Mission Trips to Africa for Groups and Individuals

Mission Trips to Africa for Groups and Individuals

Experience Mission (EM) offers mission trips to Africa for groups and individuals. Groups join 12-day service-learning mission trips in Cape Town or Pretoria, South Africa, or Swakopmund, Namibia. Young adults ages 18-30 can join IMMERSION programs of 1 to 6 months in Uganda, South Africa, Namibia, and Lesotho, serving alongside local partners.

Which Africa mission trips can a group join?

EM's short-term mission trips to Africa run 12 days in three communities: Cape Town and Pretoria in South Africa, and Swakopmund in Namibia. Each trip pairs a team with local churches and ministries that set the work. Cape Town and Pretoria welcome 9th grade and up, and Namibia welcomes 6th grade and up.

Cape Town, South Africa

Teams in Cape Town serve alongside Shiloh, a local organization that supports children and families in the community through work that includes the Jubilee Excellence School, where teachers train and children receive education, nutrition, and care. Teams stay at Logos Christian Church. Depending on what partners ask for that week, teams may join farm outreaches, holiday programs, meal preparation, and food parcel packing. The trip costs $1,495 per person, and teams of 3 or more can go.

→ Cape Town Mission Trip Dates and Details

Pretoria, South Africa

In Pretoria, teams serve alongside Kairos, which supports children and their families from preschool through university; PEN, an inner-city ministry that works with children, youth, parents, and older adults; and the Vastfontein community. Teams pack food parcels, serve at a soup kitchen and an old age home, and help with school feeding and aftercare. The trip costs $1,395 to $1,595 per person, and teams of 3 or more can go.

→ Pretoria Mission Trip Dates and Details

Swakopmund, Namibia

In Swakopmund, teams serve alongside Shofar Christian Church, Feeding Namibia, Clothing Namibia, and the Ubuntu pre-primary school. Teams help provide food and clothing, care for babies at a local center, assist at the school, and build relationships with neighbors in the DRC informal settlement and at the local market. The trip costs $1,595 per person, and teams of 5 or more can go.

→ Namibia Mission Trip Dates and Details

What do group mission trips to Africa cost, and who can go?

Group trips cost $1,395 to $1,595 per person for 12 days, depending on the community. The price covers food, lodging, in-country transportation, work project materials, local partner support, and EM field staff. Team members pay for their own round-trip airfare.

Before you register, plan for these requirements:

Team size minimums - 3 or more in Cape Town and Pretoria, and 5 or more in Namibia
Team leader - At least 1 adult leader, age 21 or older
Age requirements - 9th grade and up in Cape Town and Pretoria, and 6th grade and up in Namibia
Travel documents - Valid passports for everyone, plus a notarized letter of parental consent for team members under 18 traveling without legal guardians

Each trip page lists open weeks and current trip costs, so check before you choose dates.

What is it like to serve alongside local partners in Africa?

Teams join work that local partners already lead year-round in their community. EM field staff in Africa coordinate each trip with those partners, as they determine how a team can best help during their trip. Teams arrive as guests, listen first, and work alongside ministry staff, teachers, and church members. EM strongly recommends cross-cultural training before the trip, so teams prepare to learn as well as serve. Read more about EM's approach to healthy service.

Are there longer Africa mission trips for young adults?

Yes! IMMERSION is EM's cross-cultural program for ages 18-30, with Africa programs lasting 1 month, 3 months and 6 months long. Programs cost $5,750 to $12,800 per person, depending on length.

Explore upcoming IMMERSION programs in Africa:

Program	Dates	Where you serve	Cost per person
1-Month Uganda	May 17 to June 17, 2027	Near Kampala, with Another Hope Children's Ministry, founded by Daniel and Ruth Kasozi	$5,750
1-Month Namibia	May 17 to June 17, 2027	Rehoboth or Swakopmund, with local churches	$5,750
1-Month South Africa	August 23 to September 24, 2027	Pretoria East, with Kairos, and living with host families in Centurion	$5,750
3-Month Namibia	May 17 to August 5, 2027	Rehoboth and Swakopmund, with local churches	$7,550
3-Month South Africa	August 23 to November 18, 2027 or January 10 to March 30, 2028	Pretoria East with Kairos, Darling with Jeria Sending, and Vastfontein Community Transformation	$7,550
6-Month Africa	January 10 to June 29, 2028	South Africa with Kairos, Lesotho with Growing Nations, and Namibia with multiple local ministries	$12,800

Participants live with vetted host families or at a partner church, and EM Africa Directors Hein and Helene van Wyk lead teams in conjunction with local partners. Each program page lists dates, partners, and what daily life looks like. For a longer commitment, 9-month Gap Year programs all spend part of their time in African communities and go deeper still.

Where can I find South Africa mission trips?

EM runs South Africa mission trips for groups in Cape Town and Pretoria, and for young adults through the 1-Month South Africa and 3-Month South Africa IMMERSION programs. Each page lists dates, partners, and prices.

Learn more about all of EM's international mission trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an individual join a group trip to Africa?

Group trips are for teams that register together. Individuals ages 18-30 can apply to EM's IMMERSION program.

Can a church, youth group, or college team go?

Yes! Churches, youth groups, college teams, and families all serve on these trips. Every team needs at least one adult leader age 21 or older, with the correct ratio of leaders to students when bringing a youth team. Explore high school, college, and family mission trips for guidance by age group.

When do the group trips run?

Group trips run year-round in weeks posted on each trip page, with an option to request custom dates when submitting a mission trip interest form. IMMERSION trip dates are listed on each program page, starting in January, May, and August each year.

How does EM approach health and safety in Africa?

Each trip page lays out all trip details related to lodging, water, security, and health guidance for that community, and EM field staff coordinate daily plans on the ground. Read EM's health and safety plan and background check policy for more info.

Ready to choose your trip?

Explore 2027 Africa mission trip dates for groups on the mission trips page, or find an IMMERSION program that fits your age and plans!