Afropop Worldwide’s Excursions Supply Extra Than Simply Safaris
U.S. vacationers accounted for 63% of all safari guests to Africa in 2022, with most heading on to common safari locations. Upon arrival, nearly all of American and European vacationers disembark at airports like Kilimanjaro Worldwide, treating them as mere gateways to the wild, whereas bypassing vibrant cities like Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s cultural and industrial hub. It is a missed alternative for individuals who may drastically enrich their expertise by spending only a few days exploring the native city tradition and connecting with the folks of East Africa.
In distinction, since 1997, the award-winning U.S.-based radio sequence Afropop Worldwide, hosted by Georges Collinet from Cameroon and nationally distributed since 1988, has been providing culturally immersive excursions to Africa, together with locations like Tanzania, Senegal, Mali, Cape Verde, and Madagascar. These excursions not solely spotlight the area’s vibrant music scene but additionally incorporate parts of eco and journey tourism.
Sean Barlow, Government Producer of Afropop Worldwide and creator of Afropop Excursions, said, “The core worth of Afropop Excursions lies in our deep connections with native artists and cultural business professionals. These relationships permit us to supply our vacationers distinctive, insider experiences which are merely not accessible to most. The loyalty of our repeat clients speaks to the success of this method.”
Presently, Afropop Worldwide is specializing in Tanzania and Zanzibar. Their most up-to-date tour in February 2024 introduced 24 keen vacationers on a journey that mixed an in-depth exploration of Dar es Salaam’s vibrant music scene, attendance on the world-class three-day Sauti za Busara competition in Stone City, Zanzibar, stress-free seaside time in northern Zanzibar, and an elective safari to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara parks.
Immersive Encounters in Dar es Salaam
In Dar es Salaam, Afropop vacationers had been handled to an array of excellent performances, together with Swahili rumba—that includes traditional 12-piece dance bands often known as musiki wa dansi—fashionable taarab orchestras with deep Arabic influences, full of life gospel music and dance at a Sunday morning church service, and the electrifying singeli, a style of digital youth music sweeping the nation. To deepen the cultural expertise, artists and cultural creatives had been invited to affix the group for dinners, permitting vacationers to interact in direct conversations with a few of Dar’s most influential figures. Many contributors appreciated the truth that they encountered so few overseas vacationers, making their expertise really feel authentically native.
The musical information in Dar was the completed guitarist, composer, broadcaster, and music historian John Kitime, who appeared to have connections with everybody within the metropolis’s vibrant music scene. The tour was expertly managed by their native associate, Takims Holidays.
The Sauti za Busara annual music competition, held every February, presents an expertly curated lineup throughout two phases within the historic Previous Fort on the coronary heart of Stone City, Zanzibar. Afropop Worldwide has been protecting this vibrant competition since its inaugural version in 2004. In 2024, the competition showcased a various array of expertise, that includes a number of Tanzanian artists alongside performers from Congo, Zimbabwe, Kenya, the Indian Ocean, South Africa, and Nigeria. The headline act was Made Kuti, grandson of the legendary Fela Kuti. True to its dedication to authenticity, the competition maintains a strict 100% reside efficiency coverage, with no playback allowed. Moreover, Sauti za Busara is understood for its sturdy illustration of women-led bands. The competition drew a combined viewers, with roughly half being locals and the opposite half worldwide guests.
Afropop vacationers had been handled to an unique non-public efficiency in Stone City by the native Tradition Music Membership at their clubhouse. The ensemble performed conventional taarab music, that includes devices just like the Arabic oud and qanoun, together with violins, accordion, and stand-up bass. The second a part of the live performance showcased kidumbak, a full of life, dance-oriented avenue model of taarab.
Following an intense, continuous week in Dar es Salaam and earlier than diving into the Sauti za Busara competition, which runs from 4 PM to 1 AM, Afropop vacationers loved some much-needed rest at Kendwa Rocks Seashore Resort in northern Zanzibar. This resort was particularly chosen for its distinctive seaside, the place not like many different shallow seashores in Zanzibar which are solely swimmable at excessive tide, you’ll be able to swim at any time. Excursions from this resort included a must-visit to a spice farm, the place vacationers participated in getting ready lunch, and a wide ranging sundown sail on a conventional dhow.
After the Sauti za Busara competition, most Afropop vacationers selected to fly to Arusha to embark on a five-day safari by way of Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara parks. Throughout the safari, they’d shut encounters with iconic wildlife, together with giraffes, elephants, antelopes, zebras, wildebeests, pink flamingos, and the unforgettable sight of lions mating.
Sean Barlow remarked, “Whereas our major focus for Afropop Excursions is at all times on music, tradition, and connecting with native folks, we imagine that providing the distinctive, magical expertise of an African safari is a should for vacationers coming all the way in which from North America. It’s one thing folks completely love.”
The African safari business deserves credit score for using 1000’s of individuals, bringing in much-needed overseas trade to nations like Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, and others, and for selling Africa as a extremely engaging vacation spot, even when the main focus tends to be extra on wildlife than on folks and tradition.
Be a part of the 2025 Encore Tour of Tanzania and Zanzibar: Restricted Spots Accessible
Afropop Worldwide is ready to supply an encore tour of Tanzania and Zanzibar from February 4-18, 2025, following the identical profitable itinerary because the 2024 program, together with an elective safari. With just a few spots remaining, these are inspired to behave rapidly. An informational Zoom session will probably be held on Thursday, September 5, at 8:30 pm EDT (UTC -4) to reply any questions. For extra particulars or to affix the Zoom session, please contact information@afropop.org.
Discover extra tour particulars within the Afropop TZ brochure
To offer you a style of the experiences from Afropop vacationers in Tanzania in 2024:
Right here’s what among the 2024 contributors needed to say:
Sam Sirkin from Oregon: “The Afropop workforce took us on a mind-blowing unparalleled journey into music, tradition, historical past, and journey!”
Marjorie from New York Metropolis: “I particularly appreciated the a part of the journey that included Dar. That’s the place we obtained to commune with the locals and benefit from the native taste—the music, the meals, and seeing completely different elements of town the place we noticed how folks lived and the way they go about their on a regular basis life.”
Susan from New York: “I went as an African music neophyte. The week we spent in Dar es Salaam was incredible. We skilled some 5 main varieties of music in numerous venues. We had been often the one foreigners anyplace. Our native music information was a stunning man who was so open to speaking with you about something and you might discuss to him individually.”
Jenny from Chicago: “This was my first journey to Africa. I went alone as a result of my husband couldn’t make it. Tanzania is a really pleasant nation and for me, one of many highlights was dancing together with the native bands. It actually exceeded all my expectations. I can’t suggest it extremely sufficient. It was actually a wonderful journey.”
Highlights from the 2024 Afropop Tour to Tanzania and Zanzibar:
