Background

South Africa emerged from apartheid just 10 years ago. Given the country’s history, the dramatic change in leadership and in the political landscape was remarkably peaceful. In addition to a modern South Africa, you will see sites on this trip important to the early history of South Africa, including the arrival of the first Europeans, the development of Afrikaner culture, and the history of slavery. Learn about past leaders such as Mandela and Ghandi, and hear from current leaders who will offer their perspective on this remarkable country.

Adventure

Your adventure begins in Cape Town with visits to Robben Island, Table Mountain, Khayelitsha township, and Stellenbosch. You will picnic near the Cape of Good Hope, the dramatic south-western tip of Africa, rich in nautical legends. Next, travel to Durban, rich with Zulu and Indian history and culture, where Ghandi’s passive resistance movement began. In Zululand you will visit Ulundi and Ondini, historic capitals of the Zulu kings. Then spend three days on safari in a famous wildlife reserve, where you will learn about rural development, environmental challenges, and wildlife conservation. Following the safari you arrive in the dynamic city of Johannesburg, before ending your visit in the capital city of Pretoria, historic heartland of Afrikaner politics and culture.

Faculty

History professor Jamie Monson teaches courses on African history and environmental history, including the history of South Africa. She first lived in Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1979 to 1981 and received a PhD in African studies in 1991. She has lived in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, and led a student program to South Africa in 1998.

The Reverend Earl Neil ’57, a Carleton trustee since 1971, is a retired Episcopal priest currently living in Washington, D.C. He has traveled to South Africa numerous times since 1985, working there for three years from 1990 to 1993 on the staff of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In this capacity he assisted in developing programs for the resettlement of exiles, conflict resolution dealing with violence in the townships, and voter education preceding the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994.

Accommodations

Travel will be by luxury coach and internal flights. You will stay in outstanding 4- and 5-star hotels, including the Victoria & Alfred Hotel in Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, the award-winning Phinda Private Wildlife Reserve in Natal and The Grace in Rosebank, Johannesburg.