Day 1, Tuesday: Africa here we come!
All of Rustic Pathways scheduled group flights to Tanzania depart from New York. All scheduled group flights to Africa are escorted by a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. The flight departs New York in the evening and takes about 16 hours. During your flight take the time to get to know other students on your flight, get some sleep in preparation for your arrival into Africa.
Day 2, Wednesday: Meet and Greet
Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania. You will arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport in the early evening and will transfer to the Rustic Pathways Base – your home for the duration of your program. Get to know the staff and as part of your initial orientation, you will be taught many aspects of Tanzania protocols and expectations of behavior.
Day 3, Thursday: Lets out the work started
Today will be your first full day of service work. The students will be taking part in a number of different community service projects throughout the summer that will benefit the neighboring villages outside of Kuratu. Project work during the course of your program may involve participation in a variety of initiatives. You can expect to spend time within the local schools, tutoring students in English, helping with classroom activities and getting involved with local sporting events. Other projects will involve repairs and maintenance to school buildings, construction of new amenities or upgrading of present facilities. As well as teaching the locals about hygiene, dental care and general medical issues. Your time of this program of service will be varied, interesting, challenging and extremely rewarding and worthwhile. At the conclusion of each afternoon’s work you will return to the base for the evening.
Days 4 to 7, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday: Life with the Maassi
During the next four days your focus will primarily be on the projects your group is undertaking for your time in Africa. Each morning and afternoon, you will be assigned a specific project, the team then works alongside and under the guidance of a Rustic Pathways staff member and various members of the local community that take an interest in the projects. The description contained here should give you a good idea of what may happen during your stay. After your morning project you will typically continue your work for a few hours after lunch and then your group may head off to watch the local village children play a soccer match. Another afternoon your group might explore the surrounding area, perhaps taking an enjoyable hike to a neighboring village or checking out the local curio markets that are filled with high quality crafts.
Day 8, Tuesday: Nature Time
The best way to explore the Crater Highlands is on foot, so you will enjoy a full day nature walk rarely experienced by visitors to this region.. This will give you the chance to fully immerse yourself into the wild nature of the Crater Highlands. This is an incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Africa’s native wildlife, and discover the true beauty of nature in this magnificent country.
Days 9 to 11, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: Lets continue the work!
Each morning your group will continue with their community service projects after breakfast. Afternoon activities will depend on the group’s rate of progress and several afternoons may also be full of work. The days most always end with an incredible Tanzanian sunset.
Days 12 to 13, Saturday and Sunday: The Big Five
We head off for the next two days to one of Africa’s best-known wildlife viewing areas, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. The parks are inhabited by vast herds of wildebeest, huge populations of elephant and buffalo, as well as diverse herd animals and their predators – all spread out across the savanna. Here you’ll witness the incredible ecological diversity, and animals living as they have for millennia. All these animals interact and roam freely, and the vegetation and bird life is as fascinating as the big game.
Days 14 to 15, Monday and Tuesday: More Service Work Projects For the next two days it is back to participating in community and environmental service projects. When not engaged in village service projects, you will have the opportunity to learn unique customs, traditions, and some basic Swahili language.
Days 16 to 17, Wednesday and Thursday: Goodbye Africa
This morning will be the conclusion of your service work within the local villages. A time for farewells and best wishes and a chance to reflect on the experiences and memories which have encapsulated themselves in the hearts of your group over such a seemingly short period of time. Incredible friendships are made that will be cherished for many years to come.
If you are departing to the USA tonight, your afternoon will be spent in the town of Arusha shopping for any final gifts or souvenirs. After a final meal with your group, you travel to the airport and bid Tanzania farewell (until next year perhaps). You will arrive back into New York on Thursday morning. |
Rustic Pathways is excited to offer this new and unique Culture In The Crater program that will provide an unforgettable experience for your 2008 summer. Join us as we search for the Big Five game animals and participate in meaningful community and environmental service projects in one of Tanzania’s most famous conservation areas, Ngorongoro Crater. Experience the rich cultures of one of Africa’s most colorful tribes, who have actively resisted change, and still follow the same lifestyle that they have for centuries, the Maasai. 
receive in-depth exposure to the Maasai culture and way of life. We work closely with village leaders and elders designing worthwhile, relevant projects, that share the goal of improving basic living conditions and learning environments. The projects will range from refurbishing local school facilities, revitalizing the underprivileged areas of local Massai communities, painting, landscaping, tutoring to water purification within the village. This is a hands-on service project where your efforts are rewarded with the knowledge that you have helped a community in need. When not engaged in service work, you will have the opportunity to learn unique customs, traditions, and some basic Swahili language.
Create An Unforgettable Summer
