Days 1 & 2: Depart USA for Tanzania PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Build and Install Solar Power Systems in Local Homes in a Maasai Village Search for the Big Five on Safari: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino & Water Buffalo Learn Swahili, Play Games and Run Activities with Students at a Rural Primary School Trek Off the Beaten Path through the Jungle of the Usambara Mountains Visit the Spice Island of Zanzibar and Snorkel in its Tropical Turquoise Water Hike at the Base of Africa s Tallest Mountain: Mt. Kilimanjaro 30 Hours Community Service Spotlight Project: Building Solar Power Systems Throughout much of Tanzania, a large majority of homes lack electricity. This leaves little daylight for productivity, school work, and a means of earning an income. Kerosene lanterns are widely used, but are expensive and burn toxic fumes in the home, which can have a lasting impact on people s overall health and safety. In our spotlight project, we partner with a Maasai village to install solar power systems, which provide essential utilities to enrich the lives of the residents. Together, we re creating a healthier, safer, and more productive future for Tanzanians. Students and trip leaders meet in New York (JFK airport) and together fly to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, where our local guides meet them upon arrival. Our guides drive us directly to a full service campground outside the city of Arusha where we set up our Tanzanian home in Maasai country. Accommodations: Overnight Plane/Camping Day 3: Orientation and Swahili Lessons We spend the morning taking it easy as we adjust to Tanzanian life and a new time zone. We pack the Overland Truck, get oriented to the area and chat about our plans for the coming few days. In the afternoon we walk to the local primary school where we meet the teachers and students and enjoy an afternoon learning essential words and phrases in Swahili. Accommodations: Camping
Day 4: Meserani Maasai Village & Continued Swahili Lessons Today we immerse ourselves in Maasai way of life as we visit the Maasai cultural center before heading to a nearby village to meet local citizens of all ages. We visit the pre-school, orphanage and adult education center and witness modern and traditional cultures blending to benefit the Maasai people. We return to camp for lunch and for a group discussion before walking to the nearby primary school for more Swahili lessons. Accommodations: Camping Days 5-7: Spotlight Project Building Solar Power Systems We spend 3 days on our solar power project, which benefits families in the local area. Before we can do the hands-on fabrication work, we immerse ourselves in electric theory, learning about alternative energies, how they work and why we are installing solar power systems. Across most of Tanzania, electricity is a luxury item most households simply cannot afford, as the majority live below the poverty line. Many Tanzanian households rely on health damaging kerosene lanterns or open fires for light, which cause respiratory and eye problems, along with hundreds of fire-related deaths and severe burns each year. By providing clean, healthy solar power, we not only provide good quality lighting, but also a safer and healthier environment for family members young and old. Working hand in hand with our local partners, ARCC has spent 10 years researching, building and installing solar power in rural villages throughout East Africa. Our student-built solar power systems are uncomplicated, user friendly, and low maintenance. They are a very simple, custom-designed solar system consisting of a solar panel, a recharging battery and a charge controller. This system easily runs 4-6 household lights and can charge several mobile phones with a life span of 6-12 years and very little maintenance knowledge from household members. Accommodations: Camping Day 8: Visit a Local Artisan Project Today we have the chance to support an inspirational organization that offers people who are deaf or have other disabilities the space, resources and opportunity to support themselves. The adults who work here are artisans who create unique pieces of art and jewelry. We learn about the origins of the project and listen to the artists stories while observing these talented artists at work. Accommodations: Camping
Days 9-11: Primary School Teaching & Games We take full advantage of our unique access to a local Maasai school. Here we help the faculty of the school teach classes, run recess and participate in school athletic activities. This gives us a rare glimpse directly into the evolving Tanzanian educational system; a system filled with enthusiastic participants but sorely lacking fundamental supplies, teachers and funding. Accommodations: Camping Days 12-14: Multi-Day Safari in Serengeti National Park & the Ngorongoro Crater We pack our bags, say goodbye to our overland truck and transfer into smaller vehicles for an incredible safari through the most famous game parks in East Africa. Our first stop is the Serengeti National Park. We traverse the park in search of the big five : lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffalo, and rhinos. There is nothing quite like coming upon a pride of lions and observing their daily lives from just feet away, tucked safely in our vehicles. We are guided through the park by local experts, whose ability to spot even the slightest of movement thousands of feet away is a thing of marvel. Our guides are an incredible resource for information about the park, the wildlife and conservation efforts. The big five goal hopefully accomplished, we exit the park and head for our next safari in nearby Ngorongoro Crater. Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa s seven natural wonders. Designated a World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro is a huge collapsed volcano approximately 15 miles from rim to rim. The grassy flat bottom of the crater is populated by over 25,000 animals and has one of the densest collections of lions in east Africa. We leave our rim camp and wind our way by vehicle down the narrow track to arrive at the bottom of this 100 square mile natural enclosure. Herds of elephant, zebra and buffalo greet us at the bottom. The park comes alive as the sun works its way over the crater s rim, bathing the floor in sunlight. We spend the day zooming around the crater in search of the park s predators and witnessing life unfold before us on the African plain. Accommodations: Camping Day 15: Return to Meserani and Mto Wu Mbu Oasis We travel to the small village of Mto Wu Mbu by way of Meserani. Mto Wu Mbu is a small oasis in the desert. Due to its unique climate, this area is famous for growing a variety of fruits including pink bananas, mango, papaya and other fruits normally only found in humid coastal regions of Tanzania. We have the afternoon to explore the area with a guide from a local community ecotourism project. He takes us through the plantations and teach us about the plants, traditional farming techniques and the history of the area. We finish off the afternoon with a traditional dinner in one of the village homes. Accommodations: Camping
Days 16-18: Travel to Mt. Kilimanjaro Next we journey to the roof of Africa : Mt. Kilimanjaro. At 19,341 feet above sea level, it is the tallest mountain on the African continent. We take in the awe-inspiring size of the mountain and gaze at it s remaining snowy glaciers, which have sadly been reduced in recent years as an effect of climate change and surrounding deforestation. We come away with a greater respect for the environment as we hike at the base of the mountain, eagerly exploring its lush jungle and hidden waterfalls. Accommodations: Camping Days 19-21: Usambara Mountain Village Our Tanzanian odyssey continues as we head on to the Usambara Mountains home to a biologically diverse world of plants and animals, and a number of rural villages. There, we begin an overnight trek into the lush mountain vegetation passing through a number of remote villages and giving us a glimpse of a life so different from our own. Along the way we meet with a local healer and learn about herbal remedies and traditional medicines still widely used in East Africa. We stay in a rustic camp nestled in the clouds high in the mountains with views of the African plains far below. The following day, we venture into old-growth cloud rainforest where we meet local subsistence and coffee farmers, converse with small village communities, and look for the rarely seen Usambara chameleon and Eagle-owl. Accommodations: Camping Days 22-25: Travel to Bagamoyo and Explore Zanzibar From here, we travel to coastal town of Bagamoyo, the former colonial capital of German East Africa and an important trading port of the 1800s. We explore the city before boarding a traditional dhow sailboat that effortlessly moves along the beautiful turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. We arrive in Zanzibar excited to wander the narrow labyrinth-style streets of Stone Town that date back hundreds of years. This small, historic town has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. We learn why this island is often referred to as the Spice Island and spend our final days here taking advantage of the beautiful beaches, swimming and snorkeling in the warm blue waters at our fingertips. Accommodations: Bed and Breakfast Day 26: Farewell to Tanzania After three weeks of hard work and adventure, our Tanzania summer service program comes to an end. We travel to Dar es Salaam by ferry and prepare for a famed final feast, Tanzania-Style. Our last night is filled with activities celebrating our three weeks of life-changing experiences and the discovery of lifelong friends. Accommodations: Bed and Breakfast
Day 27: Flight Home Eventually all good things must come to an end. We head to Kilimanjaro airport, say farewell to Tanzania and begin our journey home. Once we arrive in New York (JFK), we board our flights for home. We carry with us the memories of our time in Maasai land, the impactful solar project, our incredible safaris and the vibrant colors of Zanzibar from this journey of a lifetime. Accommodations: Plane Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director: Whitney Hall Regional Director Tanzania Whitney@arccprograms.com 415-332-5075 Ext. 251