Final Fun!
June 20, 2026
Day 12:
What a jam packed day! We started off the morning with a cable car adventure over el rio verde! After facing some fears of heights, we hiked to see an incredible waterfall! The kids were mesmerized by the height and speed of the water! We enjoyed some coffee and pastries at a local coffee shop located along the trail. It was one of the prettiest coffee shops we had ever seen, with huge glass windows and an amazing view of the waterfall. We then hopped back in the bus for a scenic ride! Charlotte kept the vibes high with her awesome playlist! We enjoyed some fresh empanadas while the kids took turns on the swing off the edge of the world! That afternoon, we enjoyed more coffee and pastries and explored the local markets! The kids got all sorts of souvenirs for themselves and their friends and families! Davis, Nick, Wright, Amzie, Caroline, Oliver, and Gabe all got amazing ponchos to remember their time in Ecuador! We had so much fun looking around in the different shops and enjoying some of the local fruit! That night, we got moving at a salsa dancing class under the stars! Caroline showed us her moves she learned in 3rd grade music class and earned her title as the Queen of Salsa! Nick and Davis also impressed us with Davis as an honorable mention and Nick as the King! We enjoyed delicious drinks and a fantastic Ecuadorian barbeque! It was the perfect end to our trip!
Day 13:
Our last full day together as a group 🙁 We have so enjoyed getting to know each and every one of these kids. They each truly added something unique and special to our group, and the trip would not have been the same without them! This morning we enjoyed our last breakfast together, then headed out for our final activity- zip lining! We spent the morning zipping and climbing around! Lilly climbed the Via Ferrata without an ounce of fear, Lottie and Olivia took on the final zip line in tandem, and Ben got to show off his climbing skills on one section. The sights and sounds of the river were truly incredible and everyone was truly fearless! After flying through the canyon, we hopped in the bus and enjoyed some music together while heading back to Quito. We’ve met so many amazing people along this trip and have already had a few hard goodbyes, but tonight was definitely the hardest! We said goodbye to 12 amazing kids as they boarded their plane to head back to the United States! We all had the best 2 weeks together and will look back fondly on all the memories we have made!
NUGS TO EPG 1B!
-Eli & Jane
Sun's Up In Santa Cruz (and Ecuador:))!
June 16, 2026
Day 8:
Another beautiful day in Santa Cruz! We enjoyed a delicious breakfast of eggs, croissants, and fresh fruits as a group in our hotel! We surprised the kids with a local breakfast pastry “pan de yuca” to try, which is a delectable cheese bread ball that many of the kids loved! After fueling up, we headed out to hike a volcano! What an incredible sight to see! We were so lucky to have clear blue skies and to see the inside of the crater! Many of the kids described it as something from another planet! After our morning hike, we stopped for lunch at a delicious shawarma restaurant! All the food was incredible! So incredible, that we came back for dinner! That afternoon, we enjoyed some time together relaxing by the pool and listening to music. We were in awe with Amzie’s incredible singing, and Oliver blew us away on the guitar! After lots of laughs and more “Marco Polo,” we headed out for some afternoon soccer with one of the local teams! Wright truly impressed us with both his enthusiasm and goals scored, while Davis was outstanding in the goal! It was so special to get to see the kids having so much fun and making new friends with some of the locals! We concluded the day with more shawarma, cheering on the US in the world cup, and Moonup in the pool!
Day 9:
We started off our last day on Isabella with some morning surfing! Ben and Charlotte crushed it that morning, catching more waves than we could count! Every time we looked up, he was up on the wave! We had some sea lion visitors in the water with us that morning and Nick even saw a penguin swimming by! We enjoyed another walk along the beach, followed by an intense game of beach volleyball, before showering off and heading to the dock to catch our ferry back to Santa Cruz! That evening, the girls explored some of the local shops, and we all enjoyed one last dinner with our amazing guide, before another sad goodbye! We’ve met so many incredible people here on the islands!
Day 10:
Hard to believe it’s already time for us to leave the islands! We got to catch up on some much needed rest for an extra few hours that morning, before loading up the bus and heading to the airport, with all of the kids in their matching blue-footed-boobie tshirts! Olivia and Caroline completed the fit with their matching blue-footed-boobie socks they found in the airport! On the flight, Nick and Amzie made some new friends, and Ben got some great photos! After returning to Banos, everyone enjoyed a fun game of pickup soccer (or fútbol as they call it here) and then we walked to Nuna where we watched Ecuador play in the World Cup as we had dinner. Oliver commented that “he’s never seen a country this united!”
Day 11:
We’re back in Ecuador! Today, we jammed out to some music in the bus, as we made our way to Cotopaxi! The boys and the girls each got 5 minutes to add their favorite songs to a playlist, and we played it the whole way! Upon arriving at Cotopaxi, we received our Chaps and Ponchos (and helmets) to complete our transformation into Chagras, or Andean cowboys. Lottie and Olivia took some scenic photos in their new cowgirl gear, while Nick, upon mounting his horse, remarked that “whoever came up with the idea of riding on a horse is a genius!” We then set off on an adventure up a trail towards a beautiful viewpoint of Cotopaxi. Along the way, Lilly’s horse, “Chocolate,” kept getting distracted by delicious snacks (grass), Ben’s horse, “Cotopaxi,” was a true gentle giant, and Wright switched horses to a much faster, younger steed. Charlotte’s horse, “Bocadillo” (which means snack in Spanish) loved to stop for snacks but then got super speedy and loved to pass everyone else. After returning our horses to the stable, we bussed to lunch, and after a delicious lunch (with chocolate for dessert), we kept rocking out on the bus to Baños. Upon arriving, we played in a local park, with Nick, Wright, Amzie, and Gabe playing basketball against a pair of Ecuadorian grandparents and their granddaughter. Our team lost “a lot to a little,” but we all had a great time!
Thank you’s:
Oliver: Dear Mom and Dad, thank you so much for sending me on this awesome trip. It’s been so much fun. Love and miss y’all!
Caroline: Hi Mom and Dad! Thanks so much for sending me here, it’s been so fun. Love you and see you soon!
Amzie: Thank y’all for giving me this amazing opportunity, and I just want you to know I never took a second for granted!! Thank you for letting me go on this amazing trip!!!
Olivia: Hey Mom and Dad! I miss you guys so much, and I am so grateful that you guys let me come on this trip, and all that you do for me. I love you guys SOOO much!!!🇪🇨🐊❣️✌️😝🥳🤩🤠
Lottie: Thank y’all for sending me on this trip and I’ll see y’all soon!✌️
Gabe: Thank you guys so much for letting me come to Ecuador. The trip has been insane. Love you guys.
Wright: Thanks for sending me on Ecuador and blessing me with so many great opportunities.
Davis: Thank you much for giving me the opportunity to go on this awesome trip, I love you!
Ben: Hey! I’m having so much fun and making new memories with new friends. The islands were awesome, and I’m excited to see the mountains next. Thank you so much for sending me to this amazing country.
Nick: Thank you again for sending me on this trip, it’s still going great! Miss and Love y’all!
Lilly: Thank y’all so so much for allowing me to go on this trip. I have had the best time and making the best memories. I miss and love y’all 😆🦭
Charlotte: Thanks so so much for sending me on this trip! I am having the best time!! I have made so many great memories. I can’t wait to tell y’all about!! See you soon 🩷
Excitement of Ecuador!
June 12, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Day 1:
We were so excited to welcome everyone off the plane to Ecuador! We shared our first meal as a group- some delicious cheese and pepperoni pizza at our first hostel! After playing the name game, we gathered for our first Moonup, where we started to get to know each other a little better, then went to bed to get some rest for our first full day in Ecuador together!
Day 2:
Our first full day in Ecuador! We started off our trip by exploring the city of Quito! We toured the gorgeous, historic churches of Quito covered head to toe in gold! Everyone was in awe of their beauty and detail! Afterwards, we ventured to a chocolate store for an Ecuadorian chocolate tasting! We learned all about Ecuadorian cocoa beans and the chocolate making process and even got to taste some ourselves! We tried all sorts of percentages of cocoa and flavors, including orange, café, and even lemon grass! Nick crushed it and guessed the mystery flavor- mango! To finish off our chocolate tasting experience we all enjoyed decadent brownies and hot chocolate, made with the chocolate we had just tasted! After our morning exploring Quito, we headed to the equator- such a bucket list item! We had fun learning about the discovery of the equator and all sorts of fun facts! The kids got to try the infamous egg on a nail trick, which Gabe, Wright, and Ben mastered! That afternoon, we concluded the day by playing soccer, hacky sack, and volleyball at our hostel, ate a delicious dinner together, and of course finished the day with Moonup!
Day 3:
Today starts our adventure in the Galapagos! We enjoyed breakfast together at the hostel then said goodbye to our our sweet hosts! Our group so enjoyed playing board games, soccer, and Jenga with them, especially Amzie! She has such a big heart and was so good with all of the kids! After a sweet but hard goodbye, we headed to the airport start our adventure in the Galapagos! We hit the ground running after lunch and headed to our first activity- snorkeling! We all had so much fun swimming, chasing, and playing with all the sea lions! Such a cool experience! After exploring the cove and enjoying the wildlife, we ate dinner where Oliver tackled the “Darwin burger” which can best be described as a burger half-evolved into a pizza!
Day 4:
We started off the day with a nature walk to the beach where we were able to see lots of marine iguanas and some sea lions! At the beach, the boys caught some body surfing waves and the girls played “over under” in the waves! We enjoyed some time in the sun together, observing the wild life in their natural habitat and enjoying the nice weather before heading back to town for a delicious sushi lunch! Our sweet guide even helped us find cake and candles for Lilly’s sweet 16th birthday! After our busy morning, we took a quick boat ride to our next destination- isla lobos! The kids (and the leaders) took a quick power nap on the way before enjoying a scenic hike- including frigate birds, blue footed boobies, marine iguanas, and of course lots of sea lions! We learned about the “beach master” sea lion and lots of fun facts all about the blue footed boobies! We even got to see the infamous bird dance! After our hike, we cooled off in the crystal blue water, swimming and snorkeling around! We jammed out to some music on our boat ride back, before showers, and an authentic galapageño cooking class for dinner! We made delicious ceviche, fresh orange juice, chicken, rice, and plantain chips! Ben and Davis showed us their excellent chopping skills, with Ben helping out with the plantain chips and Davis finely chopping the vegetables and fish for the ceviche! Nick and the girls worked hard to make us some freshly squeezed orange juice! We finished off the night with more cake and ice cream for Lilly’s birthday! After dinner, we walked around town and the kids got matching blue footed boobie shirts! We concluded the day with Moonup and a game of “family” led by Lilly to close out the night!
Day 5:
Another great day in the Galapagos! Today we spent the morning in the highlands exploring and learning more about some of the local farms! We got to see, smell, and taste some of the local produce including lemon grass, peppers, tangerine lemons, and more! After sampling some of the delicious produce, we headed to the coops to see the chickens, ducks, and goats! Caroline and Oliver got after it, chasing some of the loose chickens and returning them to their cage! We learned about the different species of chickens and Lottie and Olivia even got to hold some of the baby chicks! Ben and Gabe got to work planting some trees for the farm. After a delicious home cooked lunch made from produce straight from the farm, we said goodbye to the island and took a ferry over to the next island! It has been so great getting to see and learn about all these different areas of the islands!
Day 6:
Our first full day on the new island! We started the day with a trip to the highlands to see the giant tortoises! Our amazing guide taught us all about these amazing creatures. It was incredible to learn about and see all the different species of Galapagos tortoises. We even got to venture down into the lava tunnels to see some owls! There is truly so much beauty here on these islands! We enjoyed some of the best sandwiches we have ever had at the Galapagos deli, where they make their bread and ice cream from scratch every morning. We then headed to the beach to enjoy some time in the water together! We shared lots of laughs playing water games like Marco Polo! That night, we just couldn’t stay away from the Deli and returned for more delicious sandwiches, pizza, and this time some of their homemade ice cream! We walked around town, enjoying our ice cream, and even made our way down to the dock to see pelicans and sea lions hunting for their dinner! Oliver made a friend with a baby sea lion while playing around for the title of “Beach Master.” After, we went back to our hostel for one last Moonup on the island, before packing our bags and getting some sleep before our next adventure!
Day 7:
We started off the day bright and early for a quick morning ferry ride! When we got off the boat we went straight to our first activity of the day- some more snorkeling! We saw parrot fish, marble rays, and sea turtles! It was incredible! After our morning snorkel, we enjoyed a beach side lunch and refueled for an afternoon of surfing! Charlotte crushed those waves! She truly was a natural up on the board. Everyone had so much fun and really impressed us with their surfing skills and effort! We were even more impressed by Davis’ mussel up and 5 minute plank, during our post surf beach workout competition! Caroline also shared with us her impressive gymnast and dive strength! After our quick impromptu workout, we walked down the beach back to our hostel. On our way back, we stumbled across and volleyball net and got to play some beach volleyball before dinner together on the waterfront! Nick blew us away with his “My Way” Frank Sinatra performance after Moonup. We have had such a great first week and can’t wait to see what’s in store for week 2!
Shoutouts:
Caroline: Hi Mom and Dad I miss you guys and I’m having a ton of fun here. We’ve been doing a lot of snorkeling which is really cool. Love you and see you soon! Ps please tell goosie I say hi
Amzie: Hey guys I know u miss me!! Hope you have enjoyed following my Venmo card trail. Earlier this week we snorkeled with sea lions and today we went surfing it was so cool. The ice cream here is also SO GREAT and they’re these things called amor’s and they also great, anyway I got you guys insect repellent flavored chocolate( I think it tastes like that) and I can’t wait to have a chocolate tasting!!!! See y’all soon!!
Olivia: Hey Mom and Dad I miss you guys so much and I am having soooo much fun I love my group and my leaders are the best. I have seen so many new cool things and I can’t wait to show you when I get home! I love you guys!❣️
Lottie: Love you guys and miss y’all and I have a very exciting thing I learned that I can show Henley and Brahm that will impress them. See y’all in a week!!😆
Lilly: Hey Mom and Dad I miss y’all so so much and am having the best time. I have been doing the coolest things and I am so excited to tell y’all about everything I did. I bought some little souvenirs to bring back to y’all. Thank y’all so much for letting me go on this trip and see y’all in a week!!😚😚
Charlotte: Hey Mom Dad and lily I miss you guys so much. I am having the best time and love my group so much. I have been doing so many new cool things that I can’t wait to tell you guys about. Thank you so much for sending me I’ll see you soon!! 🩷
Gabe: Hi Mom, Dad, Case, and Wells, I can’t express how much fun Ecuador is. Our group is super chill and Eli and JR are really good leaders. Wells, you would love Eli. I miss ya’ll thanks for letting me come here. Love you.
Nick: Hi Mom and Dad, this is awesome; Ecuador is very cool so is the Galapagos. Thank you so much for sending me on this great venture.🐊 I love y’all.
Wright: Hello Mom 👩 , hello Dad 👨. Ecuador is super duper cool. And I can’t forget the Galapagos 🐧. Thank you so much for sending me.🇪🇨😆 Love 💕 ✌️
Ben: Greetings and salutations mother and father Ecuador has been very cool we have seen many different types of animals like blue footed boobies and more it has been fun hanging out with new people. This has been fun, thank you, prepare for my arrival when I get home. Love y’all
Davis: Hey Mom, Hey Dad, Ecuador was awesome and now we are in the Galapagos. The animals here are amazing, I have seen sea lions, marine iguanas and flamingos. We also saw a bird dance while hiking. Alright, I love you and I will see you soon!
Love you, Davis
Oliver: Hi Mom and Dad! I miss you and love you guys so much. The trip has been very fun and we’ve done so much cool stuff like surfing and snorkeling and so much more. I hope y’all are doing well, love you!
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello Ecuador + Galapagos Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! 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
