Good Vibes In The Galapagos
July 1, 2025
Day 7 started off strong, waking up in the Galapagos isn’t too bad! 🙂 We were ready for whatever the day held and definitely were ready to explore!!
Today’s LODs were Robert and Ashlynn! Robert never fails to crack us up and keep the energy high, while Ashlynn’s kind heart and contagious laugh had everyone smiling. This dynamic duo brought joy all day long.
We kicked things off with a hike to Tijeretas, where we reached the top and were met with one of the most stunning views yet. After soaking it in, we made our way down to a little cove to snorkel. Cam and Ashlynn were pros, entering the water like naturals. Meanwhile, AB and Thomas had a surprise sea lion encounter (They were safe and loved it) Robert, Max, and Pearce spotted a school of fish and made sure the rest of us got to see it too-teamwork makes the dream work!
After drying off, we wandered to another beach spot to soak up some sun. The girls had a full photoshoot with Ashlynn’s camera, and Jacque and Emily got an epic pic with the sea lions that’s definitely a keeper. Hampton and Thomas played some seriously awesome tunes, Wells went to scope out the sea lions sunbathing everywhere, and Ned and Robert got a solid hacky sack rally going before we broke for lunch. It seriously couldn’t have been a better morning!
And wow-lunch was a 10/10: sushi followed by ice cream! Major props to Madalyn for ordering the blackberry (mora) sorbet-instant jealousy from the rest of the group. Then it was time to hit the pier and hop on the boat to explore Isla Lobos. Some of us may have enjoyed the boat ride more than others… let’s just say there were a lot of birds (if you know, you know). Huge shoutout to Cam for being our fearless protector and for dropping some serious Blue-Footed Booby knowledge from her favorite-National Geographic 🙂 We finished the day with a walk back to the hotel to rinse off and get ready for our next adventure. Next up, we headed to the house of the sweetest lady ever-Amelia! She welcomed us in and helped us cook an absolute feast. We made ceviche, rice, plantains, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and more! Ned was on tuna duty and took it very seriously, Max crushed the rice (which, according to him, is a serious skill), and Hampton, Ella Rose, and Ellis teamed up to squeeze so many oranges. Dream team!! Emily and Robert were in charge of seasoning the chicken (and did a great job), while Jacque and Cam took on the veggies for the ceviche (perfectly cut!) Parents, you really should get these pros to help you out every once in a while 🙂 Once everything was ready, we sat down and feasted. So. Good. And to top it all off, Amelia surprised us with the most delectable carrot cake. We’re obsessed. We definitely didn’t fight over the last slice….
Day 8
We fell asleep fast that night and woke up ready for another day. The LODs today were Ellis and Max. Ellis is someone who is such a leader to the rest of the group. Her witty demeanor and personality is just something that makes every day brighter. We love having her around and she is the perfect choice for LOD! Today, we headed off for a farm project over in the Highlands. We kicked off the morning picking coffee beans, and let’s just say Madalyn and Hampton were locked in-they got the most by far. Meanwhile, Max, Ella Rose, and Wells all somehow managed to catch a papaya straight from the tree. We also had a little sidekick for the day-Charlotte, the farmer’s daughter-who played with all the girls and immediately became our new best friend!
Next up: chicken chasing. Yep, it was exactly what it sounds like. Ellis was the first to snag one in her natural LOD way, and soon after, Hampton, Madalyn, Ned, Ashlynn, Max, Robert, Wells, Ella Rose, and Emily each caught one too. It was chaotic in the best way. As for AB? She made it very clear that she would strictly be photographing this portion of the activity 😉
After all that excitement, we shifted gears and picked up cow manure to help create natural fertilizer for the farm’s plants. Even though this part may seem a little gross, we were proud of their constant ability to dive into anything we do with a good attitude. Every single student went out of their way to be respectful, helpful, and kind to the farmer, even in a very… unique setting.
Then came the infamous pepper challenge. For the past couple of years, Moondance groups have tried to eat a whole aji pepper-first one to cry loses. Super encouraging!!!! AB and Hampton went full send and ate the whole thing, while Madalyn and Cam sat it out (maybe the smart move). One milk carton disappeared in five seconds…. It was chaos-tears, spice, and uncontrollable laughter. Big shoutout to Robert for crushing it and barely reacting (though we’re still convinced he faked it). We wrapped up by heading back to the office, grabbing some snacks, and then crashing for a much-needed nap on the ferry. Except for Max, who got absolutely drenched by a wave or two. Sorry, Max. Nature said no nap for you.
Once we got to our next island, Santa Cruz, we headed to the hostel to chill and settle in before dinner. We were all starving, so we went to an early dinner. Ashlynn and Robert even found some fun new merch to bring home… can’t wait to see it in action! We’re so excited for what tomorrow has in store!
Day 9
It’s our first full day in Santa Cruz, and we are so excited to explore! We had an early start this morning, to get us up to the highlands for our first activity. We went to “El Charo Ranch” where we got to see massive tortoises that were from ages of 1-150! It was so cool. We saw at least 70 tortoises, and it was fascinating to see them up close. We ate lunch before heading off to our next stop, Tortuga Bay! How fitting 🙂 At Tortuga Bay, the boys spent time walking around and enjoying time together in the sun, while the girls all listened to music and layed on the beach. It was a fabulous and restful afternoon that we all enjoyed immensely. Once we got back to the hostel, we showered off and got ready for dinner! We headed to grab some pizza and salad before stopping to get ice cream at the closest gelato place. We ended the night with a Moonup that was both hilarious and impactful! Our favorite kind.
Day 10
We kicked off the day with another early morning, catching a ferry from Santa Cruz to Isabela. Everyone was pretty quiet at first, but as soon as we got moving, the energy came back and the excitement for the day kicked in.
Our first adventure was snorkeling. Thomas swam through a cave, and Emily and AB had the coolest moment when a sea lion swam right up to them while they played in the water. After drying off and grabbing some snacks, we headed back to the hotel to reset. We laid out in the sun, laughed about how much had already happened, and how delusional we were from waking up so early.
After lunch, we toured a tortoise breeding center. It was really encouraging to see how committed everyone was to protecting such a special species. We even got to see a tortoise that had been rescued from a volcanic eruption-definitely a moment we’ll remember.
Then we hurried back to the hotel, changed quickly, and ran straight to the beach. Madalyn was on AUX and completely nailed it!!! Ellis and Ella Rose dove right into the ocean and stayed there for hours. Later, the boys-Robert, Wells, Hampton, and Max-got back from a long beach walk just in time for the waves to get huge. They jumped in without hesitation, and it had all of us cracking up. Pearce and Ned, on the other hand, were quick to get out the hackysack and start playing!
Jacque and AB played in the sand while Ashlynn captured the afternoon on her camera. Cam, Ashlynn, and Ellis went on a little adventure to a lookout farther down the beach. They came back raving about all the iguanas they saw and the view from the top. The pictures said it all!!!
We ended the afternoon with peanut butter crackers, rinsed off, and had dinner together before a really sweet and intentional Moonup led by Cam and Pearce. Everyone shared with full hearts, and it was one of those moments that reminded us why this group and this experience matter so much.
After a full day of sunshine, saltwater, and nonstop fun, we were all out cold the second our heads hit the pillows. So grateful for days like this.
We look forward to the adventures ahead in the next two days, and we simply cannot fathom the sad realitty of our time together coming to an end. Pushing off all of our sad feelings adn giving our all to our last 48 hours together! Next time we talk, they will be on a flight headed to YOU!
Talk soon!!!! We are having the best time and never want them to leave!
AB + Thomas
Some messages from the kids to YOU!
First off, THANK YOU for sharing your wonderful humans with us over the past ten days. We are so grateful to know them and get to experience this incredible trip with them. But also-thank you to OUR parents for raising us to be the leaders we are today and encouraging us to spend our summer here! We love you and miss you!!! -AB + Thomas
Wells: Thank you mom and dad for everything that you do for me. Thank yall for giving me the opportunity to go to this very beautiful country.
Emily: Hi Mom and Dad! I love yall so much and have been thinking about how thankful I am that you sent me on this trip!! This is such a cool opportunity so thank yall for working hard for me to experience this awesome place! I have had such a good time.
Ashlynn: Hi mom and dad!! I am sooo grateful to be on this trip right now! Thank you so much for sending me!! I am getting the most amazing experience here. I love and miss you. See you soon!!
Cam: Hey mom and dad!!! I am so excited to see y’all in 4 days! Thank you so much for letting me come on Moondance again and I am so thankful for this experience! I have learned so much and met the friends of a life time! Love y’all so so much💗
Ellis: Hey mom and dad!! Thank you so much for sending me on Moondance. I am so thankful for this experience on Moondance and I can’t wait to see y’all in 4 days!!
Jacque: Hey mom and harry! I love and miss y’all so much. Thank y’all a million for giving me this amazing experience with Moondance. I am so thankful for y’all and all that you both do for me. Y’all are truly the best parents that I could ask for. This trip has let me experience the world, meet the coolest and funniest people, and make the best memories ever! I love y’all so much and I am so grateful for everything y’all do.
Ned: Hey guys! I’m having a blast and can’t wait to see y’all soon! Thanks so much for sending me with Moondance, it’s been amazing!
Hampton: hey mom and dad! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to experience a once and a lifetime adventure. I’ve enjoyed meeting new people, seeing new places and meeting new people. see yall soon
Robert: Hi mom and dad, I hope you guys are having a good time while I’m away. I wanted to say
thank you very much for letting me go on this wonderful trip and I love you.
Madalyn: Hi mom and dad!! Thank you so much for this trip I am so thankful. This has truly been a great experience and the best time ever!! I love y’all!!
Max: Hi Mom and Dad, I hope you guys are having fun right now. I am having so much fun and just wanted to say thank you for sending me here it is so amazing. Love you guys!
Ella Rose: Hey Mom and Dad! Thank yall so much for sending me on Moondance!! I am really grateful and this has been one of the best experiences! Love yall and can wait to see yall!!
Pearce: Hey Mom and Dad, I love both of yall and hope yall are having a good time in the dip and I’m having a great time and can’t wait to tell all about it!
Bienvenidos a Ecuador!
June 28, 2025
We are SO BACK and ready to have an amazing session! Seeing how amazing this group is already gets us so excited to savor every single moment we have left in the Galapagos. They are all so kind, fun, genuine, and hysterical! Overjoyed doesn’t come close to describing how we feel about this group after just six days. We also LOVED having Ella Slade with us for the past couple of days, she is just the best!!! She works so hard at HQ to make this trip possible for us. NUGS TO ELLA!!!! Or should I say Lebron…..
Now, let’s see what we’ve been up to for the past week! It’s been nothing short of INCREDIBLE!
Our very first day was met with so many smiles and excitement for what the next two weeks were going to hold. We made it clear the very first day that we want to savor EVERY SECOND we have together, because it sure is going to fly by!! After getting the kids from the airport, Thomas and AB selected the very first “leaders of the day” (you’ll hear me refer to them as LODs), Jacque and Hampton!! You simply can’t help but smile when around Jacque. Her genuine kindness and warmth she exudes 24/7 is something that is so special and is SO valuable to the group!! We are so happy to have her with us. Hampton on the other hand, he is a natural-born leader that has so much to give. He is everything we needed in a first LOD, confident, witty, kind, and completely himself. He’s just the best! They led us into the perfect day, starting with our scrambled eggs, full water bottles, and a few “¡Excelente!” stickers… We headed off to our activity where the Madalyn and Ella Rose brought the energy with their music taste. We got the chance to stop outside of Papallacta to overlook this absolutely phenomenal volcano that you can see from the distance. Nugs to Max and Ashlynn for always having their cameras close-by and ready!! Once we got to the hike, our guide Mauro brought us to this incredible viewpoint of the valley. It’s hard to explain, but here in Ecuador, we are constantly amazed how at every turn we are greeted with a new kind of beauty. After finishing our hike, we headed to the Hot Springs where we were able to relax for a while. Ella, AB, Cam, and Ellis played the name game, and it turns out they have so many mutual friends!! We are all so thankful for the friendships that form because of Moondance. As a leader, it is so fun to watch!! While the girls were chatting and connecting, Wells led the rest of the boys to the cold plunge, encouraging everyone to try. “It’s all in your mind,” he told them. Thomas still couldn’t stay in it….. After spending some time at the Hot Springs, we headed to lunch at a delicious local restaurant. We feasted on trout, grilled chicken, salad, french fries, and rice. What a treat! We laughed over trends and silly pranks over lunch and simply had the best time. We are so hungry we could eat…… anyways!
We headed back to camp, where we immediately ran off the bus to the soccer field. AB and Thomas don’t play around with soccer. It gets intense to say the least. Cam, AB, Ned, and Hampton held down the fort, letting no goals past in the first half. What a lineup!! On the other team, Pearce was using his height and speed to his advantage, being a serious asset to the team. Robert, was the sneaky one. He came out of no where to score a goal. Way to go, Robert! While AB and Thomas were seriously confused why Max didn’t start as soccer goalie for Summit, he finally let one goal through and the game was tied. We only stopped playing because Pearce CRANKED the ball over the fence into a completely different world, love the commitment though 🙂
We spent the rest of the afternoon playing games and hanging out. Thanks to Ella, we have a newfound love for Dutch Blitz and Rummikub, it seriously got intense! Shoutout to Robert and Max for the best strategy of all, leading them to taking the win over and over again. After we finished dinner at a local family-owned restaurant, AB headed to the airport to pick up our missing piece – Emily! We FINALLY have everyone here and we simply couldn’t be happier. What a great day.
On our second full day, we said goodbye to Ciara, Mitchell, and the infamous slide of Hosteria San Carlos, and headed for Cotopaxi National Park. Our LODs for today were Ned and Ella Rose. Ned was picked as LOD because of his uncanny ability to make everyone around him smile and feel comfortable in a new place. Ella Rose is someone who instantly brought the energy needed for a trip like this. She constantly makes us laugh and have fun no matter what we are doing. After our LODs got us ready for the day with an inspirational quote, we mounted our horses and set off for one of the best experiences of our entire lives. Robert and Jacque were simply naturals, trotting with ease on their horses. Thanks to Ashlynn for getting some amazing pics to remember this amazing experience. We will never forget it! Thankful we got to spend it together. After a little bit of time on the bus, listening to our favorite music, we got the chance to walk around and explore Baños. All of the girls got matching hats and bracelets! Great idea, Emily!! The boys on the other hand, went to explore the main square. We all decided frozen yogurt was a must before going back to play hackysack for hours on end. Wells, Emily, Ned, and Hampton always seemed to find themselves in the top four! Way to go, team! Ended the night off with some delicious steak and chicken tacos and a really powerful moonup led by our amazing LODs. It is so special when everyone feels so comfortable around each other even this early on. Cam and Max were picked to be the next LODs, both showing up during horseback riding and encouraging the group. Cam, our ray of sunshine, constantly steps out of her comfort zone and tries new things! She embodies the Moondance culture we want to exude, and she was the perfect LOD! Max is someone who truly is the sneaky glue of the group. Everyone looks to him as a leader and someone who they can rely on. He has continually made the group laugh or bring up the morale when it starts to dip. We can’t wait for another day with these two taking the lead!
It’s day 4 of our trip and we are here in Baños!! There were so many fun adventures today. First, we walked out of the hostel, surprised to see a bus waiting to be our transport for the day. We sang and danced as we made it to our first stop-the cable car ride! It simply is a breathtaking view that we can’t wait for you all to see! The craziest part about this trip is somehow, each day and each sight gets prettier and prettier. Once we got back on the bus, Ashlynn, Ellis, and Ella Rose were quick to hit the dance floor. Max had his go pro ready, snapping all the shots he could to remember this epic moment. We were then dropped off at a trailhead that led to the most incredible and dumbfoundingly large waterfall. AB, Robert, and Hampton took a dip in-let’s just say it was a lot colder than they expected…. We headed back to the hostel and after some much needed snacks, headed to the “swing off the end of the world.” It was almost like it wasn’t a coincidence that the clouds parted at just the perfect time, revealing the most breathtaking view of the entire city. Ned wins the award for going the highest, thanks to Thomas’ pushing skills. After some lunch and obviously some more froyo, we decided to go back to the hotel and spend some time hanging out and resting (little did they know what was coming). When it was time for dinner, we all piled up in our bus and connected our usual music to go to dinner. Thomas, AB, and Ella BLARED Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira and revealed that we were heading to our NEXT adventure, SALSA DANCING!!!!!! This night was full of laughs, smiles, and definitely some serious movement. We surely had the flavor, especially Ellis and Hampton. They got moves! But out of nowhere, AB comes in and sweeps salsa queen!! Some may say she begged for the win, others say it’s simply skill…. We partnered up and danced for hours, enjoying every second together and definitely laughing a little at Wells and Ned attempting the stanky leg.
Our next day was a really good day. Madalyn and Pearce were our LODs and both led in a way that felt super genuine. Madalyn was constantly encouraging people and just brought a calm, kind energy to everything. Pearce led in his own quiet way-always reliable, always putting in the effort without needing any recognition. We kicked off the morning excited for ziplining. Everyone was SO excited and ready to get going!! Big shoutout to Ellis and Cam for pushing through some nerves on the rock wall. They handled it with a ton of bravery and did great. That’s what Moondance is all about-facing your fears and simply living for the now. These two exemplified what it means to “LITMO” and more!! While girls were rock climbing, Max and Pearce were absolutely flying down the zipline-definitely the fastest out there!! The ride back to Quito was long, but honestly kind of perfect. We had music playing, people rested, some good conversations happened. Robert came through with a killer queue that we ended up talking about for the rest of the day. We ended the night feeling a little tired, but also really thankful to be here and excited for what’s ahead. The girls all hopped in AB’s bed, where Madalyn, Cam, and Jacque made us laugh and smile until our stomachs hurt, but what’s new there!
Day 6 was an early morning for sure!!! We got up ready to head to the Galápagos. Pretty surreal that this part of the trip is already here. It sure is flying by. Our LODs for today were Emily and Wells. Emily is a trooper-even though she hasn’t felt super well, she always has a smile on her face and hasn’t complained literally once. Wells is someone that truly makes everyone so happy, always bringing the energy and making us smile. After a safe flight to the Galapagos, we jumped RIGHT off the plane and headed to the beach with a fresh set of snorkels and smiles. We saw so many schools of fish, sea lions, sting rays, and so much more! How awesome is it that we get to be here and experience this all together. Definitely not something we take for granted. We rinsed off and headed to our first dinner here, before showering and hopping into pajamas to catch some zzz’s before a JAM PACKED day tomorrow! Happy to be here!!!!! Thankful the fun and adventure is only beginning 😄
¡Hablamos pronto!
AB + Thomas
Shoutouts!!
Cam: Hey Mom and Dad!! I am having the best time ever and have made so many friends! Love y’all and miss y’all so much! 💗
Emily: Hey Rouse House! I miss y’all! I hope y’all are having a good time in Colorado! I am feeling much better! I can’t wait to tell y’all all about how my trip has gone! Cant wait to see y’all!
Ella Rose: Hey Mom and Dad!! I am having the best time!! We are flying to the Galapagos right now! I hope y’all are having a fun time wherever y’all are and I can’t wait to see yall! Love y’all!
Pearce: Hey Mom and Dad I’m having a great time and I have a great group! Can’t wait to tell y’all about it.
Wells: Hey mom and dad I’m having the best time Ecuador is so cool. We have done lots of amazing activities. We are on the way to the Galapagos right now. Can’t wait to see all the amazing animals there.
Jacque: Hey guys! I love and miss y’all so much! I’ve had the BEST time ever and have met so many amazing people. We are on the plane to travel to the Galapagos right now! Can’t wait to show y’all all the amazing things I’ve experienced this trip. Tell everyone I said hello! Love and miss y’all the mostest and see y’all this time next week! 🩷
Ashlynn: Hey mom and dad!! I am having the absolute best time ever!! I have met the nicest people and have been doing the coolest things in Ecuador!! We are on the way to the Galapagos and I am even more excited to see what we do next!! Can’t wait to see you! 💗
Ellis: Hey mom and dad!! I am having the best time ever! I have the best group and the BEST leaders. I can’t wait to tell yall all about it and show yall pictures. Love and miss y’all so much! 💗
Madalyn: Hi y’all!! I am having the BEST time ever and I am so excited to tell u all about it! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip I have the best group and leaders!!! I have been doing the coolest things ever. Love y’all!!
Robert: Hi mom and dad, right now I’m going to the Galapagos right now. Ecuador was very cool, can’t wait to tell you guys what it was like. I miss you guys and Jay and Sarah but I’m still having fun here. I hope you guys are having fun in your places.
Ned: Hey Mom, Dad, and Mabry, we are on the way to the Galapagos right now. Ecuador was so fun and unique! I have never been anywhere that looked like it. Horseback riding was really fun and I have learned a lot. I’m really excited to see all the animals and fish in the Galapagos, and I can’t wait to see y’all on the 4th!
Hampton: Hey Mom and Dad. I hope you guys are doing well. We just finished everything in the main land of Ecuador and will be in the Galapagos for the rest of the trip. I have a great group and am having so much fun. Can’t wait to see y’all when I get home.
Max: Hi Mom and Dad, I hope you guys are going well. I miss you guys and Bodhi and Blaze even though there are plenty of good dogs here. We are going to the Galapagos right now. Ecuador was so fun and I got some cool videos on my go pro from zip lines and horse back riding. Tell my sisters I said hi. I can’t wait to see you guys and I love my group so much. I have made a lot of friends. Bye!
Safe Arrival in Ecuador!
June 23, 2025
Hello Ecuador + the Galapagos Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has arrived safely in Ecuador! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear all about it soon!
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
