Moments and Memories of Madeira
June 21, 2026
Hello Moondance Families, and goodbye!
We cannot believe the trip has come to an end so quickly. But let’s recap how it did…
We woke up on day 14 and were treated to wonderful views from our breakfast on the 6th floor of our hotel. To one side, we could see all of Funchal, and from the other, we had a clear view of the water, talk about a way to start the day. We were off to our day of level 2 canyoneering before we knew it! We suited up once again and headed down a trail local farmers use to reach the canyon. We had 8 waterfalls ahead of us to rappel down and a few more slides and jumps. Maggie Kate, Frances, and Owen made everyone laugh throughout the activity, constantly coming up with new, random conversations. This made the time canyoneering fly by, and we completed the course before we knew it. We headed back into the city and played lots of card games on the beautiful rooftop while listening to music, a classic. For dinner, we switched things up and went to a local’s house, where we learned more about traditional Madeiran food. Students helped prepare the meal: salad, garlic bread, steak, and corn. Owen and Stephen couldn’t get enough of the steak, and we all agreed it was one of our favorite meals yet. Our day ended on the basketball courts by the water once again, so nice we had to do it twice!
The next morning, we woke up and headed over to the peninsula on the East side of Madeira to complete our rock-climbing section. When we arrived, our guides introduced themselves and then took us on a short walk down to the climbing pitch. As we suited up in helmets and harnesses, Sydney and Crawford wasted no time finding their way on the wall. Our group was made up of fabulous climbers. In particular, the guides noted that Luke may have set a new record on one of the routes! When students weren’t climbing, they were exploring the beautiful landscape around us. Frances and Alice were particularly determined to scope out the landscape and became the Lewis and Clark of the group, scoping out the area and encouraging everyone else to join along. By the time climbing was over, students were feeling accomplished and ready for a swim. So, we swam around the bend in crystal blue waters until it was time to head back. Once we arrived, we headed straight to the beach for more games of volleyball- this group might be professionals at this point. Afterwards, we showered and headed to dinner before celebrating Mitchell’s birthday with Pastel De Natas, a traditional egg custard dessert. To end off the day, LODs Owen and Crawford led us in Moonup on the rock beach nearest our hotel.
Our last full day was a wild one! We woke up and had our traditional Machico breakfast of eggs, bacon, yogurt, and delicious breads. Then, our outfitter met us, and we headed out for one of the most iconic walks in Madeira. This walk featured beautiful views of the Atlantic and stunning cliffside tracks. As we weaved around the island, we were able to soak in the final miles we had as a group. We were all thankful that the hike didn’t feature too much incline or decline, which made the 7.8 miles fly by! When we returned back, we could see how active the beach was from above, and immediately joined in on the fun. The students bought açaí bowls, then Brooks led the group in some jumps off the pier as we soaked up the final moments of the sun. Afterwards, we all put on our Moondance best and headed out to the banquet dinner. Karlyn got a traditional steak skewer, which came out on a tower, while Asher opted for the hotplate option, where he was able to cook his own steak. We all decided that due to our early departure, we would just stay up all night, so we ordered cappuccinos after dinner, then headed out for ice cream. Frances and Grant led our final Moonup on the roof, where we went around and were able to say positive things about each person. Then, after packing up, the group hung out and ate lots of snacks and played card games through the night (or the two hours of downtime before departing). And before we knew it, we were off to the airport!
We want to thank all of you for sending your children with us these past few weeks. They have been a delight to have and have made our jobs both fun and fulfilling. We know that they will do great things. We also hope that they will continue to stay in touch both with us and, most importantly, with each other!
Signing off,
Palmer and Mitchell
Making Memories in Madeira!
June 18, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Day 11 of our trip began with packing our bags and a quick hotel breakfast before hitting the trails once again. This time, our route was a bit sandier as we headed up a canyon. Before we knew it, we were surrounded by massive sandstone walls. After we had explored for a bit, we headed out of the tunnel and onto the trail. Our route continued to carve down along the coast and up a few rocky peaks before we returned to the town. Our local contact, had lunch waiting for us, and we were happy to chow down! As we looked around the area, the group found a nearby mini-golf course, which they played before we finished the hike. After that, we headed down to the beach where the group played in the sand. Frances and Luke loved playing in the sand. After a few hours of swimming and hanging out at the beach, we showered off and headed back onto the ferry. This group seems to love the journey; the ship is massive and full of activities. Alice and Asher even made a few friends with some of the locals on the ferry back to Madeira! By the time we arrived back on the island, it was late and time for Moonup and bed!
We woke up the next morning excited to catch some waves. After breakfast, we were transferred over to a new beach where we met our guides and brought our boards down to the water. Since we had all surfed a few days prior, our lesson was much shorter this go-around, which meant more time in the water. The group’s experience showed that Crawford spent a few rides trying to do jump tricks on the board while Sydney and Alice got the scoop from our surfing guide. Owen and Asher dedicated the day to catching their own waves and even fashioned their shirts onto their heads to add some extra style to their rides. After the lesson, we headed back to Machico, where we had lunch and headed to the beach. Frances and Alice had organized an afternoon of Olympics for the group, including wheelbarrow races, volleyball, sandcastle building, and trivia. Luke was incredible at the wheelbarrow race; it was like nothing we had ever seen before. Later in the night, Maggie Kate and Karlyn’s team took the cake in trivia. For dinner, the group had mac and cheese, Madeiran style. And with full stomachs, we headed to bed!
On day 13, we were treated to a new activity: canyoneering! The group was really excited about this one. We woke up and enjoyed the breakfast buffet before packing into the vans and heading up the ridge. When we arrived, we got suited up. This included wetsuits, helmets, harnesses, neoprene socks, and some lovely gripping sneakers- safe to say it was a look! We loaded back into the van and headed further up the canyon where we began. After our safety briefing, we dipped into the canyon water, which cooled us off instantly. We spent the next hours sliding, stepping, swimming, rappelling, and even zip-lining through the canyon. We passed our day of level one canyoneering with flying colors (and we are on to level 2 tomorrow)! The girls spent the afternoon shopping around and eventually found their holy grail: nightgowns (get ready, they’re fun). Turns out that during our shopping adventure, Portugal was playing a game in the World Cup and we were able to watch it in a big park. We even got to celebrate with the crowd as the team scored a goal!!! Then we grabbed some dinner, and we headed back out to explore the town. Where the World Cup game was being viewed earlier, there was a DJ, and naturally, we had a dance party, and Owen got to the center of it all. And we had to follow it with ice cream. And after that, we found a local basketball court to get some extra energy out. Teams assembled for 5v5 games against locals, and the group, Brooks and Grant especially loved it. We also played a few games of knockout, and Stephen was an undisputed champion. It made us feel so connected to the island!
We are so, so grateful for this special time with the group!
Signing off,
Palmer and Mitchell
Thank yous
Crawford- Hey! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I am so grateful for this opportunity!❤️❤️
Sydney- Hi! Thank you so much for sending me on moondance again! I feel like I grow so much as a person here and it is the highlight of my year!
Frances- Hiiiii!!! I miss y’all❤️ thank yall so much for giving me this experience and allowing me to be places and meet people like this. Having so much fun and I’m so grateful💋💗💖✨
Alice- Heyyy! I’m having so so much fun and miss y’all so much❤️ I’m so grateful to be here and can’t thank y’all enough. Can’t wait to tell y’all everything!
Stephen- Yo what up fam thank you so much for letting me come on this trip I’m forever thankful can’t wait to see y’all!
Owen- Thank you so much for letting me go on this trip, it’s been so much fun and I love all of you guys. I can’t wait to see you guys in a few days!
Luke- Thank you so much for trusting me and letting me fly international on a camp. I can tell u it was definitely worth it and I would love to do it again. See ya soon
Maggie Kate- Thank you mom and dad for letting me go on such an amazing trip! I love you guys so much and I really appreciate this opportunity ❤️ love you guys
Brooks Becker- Thank you so much for the opportunity to let me go on this amazing trip and meet awesome people. I love you guys and am forever grateful
Karlyn Fulk- Thank you so much mom and dad for this trip to Moondance!! it is so amazing and I miss y’all❤️.
Asher Bradley : Thank you for letting me come on this trip, it has been such a pleasure. I hope that you guys are having just as much of a good time as me.
Grant- Hey Mom and Dad, thanks so much for letting me go on this trip. I will never forget these experiences or the awesome people I met and got to enjoy them with. I hope you guys are having fun at home watching World Cup games. Thanks so much I’m having a blast -Grant
Surfing and Sunshine!
June 14, 2026
Ola from Madeira!
We have been on the move since finishing our trekking section, and it’s time we check in and tell you all about it!
After arriving in Machico following our ice cream in Funchal, we checked into our hotel and headed straight for the beach. It was nice and sandy, and lighter in color this time, as the sand was imported from Morocco. There was a beach volleyball court that Sydney quickly negotiated the girls onto. They put up some serious plays against the locals while the boys swam out to a nearby floating platform. The water was a bit chilly, but we were all happy to have gotten in. Afterwards, we headed back to our hotel to shower before dinner and, of course, more ice cream. LODs Frances and Grant hosted our Moonup and accompanied it with a charcuterie board, and then students played a game of imposter before heading off to bed.
The next day, we woke up and had a nice breakfast buffet at the hotel. After fueling up, students wrote postcards home (check your mailboxes in a few weeks!) and laced up their shoes for a walk to a nearby viewpoint. We were able to take a peek at the airport, which Brooks especially loved. It was incredible to see the planes coming in and taking off the runway, as it looked like they would hit the sea or the side of the mountain before they landed. Thankfully, we have learned that the pilots who fly to Madeira receive special extra training, which made us feel much more confident in their journeys! We headed down the mountain and got a volleyball so that we could have a boys v girls beach scrimmage. The winners of this match are still highly debated. However, there’s no debate that Maggie Kate was a secret weapon for the girls and rarely let a ball drop! After a long beach day, it was time to head off to catch some waves! Our surfing lesson began in a beautiful outcrop of the rock, where a pebble beach was carved between two massive cliffs. After our safety briefing, we gawked at the dramatic walls around us as we swam out to a less wavy section of the water. Once we had all gotten out there, the real fun started. Owen and Alice were natural pros at surfing! Everyone eventually stood up on the boards, too! We were all thankful for the wetsuits that had been provided, as they kept us warm enough to surf for our entire lesson. Our day full of activities had left us feeling hungry, so we headed off for burgers. They were delicious! Karlyn was particularly a fan of the sweet potato fries here, which, contrary to those in America, look exactly like normal fries and have a sweet twinge. After fueling up, we headed off to another Moonup led by Luke and Maggie Kate!
The following morning, we woke before sunrise, grabbed our belongings, and hit the road. We headed to the ferry port, where we loaded onto a massive ship that would take us to Porto Santo. Luckily, the journey was smooth, and most of us were able to catch up on some rest after an initial exploration of the ship. After a few hours, we disembarked in Porto Santo. We all agreed that this island is pretty different from Madeira, as it is much less vegetated and boasts long sandy beaches. We settled into our new island home and then made lunch. Before we knew it, our transfer had arrived, and we headed off to one of the beaches. We played a ton of volleyball, teamed up to play soccer, and swam for a bit before getting in our kayaks and exploring the coast. It was incredible to see the island jolt into the sea. The group was even able to kayak into several caves. Our guide spotted tons of crabs and was able to tell us all about the explosion that formed Porto Santo about 20 million years ago. When we arrived at our turnaround point, we got out of our kayaks to swim. There was also a cliff jumping spot. Asher led the way, and everyone else jumped in line! After our swim, we paddled back and got in the showers. After cleaning up, we headed out to have some pizza, which we all agreed was one of our favorite meals yet!
We began day 10 with a short hike in Porto Santo’s highlands along with a history lesson from our guide Ruth. We learned that Christopher Columbus lived on the island for about two years before he set sail to the New World! We continued our hike with Stephen leading the way alongside incredible views of the coast, blue shores, and bright beaches. The group ended up at an incredible viewpoint above a rock cliff formation, above a series of caves where early Porto Santo settlers hid from invading pirates in 1617. We descended into a cove down below where we prepared a picnic lunch alongside biscoff cookies as Crawford spearheaded a mean game of spoons. After returning, it was time for some relaxation. The group hung out by the pool and got some good quality time in listening to music and playing games. As the sun sank, we headed off to dinner on a beautiful beach. The group dined on burgers and steak sandwiches and then walked along the beach home. On our journey, we ran into a music festival, and we were able to stop for a moment to soak it in. Then, we sang Happy Birthday to Owen- Sweet 16!!! And with that, another day of the trip is over!
Until next time!
Palmer and Mitchell
Moving through Madeira!
June 11, 2026
Hey Moondance Families!
Greetings from Madeira! We cannot believe that the trip has been underway for a week already. There is a ton to catch up on!
Students absolutely crushed the new European Entry System and we met them at the airport. It was an early morning, but excitement stayed high during a few games of hacky sack amongst new friends. By the time we boarded our next plane to Funchal, most of us needed a rest and we were able to score a few extra hours. As we departed from the airport we got our first look around the island. Then we drove through Funchal, the main city in Madeira. The city blanketed a massive hillside with white houses topped with terracotta roofs. Then we headed out of the city through gorges of steep rock walls to the northern coast. The water was a beautiful blue, and we saw some waves that looked like they would fit perfectly for our later surfing section. After about an hour of traversing the island, we arrived at our hostel for the night. We settled into our bunks before heading back out to the salt pools in Porto Moniz. It was a bit chilly but we all knew that we needed to seize the opportunity to get in for a dip. The guys braved the waters first, then Sydney led the girls in. After feeling satisfied with our dip, we headed back to the hostel, showered, and then got pizza. We also got to try Madeira’s popular soda, Brisa. To top it all off we stopped to grab some ice cream before heading back to do our first Moonup as a group. We overlooked the Atlantic and reveled at how thankful we were to be on the trip before heading off to a long night of sleep.
Our first full day in Madeira was PACKED. We woke up and made breakfast sandwiches and cleaned up the hostel. Vans picked us up and we headed over to Seixal, where we got to swim at one of only two natural sand beaches on Madeira. Since the island was formed from a volcano all the sand was black, which was a big switch-up for most of us. The boys all got in and swam, and then spotted a nearby waterfall to rinse off. Karlyn led the charge to get coffees, then we ate lunch and were feeling ready to hit the road. This time instead of vans, we laced up our hiking shoes and headed up the gorge. After mounting a large portion of the hill our guides took us off the beaten path, and up a dried river gorge to find a beautiful waterfall and pool. Grant was the first to jump in and show us all how wonderful it was. After swimming had finished, we headed further up the trail and to our campsite for the night. We had worked up quite the appetite, so our cook crew assembled. Stephen and Owen chopped heaps of veggies while Sydney and Alice cooked chicken and rice. The meal was delicious!!!! We cleaned up and LODs Stephen and Karlyn led Moonup which was complemented by some wonderful cake cooked by one of our taxi drivers.
The next morning, we got a bit more sleep and then woke up and packed up. We had 7 miles of hiking with nearly a mile of elevation gain ahead of us, but LODs Owen and Crawford motivated us to keep pushing. It was intense, but we genuinely were so impressed with everyone’s positive attitudes. We did switchback after switchback during the morning half of the day. Music was bumping and we rocked on up the mountain. After hours of hiking straight uphill, we were all thankful that the final part of our hike mellowed out a bit. When we arrived at camp we ate a ton of snacks and Grant set up the spike ball net while Brooks got some hacky sack going too! Alice taught everyone the card game Spit and then headed off to make our meatballs for dinner. We feasted on an Italian dinner, then did one final walk to a nearby viewpoint to watch the sunset. We were above the clouds and saw the sun sink under them as we were surrounded by several other peaks as well as pink and purple skies. We were wiped and excited to crawl into tents at the end of the day.
The next morning, we woke up and had yogurt bowls before loading up in vans. When we arrived, we were just a short walk from the highest peak in Madeira. Our driver, a native of the island joined us at the peak, and it was his first time up there too. We ate our sandwiches at the summit and soaked in the view before heading back down. We had a bit of a surprise up our sleeve when we arrived back in the parking lot. We walked to the gorgeous cafe, then got to surprise the students and tell them that we got to stay for the night. The group went wild for warm showers, freshly made lasagna, and pastries galore. After getting comfortable, Frances led us in a sunset game of Birdy on a Perch, a game in which students chaotically run around then instantly jump on each other’s backs. We all sang along and laughed a ton before heading off to Moonup, and eventually our comfortable BEDS!!!
The next morning we woke up and headed downstairs where a limitless breakfast awaited us. It was complete with eggs, bacon, fruit, fresh bread, yogurt, granola, and coffee made to order. We were dining like kings and queens, with a beautiful view of green and yellow mountains in front of us. After the meal, we loaded into taxis and headed towards a new hike. We made it to the viewpoint in what our guides called record time! We soaked in the views of exposed mountains, beautiful flowers, clouds, and blue skies all at once. Then, we had some lunch and continued hiking to our campsite. It nearly blew us away, because of the view. Not to fear though, Sydney engaged everyone in games of imposter and before we knew it, it was time for dinner. Luke and Maggie Kate cheffed up some quesadillas for the group. Meanwhile, Asher cooked his birthday steak! After dinner, we had cake and sang happy birthday before settling in for Moonup. Luckily, Henrique had built a fire in the nearby shelter and we were settled in for a good night. By the time we finished up, a few stars had come out, and soon after the sky was filled with them!
This morning we woke up in our tents one final time. Students agreed, that while they won’t miss setting and packing them up, they will miss quality time spent in the tents at night. We had some breakfast and hit the trail. Our goal today was simple, make it down to the water. For our first few miles, we remained on the trail, before switching over to roads. Crawford led the pack down the hill, and when we reached the town LODs Asher and Alice surprised the group with toboggan rides. We got in pairs and headed down the slick streets in traditional Madeiran woven sleds. All of us were happy to have a break for our knees for the moment. After the ride, we only had thirty minutes left to walk until our trekking section was complete. Naturally, we got ice cream to celebrate this milestone. As we were wandering back to our taxi we found a museum about Madeira then headed to Macchio!
We cannot wait to see what is in store over the next 10 days! This group has been keeping a positive attitude and encouraging and including each other at every turn and we couldn’t be more grateful!
Until next time,
Palmer & Mitchell
Shoutouts!
Frances: Hiii Mom and Dad! Having so much fun and can’t wait to tell y’all all and it💗💗
Crawford: HEYYY y’all! We’ve been hiking the past weeks and the views are incredible, hope big rock is going well. Love and miss y’all so much tell P hi for me! 💕
Sydney: Hi Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun I have a great group. I can’t wait to see y’all miss y’all and the boys so much. I hope Bradley and William have a great time at camp! 😆🤍
Alice: Hi Mom and Dad!!! Madeira is sooo pretty!! So far we have done a lot of hiking and it has been super fun!! Can’t wait to see you! love you💗💗💗
Maggie Kate: Hi Mom and Dad!! I have been having so much fun trekking through the Madeira mountains with everyone!! Tell Stella and Logan I said hi, and I miss and love you guys so much!! Can’t wait to see you mom!!💗💗
Karlyn: Hiiiiiii Mom, Dad, and Sam!!!! i miss y’all so much and I have been having the absolute best time in Madeira! My group is so good and i love everyone!! I definitely want to come back with y’all some time and experience it again on a family trip. we have seen so many incredible views and gone on some awesome hikes! Miss y’all beyond and tell sunny and everyone I miss them!! Also send love to yaya❤️❤️ xo Karlyn
Asher: Hi Mom and Dad just letting you know that I am in the Madeira mountains. It’s June 10th so I’m not sure if you’re going to get this on my birthday, but I just want to say thank you for everything you guys do for me. Love you
Grant: Hey Mom and Dad, hope y’all are doing well. So far the trip has been pretty awesome. So far we have mainly been hiking and camping and the views are great. Since we’ve been camping we can cook our own food which is pretty fun. I really like my counselors and group which is good. Tell Alston I say hey and I hope Lawton’s doing well at his job. So far I’ve escaped the sun which is always good. See y’all soon, love you
Brooks: Hello parents this is Brooks, trips is really fun and having a blast
Luke: Hello Mom and Dad I am having very fun and this place is much cooler than Florida. Tell Oliver I miss him. Have fun at cooperstown.
Owen: Hi Mom and Dad this trip has been super fun we’ve only really been camping so far but we are about to start doing the more islandy stuff. I got a cool sweater on the first day. Can’t wait to see you guys and Maisie when I get home
Stephen: Hi Mom I’m having a blast in Madeira we started the first 5 days with hiking and camping yeah it was challanging but the views were worth it . The 2nd day it was 7 miles with like 7000 feet incline but we are now finished with hiking and we are in Funchal. Love you and can’t wait to share all about my trip.
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello Madeira 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
