Adventures in Mozambique and Mabula!
June 20, 2024
Hello, South African Friends and Family!
Wow! We’ve had the most incredible time since our last update, and we can hardly believe our adventure has come to an end. We’ve experienced so much together.
First, we embarked on an unforgettable beach adventure in stunning Mozambique. After a flight and a six-hour drive filled with music, sightseeing, and laughter, we arrived at the beautiful Tilak Lodge in Tofo Beach. Our gracious hosts, Brodie and her family, made us feel right at home. That evening, we enjoyed our first dinner with the soothing sounds of waves crashing in the background.
The next morning, we woke up to a gorgeous day. After getting ready, we walked down the beach to Tofo Scuba, where we would spend the next few days. The girls got fitted for flippers and snorkels, and we headed out on our first ocean safari. As we strapped into the boat and braced ourselves against the big waves, excitement filled the air.
Almost immediately, we were greeted by the sight of humpback whales breaching in the distance. Our guides raced toward the horizon, and we watched in awe as a female humpback whale and her calf breached the waves. It was an unforgettable experience! We headed back for some relaxation on the beach and lunch. Ben, Kayra, Julie, and Lulu played a game of beach volleyball while the rest of the girls dipped in the warm waters and rode some boogie boards! Next, we headed out for our first day of surfing, which we were all stoked about! On the way to the Surf Shack, the girls did a beach cleanup and picked up entire bags of plastic lined along the beach. We grabbed our surfboards, hit the crystal-clear water, and learned to ride the waves! Margot and Charlotte were naturals and crushed the waves like pros! We wrapped up surfing for the day, watched the sunset, ate dinner, and concluded the day as always with a Moonup.
The next morning, we woke up early for another ocean safari! After not seeing anything for a little bit, we eventually saw a gigantic Manta Ray swimming gracefully in the water! We all hopped in and watched as it glided through the water! We headed back to the beach, and Brodie drove us all over to the Tofo Beach Market! This chaotic yet beautiful market is lined with fresh fruits, meats, bracelets, wood carvings, baskets, and other beautiful art. Davis and Emory had a shopping frenzy and bought as many baskets as their suitcase could hold! Flynn bought pineapple and coconut, which was some of the best we have ever had! Mary Martha and Lulu bought a ton of handmade bracelets! We wrapped up at the market and went back to Tofo Scuba for some lunch. We fueled up for another great day of surfing! After a day of practice, the girls were surfing like pros! Halle, Julia, Anne, and Phoebe were catching wave after wave!
The next day we were unfortunately met with some bad weather, but the girls all maintained such a great attitude! First, we met a local man named Tony, who lived a few minutes down from the lodge. He walked us to his home where he welcomed us in for a cultural cooking class. He and his family began preparing a beautiful lunch for us. His brother climbed a coconut tree and chopped down coconuts for all the girls to indulge in before the class. Next, Tony and his mother began showing the girls how to make a coconut sauce which would pair with our lunch. We also made homemade coconut bread, and all the girls made super fun shapes. Julia made a bread lion, and Halle was making braided bread. Tony and his family started cooking while we gathered around the table and played games. Before we knew it, Tony was placing beautiful, fresh crabs, fish, pineapple, coconut rice, and bread, along with the homemade sauces on our table. It was such a delicious meal, and many of the girls got to try some new foods. We finished up and headed back to the lodge. Unfortunately, the rain had canceled our boat tour, but we pivoted, and some of the locals and Tony took us on a city tour of Inhambane, Mozambique, which is a city rich in culture and history. Lulu and Flynn were super intrigued during the entire tour and asked many questions. We walked through historic sites such as the statue of Vasco da Gama, a music and art center, and a central market. Afterwards, we returned to Tilak Lodge, where we had a final dinner of Bolognese and brownies for dessert. We had our last Moonup with the sounds of waves crashing in the background and headed to bed as we had an early pickup the next morning.
We arose with the sun, said our farewells to Brodie, and headed back to Vilanculos airport. We had our mid-trip flight and arrived back at our second home, also known as the City Lodge Hotel. After a long day of travel, we had a big dinner and headed to bed. The next day, we woke up early to dive back into our safari adventures. We set out for Kwafubesi Lodge on Mabula Game Reserve, a beautiful, very large reserve with an abundant number of Big 5 animals! We arrived and were greeted by the amazing staff and brought to our beautiful tented camps with heated beds, bathtubs, and outdoor showers! We had lunch and met our wonderful safari guides Vincent and Michaela. We headed out on our first game drive at Mabula and split up into the vans! We saw some beautiful white rhinos, as they are all over the reserve, and some giraffes as well. Margot kept us laughing the entire drive. Our guides set out snacks and drinks, and we watched the sunset dip over the savannah. We headed back for a beautiful dinner as we laughed and talked around the table.
The next morning, we woke up, had breakfast, and got ready for a very exciting day. Today, we would be looking for cheetahs on foot in the bush. We had a debrief with the rangers of the reserve and set out to find cheetahs. We split up into groups and set out on an incredible adventure. Julianna’s group went first and went with the cheetah specialist, who used frequency signals to track the cheetahs using the chip in their collars. Ben’s group was waiting back to see if they had spotted anything. After following the frequencies, we stumbled upon two brother cheetahs who had just killed a water buffalo. It was such an incredible sight to be feet away from these amazing animals and watch as they basked after feeding on their prey. After that amazing experience, we headed to one of the dams to have a picnic lunch! We headed back to the lodge, where we relaxed, played our favorite game of Skipbo (thank you to Julie for introducing us all to our new favorite addiction), and read our books. We have been a very book-reading group and even started sharing our finished books. We had our afternoon snack, which has become the girls’ favorite part of the day. We had banana bread, spring rolls, and tea. Next, we were greeted by Nikki, who is the Lion Manager of the reserve. We were briefed about the lions and how we would track them for our night game drive. We followed Nikki into the lion reserve, which is kept separate from the rest of the reserve. Like the cheetahs, the lions also have chips in their collars so we could track them with frequency. However, after a few hours of searching, we were not able to pick them up! Vincent and Michaela decided we would try again the next night. Instead, we went to these rocks in the safari, which all the girls climbed up on to watch the sunset. Charlotte and Mary Martha, who have been our second photographers the whole trip, took many pictures of the girls. Halle and Davis especially loved the rocks! We headed back to camp for dinner and Moonup!
The next morning, we woke up super early as we had a conservation activity planned. We headed over to The Ground Hornbill Conservation Team, where we learned about the ground hornbill, a very pivotal bird in the safari ecosystem. The girls were very intrigued and asked many questions regarding these fascinating birds. Phoebe and Lulu even bought some socks with little hornbills on them! We had a packed breakfast in the middle of the safari and played Thornbud and Roses for the day, except we called it Lion and Warthog. Next, we did something really exciting, which was heading out to feed the rhinos. We drove out into the bush and met the rhino managers. We split into two groups and hopped onto trucks full of grass. We drove out to pairs of rhinos and had a front-row show as they ran right up to the truck. The girls got to actually throw the grass off the trucks, and we would drive away and watch as the rhinos would eat right in front of us! Afterwards, we headed back for our daily snack, reading, rest, and multiple games of Skipbo! To make up for not seeing the lions the night before, we set out for a second chance. The wait was definitely worth it, as we had a front-row seat to the male lion and lioness as they were together to begin mating. Kayra was getting some crazy good photos. We got to watch them walk in front of our cars for about twenty minutes, and then they basked in the golden hour, and we were the only ones present to watch this amazing experience. After some time, the lions walked right next to one of the cars, and it was quite a crazy experience. We watched as they walked away into the sunset. We were all stunned by the incredible experience.
We were all stunned by the incredible experience. We headed to our favorite rocks to take some pictures during the sunset. We came back for dinner, and Davis was the most excited as it was fried chicken, which is her favorite! She even made a homemade Cane’s sauce to go with it! The next morning, we were up super early for an amazing last day. We were in for a fantastic surprise: we would be darting and chipping a rhino! All the girls were thrilled and jumped right into the action. Andrew and his wife, Maria, a team of veterinarians, led the entire project. Andrew loaded a rifle with anesthetics, and we were driven into the safari to dart the rhino. He hit it with his first shot, and the rhino took off. We were on the hunt to find it!
It was exhilarating to watch the scientists and rangers urgently tracking the rhino. Finally, we found the sedated rhino, and the scientists had already begun their work. It was hooked up to an EKG, and the girls eagerly assisted in every way possible. Julie administered the steroids, while others helped as Ivan drilled the chip into the rhino’s horn. Being so close to this enormous creature, touching its skin, and even putting our hands in its mouth was incredible. We took pictures with the rhino and quickly moved away as it began to wake up. Watching the rhino reunite with its friend was a moment we’ll never forget.
Afterwards, we were treated to a delightful brunch in the bush, thanks to the kind staff at the lodge who brought it to our favorite rock spot. We ate brunch on the rocks, reminiscing about our rhino experience. We then rested before our final game drive. Although we didn’t spot any elephants, our guides took us to a beautiful viewpoint to watch the sunset over the mountains of the safari. It was a perfect way to end our last day.
We returned to the lodge for one final surprise: an incredible dinner under the stars. The staff prepared a barbecue while we played games around the fire. They even brought out an amazing cake for dessert! We gathered around the fire for our final Moonup, discussing how amazing this trip was and how grateful we were for the experience.
As the girls head to the airport and home, we know this experience will stay with them forever. Meeting these girls was so special. We don’t know what we’ll do without them next session. They were such a kind, positive, and enthusiastic group who perfectly embodied what it means to be a Moondancer.
Love,
Ben and Julianna
Greetings From South Africa!
June 12, 2024
Greetings!
We arose to a chilly morning after sleeping under the stars in the bush surrounded by the lively symphony of animals. Throughout the night, the calls of hippos, elephants, and lions filled the air. We packed up our sleeping bags and enjoyed hot cocoa and coffee around a comforting fire before returning to Little Montana. The girls eagerly anticipated their favorite breakfast buffet. We then got ready for another day of community service where the girls were excited, especially Julia, to reunite with the children in the Mongena village. Our time was dedicated today to paint a new building followed by a competitive game of soccer with the children. Ben and Julianna loved watching the girls interact and form bonds with the local kids. We then packed our equipment and headed back to Little Montana reserve to embark on an evening safari ride. Led by our guides, Declan and Rebecca, we saw a diverse range of wildlife from wildebeests, antelopes, white rhinos and giraffes. Each sighting was special and the girls were amazed by the beauty of the African savannah. We stopped for snacks and drinks to watch the sunset then returned back to Little Mongena for dinner. The girls raved over how tasty the steak was! To end the night, we had a Moonup led by our leaders of the day, Margot and Lulu, where Emory, Davis and Margot made everyone laugh playing the game called “Pookie.”
Flynn and Mary Martha took charge as the Leaders of the Day for day 6. They did a great job taking leadership responsibilities and preparing everyone for activities to come. We returned back to the Mongena community for our last day of our service project. We finished painting the inside of the building and the community was very thankful for our work. Anna, the service coordinator, was especially appreciative. After the project was complete, we played with the children more where the girls handed out friendship bracelets made for the children in the community. Anne, Phoebe, Charlotte, Halle and Flynn put the little kids on their shoulders and constantly were playing soccer with them. The girls were sad to leave the children but fulfilled by the experience they had. We headed back to the reserve and quickly got ready for another Game Safari Drive. Immediately our guides drove us to an area in the bush where we saw 6 elephants crossing the street! It was an incredible sight to see up close. There were even two baby elephants! Later on in the evening when it got dark, Kayra was the first to spot the lions to the group! The girls were impressed by the loud roar coming out of the female lion. The guides informed us that this roar could be heard up to 5 miles away! When the safari concluded, we headed back to the lodge where the girls got split into two teams to have a cook off. We cooked an African meal called Boma. Once the meal was prepared, each staff/kitchen member voted on which teams dish had better flavor. Team one took the victory and Julie was very excited about her team winning. We concluded the night with Moonup and went straight to bed to be rested for our early flight tomorrow to Mozambique!
Day 7 started with an early morning wake up and drive to the airport. The girls ate their packed breakfasts in the bus on the way. The flight went smoothly and we all were ecstatic to be in Mozambique in warmer weather ready for new activities to come. We had a long 6 hour drive from the airport to Tilak, where we are staying. The girls looked out the window observing a different culture. When we arrived at Tilak we got all settled in. The place was incredible with amazing service from our coordinator, Brody. We are right on the water with a beautiful view. The girls cannot wait for more activities to come such as boat safaris, scuba diving with whale sharks, surfing, volleyball, and relaxation!
Thanks for reading! We hope all the caretakers of SAF 1C girls are doing well.
Julianna and Ben
Sun and Safaris in South Africa!
June 8, 2024
Greetings South African Families and friends!
Our adventure in South Africa has just begun, yet it feels as though we’ve been together for a lifetime! We’ve already shared so many laughs and made incredible friendships since the group’s arrival in Johannesburg on Thursday. After our long flights, we gathered together, enjoyed an amazing dinner, and had our very first Moonup where Kayra and Julie were elected as our first leaders of the day!
The next morning, we had an early breakfast and began our journey to Little Mongena Safari Lodge from O.R. Tambo International Airport, where we would set up camp for our first night. On the way, we jammed out in the van, gearing up for our safari adventure! Davis, Lulu, and Kayra instantly started making friendship bracelets in the back of the van. Traveling through South Africa, we finally arrived at the beautiful Little Mongena. We all felt like we were in a movie as we drove through the gates and were greeted by our first giraffe! Next, we received a warm welcome from the incredible staff at Little Mongena. We took the safari carts through the bush and instantly saw antelopes, wildebeest, and zebras.
Next, we arrived at our lodge site where the girls were split into their tents, which are beautifully located right on the water overlooking the bush. We gathered, played games, and listened to music on the dock! Julia and Mary Martha were super brave and took a dip in the pool located at the campsite! Lulu, Phoebe, Flynn, and Ben played a game of hacky sack on the dock. We all changed into warm clothes and hopped on the boat for a sunset cruise safari. We set out to find some crocodiles and hippos! After a few minutes, we spotted a gigantic Nile crocodile basking on a bank and Julie pointed out a beautiful chameleon climbing right next to it! As the sun started going down, we cruised into the river, surrounded by the sounds of hippos. We witnessed our first African sunset and it was stunning! Birds were flying everywhere and we were enveloped by the sounds of nature. Suddenly, a pack of hippos emerged and we sat in awe, watching them play in the water!
We headed back to camp to find a huge fire and a beautifully set dinner table awaiting us! We sat around the fire, chatted, and were surprised with a traditional African drum lesson. We each got to play our own drums around the fire, listening to the rhythm of traditional African music. We danced and sang until we gathered for an amazing dinner of steak and pasta. We finished the night with a Moonup around the fire where Davis and Julia were elected as the next leaders of the day. We then went back to our tents for our first night, surrounded by the sounds of wild animals in the bush!
The next morning, we woke up super early for an incredible breakfast to fuel us for our first day of community service. Our incredible guides picked us up in a truck and we headed to the Mongena Community. There, we met Anna, the community leader, who told us we would be painting the church. We immediately got to work, starting with the first layer of paint. Lulu dove right in and was covered in paint within the first five minutes! Margot, Anne, Charlotte, and Halle were amazing workers, not taking a single break. Emory kept everyone laughing while painting. All the girls did an amazing job and played with one of the little boys from the village. Davis was so sweet, cleaning the paint off his jacket. After a lunch break in the truck, we set back out to finish priming the building. The girls worked hard and successfully primed the entire church in just a few short hours!
Tonight, we head out into the bush to sleep under the stars, surrounded by wild animals. We have already had such an incredible time with these girls and can’t wait to see the adventures the rest of the trip will bring!
– Ben and Julianna
Safe Arrival in Johannesburg!
June 6, 2024
Hello South Africa +Mozambique Families!
All students have landed safely in Johannesburg and the group is headed to their first activity! The trip is off to a great start and we can’t wait to share more updates from their adventure.
-Moondance HQ
