FIGHTING POVERTY THROUGH EDUCATION www.schoolofstjude.org
PO Box 11875 Arusha, Tanzania
The School of St JudeThe School of St JudeThe School of St JudeThe School of St Jude
What to expect on a
St Jude’s Cultural Tour
This itinerary is a guide only.
Itineraries will change depending on the time of
year and school timetables.
Don’t forget to pack your patience, great sense of humour and a sense of adventure!
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya
Your first stop in Africa will be Nairobi. A vibrant and bustling city; it will give you an idea of life in a modern African city. Your transport whilst in
Nairobi will be one of the colourful St Jude’s buses which are always easy
to spot! When you arrive at the hotel it’s time to relax and have some dinner ready for the activities to start tomorrow. A member of the Visitor
Team will meet you at breakfast to brief on you on the day’s activities.
Day 2 – Travel around Nairobi
After breakfast it’s time to set off and explore some of Nairobi’s attractions.
First up is Kazuri Beads, a project supporting hundreds of local women, who produce beautiful beads and necklaces.
Kazuri, which means “small and beautiful” in Swahili, began in 1975 as a tiny workshop experimenting on making ceramic beads made by hand. The factory is located in what used
to be part of the Karen Blixen Estate (of the Academy Award winning film “Out of Africa”)
fame.
Its founder, Lady Susan Wood, started with two Kenyan women and soon discovered that there were many other women in the villages around Nairobi, most of whom were single
mothers, who were in great need of regular employment. Driven by the desire to provide more opportunities, Mark and Regina Newman purchased the company in the year 2000, as
they saw potential in this beautiful venture.
After you’ve had a chance to browse the rows of colourful beads we’ll head off to the David
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to watch the elephants wallowing in their mud pool.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is a small, flexible charity,
established in 1977 to honour to memory of a famous Naturalist, David Leslie William Sheldrick MBE, the founder Warden of Tsavo
East National Park in Kenya. David died 6 months later but his legacy of excellence and the systems he installed for the
management of Tsavo and wildlife generally in Kenya, particularly
in the sphere of wildlife husbandry and ethics, lives on.
Daphne Sheldrick was the first person in the entire world to successfully hand rear newborn fully milk dependent African
Elephant orphans, something that spanned 28 years of trial and error to achieve. By the year 2008 the Trust had successfully saved
and hand-reared over 82 infant African Elephant calves, two from the day of birth. Currently, over 40 of the Trust’s hand-reared
elephants are fully established and living free amongst their wild
peers in Tsavo, some returning with wild born young to show their erstwhile human family.
Following a leisurely lunch we’ll continue the wildlife experience by
visiting the Langata Giraffe Centre, where you can hand feed a giraffe (or for those game enough, kiss a giraffe!)
The African Fund for Endangered Wildlife Kenya (A.F.E.W. Kenya) also
known as the Giraffe Centre is a non-governmental, non-profit making
organisation, which was founded by Betty and Jock Leslie-Melville in 1979. This was in a bid to save the endangered Rothschild Giraffe, which had lost
its natural habitat in Western Kenya to agriculture and there were only 130 left in the wild. Funds were raised and 4 herds of the Rothschild giraffes
were moved to 4 parks namely Lake Nakuru National Park, Mwea Game Reserve, Ruma National Park and Nassalot Game Reserve.
Young ones born at the Centre were translocated to; Soy Sambu Ranch near
Lake Elementaita and Kigio Conservancy near Gilgil and Dergoit ranch in
Eldoret while recently they translocated some to Mwea National Game Reserve. Today the Rothschild Giraffe population in Kenya is about 300.
After all this excitement it will be time to head back to the hotel for dinner and a good night’s rest before the
long journey tomorrow.
Day 3 – Travel to The School of St Jude
The journey from Nairobi to The School of St Jude is long and bumpy but with lots of interesting things to look at along the
way. Colourful Maasai seem to appear out of nowhere with their herds of cattle. If you’re lucky you might also get a view
of snow-capped Mt Kilimanjaro. Although the journey may be long, we promise you a warm welcome when you arrive at
The School of St Jude. Gemma will be there to welcome you to the school and to show you to your accommodation. In
Tanzania we say “Karibuni sana”, you are all welcome!
Day 4 – At St Jude’s, Moshono Campus
In the morning a tour of St Jude’s Moshono campus awaits you; from the buses to the classrooms; you’ll see it all! You
will have the opportunity to ask any questions you can think of and see the school in action!
At 12.30 it’s time for lunch; follow your nose to the dining room (or follow the noise!) Grab a plate and try what’s on offer
today. It may be ugali (maize meal) and beans or perhaps choroko (lentils).
Squeeze onto one of the tables with the kids and they’ll be happy to chat to you about their day. After lunch you will head off to the weekly Primary Assembly.
Each campus have a weekly assembly jam-packed with lots of exciting activities! Students receive awards for outstanding behaviour and achievements, various classes provide entertainment items they have been working on, other classes also
make presentations to share what they have been learning in class, house points are tallied and an overall winner for the week is announced and of course, important information is communicated to students and staff. Expect a truly uplifting
experience!
Later in the afternoon a group of students will take you on a walk around the village of Moshono. The students will be
delighted to answer any questions you have and of course, they’ll also have plenty of questions for you—where you come from, what you do etc.. This is a great opportunity to discover more of Arusha and get a one on one tour with one of St
Jude’s students.
By 5 pm you’ll be back at the school in time for a cold drink at the Waterhole (our local bar!) before dinner.
Day 5 – St Jude’s Class Visits, Afternoon Activities & Drumming/Dancing Workshop with St Jude’s Teachers
& Students
This morning, St Jude’s students and teachers welcome you into their classes to observe and (if appropriate) participate in
some of their activities.
These visits will give you the opportunity to observe our PE, Art,
Music and Prep classes and also interact, where appropriate. It is a great opportunity to see first hand how St Jude’s students
are progressing through the years and take a first hand look at what the students are learning.
Lunch will be served at Upper Primary, giving you another
chance at chatting with Students and Teachers and of course
tasting another traditional Tanzanian meal. In the afternoon you will help students with their reading and help run the very
popular Activities afternoon.
Each week Upper Primary students participate in D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) for 20 minutes after lunch. It gives our
students the opportunity to practice and continue to develop their comprehension skills. Visitors are invited
to sit and read with selected students and work
together to improve their skills.
Every Tuesday afternoon one Primary class from St Jude’s take a break from lessons and have some fun
with a range of activities (races, ball games, Frisbee throwing, skipping…and whatever else you can think of
on the day!) The more pairs of hands we have to help us the better!
Later in the afternoon you can try your hand on the African drums and traditional African dancing in a
workshop.
St Jude’s teachers and students will lead you in an African drums and traditional African dancing workshop
where you will have the opportunity to chat about the
origins of African Dancing and Drumming, but best of all – try it yourself!!
Before another home-cooked meal at St Jude’s you will sit down with a representative from Safaris-R-Us and
have a final safari briefing before heading off tomorrow. You will be briefed about your four day trip
and any questions still burning in your brain will be
answered!
Day 6 to 9—Safari Detailed itinerary will be sent from Safaris-R-Us
You now take to your safari vehicles and for the next 4 days you will get to take in some of Tanzania’s most famous national parks, which may
include Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara or Tarangire.
The name, Serengeti, comes from the Maasai 'Siringet', meaning endless plains, which is a very apt description for the endless plains that you will
explore. For eight months of the year herds of over one million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s Gazelles swarm into
the Serengeti, blanketing the plains, it’s a spectacular sight to see!
Ngorongoro crater is famous for its cats, birds, hippos and if you are lucky you may see a black Rhino, whilst Lake Manyara has a wonderful
lake with flamingos, a large number of monkeys, birds, and sometimes tree climbing lions! Tarangire National Park is best known for its large
population of elephants who roam amongst the massive Baobab trees.
The exact itinerary of your safari will depend on the season
and weather conditions at the time of your stay, but rest assured we will take you to the parks where you will have the
best opportunity of seeing Tanzania’s diverse wildlife. At the end of your safari you will return to the school, dusty and
exhausted, but no doubt with many exciting tales to tell.
Day 10 – Free Day to relax in Arusha
Today you will have time to relax at St Jude’s and “de-
dust” your clothes, with a few relaxing activities to chose from.
Relax at a local Coffee Farm and enjoy a delicious Tanzanian lunch and a guided tour; take a ride on the local transport
“dala dala” into town to explore more of Arusha or spend the day at St Jude’s relaxing and looking at your photos from your safari.
Coffee Farm Day Trip
After being collected from St Jude’s at around 9am you will drive to Nkoaranga, which takes about 25 min. At Nkoaranga
you will meet your local guide and walk through the village to the Aranga Organic Coffee Nursery. One of the farmers in the
group will show and explain how the coffee is growing.
After this visit you continue to walk down to the garden of Wild Tracks. Here a hot Tanzanian lunch will be served. After lunch you will head to the Coffee roasting factory where you will see how coffee is roasted, grinded and packed. You will
return to St Jude’s after 4pm.
Day 11 – Government School, Cultural Heritage Centre and Homevisits
In order for a student to be admitted to St Jude’s, they must first be enrolled in a local government school. To
succeed in one of these schools students must be particularly bright in order to overcome the challenges of
learning in such a difficult environment. Often there are many students crowded into a classroom with few learning
resources and poorly paid teachers. Today we will visit one of these government schools so that you can witness first-
hand the hardship of day-to-day school life for most
Tanzanian children.
After your visit you have the option to visit the Cultural Heritage Centre.
This spectacular building hosts an impressive art gallery with art works from throughout Africa and, best of all, entry is
free! Next door there is a souvenir shop with a wide collection of goods from wooden carvings, to Tanzanite
gems, to maasai beaded products, traditional paintings and much more.
At 3.30pm you will set out from the school with one of our students. They will take you to their home and introduce
you to their family, where you will experience Tanzanian
hospitality. Your curiosity about their life will be equally matched by their curiosity about yours, so be prepared to
ask and answer lots of questions!
Day 12 – Central & Craft Markets, Lunch with
Gemma and bus rides This morning you will visit the craft markets and local fruit and vegetable market where the school buys all of its fresh
produce. It may look hectic and disorganised at first but with a little exploring you will soon see what an important part
this market plays in many people’s lives.
For lunch you will head into town with Gemma to eat at a
local restaurant. This will be your chance to ask her all the
questions you may have about the school.
At 3.30pm you can hop on one of the school buses as it drops the students off at their homes. This is a round trip
from the school and gives you the opportunity to see where our students live.
Day 13 – Monduli Maasai Markets
Monduli is a small Maasai town located about an hour from the school. The market is an authentic experience and an opportunity to
interact with the locals, to purchase colourful Maasai fabrics and, if you are up for it, eat fresh barbequed goat!
From the markets, we will meet up with one of our Maasai school
guards, who will accompany us on a visit to his home (a traditional Maasai Boma or village) and meet his family. This is a unique
experience that gives you the chance to meet members of an ancient
tribe who are still living within their culture, even in today’s modern world.
Day 14 – Cradle of Love, Usa River (Secondary) Campus, Mt Meru Game Lodge & Moivaro Boarding Campus
In Tanzania ten percent of the adult population is affected by the AIDS virus. Since
HIV is accelerated by pregnancy, many women die from AIDS leaving a nursing infant with no one to provide adequate nutrition or care. Without intervention,
whether or not the infant is infected with HIV, it would soon die from malnutrition. In Tanzania, the Cradle of Love Baby Home is responding to the cries of orphaned
and abandoned babies.
Within the region of Arusha there is one home for infants and toddlers; however,
they do not accept HIV positive babies and are often overflowing. The SOS children’s village, located nearby, specializes in school-age children. Presently,
infants who are orphaned or abandoned usually stay in a hospital because there is no place to care for them.
Established to provide interim care for infants in need, the Cradle of Love Baby Home creates a safe environment where the
babies will receive proper nutrition and medical care, as well as all the love and attention they deserve. We will visit Cradle of Love in the morning to witness first hand the work they are doing, then travel on to visit the St Jude’s Secondary campus at
Usa River.
This is about a 40 minute drive from the
Moshono campus. On arrival at Usa River there will be a tour of the school campus
and boarding facilities. After your tour it will be time for lunch (and time to try
another African staple!) which you will share with the secondary students.
The Secondary students will be happy to tell you about their time at St Jude’s, many
of whom have been at the school since it was started in 2002. Then prepare
yourself for some more singing, dancing and debates from some of St Jude’s
Secondary students during their assembly.
On our way back to Moshono we will stop
off at the Mt Meru Game Lodge for a quick drink and a look at the wildlife in their
sanctuary.
On our way back to Moshono we will stop off at the Mt Meru Game Lodge for a quick drink and a look at the wildlife in their
sanctuary.
In the evening you will visit the Moivaro Boarding Campus where some of the boarders will be happy to show you around their dormitories. You will then join the boarders in the dining room for a sample dinner and a special performance prepared
by the students.
Day 15 - Baby Clinic, Moshono Campus & Student Selection Process (for September Tour only) OR Primary Assembly
In the morning, we will visit the small medical clinic that is close to the Moshono campus. This is where our students go in case of any minor illnesses. On Fridays there is a special baby clinic where mothers bring their babies to be weighed. An
extra pair of hands is always welcome!
After lunch with Lower Primary students and staff you will be
able to observe, help out and see the beginnings of the student selection process.
The prime focus of The School of St Jude is to deliver quality
education, develop leadership, promote critical thinking and instill high moral values in its students. In line with this the
annual student selection process identifies prospective students’ learning and creative capacities and their ability to learn and
interact.
Alternatively, you can attend one final assembly at Upper
Primary for some more performances and awards.
After your big day, relax at the Waterhole one last time before a final dinner and evening at
St Jude’s.
Day 16 – Travel from Arusha to Zanzibar
Toady we say ‘Kwa heri’ (goodbye in Swahili) to St Jude’s and ‘Jambo’ (hello) to Zanzibar! We catch a flight this morning from Arusha airport to Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a stunning and exotic spice island, covered in white sandy beaches and
surrounded by beautiful blue waters. Zanzibar has long been famous for its fascinating history; it’s a melting pot of cultures and the people who are warm and friendly.
On arrival at the airport you will be transferred to your hotel in Stone Town. After
settling in some lunch you will have a guided tour of Stonetown and see Zanzibar's bustling market, winding alleyways, ornately carved and studded doors, two cathedrals
and countless mosques!
The rest of the afternoon is free for you to continue exploring the many
wonders of Zanzibar Town or to
relax and enjoy watching the sun setting from the balcony of the
hotel. For dinner you may wish to wander down to the Forodhani
Gardens, an excellent, local outdoor night food market where
you can sample fresh grilled seafood or Zanzibar pizza while
sitting on the lawn or chose from
many other restaurants around town.
Day 17– Stone Town
This morning you are welcome to eat breakfast on the balcony of the hotel listening to the gentle waters rolling along the beach just meters from your table. Today is free for you to explore the many wonders of Zanzibar’s Stonetown, do
some souvenir shopping or relax and enjoy watching the sun set over the beach.
Other options for the day can include; church services, a visit to Prison Island or Jozani Forest which can all be arranged
through your St Jude’s team leader the day before.
Jozani Natural Forest Reserve
Located in the central east region of Zanzibar island Jozani Resevre is home to the rare Red Colobus
Monkey which is endemic to Zanzibar. These monkeys are full of character, and roam freely. They
can also be seen at very close quarters just outside the reserve's perimeter and are incredibly photogenic.
The elusive Zanzibar leopard (last sited several years ago) is said to feed here at night - perhaps this is
why the reserve is only open during the day?!
Prison Island
Once the site of a gaol for misbehaving slaves, the island lies
just off the old stone town. It is fringed with a beautiful coral
reef, ideal for snorkelling, and has a lovely white beach for sun-bathing
It is also home to a family of giant tortoises, imported from the
Seychelles in the late 19th Century. This island is ideal for a day-trip with refreshments available throughout the day. It also
has a small restaurant where you can enjoy freshly caught fish.
Jump on a boat and head off for a day or even half a day to
see what Prison Island has to offer!
If you’re back in town ready to relax at around 4pm, The Africa House Hotel has a perfect balcony to enjoy some
sundowners and watch the sunset across the water. After which, an enjoyable meal before a good nights sleep.
Day 18 – Travel to Zanzibar Beach
After a final breakfast in Stone Town we will travel through the interior of Zanzibar island, stopping off at a Spice Farm.
Here you will get to see, smell, taste and buy many of the spices that are grown in Zanzibar. The history of Zanzibar would be incomplete without the
cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and many other spices
which brought the Sultans of Oman and the beginnings of the infamous slave trade. They can be seen in the plantations just
outside Zanzibar town, and includes opportunities to dazzle the senses with fresh spices. A detailed description is given about a
variety of spices, and their uses in cooking and cosmetics.
For lunch you will get to taste some typical Zanzibari food made with many of the spices you have just seen, hosted by your guide’s family in their home. By afternoon you will reach your beach hotel were you will be staying for the next 3 nights.
Day 19-20 – Zanzibar Beach
For the next two days you can enjoy the stunning coastal surroundings of your beach resort. These two days are yours to spend how you wish. You can laze under a
traditional thatched umbrella on a beautiful sandy beach or organise a snorkelling trip off the coast. It’s up to you! In the evening of the last night we will enjoy our final
dinner together as a group. Time to reminisce about the many adventures you have all shared over the last 3 weeks.
Day 21 – Zanzibar Beach to Dar es Salaam
After a final breakfast in Zanzibar we will catch a midday flight back to Dar es Salaam, from where the tour ends. Time to
say goodbye to the friends you have shared so many experiences with over the past 3 weeks. We hope the happy memories will last for a long time to come.
Dhow Sunset Cruise
Once the sail is in favour of the wind, sit back, relax and enjoy the
peacefulness of the ocean as you hear the ripple of water on the
sides of the dhow as it glides swiftly through the clear turquoise
water.
Snorkelling
The most famous place for snorkelling in Zanzibar is the
beautiful Mnemba Atoll Marine Reserve. The area is well known
for its fish life and you can expect to see lion fish, stingrays and
turtles swimming around.
Relaxing on the beach
Feel free to spend a lot of your time relaxing or walking along the
beach. Zanzibar boasts many of the nicest beaches in Zanzibar,
with pristine white sand and incredible wide beaches ideal for
all beach lovers.
