Arusha, Tanzania 2026 – this trip is full! Waitlist applications are being accepted for professional medical personnel only. Thank you!

We are in the process of finalizing the schedule and costs for this trip.  The dates are confirmed but please do not purchase tickets until all the trip planning is completed.  We are very excited to go to Tanzania in 2026!

The cost of this trip for each volunteer is tax deductible donation TO BE DETERMINED.    You will be notified of the final cost as soon as possible.  Volunteers are also responsible for purchasing their international and domestic airfare from their home to our final destination in Arusha, Tanzania.  A flight (or long bus ride) from Dar Es Salam or a shorter bus ride from Nairobi, Kenya is the usual way to reach Arusha.  

About the trip:  In 2026, we have been invited to partner with a local NGO to provide primary medical care and health education to patients in villages near Arusha, Tanzania.  Our partner NGO primarily focuses on supporting families and children with malnutrition, focusing on basic needs and developmental activities.  GFR will provide health care to families and individuals with some of the most significant needs in the Arusha area.  While this is GFR’s first trip to this area, your team leader has a great deal of experience working in this community.   Our partners have identified diabetes and hypertension, parasites, typhoid, urinary tract infections, brucellosis, and malnutrition to be of primary concerns regarding both treatment and education.

Sustainability:  We will provide community health education for patients, professional education for local midwives, and will also look at options for future water treatment facilities.  We will also provide valuable data to the local and regional health centers around malnutrition, partnering with our South African branch to capture height and weight of all children, presenting our findings to the local and national government in a standardized format.

About GFR: GFR has a long history of building and repairing schools, clinics, and community centers in areas where we provide care, as well as placing permanent drinking water treatment facilities in communities that have great need.  In 2022, we built a school in the Peruvian Amazon, and in 2023 we built a community center and partnered to refurbish an orphanage in Liberia, as well as completing the installation of water purification systems in India, Zambia, and Uganda. We will ensure the continued operation of these facilities in 2025 and will also be providing a new community center in the Peruvian Amazon and additional water treatment facilities in India and Zambia in 2025.

Arrivals and Departures for the Medical/Dental Team: Please arrive in Arusha, Tanzania (airport code JRO (Kilimanjaro International Airport) or ARK (Arusha Airport) on or before June 12, 2026.   While arrivals on June 13 (early morning) are possible, your GFR trip officially starts at a TBD hotel and time on the morning of June 13 in Arusha (Day 1 of your trip).  The last official day of the trip is June 20, 2026, after breakfast.  Your transportation to the airport is on your own.   Please see the “after the trip” section for more information on staying longer in Tanzania before making your flight arrangements.  Transportation to and from airports is on your own.

What’s Included: This trip includes lodging, transportation, translators, water, and breakfast and lunch within the official dates and start/end times of the trip.   Dinner is on your own as Arusha is a lively town with great food.  Most clinic supplies and any special projects are covered by GFR. In 2026, we are continuing to add a $100 per person fee to cover the increased cost of medications and supplies.

What’s Not Included: Your international airfare, domestic travel to the camp location, snacks and drinks other than water, personal vaccines, trip insurance, transportation to and from the airport to hotels in Arusha or any other stopover, and any free day or post- trip adventures, including travel and sightseeing costs, you wish to engage in while in Africa.

Important Information about this trip:  Walking on uneven ground is to be expected.  There may be times when you will need to work outside.  Lunch is provided but may be later than expected on occasion.  The weather will be ~72°F (22°C) in the daytime, while nighttime temperatures can drop to about 50°F (10°C). It is the start of the dry season, so expect sunny weather and clear skies during the day. Rooms are shared hotel rooms and unless a single room is requested at additional cost and available.

Cost: The cost of this trip is TO BE DETERMINED per person plus international and domestic airfare. You are responsible for purchasing airfare that meets the required arrival and departure times.  We always suggest giving yourself extra time for delayed or cancelled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier.   This trip is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.  You or your donors will receive a tax receipt upon making your donation.

How is your cost calculated? At Global First Responder we strive to keep your costs low and our quality high.   We value your participation and willingness to volunteer your time and expertise. Everyone at Global First Responder is also a volunteer, donating their time to administrative tasks and paying their own way to participate in medical and construction missions around the world and here at home.  The fee you pay covers the actual cost of your expenses in country including lodging, transportation, meals, and translator fees and expenses. In 2025, we are adding a $100 general fee to each volunteer cover the increased costs of medications and supplies so that we can continue to provide excellent care for our patients.   At GFR, no one is paid a salary and everyone is a passionate volunteer, doing our part to help drive our mission of “One Global World, One Global Family”.

After the trip:  There is so much to do in Tanzania that it is hard for us to choose what to highlight for you! There are too many safari areas to name but located in the immediate vicinity of Arusha you will find that Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (including the Ngorongoro Crater) are all within a relatively short drive and offer diverse wildlife viewing experiences. are all within a relatively short drive and offer diverse wildlife viewing experiences.  If you are interested in cultural experiences, consider a few days in Zanzibar!

Click here to apply for this trip:  I want to join the Global First  Responder team in Arusha, Tanzania!                                                                                                     

If this is your first time applying in our application system, please create a login and password.  You may use this login and password for all future trips you apply for (and we hope to see you on LOTS of GFR trips!!)

Itinerary (to be completed when finalized): 

June 12, 2026 (pre-trip):  We highly recommend that you are arrive on June 12 to be ready for the first day of clinic.  Today’s expenses, hotel bookings, and meals are on your own.

June 13, 2026 (Day 1):   This is the official start of the GFR trip.  The time required to be at the host hotel is TBD for a morning start.  Your team will do some team building, get organized for a full week of clinics, and meet your hosts.

Lunch is included today.  Dinner is on your own. 

June 14 – 16, 2026 (Clinic days 1-3):  You will travel from your hotel to clinic each day by team bus.  Transportation times will vary.

Breakfast and lunch are included.  Dinner is on your own.

June 17, 2026: Rest Day on your own.

Breakfast is included.  Lunch and dinner on your own.

June 18 – 19, 2026 (Clinic days 4 – 5): You will travel from your hotel to clinic each day by team bus.  Transportation times will vary.

Breakfast and lunch included.  Dinner on your own.

June 20 (Departure Day):  Today, after breakfast, is the official end of the GFR camp.  You are free to leave late night June 21 or anytime on June 22.   We hope that you will travel on to an amazing safari, other countries in Africa, or to explore some of the cultural areas of Tanzania such as Zanzibar.  Thank you for all your hard work!

Breakfast is included.