Traveling Wildcats: What happens on a journey to Southern Africa
In early January I was asked to host a Traveling Wildcats trip to Southern Africa. The trip included safari excursions, a visit to Victoria Falls, day trips to Cape
Town and Johannesburg and more. I knew adventure awaited and I jumped at the chance
to go.
The Traveling Wildcats program has more than 750 participants in 2024, and on trips
with large groups a K-State host is assigned to ensure everything runs smoothly, to
add an extra level of K-State camaraderie and to share information about the university
and the Association.
This was my third time hosting a trip and I’ve discovered sometimes it's easier to
show people what we did rather than tell them, so please enjoy this photo essay of
my trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
— Tim Schrag '12, editor, K-Stater magazine
What we saw
Over the course of 10 safari game drives in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, we were able to see the “Big Five” of Africa: lions, elephants, rhinos, cape buffaloes and leopards. They’re called that based on the difficulty associated with catching them by 20th-century safari hunters. For trophy hunters, it was considered a feat to bring one of the Big Five home. I was lucky enough to snag a picture of all five – six if you count the lioness. Here are some of my favorite shots of the “Big Five.”
Along with the “Big Five” were plenty of other very interesting animals. Some of my favorites were the zebras, giraffes, hippos, warthogs, hyenas, impalas and a very colorful bird called a lavender-breasted roller.
The scenery was awe-inspiring. We visited spots across Cape Town, including Hout Bay and The Cape of Good Hope. We also visited places which made you think, like Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and the Kliptown Youth Program, which provides children in Soweto a safe place to learn, have fun, work together, and prepare themselves to be successful. We also took in the beauty of Victoria Falls.
What we ate
I don’t think I had a bad meal on this trip. Some of the standout meals include seafood in Cape Town with Malva pudding for dessert and a trip to Dusty Road in Victoria Falls, which offered a buffet of local cuisine including beef stew with sadza, chicken in peanut butter sauce, Zambezi bream, mixed vegetables and more. They had a delightful tamarind, munyii berry and rosella ice tea. On Rovos Rail, one of the most memorable meals was springbok venison. And of course, I had to find a Pepsi, which tasted slightly different. (Probably because they used real sugar.)
Planes, trains and automobiles
There was quite a bit of traveling on this journey across three countries in Southern Africa, including several flights and a four-day train excursion on Rovos Rail. The train was a fun experience like hanging out in a moving country club and dressing up for dinner. The safari game drives had chairs for a tracker at the front of the vehicle. Several of our brave Wildcats even hopped up there for a ride. The game drives were some of the most memorable moments of the trip encountering nature and spending time in the company of some amazing Wildcats.
Travel with K-State
I hope you’ll consider an upcoming Traveling Wildcats trip for the future. The friendships you make on these trips last a lifetime and the experience is world class.
Learn more about upcoming trips
