ARCC Gap: East Africa - Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania

Name: ARCC Gap: East Africa - Uganda, Kenya & Tanzania
Brand: ARCC Programs
SKU: 14766
Rating: 4.93 (30 reviews)

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4.93 Rating

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Location

Multiple Locations +3

Uganda
Tanzania
Kenya

Length

4 - 26 weeks

Program Tags

Adventure Travel Conservation Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Language Immersion Medical Post-High School Social Justice Study Abroad Volunteer Abroad Wilderness +1

Financial Support

Need-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, 529 Plan eligibility, BIPOC funding

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Program Details

Activities

Animal Viewing Bird Watching Boating Camping City Exploring Farming Hiking Rafting Remote Exploring Safari Sailing Sightseeing Snorkeling Swimming

Timeframe

Fall

Housing

Guesthouse Host Family Hostel Hotel Tent

Primary Language

English

Age Min.

Age Max

Pricing

Starting Price

16000

Price Details

Program tuition includes accommodations, transportation, food and activities once participants are in-country. International airfare is additional.

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Some Equipment Meals Park Fees Tour Guide

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: May 18, 2023

Last Reviewed: Nov 13, 2022

Wish List

50 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

The East Africa gap year program explores the majesty, cultures, and challenges of three East African nations: Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. We take advantage of our unparalleled access and gain a unique education on this fascinating expanse of Africa. Shadowing a peer at Kenya’s first free all-female secondary school, we are inspired by the strength and passion of the next generation. Tromping through the equatorial rainforest with wildlife biologists, surveying habitat for endangered species, we witness the environmental struggle. Shadowing nurses in a rural health clinic in Tanzania, we gain a unique insight into access to health care for these Maasai communities. Building solar panels alongside local community members, we understand how important this renewable resource is for the families we are working with. Witnessing a family of elephants trek through the savanna of the Maasai Mara at sunrise, we experience one of life’s unforgettable moments.

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Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

ARCC Programs believes that social responsibility is an essential aspect of our programming and business operations. We strongly believe that cultural immersion, cross-cultural conversations, and reflection on these experiences can increase self-awareness, promote empathy, and foster growth. We recognize that our staff, student, and participant body is not as diverse as we would hope. We also recognize that there are inherent imbalances in access, particularly when it comes to international travel and outdoor experiences. Recognizing the current imbalances and accessibility issues within the world and more specifically within experiential/outdoor education/gap year programs, we are able to move towards a more just and inclusive world.

ARCC is committed to increasing accessibility for our programs and supporting socioeconomic diversity within our community. ARCC’s Voyagers Scholarship provides up to five scholarship opportunities per semester to students who identify within the BIPOC community. These scholarships can range anywhere from $5,000-$8,000, and also includes gear lending and mentorship support throughout the gap year experience. The Voyagers Scholarship can also be combined with ARCC Financial Aid. If you are interested in applying, please reach out to gap@arccprograms.com.

LGBTQIA+ Support

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Neurodivergent Support

Our Essential Eligibility Criteria outlines the requirements for participation in our programs to determine if our programs are a good fit for each student. While ARCC Gap is not a therapeutic program, we do provide an inclusive environment for students with neurodivergence. We have had students with various diagnosed neuro-differences (such as dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, TS, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, etc) find success on our gap semester programs.

During our interview process, we have open communication with students and families about the support ARCC instructors are able to provide students while on program. For students needing some additional support, we ask them to complete a “Plan of Action” with their at home support system. These plans may include additional information about communication/support preferences, coping strategies, and/or specific requirements to encourage the student to engage with the program effectively. Once on the program, our instructors will periodically check in individually with each student, help the student stay accountable to their Plan of Action, and provide general support to all participants.

Accessibility Support

ARCC Gap Travels to locations around the world that have varying levels of accommodations for students needing accessibility support. For this reason, please see our Essential Eligibility Criteria to see if our gap programs are a good fit for you.

Whenever possible (determined by specific location and program - ie. infrastructure, access to specific health care facilities, dietary options available, etc), we have successfully assisted students with anaphylactic allergies, chronic medical conditions, and other accommodations on programs. We recommend that you reach out with specific concerns to your Gap Director to find the right fit for you.

Impact

Sustainability

At ARCC Programs we recognize that all human action impacts our physical environment and the living beings on the planet. Everything on Earth plays a role in supporting life and we believe that it is our responsibility to have a net positive impact with our actions. We strive to balance the impacts of our programming by partnering with communities and organizations with similar goals toward bettering our planet for future generations.

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Ethical Impact

ARCC believes that we (as an industry) need to shift the way we think about international service. We (as a society) have now come to realize that international volunteers often benefit from their service experience, while the impact on the community can be short-lived or even harmful. We at ARCC are taking the years of experience that we have in the international service learning realm, have reflected on previous mistakes, learned from our in-country partners, and have made changes. Our goal is to live, work, and learn alongside community members while also making a positive impact. We are committed to partnering with local community-driven organizations to focus on reciprocity while contributing to established long-term projects. It is our responsibility to engage in mutually beneficial community-driven projects and teach fair trade learning principles to our students.

Program Highlights

Work at a Rhino Sanctuary and Witness the Efforts in Place to Protect Africa’s Sacred Animals
Whitewater Raft the Exhilarating Nile River
Construct and Install Solar Power Systems into Rural Tanzanian Homes
Shadow Nurses in a Maasai Health Clinic to Compare Traditional and Contemporary Medicine
Study Education by Living with Students at East Africa’s First Free All-Female Secondary School

Scholarships

ARCC Gap Financial Support

A gap year is something that we hope to make accessible for all students and ARCC works to level the playing field so that all applicants may have a successful opportunity for education, travel, growth, and self-discovery post-high school. We strive to uphold these pillars of our organization through a variety of means. Each year ARCC Gap awards financial aid to support students who would otherwise be unable to cover the full cost of tuition. Additionally, ARCC is committed to increasing accessibility for our programs and supporting socioeconomic diversity within our community. ARCC’s Voyagers Scholarship provides up to five scholarship opportunities per semester to students who identify within the BIPOC community. These scholarships can range anywhere from $5,000-$8,000, and also includes gear lending and mentorship support throughout the gap year experience. The Voyagers Scholarship can also be combined with ARCC Financial Aid

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Program Reviews

4.93 Rating

based on 30 reviews

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Rating Spread Gap Year

5 rating 93.33%
4 rating 6.67%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Housing 4.8
Support 4.9
Fun 4.95
Value 4.9
Safety 4.95

Good for Students, Adventure travelers

Showing 1 - 8 of 30 reviews

The East Africa semester was incredible. I was so grateful for the opportunity to experience a culture so vastly different from my own. I was especially excited and passionate about the service work we did, mainly the solar project and the rhino sanctuary. I wish we could have spent more time doing both. I would recommend this ARCC semester to any high school or college student. East Africa was a place I knew little about prior to this semester, and I feel much more well informed on the three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) that we spent time in.

Pros

Terrific cultural immersion
A couple really unique service projects
A wide variety of places visited, lots of different landscapes

Cons

The food was often bland, and nutritionally poor
I thought the group size was slightly too big, would have preferred around 7 students or so.
Group living is exhausting, not a lot of solo time on this semester.

This experience was fantastic. You get to experience a much different culture and perspectives than that of western culture. Got to do many fun activities such as rafting down the Nile, swimming at the base of kilimanjaro, going to live dance and music shows. You also feel rewarded when doing community work as it feels like you are actually making an impact. The best example of this was installing solar panels for the Maasai who previously had no access to power. Overall I would recommend this program to anyone looking to grow and get out of there comfort zone.

Pros

The locals are so nice
Great leader in hailey
Fantastic landscapes

Cons

Tenting a lot

This semester was one of the most culturally immersive and life changing experience. The experiences with our homestays in each country really put the us, the students, in the real lives of locals. Staying with them for a couple of days was such an enriching time in the trip and we learned so much. Living as a group was a challenge at times but it allowed me to grow and find confidence and independence as well. The most influential part was staying at Daraja Academy, an all girls school in Kenya.

Pros

Experiencing and being immersed in East Africa's culture
Learning about different countries and meeting new people from a another continent.
Meeting people from all over and building connections with them.

Cons

Troubles with group dynamics sometimes.

This is the greatest thing I have ever done in my life. Going into it I was hella scared taking a different path but I have absolutely no regrets. I loved all the people even though we had to work through some disputes. I had never traveled with a group like this before and I think this was such an awesome way to kick it off. Everything I saw and did, (scenery and service projects) will stick with me forever. I gained a whole new perspective on life/myself. My leader Hailey had the biggest impact.

Pros

Made life long friendships
Emerging myself in a whole new lifestyle
Grew as person and learned about myself

Cons

Ran into some girl drama
I gained lots of weight

My instructor was amazing. The perfect balance of supportive, wise, and mentor like while also being so fun. the program was amazing I learned so much both about myself and the world. The group was made up of some really cool and down to earth individuals. There was very little alone time everything was done together which had its pros and cons. All of the activities and projects were super impactful especially the solar project and spending time at Daraja the all girls secondary school. Overall and amazing experience

Cons

Not much alone time

I went on the East Africa fall semester in 2018, and it was the best three months! I chose to go to East Africa because I wanted to experience a new culture. I remember feeling so scared before leaving my home in Denver, Colorado to embark on this adventure. But after meeting my group during orientation, and getting to know them a little bit, I felt a new sense of comfort. Once I was on the plane that took us to Uganda, I already felt comfortable around my group and my two leaders. Every single one of us came from a different state (and two students from other countries), yet we became so connected on the trip. We traveled together, shared every meal together, and shared so many experiences. I kept a journal everyday and still fondly read it when I miss my group and time in East Africa. I have now been in college for one complete semester, and I still keep in touch with my group! Between our busy schedules we try and connect when possible, often exchanging memories about how we miss chapati (a delicious bread), our host families, and the beloved truck we drove around in. In college, I can positively say that ARCC provided me with a fresh prospective in my classes, and made me more comfortable with making a place that is not my house my home. I cannot recommend this experience enough!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

My most nerve racking moment was being sick while staying in tents in rural Tanzania. I felt worried because I was sick in a foreign country with limited access to doctors, or the comfort of a bed. I overcame this with the support of my group and competency of my leaders. When somebody in the group was sick, everybody else worked together to help them feel better. The leaders were also extremely attentive to our specific health (both mental and physical) needs. We were a team and a family. This extreme sense of love and empathy from my group got me through my time when I felt sick.

We built and installed a solar panel energy system in this Maasai woman's home! This photo was taken after we finished the installation, and she asked me to take a photo with her.

Tortoise on Prison Island outside Zanzibar

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved my ARCC Semester in East Africa. It honestly changed my life, and whenever people ask how it was, my immediate response is "if I could get on a plane right now and go back, I would. No question about it", even after I tell them about bucket showers, pit toilets, wet tents, and the malaria concern. If I could spend the rest of my life working for ARCC and being able to travel and share these amazing experiences with students, and change their lives and perspectives like Chris and Adri did for me, I would be the happiest girl in the world. I met a best friend who brought out new sides of me, a boy I want to spend the rest of my life with, and an unbreakable bond with 11 amazing people. I never felt homesick, which in itself says a lot about the group, even when I was super sick. In fact, I feel more homesick being back home, away from everyone. I'm getting emotional writing this, there is simply no way to possibly describe this experience in words, besides amazing.

What would you improve about this program?

We were under the impression we'd have wifi a bit more often, so some of us were not prepared to have to activate an international plan until we were there. I can't really think of anything to improve, everything was amazing, even the hard times.

Read my full story

Absolutely incredible and life-long enriching experience. The nature and landscapes are stunning - and I am so glad I got the privilege and opportuntity to widen my horizon by travelling to a world so different to ours (Europe). My two leaders were so supportive, them and my group turned some challenges into wonderful experiences. I also went through alot of personal growth in these 3 months and had many insights through being so far away from home, which is also why I would recommend this trip so much!

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose to spend my first semester with the ARCC Gap Year Program for many reasons.

From the beginning, ARCC presented an extremely welcoming and engaging opportunity. After talking briefly with other organizations about their programs, where I could go, what a potential itinerary could be, I had no doubt that ARCC was the perfect match for me, they offered everything I was looking for and dreaming of. With a very organized website, stunning reviews, and very friendly staff that responded immediately to my many questions, I knew I could 100% trust this organization.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

ARCC sent out many personal emails and forms out to not only myself but also my parents. We received phone calls, video chats, and emails very frequently. These emails had lots of information, some focused on just describing the beautiful Masai culture we'd be living in or the population food in each culture. Other emails were about the specifics of the trip or scheduling a time to video chat and touch base.

There was also a very informative and helpful pre-departure webinar answering all the questions imaginable.

I had to do a lot of this on my own, of course with the help of ARCC and my family. My high school, however, was not very familiar with this pathway and left me to work my way through it.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

My three months in East Africa with ARCC was the most amazing and incredible time of my life. I cannot begin to describe how much pure love and joy I experienced. There are some tough times, not everything is rainbows and butterflies. But those tougher moments make the other ones that much better.

Embrace the uncomfortable, the weird, the different. You will never regret taking a chance like this. I never once felt homesick, but now being back home, I am flooded with that feeling, wishing I was back with my ARCC family.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what an average day/week looks like in an ARCC program.

For my trip, we had about 50 days of camping, where we would wake up around 7:00 to prepare breakfast, get ready, and head off to whatever activity we were doing that day. We traveled around in a huge truck that held all our bags and food, so some days were spent traveling to a new location and singing throwbacks at the top of your lungs.

Without fail, however, every night before dinner, we would do a "chow circle" where we would come together, make announcements, give shoutouts, and "pass the pulse". P the P was a silent hand squeeze to the person next to you until it went all the way around the circle, a reassuring feeling that we are all there for each other.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Having struggled with anxiety and depression throughout high school, I was extremely nervous I couldn't do it. I wouldn't make friends, I'd be homesick, I'd be left behind and forgotten by my friends now in college. I got into my own head and started making up scenarios to scare myself. I thought I wasn't brave or strong enough.

What I learned, however, was that stepping out of your comfort zone and facing these fears head-on is sometimes the only way to understand what you're capable of.

Is there any other advice for prospective travelers?

Not only did I make some of the best friends imaginable, but I also met the love of my life.

Going into my gap year, I knew I wanted to focus on myself, learn to love myself before loving anyone else. And I did learn to do that, but I also learned what it feels like to truly be loved. So I guess my advice is to just be open to new relationships with the people on your trip, you may meet the person you didn't know you were even missing from your life.

Liz Shull

2012 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Margo’s favorite travel memory was on Latin America Gap while traveling through Ecuador. For the Student Planned Weekend, her students planned a journey into the mountains of Ecuador to visit Lake Quilatoa, a picturesque caldera lake high up in the mountains. The students found an eco-lodge called the Black Sheep Inn for the group to stay at that provided all vegetarian meals, packed lunches, composting toilets, and rides up to the lake for hiking. The group did a seven-hour hike around the rim of the lake and then back through the valley to the lodge. Not only was it a fantastic weekend and wonderful place to visit, but the reason it is Margo’s favorite is because the trip was completely planned by her students who worked together to figure it out and problem solve when they hit bumps in the road.

Which destination is most underrated? Conversely, which is most overrated?

The destination that Margo considers to be most overrated is Costa Rica. It is a wonderful and beautiful country, but it is heavily trafficked by tourists and as a result does not have as authentic or impactful of a cultural experience as many other places (particularly within Central America). Of the countries Margo has traveled to with ARCC, Ecuador would have to be one of the most underrated. It is a breathtakingly beautiful country that has mountains, desert, rainforest, and coastline, along with a rich indigenous culture coupled with big, clean, bustling and developed cities like Quito. It is also super affordable, and a must visit for anyone interested in Latin America!

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

The amount that Margo has changed and grown through working with ARCC is indescribable. She has grown as a leader and a mentor, and learned so much about who she still wants to become within this role. She feels lucky to have made such deep connections with the many teenagers she has had the pleasure of working with, and is very much looking forward to the many students she will have on future trips. Through this she has also learned to have more patience than she imagined possible, and learned to not be too hard on herself in this role. But most importantly she has had opportunities that she never could have imagined, and feels spoiled to be able to have her dream job.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

ARCC has a very unique vibe as a company, something that is rarely found in any industry. The thing that is so important and crucial to the success of ARCC, is that ARCC is a family. Every person that is a part of ARCC is made sure to know this fact. Once you are a part of this family, you are always a part of it. Being a small office, the staff is able to really get to know their leaders out in the field making sure no one gets lost in the shuffle as one could at a larger company. Margo has felt so supported by this community, and this is what makes ARCC an incredible place to work and the ideal company to be a part of. And above all, working for ARCC is an absolute blast!

Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.

Margo feels proud to be a part of this team every time a student comes away from a program with a changed perspective of the world around them, on life, or on themselves. Teenagers are given an incomparable opportunity to grow and learn on an ARCC trip, whether it is a short summer trip or an entire gap semester, a growth that some may not even realize until months after the trip has ended. But without them even realizing, their world is opened up and they have made friendships that last a lifetime. This is the impact that ARCC has on those who are fortunate enough to be a part of it, and it is a magical thing to witness.

Phil Perl

Trip Leader

About ARCC Programs

ARCC has been offering summer and gap programs for young adults since 1983. We offer an opportunity to live and learn in some of the greatest classrooms on earth. Our programs take students on a journey of discovery of local peoples, places, cultures and ideas through project-based learning, rich cultural immersion, personal reflection and...

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Program Details

Pricing

Program Highlights

ARCC Gap Financial Support

Alumni Interviews

Sophia Brigante

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Is there any other advice for prospective travelers?

Staff Interviews

Margo Brookfield

What is your favorite travel memory?

Which destination is most underrated? Conversely, which is most overrated?

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

What unique qualities does your company possess?

Describe a time when you felt especially proud to be part of your current team.