Travel Journal - Africa's Wildlife 2025

Aug. 31 - Sept, 13, 2025

Written and photographed by Henry Zises ’22

Welcome to Africa! This was my first time on the continent, and I was incredibly excited to visit four countries over two weeks this past August on UCLA Alumni Travel's Africa's Wildlife trip. This was an incredible experience; from seeing roaring waterfalls to animals I'd only ever dreamed of, each day brought a new sight, sound and memory that I'll never forget. From the urban landscape of Johannesburg to the dark night sky in the heart of a Zambian National Park, it truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'll cherish the memories I made, and the people I became friends with, both from UCLA and the locals we met on our adventure. I hope you can join us in Africa soon!

Upcoming tour in 2027

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Welcome to Victoria Falls and Me at the Falls

Our tour takes us to a new country and one of the greatest wonders seen on our adventure. This is Victoria Falls, a massive waterfall that stretches along the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia and is over twice the height of Niagara Falls. We saw roaring waterfalls and even rainbows in the midst of the falls! For a trip focused on nature, this showcased the intensity of it tenfold.

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Orphanage Visit

One stop took us into Soweto, a neighborhood in the heart of Johannesburg. This day was incredibly fulfilling, as we stopped off at an orphanage and interacted with the children. I played soccer with some of the children, and other travelers were talking and playing with the children as if they were their own. It was an eye-opening stop that offered a glimpse into how the people and children of the city live, making a lasting impression on the first day of our trip.

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First Safari

Day three was our first day of safari. The jeeps were incredibly comfy and everyone had an excellent view, with the passenger seat being a hot commodity!

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School Day

We visited a school located in the town. While it wasn’t an official school day, there were still plenty of children at school. We learned about how school days work, saw their massive kitchen where they cook meals and answered plenty of questions the students asked us about ourselves and UCLA!

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Days of Safari

Double safari days were very fun and we had many of these on tour! They consisted of an early morning departure for a first safari, usually about 5:30 a.m., followed by a second afternoon safari in another part of the park. These were very fun days, as you saw so many different animals in different areas. Two wonderful sights that really stood out: a female lion by herself and a family of elephants getting really close to our vehicles.

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Boats and Elephants

One thing that we did many times was an evening cruise down a river. When the rivers run right through the preserve, it makes it very easy to see hippos, elephants, crocodiles and other animals like kudus, and you can get up close and personal with them. Surrounded by gorgeous views in all directions and wonderful company, it was an amazing way to spend an evening in Africa!

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Giraffes and Leopards

There is no shortage of animals to see on safari! In my opinion, two of the coolest animals were the lions and the giraffes, and we saw plenty of both. The lion is just majestic, especially with the mane flowing down their neck and back. The giraffe stands tall, and is just a very large creature, impressive to see up close. No animals in the safari areas and preserve were afraid of the vehicle, so we were able to get up close to all of them!

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Break Time

Our refreshment breaks were one of the highlights of our evening safari. We’d find a nice open spot, set up the vehicles, and have drinks and snacks while catching up on what we saw and how the trip was going. It was an excellent way to relax, especially with the gorgeous sunsets and views behind us.

Our group at the end of our adventure. From Johannesburg to Zambia to everywhere in between, we saw plenty of animals and once-in-a-lifetime sights. It was an amazing two weeks in southern Africa and a trip I’ll never forget with people I’ll never forget either.

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