Final Update from ICE 3B!
July 27, 2026
As we begin our third leg of our trip, we can’t help but feel so proud of this group and how far they have come. For many of them, this is their first time camping and hiking. Not to mention, there is the added challenge of doing both of these activities in the Icelandic weather conditions and harsh terrain. I truly believe many of them have come out of this experience with a newfound sense of confidence and love for the outdoors. Here at Moondance, we can’t force anyone to love the grime of the outdoors or the grit of hiking, but we can instill a profound sense of confidence that they can do hard things and push themselves. Whether or not some of them will hike again after this trip is uncertain, but the sense of accomplishment and confidence they gained from their two weeks together is unmistakable and sure to last beyond their time with Moondance. Will and I are proud of each and every one of them for challenging themselves both physically and mentally. We are proud of them and can’t wait to see all the things they accomplish after (and just maybe they will include some hiking:)
Day 10
We woke up to say goodbye to our Gersey campground and packed up camp. We made the drive to Pingvellir National Park, the home of the first established parliament. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is situated between two tectonic plates, the North American tectonic plate in the Eurasia tectonic plate. We were able to walk around and explore with the national Park had to offer while enjoying our sandwiches on the lawn. Soon it was time to get ready for snorkeling! We got our gear on to be ready to submerge ourselves in the 33°F glacial water. Colton loved the feeling of being in the water and was hoping to see a fish. Margot got to hitch a ride from the guide and enjoy the calming waters. After spending about 30 minutes in the water, it was time to hop out and get changed. We warmed up with some hot chocolate and cookies before heading back to the van. We had a bit of a drive to our next campsite, but the beautiful roads and fjords were worth it! We set up our tents alongside the water and ate a wonderful dinner of lamb lasagna and mashed potatoes. We got a tour of the farm afterwards and got to see all the horses, goats and sheep! Carys and Mary got to bottle feed one of the baby lambs and posed for pictures alongside them. We played a game of soccer on the field while some of the group showered. Deaglan and Oli went head to head, really showing off their soccer skills for the group. Soon, it was time to wind down and get ready for Moonup. Today our LODs were Madeline and Wesley and they did an excellent job encouraging the group throughout the day! We got to watch the sun set over the valley before we returned to our tents and went to sleep!
Day 11
We got to sleep in a bit today and had a slower start after breakfast. We loaded our van and made our way to see the Grábrók crater and walk around the outer rim of it! We took some cool jumping photos and saw some of the Icelandic ruins from hundreds of years before. We took a pit stop at a nearby golf course and surprised the group with some ice cream! After we got to see another waterfall and take even more pictures before heading to horseback riding! We got a tour of the farm and loved getting to feed the horses and take pictures with them! We split up into two different groups and went on a ride with the horses. The kids got to test out one of the unique Icelandic horse gaits, the trőt. While one of the groups was riding the horses, the other group enjoyed playing games and indulging in the farm’s homemade rye bread! We headed back to camp and made some Icelandic hotdogs! Our LODs, Charlotte and James helped us surprise the kids with a hot tub by the fjord. We went to sleep soon after to get ready for our big day tomorrow!
Day 12
We woke up extra early to get ready for our day! We had our last breakfast and got everything ready for our ride in the van. We had a nice drive along the coast and stopped to grab pizza along the way. While we waited for our room to be ready, we ate pizza and the girls sported their funny Icelandic shirts that were inspired by Pressley! We walked around Reykjavik and shopped around at the different stores. Michael even bought a race car helmet! Once we got tired of walkout around we headed back to our hostel and hung out for a bit. We headed out to our dinner at the food hall where everyone got to pick out a meal from a place of their choice. After we found a nearby park square with a DJ set up. Ryan had the best time dancing and singing along to the songs. We walked back to the hostel alongside the pond and nearby park before finding the perfect spot for Moonup. We ended our time together by sharing first impressions and favorite memories. We are so proud of how far this group has come!
Checking in From Iceland!
July 24, 2026
Day 7
Hello again from Iceland! We were sad to leave our trekking portion of the trip behind, but excited to see what the next few days holds! After packing up our tents and eating a nutritious breakfast, we departed the valley of Porsmork and made our way down the winding coast! We made our first stop of the day at Iceland’s most famous waterfall, Seljalandsfoss. We suited up in our rain gear and got to walk around the back of the waterfall! The girls posed for photos underneath the falls and the boys were eager to explore the trail ahead. We switched vans with ICE 3A and the kids enjoyed catching up and sharing stories. Both groups drove 20 minutes down the road for a special stop on our journey: puffins! Michael was especially excited to see puffins and posed for pictures alongside the furry birds! Everyone was so excited that we got to see the puffins so up close! We loaded up our van and stopped at another local waterfall spot. Oli posed for pictures alongside the gleaming waterfall for Carter’s camera. It was a quick stop following by a surprise trip to get ice cream and to stop at a local grocery store. On the car ride we listened to Mary and Madeline sing us their favorite songs from the greatest showman soundtrack, followed by selections of Ryan’s favorite music. It wasn’t long before we pulled up to our hut for the night! The kids love camping but were excited to have a bed tonight. Our guide made us a delicious spread of chicken fajitas after Carys taught the group how to play a card game called Presidents. After dinner, we split the group up into two sections and challenged them to choreograph a dance to compete again each other! Our first group did a rendition of Rhianna’s “Umbrella” with Ryan as their lead singer. The second group will perform their dance tomorrow and we can’t wait to see it! We ended the night with a beautiful Moonup led by our LODs, Michael and Margot.
Day 8
We had an early morning today as we packed up and got excited for the second half of our trip. The group took a vote and decided to brave the rain and do a 2.5 mile hike to a thermal river. Despite the rain, Pressley and Charlotte put on smiles and were so excited to get in the hot water. The reward of the hot steaming water was worth the hike! Colton and Wesley even opted to wear their swim shorts for the hike back down to the bus. We went straight into our next activity of zip lining. Although hesitant at first, Mary was one of the first to go down and did so flawlessly. The 1km zip line was an absolute blast and the kids were excited to get some dry clothes on and have some hot cocoa to warm up. Once we were dry and warm, we loaded up the van and headed to our campsite. Once we arrived, we sent up our kitchen tent and our personal tents before eating a warm meal of cod stew. Our guide made us some hot water to make tea and hot cocoa too. Oli and Carys then led us in Moonup for the evening and ended the night beautifully before falling asleep to the soft sounds of rain.
Day 9
After a peaceful night of sleep, we were awoken by the smell of pancakes. Will made a huge batch of pancakes and everyone was so excited to indulge. After breakfast, we got ready for the day and made it to our first stop, Gulfoss waterfall! We visited the gift shop where the kids got to grab some things for their loved ones. Then we made our way down to see the magnificent falls! We made another stop to a more secluded waterfalls. We had some spare time so the boys tossed around the hacky sack while the girls took photos. We even played a round of “Dude, don’t touch my rock,” a camp classic game where everyone selects a rock and then attempts to protect the rock from touching the ground. We were ready to head to our white water rafting activity! They greeted us with burgers and fries and after we played some hacky sack and cards. Then it was time to gear up and raft! The kids had the time of their lives! After having a safety briefing and learning the different paddling strokes, we hopped on the raft and headed down the Hvita river. Deaglan was one of the first to fall in after attempting to balance on the size of the raft. We had so much fun splashing each other’s boats and laughing hysterically. Margot said this was her favorite activity and she swam alongside the raft down one of the rapids. We approached a spot in the river where we were able to jump off a cliff (safely, of course!) Madeline and James were a little hesitant at first but both went off and into the glacial water. We continued down the river and had some fun on the raft. Everyone moved back to one end of the raft so Wesley could jump off the raft and into the water! We made our way down the river and one group opted to flip the raft before we got out. We dried off and enjoyed the hot tub, cold tub, and sauna. Charlotte was one of the first to try out the sauna and got the group to join her! While waiting for the girls to finish showering, Will and Deaglan played an intense game of pool, and Deaglan came out with the win! We were soon ready to go and head back to camp! We stopped at the gift shop before eating Mexican chicken soup for dinner in the tent. We played on the playground at the campground for a bit and James had the most fun trying out the different Icelandic equipment. Soon it was time for Pressley and Colton to lead us in tonight’s Moonup. We hiked up to a beautiful spot overlooking all the geysirs! After a long and eventful day, we were ready for some well deserved rest!
From the kids:
Hey!!! Mom and Dad. Thank you sooo much for an amazing trip I can’t wait to tell you all about it. -Carys
Hey 😉! Thanks for sending me on this trip. Can’t wait to see everybody so soon!!!!!!!!! -Mary
Hey Mom and Dad!! Thank you so much for sending me on this awesome trip! See you soon and I can’t wait to tell you all about it!🤗🤗 – Madeline
Hi mom and dad! I miss you so much and can’t wait to see you! Thank you so much for my experience on this trip I learned so much about myself and others!! Can’t wait to hang soon!! Hiking was really hard for me haha!! -Margot 🧡
Hi mom and dad, I miss you guys a ton and can’t wait to go home and see you guys again! Thank you for everything and letting me on this experience!! Hiking was really hard for me haha. -char🤍
Hi mom and dad I miss you can’t wait to see you this trip has been such a blast thank you so much for sending me here this experience has made such an impact on me love you guys. -Ryan
Hi mom and dad thank you for sending me on this trip I’m having so much fun – Michael
Hi mum and dad. I’ve had so much fun on this trip and I’ve seen such cool things. Thank you so much for sending me here and I can’t wait to tell you about it. – Oli
Hi Mom and Dad! I have had a lot of fun the past few days in Iceland! Thank you for sending me on this trip! -James
Hey mom and dad! This is so fun and I can’t wait to see you both! Love and miss you🤗 -Pressley
Hello Mother and Father thank you for sending me on this trip. I have had such a great time. -Colton
Hello mom and dad thank you for letting me go on this trip I am having lots of fun thank you – Wesley
Hey Mom and dad this trip has been so much fun and a wonderful experience. Thank you so much for making it possible. Love you so much -Deaglan
Awesome Times in Iceland!
July 21, 2026
Greetings from Iceland!!
The kiddos have arrived safe and sound and we couldn’t be more excited to get the ball rolling!
Day 1
After a long plane ride, everyone arrived to KEF, greeting each other and getting to know everyone’s names. We started our trip in the country’s capital city, Reykjavik! After setting our things down at the hostel, we explored the town center and enjoyed our first meal together, pizza! We had so much fun watching everyone get to know each other and embrace the Moondance culture. Our early dinner was a perfect Segway into introducing our first Moonup, a nightly reflection that is foundational to Moondance trips. Moonups give students the opportunity to reflect on the day’s activities, shout individuals out for good deeds, and get to know each other better. Everyone was exhausted, so it wasn’t long before everyone headed to sleep and get some good rest for our first full day!
Day 2
We were so excited for our first full day in Iceland, in addition to celebrating Mary’s 16th birthday! We loaded up our belongings and hit the road, ready to start our trekking adventure. Ryan curated a playlist for the group and played some of his favorite songs. We had a nice car ride then got to our drop off spot, had lunch, and were ready to get started! It was a beautiful day for our first bit of hiking. We hiked about five miles today and had two back-to-back river crossings that the group crushed! We taught everyone how to set up their tents and Pressley told us how much she loved not having her phone. Oli was showing off some of his soccer skills and before we knew it, we were sitting down having our homemade dinner of salmon pasta. Carys led the group in cleaning the dishes and really took charge. Deaglan and Charlotte were our group’s first LODs, leaders of the day, and they led our Moonup before we got a night of rest.
Day 3
Today was our biggest and longest day of hiking! We packed up camp and Carys helped take down nearly all of the tents and packed up the trailer. We hiked 16 miles today and the group crushed it! Wesley led the group in the front and even said he could go for another few miles. Colton got to show off his water shoes and loved our river crossings today. Margot and Will bonded over their shared love of St. Louis on the trail. We played games, solved riddles, and told stories. We walked on glaciers and trudged through quick sand, but we made it to our beautiful campsite. We had some snacks and Michael got to try out some variations of gummy snacks and had some grapefruit juice too. When we got to our campsite, we set up our tents and Ryan made friends with a 4-year-old living at the campsite, playing games of tag! We had a wonderful dinner looking over the Strutur mountain eating lamp soup! Colton and Pressley led us in our Moonup before we went to bed!
Day 4
We were ready to seize another day of hiking today! James and Wesley helped take down all the girls’ tents before breakfast! We had about 9 miles of hiking today and amazing weather for it! We stopped by a beautiful ravine for some lunch sandwiches and enjoyed getting to know one another even better! Once we arrived at the campsite, the group was relieved to have time to hang out. Charlotte loved playing cards with all the boys. Margot enjoyed playing with some of the campers’ adorable dogs! Before we knew it, it was time for our dinner of Grilled Salmon! Our cleaning crew for the night, Mary, Michael and Deaglan, enjoyed dancing and listening to music while doing the dishes. We ended another amazing day with our LODs, James and Carys, leading us in our Moonup. We have loved seeing how close this group has become over a short few days!
Day 5
It was a hit of a foggy morning here in Iceland, but the group was still excited and eager to hit the trail! We had a filling breakfast and were ready to hit the road! While on the hike, Charlotte and Margot bonded over attending boarding school in the fall and discussed some things they were looking forward to. Mary and Madeline enjoyed discussing their Atlanta school rivalries and hope to see each other cheer at some point! Today’s hike ended up being around 8 miles, and the group did a great job pushing through! Once we arrived at camp, we quickly got settled in and had some time to relax. Deaglan taught the group some different card games. Oli and Ryan got to watch some glimpses of the World Cup Final and got to share updates with the group! It was getting late and we had Wesley and Madeline lead our Moonup!
Day 6
Goodmorning from Iceland! We woke up to the smell of butter on the griddle and pancakes were a-sizzling. After packing up our tents, we set foot in the fog and on our way to Basar in Porsmork! We were quickly confronted by rain, but fear not, the group had rain gear at the ready and Pressley approached it with a good attitude. We hiked nearly 10 miles in the rain and Oli was keeping the vibes of the group so high! He was so excited that he wished we could’ve hiked more days! Michael was leading our group strong in the front today. After lunch, we continued on our way and approached our final river crossing. Madeline and Carter were singing Disney songs along the trail laughing the whole way into the valley of Porsmork! Colton held up the rear and was a great source of motivation for the girls the entire time. The group was excited to get to camp and ready to shower! James made sure to check out the snack shop and stock up on some Icelandic goodies. After everyone was clean, we enjoyed a delicious meal of lamb and pasta! Everyone was hungry and ready to eat! We ended our last night trekking with a wonderful Moonup and memories that will last a lifetime!
Shoutouts:
Hiiii Mom and Dad!!! I’m having such an amazing time. Life is good. Thank you for sending me on this trip. Can’t wait to see you soon! – Carter
Hii Mom and Dad!! We just finished the trekking part of the trip. I’m having a lot of fun!! Thank you for sending me here. Love you!! See you soon – Madeline
Heyyy!! Just hiked 50 miles 🦋. Next time I think we bring Mrs. Eula to Iceland! Bye all my mother sisleys, see ya soon! -Mary
Hey! Mom, Dad, and Pierce. Miss you guys sooo much. Can’t wait to see you. -Carys
Hi I am having fun and I miss you guys. We hiked 50 miles and it was fun thank you and love you. – Wesley
Hello Mother, Father, and Brother I am having quite an enjoyable time. I am looking forward to seeing you here. -Colton
Hey mom and dad I miss you guys and can’t wait to see y’all when I get home how’s Monique? I love y’all -char
Hey mom and dad!! I miss you so much and I will see you soon! Mom make sure to bring my shark blow dryer, brackets, needlepoint and new pearl earrings! Love you! -Margot ❤️
Hey mom and dad! I miss you guys and I hiked 52 miles in 5 days!!! Mom, how’s Abby? I can’t wait to see my puppy!!! -Pressley🩷
Hey Mom and Dad , I am having so much fun. We just finished hiking and saw so many cool things I love you guys so much – Deaglan
Hi mom and dad I’m having a great time – Michael
Hi Mom and Dad. We just finished the hiking portion of our trip, and are starting the activities portion today. Can’t wait to see you soon. – James
Hi mum and dad I’m having fun and the views are really cool. – oli
Hi mom and dad camp is going great Iceland is awesome tell will I have a ferda story to tell him. -Ryan🐣
Safe Arrival!
July 15, 2026
Hello Iceland Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Iceland! Please remember that our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will post trip updates throughout the trip! This will allow you to follow along with their adventure. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
