CSUDH: Tanzania (2023)

Depart the United States

Estimated arrival is late evening this day
Check into hotel
Late Dinner

Today after an early breakfast we will visit Simba’s Community Center. Here we will learn all about their locally led development approach and the programs they run in the community as well as their health projects and women’s sewing cooperative.

This afternoon, we will hike through the rainforest looking at colobus and blue monkeys. We will also have the amazing opportunity to see the oldest tree in Tanzania.

This morning we will have our first survival Swahili Lesson – an essential part of our time in Tanzania.

Early this afternoon, we will travel to Karatu for a once in a lifetime experience. We will stay in a Maasai Village where we will learn about their traditions and culture. Maasai are nomadic people who herd and breed cattle and are known for their lively cultural dance, colorful clothing and beadwork. We will have the opportunity to join in the songs and dancing and interact with many Maasai members while enjoying time here.

This morning we will go out with the Maasai into the hinterland and learn how to live off the land as the Maasai do. On the walk, we will learn morea bout the rainy season, discuss the migration of animals based on the seasons and how the Maasai survive with the lack of water in this area. We will also learn more about how they are implementing well systems to serve the local school and community.

This afternoon, for lunch, we will visit SANAA. SANAA operates a project highlighting marginalized people who make wonderful products. In their workshops disabled artists create unique products that are mainly made from recycled waste. We will receive a tour and have a chance to interact with the artists here, while learning more about how they are supported by the network at SANAA.

After lunch, we will take a tour of the nearby coffee plantation where you will hear more about the large amounts of water that are required to produce coffee in this region.

Today we will rise early in the morning to descend the 600m high walls to the floor of the crater and get up close with one of Africa’s seven natural wonders! Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is considered one of the most beautiful and unique places in Africa. Here we learn more about this unique caldera – created from the implosion of a volcano.

Here we will find a haven of African wildlife and we might also be lucky enough to witness the endangered Rhino! Enjoy a game drive and lunch by the hippo pool. We will spend time discussing the crater with our guide, learning more about the conservation efforts here and what funding mechanisms are in place to support the park itself.

This morning we will travel to Olduvai Gorge. Olduvai Gorge is a paleoanthropological site in the eastern Serengeti Plain. The gorge is nicknamed the “Cradle of Mankind” because it is believed to be the site of found remains of the first human beings to walk on Earth. We will also have a chance to visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum.

We will stay overnight at a nearby lodge.

Early wakeup call again today as we will head up to the Tarangire National Park. This magnificent park is famous for its large collection of baobab trees, spectacular large mammal population, and variety of bird species, not to mention one of the largest concentrations of elephants in the country. Again we will have the opportunity to talk with our guide to learn more about the park, how it differs from the crater and any issues they are currently facing – including further information about what happened at the parks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While here, we will look at how the Tarangire River flows through the park and how climate change is effecting the river and, in turn, the animals that live here.

While traveling back to Moshi, we will pass again through Arusha. Today, we will have a chance to visit the local UN Office. We will have a chance to meet with local UN officials to discuss environmental projects they are working on across Tanzania, and work to address water scarcity issues.

This morning, we head 15km away from Moshi Town to the last village before the Kilimanjaro National Park and home of the Chagga tribe.

First, we will visit the waterfalls, which are around a 40-minute walk away. Here we will have a chance to enjoy the water here and reflect on this magnificent site. While on the hike we will also look at the agriculture on Kilimanjaro and the unique weather systems that exist here. We will discuss how this should be arid, but how it is not due the mountain creating its own weather system and rainfall.

Afterward, we will head to the coffee farm for lunch. After eating, we will learn more about coffee cultivation in this area. Then we are in for a real treat, as we will learn directly from Chagga members how coffee is cultivated, dried, roasted and further processed. We will also be invited to help with the preparation of the coffee from roasting to grinding, which is traditionally accompanied by Chagga songs and dances.

Today we will visit a natural clean spring water. Ideal for swimming in the warm water and relaxation. The surrounding areas provide stunning views with a great picnic spot.

We will talk about how from a physical geography standpoint, how the springs should not be here and the fact that there is no geothermal springs within 100sqm.

Depart today back on flights to the United States, carrying memories of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure!