WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
Sample Itinerary
Day 1-2: Arrival & Orientation
Arrive in the bustling port city of Dar es Salaam, where you will be met by our local staff (extra cost applies US$16/$16). Spend a day getting oriented, try out some basic Swahili, and explore the city's museums, markets, and nightspots!
Travel by internal flight down to Mafia Island (about 40 minutes from Dar es Salaam). Enjoy this breathtaking flight soaring above the stunning sight of the tropical atolls that thrive in the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean. Once you have arrived, you will be met at Mafia's small airport and escorted to the Frontier marine conservation camp.
Day 3-7: Diving at Marine Camp
Complete your dive training at one of the world's most spectacular dive sites in Tanzania's first marine park. As you explore the emerald depths of the crystal waters here, you will see a host of marine wildlife, including amazing coral reefs, colourful reef fish, endangered turtles, rays, dolphins and possibly even the enigmatic whale sharks! Read our past volunteers' accounts of their whale shark encounters in our volunteer diaries! You will reach PADI Open Water scuba diving qualification by the end of your stay and may get the chance to take further PADI dive courses.
Day 7-14: Help teach in a local school
Remaining on the marine camp, you will be introduced to your teaching project where you begin your programme helping the teachers in the under resourced local school. You will help teach English and organise a range of activities for the students, under the guidance of the staff there. The teaching is based on Mafia Island – the most beautiful of Tanzania's Spice Islands, where tranquil white-sand beaches, friendly villages, and world class scuba diving sites combine to make this a true tropical paradise.
Day 14-20: Wildlife Conservation
The final stage of your project, assisting on the programme of wildlife research that is taking place, and exploring the natural beauty and plethora of biodiversity that inhabits the area. As part of your training on this valuable and exciting project you will have the opportunity to handle a number of interesting amphibians, birds and small mammals. You might also be interviewing local villagers or teaching at local education days about the conservation value of the species found on Mafia Island.
Day 20-21: Travel
Return to Dar es Salaam for any last minute souvenir shopping and sightseeing before you fly home.
This is a specimen itinerary and the order and duration of the project components is subject to change. Please note that this project requires some in-country travel in order to experience this variety of stunning environments.
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