Our Chairwoman and Founder, Peggy Crull, has seen it all during her forty-plus years in the travel industry. Tanzania is the one trip she can’t get enough of! It is impossible not to fall in love with the excitement here. Stunning wildlife safaris give travelers the chance explore the savanna grasslands – home to cheetahs, elephants, rhinos and many other amazing species. But at the heart of it all, the locals are the true reason that Cruise & Tour’s Tanzania Wildlife Safari is much more than a vacation.
It is humbling to be so warmly welcomed time and time again by the local guides and villagers alike. The people here are some of the kindest and hardest working individuals out there, and they are sure to make you fall in love with their home just as Peggy has!
Over the years, Peggy has formed a lasting relationship with the local Tumaini Orphanage, run by a wonderful woman named Upendo. With the gracious support of our travelers, the Cruise & Tour team has been able to provide various necessities for the orphanage, including bunk-beds, TVs, refrigerators, clothing and school supplies, to name a few. One very generous couple paid for a complete fresh water system, which included solar hot water! This replaced the rainwater collection system that previously acted as their main water source. The generosity of our Tanzania travelers is not lost on those at the orphanage; they are incredibly grateful for the help we’ve been able to provide, and we at Cruise & Tour are equally grateful to have such compassionate people on our trips!
Our most recent call to action was a fundraising effort for the reconstruction of a bridge that washed away in a river flood. This bridge provided the quickest route for the children at the orphanage to cross the river to get to school. Following the flood, they were forced to wade through the water with their backpacks to continue their studies.
We spread the word as quickly as possible, and thanks to the support of our Cruise & Tour family, our efforts were successful. The cost to rebuild was estimated to be between $4,000 and $6,000, and with the help of our generous travelers, we were able to raise $7,000! Perhaps the most incredible part of this story is that the new bridge went up in less than a month! After 20 years of enduring a rickety, dangerous commute, we have given this community peace of mind.
We can’t thank our travelers enough for their support! The sense of camaraderie of our like-minded groups is part of what makes traveling with Cruise & Tour a truly unique experience. Lasting friendships are formed, and we are fortunate enough to vacation with many familiar faces year after year.
With so many vacation options available today, our Tanzania Wildlife Safari stands out due to the passionate people – whether it be the local guides, our team, or the travelers, there is a shared love for community building and worry-free adventure that brings us all together.
We take pride in working out even the smallest of travel details so you can enjoy your trip. We love welcoming new & familiar faces alike on our Cruise & Tour vacations! Call 800-383-3131 today to reserve a spot today.
Check out the finished bridge below!
If you’d like to donate to the Tumaini Orphanage, checks can be made
payable to Cruise & Tour at PO Box 398, Waterford, WI 53185.
Please note “Tumaini Orphanage” in the memo.
By Olivia Sabella
Manager of Marketing Communications
