South Africa Service and Safari

Welcome to South Africa! Our journey begins in Cape Town, where we will spend the next few days taking in all this incredible city has to offer and hitting up all the best spots. We’ll marvel at the dramatic cliffs at Cape Point, visit the penguins at Boulders Beach, hike Table Mountain, and of course spend some time relaxing on the beach!

After a few days in Cape Town, it’s time to set off along the Garden Route, one of South Africa’s most famous and interesting stretches of coastline known for its incredible scenery world-class beaches, lagoons, and forests.

Our first stop is Sedgefield, a seaside village surrounded by lakes, sand dunes, and pristine beaches. Upon arrival in Sedgefield we will check into our accommodation that is just steps from one of the most stunning beaches in town. During our time in Sedgefield, we will go on a kayaking and waterfall walk adventure and spend plenty of time at the beach!

We’ll continue along the Garden Route to Stormsriver, a town known for its awe-inspiring natural landscapes that are sure to please nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. We’ll head out on a whale-watching cruise, and take in the incredible scenery as we hike the Robberg Peninsula. We’ll check out the Tsitsikamma Bridge and hike Nature’s Valley to see the incredible Salt River.

After some awesome adventures along the Garden Route, we will head to Chintsa, a town nestled along the scenic Wild Coast of South Africa’s Eastern Cape province where we will be based as we complete our service project. We will partner with a primary school that serves rural families from some of South Africa’s most economically disadvantaged sectors.  Quality education and educational facilities areas are still a huge challenge in this region. We will work with the school and our local partners to build a playground from start to finish for the community to enhance the educational space. The lively village atmosphere of this region ensures that there is almost always a gathering of local children making for a fun and interactive experience.

Once our service work is complete, we’ll feel the satisfaction of having made a real contribution to people’s lives as we say goodbye to the Wild Coast. Time and time again, those who join us on our South Africa program return home with increased confidence, self awareness, and a renewed passion for volunteer work as a meaningful part of their goals in life.

After our time in Chintsa, we will head to the airport to take on the next portion of our adventure! Our journey will take us to one of the most unbelievably beautiful regions of South Africa, Mpumalanga, where we will explore the incredible Kruger National Park. We will traverse some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes, including the third-largest canyon in the world, Blyde River Canyon. Picture yourself in a game drive vehicle passing herds of elephants, pods of hippos, dazzles of zebra, and, of course, a pride of lions! You will be astonished by the beauty of this place, as we are led by experienced local guides who take care of our safety while still bringing us close to the many animals who call the park home.

After an incredible journey through South Africa, it is time to head home. We will return back to Cape Town to catch our flight back to the USA, reminiscing on all of the memories we have made along the way.