Tipping is a thank-you, never an obligation, but it's one of the most common questions we get. These are the typical ranges travellers use, in US dollars:

• Private driver-guide: about $10–20 per guest per day, given at the end of the trip.
• Gorilla and chimp trackers and rangers: about $10–20 per guest, handed to the ranger to share, or to each person directly.
• Porters on a trek: the porter fee is paid at the start; many guests add $5–10 on top if the porter helped a lot.
• Lodge staff: most lodges have a shared tip box; about $10–15 per guest per night is common.

Small US dollar notes printed after 2013 are easiest, as older notes are often refused. Uganda shillings and Rwanda francs are also welcome.

Your turn: how did you handle tipping on your trip, and did anything surprise you?