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Location
  • Kenya
    • Nairobi
    • Nakuru
Length
2 - 4 weeks
Program Tags
Adventure Travel After College Arts College Credit Conservation Cultural Immersion Hands-On Learning Instructor Jobs Language Immersion Medical Music Post-High School Social Justice Sports Coaching Study Abroad Teach Abroad Volunteer Abroad Wilderness +9

Program Details

Activities
Animal Viewing Backpacking Bird Watching Boating Camping Canoeing City Exploring Cycling Farming Fishing Hiking Mountain Biking Remote Exploring Safari Sightseeing Swimming Trekking
Timeframe
Fall Spring
Housing
Apartment Cabin Guesthouse Host Family Hostel Hotel Lodge Sleeper Train Tent
Primary Language
Swahili
Age Min.
17
Age Max
25

Pricing

Starting Price
5500
Price Details
Cost: $5,500

The program fee covers all program expenses during the time abroad, including: all meals and lodging, all overland travel, all scheduled program activities (including all expeditions, outdoor adventure activities, and sightseeing), team leaders and in-country staff, all costs for orientation in the USA, educational materials, and other miscellaneous program expenses.

The only costs not covered by the program fee are flight costs and personal expenses and individual free time activities. Personal expenses include: health insurance, entry visas, and transportation to and from home and our orientation city in the USA.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Equipment Meals Park Fees Tour Guide Transportation Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare Domestic Airfare SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa
What's Not Included (Extra)

The only costs not covered by the program fee are flight costs and personal expenses and individual free time activities. Personal expenses include: health insurance, entry visas, and transportation to and from home and our orientation city in the USA.

Feb 07, 2023
Wish List
2 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Join Youth International's new Kenya program in Fall 2022 and immerse yourself in this fascinating culture. Together with a small team of peers, you will embark on a challenging, authentic adventure that includes a unique combination of experiences. The 28-day program combines community service work, wildlife jeep safaris, trekking, and city and village home stays.

This program is no longer offered. View more programs from Youth International.

Video and Photos

Participant and African woman carry baskets of clothes on their heads
The team riding camels in the desert
Participant in local dress with a woman from Kenya
Participant learns how to make pottery on traditional wheel
Participant works with local craftsman building a brick wall

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Program Highlights

  • View wild animals on safari in the African savanna
  • Volunteer in a school in an African village
  • Challenge yourself with a trek around the rim of a dormant volcano
  • Learn first-hand about village life and customs
  • Live with city and village host families

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Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Alexandra Retzleff

Program
Explore the Culture of Kenya
Job Title
Manager
After earning a PhD in Classical Archaeology from UNC at Chapel Hill, Alex started her career in education in the Department of Classics at McMaster University, where she lectured, mentored students in the hands-on skills of field archaeology, and published scholarly articles on various topics in art history, archaeology, and cultural history. As an archaeologist, Alex spent much of her time traveling and living in the Near East.
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What is your favorite travel memory?

I spent a lot of time living, working, and backpacking around the Middle East in the 1990s, when the political situation was much more stable than it is now. I especially cherish my memories of Syria, because I experienced first-hand the beauty and hospitality of a region which is now devastated by ISIS. I remember one time arriving with my Australian travel companion in a remote town in Northern Syria, not realizing there would be nowhere for us to eat or stay (as happens sometimes when you are really off the beaten path).

Concerned townspeople ushered us to the local school to meet the principal. He took us into his home for dinner, interviewed us for the local newspaper, took us for a walk to a beautiful shady tea garden, and let us sleep on mats on the floor of the school. The town really came together to look after us!

Which destination is most underrated? Conversely, which is most overrated?

It is hard for any highly-rated destination to live up to its reputation. Just like the best books or movies are often those you just come across without any particular expectations, I find travel can work in a similar way. The unexpected places that you just stumble upon are often the most interesting, so I am a big believer in wandering off the beaten path. That having been said, the Galapagos Islands are truly amazing and deserving of every bit of their reputation. Birds with blue feet nesting right beside your footpath? Friendly little penguins swimming around you? Ripples in the lava fields hardened into mesmerizing patterns? Darwin’s research subjects crawling all about? The natural world here is expansively breathtaking, abundant, and truly unique.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Delivering what has been promised. It is essential to promote an image that is true to your service and to ensure that your clients receive what they signed up for. At Youth International, we provide our potential participants with a lot of detailed information before they sign up: you can review the complete daily itinerary of the trip, and you will have an in-depth phone interview to make sure that all your questions are answered. You can also read travel blogs written by past teams, and even get in touch with our alumni. Being well-informed is the best way to make sure your choice of program is a good fit for your interests.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I began my career in education as a university professor, so working in experiential learning was a big transition for me. One of my major frustrations working in the ivory tower was the difficulty in making material relevant to students.

Through working with Youth International, I have come to appreciate “learning by doing” as the highest form of education, because profound intercultural experiences can be the most deeply intellectually transformative moments on one’s life. This is the stuff you never forget!

Most recently, I have brought my academic experience full circle through our partnership with Western State Colorado University, by designing college-credit courses centered on key field activities of the Youth International programs. It is fulfilling to be able to bring these subjects to life through real world experiences.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

Over the past 20 years, we have stayed true to a program model that we have found offers the best possible experience for our participants. All of our programs are 3 months long, and involve travel in 3 countries. Our quality and consistency have allowed us to form strong connections to local communities across the globe, and to keep our community service projects running from one year to the next, allowing us to make a real impact. Our particular combination of international travel, service work, and outdoor adventure encourages cultural understanding and supports profound personal growth. Our programs are also a lot of fun!

About Youth International

Authentic, rugged, meaningful travel since 1997. Youth International's mission is to open the doors for young adults to discover a broader perspective on the world while developing a deeper understanding of themselves. We currently offer experiential learning programs in Nepal, Kenya, and Ecuador, ranging in length from 25 to 30 days. Join a YI...

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