Spring Semester in East Africa

This unique opportunity allows you to make a difference in the local community while experiencing the incredible beauty of Tanzania.

You’ll begin the semester learning the local language, Kiswahili, while backpacking through grasslands and being immersed in the cultures of the Maasai people by visiting their remote villages. Sometimes students have the chance to attend a Maasai ceremony too, which is noted as a course highlight for NOLS East Africa alumni!

Next, you’ll experience an African safari section filled with many animal sightings such as hyenas, elephants, lions, cheetahs, and leopards. You’ll swap out your heavy pack and spend two full days viewing these animals from the comfort of a Jeep! The course spends time viewing some of the earliest human remains and fossilized footprints at Olduvai Gorge, a National Park in the eastern Serengeti Plain.

You’ll be fully immersed in the local culture during a 10-day homestay with a family. During this time, students get hands-on experience and have opportunities to support the household through cooking, cleaning dishes, walking children to school, and teaching English to their host family. NOLS partners with a public school and students help in a service project such as building a new school room.

The final section leads students to the mountains to climb and attempt a summit of Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Students spend 20 days on the mountain, where they will learn mountaineering skills and travel to the summit through remote trails, away from the crowds.

This semester in Tanzania will undoubtedly be a transformative experience, allowing you to grow personally, make a positive impact, and explore the immense beauty of Tanzania. Embrace the magic of this region as you work hard and play hard, immersing yourself in the local culture and creating memories and friendships that will stay with you forever.

Photo credit: James Kagambi