ARCC Programs | South Africa: Land of Wild Wonders

Join us for an exciting adventure to the “Rainbow Nation”. Tour Cape Town, a city known for its rich culture and natural beauty. Hike to the top of Table Mountain Nat'l Park. Learn about the apartheid era with a tour of Robben Island. Assist biologists helping protect endangered white rhinos. Tour the Cape of Good Hope, with stunning coastlines and wildlife. Learn to catch a wave at popular Muizenberg Beach. Take an opportunity to explore this beautiful and diverse country!

After our departure from the US, we arrive in beautiful Cape Town. Known as the “Mother City”, it is the oldest city in South Africa, with a cultural heritage spanning more than 300 years. Tour its diverse townships and bustling markets and sample delicious local dishes like vetkoek (fried donuts), biltong, and braai, a traditional South African barbeque. Visit the lively waterfront area, walk through beautiful lush gardens, and soak in the vibrant cosmopolitan energy that attracts visitors from around the world!

We spend a day hiking to the top of the iconic Table Mountain. This dynamic flat-topped mountain towers above Cape Town, providing an stunning backdrop to the city. One of the most spectacular landmarks in the world and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is home to a diverse array of endemic plants and animals found nowhere else in the world! Table Mountain is a “must-do” on the list of places to visit in South Africa!

Departing from the city, we travel the scenic Garden Route along South Africa’s southern coast and visit quirky surf towns like Wilderness and Mossel Bay. Visit Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point in Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. Learn to surf the rolling waves at Muizenberg Bay, and watch for migrating Southern right whales and their newborn calves as they play in the surf in the whale-watching town of Hermanis.

For the next week we join a local conservation organization as they work to help protect the critically endangered white rhinoceros. Traveling into the wilds of a local private game reserve. we work alongside researchers to assist with collecting vital wildlife data that will be used to create protection plans in an effort to help save this iconic African species. Along with rhinos, we may spot other iconic African wildlife such as elephants, lions, hippos, Cape buffalo, or impalas.

After returning to Cape Town, we head south along the mountains to the rocky Cape Peninsula. Here we can spot wild ostriches, zebras, and baboons, and watch African penguins swim in the surf on the beachside penguin colony. On our last morning, we wake early and don headlamps for a memorable hike up the iconic Lion’s Head mountain, to watch the sunrise over Table Mountain and illuminate the city below, providing a beautiful end to our spectacular African adventure!