Black & Queer In the Motherland
When Lisa's thoughtful note arrived in the mail with South African Rand tucked inside, I thought it was just for me. Feeling special, I texted to thank her and share my joy. To my surprise, everyone received the same princess treatment—just one of the many delights you can look forward to on a Lesbifriends trip. Lisa has a gift for making you feel celebrated and grounding you in the exciting reality of what you're about to experience.
Let's honor the extraordinary power of our intersections. Finding an elevated Black-owned travel group? Rare. A solid queer travel group? Also precious. But a BLACK and QUEER travel group?! Lesbifriends stands in a league of their own, and there's a reason why.
Destination: Johannesburg & Capetown
Lisa's destination selection deserves a standing ovation. While I can trace my enslaved ancestors to specific locations in Virginia, and my lineage likely stretches to West Africa, stepping foot on the motherland was profound—a physical reconnection to a history that was severed but never forgotten.
South Africa's significance runs deep. It's one of few African nations where queer marriage is legal, housing a vibrant, thriving queer community. It's a cultural powerhouse, the birthplace of Afrobeats that continues to shape global music. Every detail was vetted with intention: timing, safety, cultural significance, and spirit of adventure all carefully woven together.
The Community: Sparks In Motion
Before your feet ever touch African soil, you're welcomed into a WhatsApp group that becomes your digital living room. It's genius really… what could be awkward first meetings transform into excited reunions. Beyond the emotional cushion it provides, there are practical benefits too: we shared packing lists, arranged airport carpools (saving money and making friends), and started forming bonds that would deepen with every shared experience.
Let's be real—many of us came ready to mingle. When my carpool pulled up to the airport the chemistry was already present. Lisa has a gift for pairing compatible personalities as roommates. My quirky, neurodivergent roomie became my perfect companion for late-night philosophical discussions about society, magic, and humanity.
The Journey Unfolds
Getting There
Our carpool group of four arrived at the airport hours early, making the journey through transfers feel like an adventure itself (as much as a 14-hour transport can be!). Landing in SA, we were greeted by someone holding a "LESBIFRIENDS" sign—at this point, a label that felt a bit like royalty.
Arriving at Farmhouse 58, we walked into a warm lobby accented by a glowing crackling fireplace. Our rooms? Serene, gorgeous, zen, and grounding. I was fully in love.
Then came one of my favorite signature moments of a Lesbifriends trip (yes, this wasn't my first): The Welcome Dinner. Here's where everyone gets a good look at each other, breaks the ice with carefully curated games, hears important announcements from Lisa herself, and shares our first cultural meal together. It's the night we all reflect on after everyone has made lifelong friendships and felt sparks fly—so special, intimate, and full of intrigue.
Each Day A New Adventure
Day 1:
Steps on Sacred Ground
My first full day began with a meditation hike to a waterfall on Farmhouse 58's grounds. Beauty feels like an understatement—we walked intentionally, sharing thoughts against a backdrop of rolling hills and endless green horizons. Our guide wove together stories of the land and art, offering prompts that made us reflect deeper with each step.
The breakfast spoke of care and attention, every ingredient fresh from the property's soil. Our day unfolded through a sprawling sculpture garden and a three-course lunch that made our taste buds dance. As fall's cool breeze swept through the city that evening, we found ourselves in a local nightclub. With the exchange rate blessing our American dollars, we lived lavishly with bottle service and a private section.
Day 2:
Nurturing Body and Mind
Reviewing the photos from this day makes me smile; someone caught me with a playful wink through my lens (see first pic). A Lesbifriends signature is the guaranteed spa experience, and Farmhouse 58 delivered gloriously. My massage therapist Smiley (yes, I remember her name, she was gorgeous) worked magic on knots I didn't know existed. After another farm-to-table feast, we visited the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage site housing humanity's oldest fossils.
Every Lesbifriends trip comes with a professional queer photographer who captures the magic so you don't have to. In a world where we often experience life through phone screens, this gift is priceless. No scrambling for the perfect angle, no missing moments while adjusting settings—just pure, unfiltered presence. This time, I was that photographer, documenting everything from portrait sessions against scenic backdrops to candid laughter over meals. My lens was ready for every moment someone wanted to preserve; no request too small, no smile uncaptured.
Watching Black queer women in moments of deep joy, play, and curiosity transformed my role from photographer to witness of something sacred. We amplify each other. We move in synchronicities that feel like cosmic winks. The universe speaks differently when we gather.
The day held one more gift: getting my hair done in small knotless braids for just $50 USD. This style costs $300 in Washington DC. The braider came directly to my room, all within the price. As someone who's both gone to African braiding shops, and learned how to do braids myself, supporting a skilled artisan on the continent felt right.
Day 3:
History, Reflection, and Celebration
The Apartheid Museum struck deep chords. Our separate tickets—labeled BLANKES and NIE-BLANKES—led us through divided routes before bringing us together again.
In Soweto, we confronted South Africa's ongoing struggles with discriminatory urban planning, seeing both hardship and resilience in the Townships. We visited the Mandela House next, walking through rooms that held Nelson Mandela's history and his wives' remarkable achievements. Standing there with raised fists for a group photo, we felt the weight of history and hope in equal measure.
After these weighty moments, we retreated to a beautiful Black-owned residence to decompress and transform for the evening. Lisa's itinerary called for "Something Fabulous" and our group delivered. Watching everyone emerge in their finest, the earlier heaviness of the day melted into playful celebration.
The night continued at Lang de Moun Mon (LDMM) for their Sacred Table Dinner experience. This intentional, multi-sensory feast engaged sounds, sights, smells—words fail to capture it. I’ll leave the pictures to tell the story. And the strip club adventure afterward? Well, that stayed off-camera.
Day 4:
Conquering Table Mountain
Cape Town welcomed us with Lisa's seamlessly arranged flights. Table Mountain stood majestically, its plateau piercing the sky, wrapped in gentle clouds. Some of us faced our fear of heights, holding hands and encouraging each other up the cable cars. We quoted Nelson Mandela through nervous laughter, and watching my travel companions triumph filled me with genuine pride. The infinite horizon before us, the sunset painting the sky—it was impossible not to fall in love with life all over again.
The celebration continued at Gold restaurant, where dinner became theater. Traditional dancers moved through the space while artists transformed our faces with intricate paint designs. A few even found themselves on stage, transformed from spectators to stars in this vibrant celebration.
Day 5:
Wild Encounters
Safari day brought surprises. Even for someone like me who usually thinks "let the animals live their lives," it was captivating. Unlike a zoo's confined spaces, here the animals commanded respect. When elephants approached our vehicle and the driver backed away, it was clear who owned this land. Their freedom and agency displayed a different kind of connection.
My roommate was preparing to defend her doctoral thesis while we were adventuring with elephants. I brought her coffee to fuel her big day. As she connected virtually to present her research, it struck me—this is the caliber of incredible humans Lisa's trips attract. Even as life's big moments unfold, you have a whole circle ready to support your journey.
Day 6:
Wine Country Reflections
Can't go to Cape Town without hitting the wineries, right? We explored three spots: Haute Cabriere, LA Provence, and Boshendal. Haute Cabriere stays with me; valleys stretching beyond imagination, a serene lake reflecting vineyards and sky. My hands longed to send my drone skyward; some views deserve to be captured from the heavens. If you visit, do what I couldn't: arrive early and capture that aerial view. Your social media followers will thank you. Here, over Lesbifriends Bingo, dessert, and birthday songs, I realized a Lesbifriends trip might be the perfect way to mark your solar return, surrounded by adventure and new friends.
At LA Provence, over one of the trip's most memorable lunches, our group shared a tender moment. We'd watched Lisa work tirelessly coordinating every detail, answering countless WhatsApp questions, smoothing every bump in our journey. Together, we surprised her with a spa day at our Cape Town hotel. As Black women, we understood the power of being seen and celebrated—her misty eyes told us everything.
Boshendal delivered the finale with chocolate pairings that turned us feral.
Something shifted in me as we moved through the wineries. Coming from PG County, where Black-owned businesses are common, I expected to see South African faces—people who looked like us—behind these prestigious labels. Instead, every vineyard we saw was Dutch-owned. In a country known globally for its wines, the absence of African ownership in this lucrative industry told a story deeper than the rich soil beneath our feet.
Day 7:
Final Celebrations
Time to find our souvenirs! Our last day began at the market, hunting for treasures among masks, relics, and trinkets I couldn't have imagined. We looked out for each other during the haggling, sharing tips and victories. I found bronze Benin cheetahs—symbols of consistency that connect to my ancestry.
The farewell boat party embodied pure joy—champagne flowing, music playing, sunset glowing on happy faces. My camera card was nearly full, but the moments kept coming. We closed out the night at a gay club, a perfect off-camera finale to our adventure.
When We Come Together
Magic happens when Lisa brings people together. Each Lesbifriends trip weaves a tapestry of planned and spontaneous moments—triumph on Table Mountain, quiet conversations over wine, laughter echoing across safari plains, and dance moves in Cape Town clubs. We arrive seeking something different: adventure, romance, cultural connection, or escape. We leave with full hearts, expanded souls, and a chosen family we never knew we needed.
Lisa's careful attention flows through everything: the pre-trip preparation, thoughtful room pairings, curated activities, and that final golden sunset boat ride in Cape Town harbor. She creates space for authentic connections to bloom organically. Something divine works through her selections, bringing together souls at exactly the right moment.
Book that Lesbifriends trip. Your future self will thank you for saying yes to this magic.
Were you on this trip? All the moments captured during our journey are waiting for you! Check Lisa's email for your download code to access the complete photo collection.
About the author: Hi! I’m Mia. As a Lesbifriends' brand creator and photographer, I've had the privilege of capturing these moments of Black queer joy across continents. Every image is a love letter to our community's brilliance, resilience, and magic. See more of my work at iammaicreative.com
