June 24: Depart the US.
June 25: Arrive in Nairobi and head to the Homecare Retreat Center, a tranquil oasis in Karen, where we will enjoy dinner and a comfortable night of rest.
June 26: Spend the day at Anchor Leather, one of Tirzah International's sustainability partners. Learn about the opportunity of skills training and earning a livable wage through craft. Participate in an hands-on workshop to create your own piece of jewelry, leather or pottery alongside the artisans. Hear stories of transformation while enjoying a traditional Kenyan lunch with music.
June 27: Spend time at the Giraffe Center in Nairobi for an up-close encounter with these majestic animals. Then spend the afternoon visiting another Tirzah International partner, helping to provide business opportunities for marginalized women. Spend the afternoon back at the retreat center learning to make traditional chai tea and relaxing around the tranquil grounds.
June 28: Check-in at Ololo Lodge, enjoy lunch overlooking Nairobi National Park and head out on our first game drive before sunset.
June 29: Enjoy a morning and evening game drive, with plenty of time in-between to relax by the pool, take a nap or enjoy tea in the garden. Visit the lodge's regenerative vegetable garden where all the produce for meals in the lodge's kitchen is grown. Learn about the hotel's do-good initiatives to provide employment and education for their community.
June 30: After one more early morning game drive, we'll head back to Nairobi for our international flight to Uganda. We'll meet our driver and head to the Kibaale Community Center, with a stop at the equator along the way. We'll get settled into the comfortable guest house and enjoy dinner and an orientation with the directors.
July 1: We'll spend the day around the Kibaale Community Center, learning about this K-12 school that provides a quality education to break the cycle of poverty in this part of Uganda. We'll visit classrooms, meet staff, and tour the health clinic. We will also venture off campus to visit the sustainable coffee farm, see clean water projects, and visit students in their homes.
July 2: We will have the opportunity to work on a project, like building a mud home for a family in need. We will visit the women's basket weaving cooperative and distribute food parcels to families in the area.
July 3: After breakfast, we'll pack up and head to Kibale National Forest. We'll check-in at Turaco Treetops, Kibale Forest’ newest semi-luxe lodge, enjoy an afternoon swim and dinner before heading to bed.
July 4: We'll set out for Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest National Forest, one of the best places in the world to see chimpanzees up close. We'll explore the forest to locate these special primates observing their playful nature in their habitat. In the afternoon, we'll head out on a walk through the Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary with a local guide to see over 200 birds species and learn about the enormous biodiversity this area boasts.
July 5: We'll make our way back to Entebbe for our international flight home.
