Animal Science & Conservation in Tanzania

Your educational student tour in Tanzania has officially begun. As you descend into Zanzibar, keep an eye out for the country’s magnificent coastline and rolling foothills. This is your new home for the next week! A local guide will wait to meet you at the airport and transfer you to your luxury beach resort.

You have the rest of the afternoon to rest, unpack, and explore. Take a dip in the infinity pool, check out the games room, or grab some coffee in the lobby café. In the evening, you will regroup with your guide to enjoy a buffet dinner. This is a great opportunity to get to know your guide who will be with you throughout your trip.

After a well-rested night, it’s time to explore Zanzibar city. Start in the lively Old Town to discover enchanting alley with an expert guide who will educate you on its history. Walk through the fabled Stone Town to visit the House of Wonders, a former slave market. Next, you’ll arrive at the city’s bustling market. View a variety of handmade crafts as your stroll through the stalls. Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will make your way to Josani Park to discover a tropical rainforest, mahogany trees, and colossus. Take a hike through this reserve to the mangroves to learn about how the trees thrive in this unique ecosystem. 

Rise and shine for another day of explorations. Today, you will start at the Aldabra Giant Tortoise sanctuary, which rehabilitates tortoises up to 192 years of age! Take time to feed these animals and learn about their behavior and biology. Following this, enjoy lunch on the island’s restaurant, Matthews. Next, you’re off to take a tour on the island’s darker history. In the 1860s it was used as a prison for rebellious slaves. Could you imagine living here as a prisoner?! The island also served as a coral mine. After spending time to independently explore its land before heading back to your resort. 

We hope you woke up with an appetite because today is all about food. Zanzibar has a rich history in the spice trade and is also recognized for its tropical fruits. Take an off-the-beaten-path through a rural farming village to learn about the spice trade. Try seasonal fresh fruits and seasonal spices. You’ll even get a chance to drink coconut juice straight from the tree! Following this, learn traditional farming techniques from a cassava farmer before taking a cooking lesson in an outdoor kitchen. A professional chef with show you how to make a traditional sauce, spiced rice, and fried bananas. Delicious! 

Start the morning with an early domestic flight to the city of Saadani where you’ll be transferred to Saadani National Park. Meet an expert guide before embarking on a boat trip on Wami River to spot Africa’s most famous animals. Many wild animals come to the river’s banks to have a drink or cool off. Keep an eye out for the giant crocodile and many bird species. Following lunch at Saadani Village, climb into a 4 x 4 vehicle for a game drive to spot the Big Five  (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros, and elephant). As you ride, learn about the biology and behavior of these wild animals, as well as the conservation efforts that are put in place to protect against their endangerment. Spend the night at the Saadani Safari Lodge. 

Wake up excited and motivated for day two of your African Safari. Enjoy an early breakfast and game drive through a separate park area to soak up the breathtaking terrain that surrounds you. You’ll arrive at a hotspot for hippos, flamingos, and crocodiles. Giraffes and elephants are also often spotted playing on the beach. Enjoy the safari late into the afternoon before heading to the local airport for a flight back to Zanzibar. 

Today you will visit the Mnemba Atoll Marine Park, which is the most famous marine conservation center in Tanzania. Climb into your boat to head out on the waters. Next, it’s time to strap on your snorkel gear and dive in to discover a lively underwater world. These waters are home to lionfish, stingrays, moray eels, yellow snappers, barracudas, turtles and more! An expert guide will help you discover the aquatic wildlife. After four hours at sea, it’s time to make your way to shore for a delicious lunch at the on-site restaurant before making your way back to your resort. 

It’s about time you learn more about the every-day-lives of the people of Tanzania. Start the day with a visit to a small local village’s house where natives will welcome you and tell you about their culture and history. Following this, take time to discover this village on your own. Their main source of income is dedicated to the works of coconuts! From this village, you will walk to other nearby villages to encounter the locals. Discover a women seaweed plantation, learn rope making and mat dressing, tour their schools and homes, and more! At the end of the day, you will gift the village children will much-needed backpacks, school supplies, clothes, and coloring books. What a rewarding way to end the day?! 

It’s your final day in Tanzania; let’s make it amazing! Today, you are off to hike the Jozani Forest. This reserve has several habitats such as swamps, mangroves, and evergreen thickets. Your guide will lead you to a wildlife hotspot for you to encounter sykes and red colobus monkeys, elephant shrews, chameleons, bush pigs, and much birdlife. Enjoy a picnic lunch with wildlife views. Following the monkey visit, you are off to the Pete-Jozani Mangrove Boardwalk to discover a unique ecosystem that is home to many species of lizards and snakes. After exploring this conservation reserve independently, it’s time to head back to your resort. 

It’s hard to believe how quickly time can fly by! Take your last morning in Africa to enjoy a buffet breakfast with your guides and friends. Reflect on your favorite memories of the trip – they will last a lifetime. After eating, you will be transferred to the local airport for your flight home.