Final Moments Together!
July 4, 2026
Day 11 – Sierra Negra & Isabela Island
Today we hiked to the rim of Sierra Negra Volcano, one of the largest volcanic craters in the world! After the hike, we spent the afternoon enjoying some well-earned downtime, swimming, tanning, and exploring the shops around town. We also made a stop at the famous Pan Mixto Bakery, where Thomas and Ari discovered a delicious ham sandwich that quickly became everyone’s new favorite.
That evening, we joined a soccer game with some local kids, and it was definitely a trip highlight! Evi was unstoppable in goal, while Stone, Hutton, and Charles dominated on the attack. We wrapped up the day with a delicious dinner at a local restaurant featuring pesto pasta before heading back to the hostel for ice cream.
Day 12 – Surf, Beach Day & Back to Santa Cruz
Our final full day in the Galápagos was packed with fun! We started the morning surfing, where Joseph, Alex, and Henry took on the bigger waves like pros. Afterward, we spent time relaxing on the beach. Abby, Jameson, and Zoe put together the perfect playlist for our beach walk, which quickly turned into an occasional dance party.
For lunch, we enjoyed burgers and fish and chips before catching the ferry back to Santa Cruz. Once we arrived, we spent some time exploring town and even got to watch the USA compete in the World Cup together. We finished the evening with dinner at the famous Sushi Midori, grabbed gelato afterward, and ended the night with our final Moonup led by Blythe and Stokes. It was a special evening reflecting on all of the memories we’d made together over the past two weeks.
Day 13 – Travel Day ✈️
Our final day together arrived far too quickly. We enjoyed a slower morning at the Red Booby, giving everyone time for some last-minute exploring before heading to the airport. The girls went on one final jewelry shopping adventure, while the boys made a stop at Darwin & Finch, a popular Galápagos shop. Before leaving the island, they even squeezed in one last jump off the docks for a final swim.
We then flew back to Quito, where we spent our last few hours together in the airport before saying our goodbyes. It is hard to believe how much this group grew over the course of just two weeks. Watching friendships form, confidence grow, and so many unforgettable memories be made has been such a privilege. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of these students and feel so grateful to have shared this adventure with them!
Signing off, EGP 2A
Update from EGP 2A!
July 1, 2026
Day 6
We woke up bright and early for our flight to the Galápagos! We were welcomed by our incredible naturalist guide, Fabo, who quickly became everyone’s favorite. After arriving, we enjoyed some of the best pizza we’ve had all trip before spending time relaxing by the beach and making a few new sea lion friends. In the afternoon, we had our very first snorkeling adventure, where we swam alongside sea turtles, an unforgettable introduction to the Galápagos! We wrapped up the day with a delicious dinner at Sushi Midori and, of course, ended the night with ice cream.
Day 7
Another early morning brought us to a beautiful nature walk where we saw some of the most incredible wildlife yet. We then headed out for an exciting snorkeling excursion, with playful sea lions darting all around us! Lunch featured more delicious sushi, and the fish nuggets were an unexpected group favorite. In the afternoon, we hiked before another snorkeling adventure where we saw even more sea lions and swam alongside sea turtles.
That evening, we put our teamwork to the test during a cooking class! Jameson, Joseph, and Abby took charge of making the fresh juice, Henry and Thomas prepared the ceviche, Zoe chopped all the vegetables, and Hutton, Charles, and Evi made the fried plantains. Everything turned out delicious, and it was such a fun way to experience Ecuadorian cuisine together.
Day 8
Today was one of our favorite cultural experiences of the trip as we spent the morning at a local farm for our service project. We learned so much about the farm and its history, and Joseph definitely stole the show by catching what felt like every chicken on the farm! Afterward, we boarded the ferry back to Santa Cruz and checked into one of our favorite hostels, the Red Booby. Alex led the boys to the pool for an afternoon swim before we all enjoyed dinner at TJ’s. We finished the evening with ice cream from Galápagos Deli, which has officially become our favorite spot in town!
Day 9
We kicked off the day with our long hike out to Tortuga Bay, and it was well worth it! We spent hours at the beach swimming, relaxing, and playing games together. After lunch at Galápagos Deli, we headed out to spend the afternoon with the giant tortoises before enjoying dinner at Burger House. Ari and Thomas had everyone laughing after buying matching blue-footed booby nightgowns and proudly wearing them for the rest of the evening. Stone has also discovered a new favorite hobby, making friendship bracelets.. and surprised Blythe with one of the coolest bracelets of the trip!
Day 10
We were up early once again for our ferry over to Isabela Island. After arriving, we spent the morning surfing before enjoying a delicious traditional Ecuadorian lunch. In the afternoon, we snorkeled and continued to be amazed by the incredible marine life surrounding the island. We ended the day with dinner at a beautiful beachfront restaurant right on the beach. It was the perfect ending to another unforgettable day in the Galápagos!
Hi Mom and Dad!!! I just wanted to say thank you for sending me on this trip! I have had an amazing experience here and can’t wait to see you! Love you! – Abby Kamm
Thank you for sending me here! – love Henry
Hi mom and dad! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I have seen once in a life time things! I have had the best time ever!! See you guys soon xx Ari
Thank you for sending me here I have had a lot of fun- Love Alex.
Hello Mom and Dad, thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be on this trip and letting me meet these amazing people! I miss Saylor so much and can’t wait to see her! I got a really good birthday present for Turner and can’t wait to give it to him!!-Love Stone
Thank you mom and dad for sending me on this trip! It has been awesome, dad we need to do a boys trip here some time. – Joseph
Hi mom and dad! I am having an amazing experience here and I just wanted to say thank you so much for this opportunity!! I love you guys and can’t wait to see you guys! -Zoe
Hey mom and dad! I have been having a blast on this trip!!! I want to thank you for sending me here and dedicating so much time and energy to me ❤️❤️❤️ -evi
Hi mom and dad I sending you this message to tell you that I’m having a great time and can’t wait to see you also I want to thank you for sending me on this amazing trip see you soon -Hutton
Hey mom and dad, thank you for sending me on this awesome trip. Love y’all. -Charles
Hey mom and dad thank you so much for sending me on this amazing trip. I am having so much fun but I can’t wait to see yall. Love you so you soon. Love yall.
-Thomas
Hey mom!! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. It’s been the most awesome experience and I’ve made the best friendships. I’m excited to see you and waffles soon!! Miss you and I love you lots! ❤️
-Jameson
Adventures from Quito to Cotopaxi!
June 27, 2026
What’s up EGP 2A!
We’ve officially wrapped up our first five days together, and what an incredible start it has been! Here’s a look back at everything we’ve been up to:
Day 1 – Airport Day
Our adventure officially began! After arriving in Ecuador, we grabbed pizza for dinner, had our very first Moonup, handed out trip t-shirts and alumni gifts, and played a few games to get to know one another (telephone quickly became a group favorite). We also made a new friend, Liam, at the hotel! The girls ended the night bonding over tea, and we nominated our first Leaders of the Day, Ari and Stone.
Day 2 – Quito & the Equator
We spent the day exploring Quito before heading to the Equator Line! We enjoyed a delicious chocolate tasting, visited the famous equator, and had a traditional Ecuadorian lunch. Ari, Stone, Abby, Alex, and Jameson proved to be our egg-balancing experts, successfully balancing eggs right on the equator! After returning to the hotel, the boys invented their own game, “Shoe Golf,” led by Alex, with Joseph earning the title of the very first Shoe Golf champion. We wrapped up the evening with a wonderful dinner at Nuna Restaurant.
Day 3 – Cotopaxi to Baños
The day started with one of everyone’s favorite activities so far, horseback riding through the mountains! Zoe and Evi confidently led the pack, and after enjoying tea with an incredible view at the top, we had the chance to trot our horses. Thomas and Hutton quickly turned that into a friendly horse race! Before leaving, we also made friends with the cat at the lodge. We then made our way to Baños, explored the town, and finished the day with a delicious Italian dinner.
Day 4 – Waterfalls & Adventure
Today was full of adventure! We hiked to waterfalls, rode the cable car across the canyon, and took turns swinging over the “Edge of the World.” Henry conquered his fear of heights, and Charles bravely volunteered to go first on the swing! That evening, we traded hiking boots for dancing shoes during our salsa lesson, where Joseph and Jameson were crowned our official Salsa King and Queen.
Day 5 – Ziplining & Friendship Bracelets
Our group absolutely crushed the zipline course today! On the drive back toward Quito, we stopped for lunch at a beautiful Ecuadorian restaurant in the mountains. Stone learned how to make friendship bracelets and was immediately hooked, and Abby came up with the idea to put everyone’s names in a hat so we could do a friendship bracelet exchange. It was such a fun way to end our time together in Baños and a reminder of how close this group has already become.
We can’t wait to see what the second half of our adventure has in store! Thank you all for sharing such an incredible group of students with us, they continue to impress us every single day. We can’t wait for our next adventures in the Galapagos!!!
Student Shoutouts:
Zoe: Hey family! I’m having a great time here in the Galápagos! I’ve seen so many cool animals and made new friends. The food here is super good, and I haven’t gotten sick or sunburnt. This experience is so fun but miss you guys! Love you soooo much.– Zoe ♡
Abby: Hi Mom, Dad & Charley! I have literally had the best time ever! Today we snorkeled with turtles and sea lions. It was truly awesome. Everyone here is so nice and we are getting along awesome! I hope everything is going great at home & I love y’all and miss y’all. Also Happy Father’s Day! Love y’all. See you soon! All the activities are awesome and the food is great. See you soon!♡, Abby
Ari: Hi Mom, Dad + Charley! Miss you guys so much! This is the best trip ever. Dad, we saw the blue-footed bird today, so cool. We are always doing something so fun. Bro, miss you guys. Can’t wait to see you guys. Mom, my tooth does not hurt anymore. Having so fun! See you soon! Hope you had a good Father’s Day!
Evi: Hi everyone!!! The trip has been so much fun!! We saw turtles, sea lions, horses and so many other cool things. I haven’t gotten sick or burnt so don’t worry at all!! Dad, hope you had a good Father’s Day also. 😊 Miss you and love you. Be back soon!!
Jameson: Hi Mom & Dad!! I miss y’all so so much! I’m having the best time here + seeing the coolest things ever! Happy late Father’s Day to you Dad & I love you. This trip has been so fun + awesome but I miss y’all & can’t wait to see y’all! Please take care of waffles for me! I love y’all so much and see y’all soon!
Thomas:Hey Mom and Dad, I am having a great time. Love you.
Hutton: Hi Mom and Dad, I’m having a great time in Ecuador. Can’t wait for what comes next. Can’t wait to see y’all. Love ya.
Henry: Hey Mom and Dad, love you! Having fun! Hope the dogs are good and Dad likes his Father’s Day gift.
Alex: Hello, I’m safe and having fun, love u.
Stone: Hello Parents, I am living and having fun. Tell Taylor I miss her lots. Love you guys. Hope you have a good time without your favorite child.
Joseph: Hello, I am having a great time. Thank you! Love you!
Charles: Hey Mom & Dad, I’m having a great time. Love y’all.
Welcome to Ecuador!
June 21, 2026
Hello Ecuador + Galapagos 2A Families!
We heard from our leaders last night that the group has landed safely in Quito! The trip is off to a great start and we can’t 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 two weeks! 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
