Day 1: Fly from North America on an overnight flight to Amsterdam.
Day 2: In Amsterdam we will connect to the KLM flight south to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda where we will stay for four nights.
Day 3: This morning we will have a short tour of the city, and the afternoon will be free to relax, snooze and simply catch up after the long journey. In the evening there will be a reception, and an opportunity to meet some local university and government people.
Day 4/5: Two full days touring, and visiting local villages. Your guide, fluent in English, French and Swahili, will guide you to some hidden corners, and introduce you to the vibrant life of this fascinating country. In Rwanda, we will be hosted by members of the faculty of the University of Rwanda, who are long-tiem colleagues of our tour escort. They will be able to offer unique insights into every aspect of Rwandan life, both historical and contemporary.
Day 6: At lunchtime, we will fly the short distance into Tanzania, and spend two nights based near Arusha. Tanzania's colonial history is predominantly British, and this will eb an opportunity to see some of the differences in contemporary life stemming from this past. We will also look at some current aid projects, and discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of the aid-based economy.
Day 7: A full day touring locally
Day 8: The majority of the day will be spent locally, and in the late afternoon you will fly to Zanzibar, and check into the hotel for a three-night stay.
Day 9: Zanzibar's rich Arabic history will come alive as we explore Stone Town, the UNESCO Heritage site, and home to some remarkable architecture, and rich history. There will be time to relax, too, and enjoy the Indian Ocean beach and shop for souvenirs.
Day 10: A second full day in Zanzibar, and today we will have a vehicle and tour the island, visiting the spice plantations and prison island. Once again, we will be able to meet with local officials and discussing the path that Zanzibar is taking to economic and social development.
Day 11: This morning we will take the short flight to Tanzania's bustling port at Dar Es Salaam, the last stop on our tour. After checking into the hotel, we will have a tour of the city and an introduction to the local culture.
Day 12: A full day to tour out of the city, visit a local village and see the growing development in this part of Tanzania.
Day 13: We will stay in Dar Es Salaam today, and visit the National Museum and Botanical Gardens. While in Dar, we are also working with Canadian Embassy officials to schedule a meeting, and allow you the opportunity to discuss some of what you have learned and experienced with them.
Following a late lunch we will transfer to the airport for the overnight flight to Amsterdam.
Day 14: We will connect through Amsterdam, and fly back to North America where our tour will end.
Please note that at this stage, few formal meetings have been finalised, and as they are scheduled, we will be adding the details into the itinerary. The tour will allow all participants a wide range of opportunities to meet Africans involved in many different areas of development. The intention is to offer a glimpse of contemporary Africa, both its difficulties and its great strengths as we move through our itinerary with Serge Kaptegaine, a delightful, engaging and knowledgeable guide.
