DIRECT Cape Town

Curated, short-term travel experience

Adventure Add-On Available

Session 1: May 13 - May 25, 2025
Session 2: May 29 - June 9, 2025

Adventure

Service

Personal Development

Best For

Adventurous students

New travelers

Once in a lifetime experience

Highlights

12 days

Personal development workshops & reflections

Optional adventures like African safari, elephant sanctuary & shark cage diving

Service-learning with local partners

Hike Table Mountain, see African penguins & tour the city of Cape Town

Balance of inclusion & free time

“LeadAbroad is the perfect way to experience the world and different cultures in a structured and safe way. I traveled with over 100 students my age who I instantly became friends with. LeadAbroad goes above and beyond to make sure you do everything in a short period of time. Cape Town was a place that was never on my travel radar, but now thanks to this summer it will always be special to me.”

— Chandler Nguyen, Auburn University

“I chose LeadAbroad because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. There are so many different bucket-list adventure opportunities, making Cape Town a no brainer. I went into this program alone and came home with plenty of new friends I still keep in contact with to this day. And it's all thanks to LeadAbroad!”

— Brooke Pohlman, University of Cincinnati

Dates & Prices

Session 1
May 13 - May 25, 2025
Program Fee: $3,200

3-Day Garden Route Adventure Add-On Options
Option 1: (during one of your program weekends)
May 17 - May 19, 2025
Price: $1,250

Option 2: (after your program)
May 25 - May 27, 2025
Add-On Price: $1,250

Session 2
May 29 - June 9, 2025
Program Fee: $3,000

Garden Route Adventure Add-On Options
(after your program)
June 9 - June 11, 2025
Add-On Price: $1,250

The Garden Route Adventure Add-On can be purchased in your student portal.

Garden Route Adventure Add-On Guide

Apply Now

Schedule a call with us!

Overview

Join us for your ideal summer adventure on DIRECT Cape Town. Combining adrenaline pumping adventures with an impactful personal development curriculum and community engagement, your participation on DIRECT Cape Town will set you apart from your peers. The itinerary focuses on highlights of the city including one day of hand-on community service and plenty of free time to explore on your own. You will tour the must-see attractions, hike Table Mountain and mingle with African penguins on Boulders Beach. Your typical day may start with a leadership lesson on your personal values followed by a tour of the southwestern tip of the African continent, the Cape of Good Hope. Over dinner, you will reflect on your accomplishments of the day while also recounting the connection you made with community members the day prior during our community visits. Whether you’ve never traveled outside of the country or if this is your first time on a plane, our Cape Town staff will ensure you are prepared for a transformative experience abroad.

More details

Next Steps

Chat with us!

Hop on the phone with one of our team members to help you find your perfect program, answer your questions and walk you through the application.

Schedule a Call

Apply & Pay Deposit

Like many universities, we have rolling admissions. The sooner you apply, the better your chances of being accepted.

Apply Now

Why Now

Do not miss your chance to travel during college. Join us on an adventure to discover yourself, connect with friends and come alive this summer!

Why LeadAbroad

Request a Sample Itinerary and Join the Priority List!

LeadAbroad makes it easy to study abroad. To learn more about our programs, fill out your information and our team will be in touch soon!

What's Included

Before Departure

Pre-departure support Online orientations Personal assistance Flight recommendations and/or group flights Parental communication On campus and/or virtual program meet-ups Private social media groups for introductions and roommate matching
On The Ground

Housing Welcome celebration Final celebration Leadership & personal development workshops Cape Town city tour (includes attractions like District Six Museum, Signal Hill, community gardens & historic landmarks) Table Mountain hike Cape Point tour Boulders Beach tour Community engagement & service activity International medical insurance Airport bus transfers to/from program accommodations if arriving within group window 24/7 emergency support from U.S.-based domestic team
After You Return

Resume assistance References for internships, grad school and/or jobs On-campus leadership & ambassador programs Private LinkedIn & Facebook networking groups Family (Alumni) events
Independent Costs

Roundtrip airfare Most meals (Note: Student apartments have private, fully equipped kitchens) Free time excursions and transportation to independent activities Optional high-adrenaline adventures (for example: skydiving, bungee jumping, quad biking, etc)

Let us do the planning so you can stress less and travel more. Your program fee covers many of the expenses of your time abroad.

Bucket List Adventures

Cape Town is an adrenaline lover’s dream. By stepping outside of your comfort zone with your peers, you will leave this program with incomparable life-long friendships. You have opportunities to hike Table Mountain, experience sand-boarding and even skydive all in one city with your new best friends. We partner with a local adventure company to ensure signing up for one or two extra adventures is safe and hassle-free. Also, if you want to maximize your DIRECT program and take it to the next level, most students book the Garden Route add-on. This iconic adventure package offers the chance to cage dive with sharks, go on a safari game drive to see Africa’s Big 5 up close and make a new best friend at the elephant sanctuary. You can also sign up separately to take a leap at the world’s highest commercial bungee jump or join a group of like-minded students for a sunrise hike. No matter your appetite for adventure, Cape Town has options for you!

Garden Route Adventure Add-On Guide

Community Engagement & Service

We believe there is nothing more powerful than service to take your international experience to the next level. The community engagement day is often the highlight of our students’ experience in Cape Town. Each year we work with community leaders and NGO’s to identify how to best support initiatives in local communities. Some of our favorite past projects include running after school programming for local youth, partnering with soup moms (community matriarchs) in Sir Lowry’s Pass, preparing meals at a local food kitchen, school beautification projects and business consulting for young entrepreneurs.

Personal Development

Traveling abroad can bring a renewed sense of confidence and clarity to your life during a pivotal time. Our staff works to maximize this opportunity by facilitating personal development workshops and creating space to pause and reflect on all that you are experiencing. Each meeting will have a unique focus ranging from your personal strengths, practicing gratitude, creating your vision statement or identifying your values. Through guided conversations, these personal development exercises will provide an invaluable sense of purpose and direction for your life.