Intern Phase
Business Overview
Combine a 6 week internship with a successful tour operator based in the safari capital of the world – Arusha. Add on 4 weeks of volunteering in conservation, community and ecotourism based in Dar Es Salaam and you’ll complete a placement of total contrast with regard to it’s challenges, locations and rewards - perfect!
Despite the economic climate, tourism is the fastest growing industry in Tanzania earning the country about 20% of foreign currency. Over the last five years the number of visitors each year has grown from about 500,000 annually to about 900,000.
Typical Tasks:
- Communicating with clients or agents overseas, planning and organising itineraries / budgets whilst liaising with local agents and camps over bookings, food transport etc.
- Familiarisation trips to various camps/ tourist spots to check them out.
- Airport ‘meet and greet’: welcoming clients or seeing them off home.
- General admin: calling clients, inputting data, researching projects, working in different departments (operations, administration, finance, marketing etc), observing management practices, so that you fully understand how a successful business operates – skills that are transferable to other business disciplines.
Anderok Safaris:
A well established, small travel company founded in 2005, with 2 partners and 7 employees. They specialise in independent or group travel and photography safaris. They deal with a large number of clients from Europe and the States and would love an intern to help with all aspects of its operation from client management to general admin.
Equatorial Tours and Safaris:
This is a well established hospitality firm founded in the late 1980's by Mr Roman Chuwa. The company is located within the Arusha International Conference Centre in Arusha. The company also owns the famous Kiboko Lodge in Lake Manyara National Park and do organize tours to all the eastern African countries.
Typical Hours:
9 -5 pm Monday – Friday. This is an ideal placement if you are interested in a career in the competitive hospitality/tour operator profession and keen on general business experience.
Volunteering Phase
We highly recommend you stay on for another 4 weeks to get stuck into a contrasting phase of volunteering based at Dar es Salaam on the stunning Indian Ocean coast.
In this second phase you'll rejoin the Leap volunteers you met in Arusha to tackle life changing community and conservation projects, enabling you to leave a lasting legacy to be proud of.
Community Projects:
Teach English at the St Felister, St Rafael and Neema primary schools, based in the city, 20 minutes away from your house (in good traffic!) and in return they’ll teach you their traditional dances!
Work at the Makumbusho village in Dar es Salaam and learn about the tribes of Tanzania. This village is located about five Kilometres from the City Centre. Work with the craftsmen, take part in traditional dances, help with the general upkeep of the village museum and assist with the restoration of traditional houses and other tribal artefacts.
Conservation Projects:
Work with the Roots and Shoots club - assisting groups of local volunteers to organise the planting of mangroves along the beaches, helping to prevent soil erosion. The famous British conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall founded this project. Whilst working with Roots and Shoots you'll meet students from schools around Dar es Salaam and help with their environmental education.
Your Base
Live as a Team
Maximum number of 24 per departure, age 18-25. Each group is made up of interns and those on the volunteer programme.
You'll all live together providing you with great team spirit and friends to travel with at weekends and post placement. During the day you'll peal off to your individual work placement.
Accommodation and Meals:
Arusha Phase:
You'll be accommodated in 3 pretty bungalow houses all next to each other in the Olorien area close to Mt Meru, about 7 minutes from Arusha. Four volunteers per bunk room with en-suite WC and a private sitting room with cable TV and kitchen. There are cold showers BUT a bucket of hot water will be provided daily for washing! There is electricity and access to power plug sockets.
Arusha is about 15 minutes away from the house and is affectionately known as the safari capital of Tanzania. It is multi-cultural and has loads of bars and restaurants as well as banks and internet cafes. You'll also spend time in Moshi, a small, bustling town situated by Mount Kilimajaro and used as a base camp for Mountain treks.
Coast Phase:
A modern and comfortable 5 bedroom house in Mbezi Luis, a quiet residential area of Dar es Salaam about 15kms from the beach. Within walking distance there are local bars and the city centre is about 20 minutes drive from the house where you 'll find all sorts of bars, markets, cinema's etc.
Food:
All meals are provided.
Breakfast: bread and butter or cereal/porridge, eggs occasionally, juices, fruit, tea and coffee.
Lunch: usually a packed lunch – sandwiches, fruit etc. Drinks – water, squash, tea, coffee will be provided.
Supper - typical Tanzanian food - rice, matoki, beans, chapatti, chicken, fish or European meat dish with pasta, rice, vegetables, salads, fruit, bread etc. We can cater specifically for vegetarians.
Drinking water is boiled, filtered and safe to drink.
Time In/Out
Fly out as a team of leapers made up of interns and volunteers. First 6 weeks based in Arusha and last 4 weeks at the coast at Dar Es Salaam.
Summer Interns: 6 weeks programme: First 5 weeks in Arusha and 1 week in Dar es Salaam - visiting projects and Zanzibar Island.
In both phases you'll work Monday to Friday for approximately 6 - 8 hours per day, but we do ask you to be flexible. At the weekends you're free to travel.
Getting About
There are daily buses or matatus (minibus taxis) around Arusha and Dar es Salaam which cost very little and any extra excursions/tours/expeditions can be easily arranged when on the ground and paid for directly. We find that's more cost effective and our project leaders have the most up to date information and recommendations.
Top Trips
Safari’s to Arusha National Park, Tarangire, Manyara, Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. Although you will spend part of your time around Lake Manyara we highly recommend visiting these other parks, as they are world famous.
At The Coast
You can do tours around the city and nearby historical and cultural sites. These include museums, botanical gardens and Mwenge Art Market where you can view and buy art and crafts made by local tribes. Or hang out on beautiful beaches along the Dar es Salaam coast or the adjacent Kigamboni.
Zanzibar Island
The Zanzibar Archipelago is a collection of paradise islands just of the coast of Tanzania, which hold a legendary allure over travellers. A melting pot of African, Indian and Arabic influences, Zanzibar’s pretty whitewashed capital Stone Town (birthplace of Freddy Mercury!) was a major trading port for Spices and it’s night markets still offer incredible culinary delights.
A weekend in Zanzibar is essentially a chance for you to experience the best in African culture, chill out on palm-fringed beaches and scuba dive coral reef, or dance the night away at a full moon party. Easily accessible at the weekend by ferry from Dar es Salaam costing approx $40. For basic B&B style accommodation we recommend budgeting $15 - $20 per day.
Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro
If you’re interested in taking the challenge of a lifetime, it doesn’t get much tougher than climbing to the top of Africa’s highest mountain at 19,333 feet. Climbing the mountain takes about 5 – 7 days. Unfortunately it is pretty expensive (approximately £700) due to the National Park and climb fees, but this includes food, porters and accommodation. The project host can give you advice on the best companies and prices, as always it is cheaper to book once in Tanzania.
Costs/Dates
Departure Dates
2012 for 6 or 10 weeks
April 2nd, July 2nd (6 weeks only), September 3rd
2013 for 6 or 10 weeks
January 3rd, April 1st , July 1st (6 weeks only), September 2nd
Once on the placement it is possible to switch from 6 to 10 weeks.
Enjoy these extra benefits only available if you stay 10 weeks
We appreciate that many choose the six week option for financial or other reasons but would highly encourage leapers, if they can, to stay for the full ten weeks – most do.
We are also very flexible and allow people the choice to extend from six weeks to ten weeks either pre departure, when you know how your fundraising is going or once overseas. The flights booked through STA travel are deliberately flexible to allow you to change your plans.
- combine Internship work experience with volunteer conservation and community projects (unique to The Leap).
- also get the chance to move locations seeing more of the country and its people.
- dip your toes in the Indian Ocean and experience a completely different side to Tanzanian culture – the coast is predominantly a Muslim area, get used to hearing the city’s Mosque issuing it’s call to prayer.
- work with world renowned conservationists, helping to restore mangroves and plant trees alongside local children.
- stay with Mama Helen, the Leap’s caring and most charitable host for a true taste of local culture and amazing hospitality.
- learn first hand about Tanzania’s varied tribes through working at Makumbushu Museum and visit historical sites of the slave trade.
- learn to scuba dive some of the world’s finest coral reef, swim with dolphins and party with a unique mix of backpackers and Maasai tribesmen on the beaches of Zanizibar!
- longer time to experience the culture and have fun overseas.
- maximise the value of the international flight, especially if you tag on some independent travel to nearby countries.
Costs
Up until 31st August 2012
6 weeks £1877
6 weeks summer £1897
10 weeks £2755
Up until 31st August 2013
6 weeks £1877
6 weeks summer £1897
10 weeks £2755
PLEASE VISIT OUR PRICE COMPARE PAGE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES. WHY DO WE SEEM MORE OR LESS EXPENSIVE THAN OUR COMPETITORS?...THE ANSWER IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!!
Includes:
- Selection and briefing on all aspects of the scheme
- 24 hour emergency back-up, management and support by UK team and in-country Placement Manager, with reliable communications and infrastructure.
- Safety and induction course on arrival.
- Airport pick up and transfer to and from the placement and transport to projects sites throughout including transfer from Arusha to Dar es Salaam.
- Food and Accommodation throughout.
- National Park Fees only whilst carrying out project work.
- We subsidise the cost of the $500 Student Class C visa permit, required by the Tanzanian Government to carry out volunteer work, by $380 (£250 approximately). Most companies expect you to pay this in full.
Not included:
International flights, internal flights (not applicable), visas, travel insurance, medical expenses (reclaimable through travel insurance), soft drinks/beer etc and independent/weekend travel e.g. food and accommodation whilst away from the placement location and any excursions not listed above. If you wish to visit a National Park in your spare time the fees are - $50-$30 per 24 hrs payable directly to the parks authorities. We are happy to arrange flights through STA Travel who are well known for offering good value.
