Community Development in Arusha, Tanzania

Motivated and flexible volunteers with a love for collaboration and a deep dedication to helping local communities thrive at the grassroots level. For those with specific skills, please tell us at time of application. 

• Accommodation
• 3 meals p/day weekdays  
• 1 day orientation
• In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
• Fundraising support
• University course credits (where applicable)
• Certificate of Completion

• Airfares
• Travel Insurance
• Tours, Souvenirs & spending money
• Transportation to and from program
• Airport Pickup

Orientation is held at one of the volunteer houses in Arusha, starting on Monday.

During orientation, our local team will provide detailed information about Tanzania, local customs, program rules and expectations, basic Kiswahili language lessons, safety guidelines, travel opportunities within Tanzania, and an introduction to your specific project and placement. This is also a great opportunity to meet fellow volunteers and exchange contact information for weekend trips and social activities.

Program orientation begins on Monday, and volunteers should arrive in Arusha the Sunday before orientation starts.

Once registered, arrange your flights to either Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) in Arusha. Airport pickup is not included in your program fee but can be arranged for a small extra fee. Volunteers under 18 are advised to travel with a notarized parental consent letter. Upon arrival, a local team member will greet you at the airport and transport you to the volunteer accommodation in Arusha. 

First Day
On the first day of the volunteering placement, you will be escorted to the project by our local staff and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.

Weekday (Mon-Fri)
Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. A typical volunteer day would be as follows:

7:30 AM Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay.
8:00 AM Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at.
1:00 PM Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home for lunch at their accommodation, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing.
8:30 PM Dinner at the volunteer house or homestay

There are many exciting places to explore in the surrounding areas, here are just a few!

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Home to the Ngorongoro Crater, this stunning area of vast plains, green forests and wild savannahs, sits next to the Serengeti National Park. You will see the highest concentration of animals here from lions, zebra, wildebeest and elephants. The views from the crater are absolutely stunning, with an atmospheric mountain backdrop. This should be at the top of your bucket list for Tanzania!

Serengeti National Park

Another one for your bucket list and a perfect way to spend your weekend off. The Serengeti is home to an abundance of wildlife, including the big 5 (lion, rhino, leopard, buffalo & elephant). You will also find zebra, wildebeest, giraffes, hippos, baboons, hyenas, ostriches and many more incredible animals. The best way to explore is by camping out in the open or in one of the many lodges. The area is huge, and we recommend at least 2 days here.

Tarangire National Park

A quieter park in Northern Tanzania, Tarangire is known for its large population of elephants and the incredible Baobab tree. In dry season you can spot all kinds of amazing animals that congregate to the Tarangire river. Spot anything from zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, wildebeests and even lions of you’re lucky.

Moshi and Mount Kilimanjaro

Moshi is about a two and half hour drive from Monduli and can be easily reached using a “dala dala” or taxi to Arusha and then changing again onto Moshi from there.

Moshi is a quiet town with several Western cafes and coffee shops. It is also the closest town to the starting point of the Mount Kilimanjaro trek. On a clear day, you can get excellent views of Kilimanjaro right from the roadside (Tip: Moshi Train Station, which is no longer is use, has fantastic views of Africa’s highest mountain, with locals selling drinks and snacks up the top).

Arusha National Park and Mount Meru

Mount Meru is located in Arusha National Park and is the second largest mountain in Tanzania. If you’re looking to Climb Kilimanjaro ,then Mt Meru can be a great acclimatisation trek, taking you through various types of vegetation. There are also scenic trails around the mountain at ground level. Other attractions include Meru Crater, the Jekukumia River, Ngurdoto Crater and the Momelia Lakes which are known to change colour! You might even find wildlife here including giraffes, warthogs, cape buffaloes, lions, elephants, flamingos and more.

Lake Manyara National Park

If you love bird watching, then head to Lake Manyara during the dry season where pink flamingos flock to the vast lake. During wet season see if you can spot the lions, leopards, hippos, giraffes, zebras, elephants, blue monkeys, gazelles and cheetahs roaming the park.

Kikuletwa Hot Springs

A somewhat ‘secret’ pool of clear blue water, situated in between Arusha and Moshi is the Kikuletwa Hot Springs. The water isn’t actually hot but totally refreshing after the dusty drive getting there. Enjoyed by tourists and locals, this is a beautiful spot for relaxing and swimming in the crystal clear water, surrounded by jungle. There’s even a rope swing into the water for more fun and games. If this wasn’t on your list before, it should be now.

Arusha

Just over an hour’s drive from Monduli, Arusha is a large city in Tanzania which has many Western style eateries, a cinema, Maasai markets, shopping malls, supermarkets and a cultural centre. There are a lot of things to do here and a great way to spend your weekend. Close to the Serengeti, Arusha is a popular starting destination for wildlife safari tours.

Iringa and Ruaha National Park

If you have the time after finishing your project, Ruaha National Park is a quieter and much less visited place for wildlife viewing. It’s located in Central Tanzania, near the small and quiet town of Iringa (which is a great stop off for visiting Ruaha). The park is actually the largest in Tanzania but less frequently visited by tourists, although visitors are rarely disappointed by its natural beauty. It’s home to cheetahs, the second largest population of Leopards in Africa, buffalos, hippos, and more!

Zanzibar

A little further afield, it is still possible to fly to Zanzibar for a weekend from Arusha (although several days here would be ideal). Zanzibar is known for its sandy white beaches, turquoise water and unique culture. Stone Town is an interesting town, known for its mazes and spices. Other things to do is a visit to Prison Island, where prisoners were once held but is now home to giant tortoises. You can also spot dolphins and try snorkelling off the island. The North and East of Zanzibar have some of the best and cleanest beaches in the world.

• Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or friend who is over 18 to participate in this program
• Volunteers aged 16 or 17 on their program start date are required to provide a parental consent in order to participate on the program, and may be asked to provide additional documents to the local team.
• All volunteers are required to provide a criminal background check prior to departure, or if aged under 18 need to provide two character reference letters instead
• All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
• All volunteers must speak fluent English.

Tanzania is a large country in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region. Tanzania is bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. It also sits alongside the beautiful Indian Ocean. Tanzania is home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, in its north-eastern region. The trek to the top is challenging but provides stunning mountain views. The country is also considered the Safari capital of the world, with incredible wildlife viewing throughout Tanzania, in particular, the Serengeti.

Tanzania is a presidential constitutional republic, and its official capital city has been Dodoma (since 1996). Here you will find the President’s Office, the National Assembly, and other government buildings. Dar es Salaam, the former capital is still the largest city and holds most of  the government offices, as well as being the country’s principal port and leading commercial hub.

Climate can vary greatly within Tanzania. Up in the highlands, temperatures range between 10 and 20°C during cold and hot seasons.

The rest of the country is usually pretty consistent, with temperatures rarely falling lower than 20°C. The hottest period months are between November and February (25–31°C) while the cooler months occur between May and August (15–20°C). Tanania can recieve some cooler evenings and mornings, so be sure to bring along something warm to wear. 

Tanzania has two major wet seasons: one is uni-modal (October to April) which is experienced in southern, central, and western parts of the country, and the other is bi-modal (October to December and March to May), found in the north from Lake Victoria and up along the east coast.

The Serengeti can be visited throughout the year but is most popular during March to May, due to very little rain. For the wildebeest migration, travel from June to September. And for Zanzibar, this is best visited from June to October, which is dry season.

Tanzania has a large and diverse population, consisting of many different tribles, ethnic communities and religous groups.

Christians and Muslims make up the majority and 2% still practice Traditional African Religion.

incredibly, there are over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania, making it the most diverse country in East Africa for language. All four of Africa’s language families are spoken (Bantu, Cushitic, Nilotic, and Khoisan), with Swahili and English being the official languages. Although some locals speak great English, Swahili is predominantly spoken throughout the county. 

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