July 13: Departure Day, New York to Kilimanjaro
Group Meeting:
At 2:30 PM, meet your leader and fellow students at the KLM Airlines check-in counter (outside of security) at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). This is the official start of your Putney program!
Group Flight:
The group will fly on KLM Airlines flight #642 departing New York (JFK) at 5:40 PM on July 13, arriving in Amsterdam (AMS) at 6:55 AM local time on July 14. The group will continue on KLM Airlines flight #567 departing Amsterdam at 10:35 AM and arriving in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (JRO), at 8:00 PM local time on July 14 (19 hours, 15 minutes en route).
July 14–July 29: Marurani Village
Settle in and get acquainted with Tanzania and your group. Over the next two weeks, collaborate with local people and undertake several important service projects. Work on a building project at the village primary school, paint classrooms, teach English to local children, or run an after-school program. Spend afternoons on hikes to waterfalls in a local forest reserve, playing soccer with new friends, or interviewing community leaders and local residents for your independent project. On weekends, visit nearby markets and farms and stay at a community-based eco-lodge near Mt. Kilimanjaro. Put the finishing touches on our community service projects and have a farewell celebration before going on safari.
July 30–August 2: Safari
Set out on a five-day safari organized by close friends of Putney, who introduce us to Tanzania’s fascinating tribal culture, wildlife, and history. Stay on traditional hunting lands as guests of the Maasai tribe, complete with a reception by a village elder and a traditional feast held in our group’s honor. With our professional safari guides and Maasai hosts, explore the Oldonyo Sambu Wilderness Area on foot and learn how pastoralists interact with the land. Continue on to world-renowned Tarangire National Park to view elephants, lions, leopards, zebra, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, and other iconic big game animals up close. Then ascend the Rift Valley Escarpment and head to Ngorongoro Crater for more wildlife viewing in this 10-mile-wide caldera home to cheetahs, rhinos, and other rare megafauna.
August 4: Return Day, Kilimanjaro to New York
Group Flight:
The group will fly on KLM Airlines flight #571 departing Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (JRO), at 9:05 PM local time on August 3, arriving in Amsterdam (AMS) at 7:40 AM local time on August 4. The group will continue on Delta flight #49 departing Amsterdam at 10:50 AM local time on August 4, returning to the International Arrivals Area of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 12:58 PM on August 4 (22 hours, 45 minutes en route).