Morocco, Tanzania, Ghana and South Africa
We’ve operated for years and even decades in many of the countries where we offer student travel programs. And in each of those countries, our dedicated full-time staff ensure students have safe and enriching experiences with Rustic Pathways.
Morocco is among the most popular country destinations for teens on the large continent of Africa. Middle school, high school and college students love strolling through the red city of Marrakesh, riding camels across the Sahara Desert, and visiting ancient citadels.
Thousands of miles away, Tanzania in East Africa is another place on many travelers’ bucket lists. In this nation, nature reserves like Ngorongoro Conservation Area are known for their safari experiences.
Other popular travel choices are Ghana in West Africa and the nation of South Africa. All of these nations have a diversity of cultures and landscapes.
Overall, Africa has 54 countries. It’s the second largest continent after Asia.
Considering its size, it’s not surprising that there’s a wide diversity of people in Africa. The number of the languages used on the continent is unknown. Estimates range from 1200 to 3000. Africa also has thousands of ethnic groups and many religions. Christianity is most widely practiced followed by Islam.
Rustic Pathways students ride camels in the Sahara Desert. Copyright: © 2015 Rustic Pathways
See the 17th century fortress of Ait Ben Haddou in Morocco, search for African lions living on the Tanzanian plains, or penguins coming ashore near Cape Town – There are so many things to see in Africa.
Rustic Pathways currently has student travel programs in Morocco. We also offer school group trips in South Africa, Tanzania, and Ghana.
The African continent is divided almost evenly by the equator. Its borders are almost entirely defined by waterways. This includes the Mediterranean Sea in the north, the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and and both oceans in the south.
One country with a land border is Egypt. Its Sinai peninsula is part of Asia and borders Israel and the Gaza Strip.
The Sahara Desert covers much of the northern part of the continent. It’s the largest hot desert in the world, covering 3.3 million square miles. That is about the same size as Brazil.
Having a blast while wandering the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
Despite its massive size, it does fall far short of the world’s largest desert in Antarctica. It covers 5.5 million square miles. Both are considered deserts because of their low level of precipitation. The lack of rain or snow makes it difficult for plants and animals to live.
There also is a desert region in the southwest part of the Africa. Elsewhere, the continent has forests, grassland and savannas that are mixtures of grasslands and woodlands. Many of the animals Africa is known for live in savannas. This includes elephants, giraffes, and zebras.
Much of Africa is hot and dry. About three-fourths of the continent is in the tropics. This includes the Sahara Desert region, a tropical rainforest in the middle and deserts in the southwest.
Dry peaks border the water near Cape Town, South Africa.
Areas with a different climate include regions bordering the Mediterranean and areas with extensive grasslands. Also, the narrower southern part of the continent is more affected by ocean winds. Still, these regions tend to be hot.
In fact several of the hottest places on Earth are on the continent. This includes Kebili, Tunisia, and Dallol, Ethiopia. The hottest temperatures in these places have surpassed 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are some regions in Africa that do get a decent amount of seasonal rain. This includes the Equatorial West and Central Africa. However, several places in Africa are among the driest places on Earth. This includes parts of Namibia, Algeria, Egypt and Sudan.
If you would like to discuss program options with an expert, click below to schedule a call with a Rustic Pathways Global Program Advisor. This team of travel experts has worked in a variety of capacities with Rustic, from running programs to leading our in-country operations. They love working with families to identify the right student travel program.