Jumping for Joy in the Julian Alps!
July 8, 2026
Hi Friends and Family of Slovenia 2A! The past couple of days have been loaded with fun and adventure, and we are so excited to share some of the details here. Since we last updated you, we have completed our trekking section in the Julian Alps, and now we are getting to enjoy the beautiful Soca River Valley below.
July 3rd
This morning, we started the much-anticipated trekking portion of the trip!!! With loaded packs, we ate one last fabulous breakfast at our hostel, then hopped in a group van towards Triglav! For this trekking section, Suzanne Hollis, with Moondance HQ, joined us for her trip visit! She was such an honor to have and was adored by the kids. Before kicking off the hike, at the trailhead, our LOD’s Charlie and Morgan got us fired up before we started. We did some thorough gear checks, sunscreen and bug spray applications, and most importantly, put on some trail glitter!!! During our trek, we climbed nearly three thousand feet in elevation. Incredible trail talk served to pass the time. Mark and Natalie talked about movies and Letterboxd while Helen came up with the most hilarious ” Would You Rather ” questions. Wavelength and twenty questions were, of course, staples. Soon enough, we arrived at our hostel nestled within the Juliana Alps. It was surrounded by three smaller lakes made up of the prettiest crystal blue water we had ever seen. While we waited for a lunch of goulash, the kids took a nap on the hostel’s helipad, while others played cards. Suzanne taught the group how to play Monopoly Deal, and Liz proved to be a natural and even ended up winning. It is such a fun game! After lunch, a short day hike took us to the picturesque Lake Kidney. Here we soaked in an incredible view through photos and a brief silent moment. On the way back home for the day, we passed out snacks. Charlie especially enjoyed the Slovenian butter cookies and scarfed down four. Mathias also had a very interesting conversation about European and Slovenian history with our guide, Sara. After arriving back at our hostel, Cam and Helen painted watercolors before dinner, which turned out amazing. Finally, we ate dinner and had our first moon up from the mountain, where we discussed something we learned about ourselves in the past year.
July 4th
How lucky are we to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States in the beautiful Slovenian mountains! We woke the kids up with Toby Keith’s song “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” and got ready for another big day of hiking the Julien Alps. We fueled up with a breakfast of eggs and toast with Nutella and Slovenian tea, which the kids all thoroughly enjoyed. Before hitting the trail, we took a minute to put on America-themed temporary tattoos to show our pride for our country all day long. Connor and Natalie took to the front of the pack, hiking through the morning with our guide Sarah and learning more about her and Slovenia. We stopped for a break to drink water and eat a snack, and of course, we had to get a group photo, stacking into a human pyramid in front of a gorgeous mountain landscape. Charlie, Mathias, and Herndon passed the time hiking, discussing movies, specifically horror movies, which Mathias particularly enjoys. We made it to our next hut by lunchtime, and we were served a delicious bowl of goulash with polenta. After lunch, we played Monopoly Deal, one of our new favorite games, and Morgan dominated in a game of ERS. We gathered the group back up for an afternoon excursion to a nearby mountain hut built during WWI, where we dined on delicious cinnamon rolls and played a huge game of hacky sack. Back at our hut, we continued playing games and soaking in the sunshine and mountain air until dinner. We enjoyed sausages with French fries for dinner- nothing like hot dogs on the Fourth of July! At sunset, our LOD’s Liz and Connor brought us to a perfect Moonup spot atop a small hill with a 360° view of the Julien Alps. There, we reflected gratefully on the day, discussed where we are hoping to travel in the world next, and shared about an important role model in our lives. We ended Moonup with a game of werewolf Mafia. Rheya was quickly found out to be the werewolf, and she had us all laughing. We went to bed soon after, grateful for another wonderful day behind us.
July 5
On our third day of trekking, we woke to the sunrise beaming through the windows of our mountain hut resting on the mountain ridge overlooking Lake Bohinj. We gathered our belongings and packed up our backpacks for the day, then sat down for a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and Coco Puffs- yum! LOD’s Natalie and Rheya led us in a morning huddle, enthusiastically setting the tone to crush the hike ahead. We followed as our LOD’s and our guides led us up and over a mountain pass and celebrated a big uphill climb with Gushers gummies and Sour Patch Kids on the ridge line. Helen kept us laughing with her hilarious “would you rather” questions, and Connor and Herndon tried to guess Suzanne’s riddles. We made our way down into a valley where we came across the Italian army barracks from World War I. Mathias, Claire, and Natalie climbed around the ruins of the stone buildings, picturing what it was like for the soldiers who fought in the valley over a hundred years ago. Later, we put our headlamps on and explored an underground bunker from WWI. After a few more hours of hiking, we made it to our final mountain hut near Krn Lake. We excitedly devoured a lunch of barley and bean stew with sausage. The kids were pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was, leaving no leftovers! After lunch, it was time for a field trip to a nearby cheese farm, where we learned about the cheese-making process and tasted homemade cheese. We walked from the cheese farm through a pasture of cows to Lake Krn and spread out on the grassy banks for a moment of mindfulness, silently looking out over the tranquil alpine lake for a few minutes. It was so nice to reflect on the beauty around us quietly all together. We hung out near the lake, then headed back to the hut for an afternoon treat of Slovenian dumplings with cream cheese and blueberries. Helen said it was her favorite Slovenian treat yet. We settled into some games during an afternoon rain shower- Morgan beat Charlie in a game of tiny foosball, Mathias taught Claire and Suz Hearts, and there were too many rounds of Monopoly Deal played to count. Once the weather cleared up, we headed back outside, where Cam taught the group how to play her favorite dancing game, Calabria. Jaka joined us for an intense round of Death Sac that made it even more fun. Dinner was a crowd pleaser- spaghetti bolognese with parmesan cheese. Connor finished his bowl in seconds and went back for three more servings. We finished up dinner, and our LOD’s led us down to a nearby lake to Moonup. Rheya and Natalie asked us to share one of the happiest moments in our lives, which filled us all with joy before bedtime. The kids settled into their cozy bunk beds after Moonup told silly bedtime stories before going to sleep.
July 6th
We rolled out of our cozy bunk beds for one last morning in the mountains, and we hungrily ate scrambled eggs, cereal, and incredible homemade bread with jam for breakfast. Our LOD’s Cam and Herndon gathered us for a morning huddle, and we decorated our faces with fun temporary tattoos and Moondance tattoos that Suzanne brought from Moondance HQ. Excited by our sparkly tattoos and face glitter, we got to trekking one last time. Morgan and Natalie won a travel game with Mark and Suzanne to pass the time on the trail, while others chatted about their lives back home. We made it to the end of the trail feeling so proud of ourselves and accomplished for crushing the past four days of hiking. We hopped in the vans, listening to hype music requested by Mathias and Helen, and we drove to our campsite in the Soca Valley. We settled into our rooms, then we ate burgers with a side of pizza- how could a meal get any better, especially after a big hike out of the mountains! Mathias and Charlie impressively put down three burgers. After lunch, it was time for a group volleyball game- Morgan and Natalie crushed the game, along with Connor and Herndon, scoring points left and right. We headed to the Soca River next for an afternoon swim, and the whole group plunged into the beautiful green river together. The boys “Khabib-ed” in the water, swimming upstream against the current, laughing. Morgan caught a frog on the beach. We made our way back to the campsite, and Mathias began to show Claire, Herndon, and Natalie the game of Mao- a card game where no one knows the rules except the “chairman”, and the biggest rule is you can’t talk. We couldn’t keep from laughing and giggling at each other as we tried to learn the game. Before dinner, we played hacky sack to get some energy out and practice our hacky moves. We ate mac and cheese with a salad for dinner, and it was so yummy. Herndon and Cam led us in Moonup, and we discussed the best advice we have ever received, provoking very thoughtful and interesting answers from the group. We hung out all together, telling funny stories and laughing, and then it was time for bed.
July 7
Today we woke up to an amazing breakfast of home- baked bread and eggs from George, the camp’s chef. After this feast, we got our things together and hopped in a van for the short drive to canyoneering. Upon arriving, we were fitted for our wetsuits and then made the small hike upriver to where we started the canyoning. During this wild session of jumping, swimming, walking, sliding, and rappelling down one of the most beautiful gorges in Slovenia, the students all had so much fun. Liz and Rheya noticeably overcame their fears of heights as they took leaps of faith into rock pools. After our epic time canyoneering, we returned to our campsite in Soca and then visited a nearby portion of the Soca River. Here we all took a much-needed nap and enjoyed the nice weather. Helen and Natelie caught a tadpole in the river, and Helen also found a rock of every color. After our naps, we all began to rock stack as Connor and Mathias told riddles. Mathias made a killer rock stack!!!!! When we got back to the campsite, the boys worked to get a fire going by chopping wood with Yaka. For dinner, we had some authentic Sač: a traditional Baltic style of barbequing turkey through indirect coal heat. It was a huge success!!! Almost everyone made sure to have two helpings! For dessert, we roasted marshmallows around the fire, then played an awesome game of fish bowl- the charades-like game was so fun, and Claire and Rheya proved to be particularly good. Our LOD’s, Connor and Helen, closed this great day with another fantastic Moonup.
We wanted to thank you all again for sharing your kids with us on this incredible trip! We have had such an amazing time, and we continue to make new memories every day. Below you will find personal thank you’s and notes to the family and friends out there from the kids. We will update you again in a few days!
With love,
Claire and Mark
Charlie: Hey mom and dad, I am so thankful that y’all have sent me on this amazing trip. Slovenia is so beautiful I wish yall could see it, I can’t wait to tell yall about it when I get home. I love and miss y’all (tell livie I miss her)
Mathias: Hello family, thank you so much for sending me on this trip it is wonderful. I don’t want to spoil anything but I have lots of stories to tell. I love and miss you.
Herndon: Hey family, so glad I’m on this trip. Can’t wait to tell yall all the cool stories. Love y’all and miss y’all
Liz: Hi mom and dad! Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip! I have had the most amazing time and made so many friends, it’s been the best experience! Love and miss you guys!!
Connor: Hey mom I wish I could write everything I’m feeling but I’ll keep and short and sweet for you because you know me. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I have made many new friends and a lot of new stories for you, I love you and miss you.
Morgan: Hey mom and dad! Slovenia is so beautiful and I’m so happy to be on this trip! I’ve made so many amazing friendships and can wait to tell yall all about it soon, love y’all!
Rheya: Hey fam!!! Missing yall lots but I’m having the BEST time ever. I can’t get over how pretty Slovenia is. I love yall and can’t wait to see you!
Claire: Hey fam! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip – it’s been awesome! Today we went canyoneering and the group is super fun
Natalie: Hi mom! Thanks you so much for sending me on this trip, it’s so much fun. Slovenia is so pretty and we went canyoneering which was so cool. Love you.
Cam: Hi Mom and Dad!! I miss y’all and Pegs so much! I am having SO much fun and Slovenia is the coolest place ever. All of the activities are awesome and today we went canyoneering which was amazing. Love y’all so much and see you soon!!
Helen: Hi guys Slovenia is so pretty! We went canyoneering and swam in a super pretty creek. The food is super good and there’s lots of burgers and goulash. Love you guys
Enjoying the Slovenian Sunshine!
July 3, 2026
Dobredan (“Good Day”) from Slovenia 2A! We have had such an amazing start to the trip so far. The group is full of energy and excitement for adventure, and we are having such a blast!
June 30, 2026
Everyone arrived safely in Venice on Tuesday morning, where we enjoyed a quick breakfast of chocolate croissants and met our Slovenian outfitters Sara and Jaka, who will be working with us these next two weeks! They are so great! We then hopped in the car to drive to Lake Jansa for a delicious lakeside lunch. Herndon branched out at lunch, ordering trout with buckwheat hash, already leaning into Slovenian culture and cuisine on our first day! After lunch, a few kids snoozed in the van ride while Helen and Morgan came up with a game for naming the cars that we passed on the road. We made our way to our hostel on Lake Bohinj, where the boys eagerly raced to get in the lake. Mathias, Connor, Charlie, and Herndon all made their way towards a rope swing, and Connor went for the first swing into the water. Cam and Rheya dipped their feet in while Liz dunked in the lake. Following our afternoon swim, we headed into the town of Bohinj and dined at a delicious local pizzeria. Most of the kids shared pizzas and caesar salad, and Charlie devoured a whole large cheese pizza in record time. Back at our hostel, Mathias and Herndon competed in ping pong and volleyball, while Morgan taught others how to play “spicy Uno”. A spin on the classic game that has been our go-to ever since. Rheya won! We circled up for our very first Moonup, where everyone got to speak about how we want to grow in the next two weeks. Everyone spoke so genuinely about getting out of their comfort zone, being more outgoing or courageous, and living in the moment, which really set the tone for an awesome session! Helen and Mathias were chosen to be Leaders of the Day (LODs) for the following day. We ended Moonup singing Wagon Wheel together while Claire H played guitar, and Herndon showed off his guitar skills playing some Widespread Panic. The kids got ready for bed and hit the hay after a wonderful first day in Slovenia!
July 1st, 2026
This morning we kicked off our day with a killer breakfast at our hostel of sourdough bread with peanut butter, chocolate spread, as well yogurt and local fresh fruit. Our first LOD’s, Mathias and Helen, then set the tone for the day’s activities with an outline of the day and a motivational quote for us to stew on. After gathering our things for our first official activity as a group, we set out in our vans for Triglov National Park to hike a Juliana Trail. On the way to the park we bumped some hype tunes and debated what school lunches were the best. During the hike we ascended around two miles up a ski slope until summiting the mountain. Charlie and Connor, affectionately known as Big C and Little C, (Connor being Big C and Charlie as Little C), killed the incline section of our hike and powered up with ease. On top of the mountain we snaked around the mountains’ spine, enjoying scenic views of the Juliana Alps, taking photos of the vibrant wildflowers, and exploring remains of bunkers from WWI. While inside one of these weathered bunkers, Yaka and Sara explained some of the history behind the area and the war. Herndon, Rheya, and Liz were particularly engaged and eager to hear more. After our hike we ate lunch at an authentic Slovenian establishment where the group dined on traditional goulash, pizza, and burgers. Our day didn’t end there as after that fabulous lunch we headed to Lake Bled: one of Slovenia’s most famous landmarks and a defining symbol of the region. Directly within the center of the lake’s turquoise blue water rests the only island within all of Slovenia. We split our squad into groups of fours and five and raced to this island in row boats! Connor, Charlie, Liz and Herndon rowed as we raced across the picturesque lake. Herndon’s boat prevailed as he proved to be a natural with the oars in hand. On Bled Island we explored the storybook-like church and got some incredible gelato! Finally, we grabbed some poke bowls on our way back to Bohinj and grubbed back at the hostel. Liz tried poke for the first time and loved it! After dinner, we played games and enjoyed the beautiful night. Natalie and Rheya led an intense game of spicy uno! We also played hacky sack and specifically a variation called “death sack.” It is a survive and advance version of hacky that is so dynamic and fun!!! We had an awesome time hanging out together as the sun set behind the nearby mountains surrounding the lake. Finally, we sat down for our first LOD led Moonup by the lake and went to bed after a long and exciting day!
July 3, 2026
Today we woke up to another beautiful morning on Lake Bohinj and gathered for a breakfast of yogurt bowls with berries, toast with jelly, and meats and cheeses. Claire and Herndon led the group in morning huddle, getting us excited and pumped for the day ahead. We loaded into the vans and drove just down the road to go rock climbing on a rock slab overlooking the lake. Helen was the first to make it to the top of her climbing route, effortlessly scaling the rock. Natalie was at the top of her climb before we knew it, with a beaming smile on her face. While two students climbed at a time, the rest of the group locked in for a game of hacky sack. Morgan and Claire enjoyed watching the nearby baby goats play in their pen near our rock climbing spot. We headed to lunch, where the kids were so creative with their orders- Connor and Herndon got the trout and Helen got pork tenderloin with sauerkraut. Yum! Full from another delicious Slovenian meal, we drove back to our Hostel. On the ride, Cam encouraged us to listen to authentic Slovenian music that our guide put on. We all put our bathing suits on and played a fun game of death sac in the grass, and Mathias won this round. Next on the agenda was kayaking! We numbered off into pairs and hopped in boats. Liz impressed us all with her paddling abilities, along with Claire and Connor who sped to the front of the group. We soon made it to an epic cliff jumping spot, and Cam was up there on the rock first, eager to jump! Every one of the kids took the leap and jumped from into the water- it was so amazing to watch them face their fears courageously. Charlie and Natalie thought the cold water was the hardest part about cliff jumping, not even the height of the jump! We paddled back to the beach near our hostel and enjoyed a snack of oreos and pringles. Sara and Jaka led us in a lesson on how to pack for trekking, our activity over the next four days. Everyone listened intently and soon, we were all packed up and ready to leave for trekking tomorrow morning. We went to a great burger spot for dinner, and Connor and Mathias feasted on the restaurant’s famous kimchi burger. At the hostel, we played a couple rounds of death sack, then it was time for Moonup. Claire and Herndon asked the group what skill everyone would choose to master if they could, and on a more serious note, what is your biggest fear. The group was so present and thoughtful at Moonup, and it feels like we are really becoming great friends already. We closed out the evening throwing the frisbee and playing guitar as the sun set on another beautiful day in Slovenia.
Over the next few days, we will be completing our trekking section in the Julian Alps, where we will discover some of the best that Slovenia has to offer and challenge ourselves all the while. Before we go, we wanted to express how wonderful it has been to hang out with your kids thus far and the excitement we have for the rest of the trip! Thank you for sharing them with us!
With love,
Mark and Claire
P.S. Below, you will see that your kids have given us a few words to send back home!
Rheya: Hi Mom and Dad (and family)!!! I am having the BEST time. Slovenia is so cool and beautiful. The time is flying by and I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. Love you lots!!!
Cam: Hi Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun in Slovenia! The views are gorgeous and the activities are so cool. Love y’all so much!
Liz: Hi mom and dad!! I am having the BEST time I love this trip! Thank you guys for sending me here! I love and miss you guys lots!
Claire: Hi mom and dad! I’m having a great time in Slovenia! We have seen so many pretty views and done so many cool activities! Love and miss you guys!
Morgan: Heyy mom and dad, I’m having so much fun in Slovenia, the food is great and the views are so pretty, can wait to tell y’all about it!!
Natalie: Hi Mom! I’m having so much fun and everything we’ve done is so fun. Thanks for sending on this trip. Love you!
Helen: hey guys yesterday we went cliff jumping at lake Bohinj, it was so cold in the water. Today we’re starting our trekking. I’m having so much fun, miss you guys and I’ve made lots of friends!
Mathias: Hey family, I love and miss you and I’m having a great time
Herndon: Hey Mom and Dad, having fun and seeing some super cool places. Love and miss y’all both.
Connor: Hey mom I love you and miss you.
Charlie: hey mom and dad, i miss you and am having so much fun in Slovenia.
Safe Arrival!
June 30, 2026
Hello Slovenia Families!
We heard from our leaders early this morning that the group has landed safely in Venice! Please remember that our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will post trip updates throughout their adventure! This will allow you to follow along with their experience. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
