You don’t expect to learn about electricity on safari, but that’s exactly what happened in South Africa. From the first streetlights in the Southern Hemisphere to communities that waited a century for power, our journey revealed surprising history hidden in the bush. With expert local guides and unforgettable wildlife, this trip gave us more than memories. It gave us perspective.

I was asked recently if I had been to Africa, and I was able to answer that yes, I had visited that continent. When asked what I had...

The Kalolo-Lozi people, who lived in this part of what became Zimbabwe, had a name for the fall of the Zambezi River first seen by David...