WBGO 2025 Trip to South Africa

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The Soul of South Africa

The Music, Heritage and Wildlife of the Rainbow Nation

And the Joy of Jazz Festival

Cape Town – Safari in Pilanesberg National Park – Johannesburg and the Joy Of Jazz Festival

September 21 - October 1, 2025

Join WBGO Host Lezlie Harrison and Wayne Winborne, Executive Director of The Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University and WBGO's Jazz Ambassador and vibraphonist and four-time Grammy nominee Stefon Harris, on an adventure to South Africa and to attend the Joy of Jazz Festival.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu dubbed his beloved South Africa “the rainbow nation” because of its political, historical and ethnic diversity. WBGO’s Trip to South Africa will connect you with what Archbishop Tutu found so very compelling.

Your trip commences in Cape Town. There you’ll visit the Cape of Good Hope, savor the wines in Stellenbosch, take a cable car to the top of Table Mountain and enjoy the local Cape Malay cuisine. You’ll have a private jazz concert headlined by Stefon Harris, accompanied by leading South African musicians.

In Johannesburg experience the vibrant commercial capital with a thriving arts and music scene. You’ll walk the streets of Soweto - an incubator of the civil rights movement in South Africa, from where Nelson Mandela began his quest for freedom. Enjoy two nights at the 2025 Joy of Jazz Festival featuring renowned South African and international jazz musicians.

You’ll experience a few nights in the famous Pilanesberg Game Reserve in a luxury lodge. While there you’ll have the opportunity to encounter the ‘Big 5’ (lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhino) – picture taking only(!), on your daily safari drives with your professional ranger and tracker.

We hope you will join us on this memorable trip with Lezlie, Wayne and Stefon. And, since space is limited, we encourage you to make your reservation by reserving online.

A special WBGO Members Discount is available.

Click here for more information, the complete trip itinerary and to reserve your trip!

What past travelers are saying:

“…A shout out to WBGO radio personality Lezlie Harrison, who traveled with us, and is the host of "Come Sunday." She not only entertained and charmed us with her beautiful jazz vocals, but it was her unrelenting wit and fashion sense that captured our hearts. Wayne Winborne, the executive director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University (Newark), was our musical director, who kept it live from his curated playlist to coordinating all the highly talented and intoxicating jazz musicians. We were intimately entertained with the fusion of South African jazz meets America….” - (Gilda, 2024 WBGO Member and South Africa traveler)

“…our trip was one of the best I’ve ever experienced…” - (Lester, 2024 WBGO Member and South Africa traveler)

Tour Highlights:

Experience the culture and heritage of the ‘Rainbow Nation’.
Entry tickets to two nights at the Joy of Jazz Festival in Johannesburg.
Private jazz concert, exclusively for WBGO, in Cape Town headlined by four-time Grammy nominee and vibraphonist Stefon Harris. with outstanding South African musicians
Experience a safari adventure to spot the Big 5.
Savor the cuisine and wines of South Africa.
Visit the most south-western point of Africa and gaze out at the Atlantic from the top of Table Mountain.

Click here for more information, the complete trip itinerary and to reserve your trip!