Southern African adventure & Community development
Botsuela Village above the stunning waterfalls, where the community is asking for more eco cook bags
A personally- escorted small group adventure across Southern Africa, for minimum 10 people. Hike in stunning scenery, enjoy your first week packed with unforgettable customised experiences including Nelson Mandela’s prison on Robben Island to the iconic Table Mountain cable car, Boulders Beach penguin watching, world-class wine tasting, immersive safari and spa alongside a second week of up-close African history and life-changing community development work.
Dates: 18 January to 3rd February 2026
For other development trips happening several times each year, contact kenn@eternalflame.world direct.
Pace: Range of easy walks to fully optional more challenging hikes
Price: £2200* inclusive, plus your chosen flights
*excludes some optional trips, personal spending money and local tips
Adventure leaders: Dr Ken Dunn MBE and Faye Smith
About the adventure
Awe and wonder at the stunning scenery as we get up close with nature
Hope Walking is partnering with a small high-impact charity Faye has supported for many years, Africa’s Gift to bring you a unique walking experience in Africa. Have you ever dreamed of having a big adventure? A community development trip with a social purpose which you can take in all good conscience, knowing you will be making a practical life-changing and even saving difference in other people’s lives?
This is no poverty tourism, no ‘saviours’ here. This is a close-up immersive small group experience combining a trip of a lifetime with working alongside the communities we visit and sharing experiences which bring mutual understanding and growth. Guided by social entrepreneur, African expert and born raconteur Dr Ken Dunn MBE, we ensure your carbon neutral trip won’t cost the planet and you return mentally and physically refreshed, reinvigorated and changed in the best possible way. We offset our flight emissions by distributing life-saving Eternal Flame eco cookbags (included in your trip price) and support ethical and sustainable locally-run businesses and suppliers throughout our stay in Africa.
Our well-received accommodation is comfortable, but not luxurious. We are still finalising details, so just click the book now button to get the final itinerary and express interest while flights are available and prices lower.
You can read guide Faye’s blog about her life-changing African experience doing a similar tour with Dr Dunn here.
Faye Smith, founder of Hope Walking is entranced by her African Adventure and keen to share the wonder, joy and inspiration she found with other adventurers.
journey itinerary
Sunday 18th January Flight from UK airport of your choice
Monday 19th Land Capetown
Tuesday 20th- Thursday 22nd Gain the historical context to the development and challenges of modern Southern Africa with your guide, Ken, from Nelson Mandela’s prison to rise of the Townships. You will also experience the awe of the iconic Table Mountain, world famous Boulders Beach penguin colony and Cape Winelands.
Friday 23rd & Saturday 24th Experience the wonder of the Karoo desert animals during a game drive.
Sunday 25th to Saturday 31st will be spent with our friends at the welcoming, impactful and ethical Malealea Lodge. From this site staying in typical rondavel huts, you will have personally-guided local orientation and impact visits to all main areas of Africa’s Gift work, which will typically include:
Experience our invaluable teaching farm and keyhole gardens
Be the first to see our new beehives and fishponds
See local women entrepreneurs’ handicrafts and period pack making to increase education for girls
Learn more about the life-saving eco cookbag and actually place these long-awaited cloth slow cookers into the hands of eager local women subsistence farmers
Optional hike to cave paintings and likely on to Botsuela Waterfall
Sunday 1st & Monday 2nd February Optional game drive and spa experience in the stunning Pilanesberg National Park
Tuesday 3rd Depart Pilanesburg for our return journeys from OR Tambo airport
After a day on the Malealea Community Teaching Farm picking peaches and learning the basics of sustainable agriculture, we shared our produce with the farm manager and Lodge kitchen team.
£35 for a fully biodegradable Eternal Flame eco cookbag will ensure this women had 6 hours back in her day and won’t be the next of the women and children dying of toxic smoke inhalation every 23 seconds.
A dawn safari is an incredible way to end our trip of a lifetime
The exact days of hikes and activities will be determined by the weather – we may need to switch things for the best fit. All named accommodation is also subject to us booking swiftly to ensure availability.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
UK passport holders do not require a visa for either Lesotho or South Africa, but they must have at least two clean pages left in their passport and have at least six months left before expiry. Otherwise, a new passport must be sought. Anyone holding a Non – UK passport must seek guidance on visa requirements.
Inoculations must be sought from your medical practitioner immediately. You do not require anything for malaria. General protection (Tetanus) and vaccines against water- borne infections are those likely to be discussed. Please seek an early consultation once you decide to join us.
The cost is £2200 plus flights, based on a minimum of 10 participants. Donations to Africa’s Gift Charity to further offset the CO2 emissions for this visit are appreciated, but four Eternal Flame eco cook bags are costed into your fee.
Faye’s guests love working alongside local women to make eco cook bags, then distribute them to families cooking over open fires
WALK SUMMARY
Date: 18 January to 3rd February 2026 - please contact us for other 2026 possible development trips
Description: 16 day adventure in Southern Africa: trip of a lifetime and community development which makes a life-changing impact in front of your eyes.
Grade: Optional walks range from easy to more challenging hikes.
Price: £2200 per person excluding international flights, which can be sourced by our trusted travel agent Debbie Dent of Travel Counsellors. With the trip happening soon, full payment is required on booking.
Walk guides: Dr Ken Dunn MBE of Africa’s Gift and Faye Smith of Hope Walking
Contact for enquiries: kenn@eternalflame.world WhatsApp 07528 529766
Please pay Africa’s Gift Ltd Registered Charity 1149830 Unity Trust Bank Sort Code 60-83-01 Account 20354257
What’s included:
Fully escorted tour by your two hosts and occasional local guides
All accommodation. Pricing is based on twin share room.
All transport by an experienced safe driver in a well-maintained vehicle.
All meals. A wine tasting experience.
All entries to the National Parks and entry to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Boulders Beach Penguin Colony.
Cable car fare down from Table Mountain – and up too, should you wish to skip the hike.
Two game drives with local guides/drivers in large open-sided safari vehicles.
Toll roads including James Bond-worthy Chapman Peak’s scenic drive
Also included are stories a plenty from history and culture to ripping yarns of travel and adventures.
Not included:
Robben Island Museum tour and ferry crossing should you wish to include this.
Tips to service providers – please consider this carefully as tips significantly help many staff who work hard to provide you with an excellent experience.
Drinks are not included and we encourage guests to bring water bottles that can be filled with fresh drinking water.
Additional activities that are not specified.
Travel insurance – which is mandatory.
Cost of inoculations, if required
What to bring: A straight-forward kit list will be issued once minimum numbers have been reached and your booking has been confirmed..
Travelling to the route start:
We always recommend the greenest option of public transport where possible. We offset our flight emissions by eco cook bag distribution and support ethical and sustainable locally-run businesses and suppliers throughout our stay in Africa.
Customer review
Charlotte helping with the peach harvest on the training farm
To find out more read Faye’s blog about her life-changing adventure to Lesotho in Southern Africa January 2023 here https://hopewalking.co.uk/blog-posts/saving-lives-with-ecobags
Charlotte is a life-long registered NHS nurse who has recently specialised as a post-natal doula. She joined Faye and Ken’s last Africa’s Gift trip to Lesotho and learnt so much about maternal health. Read her insightful, inspiring journal here https://hopewalking.co.uk/blog-posts/lotties-life-changing-trip-to-lesotho-with-africas-gift
Kay is a retired optometrist and ambassador for the work of Africa’s Gift. She has been on tree planting, sustainable farming and eco cook bag community development trips to Africa. Read about why she keeps coming back here https://hopewalking.co.uk/blog-posts/my-african-adventure
Why not start your journey today?