Tipping is one of the questions trekkers feel shy to ask. Here is the honest answer, as plainly as I can give it.
Is a tip expected?
A tip is a thank-you, not a fee. Guides and porters in Nepal are paid a daily wage for their work: the wages agreed by the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal from July 2023 were NPR 3,100 a day for a guide and NPR 2,400 for a porter. Tipping became common as trekking grew, and today most trekkers give one at the end. Many porters and guides earn only in the two short seasons, so a tip makes a real difference to a family. But it should follow the walk you had, not a rule.
How much people usually give
There is no official amount. In 2026 the figures most often suggested are:
- Guide: around US$15 to 20 a day of the trek
- Porter: around US$10 a day
An older and simpler rule is one day’s wage for every five days of walking. Some trekkers give less, some give more when the days were hard and the care was good. Both are fine.
When you walk as a group, it is easier to put the tips together and decide one amount for each person, so nobody is forgotten and nobody is compared.
How to give it
- In Nepali rupees, in cash. Take the cash out in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you start: cash machines on the trail are few and often empty.
- In an envelope, one for each person. A few words written on it, or on a small card, mean a lot.
- Hand it over yourself, with your right hand or both hands, which is polite in Nepal.
- At the end of the trek, not at the end of your holiday. Porters often go home from the trailhead, so say goodbye to them first.
Things that matter more than the amount
Ask whether your porter has a warm jacket, good shoes and a proper bed at night. Make sure the load is fair: a common limit is about 20 to 25 kg for one porter. Eat together when you can. Respect on the trail is worth more than any envelope.
Rules change. If something here is out of date, please tell me and I will correct it.Tell me
