At Peru Treks we want every trek and tour that we operate to be an exceptional and unforgettable experience for all of our clients. One of the most important ways that we achieve this is through our trekking teams. These are, after all, the people who will walk with you every step of the way, making sure you’re safe, comfortable, and of course that you never go hungry!

We specially select our Guides, Porters, Horsemen and Chefs not only for their experience and expertise, but for their personalities. For us, hearing our clients talk with fondness and laughter about the PT people they’ve shared their trek with is the biggest and best endorsement we could ask for.

Naturally though, many of our clients do ask us about tipping at the end of their tour; whether they should tip at all and, if so, how much?

Unlike other tour companies, tipping at PeruTreks is 100% voluntary, our staff don’t expect it and you will never be pressured to tip at the end of a tour. However, we also recognize that you may feel that the PeruTreks team have helped to make your trek or tour that little bit more special, and therefore want to tip all of them. With this in mind, here are some general guidelines on how much to tip, so that you are informed beforehand.

Generally groups get together and give collective tips which are then shared between the Chef and all the Porters/Horsemen (including the head porter). Tips are usually given to the team on the last night or last lunch of the trek so that they can thank you personally (your guide will be able to advise when is most appropriate). If each Porter/Horseman were to receive 60 to 70 soles and your Chef received 120 to 150 soles in total from the group, this would be considered a generous tip, and your team would be delighted! Of course, you can tip more if you wish.

We recommend that the tip for your guide is done personally and would suggest between 60 to 100 soles per person.

We hope this helps, and takes any worry out of how much or when to tip.

One last tip…

At Peru Treks we know that by treating our staff the very best we can, we will continue to ensure we provide the best service of all the tour companies in the area. We genuinely believe that our people are the hardest workers around and so make sure they are all equipped with quality hiking equipment and clothing.  If you have any equipment you bought for your trip that you don’t believe you will ever use again, you can donate it to a porter. Headlamps, sleeping bags, clothing, even warm socks, are all great things that can be donated to one or more of your porters. Believe us when we say they will be unbelievably appreciative!

And finally…

Remember that tipping is completely discretionary. If you don’t think tipping is warranted, for whatever reason, then please don’t feel obliged to tip.