Ziplining Through The Jungle!
July 3, 2026
Checking in for one final update from our incredible trip that has FLOWN by!!! Day 10 started off with a delicious breakfast of waffles, eggs, and sausage which acted as the perfect fuel for a big day ahead. We then grabbed our day packs and met Abel at the van to begin our journey towards San Ignacio. Here, we visited a chocolate farm and got to learn all about the Mayan history of chocolate and how it is made today. We even got to taste each part of the chocolate from the cacao bean, to the final product! Matthew and Jack especially liked this activity and even grabbed some souvenirs to commemorate their time at the farm. Next, we headed to lunch which consisted of some yummy Belizean chicken, rice, and beans. Then it was time for our next, and very exciting, activity: ziplining!!! We strapped on our harnesses, helmets, and gloves and excitedly hurried over to the course. The group got to soar through the jungle and over a gorgeous river. The girls led the pack and Alli Mac and Jo got especially into making funny poses on the zipline, while the boys kept the vibes high in the back of the line. After we completed our zipline course, we made one final stop to grab some souvenirs! The group grabbed stickers and other special mementos to remember their time in Belize. Afterward, we returned to Jaguar Creek and jumped in the river which has become a daily tradition for our trip. Then we hung out until it was time to sit down for another lively dinner. We finished off the night with a heartfelt moonup that had everyone laughing when it ended Wood being soaking in water to celebrate becoming the next Leader of the Day!
Our next morning was one of our earliest yet, but thankfully we had some delicious french toast and an exciting day ahead to motivate us for the early wake up. We jumped into the van after breakfast and headed back towards San Ignacio for our first stop of the day – ancient Mayan ruins!! We took a short ferry across the river and then began exploring this beautiful, ancient city. Abel taught us about the history of the Mayans including their traditions, games they played, and how they used each of the spaces we got to see. As we explored the tombs, palaces, and courtyards, everyone was eager to get some incredible pictures, especially BM, Josephine, Yardley, and Louise as they got some spectacular jumping pictures in front of one of the ruins. As we left Xunantunich, we stopped by a local market to pick up a few souvenirs, with Jack possibly having the purchase of the day- a slingshot! (which he used is haggling skills to drop the price a good bit!) We then hopped back in the van for a little bit before having a delicious lunch of chicken quesadillas before changing into our swimsuits and hopping into the river for river tubing! Throughout this much needed peaceful float, Owen and Matthew lead the way and were able to relax a little bit, meanwhile Walt, Wood, and Grant created some chaos and began flipping everyone’s tubes! We continued with this through the river, and it even turned into a game to see who could flip who the most! After tubing, we got back into the van once again and headed towards Jaguar Creek! We got back, showered up, and enjoyed another wonderful dinner before having a great Moonup in which Wood once again sacrificed his dry clothes and hopped into the creek to open the Nug Jug! After moonup, we enjoyed some time to hangout for a little bit before heading to bed after a long day!
Our second to last day began with a much needed sleep in morning! After some much needed rest, we fueled up on some cinnamon rolls before hopping in Abel’s van and heading to our cooking class! We enjoyed the short ride there listening to some pop classics and then began our class. Before the cooking began, we took a short walk to the mill to prepare our tortillas, and played with a few dogs on the way, with Julia and Yardley becoming especially close with some furry friends! We then started with our first dish, empanadas! Everyone took turns preparing these, playing some soccer, and just hanging out until our food was ready. We enjoyed the delicious empanadas served with coleslaw and hot sauce, and could not have been more full after. But we weren’t done yet, we then began to prepare our tamales! We finished those up, then the boys lead us in a soccer game with Matthew and Walt stealing the show and being the all stars of the game! We concluded our cooking class in the lovely village of Armenia, hopped back in the van towards Belmopan and enjoyed another ice cream stop! We had a pleasant surprise waiting for us there as we ran into Axel, one of our scuba instructors from the previous week! We hung out with him and enjoyed our ice cream before heading back to Jaguar Creek! We enjoyed a refreshing dip into the on site creek before showering and getting ready for a delicious dinner, then having a USA GAME WATCH PARTY!!!! We got to celebrate another USA World Cup win together, with Grant showing somewhat of a newfound interest in soccer, being locked into the whole game and celebrating at every moment he could! After the game, we had a wonderful moonup together before hitting the hay for an early morning tomorrow!
We are so sad to say we’re checking in for our final full day of the trip! We had an early morning and then headed off towards Bocawina for some waterfall rappeling! We grabbed our harnesses and began our hike through the lush rainforest to the top of the waterfall. Once there, we got clipped onto the course and one by one started rappeling down through the water! It was definitely a challenge, but one that this group was excited about and swiftly conquered. Shoutout to Julia, Alli Mac, BM, and Louise for making it down the waterfall extra speedy!! After everyone had successfully rappeled we took our time swimming and enjoying the water before hiking back down the mountain. Our next stop was lunch, which was a delicious meal of hamburger and french fries. We stopped to enjoy them at a beautiful lookout, where we could enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and rainforest. What a perfect way to soak in our last moments here! Then we headed back to Jaguar Creek and swam in the creek one last time. We also spent some time getting into a heated watergun fight, and just hanging out enjoying each others company. That night, we had a special banquet dinner complete with surprise sodas, funny t shirts, and even better company. After dinner we enjoyed one last and extra special moonup before an exciting paper plate award ceremony! We had so much fun soaking in our last day together and can’t believe how fast the past two weeks have flown by!!
Our final morning in Belize began with some yummy banana muffins before we packed up and headed to the airport. We enjoyed listening to our playlist for one last van ride, before arriving and beginning our goodbyes. We have had the greatest time getting to know this incredible group and are so so proud of everything they have accomplished! We are also thankful for the opportunity to have gotten to know each one of them and share this amazing experience. Thank you for sharing your awesome kids, we have loved every second with them!
We can’t belize it’s over 😢,
Caroline and Holtie
Catching Fish With Friends!
June 29, 2026
Checking in from the most unBELIZEable trip again! We spent our sixth day in paradise with a later morning, and everyone was very excited about those extra few minutes of sleep. After chowing down on some delicious breakfast burritos, we met up with our dive instructors one last time so everyone could learn how to log their dives. This also meant that group was 100% CERTIFIED!!! We are so so proud of our 12 new divers! After collecting our new dive books, we headed back to our lodge Calypso and hung out until lunch. We played games, continued working on our friendship bracelets, and Walt and Grant even caught a crab. We had some incredible pizza for lunch that had almost everyone going back for seconds. Then it was time for our afternoon activity – fishing! The boys and Holtie loaded up the boat and headed out to cast their lines. Matthew was successful and caught a fish, meanwhile Wood caught two sharks! Once they returned, Caroline and the girls took their turn at fishing. Britt Marie caught the first one and not long after, Josephine caught a huge fish! While the girls were out, the boys did some more fishing back on the island and Grant was able to catch his long awaited tarpon, but not without the help of Jack and Walt who assisted in getting it to shore! After everyone was back on Long Caye, we exchanged stories and hung out until dinner. On theme with today’s activity, we had some fresh fish, rice, and vegetables for dinner. We are so sad this was our last dinner with Ms. Marta! We started packing our bags in lieu of the early morning, and then had our last moonup on the island. :((( Then it was time for bed since we have an early morning heading to the jungle!
Today was a bittersweet morning as we woke up with the sun to say goodbye to Long Caye. But we are so so excited for the next part of our adventure in the jungle! After breakfast, we loaded our bags onto the dive boat one last time and made the trek back to Belize City. This relaxing ride let us all soak in the sun and spray from the waves one last time. Once we got to the marina, we met our guide, Abel, who will be showing us around this next week! We all climbed into Abel’s van and headed farther inland, but first we had to stop at the famous Belize sign for a photo opp! After a few hours on the road, we stopped for lunch at Taco Taco, which quickly became a fan favorite. Before long, we had arrived to Jaguar Creek which will be our home for the second half of the trip. We unpacked, explored, and even learned a lesson about how to purify water. Then Wood and Jack led the pack and jumped in the river! Not long after, everyone was swimming and tubing down the creek. Louise and BM even got into a splashing war that had all of the girls laughing. Next we cleaned up for dinner and sat down to enjoy some pork, mashed potatoes, salad, and cupcakes for dessert. We closed the night with a meaningful moonup and some hang out time.
We had a fabulous first day in the Jungle and woke up to the peaceful sound of rain hitting the roof of our cabanas. After a delicious breakfast of fry jacks, eggs, and ham, we grabbed our towels and headed to meet Abel at the van. We had a short drive over the the nearby national park where we were going cave tubing! After a quick briefing, we hiked up through the lush jungle to the entrance of the cave. As we climbed down into it, we were able to admire all the interesting rock formations and Abel even taught us about how they were made. We also got to learn about the Mayans and how they used these caves in ancient times, and even saw some artifacts left behind. Then we got to splunking!! We crawled through the caverns, explored some tunnels, and climbed up some rope to get the full effect of our caving experience. Shoutout to Yardley and Julia for helping lead the pack while exploring. Then it was time for the actual tubing!! The group was so excited to jump in the cool water after working up a sweat while splunking. We floated through the lazy current and even turned off our headlamps to see how dark the caves can get. After an exciting and adventurous morning, we sat down and had some well-deserved sandwiches for lunch. Then it was time for another activity! We completed a hike through the park, which led us to Belize’s inland blue hole. We got to take our time and swim in this beautiful swimming hole before heading back to Jaguar Creek. Here, we spent the afternoon swimming some more in the lazy river and jumping off the dock. Josephine and Louise even explored to the ends of the river! Meanwhile, the boys gave fishing a go until it was time for everyone to sit down for dinner. We had some delicious garlic chicken, sweet potatoes, salad, and tres leches cake for dessert. After moonup, we finished off the night hanging out as a group and playing wavelength. Then it was off to bed to rest up for another exciting day tomorrow!
We can’t believe it is already day nine of our trip!! For breakfast this morning, we enjoyed omelets, toast, and bacon. Then we met up with Abel once again and headed towards a ranch in our van. The group was very excited to test out the new playlist we made for them on the way there. Once we got to the ranch, we had the chance to meet a horse that had just been born the night before! Alli Mac and Julia were especially excited to meet the new born, and Owen even got to pet it. Then it was time to meet and mount our own horses! They took us on an awesome trail ride through the forest and even into a creek. Yardley especially killed it on her horse named Kitty! After horseback riding, we sat down for a delicious lunch of chicken, rice, beans, and good conversation. Then the group changed into our swimsuits and jumped into the ranch’s pool. Everyone was super excited to cool off in the water and we played lots of games including STAR and some football. Next was a very exciting surpise – an ice cream stop!! Everyone rushed out of the van once they figured out this was our next destination and got to cool off even more with some delicious soft serve. Once back at Jaguar Creek, we continued the fun in the water and went floating down the lazy river. As we dried off, Owen and Matthew even got into a heated game of backgammon. Before long, it was time for dinner which somehow turned into a hot sauce eating contest. We closed off the night with moonup under the stars and bright full moon.
We truly cannot BELIZE this trip will be coming to an end soon! :((( We have had so much fun with this amazing group and can’t wait to soak in our last couple of days together.
Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful teens with us! Talk soon!
– Holtie and Caroline
Wood-hey thanks for sending me to Belize! Everyone is great!
Grant- Thanks for sending me to Belize Leaders are nice ppl👌capiche
BM- thank you for sending me here it’s so fun and I love my group and leaders!
Owen-hey thanks for sending me on this trip it’s so fun everyone is great!
Walt-thank you for sending me to Belize mom and dad Im having a blast and leaders are cool
Julia- hi mom and dad thanks for sending me to Belize it’s been so fun so far! We’re trying so many new activities and the food here is amazing! Love you see you soon.
Jo-hi mom, dad, Eleonore, CH, and Amelie, thank you so much for letting me come here this trip has been amazing and I’m having SO much fun. We have done such cool activities in the jungle and beach. Love you
Yardley- Thanks for sending me here! Bye!
Louise: Hi fam! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! It has been so fun and I’m having a great time. Love y’all!
Jack: thank you so much for sending me to this trip it has been so fun.
Alli Mac- Thank you so much for sending me to Belize! I’m actually having so much fun! Love you!
Matthew – Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I’m having so much fun! Love you!
Fun in the Sun!
June 25, 2026
Hellooooooo from the most unBELIZEable place on earth! We had an amazing first day of what we know will be an incredible two weeks with this awesome group!! After everyone arrived safely in Belize City, we made introductions and set off on our adventure. We stopped at a pizza joint right on the water, where we enjoyed our first meal of the session together. Then we grabbed our bags, headed to the marina, and hopped on a boat that took us to Long Caye. The boat ride was long and had everyone soaking wet by the end, but the group was full of high energy and laughs as the waves splashed them. Then we arrived at our home for the next week, a beautiful and secluded island for just us! We settled in and played lots of games, including Birdie on a perch and Calabria. We even had our very first veggie-off (a silly tiebreaker where someone acts out an adjective and a vegetable), which Wood emerged victorious from! Before we knew it, it was time for dinner, and we got to enjoy meatballs, rice, and salad prepared by our lovely chef, Ms. Marta. Next, it was time for our first moonup and to head to bed and rest up for our first full day tomorrow!
Checking in from an awesome first full day on Long Caye!!! We woke up rested and ready for an amazing day of diving, but first had to fuel up. For breakfast, we enjoyed some tortillas, eggs, and sausage. Then we headed to the dock, where we met our awesome dive instructors Axel, Sam, Lu, and Brian. They showed everyone the ropes of how to set up our dive gear and reviewed all the important parts of a successful scuba dive! Our Leaders of the Day, Britt Marie and Wood, even wore some super awesome bright yellow shower caps that had everyone laughing while learning. Then it was time to cool off in the water for the swim test!! Everyone jumped in and successfully completed a few laps in the ocean, as well as treading water. After we had worked up an appetite, the group headed back inside for lunch and some surprise cookies and wafers from Ms. Marta. Next, it was time to actually load up the boat and go out into the water for our first actual dive! Everyone geared up and practiced their new skills in the shallow water, and eventually took their very first breaths underwater!! The group did amazing, and everyone emerged with smiling faces and hype energy. Yardley was especially excited and loved her first scuba dive. After a long but rewarding afternoon in the water, we headed in and had some time to shower and reset before sitting down for a delicious dinner of pasta, chicken, and vegetables. Then it was time for another great moonup and time to rest for another amazing day in paradise!!
Day 3 started with an exciting surprise – some homemade fry jacks topped with Nutella and powdered sugar! This put the group in the perfect mood for our long diving day ahead. After breakfast, we grabbed our towels and headed to the boat, where everyone assembled their own tanks and regulators before leaving land. Then we headed back to the same sandbar from yesterday, and everyone reviewed their skills to make sure they had them mastered. Louise was especially on it and showed the group how it’s done! Then we headed back to land for lunch, which the group agreed were some of the best quesadillas we’ve ever had. After some lounging in the sun and catching our breath, it was time to head back into the water. But this time, for our FIRST OPEN WATER DIVE!!!!! Everyone was pumped as we jumped into the water and emerged with lots of excitement when we resurfaced an hour later. We are so proud of everyone for getting through their skills so quickly and for their progress so far! Before we knew it, we were heading back into the shower and getting ready for dinner. After dinner, the entire group had a friendship bracelet-making class and is now working on some awesome new accessories. Next was moonup, and we headed inside to fall asleep to the sound of the island rain.
Happy day 4!! Today was a very exciting day because everyone got to become a CERTIFIED DIVER!!!! It was an early morning before a packed day, so after breakfast, we headed out to the dock and loaded up the boat with all of our gear. Then we set out to sea for our morning dive. The “deep sea divers” team, which consisted of Yardley, Louise, Josephine, Matthew, Wood, and Grant, even saw a shark on our first dive! We were able to take a quick break and have some snacks back on land before completing dive number two! Before long, we had worked up our appetites again and were ready to resurface for lunch. We enjoyed some delicious chicken empanadas and then headed back out for a third dive!!!!! On this last one, Britt Marie, Julia, Alli Mac, Owen, Walt, and Jack’s group saw several sharks and practiced their underwater games. Despite the busy and exhausting day, everyone had high energy and enthusiasm throughout the day. Alli Mac especially killed all of the dives and was a star student throughout the day. We are so, so proud of everyone for getting certified and for their awesome attitudes and excitement throughout the entire process!! After completing our final dive, we went back to shore to get ready for dinner and share about all of the sea creatures we got to see. For dinner, the group was ecstatic to enjoy some hamburgers and French fries. Then it was time for another great moonup and some hackeysack before hitting the hay!
Our next morning had an extra special wake-up because IT’S JACK’S BIRTHDAYYYYY!!!!!! We had Nutella pancakes for breakfast and gave Jack some birthday treats and a bright, decorated vest for his special day. Then we prepped for today’s activity – snorkeling at Half Moon Caye! We took the boat over to this beautiful, remote island that looked like it was straight out of a movie. We got to explore the beach on one side and the ocean rock walls on the other, all under tons of gorgeous palm trees. Then it was time for the actual snorkeling. We took our time exploring the reefs and splashing around in the bright blue water. Josephine, Julia, and a few others even participated in some handstand contests. Then we spent the rest of the morning lounging in the shallower water and soaking up some rays. For lunch, we had an amazing picnic which included chicken, rice, beans, and even some Funfetti cake. Next, we spent the afternoon exploring more of the island and swimming in the ocean. We got to go on a bird walk and spot the famous red-footed birds from an observatory deck. Owen and Matthew also showed off their soccer skills during our free time on the island. Before we knew it, our time on Half Moon was over, and we were ready to head back to Long Caye. The rest of the afternoon was spent making bracelets, enjoying snacks, and listening to music. Then we had one of our favorite dinners yet – chicken tenders and Mac and cheese! Jack blew out some candles and shared cookies with the rest of the group to continue the celebration! Then it was time for moonup, and the group hung out for a bit until bedtime. Some spontaneous water wars even broke out, and Walt and Grant emerged victorious.
This trip has flown by so far, and we are incredibly grateful for such an awesome group! We can’t wait for our adventures to continue in the jungle next week!
Signing off for now,
Caroline and Holtie
Shoutouts!
Grant-Hey mom and dad I can’t Belize👀👀 it’s already day 5! I loved getting to see all of the sharks nd stuff. Cant wait to see y’all!❤️
Britt Marie: hi mom and dad it’s day five and we just finished scuba diving for 3 days. It was so awesome and we saw a couple sharks. See y’all soon
Walt-hey mom and dad it’s day 5️⃣ here we finished scuba diving 🤿 yesterday and it was a interesting experience so ups⬆️ and downs⬇️ but overall cool I have made many new friends like jack, and grant I miss y’all though❤️ and cant wait to see all yall. ✌️
Julia-hi mom and dad if had so much fun so far we got scuba certified yesterday and we spent today at the beach! I miss y’all and cant wait to see you when I come home!
Owen-hey mom and dad Im having so much fun we just finished scuba diving and my group is really fun. Miss you cant wait to see you when I come home!
Alli Mac- hi mom and dad Im having an awesome time!we finished scuba diving yesterday and it was so cool! My group is really nice and I love my leaders! Love you guys cant wait to tell y’all everything!
Yardley- hi mom and dad Im having a good time.
Matthew- Hi Mom, Dad, and Ava! I’m having so much fun and we’re 5 days in. I hope yall aren’t missing me too much. Love you and I’ll see you soon!
Josephine hi mom, dad, eleonore, charles henri, and Amelie, Im having so much fun. The activities we have done have been so much fun and scuba diving was amazing. I love and miss you so much.
Wood- Hey guys having a blast! Just finished up scuba diving. Love and miss y’all!
Louise: Hey mom, dad, and Danny. I have been having so much fun and scuba diving was great. Love and miss you guys!
Jack Lamm: hey guys, I’m having fun met a lot of friends like wood who went to Woodbury with and Walt. love y’all
Safe Arrival in Belize!
June 20, 2026
Hello Belize Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Belize City! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from 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
