping is not obligatory, therefore, you should never feel forced into it, but it remains a tradition on the trail.
To provide an idea of how much cash you should carry for tips—and how much you should give to various trail support staff—we will examine the advice given by some of our recommended Inca Trail tour operators. These recommendations pertain to the classic four-day/three-night Inca Trail, with prices listed in Peruvian nuevos soles. In general, it’s best to tip trekking staff using low-denomination nuevo sol bills.
- SAS Travel recommends that each group member contributes between 50 and 60 nuevos soles (US$19 to $23) to a “pot,” which is distributed among the cook, assistant cook, general assistant, and porters. Additionally, each person should contribute 15 to 20 soles ($5.80 to $7.70) for the assistant guide and 18 to 28 soles ($7 to $10.80) for the principal guide.
- Sungate Tours suggests between 60 and 80 soles per porter from the entire group; 80 to 100 soles for each cook from the group; and 160 to 200 soles from the group for the guide.
- Chaska Tours recommends that each porter should receive 50 soles each for a small group (1 to 5 trekkers) and 30 soles each for a larger group (6 to 16 trekkers). Also, they suggest a maximum of 80 soles for the guide, 70 soles for each cook, and 50 soles for each assistant cook (given collectively from the tour group).
- Llama Path suggests 60 soles for each porter and 120 soles for the cook (from the entire group, not from each trekker).
Moreover, here are a couple more recommendations:
- G Adventures states, “A good rule of thumb is anywhere from $6 to $8 per day for the porters” (15 to 20 nuevos soles).
- Andean Travel Web (an independent resource, not a tour agency) recommends bringing an extra US$25 to $30 (65 to 78 nuevos soles) per person to cover tips, with separate additional tips for personal porters.
Always remember that tips are not mandatory, and the tipping ranges above are merely suggestions, assuming the service provided was of good quality. If your food was subpar, for instance, you should not feel compelled to tip the cook. At the same time, resist the temptation to over-tip.
If you intend to go beyond a standard tip, keep in mind that many porters would appreciate additional donations, such as clothing or educational supplies for their children.
