Bye Bye, Baños!
July 3, 2026
Day 11:We started off the morning with a tour of Baños! We took in breathtaking waterfalls and scenic views from the cable car before facing some fears on a hike to another incredible waterfall. After our adventure, we enjoyed some of the best coffee and pastries we’ve ever had at one of the coolest coffee shops we’ve ever visited. The entire café was surrounded by glass walls, making for amazing views while we relaxed and refueled. Once we got some more steps in, we headed to the famous Swing at the End of the World! That afternoon, we explored the town of Baños and wandered through the local markets. Anneliese, Eloise, Jack Tracy, Claire, and Emory all picked up matching Ecuadorian jerseys! After a fun afternoon of exploring, we danced the night away during our salsa lesson. Duke was a real showstopper with his impressive salsa moves, but Jack Wheeler and Laura definitely earned the titles of salsa king and queen! After tearing up the dance floor, we joined locals to cheer on Ecuador during their World Cup match against Mexico. Although Ecuador didn’t come away with the win, celebrating alongside the community and dancing through the streets of Baños made for an unforgettable night!
Day 12:Our last morning in Baños started with one more adventure! We headed out for an exciting morning of ziplining. We pushed ourselves outside our comfort zones as we soared over the roaring Río Verde, crossed suspension bridges high above the river, and climbed challenging rock walls. After our morning adventure, we enjoyed some of the best chicken tacos and quesadillas we’ve ever had. With full stomachs, we loaded up the bus and made our way back to Quito. That evening, Katie and Jack Tracy led us in one final MoonUp, where we reflected on all the incredible memories, friendships, and experiences from the past two weeks. We ended the night with more rounds of Man Hunt and Infection, soaking in one of our final evenings together as a group.
Day 13:Our last full day together was one to remember! We spent the morning exploring the beautiful city of Quito, beginning with a visit to the Equator. Albert, Emory, and Eloise proved to be our egg-balancing champions as they successfully balanced eggs on a nail! After learning about the history and significance of the Equator, we headed into the historic center to admire the stunning architecture, including breathtaking churches adorned with gold and spectacular views overlooking the city. Following a delicious lunch, we visited Yumbos for a traditional Ecuadorian chocolate tasting. We sampled a variety of unique flavors, including chile and sea salt, mango, tangerine, lemongrass, and coffee. Wills, Claire, and Sutton had the best reactions! Every bite seemed better than the last, and we finished the tasting with one of the most incredible brownies and cups of hot chocolate we’ve ever had. It was the perfect way to spend our final afternoon together with such an amazing group.
Trails, Treats, and Fun Times!
June 30, 2026
Hi everyone, we are back with another awesome update about our past few days!
Day 7:
We kicked off the day with a wet and muddy hike up Sierra Negra Volcano! Despite the less-than-ideal weather, the kids handled it like absolute champs. There wasn’t a single complaint or fall all morning. Instead, we embraced the rain, dancing, singing, and getting to know our new guide and friend, Yordi. Albert especially loved getting to know Yordi, and the two kept the energy high by singing and dancing to music together on the bus. After our adventure, we had definitely earned a delicious shawarma lunch. That afternoon was full of ice cream adventures, relaxing on the beach, and gearing up for an intense but incredibly fun soccer match against some local teams. Our group crushed it, scoring five goals and taking home the win! Jack Tracy and Albert really showed us how it was done! After the game, we spent time hanging out with the local kids, and particularly enjoyed hanging out with Wills! We refueled with another fantastic dinner at the Light House before making our nightly voyage to our favorite ice cream spot, EcoFrost. Claire, Anneliese, Anna Logan, and Eli all ordered the famous “Galápagos Fish” dessert, a waffle fish cone overflowing with ice cream. But the adventures didn’t stop there. At EcoFrost, we unexpectedly ran into a friend of a friend from an earlier hotel, who led us to our newest friend, Jack. Soon we were all walking around Isabela together, joined by what felt like half the neighborhood’s kids. It truly felt like something straight out of a movie. We wrapped up the evening by saying hi to Jack, watching a few more soccer games, and ending the day with Moonup on the rooftop, listening to music under a sky full of stars.
Day 8:
Our final day on Isabela was the perfect way to wrap up our time in the Galápagos, with one last morning of surfing! The waves were just right, and the kids absolutely crushed it once again. Eloise and Duke have both discovered a real love for surfing, happily spending nearly the entire morning in the water. Anna Logan, Claire, Laura, and Anneliese created their own game in the waves, while Albert, Wills, and Jack Wheeler had a blast catching body waves. It was the perfect combination of sunshine, surf, and smiles before it was time to pack up and catch the ferry back to Santa Cruz. Once we arrived, we were reunited with some friends from Group A. Sutton was especially excited to see her twin sister, Jamison, again! We shared one final dinner with our wonderful guide, Priscilla, before heading back to the Red Booby for pool time and Moonup. The evening ended with an energetic game of Monkey in the Middle, plenty of laughs, lots of splashing, and some well-earned rest before the next leg of our adventure.
Day 9:
Today was a long travel day as we made our way back to Quito. We started bright and early with a delicious breakfast before hopping on the bus to begin our journey back to mainland Ecuador. After a quick bus ride and ferry crossing, we arrived at the Santa Cruz airport. While waiting for our flight, we enjoyed “Submarino” sandwiches, people-watched, and soaked in our final moments in the Galápagos before boarding our plane to begin the second half of our adventure- Ecuador! After arriving in Quito, we grabbed a quick dinner, where Duke experienced Johnny Rockets for the very first time. We then returned to Juan’s for Moonup, followed by an evening of playing games like Man Hunt and Infection. The competition was fierce, but Katie and JT came away with the championship thanks to some unbelievably good hiding spots!
Day 10:
Our Ecuador adventure officially began with a bang as we headed to Cotopaxi for a morning of horseback riding! After suiting up in traditional ponchos and chaps, we climbed into the saddle and set off toward the breathtaking views of Cotopaxi. Eloise quickly took the reins, both literally and figuratively, sharing her horse expertise with the rest of the group. Duke and his trusty mule, along with Emory riding the horse Cotopaxi, confidently led the way up the mountain. At the top, we were rewarded with incredible views of the surrounding countryside and even caught a glimpse of the volcano’s summit. We warmed up with hot tea while taking in the scenery before riding back down for a well-deserved pizza lunch. The bus ride to Baños provided the perfect opportunity for everyone to catch up on some much-needed sleep, with plenty of music filling the moments in between naps. As soon as we arrived, we headed straight to the park for an evening of pickup basketball that lasted until the sun dipped below the mountains. Dinner was served family-style with traditional tacos, fajitas, and quesadillas, making for the perfect ending to an active day. To top off the evening, Katie learned to play her very first song on the guitar, and we wrapped up the night with a Moonup full of laughter, stories, and plenty of smiles.
Talk soon,
Eli and Jane Ryland
Eloise: Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip! I have had amazing experiences, and I’m so grateful. I love you guys so much! See you soon! Thank you again!
Claire: Thank you so much, Mom and Dad, for giving me the opportunity to go on Moondance. I’ve had the best time and am so appreciative of the experiences I have had and the memories I’ve made. Love you guys!
Sutton: Thanks so much for letting me go on this awesome trip. I’m having so so much fun, and I genuinely am loving it. Can’t wait to tell you all about it. I love u momma, ur the best!
Anna Logan: Hi Mom and Dad! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this amazing trip!! I have had the best time and have made so many new friends and memories!! Love you!
Laura: Dear Mom and Dad, Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this Moondance trip! I am having so much fun and missing y’all loads! I am making so many memories and have had a great time! Love y’all!
Anneliese: Hi mom and dad! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to go on this Moondance trip! I have had such a blast and met so many amazing people! I love you guys so much and can’t wait to see you! Miss you!!
Katie: Dear Mom and Dad, I’ve been loving Moondance a lot, and I’m really grateful you guys sent me here. This has been the best trip yet, and I have met so many new people and friends along the way! I love you a lot, and I can’t wait to see you guys soon!!!
Emory: Hi Mom and Dad, this is one of the best trips ever. Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip, and I got a lot of pictures to show y’all. I hope Charlotte had the best birthday and can’t wait to give her my gift!
Jack Wheeler: Hi Mom and Dad. I am having so much fun. Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip. I can’t wait to see y’all. See you soon. We just made it to Ecuador.
Duke Kimbrell: Hi Mom and Dad, I hope you guys are doing great! I am having so much fun! We just got to Ecuador today. It is very pretty! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to have this great experience. I love you guys, see you soon!
Wills Yelverton: Hi Mom and Dad, I have been having a great time. We just got to Ecuador, and it’s really cool. Thank you for letting me have the opportunity to do these amazing things. See you soon.
Jack Tracy: Dear Mom and Dad, thank you for the opportunity to go on this trip to the Galapagos and Ecuador. We have finished the Galapagos and are now in Ecuador. I love you and will see you soon.
Surfing, Sea Turtles, and Sunsets!
June 26, 2026
Day 1:
Our adventure officially began as we picked everyone up from the airport before heading to our first hostel, where we enjoyed pizza together for dinner! It was the perfect opportunity to start getting to know one another as we played the Name Game and shared lots of laughs. Later that evening, Albert amazed us all with his guitar skills, which were especially impressive considering he’d only been playing for two weeks! We wrapped up our very first night together with MoonUp and, of course, some nugs, excited for everything the week had in store!
Day 2:
We woke up bright and early for our flight to the Galápagos, with everyone buzzing with excitement! During the flight, Eloise kept us entertained with an endless supply of riddles that had everyone laughing and thinking. After landing on San Cristóbal, we enjoyed delicious pizza and fresh fruit juice before celebrating Eli’s birthday with chocolate chip cookies and fruit, his favorite! Then it was time for our very first island adventure: snorkeling! We spent the afternoon swimming alongside colorful parrotfish, graceful sea turtles, playful sea lions, and so much more. Laura captured countless incredible photos while Wills documented the underwater adventure with his camera. We finished the day with a birthday dinner, complete with sushi and, of course, birthday ice cream for Eli. It was the perfect way to kick off our Galápagos adventure!
Day 3:
Today was packed with adventure from sunrise to sunset! We started the morning with a boat ride to hike Tijeretas, where we explored lava rock trails while taking in breathtaking ocean views and watching magnificent frigate birds soar overhead. Along the way, we spotted countless blue-footed boobies, a true Galápagos highlight! After our hike, we cooled off with another snorkeling adventure in the crystal-clear water. Among all the amazing marine life, Anna Logan discovered a massive sand dollar, making for one of the day’s coolest finds. After refueling with more delicious sushi at Midori for lunch, we headed to Darwin Bay to swim alongside more playful sea lions. They seemed especially fascinated by Duke and Jack Tracy, swimming around them, blowing bubbles, flipping through the water, and putting on quite the show! We finished the afternoon with a hike to a scenic lookout, where Anneliese and Sutton snapped an awesome photo with the Darwin statue overlooking the bay. But the fun didn’t stop there! That evening we learned how to prepare authentic Ecuadorian ceviche, chicken, and patacones. Jack Wheeler, Wills, Duke, and Albert worked hard chopping vegetables and preparing the fish while Katie and Emory mastered the patacones. The meal was absolutely delicious, and everyone went to bed with full stomachs and even fuller hearts.
Day 4:
After breakfast, we packed our bags and headed into the highlands for one of the most meaningful days of our trip, our farm project! We spent the morning learning about sustainable farming and seeing firsthand how the family grows and produces so much of their own food and food for the community. We visited the chickens and ducks, where Wills quickly discovered a hidden talent for catching chickens! Everyone had so much fun feeding and interacting with all the animals. We also rolled up our sleeves to help the farm by composting and picking fresh lemons before enjoying an incredible homemade lunch prepared with ingredients grown right there on the farm. We are so grateful for the warm hospitality and everything we learned during our time there. That afternoon, we said goodbye to San Cristóbal and boarded the ferry to Santa Cruz. After settling into our new hostel, we explored town and ended the evening with delicious hamburgers at La Regata. It was another unforgettable day!
Day 5:
We kicked off our first full day on Santa Cruz with a beautiful walk down to the beach, where we spent the morning swimming, relaxing, and playing games like Marco Polo, Chicken, and Taps. Along the shoreline, we spotted the famous marine iguanas, a highlight of the trip for Emory! After enjoying homemade sandwiches, fresh juice, and milkshakes at Galápagos Deli, we traveled into the highlands to see the famous giant Galápagos tortoises. We spent the afternoon learning about these incredible animals, exploring lava tunnels, and taking plenty of memorable photos. That evening, after another wonderful local dinner, Claire, Laura, and Anneliese kept everyone entertained with games and riddles. Duke and Jack Wheeler finally started figuring out the famous “Black Magic” trick, though it definitely took more than a few guesses! We finished our last evening on Santa Cruz with MoonUp on the rooftop under the stars.
Day 6:
Our day began bright and early with a ferry ride to beautiful Isla Isabela. Many of the kids spent the trip on the upper deck, soaking in the sunshine, ocean breeze, and incredible views. Once we arrived, we headed straight to La Concha de Perla for another unforgettable snorkeling adventure. We spotted two giant sea turtles along with countless colorful fish before spending some time relaxing on the nearby beach. After lunch, the boys enjoyed a little downtime at the hostel while the girls headed back to the beach, where they soaked up the sunshine, listened to country music, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon by the ocean. Later, it was time to hit the waves! Every single student gave surfing their best effort, and Albert, Claire, Emory, and Eloise especially stood out as they confidently caught wave after wave. To end another incredible day, we enjoyed delicious piña coladas while cheering on Team USA in the World Cup, a fun surprise that made the evening even more memorable. We wrapped up the night with MoonUp and a few games of cards before getting some much-needed rest after another amazing day in the Galápagos.
Student Shout Outs:
Jack Wheeler: Dear mom and dad. I’m having so much fun in the gallapagos. We have done a lot of water activities. I love and miss y’all. Can’t wait to see you. -Love Jack
Jack Tracy:
Dear Mom and Dad, I am having so much fun in the Galapagos. I have seen so many cool animals like sea turtles, flamingos, sea lions, blue footed boobies, and giant tortoises. I love you and can’t wait to see you soon.
Wills: Hey mom and dad I have had a great time in the Galapagos. I have made some new friends and it’s been fun. Me and Duke won poker. Hope you’re having a good time without kids see you soon.
Duke: Dear Mom and Dad
I hope that you guys are doing great! I am having a lot of fun in the Galapagos. I have seen so many cool animals and made a lot of new friends! I love you guys so much and can’t wait to tell you more about my trip.
Love Duke
Laura: Dear mom and dad
Hi! I miss you guys so much! I am having lots of fun and can’t wait to tell y’all all about my trip! Love you guys so much 🩷🩷🩷
Love, Laura
Claire: Hi mom and dad I miss you guys so much and love you! I’m having a lot of fun in the Galapagos right now and can’t wait to tell u abt it. Tell Apollo I miss him love you guys🩷🩷
Miss ya,
Claire
Anneliese: Hey mom and dad! I’m missing you guys so much and can’t wait to see everyone! I’m having so much fun and seen so many cool things. Tell Moose, Charlotte, and Wyatt I said hi. Miss and love you guys! 💗💗
Miss ya,
Anneliese
Sutton: dear mom and dad, I am having so much fun and miss and love yall both and can’t wait to tell yall both more about it. See y’all so soon. Also mom can u get me the Sutton mz Wallace bag the micro black one so I have it for Memphis I’ll pay u back lol love ya 🩷
Katie: dear mom and dad, I miss you so much! I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I get home because I’m having such a great time here in Ecuador! I can’t wait to see you soon! 💗
Eloise: Hi mom and dad, I learned how to play poker today (I know you would be proud dad) I am having so much fun on my trip, thank you so much for letting me go! I have already seen a bunch of blue footed boobies! I love you guys so much! (I’m getting the boys jerseys but don’t tell them) see you soon!
Anna Logan: Hi Mom, Dad, and Virginia!! I’m having so much fun and can’t wait to tell you all about it when I get back! Tell all my friends I said hi and I miss them!! ❤️❤️
Albert: Hi mom and dad I miss you guys and it is great in Ecuador. I hope you guys are having fun and I will see you soon.
– Albert
Emory: Hi mom and dad, I’m having so much fun in the Galapagos and I’ve seen so many cool animals and I miss y’all and hope Charlotte has a good birthday!
Safe Arrival!
June 21, 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
