PURPOSEFUL TRAVEL
Purposeful Travel with Safi is learning and giving, building and supporting relationships, evaluating and assessing new and ongoing projects and falling in love with Tanzania.
Purposeful Travel is so much more than an exciting vacation! It is an opportunity to witness the good work that Safi, SYEW, Nusu-Nusu, and other nonprofits are doing to help children, adults and families build healthy and rewarding lives. It is an opportunity to meet people and experience Karibu, which means welcome. And Tanzanians do KARIBU so well!
A trip in Sept/Oct 2025 is in final planning.
Safi has been asked "Why go to Tanzania? Why don't we just send money?" Below are thoughts formed by a participant when she returned from a purposeful travel experience. It is an expression from a 'Safi heart'.
It’s All About the Children
Kilimanjaro rises up to meet us…..
A smiling driver comes to greet us.
The moon rises upside down.
We are on the other side of the world.
And it is all about the children.
The sun comes up and sets in a blaze of glory.
Flowers bloom, vibrant, delicate, strong against a dusty landscape.
Animals roam, each in its own splendor.
We eat and we drink, food and wine and all the experiences that are Tanzania.
And it is all about the children.
We meet the children…
Little ones with big smiles and arms outstretched to touch our skin, to touch our hearts.
Orphans and children in hospital, excited for hats, excited for hot wheels, excited to touch and be touched, touching our hearts.
Older children anxious to talk --- to share their hopes.
Older children eagerly reading, singing, dancing, drawing, painting, learning, and sharing time with us.
Older children, touching our ears, touching our skin, touching our hearts.
Grown children with education, with careers, because they were supported, still tugging at our heartstrings.
And, it’s all about the children.
We bring clean water, painted walls, improvements,
Book bags and school supplies,
Shoes and shirts and other things we take for granted.
We leave them, we leave a part of us.
We bring home the intangible, a yearning to do more, a heart full for the people, and an indescribable sorrow for all that is needed mixed with joy and hope for what is and can be and is being done.
And, It’s All About the Children.
Bergel Ziegler
Airfare cost varies. We purchase group tickets via a travel agent to keep costs down - anticipate between $1800 and $2500 for flights. The best price is way in advance of the trip, so we advise that you budget for this at least six months prior to your travel date. Trips are usually 2 1/2 to 3 weeks and include opportunities for safaris at some of the beautiful game reserves and national parks in the country.
Total trip cost will be around $6000. This includes all lodging and transportation in Tanzania. Most of our meals are included except for a few lunches and snacks you may need to cover. You pay for soda, beer, wine, and personal shopping. Bottled water is included.
You can extend your Tanzania visit, on either end, to include Zanzibar, climb Kilimanjaro, or visit a remote Hadzabi tribe.
Questions? email [email protected] with "purposeful travel - attention Mary" in the subject line.
What is a trip like? The trips are full of wonderful people. Some are past Purposeful Travelers, some are newcomers, but everyone is eager for the unforgettable Safi experience.
Recently we find that everyone in Europe wants to go to on Safari, so it can be difficult to get reservations! But between Thad Peterson of Dorobo Safaris, and Baraka and Salome Mosha we are all set!
A synopsis of the trip is posted on the Blog page.
How to sign up for a trip:
$500 deposit holds your spot. [deposit applied to lodging and in-country costs, not to airfare]
While in Arusha the group will visit students and schools, meet with the new board in Tanzania, visit other NGOs [such as: orphanage, Albino project , handicapped people workshop] and Safari to TZ wildlife parks.
If you are interested email Mary Nelson, Executive Director
[email protected] Or call: 360-701-9646
A $500 deposit will guarantee your place.
Send deposit to
Safi School Project
PO Box 8275
Lacey, WA. 98509
