Sunny And Stylish In Spain!
June 18, 2026
Day 9: Hi everyone! We are back, reporting live from Imlil! Today we woke up in our beautiful hotel. I mean, words can’t even describe how amazing this place was! As soon as we filled up with breakfast, we laced up our hiking boots, got our hiking poles ready, listened to some music, and watched our bags get loaded up on the mules. We were ready for a big day of hiking! Matheus led the pack in the front, keeping a steady pace, as we went up the mountains to basecamp. Throughout the 7 mile hike, we were able to stop at little markets on the way to buy candy and snacks! This helped keep our energy levels up during the hike. As we kept walking, we were admiring the views around us and were constantly making sure we were hydrated while in the sun! Once we got to basecamp, we got settled into our room (all of us in one room) and we got ready for a big slumber party. We relaxed and played card games; Abby was dominating everyone! We eventually ate dinner and had one of our best Moonups yet in our quaint bunk room. We have a BIG day tomorrow, so we made sure to go to bed early!
Day 10: WOOOHOOOOO SUMMIT!!! We woke up bright and early with smiles on our faces and excitement to do our big summit! This is the tallest mountain in North Africa! We packed up our bags, filled our water bottles, got snacks, ate breakfast, and headed on our way up! As soon as we walked outside the basecamp hostel, we were greeted with a beautiful sunrise with a stunning array of colors! Our vibes were high, and we started our trek. We climbed 4,167 meters and battled with the wind and cold temperatures on the way up. We absolutely made sure to take breaks when needed and kept pushing to get to the top! Everett was our hype man on the way up. He was constantly providing encouraging words that the group needed to get up the mountain. As soon as we got to the top, we celebrated and took many photos! Andrew even said “this is the happiest I have ever been.” We had a dance party and soaked up our accomplishments before beginning to descend down the mountain. Due to the steepness of the mountain, everyone kept slipping and falling on their butts. It eventually became funny, and a memory that we will laugh about forever. Bea also mentioned how the summit was “one of the hardest but most rewarding moments of my life”. Thomas and I cannot even put into words how proud we are of this group. Their support within each other and amazing attitudes are what allowed them to get up the mountain, and we are forever grateful we got to do it with them! As soon as we made it to basecamp, we dropped all of our belongings and relaxed. We enjoyed lunch and took showers before the card games began. We played a few different games and then gathered outside to watch the sunset! Again, it was magnificent and something we will remember forever. We ended our day with Moonup in our tiny room and soaked up our accomplishments before going to bed!
Day 11: Today, we woke up and quickly packed up our bags and ate breakfast in order to get back down quickly! We started our trek down early so the group wouldn’t get too hot in the sun! We made our descent the same way we came up on day 9. It was a beautiful day, and we made sure to put sun hoodies and sunscreen on before conquering the hike! We stopped in the shade when needed, but tried to make it down as fast as we could! Aiden led the group in heading down the mountain, and kept spirits high with his great attitude. We got to Imlil and stopped for lunch near a river in the shade. We were served amazing dishes that the kids devoured before hopping on the bus. Once arriving, we immediately got settled in and put our swimsuits on to hop in the pool! We swam around and played a few games before laying in the sun. We listened to an amazing queue of songs created by Sadie and Everett. After dinner and showers, we ended our night with a game of the world cup, which is a soccer game including different teams trying to block and score on each other. After our competitive game, we had a dance party, and it was a memory we will all cherish forever. We got comfy and ended the night with Moonup in a little nook in the house before heading to bed for a big day tomorrow!
Day 12: And here is yet another day on our Moroccan Adventure. First off… HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!!! After the group opened their eyes and stretched their arms out, we headed outside on the patio for a delicious breakfast overlooking a pool along with two peacocks roaming the yard. The LODs for the day, Sam and Bea, quickly rallied the group, and we talked about how to properly bargain with respect in the markets, before we headed out to see what the vendors had to offer us. As we arrived, we were greeted by our amazing guide who had been guiding the markets for over 30 years. Afterwards, we headed straight into the heart of the markets and stopped first at a quick spice vendor. We got a private show learning about the different aromas, spices and essential oils that Moroccan’s use daily for health purposes and many others. It didn’t take long for the smiles to come out, as we were introduced to all these different products. They even offered neck and head massages which Aiden, Annie and Sam wasted no time passing up on. While Elle, Izzie, Abby and Everett started deciding what spices and essential oils they were going to bring back home to share with their friends and family. As we packed up our shopping bags, we headed out to our next vendor where we stepped in the basement of a beautiful shop filled with everything you can imagine. Sadie, Izzie and Elle had the bright idea for all the girls to get matching bracelets with all their initials engraved in Arabic. While on the other side Andrew and the boys were looking for matching bracelets that only a few of them landed on. Next, we stopped by a famous rug store to check out the celebrities who had visited in the past. We went straight upstairs and sat down for some much needed coffee and water as we hid from the Moroccan sun for a little bit. Everett was first up to grab his chocolate latte, which he claims is the best he’s ever had before. After some drinks and shade, we headed to one last store where the boys really felt connected. Aiden was able to get his soccer ball that he had his eyes on, while him, Everett and Matheus also got matching linen sets. Sam halfway joined in as he purchased a shirt to match with them. I have to give Everett some kudos, as he was the best bargainer by far, being able to talk down the majority of the vendors we visited. As we headed out of the markets and back to our hostel, the group sat down for lunch and did a little shopping haul for everyone to see. After eating another delicious meal, we hopped in our swimsuits and jumped in the pool with the sun beating down on us. Thanks to Andrew and Bea’s song requests, we were able to have a great jam session, before showering and getting ready for our cooking class! On tonight’s menu, we had Moroccan pancakes, kefta, and cheesy potatoes. The pancakes have been a staple meal here in Morocco, so it was awesome to join in on the fun and learn how to make them which. The MVP awards easily go to Aiden and Abby. After the pancakes, we jumped into the kefta, which Sadie, Matheus, and Annie took home the award for. One last award goes to Elle for having the most contagious smile during the class. Once the meal was ready, we sat down and shared stories of the trip and various inside jokes that we would remember for a long time. This has truly been such a special group and the bonding we had from Day 1 showed throughout the trip. We wrapped up the end of the night with a beautiful chocolate cake and sang “Happy Birthday” for Annie to celebrate her Moroccan birthday.
Day 13: Today, we woke up and got all packed up for the airport. We ate breakfast and loaded up in the van. We have made so many memories in Morocco, and we’re sad to be leaving, but excited to see what the city of Madrid has to offer. We got to the airport and headed through security, customs, and got a million different snacks to share for our flight. Once we got to Madrid, we hopped on the subway and went straight to the hostel. Once we arrived at the hostel, the girls immediately put on their makeup and cute outfits, and the boys put on their best linens for the night! We headed straight to dinner, as we were so hungry from our travel days. We enjoyed various tacos and quesadillas before splitting off for shopping! The girls and Catherine had to go to Brandy Melville and some jewelry stores, while the boys went souvenir shopping and saw some sights! We eventually met up to end the night with amazing gelato with a beautiful view of the city. We watched the sunset go down and soaked up the last moments of our time together before our goodbyes tomorrow morning 🙁
Day 14: After a great last night together, we woke up early and got our things together, before hopping on the metro to transfer to the airport. We got to the airport and began to say our goodbyes. Thomas and I couldn’t have imagined a better group to experience this trip with; we wish that we could keep them for the rest of the summer! These kids are so full of life, inspiring, and kind-hearted. Watching this group grow together and create memories has been one of the best experiences ever. Thank you for sharing your wonderful kids with us on such a special trip!
Adios! – Catherine + Thomas
Onto a New Continent!
June 12, 2026
Hey Moondance Families
Day 6 ->
And we are back with another update! This time starting out the day with a big ole Happy Birthday to SAM!!!!! As we walked into breakfast early this morning the group collectively sang happy birthday to Sam as Thomas and Catherine brought out a chocolate croissant with a candle to get the celebrations underway! After breakfast it was time to depart for our next adventure, this time being a little different than trekking. Thanks to Everett and Aiden’s song requests the group had no trouble getting hype as we were on our way to Canyoneering! As we got into our wetsuits and started our journey towards the river the group was challenged mentally by Abby and Annie’s riddles. Once we got down to the starting point the group had no trouble getting into the chilly water thanks to Andrew and Matheus splashing everyone and getting them in the zone for what was to come. Whether it was sliding, jumping or even being in superman position the group had an all out ball during Canyoneering. Thanks to Bea for closing us out on the last cannonball in the water we packed up our gear and headed back towards the vans for some well deserved lunch. Talk about a feast! We were blessed with chicken, shrimp, cechvie, octopus and many more options that didn’t stop anyone from trying new things. Aiden and Sadie were the first to test out how they liked Octopus and the ratings came back high! Right as we were about to leave our guides came out with another birthday song with Sam with some chocolate cake. After lunch our LODs for the day Abby and Everett led us in a hype circle as we jammed out in the parking lot before departing for our next adventure, surfing!!!! As we strolled into the parking lot, the boys wasted no time getting on the beach and getting a football game started while the girls had some chill time laying out in the sun. It didn’t take long for the instructors to arrive as we got our wetsuits back on and headed out into the open water after a safety briefing. Sadie and Izzie were some of the first ones in the water as they were fired up about the opportunity to try a new activity. Thanks to Sam, Matheus and Everett they were cheering on the group while we were all on our boards in the water. After we all took our party wave in we jumped into our warm clothes and headed back towards our new hostel. As we approached we were all in awe as we were in apartments. Everyone was very excited about this as we had the opportunity to do laundry and take hot showers before we left for dinner. After some Italian food, we headed back to camp and had one last birthday celebration thanks to Catherine, Izzie and Elle who got together a birthday crown along with a plethora of doughnuts. After one last happy birthday song we sat down for Moonup and then were off to bed for our next adventure.
Day 7 ->
And just like that we are back at it and back to work for another amazing adventure with the 1A crew. Our LODs of the day Sadie and Aiden greeted us this morning by cooking us breakfast and making coffee for the group. As we all sat around outside the apartments and broke some bread together we started talking about what was to come in the day. Catherine and Thomas had one last surprise for the 1A crew which was….. Via Ferrata!!!!! The emotions and spirits were high as we once again piled in the van and headed off to our next activity. After another safety briefing we jumped in our harnesses, strapped into our helmets and clicked into our carabiniers for the climb up the mountain. Although it was intimidating and steep the group came together and hyped each other up and we conquered the rock. After the climbing Sadie and Thomas ran down to the bottom to take pictures of the rest of the crew as they ziplined over our heads. After Via Ferrata we headed off to lunch for a much needed pizza party! After some delicious and hot pizza, Izzie had the idea to go grab some ice cream which really brought some smiles to some faces. After some post lunch naps, we arrived at our next beach spot for another afternoon of surfing. The sun was out, the sand was soft and the vibes were high. Whether it was Sam practicing his Spanish to locals, Catherine and Elle laying out on the beach or Everett helping Aiden catch some waves this was an all out adventure. Post surfing we hiked back up the trail and headed back towards camp for some much needed packing and showers as we started our preparation for tomorrow’s trip to Morocco!!! For dinner we switched it up and had a little barbecue thanks to Alberto and Thomas on the grill. Whether it was burgers, chips and dips, sausages and boat loads of candy this was an all out ball. As we started to clean up dinner Catherine and Elle decided we needed one more thing to close out the night. A game tournament. This got the group really giggling and warm as we had separate teams and different prizes. We had to end the first event of the 1A Olympics in a tie. After we had a beautiful Moonup thanks to our LODs and got in bed for our early wakeup to start our new journey to a new continent!
Day 8 ->
Talk about an early morning! Although it was still dark out when we woke up for our travel day the smiles were still there. As we hopped in the van and shut our eyes, we opened them back up to board our first plane of the day heading towards Madrid. Right as we got off the plane the boys jumped straight into a hacky sack circle constantly practicing their new talents and skills especially Matheus, who landed his first around the world stall! The group quickly settled down at the gate with some time to spare and broke off to explore what the Madrid airport had to share. While the girls came back to Starbucks, the boys were all over the place. Whether it was more snacks for Sam and Andrew or some new cologne to break out for Aiden and Everett, the group had way too many things for their packs to hold. As we started making our way onto our last plane of the day, the smiles were still there, even though we were a sleep deprived crew. With the blink of an eye, we were coming over the Moroccan coast line and touching down in Marrakech. After some new stamps in the passports and currency changes we hopped on our last mode of transportation of the day thanks to a warm greeting from our guides. Looking from side to side out the window, Abby and Bea were quick to point out the palm trees while Sadie and Izzie were looking down the road observing the many vespas in the bike lane. As we worked our way up the mountain, we stopped by a creek for a quick sandwich and some fruit, as well as a surprise bunch of Oreos that Elle and Annie found peace with. The travel day finally came to an end as we checked into our beautiful hostel. We ended the day watching the sun drop behind the mountain and getting in the headset of 1A coming together and crushing the mountain one step at a time. As a friend and mentor once said “Press On” and that’s exactly what this group is going to do and can’t wait to update y’all on it when we check back in at the end of our extraordinary adventure.
And a little thank you to the parents from the students !!!!!
Bea: Hey guys! I’m writing this from the Madrid airport and we’re about to fly to Morocco!! We are heading to base camp tomorrow to start our Mount Toubkal summit, and I can’t wait! Last night our guides cooked us dinner. Having so much fun thank you for sending me🫶🫶.
Abby: Hi guys! I’m writing this from Spain about to head to Morocco! I’m having so much fun and can’t wait to tell you guys all about the trip! The leaders are also great! Thank you so much for letting me go on this amazing trip!
Annie: Hi guys! Thank you so much for sending me to Spain and Morocco! I am having the best time and I will see y’all soon. Say hi to Toby! 🐕
Sadie Catherine: Hey Momma and Neal!! We are currently in the airport in Madrid about to leave for Morocco. We are heading to base camp tomorrow in preparation for our big hike!!! Love you guys so much. Tell the fam I miss them and tell Hadley I keep thinking of our inside jokes and laughing. Much love
Izzie- Hiii Mom and Dad!!! This trip is seriously the best time everrrr!! I’ve made the best friends and have experienced so many new things because of this trip! Thank you so much for allowing me to come here, I’m so blessed to have y’all!!! I love y’all and can’t wait to see y’all in a few days!!!
Elle reeves – Hi Mama and Dad, thank you so much for sending me on this trip because I enjoy it so much, and always do. We’re leaving for Morocco right now and it’s so cool to be going to a different continent mid trip, which is what I love about this. I’m getting lots of pics and can’t wait to tell y’all everything, also in Morocco the uv is supposed to be 12 when we summit which is going to be crazy. Cant wait to see y’all and love and miss.
Sam Lambiotte – Hey Mom, Dad, scout and maybe Tyson, what’s goodie? I’m having an awesome time and I hope everything is going well back at home. We’re going on a pretty difficult hike tomorrow to Toubkal (search it up), but hopefully the 14’ers have trained me well. I’m super excited to tell you about the trip, I’ve been journaling and I’m excited to develop the photos. LOVE YOUUUU and THANK YOUUUUU
Everett O’Brien- Hi guys I hope you’re having an amazing time. We’re going on toubkal tomorrow and it’s 14’er. We took the plane over to Morocco today and now we’re staying in this awesome place, I’ll take photos for you guys! Thank you guys so much for sending me here. I’m having so much fun and I learned so much Spanish in Spain. I can’t wait to see you guys in London. I LOVE YOU GUYS!
Aiden Stubblefield- Hi guys hope all is going well. We are starting the summit of the main mountain tomorrow. We flew over to Morocco today and it was an early morning for everyone. We are staying in a cool hostel, and I’m super tired so ima just talk to y’all when I get back. Love yall, Aiden
Matheus van Starrenburg – Hi Mom and Dad. I’m having a great time here and am super excited to see you guys. We are about to hike Toubkal, 13,900 feet. Hope you all are doing well and can’t wait to see you in a few days.
Andrew – Hey Family!! I’m having an amazing time on this trip!! Thank you so much for sending me on it because I have gotten to practice my Spanish a ton and experience a new culture!! I can’t wait to see you guys when I’m back!
Spectacular Views in Spain
June 10, 2026
Hello Moondance Families!
Day 1: 06/05/2026 → Travel day
Day 2 and Day 3: 06/06/2026 →
Hola desde los Picos de Europa!!!
Wow! We have had quite the adventure since the group arrived in Madrid. Our group has already become super close and Matheus even mentioned how it felt like they were already such good friends. This group has the best energy and they are seriously so awesome! For the past few days, we have been climbing mountains, hiking through forests, and even reaching a summit! On the first day of hiking, Elle and Andrew, the LODs (Leaders of the Day), brought the good vibes and encouragement throughout our day of hiking! The trail brought incredible views, and a river of clear water right next to us! Our guides explained how the river creates renewable energy for the Picos! After the beautiful views, and crushing the hike, we headed back to the mountain hut to eat lunch! We enjoyed various types of sandwiches and Abby had the idea to celebrate with ice cream! Post-lunch, we drove to our next destination. In the van, Everett had some great song requests that hyped up the group for our afternoon! We arrived at the trailhead and made our way straight uphill to our hidden hut for the night. Once we got there, we immediately settled in. A little ways down from our hut was this big grass field with an unbelievable view of the mountains. We were surrounded by mountain goats, cows, chickens, and even a horse! This made this lodging feel like a dream. We played various games and listened to music! Aiden was showing off his hacky sack skills and giving good pointers to help the group! After probably 1000 rounds of hacky sack, we played a game called capture the mascot. Sadie was enthusiastic about creating strategies for the game and got the rest of the group into a competitive match. Once dinner was ready, we ran back to the hut and enjoyed multiple courses that filled us up! The group is especially eager to try new foods, and loved learning about the new cultures we are experiencing! After our delicious dinner, we finished the night back on the field with Moonup and went straight to bed!
Day 4: 06/08/2026
The next day, we woke up bright and early to another big day of hiking! It was a chilly morning, but we had warm coffee to get us ready for a big day of hiking! We organized our bags and got pumped for the day, while we admired the beautiful view of the fogs covering the mountains. We started our hike in the forest and eventually made it past the tree line to a herd of cows and horses grazing the fields. Luckily, our LODs, Bea and Sam, hyped the group up to make the final pushes to the summit. We spent some time hanging out on top of the clouds and admiring the view around us, enjoying some chocolate and taking so many pictures to look back on and remember the moment. We even took the time to write a little message and all of our names on a time capsule for the other group to see! Thomas and I were incredibly proud of this group’s perseverance to make it up the difficult hike and have a smile on their face the whole time! We slowly made it back down the mountain and played hacky sack on the way down (of course)… Eventually, we made it back to the hut and enjoyed lunch before packing up and heading back down to the vans! We relaxed and listened to music while making our way to the next hostel for the night. Once we arrived, the group settled in, played games, and took naps before dinner time! We ate family style with new foods that the group scarfed down, and of course, ended the meal with ice cream! After dinner, we walked around town and made our way to a look-out point for Moonup! We enjoyed Moonup with the most insane views of the Picos and watched the clouds roll in as we ended our day!
Day 5: 06/09/2026
Today, we woke up to a chilly breeze and the clouds peeking over the tops of the mountains. We headed up into the town and got breakfast! Our meal included bacon, eggs, bread, coffee, etc. We fueled up and began preparing for our hike! We bundled up in puffers, rain pants, and rain jackets! Izzie got us hyped up by showing on the map where our hike will be and explaining our day to us! We put our packs on and headed on our merry way. As soon as we got to the trailhead, some of the kids pointed out how the view looked like Iceland, and it felt like we were transported to a different world. As we hiked to the top of the mountain, we ran into some wild horses on the way! They were the biggest horses we had ever seen, and we were surrounded by them. The group used riddles as motivation, and everyone was pumped to try to solve them. As we reached the top, we were greeted by a cute dog and a little mountain hut. We rushed into the warmth and got the choice between hot chocolate or coffee! The group hung out at the mountain hut for a little before we all made our descent! As we walked down, Annie kept the conversations going, making the hike feel a minute long! We made it back to our lodging and ate lunch before showering. As the rain started coming down, we started our afternoon by playing games! Multiple games broke out, including board games from Spain and the card game called “Presidents.” After some time relaxing, we quickly changed into warm clothes and headed to dinner. At dinner, we tried many new dishes including black pudding and chorizo pizza with sunny-side-up eggs on it. Everyone enjoyed the new food and left with full stomachs! We ended the day with Moonup and headed to bed before a big day of canyoneering and surfing!
Shoutouts
Hi Mom and Dad. I’ve had a great time hiking in Spain and can’t wait for Morocco. I hope Kiersten is having a nice trip. Miss you guys and excited to tell you about my trip. -Matheus
Everett: Hi mom and dad I love you guys so much. We’ve had such a good time hiking in Spain and I’ve got so many photos to show you guys. I am excited to see you guys in London. I love you guys so much and I’ll get some amazing photos on my camera to show you guys! -Everett
Hey Mom, Dad, and Willy!!! I’m having an amazing time and I have a great group!! Can’t wait to tell you guys all about it! I’m getting tons of opportunities to use my Spanish as well. These views and hikes are amazing! – Andrew
Hey Mom and Dad hope y’all are having a good time without me. I’m having a lot of fun and the views are just insane. I have finished every hike and the hips have been doing well so far. Love you guys! – Aiden
Whattup fam, how we doing? Me personally, kind of amazing. Seriously, we have gone to some of the coolest places ever, and there’s this hut in the mountains I want to work at when I’m 18, I’ll talk to you guys when I get back. MISS YOU GUYS, LOVE YOUUUUUU! – Sam
Hi Mom and Dad!!! I’m having so much fun! Tell Toby I say hi! – Annie
Hiii Mama and Dad, this is awesome. I miss y’all and I should’ve brought a towel but shoutout to Annie of course. We’re hiking a lot to prepare for the summit and it’s so fun! I can’t wait to tell y’all about it. – Elle
Hi Mom and Dad! I am having the best time! We are just finishing our Spain portion and the hiking here is so cool! I miss you guys and tell Ethan and Caroline I say hi. – Abby
Whatuppp fammm!! I hope y’all are having a good summer so far!! I’m having the BEST time everrrr!! The leaders and people are so awesome and this place is beautifulllll; we need to come back. I LOVE YALLLL!! – Izzie
Hey fam!! I hope y’all are doing well. I am having the literal best time ever!!! I love all of the girls and we’re all best friends. The leaders are awesome!! Love you guys so much!! – Sadie
Hey guys!! I’m having the best time in PICOS DE EUROPA!!! The views are beautiful, the people are the best, and my leaders are so cool! I miss y’all and hope everything is going well at home with Walter. See you guys SOON love you!!!! – Bea
Safe Arrival!
June 6, 2026
Hello Spain + Morocco 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
