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Food and Tipping in Uganda

Africa's best authentic tailor-made safaris

Tipping in Uganda is not obligatory but many travellers do leave tips. This extra money really helps boost the income of people working in the tourism industry. For restaurants, you can tip 10% for good service, and if you want to tip a taxi driver, then you can round up your fare.

It’s usual to tip drivers, safari and gorilla tracking guides, and porters at the end of a safari or hike. For guides, you can tip between USD$10 to $20 per day per guest, for a porter US$5 to US$10, and for a private driver you can tip US$20 to US$30 per day for the group. Most travellers also leave tips for the lodge staff (US$5 to US$10 per guest), and many lodges have their own tip box where you leave money to be shared out amongst the staff.

In terms of food, you’ll find the usual international fare at tourist restaurants and hotels. For local food served at eateries and restaurants, the most common main dish is a stew of meat, beans, or groundnuts served with posho (maize meal) and matooke (mashed green bananas). Cassava, sweet potato, white potato, yam, and rice are also common starches. Street-side snacks include things like chapati (flatbread) filled with eggs and onions (known as a rolex), mugati naamaggi (a pancake filled with minced meat and egg), and samosas.

Popular drinks are tea (try the chai-spiced tea) and coffee – two of Uganda’s crops – as well as lager beer, banana and millet beer, and fermented banana wine.

If you have any dietary requirements (such as vegan or vegetarian food), be sure to notify your travel planner in advance of your stay.

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"From the very beginning, Bianca was a wonderful help in planning our South African safari. Her knowledge, attention to detail, and thoughtful recommendations made our trip truly exceptional. Becks Safari Lodge was, in our group’s opinion, a six-star expe..."

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"The trip that was put together by Chrizaan Troch at Discover Africa was amazing. The accommodation was perfect as was the driving experience. This was our third self drive tour in Namibia and it was one of the best. Maps, accommodation, car, support all sea..."

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"Justin planned the best safari for our honeymoon. Everything was coordinated smoothly and the arrangements could not have been better. We are hoping to take another trip to South Africa in the future and will be using Discover Africa again. Justin was avail..."

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"This was my 6th trip to South Africa and Botswana and, as always, Matthys van Aswegen made it a happy, safe, and exciting experience! My roommate, Glenna, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip to South Africa's Boulders Beach to visit the African Penguin Reserv..."

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"We booked our honeymoon through this travel agency, and it was an absolutely flawless experience from start to finish! Every detail was meticulously planned, and we didn’t have to worry about a single thing. All tickets and transfers between lodges were sea..."

Shane Thomas, United States09 Sep 2025

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"My daughter who is 27 and I (her mom)have been dreaming of this trip for a few years. It was everything we wanted July seemed to be the best month to visit South Africa. Weather is comfortable, better opportunity for seeing the wildlife , no mosquitos or bu..."

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