Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
This blog is for the South Africa split session starting July 9, 2026, which includes both the 14-day and the 21-day student groups.
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9
Hello, friends and families!
After months of anticipation, travel, and preparation, almost everyone has officially arrived in South Africa! Throughout the day we welcomed students as they made their way to our home for the next few weeks, and it has already been incredible watching new friendships begin to form. While there were certainly a few sleepy faces after long journeys from around the world, the excitement and energy have been contagious as everyone settles in, meets their roommates, and starts getting to know one another.
Over the coming days, we’ll be diving into everything that makes this program so special. Students can look forward to exploring South Africa’s incredible landscapes, learning alongside local conservation professionals, participating in meaningful service experiences, and spending time on safari observing wildlife in their natural habitats. Along the way, we’ll challenge ourselves as leaders, build new friendships, and learn more about the people, cultures, and ecosystems that make this country so extraordinary.
Tonight is all about settling in, getting some much-needed rest, and preparing for the adventures that begin tomorrow. We look forward to our few remaining students who are coming tomorrow and completing our team. We are so grateful to have this wonderful group together and cannot wait to share the memories, growth, and laughter that the next two weeks will undoubtedly bring.
Thank you for following along with us—we’re excited to take you on this journey!
Warmly,
Diana Weyn Gonzalez
International Director
Graeme Wheeler
Local Director
Juliet Mashiri
Mentor
Siddhesh Barale
Mentor
Katie Weinstein
Mentor
BLOG POST FOR JULY 11
On our first morning, we started off the morning strong with a great hearty breakfast. Then we were separated into four groups and loaded into Safari trucks. From there, we experienced our very first safari drive on the Nambiti Game Reserve. All groups saw impala, kudu, zebra, giraffe, wildebeest, warthogs, hippos, rhinos, and elephants. We also learned some fun facts about the local safari animals on the reserve. One fun fact that stood out to us was that Hippos can’t swim; they reach the bottom and push off to the surface to take in oxygen.
Half way through our game drive, we had lunch at a cliff side overlooking a river. We all enjoyed eating our lunch while taking in the beautiful views. Then we continued our game drive across the massive Nambiti reserve, which is roughly 32,000 square miles! On our way back to camp we came across hyraxes, which are small mammals that resemble marmots. Surprisingly, their closest relative is an elephant!
Later into the evening, we went out for a predator game drive. For the first part of the night drive, we all were unsuccessful in finding any animals. Luckily, we have a telemetry system that allows us to locate and identify animals. One of our amazing researches, Graeme, was able to utilize this system to find three lions; one male and two females. It was an unforgettable and special experience for us all! We all have enjoyed and treasured our time here on the Nambiti Game Reserve and can’t wait for what’s next on our GLA adventures!
Hamba kahle
Chloé King and Sebastian Aamoth
BLOG POST FOR JULY 12
Good morning 🦒☀️
We started our day in some very chilly tents, but a breakfast of eggs, toast and some knock off British bean’s fixed that pretty quickly.
After cleaning our dishes and getting packed for the day, we headed out on our morning safari. It was unreal. Most groups got to see cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and so many other amazing animals. We also learned a bunch of cool facts from our guides. At 12 we had a packed lunch on the reserve. After that, we took outdoor showers, met with our mentor groups, and then had dinner.
We wrapped up the night sining karaoke with everyone. There were some pretty great performances but the overall first place has to go to I Want It That Way performed by Olivia, Freya and Talia. We ended the night with everyone joining in for Baby by Justin Bieber. Goodnight!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 13
We woke up at 6:30. Then had a stupendous breakfast at the Nambiti Game Reserve. Afterwards, we packed up and left the camp at around 8:30.
We went on a very scenic drive to the Howick Waterfalls. We were able to buy souvenirs at a local market there. After another drive, we headed to a historic zip lining place. We had cheese and chicken mayo sandwiches. We then headed to the zip line and saw amazing views from hundreds of feet high. We saw monkeys, native birds, and mountains.
Once we were done with zip lining, we headed to our home stay for the night. As we arrived we settled down and unpacked. We had a mouthwatering spaghetti bolognese. Before and after dinner, some were playing cards and some were singing karaoke. Once dinner was done, many of us bought treats at the shop located in the dining hall. After that we went to bed!
– Zoey and Vanessa
BLOG POST FOR JULY 14
Today started with breakfast before everyone packed up and got on different buses to travel to our new location. The bus ride was long, but we made a lot of stops along the way. We stopped for lunch, spent some time at a mall, and took a few breaks at gas stations so everyone could stretch their legs. Even though the trip took a while, it was fun talking with friends and seeing more of South Africa as we traveled.
When we finally arrived at our new camp, Bonamanzi, we were welcomed in a really special way. The people there greeted us by singing and dancing, and a lot of us joined in too. It was a very exciting and energetic welcome that made everyone feel included. It was clear that they were happy to have us there, and it was a great first impression of our new home for the next part of the trip.
One thing we noticed right away was that this area is much warmer than where we stayed before. The warm showers are definitely nice after a long day of traveling. Even though it took most of the day to get here, the nice welcome and new surroundings made the journey worth it and we’re excited to see what this new place has to offer.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 15
This morning we had a balanced breakfast of eggs, beans, and toast. After breakfast we split into groups and explored different aspects of the Bonamanzi Game Reserve. Some of us went to go bird watching, while others participated in game drives, telemetry tracking, and cultural environment interpretation.
Then we came back for some lunch, free time, and bonding games. The games we played helped us all get closer together as a group and was also a great way to move around. We played soccer, knee tag, and “I like people who like…”. After our lunch break we rotated sessions and explored more of the Bonamanzi Game Reserve.
Lastly we all came back for some warm dinner after the sessions. After that we had some free time. Some of us decided to take a nice shower and relax while some preferred to sit by the fire and get warm and toasty. When our free time, a big groups of us decided to play mafia and others decided to enjoy the World Cup. Finally we all turned in for the night and went to sleep to get energy for the next day.
-Gemma & Natalia
BLOG POST FOR JULY 16
Today we started the day with heading into the community to meet the children at a small school. They introduced us to new dances in their culture. We then gathered to learn from the gogos how hand make crafts including beaded bracelets and straw baskets. Additionally, we got to go to the market where we bought authentic African pieces and art.
After lunch we met up with the anti-poaching unit to learn about their importance on the reserve and impact in conservation. We went on an anti poaching walk to scout out snare traps! Thankfully we didn’t find any! They then demonstrated how they use their K-9 unit dogs to track poachers. We did an activity that included Bony the dog who helped us understand how they track down poachers.
After our exciting day some of us got to experience hand washing clothes for the first time! Others got to try flying a drone. Each of these activities where very eye-opening for us. Finally we wrapped up the night with marshmallows and mafia!
Brenna and Olive
