Grateful for the Miles + Memories!
June 27, 2026
One last hallo from Iceland!
What an adventure this has been. Each one of these awesome students should be so incredibly proud of themselves for all of the hard work they’ve put into our trip. This past week, our group trekked over 40 miles in the southern highlands of Iceland, discovering views, snow, geysers and crossing cold glacial creeks. It was challenging for everyone but the spirit was high and the triumph was tangible. Long miles were made short with the help of Harry’s extensive collection of group games along the trail. I believe him and Griffin named over 200 sports teams without repeating a single one, helping everyone pass through the miles. At our first campsite, Hunter found a hot spring creek that fed into a bigger creek, making the water a perfect temperature to sit in despite the cold weather outside. At every single campsite over the trek, we as a group had to set up personal tents, move a whole lot of gear and most importantly, set up the giant blue tent we would cook and eat in. This meant battling the bitter wind and rain to get the shelter set. It was a hard task and could be dreaded by many. Cecile and Sam were the two that come to mind when thinking of the hardest working around camp. Always asking what needed to be done with the blue tent or personal tents. Kate would help out in the kitchen during meal prep and cooking, making the kitchen a welcoming place for each other and great food.
On the second day on the trail, we had three river crossings, trudging across cold water in cold weather. This was an uncomfortable experience for many but it made for gratitude when we were dry and warm. CJ mentioned how the conditions made the adventure feel like obvious character building, hurdling challenge and adversity. Katie led the crew in songs along the long mileage in the glacial floodplains. These miles were expansive and you could see the whole route ahead, allowing room for entertainment to steer the ship to the campsite. The third day of trekking we hiked down the mountains to bigger valleys and birch forests. Barret and Taylor kept the group occupied with humorous and exciting stories. They were both cherished by many by their story telling abilities.
The hikes were incredible on this portion, everyone grew and challenged themselves apart from the immense fun being had. The trail however was only a piece of the fun we had this week. We played music, games and relaxed at our campsite for two nights in Baśar. Edie kept the group in high spirits, sharing excellent music taste and humor during dish crew.
After our trek we headed to Reykjavik for our final day. Leisl kept the group cackling around town with her contagious positivity and explosive humor. After having so much fun around town and eating Icelandic barbecue, we took some deep breaths before diving into our last moonup led by Anna Frances. This moonup of reflection and words of affection from everyone in the group and it allowed everyone to share their appreciation for each other. It was clearly moving for everyone in the circle.
This trip was such a treat for Ella and I to lead. We saw so much growth in every individual and we couldn’t feel more fortunate for the experience. Thank you so much for sending your children with us for this trip of a lifetime. We had so much fun and learned so much about each other and ourselves. We hope they will continue to challenge themselves in the future because what we witnessed firsthand here was remarkable.
Thank you again,
Corley and Ella
Full Itinerary in Iceland
June 21, 2026
Hello Moondance Families!
Greetings from Iceland! The past couple of days have been action-packed, and we have been having so much fun out here in the land of fire and ice. Since we last sent an update, we have been on an uphill hike up to a thermal river in the mountains. Fed by natural hot springs. It was a rewarding dip in the water. Liesl led the group up the path, trail blazing up in the front. When we arrived to the hot tub-temperature river, we all took a dip and relaxed before our lunch and descent back down. Being surrounded by stunning wildflowers, Barrett took the opportunity to craft a flower crown at the swimming spot and sported it all the way down. The bottom greeted us with a feast of Hamburgers, hot dogs, and “dirty” fries. Taylor claimed they were better than the burgers back home.
After the food, we met up with our ziplining guides, who were a big hit. They held a rock, paper, scissors tournament to see who would get to sit in the buggy with Ella for the short drive up to the start of the zip line. The winners were Harry and Sam, and they sure acted like the victors. The zip line was a blast. A kilometer long, the zip line soared over a river called “black canyon”.
The next day was one of our best yet: white water rafting!! Katie got to “ride the bull” during an epic rapid, and in great playful fun, the guide whispered to Anna Frances that she should sneak up and push Katie off. Sweet Anna Frances said, “I’m so sorry!!!” And gave Katie a little push. The whole group, including daredevil Katie, laughed and cheered, and agreed that rafting was the best activity so far. At the end of the river, the boys’ boat planned a sneak attack on the girls’ boat and invaded their raft. The only member of our crew who managed to stay dry during this white water chaos was Hunter, who climbed onto the girls’ boat and tucked his feet in the raft to avoid getting pushed out.
After drying off from white water rafting, we played some hacky sack, and Charles showed off his wizard-like hacky sack skills. That night, our LOD, Kate, chose a beautiful Moonup question for the group to reflect on: Who is your biggest role model and why? It was no surprise that many of the students gave their parents some well-deserved shout-outs.
The next day, we set out on our hike on a glacier, where the students all got to put on some tough crampons and carry an even cooler Ice axe. At one point during our hike, we had the opportunity to strap into a harness and look out over the edge of a glacial river. Our brave student Edie was the first member of our group to try out this overlook. We were taught that the glacier is full of minerals and that over time, usable clay is pushed to the surface of the ice. The clay makes the perfect face mask, and Griffin was the only taker, leaving the glacier with an awesome mud mask.
That night, we drove to a warm hut to sleep in some real beds before the trekking section of our trip. The kids showed some real teamwork as they unpacked the U-Haul trailer for dinner. Our guide, Rebecca, told us that Cecile was a great group leader, delegating tasks and getting the work done.
Now, we are on our way to begin our first day of trekking! It has been such a joy watching our group go from strangers to a tight-knit Moondance family. I know this strong bond will only deepen during our days of trekking, as we weave across volcanoes and glacial rivers.
Bye for now!!!
Ella and Corley and the ICE-PACK
Here are some shoutouts:
Griffin- Thank y’all for sending me on this trip. It is great and I’m having a blast.
Sam – Thank you guys so much for sending me on this trip. I have been able to have fun and see a bunch of cool and different things in Iceland.
Harry – Thank you for sending me on this trip. It’s been such a cool experience to explore Iceland
Hunter-thanks for sending me on this trip. It’s so fun and I am loving Iceland.
Liesl-Hi thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip. It has been so cool, and I miss y’all so much.
Cecile – Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip! I am having the best time, and I miss y’all and can’t wait to see y’all!
Barrett- miss you guys every day!! Can’t wait to see you!! This trip has been such a fun experience
Katie- Hi mom and dad! Thank y’all so much for sending me on this trip I am so thankful, I am having the best time ever! Tell Charlie I said hi and I love and miss all of yall!
Edie- Hi mom, dad and Tess!! I miss y’all so so much! I am having so much fun thank y’all so much for giving me this opportunity everything is so cool! I love yall and can’t wait to see yall!
Taylor- Thank you so much for sending me here it’s so fun and I’ve seen so many new cool places. I hope you guys are doing well and not missing me to much. I love you and can’t wait to see you!
Charles- Hi mom and dad. Thank you so much for sending me to Iceland. I’m having so much fun with all the activities and I can’t wait to see y’all.
Kate- Hi Mom and Dad!! Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip, Iceland is so beautiful and I’m having so much fun with everyone! I’ve made so many memories and can’t wait to see y’all!
Anna Frances- Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having so much fun here in Iceland, thank you so much for letting me go on this trip!! I miss you guys and will see you soon!
Adventures With The ICE-PACK!!
June 18, 2026
Hello from Iceland!
It’s been an epic couple of days out here, and we are just getting started! After a long wait in the airport and an overnight flight, our first Icelandic adventure was well-needed: a spa day at a lagoon. We all agreed that our favorite part of spa experience was the wooden sauna that had a huge window overlooking the ocean.
The next day began with the arrival of our final member of the Iceland family, Katie, and finally our group felt complete. We spent the afternoon at a horse breeding farm, and we got the chance to ride show horses. Barrett taught the group how to vogue and we had a dancing photo shoot in front of the barn. After riding, we were greeted with the farm’s specialty: hot-spring cooked rye bread with warm butter. Safe to say we were all having the time of our lives! In the afternoon, we got to go see a natural hot springs, where Taylor and Liesl found the sweetest mountain dog to play fetch with.
That night, we transferred over to our first campsite, where Harry had the perfect idea to play capture the flag in the huge pasture by camp. Sam made many successful attempts at bringing his team a win, but it was our girl, Katie, who took the final leap victory for her team. We celebrated together before walking to a beach for our Moonup.
Moonup is a special and foundational part of the Moondance culture. It is a time at the end of each day where the group gathers to reflect on the day and it gives us the opportunity to get to know one another a little better. This activity is led by the leaders of the day (LODs), which are two students who are tasked with setting a good example for the group each day. The LODs elect new leaders during Moonup, and it is a great time for students to acknowledge each other’s strengths. Corley and I both agreed that Cecile and CJ would be a stellar duo to begin the leader of the day tradition.
The next morning, after fueling up with some Icelandic porridge, we set off on a hike to one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland. Part of the hike required a river crossing, and the way to get across was by carefully walking across a log. Edie showed off her fearlessness and walked effortlessly and calmly, which set the lead for the rest of the group. After the hike, we were off to one of the most insane activities on our trip: snorkeling between tectonic plates! Anna Frances and Kate snorkeled side by side, taking in the cold and beautiful views under the crystal clear water.
That night, we headed to a natural geyser for Moonup, where CJ and Cecile gave a world-class example of how to lead a meaningful Moonup. Hunter talked about how working through the physical discomfort of the cold snorkeling water to enjoy the views helped him to reflect on how sometimes in life, the best views come with a little bit of hard work. Cecile and CJ elected Katie and Griffin to be the next LODs, and Corley and I have no doubt that the two of them will lead another awesome Moonup tonight.
For now, we are off to go zip lining and take a dip in a thermal river. We are all having a blast in Iceland, and though the activities have been out of this world, the best part has been how awesome, kind, and hilarious all of the students are. We cannot wait for more adventures together!!
Here are some shoutouts from the students!
I hope you’re not missing me too much. Tell Jade and Iris I say hi, and I love them. I love you guys too! -Barrett
I’m having so much fun! I love and miss y’all! Tell Holden and Riley I say hi!- Cecile
I’m having so much fun! We are doing a lot of hiking, and I love and miss you guys. Tell the Jigs and Landon I love them!- Edie
I miss you, and I’m having lots of fun! I love you guys! – Taylor
I miss you guys, and I’m having such a great time! Give my dog a pet for me!- Harry
I miss you guys! Iceland is really cool! Love you, bye!- Sam
I’m having fun in Iceland! Love you!- Griffin
I miss you, but I love it here- Hunter
I miss you mom and dad! I’m having fun! Can’t wait to see y’all!- CJ
I love you, and I miss you and Tommy. Have a safe trip! I am having the best time. – Kate
I love and miss you! Tell Charlie I said hi!- Katie
I love you guys, and I’m having a lot of fun! Go say hi to Henry for me!- Anna Frances
Hi! I love y’all and miss y’all, and tell Ann Cameron and Milli I say hi!- Liesl
The whole group together!
June 16, 2026
Hello Iceland Families!
We heard from our leaders that our last group member was able to reunite with the group!
More stories of fun times in Iceland to come 🙂
-Moondance HQ
Safe Arrival!
June 15, 2026
Hello Iceland Families!
We heard from our leaders early this morning that the majority of the group landed! We are still awaiting the arrival of one student whose travel was delayed. The group is excited to welcome them shortly!
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
