Country Information

A Taste of Tanzania

Each name within the country of Tanzania resonates within the mind and implies the exciting and exhilarating adventures that come hand in hand with a gap year spent within the country. With each new fact learned about Tanzania comes yet another reason to start packing your suitcase in order to begin your exploration into one of the wildest countries available for discovery.

Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar are just a few of the places that provide a background for each amazing adventure to be encountered in Tanzania. Within all but a short few hours, it is possible to find yourself exploring the ruins of ancient Swahili cities that sits with its history preserved by a thick layer of moss that trickles down the sides of each building.

When tired, one can casually rest on the idyllic beaches that border the magical country, in order to prepare for the next adventure of climbing the mist-covered slopes in the Highlands.

After a spot of lunch, the exploration continues through the barren expanse of Ol Doinyo Lengai, led by a Maasai warrior and his equally admirable spear that strides alongside him.

Despite many attractions, Tanzania still remains to be one of the most low key countries. Untouched by rivalries and political debates and upheavals, Tanzania is a perfect place to avoid busy city life and meditate upon a different viewpoint in life. This said, Tanzania is seen to have a booming tourism industry and so offers gap year students the chance to feel as if they are still in touch with the bustling atmosphere of life in England.

The extent as to how far removed from the society you get is completely up to you. If you feel that you are seeking creature comforts, it is possible for you to remain on the northern safari circuit where the main roads are sealed and plenty of hotels and restaurants can be found around each and every corner.

Elsewhere, for the more adventurous, it is feasible to find yourself well away from the busy towns and cities as you wander well off the beaten path to find yourself encased in a Tanzania that is far removed from Western Development. This offers gap year students the perfect opportunity to have an experience that will travel with them throughout the rest of their life. Throughout the country, any gap year student will be astonished as to the wide array of options for travellers. Each activity is set against a backdrop of a cultural puzzle, with each piece within over 100 ethnic groups fitting together in perfect harmony. Explore the shoreline of Lake Victoria and let the small fishing villages on tranquil islands sink into your memory. Then, after, descend deeper into the wilderness of Katavi to walk alongside buffaloes and hippos.

Wherever you choose to go in Tanzania, make sure that you make full advantage of the warmth of character seen within the people that live and work there. Their culture is acknowledged by many to be the most dignified and majestic cultures seen in the world, so allow this to surround you – it is them that usually remain most prominent within the memory and are thought to be the highlight of any visit.