Mountains to Sea!
July 1, 2025
Bok!
We have been busyyyyyy over the past week. From inland Croatia, to the mountains, to the beaches, we have put some miles under our belts and have the memories to prove it!!
We began by having one more buffet breakfast at the bungalows before it was time to pack for the mountains. We did a brief “duffel shuffle” in which students re-organized their gear to be sure that we only brought needed items to the mountain hut, then Marco picked us up and we headed out. We made a few stops along the way, the most important being for all of the groceries we would eat at the mountain hut. LODs Lucy Kate and Pierce spearheaded this effort and helped plan meals, gather snacks, and drive two (very full) grocery carts. Meanwhile, others explored the town around us and ended up playing some basketball at the courts. Once shopping was done, we reunited for lunch. Marco took us out to a place that seemed as if it was in the middle of nowhere. To get there we weaved through wheat fields before finally stumbling upon a pizza restaurant. This pizza was excellent, and made from all local ingredients, including wheat from the fields which we had just driven through. We ordered several pizzas, some margarita, cheese, pepperoni, and even a taco themed pizza. We stuffed ourselves full before our first segment of Reid’s birthday celebration: a Nutella pizza with a flaming sparkler stuck in it. After chowing down on the dessert, we loaded back into the van and headed up to the mountain hut. Once we arrived in Velebit National Park, our home was not far away. Ivan, the caretaker of the hit, came and loaded our groceries and we headed up on foot. We had arrived to the panoramic views in no time. As we stood on the porch of the hut and looked left there seemed to be endless mountains, but as we looked right, the Adriatic Sea loomed with the sun glaring over it. We had found ourselves in nature’s playground, and it did not take long before Will, Alex, and Pierce began their explorations. Eventually, everyone headed to a nearby peak as Margaret and Hannah hung back to cook our first dinner in the hut: taco bowls. These girls had our mouths watering with chicken, rice, beans, avocados, tomatoes, guacamole, grilled peppers, and salsa all ready for our feast. We ate in delight, and it was nearly silent as we were all so busy fueling up! Then, we decided it was time to celebrate our birthday boy once more. So, as Reid rocked a crown and sash, others dawned their party hats and we celebrated by singing happy birthday with donuts and cake. After this, it was time for Moonup and then our first sleep in the hut.
We awoke to a beautiful day in the mountains and Pierce got to cooking breakfast quickly, he handled the eggs, then William joined to tackle the bacon. We also had cereal and fresh fruits. After the meal, we packed sandwiches and got ready for the hike. It was sunny, but not too hot because of our elevation. Our guide, Lara led us out and past a small botanical garden before we entered a very vertical section of the hike. While this intimidated some, we all conquered it, and before we knew it, had reached a peak. The girls took pictures and we pulled out our lunches, Margaret even tried her first PB&J (and she approved)! After a nice rest at the top, we headed down. Lara asked us if we wanted to continue hiking, and while most of us were wiped, Will and Pierce took her up on it! The rest of us headed back, and many purchased a Croatian drink: Hydra, which is like a seltzer water mixed with orange juice or lemonade depending on the flavor, but either way it’s delicious. Once we were properly hydrated, we played some card games, beginning with spoons, and Georgia defeated us all. We continued to play into the afternoon, and when the hikers returned we began to make dinner. This time our chefs were Reid, Charlie, and William. They made burgers, toasted buns, cut up vegetables and even a watermelon to make a pretty classic summertime meal for us all. After this, we read and played mafia until Moonup then headed to bed.
Our second morning spent in the mountains certainly did not disappoint. Pierce and Will woke up before the rest of the group to make crepes for them. We stuffed them with Nutella, berries, bananas, peanut butter, and whipped cream which ended up being the perfect sweet breakfast to get us started for our day of hiking. Once the feast was over, we laced up our boots and headed up to the beautiful peak that bordered our hut. It was a particularly clear day due to the strong winds which meant that we could see the islands clearly. We could even spot our camp for the next few days! After that peak, we headed down to admire the view more before cutting into the woods then continuing on back up to the hut. It was a wonderful afternoon of hiking and we got to see so many sides of Velebit throughout the journey. When we arrived back at the hut we played lots of cards before Will and Pierce decided to go for an additional hike which led them through the rocky edges of the mountains to yet another gorgeous peak. After that, everyone had worked up an appetite so Ansley and Lucy Kate made us all a delicious pesto and chicken pasta for dinner. We finished our last night in the mountains off with Moonup, of course!
The following morning we woke up and headed out of the mountains quickly to catch a ferry over to our next stop: Rab Island. Once we had arrived we headed straight to lunch at a beachside cabana. We ordered everything from pasta to pizza and were super thankful to be at the beach we had once admired from afar. After this, we set up camp then headed to the water. It didn’t take long before Julia and Alex to strike up a game of jackpot while others tested out a nearby blow up obstacle course on the water. After we had tired ourselves out, it was time for our long awaited showers. Once we were all clean we headed to dinner and dessert. Soon, we found ourselves back on the boardwalk. Charlie and William tried out the high bouncing trampolines then headed over for a game of bumper cars. After that, we headed down to the basketball courts where some 2v2 was played, and Lucy Kate surprised us all with her competitive nature under her kind bubbly version of herself we get to see most of the day! After that, we walked along the beach once more before Moonup.
As we woke up at the beach the next morning we teemed with excitement to get back into the water. We hit breakfast then headed over to our outfitter. The winds were strong so we decided to go out for our boat day instead of kayaking. This sent a jolt of energy through the group and we got fitted up in masked, snorkels and fins before loading up. We were so grateful to be out on the clear blue water and spent our day exploring nearby islands. One of our guides found an octopus hiding in a hole which he showed all of us! Georgia was constantly in the water admiring all of the beauty below and proving herself to be an excellent snorkeler. In between sports, we all rose on the roof of the boat, and once stopped we all jumped off the top level into the crystal clear waters. After the boat day we headed to pick up some afternoon pizzas then got ice cream to top it all off. After that, we swam and Georgia, Julia, and Alex played some volleyball. Once we had worked up an appetite we walked to dinner then headed back to the boardwalk before Moonup.
Our final day on Rab Island was one for the books. After breakfast we headed out to kayak. Pairs of guys and girls headed off to patrol the cliffs of Rab Island. Along the way we took plenty of breaks to cool off and swim. Tons of fish and urchins loomed below while we floated above. Charlie had a particularly fun time on the kayaks and kept pointing to a rare “fish” he saw before getting Hannah to lean over and flipping the kayak. This got us all laughing and made the time pass quickly. After our morning workout we hung out in the afternoon and many of the students headed over to a nearby slide park to test their speed. After all was said and done, we had dinner, did more bumper cars, and played another game of volleyball.
The Velebit Mountains and Rab Island treated us well!!! Now, we are headed off to explore new places as we soak in our final few days together. Thank you so much for sharing your students with us, we are so thankful for all that they contribute to the group!
All our best,
Palmer + Ryan
Charlie: Thank you for letting me go on this trip. It has been really fun.
Hannah: Thank y’all so much for this trip I’m having the best time can’t wait to tell y’all all about it! Love you
Pierce: Thank you for letting me go on another Moondance trip it’s been really fun.
Margret: Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip!! I am having so much fun!! I miss y’all so much!
Will: thank you for allowing me to go on this trip, so far it’s been pretty good, and I’ll see you in a couple days.
Ansley: Thank y’all for sending me on this trip, I am having the best time and can’t wait to see you guys soon
William: Thank y’all for allowing me to go on this trip, I have enjoyed it. See y’all soon.
Julia: Thank you guys for giving me this opportunity to be on this trip I have learned so much about myself and Croatia and I am having such a fun time. I miss you guys so much and can’t wait to see you in a few days!! Love you guys!!
Reid: Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I’m having so much fun and I’m so grateful for this. Love y’all.
Alex: Thank you guys so much for everything you have done to allow me to go on this trip. The two weeks have flown by but it has been really fun. I will you both soon to tell you all about it. Love you guys.
Georgia: Thank you so much for letting me do this! I’m having so much fun and I can’t wait to see you guys. Love you!
Lucy Kate: Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip it has been so much fun!! I can’t wait to see you soon. Love you!
Dobar dan from CROATIA!
June 26, 2025
Hello, hello, hello! We have been eager to update you on our journey since arrival! We are so thankful to say that everyone and all of their things arrived on time and safely in Zagreb, which prompted a wonderful first day! Once we were all united, students turned in electronics and began to fully embrace the LITMO (Live in the Moment) philosophy! Thankfully, they had already added songs to a collaborative playlist during the travel day and were able to roll out of the airport jamming to some of our favorites. After exiting the city, we stopped and gave the group their first taste of Croatia, through gas station snacks. There were new gummy candies, chocolate wafers, and more classic options such as pretzels and Pringles too. After this, most of the group slept on the way to the campsite, and we can’t blame them. However, once we arrived, a second wind hit and we got to know each other a bit better. Reid brought his poker chips and cards, so we all played a few rounds before dinner. We were served a delicious soup, gorgeous salad, and classic meal of chicken and fries. During the meal, Margaret and Charlie bonded over their previous Moondances to Fiji which got us all fired up for the next two weeks! After a great apple pie-esque dessert, we headed off to the showers. Once everyone was feeling fresh after the days of travel, we had our inaugural Moonup: the nightly ritual that takes place on every Moondance trip around the world! For Lucy Kate and Ansley, this first Moonup will surely not be forgotten, and we felt so special to be able to introduce them to this tradition! Students were given T-shirts to sport and alumni were given special gifts to reflect their loyalty. And with that, we were off to bed.
The next morning, we woke up feeling much more rested after a good night’s sleep in our bungalows. We headed off to breakfast where we were greeted with a buffet of fruits, cereals, meats, cheeses, veggies and pastries. After fueling up, we headed into our bright blue van and ventured off to our first activity: river kayaking! Everyone decided to brave the cold waters without a wetsuit, which ended up feeling phenomenal when we factored in the warm Croatian sun. Girls and guys paired up to conquer the river in bringer blue two person inflatable kayaks. And we were off, exploring down waterfalls. Instead of kayaking down our second set of falls, we swam and jumped! William was the first to take this plunge, and he did it from an awesome perch. Later on, Pierce pioneered a second perch in style as well, while Alex walked up to a third launchpad and jumped immediately! These boys were wasting no time which got us all super excited for the day. As we headed down the river, our outfitter cracked endless jokes while we continued to traverse waterfalls and eventually rapids too. On one particular fall, named “washing machine” Georgia found herself in the water. No worries though, she was back in the blue boat in no time, feeling fresh from the cool water! Eventually, it was time for lunch, which we ate riverside before finishing for the day and hopping in vans to head back to the kayaking outfitter’s home base. We told them hvala (thank you in Croatian) then headed back to the bungalows. It didn’t take long until we were ready to get back in the water though, so we headed down to yet another river where the group swam. We even saw an unexpected visitor, a small (and harmless) water snake that Will was sure to avoid. We all laughed as we exited the water and then headed up for showers. After that, we headed out for burgers. The weather was beautiful, music was good, and food was delicious, so overall dinner was a success! Afterwards, our first LODs (leaders of the day) Hannah and Alex led our second Moonup and then it was time to sleep.
We awoke again today to explore yet another beautiful part of Croatia: Plitvice National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. As we entered the park, we were greeted with insane views of greenish blue pools and massive waterfalls. After weaving through the woods, we found ourselves at the base of the falls. We all remarked how much we wanted to swim in the beautiful water, especially our experienced swimmer, Julia. However, we refrained due to rules and continued to weave across the established paths which took us over, up, and along the falls for a few miles before we were treated to lunch and a boat ride across the largest lake. We traversed more waterfalls after the boat ride, these had a bit more vegetation and less other travelers which was quite the treat. After a couple more miles, we had soaked in all the park had to offer and headed back into the bus. After a hot day of hiking, we celebrated in the most Moondance way possible: an ice cream stop. After filling up and cooling off, we swam at the bungalows yet again and played cards before dinner. As we walked up the road to dinner we quickly realized that our four-legged dog friend from the campsite had followed us, and she sat under the table for our entire meal. We filled up on pizza, spaghetti, and Charlie even got a full local trout! Then, we had a nice stroll back to camp before LODs Charlie and Georgia led our third Moonup and we retired to our bungalows.
It has been a great first few days of the trip, we are so thankful that each of the students has joined the group. Our next days are jam packed with action and we cannot wait to grow closer!
All our best,
Palmer + Ryan
Now for some shoutouts from the group!
Pierce: hey, Will saw a snake and screamed and it was really funny but love u guys
Will: I hope yall are doing alright rn, I think we’re on day 3 and they are sending this message to u, love you.
Julia: heyy mom and dad, thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I’ve been having so much fun so far, and I miss you guys so much. Also, tell Josie and Jonny I love them!!
Ansley: Hey mom and dad, I am having so much fun and miss y’all, James, and Finley so much! Love you guys!!
William: Hey mom and dad I am having a good time here and so far we have been going down waterfalls and some national park and otw to go hiking right now. Hope all is well, Love y’all.
Georgia: Hi mom and dad!! Croatia is SO pretty and I’m so glad I came!! I miss you guys tons and tell Claudia I said hi….Love you!
Margaret: Hey mom and dad I miss y’all so much! Croatia is so fun and pretty! Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip! Tell Liza I miss her too when she gets back! Love y’all!!
Reid: Thank you so much for the card! We’re heading on the hiking part of the trip. Thank you for sending me on the trip. Love y’all.
Alex: Hi mom and dad, the trip has been really fun so far our first official day we went white water kayaking which was great. The water here is absolutely amazing and the color is beautiful. Love you both.
Charlie: Hey mom and dad it is really fun and I’m having a good time.
Lucy Kate: Hi mom and dad! Croatia is so pretty and fun. I love my group. So far we went kayaking and we jumped off waterfalls. Tell Elle I said hi. Love y’all so much!
Hannah: Hi mom and dad! I’m having a great time so thank you very much for this, tell the boys and Lucy I say hey. Love y’all!
Hello from Zagreb!
June 22, 2025
Hello Croatia Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Zagreb and is enjoying well-deserved rest after travel! The trip is off to a great start, and we are so excited to hear more stories as they begin 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
