Journey to South Africa, the land where majestic elephants, massive buffalo, and elusive big cats roam. From romantic honeymoons and photographic expeditions to yoga in the heart of the bushveld and intimate weddings, there is a safari for every occasion. This trip is a must for those with a heart for animals, a yearning for white sandy beaches, and a spirit for adventure - getting up close and personal with wildlife!
Unforgettable Safari Experiences
Your South African stay gives you a chance to experience a deep connection to local communities and to the wildlife that calls this place home. You’ll have the opportunity to gaze at elephants, track lions, surf warm waves, snorkel in the clear Mozambique waters, and serve some amazing communities and nature preserves.
Explore an authentic and wild game reserve looking for rhino, elephant, giraffe, zebra and lion. This safari will give you an authentic look into the lives of animals in their natural habitat, and the opportunity to participate in conservation efforts to protect the native species.
Kings Camp: A Wildlife Haven
Situated in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, Kings Camp faces an open savanna plain with a waterhole, which is frequented by a wide variety of wildlife both day and night. The Timbavati Private Nature Reserve forms part of the Greater Kruger Conservation Area, located in Limpopo Province in South Africa. The reserve lies west of the Kruger National Park Boundary and north-east of Johannesburg.
As part of the Greater Kruger National Park, which covers an area of 2.2 million hectares, this Timbavati safari lodge is a wildlife haven boasting a diversity of animal life including the Big 5, cheetah, African wild dog and hyena. Treat your family to a safari experience like no other.
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Detailed Itinerary and Activities
In addition to getting relatively up close and personal with members of the Big Five, we’ll dedicate time to learning about South Africa’s history, giving back to communities in Lesotho, and exploring the beautiful beaches, waters, and nature reserves of these beautiful African countries.
Listed below is an example itinerary for a trip to South Africa:
- Johannesburg: We’ll begin our trip in Johannesburg, the home to former president Nelson Mandela. We’ll explore the township and give back by working with local schools and community centers to help with whatever is most needed.
- Hazyview: Our next activity will lead us to Hazyview, where we’ll spend a morning introducing ourselves to African elephants. In this town’s sanctuary, you’ll be able to actually interact with and feed these gentle giants.
- Kruger National Park: Ready to see some of South Africa’s famous wildlife? There’s no better place than in Kruger National Park, which houses more species of large mammals than any other African reserve. On the way, we’ll stop at Jane Goodall’s Chimp Eden, the only chimpanzee sanctuary in South Africa. Once in Kruger, we’ll set up camp near the Crocodile River, an area from which it’s not unusual to spot prides of lions, giraffes, and rhinos. The entire next day will be spent on a safari through the park, so keep your eyes peeled for all Big Five: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. But that’s not all the wildlife that lives in Kruger. Local wildlife specialists will introduce you to some of South Africa’s diverse reptile population that have been found in urban areas, sharing fascinating insights about each species before their return to the wild.
- Marloth Park: Our next activity will lead us to Marloth Park, another wildlife sanctuary home to dozens of animal species found only in South Africa! We will spend the morning biking and learning more about the land and animals that exist there.
- Swaziland: Our next adventure takes us south to Swaziland, a heart center of our trip for over 20 years! Over the next two days we will stay in the local village engaging in service learning with the local community. We will share in local food, dance, and of course play a local favorite game of soccer with the children! Once we have finished weaving, and building sustainable projects within the village we will make our way to Hlane National Park- one of the most famous safaris in the South Africa region!
- Hluhluwe: We’ll spend some time in the Hluhluwe area, where we will explore Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, the oldest nature reserve in the country. Known for its wildlife protection efforts, it’s likely we’ll see more of the Big Five here, especially the white rhino. You may also pass by the jackal, common warthog, baboon, and kudu. While here, we will learn about the specific Rhino conservation efforts through darting and dehorning and the impact this has had on population growth. The group will get up and personal with rhino horns and depending on rehabilitation, perhaps even in the rhino itself! On the second day, we’ll spend some time in the Emdoneni Cheetah Project, a rehabilitation center for cheetahs, serval cats, African wildcats, and caracal (lynx). Not only will we learn more about the conservation of big cats, but we’ll get up close and personal with a few of their residents! Afterwards, we will head to the coast for our first real glimpse at the South African Ocean! While in St.
- Ballito: Our next adventure takes us to Ballito where we will be working with a local organization to spread awareness about single-use plastics and its effects on marine wildlife. This will include beach clean-ups and other wildlife protection services. The following day, we will spend time enjoying the ocean we are working to protect! The Ballito coast, famous for its bottle-nose dolphins, will become our ocean safari playground as we head out to sea in search of marine wildlife spottings!
- Lesotho: For the next few days, we have a range of adventure in and around Lesotho, a neighboring country to South Africa. On our way to Durban, We’ll visit the historic Nelson Mandela Capture Site, where an inspiring sculptural monument marks the spot of his 1962 arrest.
- Durban: Our last full days in this beautiful country will be spent surfing and kayaking in Durban. This sleepy coastal town is South Africa’s best-kept secret for surfing, great for beginners and experts alike.
Service and Community Engagement
Connect with the future of South Africa as you work with local children in the community. Here you’ll spend your days assisting with their most pressing projects. Work in the garden, paint a bedroom, or simply play soccer with the kids.
Head to the water and catch some waves on Tofo Beach! Take surfing lessons and practice cruising the waves in style while in Mozambique.
Camp Dates and Accommodation Details
Here are some important dates and accommodation details to consider for your trip:
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- January 12-25, 2026 (14 days)
- Accommodations: Rehearsal week at Volmoed Retreat Centre in Hermanus, Western Cape; with second week in the Gardens district of Cape Town
- Leaders: Bongani Magatyana, Suzannah Park & Liam Kantor
Price:
- $2200 adult/$1950 youth (under-26), in 2-person rooms
- $500 supplement charged for single room accommodations
Space in the camp is limited to 25 singers. This will be Village Harmony’s fifteenth study-performance camp in South Africa and our third time running an exclusively Cape Town experience. You will come away from your two-week adventure with an insider’s understanding of the musical and cultural diversity of South Africa’s premier city.
Rehearsal Venue: Volmoed Retreat Centre
Set in its own little valley of 130 hectares of fynbos, VOLMOED offers comfortable accommodation in well-equipped houses accommodating 2 to 12 people each. The property has always been known as Volmoed (meaning full of courage and hope) and the valley first came to prominence as a place of healing during the 18th century when a leper colony was established here. The Volmoed Trust was established in the early eighties as a place that would minister to people who felt battered by their life's experience.
Testimonials
- "Loved the experience - definitely hope to come back next year!"
- "This trip was a life changing experience. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in other cultures. I am extremely grateful for the trip leaders and the others I was able to travel with."
- "My favorite part about my Epic Africa adventure was the opportunity to see the countries in such a complete way from so many different viewpoints and activities."
- "Bold Earth was the best. She definitely grew as a person and is more prepared to go off to college. The trip leaders were AMAZING! I could not be happier with the experience both as a parent and for my child."
- "My experience with Bold Earth has been nothing but positive, from my interactions with Josh and Hayley before the trip, to the communication that we received from Izzy and Samson during the trip. The values that are exemplified in the activities and itineraries that Bold Earth creates offer an opportunity for kids to get out of their comfort zone and learn and grow."
- "I loved everything, especially the safaris, surfing, sandboarding, and the people."
- "Going on Bold Earth trips has changed my life and my perspective on the world."
- "By the end of the trip the host family will feel like your own."
Important Dates
The dates for camp are Dec. 22, 2025-Jan. 1, 2026 (with 1-2 days of travel on either end, depending on your location or longer if you'd like to see more of the country). Apply today! The deadline is Sept.
Additional Information
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation Types | Lodge-style (6 nights), Camping (11 nights), Glamping (3 nights) |
| Activities | Safaris, surfing, community service, wildlife interaction |
| Locations | Kruger National Park, Cape Town, Durban, Lesotho, Swaziland |
Participants will be responsible for arranging for their own round-trip transportation to Cape Town. We recommend that you plan to arrive in South Africa at least a day early to help to adjust to the time change. Everyone will be expected to meet at CPT (Cape Town International Airport) mid-morning on January 12 for the 2+ hour drive out to Hermanus.
Read also: Immersive Safari at Sarova Mara
We will officially finish in the mid-afternoon on Sunday, January 25. We’ll first check out of our Cape Town accommodations that morning and head to Kirstenbosch Gardens, where we will enjoy a group lunch together starting at noon.
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