Heart & Soul of Africa 
Go beyond the movies and discover the real Africa: welcoming people, zebras, giraffes, lions, percussion, Masai warriors and the mythical Mount Kilimanjaro.
Work side-by-side with local leaders in orphanages and village schools. During the weekends, experience a real African wildlife safari and live among the Masai people and learn first-hand about their unique culture.
Program Highlights:
- Volunteer at a village primary school
- Learn basic phrases in Swahili
- Authentic African safari to see zebras, elephants, lions, rhinos and more!
- Hike to a waterfall on the side of Mount Kilimanjaro
- Spend a weekend among the Masai to learn about their culture
- Learn African dance, percussion, bead making and even how to throw a spear
Community Service
We will work at a local school teaching English and math and assisting students with their homework. We will also rebuild and renovate the facilities by painting and building playgrounds for the children. You will have the opportunity to play sports and build friendships with the children. We’ll also visit a local orphanage once a week to play games with the children and be a positive role model.
Video: GLA Student, Lisa talks about her experience in Tanzania.
Hands-On Learning
In addition to community service, you will learn about Tanzania’s rich culture. Specifically, you will experience the traditions of the Chagga people who live around Mount Kilimanjaro, including visits to their coffee farms and banana plantations. You will also learn about and meet members of the Masai nomadic tribes who follow their livestock and adhere to no countries borders. Although English is widely spoken, you will also learn to speak some Swahili. You will learn from guest speakers about social issues facing the community, such as the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the history of east Africa and even participate in art workshops such as batik, bead making, and wood carving.
Adventure
In addition to spending a day hiking around the base of Mount Kilimanjaro to a stunning waterfall, you will also visit some of the world’s most spectacular safari parks. Over the first weekend you will visit two of the world’s most famous wildlife reserves: Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park. During the weekend safari, you will have the opportunity to get up close to zebras, lions, leopards, elephants, wildebeest, rhinos, and many other species in their natural habitat. For those on our 21-day Flagship Program, the second weekend will take us to a Masai village where we’ll live in a traditional community and learn about their unique nomadic culture. Here, we’ll learn to throw spears, make bead jewelery and identify medicinal plants in the wild.
Lodging
GLA has two Home Bases; both are located 45 minutes from Kilimanjaro airport. They are both typical walled African compounds located in villages outside of Arusha and Moshi. Each room has bunk beds and a private bathroom with western toilets.
Video: GLA 5 Point Safety System in Tanzania
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