Adventures in South Africa
June 11, 2025
Shout outs
Winnie: Hi Mother + Father ! I’m having so much fun in Africa! It’s freezing, but we have heated beds, so I am doing great. We just ended the first safari part, and now we are driving to the next safari/community service place. Hopefully it gets warmer, but I love it here! Love y’all. -Winnie
Emma: hey mom and dad! I’m having sooo much fun. 🤪I have a rlly awesome group and it’s extremely frigid I wish you let me bring more hoodies but it’s okay🥶. The places we are staying are so nice also. Love and miss y’all so much.
Katherine: Hey Fam😜! I’m having an amazing time!! It’s a tad colder than I thought but I’m fine . Mom can you feed the sourdough ASAP. Love ya 😘
Lillie: Hey mom and dad!! I miss y’all so much. It’s very cold it snowed! I love y’all so much and can’t wait to see y’all. We got to see wild dogs fighting with a hyena over food it was very cool.😎 miss you Rainey and V. Hope y’all are having a great time. Love y’all so much💕🐆🦓🦒hey clogs!!!
Olivia Cate: Hey mom and dad😘!! I love and miss y’all soooo much!! This trip is soooo amazing, everyone is so nice!! It is so much colder than I expected. I am having so much fun😽!!! Love y’all so much!! Hey clogs!!🩷🩷
Caroline: Hey Mom and Dad!!! I miss you guys and Rupert so much but I’m having a lot of fun here! I’ve seen so many cool animals and I can’t wait to show you guys all the pictures!!!
Gracie: Hey mom and dad!! I’m having so much fun but it’s very chilly here! Tell William I haven’t gotten bitten by a mosquito. Hii Mia!! Love everyone bye!
Hayden: hey mom and dad this trip is so cool and we are seeing lots of animals
Carter: Hey mom and dad I am having fun seeing lots of animals. We have seen cheetahs, lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, and many others.
Holmes: Hey mom and dad! I am having a great time with my friends and seeing all the animals. I have seen lions, cheetahs, rhinos, and elephants. It’s gotten super cold but our tents had heated blankets and good food. See y’all!
Cully: Yo what’s up I saw an elephant! Its freezing, but I’m having a blast.
Gabe: Hey Mom and Dad, is sick seeing all of the different animals on the reserve. Sometimes it’s pretty cold, but the sheets were heated so I was good. We’re going to our next place today. Hope the fellas are doing good.
Trip Update:
Hello from South Africa!
We’re a few days into our adventure, and it’s safe to say this trip has already been something special. We started off at Kwafubesi Tented Camp, tucked away in the beautiful Mabula Game Reserve. From the moment we arrived, the sights, sounds, and energy of the African bush completely captivated us.
Our guides, MJ and Abby, have been phenomenal, so knowledgeable, patient, and passionate. Every game drive with them has been unforgettable. We’ve gotten to see sleeping lions at sunset, hippos and crocodiles lounging by the water, and curious giraffes and their babies wandering just feet from our vehicles. The Elephants walked right in front of the safari vans. The first hour of arrival at Mabula we got to dart and assist an injured rhino, we took blood samples, monitored anesthesia and breathing, cleaned the wound, and even rolled the rhino over. It took all of us, the staff and lots of teamwork but we got the job done! We even got a sweet picture and featured on the moondance instagram! It truly was an experience that left everyone speechless.
Between these incredible wildlife encounters, the kids have kept the energy high with games, laughter, and some very creative downtime. Family Feud competitions, hacky sack matches (called “chuck” here) and mafia games.
Holmes is well on his way to becoming a chuck legend, making it to the finals nearly every time. Gabe has become MJ’s assistant, soaking up his wisdom but being sure not to “glaze” him too much in the meantime. Winnie came out on top in the most competitive game of rocks (spoons) we’ve ever seen. Katherine keeps us laughing with her relentless energy and Janice impression (from Friends).
Caroline has become our unofficial trip photographer, capturing so many amazing moments. Gracie has used her sweet savvyness to outwit us in mafia games. Emma gave us all a good laugh with a well-played animal sound prank on Katherine. Cully has been trying to best us with his close up card tricks, though teaching Lizzie his shuffling is still a work in progress!
Carter has fully embraced the South African luxuries post safaris, specifically his beloved bath time, even if he makes a mess. He also takes the cake for best South African accent. He’s a true local! Lillie is on a mission to become the chuck champion; her competitive spirit and contagious laugh always gets the group going. Olivia Cate can keep any conversation going with her signature Mississippi southern charm, and Hayden has been dancing his heart out with the drummers at our late night drum circles with DJ.
The group has formed and is becoming closer and closer every day. They are supporting each other, staying curious, and living in the moment all day long. The memories are beginning to add up and we are all so grateful to be sharing them with such a great group of young people. From all the animal sightings, to the best glamping, incredible food such as steak and lamb chops, the lovely staff we’ve encountered and all the silly moments during our downtime we can’t believe we are only half way! Next we move to little mongena and do our service project then Mozambique! Still so much to experience we can’t wait!
WE LOVE SAF 1A
-Lizzie & Tyler
Safe Arrival!
June 5, 2025
Hello South Africa + Mozambique Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Johannesburg! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
