Location
  • Tanzania
    • Arusha
    • Zanzibar
Length
1 to 16 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Guesthouse Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
295
Price Details
Fully hosted experience from only $295 for 1 week - this includes airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Meals Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare Travel Insurance Visa
May 01, 2024
Apr 27, 2024
88 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Trusted by 136,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's #1 rated volunteer programs in Tanzania and 50+ destinations worldwide.

For 6 years, we've won the "Top Volunteer Abroad Provider Award" from GoOverseas, so you can trust that you're in the safest hands with IVHQ in Tanzania.

Our affordable projects start from $24/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement and local support. Projects run year-round, with durations from 1-16 weeks. Choose from 8 projects, ranging from Animal Welfare, Sustainable Agriculture and Childcare in Arusha, a small city near Mt Kilimanjaro to the Maasai Immersion based at a village in Maasailand. Plus, you’ll stay with other like-minded, impact-focused travelers from around the world (private room options available).

With IVHQ’s superior pre-departure support services, you’ll gain exclusive access to your own Volunteer Travel Specialist, comprehensive preparation tools and volunteer training before you leave home.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Cheapest volunteer programs from $24/day for your accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, project placement & local support.
  • Volunteer for 1-16 weeks, year round start dates most Mondays
  • 15+ years experience & only B Corp certified volunteer travel organization
  • Get free changes up to 14 days before you start with our flexible booking policy
  • Affordable way to earn college credit - gain 5 credits for only US$500!

Popular Programs

IVHQ Zanzibar Turtle Conservation

Support a local Marine Turtle Sanctuary in Nungwi - a coastal village home to Zanzibar’s finest beaches. As a Turtle Conservation volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to get involved in helping boost wild turtle populations and assist with treating and releasing injured turtles.

Volunteer with children in Tanzania with IVHQ

Do you love working with children and want to provide invaluable support within childcare centers across Tanzania? Work alongside local caregivers as a Childcare Volunteer, creating fun and educational environments to support the development of local children.

Medical Volunteering with IVHQ

Enhance your global perspective of medicine by shadowing and assisting medical professionals in clinics and hospitals around Arusha. This project is open to students in at least their third year of medical or nursing school, or fully qualified professionals. Paramedics, EMTs and CNAs are also welcome.

Maasai Immersion Project

Live like the Maasai people on this truly unique cultural immersion experience. Help in the village with farming, teaching, bead making or building to support the learning and development of local people.

Teach children in Tanzania with IVHQ

Collaborate with local teachers in Tanzania and lead classes of up to 80 students across a wide range of subjects. This is an opportunity to play a hands-on role in delivering more focused education to students within schools of limited resources.

Volunteer with women in Tanzania with IVHQ

Support with the education of local Tanzanian women who come from challenging backgrounds, giving them a chance to upskill and earn a sustainable income.

Volunteer with animals with IVHQ

Volunteer alongside a local vet in Tanzania, delivering mobile care to farm and domestic animals around Arusha. This project is perfect for all volunteers who love working with animals and have a passion for animal welfare.

IVHQ Zanzibar Rainforest and Coastal Conservation

Work within the local community to support the conservation of the Jozani Forest - the largest area of indigenous forest on the island of Zanzibar. You'll assist with environmental education efforts through various activities, including helping at a small reptile sanctuary, working at a farm co-op and assisting with mangrove tree planting.

Program Reviews

4.96 Rating
based on 114 reviews
  • 5 rating 96.49%
  • 4 rating 3.51%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.8
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.9
  • Value 4.75
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 105 - 112 of 114 reviews
Default avatar
Paola
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Experience Ever

Its hard to describe with words the best experience of my life. I didnt think i would learn and have so much fun at the same time. I found IVHQ because its really the cheapest company and I couldnt be happier with my choice. I went to Tanzania for the medical placement and end up helping at a health center and living at a volunteer house with awesome people. I learned about new diseases, helped doctors and also visited orphanages with so many cute kids. I recommend IVHQ and Tanzania with no doubt.

32 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Paola, IVHQ offers the world's most affordable volunteer programs and we are glad that this meant you were able to visit Tanzania and volunteer on our medical project. Thanks for the recommendation and we hope to have you volunteer with us again in the future.

Default avatar
Natalia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Tanzanian Experience

My two months in Tanzania were two of the best months of my life. I had the most amazing time and met some fantastic people. Learned about a completely different culture and pushed out of my comfort zone.

My day to day consisted of waking up going and catching the dala to placement- this being an experience in itself with the sheer amount of people they would jam in the dala. There would also be the odd chicken on a persons lap or a goat in the boot.

Once at placement I would help with teaching the kids by either taking lessons or working 1 on 1 with kids to help them understand what the teacher is teaching. The kids would then get porridge and play time until lunch. I would also help with doing dishes.

Placement tended to finish around 1 or 2 after the kids had lunch. Then u would head home or into town.

The volunteer house was great we were living with roughly 20 people at a time, it was a fun social environment which always had something going on! The friends I made here will be friends il hold on to for life.

The house mamas were great, we always had heaps of delicious food around and they were always friendly! Our house managers were the same so friendly and helpful if you needed anything, there was not a time I didn't feel comfortable approaching them.

Some highlights from my trip were safari - it was amazing, just seeing all the animals in their natural habitat was fantastic! And also Zanzibar with all my friends was a really fun trip!

I wouldn't change my experience in Tanzania for anything. I fell in love with the country, the culture, the kids at my placement and everyone else in between. Highly recommend giving it a go!

What would you improve about this program?
Shorter orientation is the first thing that comes to mind. It's a little thing but it was painfully long.
41 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Natalia, It is great to hear from you and to read a little about your volunteer experience on our Teaching project in Tanzania. It definitely sounds like you had a great volunteer travel experience. Thanks for volunteering with IVHQ!

Default avatar
Mackenzie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Tanzania IVHQ

Ivhq was a great program. I stayed in a volunteer house with about 20 other people. It was great to meet people from other countries around the world. My daily activities included waking up in the morning and taking a dala to my orphanage placement. I helped serve porridge and played with the kids. I also helped some with the teaching. My afternoon/evening activities included going into town for restaurants and wifi.

What would you improve about this program?
I think the staff needed better communication. They were super nice and happy to help, but at orientation they told you what was going on and just kind of left it up to you to figure out the details.
42 people found this review helpful.
Response from International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Hi Mackenzie, We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your volunteer abroad experience on the Childcare project in Tanzania. We hope to have you volunteer with us again in the future.

Default avatar
precious1ne
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Summer of my life

I went alone and was really nervous to fly by myself for the first time and meeting everyone already there in the volunteer house, but I had nothing to worry about. The staff, cooks and other volunteers were amazing and I formed some great friendships till this day. I enjoyed experiencing the local culture, meeting new people, trying new things, picking up some Swahili and enjoyed every single second of my placement. I loved the balance between independence and the comfort of feeling like you were part of a big family.
My days at the orphanage consisted of some teaching, marking, playing with the kids at break, reading and doing some smaller group activities and also helping to prepare lunch. Spending time with the kids was amazing, getting to know them individually was priceless.
Downside-I didn't spend enough time there!! That's why I'm going back again in a few months! Nakupenda Mtanzania!

35 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Melvin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My experience in Tanzania

I'll start by writting that I really enjoy my stay in Tanzania. It was maybe one of best experiences I've ever had.

At first it was hard because I had to help in a school for blind children and with no experience at all I thought I would have been so hard. But as days gone by I felt more and more confident with the whole situation. The teachers really hepl us, first they thought us braile so that we could communicate with the children. SO, it was definatelly a different and amazing experience. Although some days seems like we weren't doing anything (because the lenguage barrier and them being blind was difficult) after month has gone by we were really connected with the children. Really amazing.

The staff was amazing, they helped us since day 1 when they pick us up at the airpodrt. They helped us with the papers and accomodations and pretty much everything. We could always relly on them when we had troubles and they move to make our stay as confortable as possible. I didn't really expect a nice bed and meals, but even though I was in the countryside with a family I stay in a ¡nice house with 8 other volunteers and there was always food for us, so I never worry about that.

There were some fears about staying in Arusha but I really felt safe all the time eventhough me and other volunteer had to travel for an hour and a half to get to the school. The local people were always vey nice, sometimes they bother you trying to sell you stuff but once you go passs that I think the city otself is very safe (if you take the proper precautions of course).

Bottom line is you should definatelly try volunteering here.

39 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
ShannonF555
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Supportive staff that foster wonderful community partnerships!

From the moment that IVHQ's partner in Tanzania (TVE)came to pick me up, I knew it was going to be a good program. The airline brought us to the wrong airport (eek!) but they drove 45 minutes across the city to get me anyways. I felt well supported during my stay, always very safe. I never had any problems, but I felt as if someone would be there to support me if I ever did. A person from IVHQ was there checking in on the program while I was there, that made me feel really good knowing that they keep in contact with all their sites. It was so much fun, and a life changing experience as well- a combination of tourism, travel, volunteer that went as it did because of the quality of the program and staff. I would recommend this program to everyone from those who are seasoned travelers to those who have never left home. You will feel right at home either way.

37 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Rhi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience EVER!!!!!

This progam was the most exciting and rewarding time of my life. I couldnt of asked for a better placement not to mention the suport from the IVHQ staff. I not only leaned alot about the Arusha community but i also learned so much about myself. The biggest highlight would be how amazing and smart the kids are. They are the most beautiful little creatures i have ever met. Cant wait to get back over there again and catch up with everyone :)

36 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
mlorene
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

IVHQ Tanzania - Teaching Placement

Hands down the most important experience of my life. It is difficult to verbalize, but living and teaching in Tanzania is life changing. The people are incredible and although the slow-paced life takes some getting used to, it has a charm to it. The program is a great way to not only immerse yourself in the culture and community (whether through a homestay or at the volunteer house) but also a wonderful way to meet other young people who have similar interests as you from all over the world. There are also tons of people to travel with on weekend trips, safaris, longer vacations to Zanzibar, or to show you around town when you are new. The people and children you work with and for will capture your heart as well. I went to Africa knowing nobody, and left 3 months later feeling like I was leaving home and leaving family. It is a country that has lots of love to give and the people can use all of the help and support they can get - totally worth your time, money, and effort. There is nowhere else in the world I want to go more than I want to go back to Tanzania.

34 people found this review helpful.
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Questions & Answers

So for me to get from Calgary, Alberta, Canada to the Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania, it cost about $2800 Canadian dollars through KLM.

Hi Eesha, As long as you travel with a parent, guardian or family member who is 18 years or over, you are eligible to participate on one of our programs! When you apply, it is important that you include the name of your family member on your application, so that our local team can ensure you are placed with your sister. Jordan IVHQ Community Manager

Hi Sarah! Children volunteering as part of a group with adult minders, or with a parent, guardian or family member who is 18 years or over, are eligible to participate on an IVHQ program. When a volunteer under the age of 18 applies to volunteer with IVHQ, it is important that the name of their minder is noted on their application, so we know that they are eligible to volunteer and our local team...