Survival Course in Tanzania

The following programme is given as an indication only: as the Hanzabe are a free and nomadic people, the weather, game and predators are imponderables that may require adjustments to the programme for the sake of the course and your safety.

Day 1 - Participants are met at Arusha / Kilimanjaro airport and transferred to the hotel (dinner and overnight in Arusha).

Day 2 - Breakfast, then departure by jeep for the shores of Lake Eyasi: on the way, lunch will be served in the heart of Maasai country on the heights of Manyara, then you will arrive in the afternoon on Hanzabe territory and set up your first camp. Dinner and a "survival" night in the "Bush", close to a Datoga herdsman's farm in a calm, unspoilt setting.

Day 3 - Briefing on the fundamentals of survival (what is a survival situation, priorities, dangers, objectives, etc.), followed by an approach walk along the shores of Lake Eyasi or further into the hills to meet the Hanzabe people. Making contact with the hunters/gatherers and setting up camp before a "traditional" meal, presentations, etc. Make various tools (bows and arrows, etc.), observe the vegetation, manage stress, gather food, have a "local" dinner, etc.

Day 4 - Continuation of the "Bush" survival adventure with the Hanzabe: bow hunting (as every morning), making bows and arrows, preparing a meal with the fruit of your hunt, spotting animal tracks, distilling water, making a fire without lighters or matches, finding food, etc.

Day 5 - Continuation of your immersion in the world of the Hanzabe with the spotting of animal tracks, water distillation, making a fire, finding food, hunting, setting traps, etc. In the middle of the day, walk to an area where there are baboons for observation. Bivouac with the bare minimum at the foot of a rocky promontory, then evening and night in complete autonomy with the advice of the instructors.

Day 6 - Return to the base camp, where you will test all your skills in life-size conditions: overcoming obstacles, walking in the Bush or on the dry lake. Evening festivities with the Hanzabe around the camp fire, making a fire without a lighter, preparing dinner, etc.

Day 7 - Last morning with the Hanzabe and exit from the Bush in the early afternoon: join the jeeps and transfer to a superb lodge for a late afternoon by the pool and a hearty hot dinner. Overnight in a double bungalow overlooking the surrounding area.

Day 8 - Breakfast, followed by a day's safari trip in Africa's famous Ngorongoro Crater Game Reserve, with a picnic lunch in the reserve. Evening and overnight at the lodge, where you will enjoy a luxurious and convivial meal.

Day 9 - Breakfast, then transfer to Arusha in the morning. Lunch on the way and transfer to Arusha/Kilimanjaro airport.

Material to be provided for the course:

- a backpack (recommended weight 10 to 12 kg)
- a sleeping bag
- a floor mat
- a mosquito net
- a headlamp
- a knife
- a rubbish bag
- a hiking outfit
- a pair of tap dance shoes
- a spare pair of socks
- a rain suit
- a pair of sunglasses
- a hat
- a swimwear

Cameras, GoPro and SIM-free phones are permitted.