Tanzania cycling holiday, small group

Planet

While wildlife spotting in Africa is common doing it from the saddle of a bicycle is certainly not. We are proud to say we are the first company to gain permission to cycle through the Arusha National Park, giving our travellers a unique perspective of being part of the environment that the animals live in. Viewing animals this way has a far lower effect on the animals themselves as cycling has little physical impact on the physical environment but more importantly it is quiet, leaving the wildlife undisturbed by loud and unnatural sound.
It is true that cycling in Africa is a hot and thirsty activity but rather than an endless supply of bottled water we are careful to ensure our travellers bring their own water bottle that is refilled from the treated water we provide, hence saving this precious resource and eliminating plastic.
We have been careful to select much of our accommodation based on its sustainability – as well as low impact camping we spend 2 nights in an ‘African Igloo’ – a traditional beehive-shaped mud adobe room using only solar power.
Few holidays have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a cycling trip. It is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively little resources to support. We do believe in leaving more than just tyre tracks; this cycling tour actively encourages guests to chat with local people, visit local cafes and bars, purchase local produce, gifts and crafts and discover what life is really like across Tanzania.

People

Ensuing we actively involve and interact with the all aspects of the Tanzanian community is a strong focus on this cycling tour.
Early in the trip we visit a small family owned coffee farm in Tengeru run by the amazing Mama Gladness. As well growing coffee the focus of the farm is strong, sustainable community based tourism, putting any profit made back into education, the creation new farms clean water, and local infrastructure. Even the gas powered lighting here comes from methane produced from the cows.
We also stay at the Mkuru Training Camp, located in the foothills of Mount Meru. This small, low-impact community 'camp' is dedicated to research, education and training for the promotion of good practices in natural resources management and is a perfect example of a sustainable travel experience.
As a significant part of Tanzania society the Maasai people have a fascinating culture and it is one we are proud to explore. Rather than arriving by vehicle we cycle out to a remote Maasai village and enjoy lunch and an insight into their still traditional farming life.
We believe in investing in our people too. Opportunities for Tanzanian tour leaders to learn completely new skills are limited, so rather than recruit externally we have retrained some of our best leaders from guiding on Kilimanjaro to be able to lead our cycling trips.
As part of our commitment to responsible travel a portion of your trip cost is donated to Bicycles for Humanity – a not-for-profit, volunteer run, grass roots charity organisation focused on the alleviation of poverty through sustainable transport, in the form of a bicycle.