June 19, 2025
It’s always bittersweet when a fantastic journey comes to an end. It feels like just yesterday we were setting out, and now it’s time for us to look back on all the incredible moments we had on our trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos! This group truly brought the best vibes and made every experience unforgettable. Most recently, our days were spent exploring the beaches of Tortuga Bay, offering help at a local farm in San Cristobal, and soaking up the lively energy of a day out on water. It’s been an absolute blast.
Setting out to Tortuga Bay, the girls jumped into their swimsuits on a sunny day with 80 degree weather. Tortuga Bay is located a short hike from the drop off point. The hike was filled with gorgeous scenery, local cacti and birds native to the region were abundant. As well, the marine iguana was found in massive numbers on the beach at Tortuga bay. The girls set out to tan and chat, when Kenzi found a new friend with a marine iguana crawling right on her! She leapt at the sight of it, but realized it was just a baby and found the incident endearing. Kenzi always finds a way to make everyone laugh, and after this incident all of the girls could be heard giggling from a mile away thanks to Kenzi’s sweet humor!
Haley made waves with her kind heart, often sharing her camera to take pictures with the other girls while at the beach. The waves at Tortuga bay are completely calm, and she captured some great memories with her newfound friends from on the sand and in the water! Later the girls said bye to the beaches on Santa Cruz and hello to San Cristobal. This island, last but certainly not least from our trip, is the home to our lovely guide Fabo! It is a short boat ride away, but that does not mean it was easy by any means.
Once we arrived in San Cristobal, our first stop was at a local farm called San Angel, run by an angel himself named Carlos. We were shown the intricate process for making coffee, including peeling the shell of the coffee bean. Caroline became an expert in this hands-on lesson, and took great strides in hand-peeling each of the coffee beans. She also was not afraid to say hi to the farm animals, picking up a baby chick while at our visit! Emily also loved her visit, and became friendly with each of the animals, including the chickens, goats, and ducks. She offered help with nothing but a smile on her face the entire morning!
Carlos offered a home cooked lunch that was made entirely from ingredients produced at the farm. Bailey loved the food, and cleaned her plate with nothing but amazing things to say about the lunch. She also was our number one lime collector on site, helping Carlos compile limes that were perfectly in season. Merris, along with Aubrey, stole the show by collecting cranberries. Although she paid the price with a couple of ant bites, she did not let that stop her participation in each of the farm’s activities! We always appreciate her positive attitude.
The next morning the girls ventured to the other side of the shoreline and hiked up to Mirador Tijeretes, a gorgeous view point looking out at the turquoise bay. The area is said to be one of Charles Darwin’s first landing points on his voyage through the Galapagos. Addi kept the spirits high and kept stair count as the girls climbed up 104 steps to reach the point.
Now that the girls were warmed up, they walked down to the majestic snorkeling area to swim with sea lions and sea turtles. Aubrey, now comfy with the sea lions, laid side by side with the sea lion friends as they basked in the sunlight. Aubrey’s goofy side came out as she fled the scene once the sea lions started claiming their territory over the best tanning spot.
In the water, Eleanor flexed her fearless personality as she dove down to the bottom to get the best shots of the sea turtles. Unbothered by the cold, she stayed swimming in what she said was one of her favorite snorkeling spots of the trip. Chloe snorkeled alongside her, offering laughter and encouragement along the way. She also had some great recommendations for aesthetic pictures at the snorkel cove, and often time was always the first one in the water.
Later that afternoon the girls boarded the SS Fabo and took sail to the seas. They snorkeled in the open water and watched the Blue Footed Boobies fly above. Dylan put on her pirate hat as she helped man the boat with the sea captain. She steered the ship with a smile on her face (and safely with the captain by her side).
The boat anchored by a private dreamy beach and the girls jumped from the bow and stern. Ruby was first to jump in and swim to the shore. She met a sea lion friend and took up a game of tag, running away and towards each other in the sand.
That night the girls surprised Elise with a birthday celebration – she was so surprised she shed a few tears! Dawned in birthday hats, the girls went to the home of a Galakiwi guide’s Mom to chef up a homemade Ecuadorian meal.
They squeezed fresh orange juice, chopped ceviche, fried plantains, and cooked chicken. The meal was so delicious and the girls were so grateful for the authentic experience and yummy food.
The night ended in tears (both sad and happy) as they said goodbye to their favorite guide, Fabo. They played their favorite tunes as he led them for the final time through the streets to the last ice cream stop.
During the final Moonup on the roof of their hotel under the Big Dipper (nugs to the stars -Ali), more tears were shed and compliments shared. They stayed awake laughing over memories and getting excited for future plans together.
June 12, 2025
Time really does fly when you’re having fun! These past few days have been filled with adventure and so much laughter. This group has the best energy, and they are truly hilarious. We’ve explored Quito, ridden horses near Cotopaxi, and embraced the lively charm of Baños!
On our first full day, after settling into Quito, we journeyed to Cotopaxi for an incredible horseback ride. Chloe, with her adventurous spirit, was the first to mount her horse and confidently led the way for the entire duration of the ride! The group (full of tenacious spirit) even asked the guides if it was possible to take the horses into a canter. Addi maneuvered her horse, Lucky, with ease as the group galloped through the rolling hills.
It was an amazing experience riding through the foothills with a volcano close by. Everyone was great about hydrating well at the altitude.
The next day in Baños was packed with excitement. We started with a scenic chiva (open air bus) ride to the magnificent waterfalls and soared over Bridal Veil Falls on the cable car. Despite the tropical rain, Ruby led the charge of the Pailón del Diablo waterfall hike, leading with a positive attitude and embracing the beauty of nature around us.
After the waterfalls, Bailey befriended a furry feline friend (a cat) in the local market as the group perused local artisan jewelry and crafts nearby the trails.
The evening in Baños was a highlight with salsa lessons! Our fearless leader, Elise, was crowned Queen of Salsa by the instructors along with our very own Chloe. Eleanor, with her welcoming personality, was right there, loving every beat. She’s also been busy capturing all these fun moments and new friendships on her GoPro, and even took the initiative to try new local food, adamantly ordering a “Gringa” on her first night!
The next morning we hit the ground running by visiting the adventure park! Emily exemplified a team-player attitude as she cheered on the group on the Zipline, hanging bridge, and climbing wall. She also has been the group’s go-to DJ providing a musical backdrop to match every adventure.
After conquering a tough climbing section, Merris avidly supported our sweet leader Ali through her new fear of heights as they zip lined across the roaring river hand in hand! She confidently made her way through the adventure park, leaving with memories that are sure to last.
The group left tropical Baños with full hearts (and soggy socks!). We then drove back to Quito for more adventures. During the bus ride, Dylan kept the group entertained with her bright personality and knack for making everyone feel welcome. She tried local foods with excitement during our lunch stop at a local food hall with varieties of pork and corn. Kenzi (our constant source of laughter) entertained the crew at lunch and during the ride with her engaging stories of life in the big ATL.
Once back in Quito, the group sauntered over to the local soccer field. Fueled by Tate McRae and local Ecuadorean candy the girls flexed their competitive edges for a thrilling dance off. Caroline showed gymnastic and cheer skills with cartwheels and kicks and Haley brought out her dance-team skills to lead Team 2 to a photo-finish victory. Both girls exemplified leadership and sportsmanship in the heated competition.
We finished the day with a comforting spaghetti and bolognese made fresh by the hostel owners. Bella, the hostel owners’ dog, became a group favorite.
The next morning the group leaned into relaxation and visited the natural hot springs. Dipping between 5+ different temperature pools, the girls settled into their favorite and played the game Mafia. Aubrey, with her sly poker-face, was picked as Detective multiple times and caught the Mafia (our fearless leader Elise) with ease on her first try.
The day ended with a local restaurant visit and a run-in with the friendly faces of the other EGP Moondance group!
All silly stories aside, this group of girls is truly amazing. Each one of them is selfless, kind, and enthusiastic. As leaders, we could not have asked for a better first group to kick off our time in Ecuador.
We are so excited to hop on over to the islands and ~dive into sunny Galapagos tomorrow!
SHOUTOUTS:
Emily – Hey Mom + Dad! I hope y’all are having fun in Alaska. I am having a blast on my trip + I love my group! Right now we are on the plane, about to fly to Galapagos. Can’t wait to be in touch soon and tell y’all about my trip. Love y’all so much! <3 Emily
Bailey – Hi mom and dad! I hope everything is going well in Nashville. I am having so much fun here, and everyone is really nice. Our leaders are amazing, I love them so much. We are currently on the plane to Galapagos! I am really excited. I’m looking forward to seeing the sea lions and tortoises. Say hi to Wuinn for me. I miss you and love you! Sending hugs <3 love, Bailey
Kenzi – Hi Mommy + Daddy! I’m having so much fun here and I’m about to leave for Galapagos. I hope I get super tan. I hope you don’t feel too bad Momma + Dad I hope you’re having fun with whatever you’re up to. Miss U!
Addi – Hello Mom! I hope everything is amazing at home and you’re not worrying about me too much because I’m doing amazing! I’ve had so much fun so far and I’m loving it. I miss you, gigi, poppy, dita, Andie, Bryce, and Cas sooo much and please tell them all I’m having so much fun but I’m missing and love them so much. I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I come home. I love you so much mom!!! <3 e
Merris – Hi Mom + Dad! I’m having so much fun in Ecuador and I love my group. We are heading to the Galapagos and I’m so excited! I have a lot of pictures and vlogs for y’all to see when I’m home. Hope y’all are having fun in CHS, see y’all soon! Love Merris + Happy Father’s Day Dad <3
Aubrey – Hey Mom and Dad!! I’m having so much fun and my group is so fun! Ecuador was really fun and now we’re on a flight to Galapagos. Happy Father’s Day Dad.! Don’t miss me too Much <3 Love y’all and see y’all soon. Please order the clothes for Ross lunch + young life! Love you!! xoxo Aubrey
Caroline- Hey mom + dad! I’m having so so much fun!! We actually have seen so many cool things and have so many good pics! Our group is so fun and all the girls are so nice. We’re otw to GPS now so I hope I can get some sun! Have fun on y’all’s trips and happy fathers day Dad sorry I’m not there! Love yall!!!
Haley – Hey mom and dad!! I’m having a blast! Can’t wait to see you all and Payne next week. Love you so much <3 I can’t wait to fill you in on all the things I’ve been up to! Thank you for letting me go <3
Chloe – Hey mom + Dad, I’m having so much fun! Love yall <3
Eleanor – Hi Mom + Dad!! I miss you all so much thanks for letting me go on this amazing trip. I have had the time of my life. Tell Grayson I miss him <3 Also hi to all my friends! I miss y’all!
Dylan – Hi Mama! Hi Daddy! I miss y’all so incredibly much! We’re having a lot of fun here! I can’t wait to see y’all! Tell Danny I miss him like crazy & tell Bella and Arya I miss them! I owe y’all. See you soon! P.S. Happy early Father’s Day!
Ruby – Hi Mom + Dad! I’ve been having loads of fun in Ecuador thank you for letting me go on this trip. Tell Sawyer and any of my friends hi! Love you lots!
Ali – Hi Mom and Grandma (and maybe Dad!!) Sending you a leader shoutout because I, too, am unplugged 🙂 Absolutely loving my time here and all of the girls – they are awesome! Miss you all so much and please give Mars a hug and a walk for me.