Maasai Cultural Experience

3 days

Maasai Cultural Experience
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During your program, you’ll explore the surrounding areas of the Maasai savannahs, visiting the beautiful Lake Natron, which provides a natural habitat for hundreds of flamingos and has the opportunity to climb the volcanic giant of Ol Donyio Langai (the spiritual home of the Maasai translated as the ‘Mountain of God’).


Throughout your journey, you are likely to see many different animals wandering in their natural habitats such as zebra, giraffe, ostrich, gazelle and possibly even a lion! The animals of Africa are not fenced in as such, allowing for migration of different beasts. It’s important to remember, however, that these are not safari park savannahs. They are home to tribal people and therefore, contain fewer predators than the parks where their habitat is ‘safer’ away from the residing people and their farms.


 We don’t want to create another ‘safari tour’ for you but rather provide an exceptional means by which to meet the local people, see their environment and learn more about their fascinating history and culture. Depending on the aim of your visit whilst in Africa, you would be most welcome to combine a safari park or two under our other cultural tours with that of our Maasai Cultural program, that way widening your experience of Africa and increasing your chances of seeing more of its fascinating wildlife.


After overnight camping close to the shores of Lake Natron, we will take you to the Maasai village where you will meet and have tea with our Maasai family. You’ll be able to ask questions about their life (through a translator), take pictures of their home (and with permission individually, the tribal members) and get a ‘taster’ of what daily life is like in an authentic and very remote Maasai community.


The village or ‘boma’ that you will visit is not a ‘cultural boma’. By this, we mean that the inhabitants of this village are close friends of Peace Matunda, live a very frugal and remote lifestyle and do not open up the gate of their village to anyone else. Part of the money that your fee covers is food supplies for the village as well as for the orphanage children from the nearby nursery (also visited).

 

Following this, we will take you to meet Mr Pallangyo, the government primary school headmaster and expert on the Maasai. My Pallangyo has lived and worked in the Maasai community for over twenty-five years after moving from the Meru Mountain to fill the position of headmaster. The children at the school are a mixture of Maasai and Swahili locals, all very friendly and extremely keen to learn. You will be the only visitor they receive and therefore, they will be just as keen to learn about you and your culture, as you will theirs!

 

The second evening will be spent at the guest house of Mr Pallangyo and the following morning at the school where you will have the opportunity to meet the children and assist in lessons where available, introducing yourself and giving a brief introduction to your home and culture (we will try to give you some tips on what to prepare for this!). If choosing the 3-day option, you will travel back to Arusha in the afternoon after lunch. Travelling out by a different route, you will be able to see some beautiful scenery that your guide will be happy to stop and show you.

 

The three main objectives of our cultural programmes are:

  • To provide two-way learning of different cultures, helping to educate future generations and encourage a peaceful coexistence within Tanzania.
  • To provide educational support in rural schools through our volunteering programme.
  • To educate visitors on the local environment (such as Mount Meru, Ol Donyio Langai, Lake Natron…)
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