World Challenge Expedition – Tanzania 2010

A group of 18 sixth form students recently returned from a month long expedition to Tanzania. The expedition followed an 18 month period of preparation with the World Challenge organisation and involved an acclimatisation trek to Longido, a six day trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro, a week of project work at Uduru Machame primary school, a two day safari and some rest and relaxation on the east coast near Pangani.

The students were responsible for all aspects of day to day leadership and management of the group during their time in Tanzania with pairs of students taking responsibility for transport, accommodation, accounts, food and overall leadership.

Trekking and backpacking in Tanzania is both exciting and challenging.

Highlights included:

• spending three days with Maasai guides, visiting their villages and gaining an understanding of life in Longido;
• waking to the frozen ground at Kibo hut (4700m) at 10pm ready to walk through the night up the final challenging 1200m to Uhuru peak at 5895m, overcoming cold, scree, and mountain sickness to reach the highest point in Africa at 6am the following morning;
• creating an adventure playground and completing a mural and classroom renovation at a primary school;
• safari in Tarangire national park and Ngorongoro crater with fantastic opportunities to see elephants, hippos, lions, giraffes, wildebeest and zebras ;
• and relaxing in beach-side banda accommodation with open views across the Indian Ocean

There is no doubt that Tanzania has left its mark on all of us and that the expedition has been a fantastic experience. Everyone has learned a lot about themselves and about the challenges of travel. All have returned wiser and better prepared to face the challenge of higher education or A levels– all can be proud of what they have achieved.

World Challenge Expedition – Tanzania 2010