African Wildlife and Environmental Conservation

Throughout their program, students will stay in a combination of hotel and dormitory-style accommodations, and comfortable tents on the grounds of an eco-lodge. There will be electricity, flush toilets, and hot showers, but as the electricity goes out from time to time, there may be periods without.

Rustic Pathways works with local community leaders and organizations to identify and prioritize the needs of each community. Please note that while we try our best to ensure we provide our advertised projects, some changes may occur due to the communities and project partners we work with.

Environmental Service: For this program, the primary service project is a reef restoration project on the coast of the Indian Ocean, along with a tree nursery and an animal rights project on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

Rustic Pathways brings our own hired chef. Participants will eat a combination of local Tanzanian dishes and more western-style dishes. Breakfasts typically include porridge, bread, eggs, pancakes, and fruit. Lunches and dinners range from traditional Tanzanian staples of rice, beans, chapati, and ugali to coastal Tanzanian beef stews and vegetable curries, to more western soups, pasta, fried fish, stir-fries, and salads.

Dietary Requirements/Food Allergies – This program can easily accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other common dietary needs. Please make sure to include this in your medical forms so that our staff can prepare and we always recommend bringing along some of your own favorite snacks! This program can accommodate students with severe allergies, but participants should note that Tanga is in a remote location with limited levels of medical care, meaning a student might be several hours from definitive care, depending on the severity.

Water from the tap in the hotels is safe to use for brushing teeth, etc, but students will be provided as much bottled water as they can drink. Don’t forget to bring along your own reusable water bottle so we can minimize our plastic usage.

We are in Tanzania in their winter, so in the villages and cities, the weather will usually be sunny and warm during the day (high 70s F), and cool at night (50s F). It is the dry season, so we do not expect heavy rain.

Flights: Rustic Pathways scheduled flights will depart from New York (JFK), travel through Amsterdam (AMS) and arrive in Arusha, Tanzania (JRO). The return journey will begin in Kilimanjaro (JRO), travel through Dar Es Salaam (DAR) and Amsterdam (AMS), and arrive in New York (JFK). The DAR stop is just 1 hour on the tarmac – students will not exit plane. The advertised dates for this program include travel time from the USA.

Visa: Visa requirements for Tanzania vary slightly based on program, so please visit our partner G3 Global Services to assist in the visa application process. You can review the updated visa requirements on their site at www.g3visas.com/rusticpathways.html. Since requirements for visas vary by nationality, G3 is only able to process applications for US citizens. However, they have provided additional information to assist families residing outside of the United States. Should you choose to apply for your visa directly through the embassy or via another visa service agency please contact us at tanzania@rusticpathways.com if you require additional assistance.

Internal Travel: There are no internal flights on this program.

We want to encourage students to disconnect in order to fully immerse themselves in the experience and get the most out of their program. Thus, students will not have access to wifi for the majority of the program. Reception for international plans is spotty and we do not recommend purchasing one for this trip. Parents will have access to our 24/7 emergency number and will also receive updates from our staff once your student is in Tanzania. Students will have access to wifi toward the end of the program, during their stay in Moshi and Arusha.

All activities in this itinerary are included. Checked luggage fees, personal gifts, Laundry, phone calls, and snacks are not. We recommend $150 per week to cover souvenirs and incidentals. Note: Bills should be clean, unwrinkled, and dated 2006 or later.

Students will have the chance to do laundry once guaranteed during this program. It is washed by hand and charged on a per-piece basis (laundry is not included in the program cost). Due to cultural reasons, underwear is usually not washed by others and must be hand-washed by students themselves. Program leaders can arrange for a time to do this as an activity.

Tanzanians in general dress modestly, and as polite visitors, we will also dress relatively conservatively. While larger cities can be a little more relaxed, it is important that we show respect at all times and particularly when the group is in local communities. The requirements are fairly straightforward:
Shorts – None. No shorts allowed on either boys or girls. (Exceptions are at hotels and safari camps for sleeping.)
Leggings or yoga pants – Not to be worn by either boys or girls. If the pants are paired with a truly long T-shirt or shorts over top, then leggings will be acceptable.
Loose-fitting pants, capris, and long skirts – Acceptable.
Tops – Shoulders must be covered on both boys and girls. No tank tops or spaghetti straps. Shirts must be high-cut, with no midriff showing.

Interaction With Wildlife: Parents and students who have not carefully read the itinerary tend to be surprised that there is fairly little physical interaction with African wildlife on this program. The program focuses on current critical issues with wildlife and environmental conservation in Tanzania, and how those issues align with community development. The service projects, educational enrichment, and adventure activities are designed with that learning lens in mind, and is a good fit for a student with an academic interest in conservation, ecology, or biology. In other words, think less “see lots of animals” and more “preserve animal habitats.” Students who are expecting a more safari-like experience are encouraged to link this program with our Serengeti to Zanzibar program, which provides an excellent complement to this program.