Even though your adventure begins in Cape Town, our field trips take you beyond the city to discover the culture and traditions of your host country and beyond.  In addition to trips and activities in and around Cape Town (such as a walking tour of Langa Township, a trip around Cape Peninsula, a District Six Cycling Tour, and a visit to Robben Island), the Eastern Neighbors field trip and Northern Neighbors field trip open you up to a range of cultures and experiences in and out of South Africa. Both the Eastern Neighbors and Northern Neighbors field trips are fully subsidized by IES Abroad and are included in your program fee. There is also the optional Garden Route Trip, which takes place at the beginning of the program and is partially subsidized by IES Abroad: 

Garden Route
3 Days | Orientation
This optional, partially subsidized trip takes place shortly after orientation. Travel along the southern coastline of South Africa, better known as the Garden Route. Explore the Cango Cave system, and visit an ostrich farm and an animal sanctuary.  Experience the beauty and diversity of the South African landscape as you hike and canoe along the Garden Route.

Eastern Neighbors Trip
12 Days | Mid-semester
Experience a range of Southern African cultures. Starting in Durban, you explore South Africa’s third largest city, cycle along its beachfront promenade, and learn about the city’s strong Indian identity. From here you make your way inland through the Valley of a Thousand Hills where you visit an HIV/AIDS-focused community organization before heading into the Drakensberg Mountains. Next you enter into the Kingdom of Lesotho (a mountainous landlocked country within South Africa’s borders). You then head north to Zululand, where you’ll learn more about the rich Zulu culture and history. You then visit community and public health projects in the little country of Swaziland, and enter Mozambique to see its beauty and learn about its unique cultural identity, before finally returning to Cape Town.

The cost for this trip is included in the cost for the program.

Northern Neighbors Trip
5 Days | End of semester
This end of semester field trip begins by flying to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, one of Southern Africa’s most exciting adventure hubs. Here you visit Mosi-ao-Tunya one of the world’s largest waterfalls at roughly twice the size of Niagara Falls. You will learn about Zimbabwean culture and taste some of the country’s delicious food. You then head west and cross the border into Botswana. In the town of Kasane, you enjoy a sunset cruise on the river that marks the border between Botswana and Namibia. The next day you board safari vehicles and head into Chobe National Park to see the game reserve’s famous elephants, as well as lions, hippos, giraffes and other wildlife. The field trip ends in Johannesburg where the program also comes to an end. You will fly home from Johannesburg.

The cost for this trip is included in the cost for the program.