Tanzania offers some of the greatest wildlife viewing on earth, amidst a dramatic setting of endless savannah, volcanic callers, and snowy equatorial peaks. Unfenced and untamed, these animals roam free in a land that has the largest concentration of plains animals on earth.  Tanzania is also one of the world's economically poorest  countries.  The contradictions of pristine wilderness and abject poverty have made this country the focus of attention for wildlife conservation and development specialists for decades.  Today, Tanzania hopes that through carefully planned "sustainable" nature tourism, the country will be able to uplift itself economically by using wildlife conservation as a key economic income generator to local peoples.

 
 

Supplemental Readings for Everyone J. Nyerere - The Arusha Declaration L. Deng - Theory and Practice of Development in Africa: An Overview R. Bonner - Whose Heritage is it? WWF - Integrated Conservation and Development: Ten Lessons from the Field: 1985-1994 C. Christ - Taking Ecotourism to the Next Level A. Drumm - New Approaches to Community-based Ecotourism Management K. Sproule & A. Subandi - Guidelines for Community-based Ecotourism Programs G. Borrini-Feyerabend - Collaborative Management of Protected Areas: Tailoring the Approach to the Context African Wildlife - USAID support to the CAMPFIRE program in Zimbabwe

Supplemental Readings if you are taking the 6-credit Version of the Course D. Goulet - "Development"....or Liberation? N. Long - The Modernization Approach N. Long - Structural Dependency and the Analysis of Modes of Production C. Flora - Rural Peoples in a Global Economy S. Chambua - The Development Debates and the Crisis of Development Theories: The Case of Tanzania... R. Sklar - Beyond Capitalism and Socialism in Africa N. Hildyard - Foxes in Charge of the Chickens Y. Tandon - Village Contradictions in Africa A. Agarwal & S. Narain - Towards Green Villages P. Ekins - Making Development Sustainable

Itinerary

Overview:

After arriving in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's port city on the Indian Ocean, you will continue on to the legendary spice island of Zanzibar.  The Swahili Coast has been known to explorers since the early Greeks traveled the seas and found a vibrant society of skillful fishermen and traders. Historians have long pondered its history, its origins, and its culture. Stretching from present day Somalia to northern Mozambique in its heyday, it is today a scattering of small villages, towns, and islands, with the still vibrant island of Zanzibar today serving as testimony to its former greatness.   You will also have the chance to explore Zanzibar's fascinating old town, and learn about the spice trade for which the island is famous, as well as having opportunities to explore its natural forests and marine environments.

After the hustle and bustle of Dar es Salaam and the ancient history of Zanzibar, you travel north to Tanzania's northern "safari capital", the busy town of Arusha, nestled beneath the towering volcanic peak of Mount Meru, Africa's fourth highest peak.  You will explore this growing town, as well as the lush forests of Arusha National Park, a tiny "gem" on the slopes of Mount Meru, home to rare Black and White Colobus Monkeys.You will also have the opportunity to visit the town of Moshi, a growing commercial center located under the towering shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, where you will visit Mweka, the College of African Wildlife Management. Then, traveling west into Tanzania's vast wilderness, you will spend two days at Lake Manyara, legendary home to tree climbing lions, and the nearby town of Mto-wa-Mbu, exploring current community protected area issues. Arusha will be your final stop once again, before you bid farewell to the complex and fascinating country that is Tanzania today.

Day to Day Schedule
 

Day 1	Arrive in Dar es Salaam
Day 2-3	Dar es Salaam-Explore City and meet with guest speakers
Day 4-7	Zanzibar - This morning you are transferred to Dar es Salaam's harbor for your boat trip to Zanzibar.  You are met on arrival and transferred to your accommodations. The island of Zanzibar offers a rich pageant of culture, history, and the natural environment.  Long a crossroads for trade between the interior of Africa and ports as distant as China, bustling Old Town has known many different cultures, from the Omanis who ruled for more than 400 years, to the Portuguese, the British, the Germans.  Finally, Zanzibar gained independence in 1964 and established a political union with mainland Tanganyika.  Together, they became the nation of Tanzania. Zanzibar still serves as the heart of Swahili culture in East Africa today, where the Swahili language is found in its purest form and the traditions of this vibrant maritime culture most alive.  More than anything, Zanzibar has been known for its spices, particularly cloves, and spice farms still dot the island, giving rise to its alternate name - the Island of Spice. In more recent years, the island has opened itself to tourism, making great efforts to preserve its natural history resources, including its beautiful marine environment, as well as its inland forest, with its species of flora and fauna, and to include local people in the benefits of this new growth.  We will have the opportunity to explore the many facets of the island during our four days here.
	Zanzibar is a predominantly Muslim nation. Their culture and standards of behavior are quite different from our own. Here are some Do's and Don'ts of Travel in Zanzibar.
Day 8-9	Zanzibar to Arusha - We will transferred to the airport on Zanzibar for our flight across Tanzania to the northern "safari capital" of Arusha. Upon arrival, we will be met and transferred to our accommodation. Arusha town, nestled at the base of towering Mount Meru, has a long history as a trading town.  It has also been home to a number of significant political efforts in recent years, including the site for the United Nations Court of Justice human rights trials resulting from the civil war in Rwanda in the early 90's, and brokering a peace resolution for the nation of Burundi.  It serves as one of the principal gateways into its neighbor to the north, Kenya, through the border town of Namanga, as well as the gateway to Tanzania's world-renowned northern national parks.  We will have explore this fast-growing town and learn about the many forces at work in its development.
Day 9-10	Arusha National Park - While learning about Arusha town and its surrounding areas, we will have the opportunity to spend one full day exploring Arusha National Park. This beautiful park, visited by only a few tourists, consists of lush forests and swamps and contains Mount Meru, fourth highest peak in Africa, as well as the alkali Momella Lakes.  It also contains the little-known Ngurdoto Crater - an undisturbed, pristine natural wildlife habitat.  Crisp mountain air greets you as you start out for a morning nature walk on the slopes of Mount Meru enroute to a beautiful waterfall.  Herds of Cape Buffalo are common amid the small mountain brooks and alpine meadows. Bird life is abundant here.  In the nearby forests, Black and White Colobus Monkeys forage.  It is the only place these beautiful primates are found in Tanzania's northern national parks.  Giraffe, hippos, rhino and other large game may also be seen, as can the shy Red Duiker. Being situated close to Arusha town and many surrounding villages, Arusha National Park is also a focal point for community protected area issues.
Day 11-12	Moshi - Moshi is a small town nestled at the base of towering Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain.  Small farms dot the lowlands, which gradually give way to the forested slopes of the mountain itself, which dominates the town's skyline. Traditionally an agricultural community, Moshi has emerged as a small commercial center, particularly for local artisans, and it is most well known for Mweka - the College of African Wildlife Management, located on its outskirts.  You will have two days here to visit Mweka and learn first-hand about how Tanzanians started the first wildlife school on the continent dedicated to training fellow Africans in national park planning and management, as well as explore the changing character of the town.
Day 13	Arusha
Day 14-15	Lake Manyara - Set at the base of the Rift Valley's dramatic escarpment, Lake Manyara's lush shores are home to large numbers of hippos, flamingoes, and countless other water birds, as well as tree climbing lions.  Lake Manyara was also the site of a fascinating long-term study of elephants by Iain Douglas-Hamilton, recounted in his very enjoyable book, Among the Elephants.  Surrounded on all sides by villages and encroaching human habitation, Manyara is an example of a pristine wilderness area in precarious existence side-by-side with the human need for farm and grazing land.  Nowhere is this partnership - for better and worse - between local peoples and the park more dramatically played out than in Mto-wa-Mbu village, the main town on the park's northern border.  You will spend two days based at Mto-wa-Mbu, visiting the park each day to experience its incredible wildlife and learning about local efforts to make the park more economically beneficial to the people who live closest to it.
Day 16	Return to Arusha
Day 17	Transfer to airport for flight to Europe and onward to the USA.

    30 million people,

Health Considerations

UVM Drug and Alchohol Policy
 

For more information, contact:

Dave Kestenbaum