South Africa Women’s Trip Recap | Part 1: The Women

I’m just back from South Africa and still processing how good this one was.

Eight women. Three US states. Mix of ages over 50. Some knew each other, some had never met. All of them showed up open, game, and ready — and what unfolded over 10 days was one of those trips I’ll be talking about for years.

I want to share this in two parts — first the women and what happened between us, then the places, the wine, and the wildlife. Because honestly, the trip is not just the destination but the people and personalities on it.

The Travelers

I knew everyone coming in, but not everyone knew each other. The women came from different corners of my personal and professional life, some from prior trips I’ve hosted, some from local women’s travel meetups I’ve held, a few who knew each other through work. Three were married, the others divorced or widowed. Some retired, some still working full-time. Most from the Philadelphia area, others from Maryland and Houston.

The Dynamic

One thing I always find remarkable on these trips is how quickly women connect across very different life paths. When we got together for dinner that first night in Cape Town, there was no formal kickoff, no orientation, no “go around and introduce yourselves.” I had sent brief bios by email before we arrived, and once we landed the getting-to-know-each-other just unfolded naturally. By the end of the trip, someone said it had all happened very organically — and that that was perfect.

The first day or two it’s the natural conversations — where you’re from, what brought you here, any nerves or excitement about the trip. By mid-trip those early exchanges had given way to something much deeper — real conversations about personal topics typically only discussed with closer friends. Because everyone was becoming friends. And of course the laughter — at ourselves, our reactions to things, and the funny situations we encountered throughout the trip.

I intentionally design these trips not as a retreat, not as a workshop, not as a structured program to work through life challenges. Just a genuinely fun trip to a wondrous place — a chance to step away from the things dragging you down, or even just the everyday routine. And in doing so, with women both similar and different from you, your perspective changes. You come home happier, stronger, more confident, and more yourself. Not because we scheduled it. Because travel — the right kind, with the right people — just does that.

The women on this trip were very special, each bringing their own unique personality and talents to the group. One became our photographer because her shots were simply the best. One was our inspiration for not letting age get in the way of living and traveling fully. One was our comedian who kept us laughing. One was always on top of the logistics and timing. One was the pescatarian who eventually created a few converts. And two run a podcast about refiring life after retirement — and included our trip in their most recent episode. Everyone brought something to the party. It was truly a situation of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

The walls come down fast when you’re finding yourself halfway up a cliff in a strong coastal wind with nowhere to go but forward — or coming almost face to face with a female lioness in the dark, with nothing between us and her but the calm reassurance of our expert guide.

One Woman’s Triumph

Speaking of cliffs.

One woman in our group has been working through a fear of heights that developed after losing her husband — a real, physical anxiety response: panic on staircases, freezing on bridges. On a previous trip she needed two people flanking her to cross a hanging bridge with her eyes closed. On another she froze coming down from a rooftop restaurant in Greece.

This trip included a hike along the cliffs at the Cape of Good Hope — a narrow path and boardwalk, a strong coastal wind, and the cliff edge close. It was a little unnerving for all of us. The wind was strong enough that at points we ducked down just to feel more grounded.

She started the hike fine on the dirt path, her close friend walking beside her. Then the boardwalk narrowed, the wind picked up, and the cliff’s edge came into view. Her anxiety rose.

She didn’t freeze.

As we walked she said she had been working on overcoming the fear for months before the trip. She also said – and all agreed – that once we’d come as far as we had, turning back wasn’t any easier than going forward — so we may as well power through. Pure pragmatism in the face of fear.

Then came the boulders — a scramble up and over large uneven rocks, manageable for her going up, genuinely nerve-wracking on the descent. Her anxiety peaked again coming down. Her friend stayed close. A few of us fell in around her. And then our guide — a nice strong younger man — came up from below to meet her and walk her down the last section. That he was good-looking helped considerably. 

She made it. All the way down.

We cheered. Loudly. She beamed.

That moment — unscripted, unplanned, completely earned — is everything I want these trips to be. Not the cliff, not even South Africa. The fact that she came, that she pushed herself, that the group showed up for her without being asked, and that she completed the hike successfully and proudly.

The Friends Who Joined Us

One more thing that made this trip special: two South African friends — a mother and daughter who have joined our women’s trips before — came to meet us on our first day in Cape Town. They joined us for dinner, stayed at our hotel, had breakfast with us the next morning, and spent quality time with us sharing local tips, favorite spots, perspectives we never would have gotten from a guidebook. They were both so lovely and personable, and the warmth they brought into the group from day one set the tone for everything that followed.

We clicked. All of us. Immediately. Which, I’m grateful to say, has been the case on virtually all of my small-group women’s trips.

Every single woman on this trip said the same thing at the end: we came home with new friends for life – even from South Africa.

More on the itinerary, the Winelands, the penguins, and those unforgettable safari moments in Part 2 — coming soon.

Our next Wonder Well Travel South Africa women’s trip is in the works — each one built around the theme of Wellness, Wine & Wonder, a reflection of my company’s name and my personal mission. Send me a request at https://wonderwelltravel.com/contact-us/ and let’s talk.

Lori Zelko

Founder, Wonder Well Travel
Curated trips for women & beyond