Last year, Saskatchewen University in Canada contacted us to arrange an overseas placement option for their students. We were able to create a placement tailored to their needs in Ghana. All three students have had an amazing time working at the government hospital in Takoradi, but the cherry on the top of the cake was the Village Healthcare Experience.

We offer all of our students the opportunity to sign up for a Village Healthcare Experience, giving them the chance to experience the delivery of rural healthcare firsthand. It really complements the hospital placement and provides a broader vision of global healthcare. But how would it work for the pharmacists? We asked for feedback….

How did you find your Village Healthcare Experience?

It was the greatest learning experience of my life! I feel that I was exposed to a typical rural Ghanaian lifestyle and appreciated the opportunity to live a week in those shoes.

I enjoyed being challenged in choosing treatments for patients after examining them. The clinic staff were a wonderfiul source of encouragement and support.

How did you find the afternoon activities?

There was a good variety of exciting activities. I especially enjoyed the trip fishing. Jeph, our Work the World guide, was extremely friendly and encouraged our participation and feedback throughout the week.

How did you find life with a host family?

We were very well fed and the food was delicious!

We also spoke to Joe, our Ghana Programme Manager about how the students got on with their actual placement:

What did the students do on placement?

They were able to do almost all it entails in a pharmacy placement- dispensing in different areas of the hospital; ward rounds in the Surgical department, O and G and the General medical wards; working at the main dispensary and antenatal dispensary; joined in the HIV clinic with the pharmacist; done two days of local production of paracetamol and trisilicate and experienced how a community pharmacy is operated. They felt part of the team as they could ask and answer questions and also interact with patients. The staff were all very accommodating and willing to help when ever necessary, and they got to experience many things which they don’t get to do back at home as well as learn new methods.

After being taken on an impromptu tour of the city, we settled down and had dinner. followed by a much deserved good night´s sleep.

I have found that my days are very busy and because of siesta 1-5pm when most businesses close, I am not able to update my blog as frequently as I would like.  So I have taken up writing my experiences in a notebook and then post them on my blog when I am able.

I am usually an early riser, infact, I did wake up at 5.30am much too early and went back to sleep only to wake again to find that I had ten minutes to spare until my Spanish lesson…great first impression, but all was well!  I settled into a four hour session of not just Spanish but Argentinean Spanish.  Each county in South America has a different way of using the Spanish language.  I have been introduced to ´vos´ which is ´you´ when referring to someone one is familiar with, I am relived to find that I can also use the usual ´tu´ which I am used to as well.  The session was intensive but needed, particularly learning medical based words and questions.  Our homework for the week is to create a short paragraph presentation on a medical/midwifery condition.  I picked pre-eclampsia…good luck to me.

After the session, on official orientation of the city followed. Walking the streets of Mendoza, I sense the raw vibrancy and vitality and…space.  It is an intriguing combination of new and old:

Click here to see Aongola’s slideshow.

Published with kind permission by Aongola Ngenda, a midwife from Bradford University. Read Aongola’s full blog here.

Its the day before my flight.  I have done as much spanish revision as I can these past few months in between: placement, job applicaitons, essay submissions and practice project preparation…Cheers to time management.

One of the best things about this elective placement, is the one week Intensive Spanish Course, to bring out more of those spanish words locked in my long term memory and more importantly, to learn the medical spanish which I will need to fully appreciate my experience and ask plenty of questions.

After a goodbye dinner with friends tonight, I´ll double check my bags and then I´m ready to fly tomorrow evening.  I am nervous and excited about this trip, after all the planning and juggling of work load, it´s finally time.

Published with kind permission by Aongola Ngenda, a midwife from Bradford University. Read Aongola’s full blog here.

Things can be very different overseas!

I have attempted to rebook flights, trains and buses in a variety of languages—most of which I don’t speak. I have ordered off menus that do not boast the regular alphabet I have grown accustomed to over the last 25 years. I have had adventures in places where toilet paper doesn’t actually get flushed down the toilet. I have jumped off a 7 meter staircase into the ocean and burst both ear drums. And I’m about to travel to a country where forks and knives are not commonplace and mosquito nets are a must. Basically, I have been and will be forced outside my comfort zone more than a few times, both figuratively and literally.

Welcome to the world of Culture Shock!

Maybe you have experienced it in your own travels. Maybe you have experienced it by simply going to visit your granny in the country away from your busy flat in the city. It comes in many varieties and, no matter where it comes from, it’s a big deal. It can throw you off your game and make the world feel like it’s spinning.

To avoid getting “the dizzies” upon your entry to a whole new world (cue the Aladdin song), here are some tips I’ve gathered along the way that may help make your adjustment a bit smoother.

1. Laugh it off. It doesn’t matter how tiny or gargantuan the difference is. Laughter is the first start to establishing a new perspective.
2. “If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” ~Maya Angelou.  Accept that part of travelling is seeing new people, new places, new things. If everything is the same as home, then why did you just spend half your day on an airplane?
3. Make friends. One of the many awesome things about Work The World is the houses. You’re rarely alone. You’re living with other students. It’s a social gold mine. It’s like student halls, only cleaner. The same thing goes for group travel, although I can’t vouch for its cleanliness.
4. 

   Pigeon Island - a favourite Sri Lankan spot for many WTW students.

   Find a favorite spot wherever you go. Having a place that makes you feel happy despite the crazy world you’ve jumped into helps to keep you grounded within yourself.

5. Call home. Friends and family are a great source of comfort and they will love to hear about all the weird things you’ve encountered. Just save any potentially scary stories for once you return home. Parents have a tendency to panic!
6. Use the opportunity to learn. Not all life’s lessons come from a text book or a power point presentation. And I’m convinced that, sometimes, the lessons you learn from travel are far more useful in the long run than the lessons that are taught in a classroom for hours on end.

Immersing yourself in a different culture can turn your world upside down even if you haven’t changed hemispheres. But the important thing to remember is that, if every culture was the same, it would be like walking into a Baskin Robbins and only being able to choose from Vanilla. Boring!

This post was written by Kaitlin Freienmuth, physiotherapy elective student, Robert Gordon University

A view of the city of Mendoza - check out the back drop!

The prestigious New7Wonders Cities contest finalised its first stage in March and Mendoza was voted best city in South America! 900 cities worldwide were left behind and Mendoza is now shortlisted in a group of 300 cities for the next stage of the competition.

After the selection of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and the recently chosen Seven Wonders of Nature, the creators of New7Wonders went ahead with a new global competition: the search for the seven most wonderful cities in the world.

These contests are a great success and help find and recognise exciting, upcoming cities worldwide.

In Central America, Havana in Cuba got the most votes, while in North America, New York ranked first. In South America, Mendoza beat amazing cities such as Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Cusco and Lima.

The San Martin Park in Mendoza - a popular afternoon hang out for Work the World students!

Voting for the next stage will finish on November 23rd, 2012 so get your votes in now!

The last and most important stage of all will take place between November 23rd and December 6^th 2012, in which the 77 most voted cities in the world, will compete to be shortlisted. At this stage the 28 official finalists will be announced – these will be selected by a group of international experts.

Finally, between December 7th, 2012 and December 6th, 2013 there will be a progressive elimination of cities, which will result – thanks to the vote of millions of people – in the seven winners, who will become the Official New7Wonders Cities of the World. On December 7th, 2013 the results will be released.

There are lots of vineyards to visit around the city.

There is no doubt that the seven winning cities are destinations that are well worth a visit. Perhaps, as has happened in other editions of the New7Wonders contests, some people will believe that the result is not entirely fair or that other cities also deserve to be on the list. What is clear is that Mendoza is wonderful, and we are keen to show it to the world!

So, if you’re still deciding where to go on your elective placement, why not take this opportunity to find out why we think Mendoza deserves to be one of the seven most amazing cities in the world!

Your overseas placement with Work the World will be an invaluable learning experience which develops your skills, confidence and knowledge in your chosen discipline, but it can’t be all work and no play! Doing your elective placement abroad should also be an amazing travel adventure you’ll never forget.

This week we asked students in each of our houses “which experiences would you suggest to Work the World students going on placement this year?”

Enjoying some Malbec!

In Argentina one of the top suggestions was hiring a two person bike and doing a wine tour. Ewa, James and Aurore who’ve all been on placement in Mendoza for a few weeks now said they would recommend that anyone going to Mendoza hires a two person bike and cycles their way around the vineyards of the region. We couldn’t work out whether it was for the beautiful scenery or the yummy Malbec!

Ewa also said that “trying Dulce le leche is a must”. Literally translated Dulce le leche means candy of milk and is prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk – very tasty!

Nichola Coleman said:

“Being part of the team; collaborating with paperwork, sharing work, going out together, being proactive and the general friendly atmosphere on placement and at the house makes it a great environment.”

James Lacey mentioned that “helpful staff at the hospital are always ready and willing to explain procedures and anything else to you”. James also recommends getting stuck into all the outdoor activities on offer; rafting, paragliding, trekking, horse riding and bike riding in and around Mendoza.

In Mwanza the favourite weekend activity by far is of course going on Safari! The Work the World house on the banks of Lake Victoria is only a few hours away from the plains of the Serengeti and

Safari in the Serengeti - a once in a lifetime experience!

Ngorongor National Park; perfect for a weekend safari and seeing if you can spot the ‘big five’.

Sean Sutton who has been in Mwanza for almost five weeks says his highlights for students on placement are “the Serengeti and Ngorongor National Park, the local market, swimming and eating at a local hotel, and visiting the orphanage”.

Hing Yan Tsang and Man Ting Chan both highlighted factors of their hospital placement; “patient interaction, case discussions with doctors and medical students has been amazing”.

They also mentioned that the weekly Swahili lessons at the house are great and locals, hospital supervisors, staff and patients really appreciate students just giving it a go!

A beautiful view on the Poon Hill trek.

Over in Nepal Medical student Rebecca Rowe said:

“You must visit Sarangkot, from there you can view beautiful sunrise. You can also walk for four days and go to Poon hills, it’s amazing. During placement try and join the outreach programme at primary healthcare clinics in and around Pokhara, it’s interesting and can give you different experience.”

Another student on placement in Nepal, Mark Jeffery, really enjoyed the Village Experience saying:

“It was a very good village experience and gives you broader view of Nepal. It gives you an insight into village life and you actually come to understand why people move from village to city for medication”.
Back in Tanzania, Marie Buitendyk, a medical student doing her elective in Arusha said:

“The health centre I am doing my placement in has been great for gaining experience with friendly staff. Working with the nurses and doctors you see many different cases and you get some great

Visiting the orphanage in Arusa.

insights to healthcare in Tanzania. You will see many things in surgery which are very different from home. In my spare time I would recommend Zanzibar – it is paradise on earth! Safari is amazing and if you have time to go to Kilimanjaro it is an unforgettable experience.”

Lok Chi Angie Chan just returned from a four week placement in Arusha, and said these were the highlights of her trip:

“I had lots of good experiences in my four weeks in Arusha! The Work the World house was great with nice people and well organised staff. Arusha town is a good area to go out, with some great bars and restaurants. The house was good for spending time after placement and BBQ night on Thursdays were always fun. My placement in the hospital was a really good experience and time in the ward and theatre is really interesting because it’s so different compared to our home countries. Going to the orphanage and playing with the kids was really fun and we also made some donations to the children there.”

So whether you want to Tango the night away, experience life in a rural Tanzanian village, relax on a beautiful beach, spot the ‘big five’ on Safari or trek through awe-inspiring mountains our placements really do offer something for everyone. And think of all those fantastic snap shots for Facebook to make your friends at home green with envy!

The peaceful lake - good for kayaking / boating

World peace pagoda - Pokhara's best walk

Kathmandu's famous Durbar Square temples

Canyoning - the new sport of choice!

January

Trekking: Good visibility and the temperatures and visibility are good, though it can get very cold and the Annapurna circuit may well be shut off by snow.

Chitwan: Now is a good time to visit Chitwan National Park and take an elephant safari through the jungle…. who know’s you may spot one of the elusive tigers that live there.

Paragliding: Perfect flying conditions and stunning views make this the best time to paraglide.

February

Lucy and Katy embracing the Holi festival of colour!

Trekking :The weather gets warmer so it’s less arduous. Visibility is not as good, but Nepal’s famous Rhododendons are in full bloom.

Chitwan: As well as tigers, Chitwan is home to all sorts of wildlife – greater one-horned rhinos, gangetic dolphin, wild Asian elephant, gaur, golden monitor lizards and crocodile.

Festivals: Maha Shiva Ratri is celebrated – a dedication to Lord Shiva. People in Pokhara make bonfires and heat sugarcane in the fire. Once hot, it is slammed on the floor to burst – quite a sight (and sound!). It is also good to be in Pashupatinath Temple in  Kathmandu as there are thousands of devotees – Sadhus and Yogis come from all over Nepal and India.

The ancient Hindu festival of Holi also falls in late February or on early March. Allegedly named after the mythical demoness Holika, it is a day when the feast of colours is celebrated. The festival is of a week. However, it’s only the last day that is observed by with colour and students play at the house, before heading to Lakeside for a full on colour fest!

March

Trekking:- the weather gets warmer so it’s less arduous. Visibility is not as good, but Nepal’s famous Rhododendons are in full bloom

Peak season in Nepal

Rafting: Nepal is one of the best places in the world to raft and for those who have never tried it before, the thrill of hurtling down the rapids is a must. There are lots of options available in Nepal, but it’s worth remembering that some of the rivers are graded 5…. just one away from “nearly impossible to navigate and a hazard to life”. As most students experience will be based on a theme park ride, this is a good time to visit the Seti river and learn how to raft. It’s the warmest in Nepal and the fast flowing route will give you a good introduction to some easy rapids. Beware of companies billing it is a “white water extravaganza” as you may find it falls short of your expectations. This is definitely a beginners river.

Festivals: Lhosar, the Tibetan New Year, falls on February/March. This festival is observed by all the Tibetan-speaking populations and their is a Gurung loshar, Tibetan loshar, Sherpa loshar and Tamang loshar, where people of each community organise folk songs, dances, dressing up in traditional attire…. it’s a good one  for the photo album!

Chaite Dashain is also celebrated for the first of it’s twice yearly slots. This festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and in our Village Healthcare Experience you can expect to see animal sacrifices to Goddess Durga.

Paragliding – Pokhara lakeside offers one of the most fantastic places in the world to paraglide. Companies will take you out to Sarangkot at 1425m and from there it’s just waiting for the right thermal to come along!  As you fly around the lake, you can enjoy the view of Machapucre (Fish Tail mountain).

April

Trekking – the weather is still ok for trekking, with plenty of flowers to add colour to your trek, but it is warming up. From May onwards it is too hot and dusty to really enjoy trekking, and when the monsoon arrives many of the roads are shut off due to landslides.

Rafting:  For those that don’t want a beginner option of Seti River, another rafting site close to Pokhara is the Kali Gandaki River. There is no road alongside, and because of it’s status as Nepal’s holiest river, there are lots of temples and cremation sites. The rapids are far more technical than Seti and it is classed grade 3 to 4 (as opposed to Seti which is 2 to 2+)

Festivals: The Annapurna Festival takes place in Basundhara Park, featuring dance, music and stalls serving regional food.

Paragliding: Pokhara’s big paragliding festival takes place this month. Alex, our Nepal Operations Manager took to the skies as part of a tandem to witness the spectacle himself ” the views over Pokhara were amazing and the stunts were terrifying, but exhilarating!”

May

Rafting: Nepal’s reputation as one of the world’s best spots for rafting appealed to Chris, our Administrator. His trip to Nepal last year saw him clad in wetsuit and clutching a paddle. “I went with some of the other students in the house to Seti and we had an awesome time. The views were spectacular – in some places the canyons reached up miles around you. I don’t think any of us were expecting it to be as exciting as it was – I was literally thrown from the boat in the first ten minutes!”

Paragliding: It is no surprise that the thermals around Pokhara are good – there are some seriously high mountains around! You can choose to learn yourself, join a tandem or even fly with the eagles!

Festivals: Buddha Jayanti is celebrated, to mark the birth anniversary of Buddha. It is worth visiting the Tashi-palkhel or Tashiling monastery in Pokhara, or the stupas in Kathmandu. A little further afield is Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha – people flock here for prayers, chanting and to light butter lamps.

Nepal's wet season

June & July

Temples: These months are wet, wet, wet and much of the Himalaya’s are obscured. August and September are just as wet, but they are peppered with festivals. June and July have suffered a bit in terms of highlights, but that could work in your favour – there are dramatically less visitors during the monsoon months and you won’t have to battle the hoards at any of the temples in the Kathmandu valley. This valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site composed of seven different Monument Zones: The the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur; the two most important Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath and two famous Hindu shrines, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan. These are all magnificent sites whatever the weather.

August

Festivals: The festival of Gai Jatra (the procession of cows) is one of the most popular festivals in the country, although it is far more prevalent in Kathmandu than Pokhara. There is a comic parade which is fun to watch and people that have had a family member die that year will come out in the street with an animal. This festival has its roots in the belief that the god of death, Yamaraj, must be feared and hence worshipped. Cows are decorated accordingly with paint and garlands.

There is also a women’s festival - Teej Ko Darkhane Din – where Hindu women, clad in red or green, must fast for the day. Through this religious fasting, hindu women pray for marital bliss, wellbeing of their spouse and children and purification of their own body and soul. It takes place on Tritiya of Bhadra (August/September).To prepare themselves they eat a lot the day before and dance and sing. Lots of our students have been invited out to dance with local friends and have shared gifts of bangles. Sunil recommends Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu to witness the festival.

September

Festivals:

Both Hindus and Buddhists unite in the capital to celebrate the festival of Indra Jatra with enthusiasm. Sunil tells us “It’s great to be in Kathmandu – they pull out a chariot and also showcase a blouse that is supposed to be gold with diamond  studs. Apparently, the real one has been gifted to (or bought by )the Queen in England, so the blouse they show here on that day is fake!”

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. It is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, and is a bit like Christmas over here. It is celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country and over the fifteen days of celebration, people head back to their family and enjoy the week eating, buying new clothes, visiting relatives, giving good wishes and gifts to one another. Some students have been invited to meet their supervisors families and to put on tika.

October

Chitwan: A trip to the elephant conservation camp in Chitwan will no doubt end in a soaking… no-one can resist the opportunity to help bathe the elephants and it only takes one word from the Mahout (keeper) before Nellies trunk is dipped in the water……

Festivals - Tihar, the festival of lights is one of the most dazzling of all Hindu festivals and is second only to Dashain.This festival worships Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth, and people decorate their houses and light lamps. Groups of people come singing at your doors in exchange for gifts or offerings.

Chaite Dasain has it’s second celebration of the year. Although it is a public holiday, people in Pokhara do not particularly celebrate. Those on our Village Healthcare Experience will definitely have a chance to get involved though as it is one of the key events in the communities calendar.

Trekking: The monsoons have just ended and so it’s a great time to trek – the countryside is green and lush, rice is harvested, visibility is brilliant and the air is sparkling clean.  The weather is also somewhat balmy. Perfect for  the annapurna or base camp!

Rafting:  From mid october the run off from the monsoon has settled down and rafting is available again for beginners.

Poon Hill trek, Annapurnas

November

Chitwan – There is lots of wildlife to spot in Chitwan and after living beside the mountains, Nepal’s lowlands are a complete contrast.

Trekking: The trails can get a bit busy because this is the peak time to take to the mountains. It really is worth trekking at this time of year though –  I visited Nepal at the end of November and tackled Poon Hill as part of a 5 day trek in the Annapurnas. It was beautiful and the sunrise from the top of Poon Hill over the dark shadows of some of the world’s highest mountains was one of my top travel experiences.

Rafting:  From Pokhara it is possible to arrange a trip down the Seti River all the way down to Gaighat. This exit point is just an hour away from Chitwan National Park.

Paragliding:  There are 4-5 day courses to learn yourself, or you can take to the skies as part of a tandem flight. For those that have always wanted to fly like a bird, there is also the opportunity to parahawk…. flying through the sky with an eagle or hawk is an unbelievable experience.

Getting a soaking at Chitwan

December

Chitwan: Its still a good time of year to visit Chitwan. You may not want to raft down here, but you can go overland.

Trekking -Temperatures and visibility are still good, though it can get very cold at high altitude. It’s worth thinking about this if you are planning to tackle base camp or the Annapurna circuit as part of your trip. As Lonely Planet say – it can be a real feat of endurance!

Paragliding: More opportunities to fly above the skies of Nepal, with or without a hawk!

The mozzie has already been reported in France and Belgium and the fear is that it could be heading north. With warmer and wetter winters the UK habitat has become a lot more appealing. Scientists led by Dr Samantha Martin, from the University of Liverpool, used climate models to predict how changing conditions might affect Asian tiger mosquito distribution. They wrote in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface: ‘‘Mosquito climate suitability has significantly increased over the southern UK, northern France, the Benelux, parts of Germany, Italy, Sicily and the Balkan countries.”

The research shows that parts of the UK could become hot-spots of Asian tiger mosquito activity between 2030 and 2050. It could easily survive in water butts and vases, as well as greenhouses.

The mosquito can carry dengue and chikungunya viruses, both of which cause high fevers. The infections usually occur in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America – as most of our students on placements will be familiar with. Learning the traits of the disease will perhaps put them in good stead for the future.

Read the full Telegraph article here.

After hours of baking, we were able to bring lots of sweet treats to the table. I set up a bake sale table on my unit for Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Social Workers, and family members to stop by for a snack.  Word got around that there was a bake sale on 8 ICU and people from other units started coming too!

Nephew, Owen, Eating Cookies

WTW Poster draws people in

Italian baking.... delicious!

Nephew, Evan, makes Pizzelles

The climate is tropical, so some periods are hotter, wetter or more humid than others, but generally whichever month you travel to Tanzania there is something wonderful to see and do!

Safari- available throughout the year

Scuba diving - available all year

Deep sea fishing - available all year

Visits to the Maasai- available all year

January

Mafia Island: The best time to dive with whale sharks. Mafia Island can be reached from Dar es Salaam via a short flight. It’s further out than Zanzibar, so gets less tourists and is far less commercialised. A real desert island!

February

The Wilderbeest follow a set passage each year

Wilderbeest migration: Most wildebeest calves born in a short window around February in the south of the Serengeti. This concentrates the predators too, so there is amazing opportunities to spot the big 5 exerting their authority in the northern safari parks. Arusha is the closest house to the action, but safari’s from Mwanza would no doubt take advantage of the spectacle too. There are also plenty of flights from Dar es Salaam to the northern circuits.

Sauti Za Busara Festival – The “Sounds of Wisdom” festival is the biggest music gathering in Tanzania (and probably a large chunk of Africa too!). It’s held in Stonetown, Zanzibar and offers 4 days of Swahili music, theatre and dance, African rap & hip hop artists. Zanzibar can be reached from Dar es Salaam by boat or short flight. Arusha and Mwanza also offer direct flights.

Mafia Island: More opportunities to dive with whale sharks around Mafia and Pemba. These islands are both beautiful and a less touristy option than Zanzibar. Boats go from Zanzibar to Pemba if you wanted to visit both, and dive trips from Zanzibar would undoubtedly head towards Pemba if a whale shark had been spotted!

Tropical rains mean it can be wet and humid, but the plains become lush and green and hotels and safaris are less expensive.

March

Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro / Mt Meru – this is the best time to trek in terms of clear conditions. It is also the month for runners – the Kilimanjaro marathon kicks off, as well as the Kilimanjaro triathlon. Arusha students…. take your trainers!

April

Wilderbeest migration: The migration starts and the animals begin to head north. It’s early days, but it’s still an interesting time to go on safari as wherever there are wilderbeest there are predators!

May

Wilderbeest migration: The area around Moru Kopjes and west of Seronera fills with moving columns, often containing hundreds of thousands of animals – joined by zebra, Thompson’s and Grant’s gazelles.

Dar es Salaam Goat races – a charity fundraising event attended by thousands. They started in 2001 and have raised millions for Tanzanian charities. It’s become one of the “see it to believe it” events for travellers and can be easily visited from our Dar base.

June

Kaanthan Jawahar - Pange Sand Bank, Zanzibar

Wilderbeest migration: The wildebeest congregate in the Western Corridor, often building up to a high density before crossing the Grumeti river. It’s not as impressive as the Mara River crossing, but it’s an amazing spectacle. This is easily reached from our Mwanza house, but visitors from Arusha on longer safaris will probably head to this area to witness the animals leaping through their first big obstacle.

Zanzibar: The dry season is the best time for Zanzibar trips.  The ZIFF (Zanzibar International Film Festival) also takes place if any students have an interest in film…. or parties. It sounds as if ZIFF is a good excuse for more beachside fun!

Rubondo Island: Lake Victoria’s only park is best visited now. This could be your chance to see chimpanzees as well as many other animals. Mwanza has a ferry that heads out to the islands weekly, or you could fly.

Kigali: A top spot to track gorillas. Although in Rwanda, this is just a 1 hour flight from Mwanza and is an amazing opportunity to trek through the jungle and witness these magnificent creatures in their own habitat.

Southern parks: Many of the roads in the parks are not passable for much of the rainy season, which means safari is limited. By the June the roads have opened up a little, giving you access to more remote safari experiences.  Unlike the northern parks you won’t be in a chain of jeeps parked around a group of lionesses…. this feels really wild!

Dry season means better access to all parks for wildlife viewing (inc chimps and gorillas), but it's more expensive for accommodation and permits.

July

Zanzibar: More fine, clear sky and sunny weather. Bikinis and flip flops all round!

Rubondo Island: This is still a good time to head to Rubondo to see the chimps as the weather is perfect and the national park will have far fewer visitors than the northern circuits.

Kigali: Gorillas in the mist….. you could be trekking in Rwanda’s jungles one minute and then watching a silverback beat his chest the next. One of the most amazing travel experiences…. and just an hour from Mwanza.

Southern parks: The dry season means that the game is more concentrated around the rivers that run through these vast parks, making it easier to spot game. You could see elephants, cheetahs, black rhinos, African hunting dogs, and plenty of hippos and crocodiles at Selous or Mikumi.

August

Zanzibar: Even more fine, clear sky and sunny weather.

Rubondo Island: Chimpanzees have only been released successfully in a few national parks in Tanzania – most of which are difficult to reach. Rubondo Island has a thriving population and it’s a boat trip away from Mwanza.

Kigali: Conditions are drier, which makes the long treks to track gorillas much easier. You will still have a long, hot mission to find the animals, but what’s a blister or two when you show people your photos of baby gorillas just a few feet away. It’s just a flight away from Mwanza and can be easily slotted into a weekend.

Southern parks: The Great Ruaha River in Ruaha National Park is the only permanent water source in the park….. it’s the dry season, so where do you think the animals are? That’s right…. a fly in safari to the wilds of Ruaha regularly features in “top 10″ safari lists for a reason.

September

The top of Kili!

Wilderbeest migration: Although further north for students to travel, this is one of the best times to view the classic scenes of wilderbeest crossing the Mara River in their thousands. They then turn to head back down south. Mwanza and Arusha safari specialists will be able to tailor trips to incorporate this spectacle.

Tanzacat regatta – This is the largest open class catamaran event in Africa. 60 + catamarans will be racing across the shoreline of the city before heading over to Zanzibar. Dar students find a bar with a view – a cold beer whilst you watch the coloured sails shoot past can be rather enjoyable!

Kilimanjaro / Mt Meru–This is another good time to trek in terms of conditions. There are no marathon runners this time either, so you can take things a little more leisurely!

Zanzibar: Yes, yes…. we know that Zanzibar has lovely clear skies and that it’s the perfect island destination!

Kigali: Conditions are still good in Kigali for anyone keen to track gorillas. At 1 hour from Mwanza this could make for the most memorable weekend trip!

Southern Parks: Game gets progressively better towards the end of the end of the season as the water holes and rivers dry up and the game concentrates around water.

October

Zanzibar: Does summer never end for islanders…. well it does this month. It’s still gorgeous now though.

Diwali crackers

Diwali: the Hindu, Sikh and Jain “Festival of Light” takes place. You can expect fireworks and street parties to celebrate, particularly in parts of Dar.

November

Wilderbeest migration: The herds of the wildebeest migration arrive back on the short-grass plains of the Serengeti in their thousands. It’s another good time to go on safari.

December

This is a good month for most things - it’s on the cusp of peak season and so there are still deals to be had, but if the weather is in your favour your trek up Kili or trip to Zanzibar will be just as good as the full dry season.