Stay curious, have courage, & be kind!
July 6, 2025
We made it to the Serengeti! Just two short flights from Zanzibar is all it took to make it to the beautiful African savannah. As soon as we walked off the plane, we were met by Mashine and Dennis, our wonderful safari guides for our stay in Serengeti. We loaded our luggage and set out for our first official safari game drive! We were immediately welcomed by zebras galore as we debated whether they are white with black stripes or black with white stripes. The world may never know. Then we stumbled upon a family of elephants that crossed the road just a few feet in front of us! Both cars stood with jaws on the floor and hearts in our eyes as we saw the cutest baby elephants cling to their moms. As we watched them saunter off into the trees, Mashine and Dennis set course for a sausage tree where a pride of lions slept in the shade, trapping a family of baboons in the tree limbs. We laughed about how they could be there all day. Meanwhile Jane, our resident photography professional, took some Nat Geo-esque shots of the lions in the dark shade of the tree. Then as we continued on our drive, we closed it out with a brief crocodile sighting, basking in the river sand, and an incredibly still giraffe that still looks fake. What an incredible way to start off our safari adventures. We arrived at camp just before a picture-perfect sunset, and met all of our new friends at our new home. We shared a nice, warm meal together and finished the day with our first Serengeti Moonup.
Wednesday started off hot with some very close interaction with giraffes. We sat and watched as they chewed on their various grasses in what seemed like slow motion. However, duty quickly called as reports of a cheetah rang out on the radio. We sped over to find a cheetah who had just had his breakfast stolen by a few hyenas. They laughed eerily as the cheetah caught his breath and watched them eat. After our run-in with our spotted feline friend, we drove around in search of the big male lions. Not long after, we stumbled upon three large males sleeping at the base of an acacia tree. We laughed so hard as we watched a lady in a leopard print dress try to take “artsy” photos with the lions and show off her outfit. Then quickly turned our attention back to the cats as they woke up one by one and swatted flies out of their faces and rolled over on their backs. They’re like a bigger version of a cat and dog combined! Anyhoo, we then sadly watched as they walked away and we left in search of our 3rd member of the big 5, the leopard. We found one nearby that was very sneakily stalking a warthog. It took us a second to find him with his incredible camouflage, but before we knew it he pounced on the warthog! Thankfully, our pumba friend used his tusks to fend off the leopard and run away to safety. It was so incredible to watch the hunt and the escape one after the other! As we found ourselves in the late afternoon hours, we headed back for camp and enjoyed the scenery through the open roofs in the safari cars. Wind blew through our hair as Haley and Kaitlin got the vans so fired up with hype music that gave us a leg up on every single other vehicle in the park. Back at camp, our chefs had performed another miracle in the form of a buffet-style dinner. Once again, we ate as much as our bodies could physically hold and held another epic Moonup before hitting the hay.
Day three in the Serengeti meant our drive in search of the Great Migration! Thousands upon thousands of wildebeest and zebras headed for Lake Victoria in Kenya flooded the plains, following a northbound path from memory!!! Mashine spilled out tons of fun facts about the migration as we drove towards the western corridor of the Serengeti. For those of you at home, here’s a fun fact straight from the man himself: the migration happens all year round! The animals follow the rain in a circle pattern from the Serengeti up to Lake Victoria and repeat! Back to our regularly scheduled programming, we found massive herds of wildebeest and zebras crossing the roads, playing follow-the-leader in search of water. Our LODs for the day, Jane and Mason, kept our vibes high as we made longer drives to and from our safari spot and it made the mood so much brighter! That included the laugh we all shared during our delicious lunch as the two of them fell into a fit of laughter when a random man from a different safari group sat down to change his socks like he was part of our group! We then headed back to camp with Hadley and Emily’s radiating positivity and humor energizing our group all the way back to camp. We extended that energy into a dinner with a rainy backdrop and one of our favorite Moonups of the trip. The sweet sound of rain showers put us all into a deep sleep as we rested for our next adventure.
WOOOHOOO! Rise & shine, happy Friday, and HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! Another bright and early morning started in the Serengeti as we ate a scrumptious breakfast as the sun rose and the sky was filled with hot air balloons. William kicked off our morning by leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance, as Tommy so graciously held up an image of the flag of the United States of America, our home sweet home! As we set out into the African bush, it didn’t take long before we stumbled upon a variety of lions; males sleeping under trees, babies hidden in the grass, females keeping watch and everything in between. Ella captured the moment perfectly when she said “I want to take them all home with me.” Today, we decided to break the day and come back to camp for lunch instead of our normal picnic. We celebrated our Independence Day in spirit with chicken wings, potatoes, vegetables + fruits, and sodas, thoughtfully prepared by our wonderful crew here at the Great Migration Camp. After lunch, some were met by sleepiness and retired to the tent, while Mason, William, Tommy, and Emily played one of the more competitive card games of the trip. In the late afternoon, we set back out for another game drive and safari. As safari cars crowded around a pride of lions, a noise abrupt to where everyone’s heads were turning in confusion. Sarah says “it’s probably one of those Tanzanian Specialist safari vans,” when in reality, a male lion was roaring and warning his pride as a stampede of elephants crossed the road! It was a surreal moment to witness! When we got back to camp, the boys played hacky sack as the girls showered and prepared for dinner. Once scarfing down another delicious buffet, we had Moonup for the last time in our new favorite home, and headed to bed for a fun filled travel day across the country!
As Thursday called early, we set out into the vans and headed out of the Serengeti. With over five lions accompanying us on our way out, it made for the perfect send off to the Ngorongoro Crater! When we made it to the gates of the park, we had a picnic breakfast, as our top tier driver and guide, Mashine, worked on switching out vans for our big day. We loaded up on snacks and reminisced on all the animals, great meals, and friends that surrounded us for the past few days. Once on the road, and upon arrival, we cruised through the crater spotting flamingos, wildebeests, hyenas, and a rhino! (Completed seeing the big 5 (in a wild setting))! Though tired eyes found us towards the end of our day, we got to our final destination that greeted us with a warm shower and one of the best meals of the trip; chicken curry, rice, vegetables, avocado salad, vegetable soup, and THE best strawberry ice cream to end the day. We gathered around the pool for the last Moonup, under the African stars, surrounded by the strangers who became family over the past 17 days.
All good things come to an end, and Sunday morning came faster than we could comprehend. Nutella, bananas, and pancakes prepared us for our long trek into Arusha. However, a quick pit stop allowed us to get last minute souvenirs and gifts for our favorite people at home. Just under an hour from the airport, we stopped for lunch as our last meal as TNZ 2B. Though the Kilimanjaro Airport did not come with dry eyes, we know the love and friendship cultivated over the past two and a half weeks allowed true and authentic selves to be brought to the table, and were genuinely loved and celebrated. As our tiny but mighty 9 head back into the states and reunited with loved ones, we hope you know you always have a family here at Moondance. We love you, will always be in your corner, and can’t wait to see how you make a difference in the world. Stay curious, have courage, & be kind!
Yours always,
Birdie & Tommy
Zanzibarian Magic!
July 2, 2025
Serengeti here we come!
After a cancelled flight and some help from a few lovely people to find a new flight, we finally made it to Zanzibar after a long day of travel. We received a warm welcome by our tour guide, Saif, as we stepped off the plane and hit the road. A short drive later, we arrived at our hotel and a few of us immediately hopped in the pool for a quick swim before dinner. We jumped head first into a meal of cultural immersion as our hotel served us a traditional Swahili dinner full of flavor and intrigue! After a great ending to a long day, we held our first Zanzibarian Moonup in the sand and rested up before our first day of scuba diving.
We rose with the sun early Friday morning, as our certified divers and snorkelers boarded their own boat and set sea for Mnemba Atoll. We saw thousands of beautiful reef fish swarm around our guide, Haji, as he showed us a new trick to have zebra fish come right up to your face! William also practiced his free diving technique, going down to almost 15 meters on a single breath! After about 40 minutes in the water, our captain shuttled us around the atoll to a sand bank where we sat in the sand, soaked up the sun, and met a new friend, Señorita, the baby monkey. Unfortunately, getting a picture with her was a little pricey. Meanwhile, our divers doing the open water course were submerged in the pool, practicing all of the skills they had just learned. Let’s just say they were ready to be in the ocean after feeling the temperature of a pool without a heater. After a big lunch and a shower, a free afternoon awaited us. Napping, reading, taking in the landscape from a lounge chair, and swimming in the pool were the activities of choice while we all got some much needed rest. The hours flew by and we found ourselves at the dinner table once again, telling stories about the day and eating another delicious meal. We then huddled up for another tropical Moonup circle before heading to bed to recharge for our first day together at sea.
The weekend has arrived! With it came a beautiful morning with high tide to launch the boat straight from the beach in front of the hotel. Our scuba learners eager to start their real dives, and our certified divers and snorkelers ready to frolic around underwater. Haley and Kaitlin, having already been certified on a different Moondance trip, spent the morning with Tommy and picked up right where they had left off. Making the coral reefs look like their natural habitat, they impressed us with how they were able to remember how to dive. Across the reef, the new students intently watched Sule, their instructor, as he demonstrated skills that they would mimic on their way to becoming diving pros. Just a short while after surfacing, we were all back on the boat with a delicious plate of fruit and pastries to refuel for dive number two. Some stayed on the boat to get some sun and jam to some tunes, while the four brave learners went back down for a second go around. With some experience under their belt, this one felt like a piece of cake as they began to feel more and more comfortable in the water. After a relatively quick dive (because of their ability to demonstrate their knowledge), the group was all back together on the boat. We headed back for shore to get ready for our spice tour! As we walked through the many trees on the spice farm, we smelled and tasted so many familiar things, straight from the source! Cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, black pepper, you name it. At the end of the tour they even made us crowns to wear and gave us natural face paint to complete the look. Then after a brief stop at the little market to buy some of the spices we had just tried, we headed back for dinner. After a nice, warm meal we circled up under our beach cabana for Moonup before bed.
Sunday morning was calm compared to the rest. Everyone got to sleep in a little bit and relax at breakfast as we prepared for day three of our scuba adventures. With the end of the open water course in sight, our beginner divers strutted into the dive shop with a little bit more confidence than usual. We loaded our gear, we boarded our boat, and we headed for the reef. Before our anchor even touched the sea floor, our guides Sule and Mcha had everyone in the water and ready to roll. The chilly ocean water did a wonderful job at keeping our tired eyes wide open. Meanwhile, William, Jane, and Sarah watched over the divers with the snorkeling eyes, swimming through all of the marine life. Then, after about 30 minutes practicing underwater navigation, among other skills, the group was back together with just one dive left until certification. Sule came prepared with a pep talk to get everyone back in the water, and after just 25 short minutes beneath the surface, Mason, Hadley, Emily, and Ella were finally done!!! Relief washed over the group as we headed back to shore, a free afternoon in our sights and certification pictures to be taken. We unloaded our gear, took some photos, rang the celebratory bell, thanked our instructors, and walked back towards the hotel for lunch. We ate and talked about all the things that come with being a diver, then hit the beach for a performance of a lifetime. We watched as six local teenagers danced and showed an incredible amount of acrobatic prowess with music blaring from a boombox. With our jaws on the floor, we watched as they flipped through the air and made awe-inspiring human pyramids in a 15 minute spectacle. It was a perfect way to unwind from the past 3 days. After the show, a nap found its way into pretty much everyone’s schedule and we got a little shut eye before dinner. Yet another delicious meal from Filex and the crew made its way to our table, and we ate until we couldn’t eat anymore. With heavy eyes and full bellies, we finished off an epic day with a celebratory Moonup before heading to bed (again).
Our last day in Zanzibar began with a beautiful sunrise and a warm breakfast before being called to the dive shop for one last hurrah. Our group, all together this time, followed Mcha on our one and only “fun dive” as a unit. We laughed as Hadley narrowly avoided the coral while using her new GoPro, and watched as Emily practiced doing front flips while Mcha pointed at cool fish. About half an hour later, the boat picked us up and we all congregated on the front of the boat with a combination of snacks, chai tea, tunes, and some much needed sun (and sunscreen). As we waited for our German snorkeler friends to finish up their second trip, we laughed as William repeatedly jumped off the boat and had an unfortunate under-rotation on a dive (resulting in a belly flop). Once we had collected our friends and headed back to land, we quickly returned to the hotel and got ready for our trip to Stone Town, a historical site within Zanzibar City. We meandered our way through the East African Slave Trade Museum before navigating the narrow streets and doing some shopping and bargaining with local merchants. We found souvenirs and gifts a plenty with just enough time to spare for a quick gelato stop before departure. After our sweet treat, we headed back home and ate a quick dinner and Moonup before getting everyone to bed in time for an early wake up call. Everyone needs their rest before we fly to the Serengeti for some safaris!!! Stay tuned for all to come.. lions and elephants and friends are awaiting us!
Yours truly,
Birdie & Tommy
Ella Barker- Thank you so much Mom and Dad for sending me on this incredible trip. I’m so thankful for this experience and all of the amazing memories. I love y’all so much and I can’t wait to tell y’all everything!! Also we saw lions and elephants today and they were so cool!!!See y’all soon!😊❤️
Emily Blumenthal – Thank you a billion times for this opportunity Dad! I’m making the best memories ever and can’t wait to show you all the awesome safari pics I took today. I miss you so much and can’t wait to see the whole family! I love you 💕😊
Jane Hinton-Thank you so much for this great opportunity Mom and Dad. This has been the best experience of my life and I can’t wait to share all of the great memories my friends and I have made. I will forever be so grateful for this trip along with every other thing y’all have done for me. Love y’all so so much!!
Hadley Meadows- thank you so much for this super fun trip. This has been an amazing experience and I’m so glad I came. This is definitely the coolest place I’ve ever been and I’m so excited to show you photos and videos. Love you guys so much and hope you have a great beach week!
Mason Porter- Thank you for sending me this Moondance I am having a lot of fun.
Haley Duncker- Hey guys I love and miss you. Thank you so much for letting me come on this trip and I can’t wait to tell you all about it. I hope you’re having fun doing whatever you’re doing at home and I’m very excited to make the trek back to America. Thank you again for everything you da best.❤️❤️
William Weston- thanks mom and dad for sending me on this trip it’s really fun. I have met a lot of new friends and the places we visit are cool. Snorkeling was sick. Love y’all.
Sarah Blair – Thank you so much mom and dad for gifting me this opportunity of a lifetime!! I am having the absolute best time in Africa and I can’t wait to tell y’all all about what I’ve done and seen. It’s been one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life by far. I’m so grateful y’all made this possible for me. Love y’all! 💗
Kaitlin- thanks fam so so much for sending me to Africa and then following! I am having so much fun and we just were at the beach and it was very pretty . I hope you have a great birthday dad and I’m very sorry to miss it for the 5th year in a row! I’m so excited to see y’all so soon <33333 love and bless
Safari, Soccer, and Lots of Smiles!
June 28, 2025
Karibu to Tanzania!
2B is off to a quick start! How are we already on day 6?? But first, a quick rewind to day 1. We began with a safe arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport and hit the ground running. We knew from the first meeting that this group was going to be a lot of fun. Shyness and reservations went by the wayside as we headed to our first destination of the trip, TPC sugar factory. We had a delicious lunch as we sat around the table and raved about the new Fanta flavors we all got to try for the first time. Next, we hopped back in the van for a quick drive up the road to our elephant camp in Kapimbi. We touched down at camp and Kaitlin started us off well by bringing out her bracelet making kit as we sat around the table. Some people got to work braiding string while Sarah showed everyone else a new card game! We shared plenty of laughs and made many connections before dinner was served. We filled our bellies before having our first Moonup of the trip around the campfire. Then we assumed our positions in our sleeping bags and went to sleep in anticipation of our first full day together in Africa.
The next day was unlike most Mondays that we’re used to. We woke up in the African woodlands to a beautiful sunrise and the smell of bacon coming from the kitchen tent. A delicious breakfast followed, courtesy of our friends, Rafa and Doctor. They gave us the nutrients we needed to start off a long day of activities. We began by splitting into two teams and having a competition of who could use the most creativity designing trash bins to give to the local village. We made stencils of lions, giraffes, hearts, stars, people holding hands, and many more to make the bins fun and inviting. We then started to lead by example as we headed down to a local soccer field to pick up as much trash as we could carry before joining the soccer game! William and Haley shared the man of the match award with two goals from William and start-to-finish excellence on the field from Haley. They both received many praises from fellow competitors for their abilities. After a few pictures together and goodbyes, we headed back to camp for some downtime and much-needed showers before dinner. During which, Jane had her side of the table in tears from laughing as she explained how hot dogs don’t need condiments, and they are perfect just the way they are. Then Rafa and Doctor once again outdid themselves and served us a healthy, delicious meal to replenish after our athletic performance. With everyone tired and full of good food, we held our second Moonup led by Jane and Mason before hitting the hay and getting a good night’s sleep.
Tuesday gave us our first taste of our elephant conservation work as we woke up early to go on a hike near Mkomazi National Park. The purpose of our hike was to look for signs of elephants near some very important local farms that we are trying to protect. We got some much needed sun and exercise as we (thankfully) did not find what we were looking for. With the African sun beginning to show its strength, we loaded up the bus back to camp for some rest, shade, and ice cold sodas that rejuvenated the group before lunch. We ate, we hacky sacked, and we made bracelets before setting out for the afternoon activity in the local village. Another soccer game, this time with young kids, was waiting for us and Mason was the one to shine this match. Stellar defense, hustle, and height advantage made the kids look at his skills in awe. Meanwhile, some of the girls found a different group of kids that were star struck by Kaitlin’s GoPro. I think all of them would agree with Ella saying “That is the best thing I have ever done in my life” as we walked back to camp. Dinner and some delicious banana bread awaited us, followed by our third edition of Moonup. We talked and laughed, then headed to bed after another great day in Tanzania.
Wednesday came with a touch of bittersweet as excitement grew to see our rhino friends, but sadness to leave our incredible elephant camp home. Hadley and Emily said they never want to leave Kapimbi, but more adventure awaits inside the gates of Mkomazi National Park. We made a quick drive over to the park, seeing giraffes, elephants, zebras, ostriches, and more along the way. None were as exciting as arriving at the Mkomazi Rhino Project and getting to be just inches away from a six year old black rhino. We wish we could include pictures of the reactions that came with it. We took some incredible photos with our new friend, and headed back to visit a new addition to the conservation project, the wild dog exhibit. We watched as seven African Wild Dogs emerged in their enclosure and looked wildly similar to our furry friends at home. After just a short visit, we hit the road for Arusha, our home for one night as we prepare to fly to Zanzibar. After a long bus ride of tunes, jokes, and naps, we arrived at the lodge for a delicious dinner and Moonup on outdoor couches before heading to sleep. Zanzibar here we come!
Hakuna Matata,
Tommy + Birdie
Haley- hey parents Africa is great I’m excited to go home and see all my people the ocean is pretty food is cool I feel just peachy
Kaitlin- hey hey fam hope yalls time in Africa is just swell <3 have a blessed birthday father and I am very excited to be reunited bye bye
Hadley- hey, Africa is great miss you guys. Have a great 4th but not to good without me. Love you!
Jane- Hey! I’m having the absolute best time and taking lots and lots of pictures. Africa is so cool and I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. I miss and love y’all so much!!
Sarah Blair- Hi Mom, Dad, EG, Mimi, Poppy, Trexler fam, Ellery, Caroline, Sara, and Emma!! Africa is so awesome- I am loving it so far but I also miss and love yall all so much. I can’t wait to show y’all all my pictures and meet my new best friends. So far my favorite part is seeing Rhinos, Giraffes, and Zebras and also playing soccer with the kids in the village. I’ll make sure to call y’all as soon as I get my phone back!!
Ella Barker- HEY GUYS!!!! I’m having the best time!! Africa is so cool and we have seen so many amazing things already. The water here is gorgeous Mom you would love it. My group is so amazing and I love my new friends!!! Chloe tell everyone that I said hi for me pleaseee. ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I’ll buy you something cool I promise! I love getting to see all of the animals here and I can’t wait to show yall pics. I love and miss y’all so much!! 🙂
Emily Blumenthal – HELLOOO Dad, Mom, Mia, Jacob!!! I’m having so much fun! My group is awesome and we did our first scuba sesh today which was so much fun. Africa is so cool and I love this experience but I miss you guys so much!! I can’t wait to show yall all the cool pictures I’m taking!! Please hug the dogs for me – I hope maggie and chloe haven’t forgotten me. I love you all! :)))
William Weston- What’s up mom and dad having a blast see yall soon.
Mason Porter- What’s up Mom and Dad I’m having fun. See you soon.
The Journey Begins!
June 22, 2025
Hello Tanzania + Zanzibar Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! 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
