Tools
Tipping in Nepal
Tipping calculator for trekking guides & porters in Nepal
Tipping is not optional in Nepali trekking — for guides and porters it's often 30–50% of their take-home pay. This calculator builds a fair, generous envelope based on your trek, days on trail, and crew size. Bring it in cash, in NPR, sealed in an envelope on the final morning.
Build your tipping envelope
Bring this much cash for tips
NPR 30,000
≈ $ 196.08 at reference rates. Bring a buffer of 10–15% in case the trip extends.
| Role | Per day | Days | Count | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide | NPR 1,500 | 12 | 1 | NPR 18,000 |
| Porter | NPR 1,000 | 12 | 1 | NPR 12,000 |
Rates are industry baselines (Guide NPR 1500/day, Porter NPR 1000/day). Many guides and porters depend on these tips for half of their income — round up rather than down when the service was good.
Off-trail tipping in Nepal
A reference for the rest of your trip — Kathmandu, Pokhara, taxis, restaurants, and hotels.
Tourist restaurant in Kathmandu/Pokhara
10% if no service charge added — round up to the nearest 50 NPR otherwise.
Local Nepali restaurant or teahouse
Not expected — leaving 20–50 NPR is generous.
Taxi (metered or pre-agreed fare)
Not expected. Round up if the driver helped with bags.
Hotel porter (per bag)
50–100 NPR per bag.
Hotel housekeeping
50–100 NPR per day, left on the bed on the last day.
Spa or massage (1 hour)
100–200 NPR if service was good.
Day-trip driver (Kathmandu Valley)
500 NPR for a full day.
The phrases that earn the warmth
Tipping is half the relationship. The right Nepali phrase at the right moment is the other half.