TOURISM EXPERIENCE WITH KISEDET: BEYOND MASS TOURISM
You could come to Tanzania and do 10 days of safari in the north of the country and 10 days on the coast in Zanzibar and you would return home with a partial idea of the country you visited and having lost an opportunity to have an authentic journey.
Or you can decide to get a real feel of the country.
This was the idea we had in mind when we decided to contact Kisedet, who helped organize our trip to Tanzania.
In addition to quick and timely support in the pre-departure period, Kisedet created a program based exactly on our needs: we wanted to meet local people, experience parts of their daily lives and go trekking and hiking, because slow tourism is more respectful and we were able to really connect with places.
And above all we wanted to understand from those who know the country and have lived there for almost 30 years, what it means to live there.
After landing in Dar-Es-Salaam one of our luggage had not arrived, which can happen sometimes, but obviously we were stressed.
The Kisedet operators immediately reassured us and Giovanna took care of contacting the airport for us and we got our luggage in just a couple of days.
The first days of the trip we focused on settling in; we visited the short-term center, and the Drop-in center located just outside of Dodoma, as well as some areas of the city itself.
In addition, Giovanna and Nino have opened a pizzeria and eating there on the first evening in a mixed Italian-tropical atmosphere was very welcoming.
After the first night in Dodoma, we moved to Chigonwe where Kisedet’s long-term center is located.
Here we experienced a part of the daily life of the children living there by eating and playing and doing homework with them. Between a yoga session held by Giovanna and a relaxing walk within the large grounds of the Centre, we also met and spent time with the friendly civil service volunteers who are currently with Kisedet. We enjoyed spending time with them and hearing about their experience.
We did all this in the beautiful setting of the Centre, which again, is located just outside the city.
The Elena Fontana guesthouse is enchanting, surrounded by greenery and silence, and the rooms are clean and welcoming.
Mama Mdogo took care of us and cooked excellent dishes.
After 3 days spent in this slow and exciting rhythm, spending time with the children, visits to the surrounding areas, we set off on a road trip full of fun activities.
Fulgence and Peter, our tour guides, always put our well-being first and Joeli, the driver, made the journey as comfortable as possible.
The home-staying experience with a family in Mto Wa Mbu gave us a further glimpse at life in Tanzania and the days were full of enriching but manageable and relaxing activities.
We have no doubts that entrusting our holiday to Kisedet was the right thing to do and we will recommend the same to anyone we know who wants to visit this extraordinary country.
TOURISM EXPERIENCE WITH KISEDET: BEYOND MASS TOURISM
We had binoculars in our suitcase for our trip to Tanzania. We dreamed of this trip for a long time. We are finally here. Ours is a shared honeymoon, there are four of us: Costanza, Alessio, Annagiulia and Marcello. In Florence, six months ago, we asked ourselves: how can you walk among zebras and giraffes, cross the heart of Tanzania and not learn anything from the people? Binoculars are not enough, you need a microscope, which Kisedet was for us (thanks to Matteo Borzoni for the tip). We met Giovanna and Nino through email, then through their Italian counterpart Gruppo Tanzania ONLUS (thanks Veronica for all the support) and finally in person at the airport in Dodoma, the capital city. And still, not many tourists pass through here, the center of the country, and where Kisedet has its short-term center called Shukurani. With a few formal speeches, Anderson, Fulgance, Giovanna, Nino and all the Kisedet staff offered us a window and also a magnifying glass through which we viewed Tanzania and its children. After a full day of walking in Dodoma, with all it’s markets and vibrant colors, we moved to the guesthouse in the village of Chikongwe, a half hour drive away. On top of that hill we learned about the ever-changing projects such as cultivation, tilapia fish nurseries, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, vines and a football pitch. Calvin, originally from Arusha, accompanies us and his eyes shine when he talks about all this and how everything is done for the children at the center. But Marcello and Annagiulia get tired of listening. They play, like all the boys and girls in the world. And then the Italian group of international civil service volunteers help us. We learn words in Swahili and finally we were able to play with the children who live in Kisedet’s long-term center. The best experience of the whole trip. Honestly, the view we have right now in Serengeti pays off, but learning dances, words, games and sharing moments – a moment with no filters – is unmatched. Marcello learned to play Tanzanian checkers with Ismail, Annagiulia says that there are some strange berries that can be eaten (thanks to Gift, Asnazi, Dori and Mariano.) Alessio finally reviewed the Pythagorus theory with Michael. Together we climbed to the roof of the highest house in Chikongwe and saw a breathtaking sunset. The only downside was the goal scored at the last moment which made us lose the football match four to three!
