Depart the USA

After arriving in Capetown, South Africa, take a panoramic tour of this beautiful city. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at GOLD, a vibrant, eclectic Pan-African restaurant offering a taste of foods from across Africa, an interactive drum circle where you will learn how to play the djembe, and enjoy traditional dramatic tribal dance performances.

This morning visit St. Georges Cathedral. The historic St. George's Cathedral is located at the top of Adderley Street, on the corner of Wale and Queen Victoria Streets in Cape Town. It was originally designed in the style of the St. Pancras Church in London and was opened at Christmas in 1834. In 1847 it was established as a cathedral in anticipation of the arrival of the first Anglican Bishop in Africa, Robert Gray. Known as the “People’s Cathedral” for its role in the resistance against apartheid, St. George’s Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Southern Africa and the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Cape Town. The Crypt Memory and Witness Center celebrates humanity in its fullness by providing a platform for collaboration through exhibitions, research, publications, and conversations. It inspires dialogue, reflection, hope, and healing. Next, we will take a boat ride to the notorious Robben Island. The prison, located on an island seven kilometers off the coast of Cape Town, is where Africa’s political prisoners were kept during the colonial and Apartheid years of South Africa. During your guided tour of the grounds where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, you will hear the stories that took place inside the prison walls and get a better understanding of the great men that overcame so much. Tonight, Christo Brand, one of the Warden's from Robben Island during the time of Mandela's imprisonment will join you at your hotel for a talk over dinner. Christo Brand, former Prison Warden Christo Brand is one of several prison wardens who was responsible for guarding Nelson Mandela. He was 18 years old when he came to Robben Island where Mandela was held and was later transferred with Mandela to Pollsmoor Prison. Brand wrote the book ‘Doing Life with Mandela - My Prisoner, My Friend’ where he tells of the friendship that the two developed over the years.

Visit Table Mountain with a 360 degree view of the Cape Peninsula's mountains, oceans and the suburbs below, there is no better view in South Africa. Take a walk through one of the most colorful and vibrant suburbs of the Mother City. The Bo Kaap is home to the people of Cape Malay heritage, many of whom are descendants of the first slaves of the Cape and were displaced from their homes in District 6 during the apartheid era. Lined with brightly colored houses and lively streets, Bo Kaap is as vibrant as it is culturally rich. A walk through the community will introduce students to the culture, religious practices, food, and history thereof. This historic neighborhood is set just outside central Cape Town on the flanks of Signal Hill. A sad note, however, is that much of the Bo Kaap has fallen victim to gentrification and as a result, it has lost a good proportion of its culture. Afterwards, visit with Jasmina and Shafeeqah, a Cape Malayan mother and daughter team residing in Bo Kaap. They invite participants into their aromatic kitchen where they share a step-by-step process of preparing traditional Cape Malay dishes that are loved by locals in the community. Students enjoy a hands-on demonstration and are invited to blend spices, mix falooda, roll rotis, and perfectly fold a samosa. At the end, everyone sits down to enjoy a home-cooked meal together – the perfect opportunity to learn more about Jasmina and Shefeeqah’s life experiences in Cape Town. Jasmina Davids Jasmina Davids is a local Cape Malayan woman residing in the Bo Kaap district of Cape Town, South Africa. Based in her family home with her daughter, Shafeeqah, by her side, Jasmina’s aromatic kitchen has become a regular and firm favorite on any study abroad or virtual exchange program. Jasmina’s mastery in the kitchen started from early childhood when, after her school work was complete, her father would teach her the step-by-step processes of preparing traditional Cape Malay dishes.

This morning take Chapman’s Peak Drive and wind your way between Noordhoek and Hout Bay. Situated on the Atlantic Coast, at the southwestern tip of South Africa, this drive is one of the most spectacular marine drives anywhere in the world. End at the southernmost tip of Cape Town’s south peninsula. Cape Point falls within the Cape Floral Region; one of the richest areas for plants in the world and home to nearly 20% of Africa’s flora. Visit the Boulders Penguin Colony, home to a unique and endangered land-based colony of African Penguins. This colony is one of only a few in the world, and the site has become a famous destination. Visit Simon's Town, a beautiful little coastal village on the Cape Peninsula. It is rich in history, character, atmosphere and warmth. Spot penguins, seals, whales, and an array of bird life. The town is full of gorgeous boutique stores, curios, and craft markets. Enjoy some free time in this lovely area. End your day with dinner in Kalk Bay, an eclectic working harbor village that is best explored on foot to fully take in the diverse range of curios, specialty stores, eateries, and street vendors.

This morning meet with Father Michael Lapsley or Rev. Alan Storey for a Social Justice talk. This afternoon you are free to explore more of Simonstown on your own. This evening talk with the Fisherman's Child, Traci Kwaai. Father Michael Lapsley Alan Michael Lapsley, known as Father Michael Lapsley, is a South African Anglican priest and social justice activist. Father Michael Lapsley is the director of the Institute for the Healing of Memories which seeks to contribute to the healing journey of individuals, communities, and nations. Their work is grounded in the belief that we are all in need of healing, because of what we have done, what we have failed to do, and what has been done to us. Alan Storey Alan Storey is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa and is presently situated in Cape Town South Africa. Alan was the last conscientious objector to be brought to trial for refusing to serve in the Apartheid SADF. Alan is founder of the Banna ba Modimo Clinic and Shelter in Welkom for which he received the Rotary's Paul Harris award in1997. He is at present the chairperson of Gun Free South Africa and chairperson of I AM which is an advocacy organization for LGBTIQ people within the Church. Alan specializes in facilitating Diversity Engagement encounters. These encounters expose entrenched dynamics of power, privilege and prejudice and attempt to heal the divisions that still divide us. Traci Kwaai Traci Kwaai is an artist and teacher who tells the stories of the Kalk Bay fishing community that has inhabited Cape Town’s False Bay region for generations. Traci describes herself as a “disruptor” and focuses her “Kalk Bay Anti-Tour” on creatively narrating a history of the area that has historically been whitewashed. She is a masterful storyteller who shares her ancestral heritage of the sea, the fisherman, and the politics of the land; challenging participants to see beyond the boutique store fronts of this charming, cosmopolitan harbor town.

This morning fly to Johannesburg, the capital of South Africa. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the city before checking into your hotel. Tonight, enjoy dinner at Mandela Square.

Today, visit The Apartheid Museum, acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum dealing with 20th century South Africa – at the heart of which is the apartheid story. A series of 22 individual exhibition areas takes the visitor through a dramatics emotional journey that tell a story of a state-sanctioned system based on racial discrimination and the struggle of the majority to overthrow this tyranny. This afternoon, meet with the South African Council of Churches, an inter-denominational forum that unites 36 member churches and organizations. The SACC is an instrument and servant of its members and is committed to expressing, through proclamation and programmes, the united witness of the church in South Africa, especially in matters of national debate. South African Council of Churches The South African Council of Churches (SACC) is an inter-denominational forum that unites 36 member churches and organizations. The SACC is an instrument and servant of its members and is committed to expressing, through proclamation and programmes, the united witness of the church in South Africa, especially in matters of national debate.

After breakfast, begin your one-of-a-kind Soweto day tour. You will smell the pavement cooked meals, become part of the buzz on the streets and meet the people as they go about their daily chores. Enjoy lunch with a local family in the township. This afternoon, visit the Hector Pieterson Museum in memory of the young schoolboy who was shot in the 1976 Soweto Uprising and, visit Regina Mundi Church, the largest Roman Catholic Church in South Africa. Located in the middle of Soweto, the Church first wrote its name in South Africa's history books during apartheid, when it opened its doors to anti-apartheid groups and provided shelter to activists. It was during the June 16, 1976 student uprisings, protesting students fled to Regina Mundi from Orlando Stadium to escape the police's bullets and tear gas. The police followed the students into the church, firing live ammunition and damaging the marble altar and crucifix. Bullet holes are still visible in the church ceiling and the damaged marble stand provide tangible evidence of the violence of these police raids and the ensuring rush to evacuate the building.

After breakfast, drive to Pilanesberg National Park. Have lunch and arrival and then join your expert guide for an afternoon game drive with the intent of spotting the big five: Lion, Elephant, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino. Your safari vehicle will take you on and off road through the bush of Africa’s most diverse environment. Tonight, enjoy a traditional Boma dinner under the canopy of African starlight.

Arise early for your second chance to see the African wildlife on your morning game drive. This afternoon, drive to OR Tambo Airport for your flight home. Depart for the USA.

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