Kilimanjaro | Cultural Exploration

Overview

Cultural Exploration Kilimanjaro - The Rooftop of Africa combines a short community service experience with Putney’s most challenging outdoor adventure—climbing Africa’s highest peak - and a short safari to some of the world’s premier big game parks. 

Based for the first six days in a small, rural, agricultural village outside the northern city of Arusha, Tanzania, we work alongside welcoming local people on community-initiated projects. These may include construction of a classroom, improving a water supply, teaching English to children, or helping in an orphanage.

This program combines outdoor adventure with community service and cultural interaction.

Putney students first summited Kilimanjaro in 1972. Forty years later we again follow the magnificent, unspoiled Shira Plateau/Western Breach route with our final night before the summit on the crater floor, the best place to see the last towering glaciers of Kilimanjaro.  During eight days on the mountain, traverse the Montane forest, home to Colobus monkeys, then heath and arctic climate zones, before climbing Lava Tower, a 300 foot high volcanic plug jutting out from the side of the mountain. Camp in the crater next to Furtwrangler Glacier. This route offers the highest summit success rate because it allows for good acclimatization by never climbing more than 2500 feet in a day. More commonly used routes attempt the summit in just five or six days, requiring extreme elevation gains, including a climb of 4000 feet on the final day, and a midnight departure on the summit day. Our final climb to the summit is only 800 feet above the crater floor camp, so the final trek to reach the spectacular snow-covered summit by sunrise starts at 5 AM and lasts just two to three hours.

After a night resting and celebrating back in Arusha, spend the final days of the program on a safari organized by close friends of Putney, who introduce you to Tanzania’s fascinating tribal culture, wildlife, and history. The safari lasts five days and includes a stay as guests of the Maasai tribe, complete with a reception by a village elder and a traditional feast held in our group’s honor. Guides introduce you to Tanzania’s abundant wildlife in Tarangire National Park, where you can view animals up close. The safari continues to Ngorongoro Crater, with an expedition into the ten-mile-wide crater. Driving through grassland, swamps, and along lakes and rivers, you safely encounter lions, zebras, cheetahs, rhinos, elephants, monkeys, flamingos, wildebeest, jackals, and hyenas. Upon successful completion of the program, you can expect to receive a certificate for 30-40 hours of community service.

Highlights

• Ascend Mt. Kilimanjaro—at 19,340 feet it is Africa’s highest peak.
• Watch the sunrise over the glaciers on Kilimanjaro’s summit.
• Join Tanzania villagers in service projects in their community.
• On a safari, spot lions, giraffes, and elephants.
• Join a Maasai community in a traditional feast and celebration.

What to Expect

Since we live in our community service village as the local people do, accommodations are very simple, with separate space for boys and girls, and bathroom facilities.

This is Putney’s most physically challenging program. The ascent of Mt. Kilimanjaro involves eight days of very rigorous hiking and camping, with considerable time spent above an elevation of 10,000 feet. While no technical climbing skills are required, the route to the summit is a long and challenging path. Participants must be in excellent physical condition. You should come to the program with an open mind, eager to participate in new experiences and interested in exploring another culture and way of life.

At Putney we take pride in our reputation for careful, thorough planning and attention to detail. The descriptions of our programs are based on our experiences in previous summers and our plans for this summer. It is inevitable that some things described here will not happen exactly as presented. To get the most out of the Putney experience, participants need to be flexible in responding to unforeseen situations, and creative in taking advantage of unexpected opportunities. We expect Putney participants to share responsibility for the success of their experience. 

Fees

Tuition: $7,390

Itinerary

Departure • Join the group as you begin a three-week adventure in rural Northern Tanzania.  The group flight departs from JFK  Airport where you  meet one of your leaders and fly to Kilimanjaro Airport outside Arusha, Tanzania.

Community Service • Travel by truck the short distance to our host village in the foothills of Mount Meru.  Here, we live together as a group for six days as we collaborate with local people and undertake several service projects.

Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa, and the world's highest free-standing mountain.

Mt. Kilimanjaro • Next, take eight days to attempt the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro via the exceptional Shira Plateau/Western Breach route.  Professional guides and porters lead you on this challenging trek to the Roof of Africa.

Safari • The program culminates with a five-day cultural and wildlife safari, first as guests of the Maasai Tribe, and then in national parks that are world-renowned for their wildlife:  Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and Ngorongoro Crater.

Return • Fly with your group and a leader from Tanzania to New York and continue on to your final destination.

This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule.  However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.

Destination

Background • Tanzania’s welcoming people, cultural vitality, and extraordinary natural beauty make it a favorite destination for travelers.  A well-established democratic government and a widely respected system of public education are the keys to Tanzania’s reputation as a stable, safe country.  Comprised of over 120 different ethnic groups, Tanzania’s people rely heavily on agriculture for both subsistence and livelihood.  The country boasts abundant wildlife, and Tanzanians pride themselves on their rich natural resources and peaceful history.  Our program begins in a village located on the fertile lower slopes of Mt. Meru, near the safari center of Arusha in Northern Tanzania. It then continues about 80 kilometers west to the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro where the climb begins at the Kilimanjaro National Park gate. The safari component of the program circles through the game parks of northwestern Tanzania.

Population • The  population of Tanzania is approximately 45 million. Arusha, the largest city near our program, has about 1.5 million people. Our project village is small, home to roughly 8,000 people who are spread across a large rural area.

Language  • While each of the 120 ethnic groups in the nation has its own dialect, KiSwahili is the language spoken by the majority of Tanzanians.  Higher education is conducted in English, thus many older people speak English.

Climate • Tanzania is situated on the equator, and weather conditions do not vary greatly through the year.  During our visit, it is dry (Tanzania has been in a cycle of drought for many years) and comfortable.  The sun is powerful.  Temperatures in the village rise to the 70s during the day, and drop to the 50s at night.  On safari, we spend one or two nights at higher altitude, where temperatures can drop to the 40s.   As we near the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, temperatures change dramatically, and can drop as low as zero degrees.

Cuisine • Food in Tanzania is varied, with curries, grilled meat, and plenty of tropical fruit and vegetables.  There is an Indian influence, with particular appreciation of breads, like chapati and naan. Western influence is also seen in the availability of pastas and cereals. Since all food on the climb must be carried, options are more limited.

Currency • Tanzania uses the Shilling (TZS).  We change money in banks on visits to Arusha.  ATM machines are also available in Arusha.

Voltage • Electric current is 220V, and plugs are types D&G: large round three-pin and large flat three-pin heads, respectively.  Electricity is scarce in the villages; we rely on the DC outlets in our Land Rover to charge cameras and phones.  Solar chargers and extra batteries are helpful.

Visa • Tanzania requires a tourist visa for entry and students also need a “work permit” to complete community service projects. Putney provides detailed guidelines on obtaining both of these. The combined cost of the documents comes to close to $200.

How To Apply

Step 1: Log On.

If you are new to Putney Student Travel, visit our Online Application. 
If you are a Putney Student Travel alumni family, use your existing account information to Log In.

Step 2: Hold A Space In The Program.

You can hold a space in a program by completing the Online Application Form and providing the $700 Application Deposit by Mastercard, Visa, or Discover Card through our secure online system or by sending a check to our office. Our admissions staff is also available to take credit card information over the phone.  We will hold a space in a program for a reasonable time, pending completion of the full application process. See Step 3.

After March 15, to hold a space in a program an application must be accompanied by full payment made by check or wire transfer and the signed Agreement Form.

Step 3: Complete the Application Process.

Before we can make a final admissions decision, an application must be complete.  In addition to the Application Form and Application Deposit described above, a complete application includes:

• Applicant Statement
• Two Teacher References
• Signed Agreement Form

These documents are available as part of our Online Application.  We review a completed application within a few days, and notify families of our admissions decision by e-mail.

For a full description of eligibility, admissions policies, and terms of payment, please visit our Terms & Conditions.