Kenya – Tanzania – Zanzibar, June 2025

The group arrived in Nairobi on June 8 and stayed for three nights at the Ibis Styles Hotel. On the first day, they visited the National Museum of Nairobi, exploring various aspects of Kenya’s history and culture, including the skeleton of Lucy, often considered the mother of humankind, which was discovered in Kenya. The next day, part of the group visited the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a sanctuary for orphaned baby elephants, while another group visited the Haven Home, where Anna Þóra Baldursdóttir runs a home for teenage mothers and their children. Later that same day, another part of the group visited a different home for young girls run by musician and activist Tracey Kadada. There, the group received a lesson in African dance — revealing a clear difference between Icelandic and local hip movements, to everyone's amusement.

On the third day, the group visited the Little Bees school in Nairobi, which Friends of Kenya and Tanzania have supported for decades. They received a warm welcome and experienced school life in conditions quite different from what Icelanders are used to. In the evening, they attended the Cat’s Dance Show, where guests could also sample meat from exotic animals not commonly served, such as crocodile.

Next, the journey continued to Mwanza, Tanzania, with a stopover at Kilimanjaro Airport. The group stayed at Tilapia Hotel by Lake Victoria for three nights. Some took a guided driving tour around Mwanza, while others explored the town on foot. The next day included a visit to the Hakizetu center, where they learned about its work and were measured for shirts, dresses, and other garments. The center is a vocational training hub for young girls learning tailoring, and the custom garments were delivered the following day.

That day, the group was picked up by a bus and taken to a school where an educational and tree-planting project had been carried out in collaboration with Friends of Kenya and Tanzania, Nourish Africa, and a local school. The project had started in February before the rainy season, and the group was able to see the results, along with a traditional African dance performance by local children. Later, the group took a short (7-minute) boat ride to Sanaane Island, Tanzania’s smallest national park, where they walked among various wild animals.

On the morning of June 14, three safari jeeps arrived. After an introduction by the tour guide, the group set off on safari. They spent two nights camping at Kirimu Camps, exploring the magnificent Serengeti National Park along the route of The Great Migration, where thousands of animals are seen heading northward. The journey continued toward the Ngorongoro Crater, with a stop at a Maasai village, and an overnight stay at Octagon Lodge. The next day, they descended into the awe-inspiring crater, home to incredibly diverse wildlife. Afterwards, they drove to Arusha and stayed at the Mvuli Hotel.

Very early on the morning of June 18, the group flew from Kilimanjaro Airport to Zanzibar. There, they spent three nights at the Shooting Star Boutique Hotel on dazzling white-sand beaches with few equals. Some went snorkeling, took spice tours, or enjoyed various activities. The fourth night was spent at the Mizingani Seafront Hotel in Stone Town, a cultural melting pot of European, African, and Arab influences, before flying back home.

A total of ISK 992,000 was raised from the trip for various projects, distributed as follows:

• Haven Rescue Home: ISK 100,000

• Tracey Kadada Home: ISK 56,327

• Little Bees School: ISK 167,242

• Well drilling in Tanzania: ISK 768,431