Final Update!
July 10, 2025
We were sad to leave Theth today but excited to begin a new section of our trip. We loaded up our van and got on the road toward Tirana, the capital of Albania. Everyone got to pick a song for the aux and before we knew it, we had arrived at our lunch spot on a beautiful field overlooking a vineyard. We got to take a tour of the area, seeing everything from their cheese production to how they make syrups. We got to indulge in all of it for lunch. We got to try all the different types of cheeses and sausages and loved every second of it. We got to explore the gift shop and Henry even bought a cool book before continuing our way to Tirana. Once we got to our hostel, we dropped our bags off and our LODs, George and Lily, helped us surprise the group with a traditional Albanian cooking class. We got to make Spinach Buraks and stuffed eggplant! Baxter and Nate were on sou chef duty and helped add the ingredients to make the dough. We had so much fun trying the food we made and there were no leftovers! We stopped to pick up some snacks before we made our way back to the hostel for Moonup on the terrace.
Day 10
Happy Fourth of July from Albania! We started the morning off with some of our favorite country music on the bus ride from the capital to Sardane! The drive flew by and we arrived early afternoon! Everyone got settled and quickly made their way to the beach. Zyah found beanbags for everyone to lay out on the beach and Marin painted American flags on the boys back’s while they suntanned. The boys had the idea to buy matching hats and sunglasses and were excited to show the group what they got. Yates and Daly tossed the football around on the beach and then everyone started getting ready for dinner. We walked toward the Pier and the LODs, Grace and Baxter, helped us surprise the group with bumper cars at the amusement park! We had so funny laughs and great pictures from it. We went on the pirate ship ride as well before we headed to dinner hungry and ready to eat some good burgers. We ended our night with gelato and a fabulous Moonup by the ocean!
Day 11
We had a packed day today as left left Albania and made our way to Greece! The kids surprised Carter with some handwritten notes for her birthday and then we made our way to the ferry! It was a beautiful and relaxing ride. We had a short car ride to drop off our bags at our villa and then off to lunch at San Georges! Everyone loved lunch and enjoyed a well-deserved meal before spending the rest of the afternoon on the beach! Zyah bought a pass for an inflatable in the water and made some friends! Baxter and Nate decided to tube and loved it so much they did it twice! Everyone tanned and enjoyed the beautiful weather. We had some downtime before our cooking crew, led by Alice, started making our dinner of Spaghetti Bolognese. Meanwhile, Alison and Yates were in charge of preparing everyone’s sandwiches for our day tomorrow. We had a special Moonup tonight for Carter’s birthday led by Marin and Sage. It was a fantastic day and such a special birthday that wouldn’t be possible without each and every student!
Day 12
It was an early wake up for our first full day in Corfu! We got ready and hit the road for climbing. Zyah really got to show off her climbing skills and went on all the hardest routes, which George also did. Alison also tried some of the harder ones and impressed us with her determination. We ate our lunches and drove back to our accommodation to get ready for the beach! It was another beautiful and sunny day and everyone was ready to jump in the ocean. Grace and Lily decided to tube today and also ended up going twice, with Carter taking pictures! The rest of the group played on the inflatable in the ocean and took turns blobbing each other. By the late afternoon everyone was wiped out snd ready to cool off before dinner. We had an early Moonup because our LODs, Henry and Zyah, surprised everyone with a gyro dinner followed by a traditional Greek party! Everyone got to throw plates and join in traditional Grecian dances with some of the locals. It was such a great day and we can’t wait for the next few!
Day 13
We got up bright and early today and made our way to the beach for our boat day! We got to explore the island of Corfu from the sea and our guide showed us all sorts of cool spots in the water! We found a great little spot on the beach and set up our stuff. Everyone enjoyed the sun and we even opted to go on a small hike to see the other side of the beach we were on. We got some great photos with pretty spectacular views! When we got back we were ready to snorkel! Grace floated through the water and was like a mermaid swimming around. Alison brought her go pro and got some awesome footage under the sea. Daly was the first to swim through an arch of coral under the water. Marin enjoyed reading in the beach in the shade and even got a nap in. Lily and Alice posed for photos and took some great ones with Carter’s camera. We were wiped from the day and ready to head back on the boat to our beach. The boys went back to the villa while the girls read on the beach. Sage had the idea to buy bandanas for the boys because of an inside joke then proceeded to write his own rap to perform for the group. After everyone showered, the cooking crew began making our Greek style Cava bowls for dinner. Yates did a great job cutting up the chicken and making sure it was cooked all the way through. Dinner was amazing and everyone loved it! Our LODs, Alice and Nate, led us in a wonderful and deep Moonup that was incredibly impactful. Don then took everyone to get ice cream at our local market before everyone got ready for bed.
Day 14
Good morning and thus begins our last day of outdoor activities! Though we hate to see an incredible thing come to a close, the memories we made will stay with us always. We started the day off with a light breakfast of yogurt and granola before packing all of our things into a mini bus to set off for our activity: sea kayaking. After a quick ride across the island, we made it to our beautiful bay. LODs Grace and Daly separated the groups into pairs before setting off into the deep blue sea. We were welcomed with sunny skies and perfect conditions. Our guides took us to a local beach where we could do some swimming and chilling. Henry and Carter immersed themselves in deep conversation discussing the future and funny stories from back home. Once our voyage at sea concluded, we enjoyed prepackaged sandwiches prepared by our lunch crew the evening before. We set off for our evening spot of Corfu town where we took part in some shopping before dinner. George wowed the group with his purchase of an elegant traditional greek shirt. Everyone dressed in their newly acquired fits sat down for a lovely last dinner in Corfu. We found a nice grassy spot across from our hotel to sit and have a quaint moon up before retiring back to their rooms for our early morning flight!
Day 15
Last full day! We woke up early and were treated to boxes of muffins, croissants, and other pastries supplied by our hotel. Once we made it to the airport, the group decided Starbucks coffee was the next order of business and everyone got a refreshing cold drink. Our flight to Athens went perfectly and before we knew it we had made it to our hostel! We stashed all of our things and headed for a local Gyro place around the corner. The food consisted of seasoned pork and chicken covered in steaming hot french fries with fresh tomatoes and onions. Once everyone was satisfied we took the afternoon to look around and shop. Sage and Baxter found a local store that sold sweet jerseys and each purchased one that best fit their personalities. The girls moved swiftly and efficiently through Zara, H&M, and everywhere in between. After a successful shopping venture. We headed back to the hostel where everyone took a much needed rest and got ready for dinner. For banquet, the group was surprised and delighted by the choice of an Athenian classic: Hard Rock Cafe! We ordered everything from Nachos and Spicy Shrimp to Smash burgers and Salmon salads. After an incredibly satisfying dinner, we made our way to the acropolis for some pictures and amazing views! Our moon up was so impactful and thinking back over the whole trip was such a sweet time of reflection. We made our trek back to the hostel for the last time under the light of the Athens moon thus ending our trip and our time in Greece.
All the Fun of AMG 2B
July 3, 2025
Day 5
We were sad to be parting ways with Camp Grab, but excited to begin our journey to Theth, Albania. It was a long travel day, but everyone had great attitudes and smiles on their faces. Zyah and George helped the group clean up their rooms before we hit the road! Baxter and Daly said goodbye to their favorite kittens before we embarked on the next part of our trip.
During the ride, Nate organized a system for the aux and helped queue everyone’s songs. We played our favorite music, enjoyed games, and got to know each other even better. We stopped at a grocery store to load up on snacks and took a stretch break before the last leg of the journey.
We paused when we reached the first sign of the Albanian Alps to switch vans and played plenty of hacky sack in the meantime. Marin and Alison started doing squats and some arm Pilates workouts. Yates played “House of the Rising Sun” on guitar while everyone sang along.
When we finally arrived, the kids were amazed as we pulled up to our hostel! We dropped off our bags and had time to play a game of volleyball before heading to dinner. Henry told us all about the app he is developing, and everyone was super impressed.
Dinner was our favorite yet-fried zucchini, fresh tzatziki, roasted veggies, and lamb. We dug in and left dinner full and happy. We ended the night with a beautiful Moonup under the stars in Theth, soaking up our first night here in preparation for the hike ahead.
Day 6
It was an early morning in Albania. Everyone woke up excited and ready to hit the trail. Today we hiked Valbona Pass, a 10-mile out-and-back hike, gaining around 3,300 feet in elevation! The group was awesome and stayed positive all day thanks to our amazing LOD rockstars, Marin and Sage.
On the trail, Alice and Carter reminisced about their camp days, while Lilly and Alison bonded over their shared love of electrolyte water. We played riddles, took frequent water breaks, and pushed ourselves to the top of the pass-and boy, was the view worth every minute!
We enjoyed our sandwich lunch and took photos to fully capture the moment. On the way down, we listened to music and danced along the trail. Nate was on aux and showed off his favorite dance moves for the group.
We paused at a nearby spot along the trail to grab sodas and cool down. Baxter brought his Uno cards and played with Carter, George, and our guide, Matea. The rest of the descent was a breeze, filled with trail talks and anticipation to get back to the hostel for showers.
Dinner was a quick turnaround, but we were hungry and ready for it. We had more fried zucchini, along with spaghetti Bolognese and scalloped potatoes. Marin and Zyah shared stories from home and had the group laughing nonstop.
We gathered in a circle, shared stories, and got to know each other better. Another beautiful Moonup closed out the day as we watched the sun set over Theth and appreciated the long hike we had just completed. We were so proud of the group and amazed by their positive spirits on the trail!
Day 7
Although a little sore, we were excited and ready for today’s hike to the Theth Blue Eye waterfall! After filling up on breakfast and doing some stretches, our LODs, Yates and Grace, took turns leading the group.
It was a fantastic day of hiking, full of games, long trail chats, and fun breaks. Toward the front of the pack, people challenged Daly to name players who had played for two given sports teams-he impressed everyone with his sports knowledge!
When we reached the waterfall, we ate our packed lunches and then jumped into the water from the rocks. Although hesitant at first, Lily slid down the waterfall and into the freezing water!
We met some fellow Americans on the trail before heading back to camp. In total, we walked 11 miles today, and we were proud of everyone for keeping such great attitudes and positivity throughout. After a long day of hiking, everyone looked forward to resting and showering before dinner.
Day 8
Today was our last full day in Theth, and we truly soaked it up! We had a calm morning and even got to sleep in before breakfast. With the extra rest, everyone was ready for the day ahead.
We started with zip lining! After a safety briefing, we were driven to the top of the course and took turns zipping down the mile-long zip line. Carter took photos of everyone at the bottom.
Afterward, we stopped at a nearby church and enjoyed sandwiches for lunch. Alice and Sage tossed a frisbee and passed the soccer ball with some local kids. We explored the inside of the church and played outside for a while. Grace came up with fun photo ideas and posed for the group.
Later, we cooled off in the shade, played cards, and enjoyed each other’s company. Henry really wanted to try the lamb on the hostel menu, so he ordered it and shared with his friends.
We then gathered for the leadership grid exercise, where students discovered their leadership styles and learned about others’. It was a great activity before we wrapped up the day with an easy hike to another waterfall. Some of the boys even jumped into the freezing water and posed for Carter’s camera.
After hiking back, we had time to shower before our final dinner in Theth-featuring all our favorite dishes from the last few days. Alison introduced a story game and got everyone involved before she and Daly led our final Moonup in Theth.
Thank you’s
Henry: Hey Mom and Dad, thank you so much for allowing me to go on this trip, I have seen so many cool things and made memories I will never forget. Love you both!
Zyah: Mom and dad thank you so much for this experience and for the past years! I love doing Moondance and I’m so grateful that I get the opportunity to go on these trips. I love you both so much!
Marin: hiii mama and dada, thank you guys so much for this opportunity. I’m having the best time with zyah and my group. We have been to the coolest places and met the best people. I love yall so much!
Alice: Hey mama and papa thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to meet such amazing people and travel to the coolest places. I’m having such a great time and have made so many good friends and memories. We’ve been tracking for 3 days and zip line yesterday and it was super hard but so fun and worth it. We’re driving to our next hostel now and have been having fun with the long car drives. I love yall so much!
Lilly: Hii mama and dada!! Miss y’all! Thank you so much for sending me on another trip this year! I am having such an amazing time, seeing so many beautiful sites, and meeting so many awesome people! I have made so many memories that I will never forget!! Thank you so much!! I love y’all so much!
Grace: Heyy mama and daday! Thank you for this experience! The people I have met on this trip leave me in a constant feeling of joy and laughter. We laugh like we’ve known each other for years and our bond is what makes the trip. The places we have been are unreal and being able to do this makes me eternally grateful for you guys 🙂 Muah!
George: Hey mom and dad thank y’all so much for letting me come do this trip! It’s been such an amazing experience for me and the people I’ve met and the things I’ve done will stick with me forever and I owe it all to yall. I love yall so much and I appreciate all yall do for me.
Baxter: Mom and Dad, thank you so much for letting me go on this trip! It had been an amazing experience and I have made so many new friends. Thank you for all the sacrifices you made for me to do this! Love yall.
Sage – Hey Mom and Dad, thanks for giving me this opportunity to go on this trip! It’s been such a good experience and I’m having so much fun and have made a lot of new friends, thanks for all you guys do to for me. Love you.
Yates- Hey thank y’all so much for letting me go on this trip. I loved it last year but I love it so much more this time around. I can’t wait to see y’all again when I get back so we can go to the beach and see the family. Love you guys.
Daly- Hey mom and dad, thanks so much for this trip, I’m really glad I’m doing it. The group of kids is great and we’re having lots of fun. It’s going by way too fast, I can’t believe I’m already halfway through the trip. Thanks so much, love y’all.
Nate- Hi mom and dad! We finished with Montenegro and now we are in Albania. We stayed in theth for the past 3 nights and did some incredible hikes. We are driving to the capital city right now. Just wanted to thank you for sending me on this trip. When we were in theth they had a chapel that was built in 1917 way up in the mountains that was really beautiful. I’ve loved the trip so far and so thankful that you’ve let me see all these amazing places!
Alison- Hey Mom and Dad!! I am so so grateful Nana and Papa sent me on this trip. Thank you to Granny and Chuck I can’t wait to bring y’all cool things! It has been such an awesome experience and I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. Albania and Montenegro have been so beautiful and I can’t wait for Greece! The waterfalls and mountains are so gorgeous and well worth the hike. All of the hostels have been super fun and I am so grateful to spend my summer in such an amazing place! Sending lots of love, Alison
Cats, Campfires, and Canyons
June 29, 2025
Having the opportunity to venture through the Balkans with a new group of people before graduating high school is truly a once in a lifetime trip. The excitement in the air is palpable. Everyone in our group understands the depth of this experience. They exit the plane with gleaming smiles and eyes ready to see the beauty of Eastern Europe. Our adventure begins!
Day 1:
Greetings from Montenegro! We are thrilled to have everyone here and kick off our 17 day adventure! Everyone arrived safely to Dubrovnik and ready to start our drive to Montenegro. The drive was full of groovy tunes, car games, and phenomenal vibes. This group’s energy and excitement couldn’t make us more thrilled. We stopped for dinner along the way and got to try out several Baltic classic dishes featuring Burak and Cevapi: a minced meat dish served with French fries. We hopped back on the road and before we knew it we were pulling into our first destination: Camp Grab! We had a wonderful first Moonup, our nightly reflection time, before getting a good night’s sleep.
Day 2
We were filled with excitement at the prospect of getting some extra sleep this morning. Everyone was feeling a bit more well rested this morning and hungry for breakfast of scrambled eggs, fruit, sausage, and beignets. With the downtime we had this morning, we played some games and continued to get to know each other better. We played our favorite of psychiatrist followed by Don teaching us how to play Mr. Commissioner! Yates and Nate got out fairly early but were quick to call others out for strikes. Once Don got out, Grace became our new Mr. Commissioner. We continued playing games and even brought some cards too. It was so hot outside everyone was excited to get in the river, despite its cold temperatures. We brought our float down to the water and Lilly was the first one to jump in! Zyah and Allison lounged on the float while George jumped off the rock and into the water. We had a delicious lunch of grilled chicken and rice. After lunch, we were ready to raft and excited to get started. We drove to our put in spot and hopped into our respective boats: The black Pearl and The Flaming Hot Cheetos. Our journey was filled with laughs, games, and rapids! We had quite a few opportunities to jump in the water and splash the other boat. Before we knew it, we were back at Camp Grab pulling in our rafts. We then had some time to clean up and shower. The boys played some hacky sack and the girls played with the kittens up until our dinner of grilled pork, rice with red sauce and potatoes. It was getting late so we gathered by the campfire and our first Leaders of the Day, LODs, Lily and Baxter led us in Moonup. We love seeing how excited this group is and are thrilled to spend the next 16 days with them!
Day 3
Today we had a big day of rafting and exploring! We got up for breakfast and our LODs, Nate and Alison, led our morning huddle and got the group pumped for the day. We loaded up our wetsuits and hit the road on a beautiful scenic drive. We stopped for some photo ops and embraced the view. Marin and Zyah hiked up a nearby hill to get an even better view and a scenic picture. We continued our drive and stopped at a nearby market to grab some snacks. It wasn’t much later when we were enjoying our riverside lunch and loading up our boats. We couldn’t get enough of the views and had so much fun listening to music and playing games. Carter’s boat exchanged funny stories and Yates had the group dying laughing. We had some big splashes and even got to explore a big cave. After a long journey of rafting, we were excited to be back at camp and get showered. The boys played some hacky sack and Sage really got to show off his soccer skills. We had a lovely dinner of spaghetti, salad, and cheesy bread. We surprised Baxter with a birthday cake and sang him happy birthday for his 18th.
Day 4
After a restful night of sleep, the group was ready and excited for breakfast and the full day ahead. Today’s LODs, Alice and Henry, informed us of the day’s activities and got us started in some games. We played Mr. Commissioner followed by several rounds of Mafia, a classic Moondance game. Daly befriended a few of the cats at Camp Grab and had them snuggled up in his lap. George played some guitar for the group and taught Don some new songs. We then decided to play death sack, a fun game of hacky sack where someone gets out by getting hit with the ball. Sage won MVP and was everyone’s top pick at winning. Grace was the last girl in and advanced her skills by the end of the game. Before we knew it, it was lunch and time to raft down the Tara River. Marin told her group some riddles that passed the time! When we got to an awesome cliff jumping spot, Alice and Grace excitedly hopped off the raft and laughed the entire jump down! We continued making our way down the river and stopped to explore a cool waterfall. Daly was one of the first boys to splash into the freezing cold water, motivating the rest of the group to follow suit. Although today’s rafting adventure was shorter, we had so much fun and inside jokes by the end. We got back to camp, showered and hung out before having our last dinner at Camp Grab. The group loved Mafia so much earlier, they insisted on playing it again before Moonup. Henry was by far our best Mafia and fooled the entire group into believing he was innocent! He had us all dying laughing by the end of the game then he led us into our last Camp Grab Moonup. We have loved the last few days of rafting and our sad to be leaving Camp Grab but excited for the days to come!
Shoutouts:
Hey mom and dad! I’m having sooo much fun on this trip it’s already better than last year. We’re on our way to go hiking now, and I miss you both so much! I love you both and tell Amara and Alesia I miss them too! – Zyah
Hey mom and dad, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this trip, I am having more and more fun each day. Love you and miss you! – Henry
Hi mom and dad! Just wrapped up white water rafting in Montenegro. Tara River canyon, look it up it was insane. The water was crystal clear and you could drink it. Our group is great and everyone is getting along well. Also my leaders are the best. Don had met Di and Papoo and is super chill. Reminded me of Montana. George claims that he is a cat person now even though he’s allergic to cats. Seeing Europe has been so cool. I’ve been surprised by all the different cars here. There are so many brands here that I never knew existed. We are about to start hiking which I feel very prepared for because of wilderness. I love y’all so much! -Nate
Hey mom and dad. This has been an amazing trip and I’m very thankful for you letting me go with such a busy schedule. I’ve had a really good time meeting all the people and our group has been great. I think I’m starting to like cats as well due to our campsite having a massive cat population. I hope that dad has a great birthday and I’m sad I cannot be there. Love y’all! -Baxter
Hey Mom Dad John and William, this has been freaking awesome. It is by far the most beautiful place I’ve ever been and we just got done rafting for 3 days and it was the clearest water I’ve ever seen. The whole time I was seeing trout swimming around and all I could think about is how much y’all would love to be here and fish and hang out. All the people I’m with are really cool too and we’re already all really close. The food has been really good too and the first place we stayed was really cool. They had all these kittens running around and we named all of them and hung out with them a lot and I actually kinda like cats now. It’s already been an unforgettable experience but I miss y’all a lot and love y’all. Hope things are great at home! -George
Hey mom and dad thanks for sending me on this trip. we’re heading to Albania right now for our hiking part of the trip. I’m having a great time and have a really good group love you guys and miss you can’t wait to see you -Sage
Hey mom and dad, thanks so much for letting me go on this trip! I’m having lots of fun. We just finished rafting in Montenegro and are now going to Albania got trekking. The last few days have been great and had unbelievable views while rafting. The camp we’ve been staying at has so many dogs and cats running around I really thought about trying to take one home. I’m having lots of fun and am really excited for the rest of the trip! -Daly
Hiii mom and dad, I’m having the best time on the trip. Group is so good!! I miss y’all bunches. So far we have done white water rafting which was so gorgeous and fun! The water was absolutely freezing. Now we are going to start trekking which is going to be so fun. Thank you guys so much I love y’all. -Marin
Hey y’all!! This trip is so insane and awesome!! We just stayed at Camp Grab in Montenegro to white water raft and now we are driving to Albania to trek for three days. The weather has been super nice and the water is SO clear and beautiful. The food is delicious and there was a bunch of cats running around the hostel which was super cute (not as cute as beans). The rafting was so fun awesome and can’t wait for what’s next! Love and miss y’all a lot!! Hope Randall had an awesome bday! -Alison
Hey mom and dad! I’m having so much fun! The group is so awesome and I’ve made so many new friends. We are driving to our next hostel now. Rafting was so cool and the water was so pretty. We jumped off a ton of high rocks and went in freezing water and it was so fun! The food is great and we’ve seen so many cute cats. I hope Eloise is having fun on Big Wild and everything is going well! I love y’all so much! -Alice
Heyy Mom and Dad and J!! I’m having soooo much fun :)) hope you guys are too! We had epic rafting and the water is very Mamma Mia! There was this cool cliff jump that I did and it was definitely a highlight for sure. I am having so much fun time is FLYING by!! Love you guys -Grace
HIII! I miss y’all so much!! I am having the best time! It is insanely beautiful here the water is crystal clear!! We have been rafting for the past days and it’s been awesome! We are starting trekking tomorrow! The trip is going by so fast! I love my group and leaders there great and we’re all getting so close! I love y’all so much! Tell everyone hey!! Love y’all! -Lilly
Hey, miss y’all a lot but I’m having a lot of fun. Met some good people and love the leaders. The rafting that we’ve been doing has been awesome and the views are incredible. Love y’all and can’t wait to get back to see you and go to the beach. -Yates
Safe Arrival!
June 25, 2025
Hello Albania, Montenegro + Greece Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Dubrovnik! The group is so excited to start their journey together!
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
