South Africa Community Service

DAY 1: NEW YORK (FOR THOSE WHO OPT TO TAKE THE GROUP FLIGHT)

As the group flight takes off, the trip officially begins!

DAYS 2 – 5: CAPETOWN

Our journey begins in the coastal city of Cape Town, where we will get to know South African life. We’ll tour the city, hike to the top of Table Mountain for a panoramic view, spend an evening on the V&A Waterfront, and visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 29 years. It is here that we’ll first come to know the long history and lingering effects of South Africa’s Apartheid past, which we’ll carry with us throughout our travels. We’ll visit a local nature reserve and get up close with African Penguins and Cape Seals, and will get familiar with the food of the region as we chow down in authentic South African restaurants.

DAYS 5 – 11: EAST LONDON

From Cape Town, we will fly to East London and transfer to our base along the Wild Coast where we will begin our service work. For the next seven days and eight nights, we will spend our time volunteering at three local elementary schools to build new playgrounds and spend time with the local children. Our work will provide oxygen for the village, as we breathe new life into this welcoming community. We’ll be welcomed into the homes of those who live here, and enjoy lessons in cooking and dance, getting insight into the everyday life of the region. We’ll also make time for activities outside of work, spending our time surfing, horseback riding, and visiting a local game preserve where we’ll have the chance to interact with young lion cubs. Once our service work is done, we’ll feel the satisfaction of having made a real contribution to people’s lives, as we say goodbye to the Wild Coast and head to Kruger National Park

DAYS 11 – 15: KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, FLIGHT HOME FROM JOHANESBERG

It is here at Kruger that you’ll have the chance to see the “Big 5” in the wild. We will fly from East London to Nelspruit which will be our base for a couple of days of game drives and wild life safaris. Without doubt, you will be awed by the beauty of this place, as we are led by guides who take care of our safety while still bringing us close to the many animals who call the park home. With our heads full of the many images of amazing scenery and wildlife, we will fly back to Johannesburg for a last day’s visit to the Apartheid Museum and the Cradle of Humankind, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. As you board the place home, we will bid you Hamba Gashle Umgani – Go well, our friends, till we meet again.