Tanzania Snorkelling, Sailing and Marine Conservation Adventure

Your Tanzania adventure begins with a thrilling journey high above the turquoise Indian Ocean, as you fly to Mafia Island – the most beautiful of Tanzania's Spice Islands, where tranquil white sand beaches, friendly villagers, and world-class snorkelling and scuba diving sites combine to make this a true tropical paradise.

Snorkel the island’s dazzling coral reefs, swim among the clouds of tropical fish in every colour of the rainbow, wander along white sandy beaches, and sail out from the shore in a traditional wooden sailing boat. Let Mafia’s vibrant culture and friendly communities warmly welcome you.

You will be joining an ongoing marine conservation and community development project, which means that you could be assessing the health of the reef while you snorkel, or helping local people to learn English. Plus there will be plenty of time to relax under a palm tree and gaze at the sun-drenched ocean or to swing in your hammock and soak up the breeze.

The work you carry out will be rewarding and exciting, and hugely beneficial to the Marine Park's conservation efforts, as well as being amazing fun! At the end of the day you will gain immense satisfaction from knowing that you have helped to save this precious marine wilderness, protecting it for future generations.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

• Help to monitor & conserve coral reefs and rare African marine wildlife
• Immerse yourself in Swahili culture and sail out on the Frontier dhow and snorkel in the crystal clear ocean
• Make lifelong friends

What Next? Apply Now!

WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO?

Mafia Island Marine Park

Mafia Island is about as close as you can get to the quintessential Indian Ocean tropical paradise. The tiny island of about 40,000 is a friendly, laid-back place that has long been praised as a diver and sea angler's paradise.

Mafia's luxuriant mangroves, luminous sea grass beds and dazzling coral reefs play host to a multitude of tropical reef fish, thorny and spotted seahorses and four species of graceful and gentle sea turtles. Offshore there are dolphins and manta rays, and the deeper waters are a regular stop-off for migrating humpback whales and giant whale sharks. You can experience all this when you join the Frontier beach-camp on Mafia Island and spend time snorkelling in the crystal clear, immaculate waters of Tanzania's exclusive Marine Park.

Conserving the Coral Reefs

Threats to the coastal environment on and around Mafia Island are on the up as unregulated tourism is on the increase and the local population is growing. Increasing competition for food means that artisanal fishing techniques such as seine-netting become inadequate and inefficient, encouraging use of less discriminate catch practices such as dynamite fishing. Other threats include the over-harvesting of shark fins, octopus and sea cucumbers and the over-collecting of shells and corals for the expanding marine curio trade.

By taking part in this project you have the chance to help us with our ongoing assessment of the reef, which helps ensure the Park is properly managed. While snorkelling you will have the chance to survey spectacular coral reefs and dazzling reef fish, and observe marine mammals and turtles.

Working with local Swahili communities

Tanzania is a poor country and people survive mainly by subsistence farming. We are working to help local communities on Mafia by providing environmental education and by teaching English, which helps improve employment prospects. Through getting involved with community activities, like environmental awareness raising in local schools, you can experience the cultures and lifestyles of local people. You might choose to help teach English in the local community, or perhaps to learn some Swahili from the villagers.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?

Our marine research and conservation programme on Mafia Island is run in association with the University of Dar es Salaam (with whom Frontier has been in partnership for over twenty years). The project aims to provide local stakeholders and government bodies with the information they need to design and implement management plans for the future protection of this perfect marine park. You will have the chance to help survey the reefs and the various wildlife communities that live on them and so to help gather the important data needed. You might also get the chance to explore and record the living organisms that inhabit the luxuriant mangrove forests, dense sea grass beds and productive inter-tidals in the area.

Whilst snorkelling, you'll see an extraordinary array of animals from turtles to manta rays, sea cucumbers to feathery starfish, and spiny urchins to octopus. When you sail out to sea on the Frontier sailing dhow you may even be accompanied by dolphins or encounter gigantic Whale Sharks.

You will also have the chance to get involved with our community work, perhaps by helping with environmental education days or helping to teach English to villagers.

Although the work is intense and challenging you'll get immense satisfaction from it and from having made a valuable contribution to the conservation of this untarnished marine wilderness. You will return home with the new friends you've made and a wealth of incredible memories.

You'll find your team to be a fun, dynamic mix of ages and experiences, with members who all share a passion about travelling in developing countries and saving endangered marine life. Your staff will be young, friendly individuals who are highly experienced in their field and many have also volunteered on a Frontier project earlier in their career.

For further information about Frontier marine conservation work please refer to the publications section of this website.

What Next? Apply Now!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I ARRIVE?

This depends on when you arrive. If you are a 10 week+ volunteer travelling with the main party you will be collected from the airport in Dar es Salaam by a Frontier staff member and your onward transport arrangements will be organised and flight reservations made for you, but not paid for (the return airfare to Mafia Island will cost you around £100).

If you arriving at any other time or if  you are travelling independently you will be met on Mafia Island at the airport. It is possible to reach Mafia by road and ferry but sailing times can be very unpredictable. If you choose to travel by road and ferry you will transfer to the port town of Nyamasati, 90 km south of Dar from here you can catch the ferry, (approximately a 6-hour trip) to the town of Kilondoni on the western side of Mafia Island. Once on the island you will be met by the Frontier marine field staff, either at the small harbour town of Kilondoni or at the airport on Mafia and transferred by boat or vehicle to the project camp site.

WHERE WILL I BE STAYING?

During the project you'll live on a basic beach camp alongside the other marine project volunteers at Utende, within Mafia Island Marine Park. We aim to provide you with a unique, memorable and entirely sustainable living experience. The Frontier marine camp was constructed by local craftsmen and Frontier field staff, using traditional building techniques, from locally sourced, environmentally friendly building supplies. You may even have a chance to try out some of these construction techniques for yourself while living on camp.

Camp life is very simple, unsophisticated and fun. You will be staying in communal bandas, huts made from makuti (woven palm leaves), poles and mud, sleeping on beds constructed from sustainably harvested wooden poles, washing in the sea (don't forget your environmentally friendly washing products!), using the infamous long drop toilet and cooking over an open campfire. So prepare for the basic, unencumbered lifestyle!

As well as snorkelling, sailing and relaxing your days will also include helping with daily camp maintenance, taking turns to cook, tidy and clean the camp, collect firewood, prime hurricane lamps, collect and treat water, and help with a variety of other essential camp duties.

WHAT WILL I BE EATING?

Camp food is simple and nutritious and consists largely of rice, beans and vegetables, all of which are purchased locally in order to help support the local economy. Locally grown fruit is sometimes available too, depending on the season. Luxuries such as chocolate, biscuits, peanut butter and drinking chocolate have to be brought down to Mafia Island from Dar es Salaam, so make sure you stock up before heading to the field! Part of your role on camp will be to help with the cooking, so get your cookbooks out now and start practising!

What Next? Apply Now!

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Frontier-Tanzania camp is fun and in your spare time you'll have opportunities to swim and snorkel, play football against the unbeatable local side or try out beach volleyball. Alternatively you may enjoy a traditional Saturday night themed camp party, play poker, chess or backgammon or join in a camp quiz night. After a long hard day of sailing and snorkelling you may prefer to relax with a drink and sway in the camp hammock, or sit and chat to your new friends beside a roaring campfire, under a sky lit up by millions of stars. Later you will drift off to sleep lulled by the gentle lapping of the Indian Ocean.

Tanzania offers a massive range of adventure and cultural activities for you to enjoy after your Frontier project. Visit game reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and forest reserves. Experience a traditional African safari and game drive, visit the exotic island of Zanzibar, climb Kilimanjaro, or learn to scuba dive by taking a PADI dive course. We encourage you to book these extra activities direct with local providers thereby making more of a contribution to the local economy.

DIVING RATES (not available in April/May)

• Single Day Dive £30
• Double Dive £50
• 4-dive package £100
• 10-dive package £200

COURSES*

• Discover Scuba Diving £65
• Open Water Dive Course £250
• Advanced Open Water £230
• Medic First Aid £100
• Rescue Diver £300
• Dive Master £500

*Medical certificate is mandatory for participation in dive courses

RENTAL EQUIPMENT (Prices per day)

• Jacket/BCD £5
• Regs £5
• Wetsuit £5
• Mask/Snorkel £3
• Fins £3
• Computer £7
• Torch £7