High School Outdoor Education Programs in Africa

Tanzania Service and SafariMy trip to Tanzania with Travel for Teens was incredible from start to finish. It was one of those experiences that actually stays with you long after you’re home. The entire program was extremely well run, and I always felt supported, safe, and excited for whatever came next. The service part of the trip was genuinely meaningful, and it felt good to know we were contributing in a positive way. Even more than that, the leaders created an environment where everyone connected easily, and the group became really close. The energy was always positive, and every day felt like a mix of purpose and fun. The safari portion was honestly unforgettable. The places we visited, the views, and the wildlife were on a whole different level. Overall, the trip was exciting, inspiring, and way beyond what I expected. I’d recommend the Tanzania Service & Safari program to anyone looking for an amazing, eye opening adventure with great people and a super supportive staff.

The experiences and level of thought put into each part of the trip was incredible. The ability to work alongside local villagers in the community was something I'll never forget. Also loved the soccer game, playing with the kids and the safari.

I traveled to Tanzania with my school, I couldn't be happier with the program experience. Prior to even leaving, Emily was so patient with us and then on the program Penita, Vann, and Dannie were the best!!!

This summer I went to Kenya with projects abroad. I spent two weeks volunteering with giraffes and doing conservation work. My time was absolutely amazing and I met so many new friends. I had such a good time I am already planning my next volunteer trip to Peru with them next year.

Projects Abroad responded to this reviewDecember 20, 2023

Thanks for leaving us a review, Spencer. It's great to read that you had an absolutely amazing time, and plan on travelling with us again next year. Please don't forget that you are now eligible for alumni discount off the total cost of your next adventure! Thanks for choosing Projects Abroad.

The Where There Be Dragons summer program in Senegal was the opportunity of a lifetime to really experience another culture with no filters. Students were really allowed to interact and BE in the culture, rather than just looking at it or learning about it from afar. I'll never forget sitting on a mat under the stars with my homestay family, learning simple words in Pulaar, eating grilled corn, looking at a sky full of thousands of stars, and the last evening with them when we danced late into the night under the full moon.

I went to Tanzania for three weeks during the summer of 2018, from late June until early July. Going into this trip I was so excited to meet girls living at a boarding school and to work in an orphanage. I was excited to meet all the people that I would be staying with and going on safaris. What I wasn't expecting was to have my outlook on life changed forever. When we landed in Dar es Salaam after two long flights, we were greeted with the most love and joy I have ever seen and felt. Everyone was smiling and waiting to help us in any way they could. I was so overwhelmed at how amazing these people were. After being greeted we began the drive to our first hotel. On the way, I saw the poverty throughout the capital, but what I also saw was smiles. Smiles everywhere. I saw mothers carrying their children along the streets, with no shoes on; but they were still smiling and talking happily to each other. Not only did I see this is the capital, but I also saw this with the girls and the orphans. These girls had nothing but their uniforms and books, yet they were so happy. They always thanked us for any little thing we did. I will never forget one time a sweet girl about my age (16), cried out of happiness just from me sitting with her and making friendship bracelets. The little kids in the orphanage that had been living there since before they could remember were all joy. All they wanted to do was hold your hand and be next to you. These things will always stay with me, not because I got to go to Africa, or see zebras and lions and giraffes up close, or meet some amazing people who I still keep in touch with today, but because I saw people who realized that life is not about what you have, it's about who is in your life and how you chose to live it.

My trip to the Caribbean was, in short, a life changing adventure. Living out on the water for 2 weeks made me connect with the people around me and further appreciate the beautiful nature and marine wildlife. I was able to witness things while scuba diving that many dream to see, such as sea turtles, nurse sharks, spotted eagle rays, and the overall diverse species of fish. While I do have amazing memories of the sites I saw, more importantly, I cherish the friends I made and the fun times we had together. Right after the first day, the whole group immediately bonded, and every night on the boat we would dance to music and just get to know each other. We became so close, that by the end of the trip we were already planning a reunion. Every day was a new adventure with something fun planned, and if I had the chance to do another Broadreach trip I would do so in a heartbeat.

My mom was in this position of researching how the trip would be and she was concerned she wasn't getting the whole truth about people's reviews towards this since it was the same cliched words. However, she goes back on her word as she lights up when I tell her the amazing experience I had over there. To say this was the time of my life and it is so easy for me to say this because it was. I have a glass bead necklace that I have never taken off since I got back. It’s been on whether it be a formal event or going to the beach for a swim, much to my mom's dismay. Those 21 days in the Caribbean not only introduced me to the most extraordinary 10 people but my family (ohana). There was never a moment on Pom D’ô, our boat, that I wanted to be elsewhere. Screaming glum free on the top of my lungs every chance I got. Making dinner and all of us taking a few moments to watch the sun disappear in the horizon with the explosion of colors coming from it. It was breathtaking; that bright orange glaze that would become the ocean and the swirls of red-blue that would become the sky and later, if we were in Saba, that sky would later reveal the never-ending Milky Way and the awe/silence that would overtake everyone. I met the greatest people on my trip and we all still keep in contact, before I went on the trip I was nervous about it, but looking back I know for a fact that it all disappeared with the first hour of meeting each other and the same goes for everyone ready to embark on a never forgetting journey.

This was easily one of my favorite trips I have ever been on. The trip starts in Dar es Salaam, where we get to learn about the country and go to an island to have a relaxing day on the beach. Then we proceeded to Morogoro, where we worked at a local school known as SEGA. Working with the girls at SEGA was such a moving and memorable experience for me. All of the girls at the school were brought there because they could not attend school otherwise for various reasons. It is such an amazing program, and the girls were all so sweet. We got to meet with our small groups every day that we were there, and our activities ranged from Swahili lessons, movie night, and even a spa night. Throughout that week we also went on a beautiful hike and went on our first safari. After an amazing week at the school, the 21 day trip moves into the safari/local tribe portion of the trip. We got to go on two more amazing safaris where we got extremely close to lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants, etc. The local tribe visits were so amazing! You definitely get off the beaten path with TFT; nothing about those visits seemed touristy! The culture and traditions of the tribes were all so unique and interesting. After a few days of camping, tribe visits, and safaris, the group goes to Zanzibar for a few days of relaxing on the beach and exploring. I would recommend this trip to anyone! It is one of TFT's smaller trips, so our group got to be extremely close throughout the 3 weeks. I loved every second of my trip to Tanzania with TFT, and the staff did a wonderful job of keeping everyone safe and happy!

This was my first trip with tft and my first trip abroad! And I have nothing but positive things to say about tft. The way they organize the trip is incredible, I did not have to worry about anything. The counselors and other teens were so nice, supportive, and made the trip that much better. My parents loved the daily email updates and pictures, they said it felt like they were there with me. TFT is the best travel group out there by far!. I enjoyed every single day. This is one trip I will never forget. I now have a new love for travel thanks to TFT.

This was the best trip I have ever gone on! It was well planned and there was never a dull moment. The activities we did were so fun and allowed me to go outside of my comfort zone. The trip leaders were so fun and nice, and were always there when ever I needed them. My favorite part of the trip was the service we did, I loved playing with the kids and it was so cool to see how happy they were when their playground was finished. I loved exploring new places and learning new things. I would recommend this trip to everyone, it is truly a life changing experience that you will never forget!

This was my first time traveling with TFT and it was so much fun! I am already signed up for this upcoming summer to go on another trip. Going to South Africa was such an amazing experience. On this trip I was having fun well being able to have an experience of a lifetime. I made great friends that I still talk to. The trip was adventurous but yet relaxing. My favorite part was the service. Being able to help kids and families meant so much to me and I think about it everyday. This trip was great because we traveled all over South Africa which allowed me to see so much more. From going shark diving, to building a playground by far this was one of my favorite trips I have ever been on.

This trip was a great experience especially for my first time being involved with Broadreach. The community and environment for this trip was very positive. The counselors were very engaged with us and were always there to help us learn something new or when we had a questions about something. I had the best time and this trip was awesome! It is a summer to remember! I look forward to doing more trips in the future and having more memories to share.

This trip totally exceeded my expectations! I was so amazed by the underwater world we were able to discover. I learned so much about both sailing and diving. My instructors and other boat mates became like family to me. There were many great leadership opportunities, and we got to learn about island culture and do community service. Every day was filled with activities and fun, there was never a dull moment. Over the 17 days I learned so much about all the friends I made, and most of all I learned a lot about myself. This trip is one of a kind!

I did enjoy the program very much. I really like the personal development and the safety and care that people showed me. Regarding the accommodation, the family was very friendly and open, but the house itself was a bit dirty. The project I was volunteering at was the school. The kids was very engaging and the teachers was very helpful. I would have wished I was told that they had exams and where vacating the two weeks i was there, so I could have prepared myself for the activities instead of education. The different sightseeing i did during my stay was very interesting and educational, which I am very happy about. I also like the fact that I could decide for myself what I wanted to see or not. You should be prepared to pay for attractions and some food plus water yourself. My total experience has been very great! I think for me, it was very important for me to have some other volunteers around me. In my case there were no one other than me to attend the high school special but one girl, who attended the healthcare project.

I am going on my third TFT trip this year, and I cannot wait! My first two trips were amazing; I learned so much about the countries and met so many people! On both trips to France and South Africa, the counselors knew so much about the countries, making the experiences even more meaningful. In South Africa, the tour was really organized, and we got to see the most we could without rushing through everything. The community service, tearing down the rusted metal playground and building a safe swing-set for the adorable primary school children, was also really fun and rewarding, and it definitely made the trip even more memorable. At first, I didn’t think I was going to go shark diving (since I was convinced the shark would definitely break through the cage), but at the last minute I changed my mind and will never regret this decision. It was amazing and a once in a lifetime opportunity! I was a little nervous to go on this trip, but I am so glad I took the chance, since it is an adventure I will never forget!

Caribbean underwater adventures was one of the best trips of my life! It taught me how to respect the ocean, cultures, and especially my group members which will now be some of my best friends for life! Learning to sail and scuba dive is always a plus because you get to experience the world in a whole new way. All in all this trip was one of the best trips of my life! I also loved the Costa Rica Spanish Immersion, Costa Rica field biology, and Panama eco-adventures trips!

If you haven't travelled with Broadreach before, I recommend this trip to be your first experience. On this trip, you will be exposed to many amazing things - from swimming with sea turtles and sting rays, to rising at 4:00 am for a sunrise hike. A personal highlight for me was the shipwreck dive. It was fascinating to explore the ruins and come face to face with so many different fish. One of the most amazing things I got out of this trip was really connecting with people on the boat. We listened to music and danced and stayed up late talking (even though we knew we had to get up early). It was really hard to leave these wonderful people when it was time to go. Not only will you meet kids your own age, and form friendships that will last forever, but you will interact with truly amazing instructors. I can't emphasize enough how much more you will get out of a 21 day trip over a 12 day trip. That extra week gave us the time to create strong bonds and I really didn't want to leave after three weeks so I can't imagine leaving a week earlier. This trip changed my life and I can't recommend it enough!

I showed up for the program not quite knowing what to expect, but as soon as I met the group at the airport, I felt welcome. As we traveled among the amazing islands, and witnessed beautiful aquatic species and structures, I made great friendships with the diverse array of personalities who accompanied and supported me. I learned about the people I was with, but maybe even more about myself. Even though I was two feet away from my dive buddy, being forty-feet under-water with the light piercing through the surface above and a dull array of matted colors of the magnificent coral structures bellow became a spiritual journey as well. Furthermore, I learned of the complexity and magnificent power of the ocean in a way that cannot be taught in a classroom. I would definitely recommend this adventure! If you are reading this and are on the edge, telling yourself, "Well, maybe but...," just do it. There will be nothing to regret by going, unless you don't like having fun!!

I came on this trip expecting to live on a boat, get some certifications, meet some friends and go home. I left with a new outlook on life. I learned teamwork, cooperation, hard work, humility, respect, and so much more. I will forever have my Broadreach family who I will stay in contact with for years to come. It took me months of being back home after my trip, to begin to understand what Broadreach did for me. Advice I'd give to people considering this trip: Pack more bathing suits than you think, don't bring anything you wouldn't want to go in the ocean, and be open minded.