Field Studies: Tanzania

5 weeks

open to grades 9-12

Overview

From the crowded streets of Dar es Salaam to the vast expanse of the Serengeti, from the warm waters of the Indian Ocean to the snows of Kilimanjaro, Overland's Field Studies: Tanzania will immerse you in the vibrant life, sublime beauty and terrific promise of this remarkable land.

We’ll begin with on-foot explorations of teeming Dar es Salaam; we’ll walk its crowded streets and shop in its lively markets to see how Tanzanians live. In the afternoons, we’ll work together to learn about the geography, culture and history of Tanzania; and, with a native-speaker instructor, we’ll study basic Swahili. We’ll immerse ourselves in the challenges that face a developing country by meeting with aid workers and volunteering in a village, teaching English to children and helping with after-school chores.

From Dar es Salaam, we’ll travel north to cool, mountainous Arusha where, with Maasai guides, we’ll visit Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. Our trip will end with Africa’s greatest hiking challenge—a summit bid on Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the continent.

Just as Overland’s founders did when they lived here over two decades ago, you will fall in love with Tanzania, and, just as they were, you will be changed by your experiences and explorations in East Africa. At program’s end, we’ll look back on five weeks of learning, serving and exploring—and on the friendships that come from living in a close Overland group.

Highlights

Study Tanzania’s people, history & culture
Explore the Ngorongoro Crater & Serengeti
Teach English to schoolchildren
Make a summit bid on Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet)
Swim at Indian Ocean beaches

Grade

For students who will finish grades 9-12 in June 2010.

Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.

Challenge Level

8 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

Start and End Location

Starts and ends at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

Dates and Fees

5 weeks

Thursday, July 1st to Thursday, August 5th

$6595 (airfare not included)

Itinerary

Day 1 Trip Start

We’ll meet in New York and fly as a group with one of our Overland leaders to Dar es Salaam. Please see "Getting To and From Your Trip" for detailed information about the trip start.

Days 2 - 6 in Dar es Salaam

Our introduction to Tanzania begins with four days in the bustling city of Dar es Salaam. We’ll spend our mornings in class to learn the basics of Swahili and spend the afternoon exploring the city on foot, practicing our language skills as we shop in markets, swim at Indian Ocean beaches and speak with local officials who can help us learn about the challenges facing Tanzania.

Days 7 -9 in the Usambara Mountains

We’ll travel north by private bus to Lushoto, a leafy highland town in the cool climate of Northern Tanzania, where we’ll spend a day exploring the beautiful Usambara Mountains and lush forests of the Eastern Arc mountains on easy day hikes. This time will allow our group to get to know each other better before continuing north to Arusha.

Days 10 - 16 Volunteering in Arusha

In Arusha, we’ll volunteer at the Living Water Children’s Centre, an orphanage and primary school in rural Tanzania several miles outside of Arusha. We’ll spend our days working with the children, teaching them English, playing games and helping with chores. In the evenings, we’ll return to our separate volunteer accommodations and walk a short distance each morning to the centre to begin our day’s activities.

Days 17 - 24 on Safari

Our guides will pick us up in Arusha, and we’ll travel in our safari vehicles west to the National Parks where we’ll embark upon a week-long safari, exposing us to the most spectacular vistas and impressive wildlife that Northern Tanzania has to offer. We’ll circle through the region spending time in Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Olduvai Gorge and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, catching glimpses of lions, giraffes and elephants, before returning back to Arusha.

Days 25 - 32 Kilimanjaro

We’ll convene at a mountain lodge to meet our guides and prepare for our summit attempt. Over the course of five nights we’ll slowly move towards the summit of Kilimanjaro, hiking with professional guides from the African Walking Company at a pace that will allow us to adjust to the daily gains in altitude as we ascend towards the roof of Africa.

Days 33 - 34 Trip End

At trip’s end we’ll return to Dar es Salaam for our final night together and celebrate all we've accomplished and learned as a group. On our final day, we'll board the plane with our leaders and catch a late afternoon flight back to New York. Please see "Getting To and From Your Trip" for detailed information about the trip end.

Trip Details

SERVICE HOURS

20 hours of service

Photos

Click thumbnails below to enlarge

Print View

Enrollment Forms

Below is the Admissions Materials packet and other information for Field Studies: Tanzania.

Admissions Materials 2010

Prepare & Pack

Preparing For Field Studies: Tanzania

Please read the following information carefully to best prepare yourself for traveling to Tanzania. If you have questions, please call our office at 800.458.0588.

A. Dealing with Culture Shock
B. Passports & Visas
C. Special Health Requirements
D. Climbing Kilimanjaro - Physical Preparation
E. Field Studies: Tanzania Packing List

A. Dealing with Culture Shock

Knowing that you will experience culture shock upon arrival in Tanzania is essential to your enjoyment of the program. Culture shock is the reaction of your mind and body to the change from a familiar environment to another environment that is unknown. Tanzania is a nation of contrasts: beautiful landscapes and fancy hotels are not far from poverty and rural life. Tanzania is a developing country. The infrastructure is not in great shape: dirt roads, buildings in poor repair—it’s not nearly as tidy as we’re used to. You will grow to love it, but it may take some time. Understanding that you will experience culture shock, avoiding labeling differences as “good” or “bad”, focusing on all you are learning and experiencing and maintaining the ability to laugh at your mistakes will help you to deal with culture shock.

B. Passports & Visas

In order to travel to Tanzania, each student must have a passport and a visa.

The passport must not expire within six months of the date the student leaves Tanzania (August 4, 2010) and should be applied for as soon as possible in order to obtain a travel visa. It can take between four and six weeks for your passport application to be processed. Complete information on applying for a passport is available online on the U.S. Department of State website. Please note special instructions for students who are 16 & 17 years old and for students who are under 16 years of age. If you do not already have a passport, please apply for it immediately. You need to have a valid passport in order to apply for your visa and later in the spring the turn-around time for passport applications will lengthen as the busy summer travel season approaches. We recommend you have your passport application expedited, either by the US State Department Passport Office or by a private passport expediter, to avoid processing delays.

In order to avoid significant delays at the airport with a group of our size, we ask that all students apply for a visa this spring before the trip start. Visa applications, which can take several weeks to process, are easily obtained by downloading the application from the Embassy of Tanzania website. As with your passport application, please apply for your visa as soon as possible to avoid delays.

To apply for a single-entry travel visa to enter Tanzania, you will need to mail (1) a completed visa application (please check "leisure/holiday" as the purpose of your visit), (2) your passport, (3) two 2' x 2' passport photographs, (4) a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope to facilitate the return of your passport, (5) proof of travel plans (download here), (6) a notarized letter jointly signed by the parents or legal guardians authorizing travel to Tanzania and (7) visa fee ($100, payable by check, money order or credit card) to:

The Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania
1232 22nd St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20037

New address, effective March 1, 2010.

Please note that if you pay by check you must include a photocopy of your driver's license.

Please visit the Embassy of Tanzania website or call our office at 800.458.0588 for more information about obtaining a visa.

C. Special Health Requirements

All Overland students must be current on their routine vaccinations. Overland advises students traveling to Tanzania to consult with their family physician for information about protection against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, yellow fever and malaria. Please check with your physician as soon as possible about receiving the necessary immunizations and to learn more about taking an antimalarial drug prior to departure.

Overland requires all students to travel with an international health certificate, showing proof of yellow fever vaccination, to present at passport control. For complete health and safety information regarding travel to Tanzania, please visit the CDC Website.

Please make at least three photocopies of your passport, visa and international health certificate. Leave one copy of both documents with your family and put photocopies of each in both your checked luggage and carry-on luggage for the flight, separate from your actual passport, visa and international health certificate. If the parents or guardians of the student will be traveling out of the country for any period of time between July 1, 2010 and August 5, 2010, we recommend mailing or faxing a copy of your passport and visa to our office.

D. Climbing Kilimanjaro

During the last week of the trip, the group will hike the 5-day Rongai Route on Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 feet) with professional guides provided by the African Walking Company.

In addition to providing general guiding and logistic support, our mountain guides will monitor each student's and leader's overall health and fitness as we hike. Our leaders and students need to be honest with one another and communicate clearly with their guides about how they feel as the climb progresses. If any of our students are experiencing significant discomfort due to the altitude, our guides will send the group member, accompanied by an Overland leader, down to lower elevation, and they will administer Diamox (also called acetazolamide) to speed the hiker's recovery. Diamox does this by increasing the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream.

Many hikers on Kilimanjaro take Diamox as a prophylactic - not in response to any altitude-related symptoms, but rather on a daily basis from the first day of the hike - to ease the transition to a higher altitude. For this reason, you may consider taking Diamox on your Kilimanjaro hike. Our policy is to leave this decision to each student, his/her parents and their family physician. Therefore, we encourage all families to consult with their family physician regarding the use of Diamox as a prophylactic on Kilimanjaro. If you decide to take Diamox, please have your physician prescribe it for you and report that to us on your physician’s report. Please note: Diamox is a sulfonamide drug and should not be taken if the student is allergic to sulfa drugs.

As with everything we do, safety is our first priority. Hiking Kilimanjaro is a great experience and well worth the effort, but reaching the summit will simply be a goal, not a necessity. We’ll enjoy our time on Africa’s tallest peak and we’ll stay safe.

Pre-Trip Training

Preparing For Kilimanjaro

Your trip will be significantly more enjoyable if you have a good level of fitness and well-broken-in boots. We cannot overemphasize the importance of well-broken-in boots. There have been students who have had to leave their trip because of blisters from boots that were not well-broken-in or inadequate fitness. The training guidelines below are designed to help you properly break in your boots and develop a solid fitness base.

Five weeks before your trip: Wear your boots for 15-30 minutes a day to walk around your house or neighborhood so your boots will begin to conform to your feet.

Four weeks before your trip: Take three 30-minute hikes or walks in your boots.

Three weeks before your trip: Take three 1-hour hikes or walks in your boots.

Two weeks before your trip: Take four 1-hour hikes or walks in your boots.

One week before your trip start: Take three 2-hour hikes or walks in your boots.

Trip Difficulty

Field Studies: Tanzania is rated 8 on a scale of 1-10 (1 is easiest) and is one of Overland’s more challenging trips. During the last week of the trip, the group will attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. At 19,340 feet, Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa, but also considered one of the highest "walkable" mountains in the world since no serious mountaineering or technical skills are required to hike. However, the most challenging aspect of this trip will be acclimating to the elevation. On Field Studies: Tanzania, our group will hike with guides who will monitor our fitness and our ability to adjust to the altitude. If it becomes neccessary, the guides will also make the decision to send a group member, accompanied by a leader, down to lower elevation. Reaching the summit will be a goal, but not a guarantee since each group member's reaction to the altitude can vary.

Experience with hiking among participants will vary, but a general level of fitness is essential. Your enjoyment of this trip will hinge on several factors:

The quality, duration and intensity of your preparation. Your health, safety and well being on the trip will depend on your pre-trip preparation.
Your understanding that reaching the top of Kilimanjaro is a goal, not a guarantee.
Your commitment to teamwork and the group. A trip such as this requires compromise, patience and selflessness. Support your trip leaders and your trip mates and you'll find that you have a great experience!

Train for the trip, be prepared for a challenge and come ready to be an important member of a close-working team.

E. Packing List

Clothing

Fleece Jacket or Pullover & Long Fleece Pants
To stay warm on cool nights and while climbing Kilimanjaro. Your fleece can also double as a pillow. Please do not bring jeans or sweatpants. They are heavy, bulky and will not keep you warm if wet.
Insulated Vest
Fleece, Thinsulate, or down. To stay warm on cool nights and while climbing Kilimanjaro.
Thick Insulated Jacket
Optional. To stay warm while climbing Kilimanjaro. Students will have the option to rent these from the African Walking Company for USD 50, payable in cash at the time of our climb. Please let us know if you intend to rent an insulated jacket; we need to reserve jackets with the AWC ahead of time and they have a limited supply available.
Synthetic Long Underwear Top & Bottom
To stay warm on cool nights. Top can also be worn while hiking on cooler days.
Winter Hat & Gloves/Mittens
To stay warm on cool nights and while climbing Kilimanjaro.
Waterproof, Breathable Rain Jacket & Rain Pants
Your rain gear must be waterproof (not just water and/or wind resistant). GoreTex is one of the better-known waterproof, breathable fabrics, but there are many of these fabrics to choose from. Ponchos are not acceptable as they are difficult to hike in and don't provide the same protection that a rain jacket does. Rain pants provide protection from wind and rain and are an extra warm layer when needed.
Lightweight Travel Pants
Three pairs, three-quarter length or full length. Made of synthetic material. Girls can bring skirts (past the knee) if they choose.
Shorts
Two pairs, made of synthetic material.
T-Shirts
Five, synthetic material preferred. Please no spaghetti strap tanktops.
Underwear
Five pairs.
Socks & Sock Liners
Three pairs of wool or synthetic socks made for hiking and three pairs of synthetic sock liners (thin socks worn to prevent blisters). Five pairs of athletic socks for use with sneakers.
Pajamas
One pair only. Pajamas aren't required as many students sleep in shorts and a t-shirt.
Bathing Suit
Sneakers
Sandals

A note on clothing in Tanzania: Modesty is highly valued in Tanzanian culture and this reflected in the way Tanzanians dress. Men typically wear long pants and women and young girls often wear long flowing skirts. Very few Tanzanians wear shorts, with the exception of young boys. Though tourists often wear shorts while visiting the National Parks or the beaches, our experience traveling in Tanzania has shown that you will feel most comfortable if you are prepared with appropriate clothing that reflects the culture of Tanzania. Lightweight travel pants (three-quarter length or full-length), capri-style pants, long skirts, t-shirts and loose-fitting clothing are all appropriate. Please avoid spaghetti strap tanktops and excessively short shorts or skirts.

Hiking & Camping Equipment

Hiking Boots
Waterproof backpacking boots (recommended price range $150 to $225). Choose a comfortable boot that is designed for hiking with a medium-weight pack. Your boots should have a durable leather upper than can be treated with waterproofing wax or liquid, or have a waterproof fabric/leather combination. If the boots you like have a GoreTex liner, that is great, but boots do not need to have GoreTex liners to be waterproof; good quality leather when treated properly is waterproof. Follow the waterproofing instructions from the boots' manufacturer prior to the start of your trip; typically you must wear the boots for at least a week before they will accept waterproofing treatment. Wear your boots on the plane.
Backpack
4,000-5,000 cubic inches. Before you purchase a backpack, find your backpack size by measuring your torso length and your hips. We recommend getting fitted at a store where you can try on a number of different packs.
Waterproof Pack Cover
If your backpack does not come with a cover, choose one that fits your pack well.
Pack Duffel
Optional. To protect your pack during the flight, choose a lightweight pack duffel that will compress easily so you can carry it in your pack for the duration of the trip. We like Osprey's Airporter LZ.
Daypack
1,300-1,800 cubic inches. Cary on plane with you.
Water Bottle
One 1-liter Nalgene (or similar) water bottle. Overland will provide you with a second water bottle on arrival. A CamelBak or similar water bladder is acceptable if you have one already, but water bottles work just as well.
Gaiters
Optional. Knee-high gaiters keep water and mud off your boots and legs. Another option is to wear pants, instead of shorts, for hiking, to keep your legs covered.
Four season sleeping bag OR sleeping bag and liner
Lightweight and compact. Synthetic or down is acceptable, though synthetic is preferred as it will be more effective when wet. A sleeping bag with this temperature rating is essential for climbing Kilimanjaro. As an alternative to purchasing a four-season sleeping bag, we recommend purchasing a fleece liner to use in combination with a sleeping bag with a higher temperature rating. Use the fleece liner while climbing Kilimanjaro to increase the warmth of your sleeping bag and remove the liner during the rest of the trip.
Sleeping Pad
Compact, full length. Closed cell foam (thin and firm—e.g., RidgeRest) or self-inflating (e.g., Therm-a-Rest) is acceptable.
Utensils
6" to 8" plastic dish or bowl with top, spoon, fork and insulated plastic mug. These don't need to be special camping utensils. A Rubbermaid (or similar) dish and regular spoon/fork are fine.
Headlamp
Small and lightweight. This comes in very handy in camp when it's dark and you're using both hands. Bring backup batteries.
Small Safety Whistle
Plastic or metal with string or lanyard attached.

Miscellaneous Gear

Towel
Medium size cotton towel or synthetic camping towel.
Plastic Bags
Five large ziplocks and three tall kitchen trash bags. The trash bags will be used to line your backpack and to wrap your sleeping bag and pad in. The ziplocks will be used to organize and waterproof the rest of your gear.
Toiletries
All travel size (in a plastic bag). If necessary, you will be able to restock basic items during the trip. Contact solution is difficult to find in Tanzania; please bring a full supply for the five weeks if you intend to wear contacts.
Moleskin or Molefoam.
One full package to use for blister treatment if needed.
Hat (with a visor), Sunglasses, Sunscreen (SPF 15+), Chapstick (with SPF protection) & Insect Repellent
Paperback Book and/or Journal
Optional. Your group will collectively keep a group journal, and you will receive a copy of the journal after your trip. If you would like to keep your own journal, you should bring one.
Camera/Batteries/Memory Card
Optional. Interested in seeing your photographs or videos on Overland's website next year? Bring a camera with lots of pixels (10 or more) and lots of memory (4GB or more). Buying a new camera? One of our favorites is the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS digital camera.
Converter (optional)
Tanzanian outlets are typically "Type G " British BS-1363, also known as a 13-amp plug. American electronics will not be compatible with this outlet. If you wish to charge your camera while in Tanzania, please bring a converter with surge protection capabilities.
Valid Passport, Visa & International Health Certificate
Please make at least three photocopies of your passport, visa and international health certificate. Leave one copy of both documents with your family and put photocopies of each in both your checked luggage and carry-on luggage for the flight, separate from your actual passport, visa and international health certificate. If the parents or guardians of the student will be traveling out of the country for any period of time between July 1, 2010 and August 5, 2010, we recommend mailing or faxing a copy of your passport and visa to our office.
Spending Money
$150 total is suggested. US dollars can be exchanged for Tanzanian shillings (TSh) upon arrival. As an alternative to carrying cash, ATM cards are also easy to use and widely accepted in Dar es Salaam and Arusha. Please be sure to inform your bank before traveling that your ATM card will be used outside the country.

Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman). We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (e.g., cellphones and iPods).

Any personal electronics, including cellphones and iPods, brought to trip start in New York will be collected by our staff and kept in our office in Williamstown, MA for the duration of the program. All personal electronics will be returned to students at trip end in New York. We will make sure all cell phones are charged for students who need to connect to another flight in New York to travel home. Headphones will be provided by the Swiss Air for the inflight entertainment system.

Travel Information

Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from New York, NY. Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the airport to provide supervision and assistance at trip start and end.

TRIP START AT JFK AIRPORT (NYC) ON THURSDAY, JULY 1
Flying into John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): Arrive between 10am and 2pm.
Collect your bag and proceed to the Swiss International Airlines Check-In area in Terminal 4.
Flying into LaGuardia International Airport (LGA): Arrive between 10am and 12pm.
Proceed to your baggage claim and our staff will shuttle you to JFK.
Drop Off at JFK: Meet us at the Swiss International Air Lines Check-In area in Terminal 4 between 2pm and 3pm.

TRIP END AT JFK AIRPORT (NYC) ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
Flying out of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK): Schedule flights home no earlier than 3:30pm and no later than 7:00pm.
Flying out of LaGuardia International Airport (LGA): Schedule flights home no earlier than 4:30pm and no later than 7:00pm. Our staff will transport students to LaGuardia.
Pick Up: Meet us at Terminal 4 Arrivals, outside of passport control/customs, between 12:35pm and 1:35pm.

Flight & Travel Information 2010

Program Start & End Information 2010

Mail Stops

During the trip, students may receive mail sent to the below addresses.

Mail Notes:

1) On the lower left corner of the envelope, please write:
"Please hold for Overland FST Group __ ."
2) Mail arrival times can be very unpredictable in Tanzania; please allow at least 3 weeks for delivery.
3) We advise against mailing packages to Tanzania, as their delivery time can be greatly delayed in comparison to standard envelopes. Letters are the best way to send mail while your student is in Tanzania.

FST A

Mail Stop #1 - must arrive before July 15th

Student's Name, Overland/FST A
c/o Living Water Children's Centre
P.O. Box 1134
Arusha, Tanzania
East Africa

Mail Stop # 2 - must arrive before July 25th

Student's Name, Overland/FST A
c/o Ilboru Safari Lodge
P.O. Box 8012
Arusha Tanzania
East Africa

FST B

Mail Stop #1 - must arrive before July 9th

Student's Name, Overland/FST B
c/o Ilboru Safari Lodge
P.O. Box 8012
Arusha Tanzania
East Africa

Mail Stop # 2 - must arrive before July 23rd

Student's Name, Overland/FST B
c/o Living Water Children's Centre
P.O. Box 1134
Arusha, Tanzania
East Africa

Helpful Reminders

Checklist and Reminders 2010

Apply Now

We welcome your interest in joining Overland this summer!

To apply, please complete and sign the application on page 47 of the Overland catalog or download an application. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download the application).

Please refer to page 46 of our catalog for important information you should know before signing the application.

Send your application and $795 deposit to:

Overland
P.O. Box 31
Williamstown, MA 01267

For overnight mail via UPS or FedEx, please use our street address:

Overland
63 Spring Street
Williamstown, MA 01267

Sorry, we are unable to accept applications by fax, and we do not take credit cards. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they arrive at our office and we cannot hold spots over the phone.

To learn about our admissions process, please click here.

Reid Berrien

Hometown: Westport, Connecticut
School: Middlebury College
Leadership: European Explorer, New England Explorer, Yellowstone Teton Explorer
More about Reid »

See More Overland Leaders