Wondering what a WOW trip looks like? Read the trip reviews below, all written in your fellow travelers’ own words. WOW trips are custom-tailored exactly to your interests, maximizing your experience, minimizing logistics, whisking you past lines, and avoiding crowds (yes, even this summer in Europe—read on to see how that’s possible).
Learn how to get your own WOW trip. Then, browse our WOW List of Trusted Travel Experts to find the right specialist for the trip you’re dreaming of. If you’d like help figuring out where to go or how to plan it, write to Ask Wendy. And you’ll find lots of other ideas in our other compilations of traveler reviews.
Italy: Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Naples, and Amalfi…with disabilities
LUCAS NADOLSKIS | OCTOBER 3, 2024
Our trip to Italy began in Rome, and right away we experienced the benefits of hiring Alberto and Martina’s company. Our driver was waiting for us at the airport, helping us seamlessly navigate the busy Rome train station, where we caught our train to Florence. As a traveler with disabilities, hiring a travel planner made all the difference. Our guides met us at our hotel for each tour, and everyone was incredibly accommodating. Martina and Elisa were both easy to reach and always available to address any issues that came up during our trip.
The experiences they curated were truly unique, but I can’t recommend their Positano team enough! Every step in Positano was worth it once we arrived at their stunning spot, overlooking the breathtaking Italian coast.
Additionally, having drivers to take us from our hotels to train stations and tours made the trip so much smoother. Vieri, who drove us through the Tuscan countryside, was particularly attentive and offered numerous tips we wouldn’t have known otherwise.
Overall, the exceptional service provided by Martina, Elisa, and Alberto truly made our trip special, and we can’t wait to return to Italy!
This trip was arranged by WOW List candidates. Here’s what that means.
Romania: medieval citadels, truffle hunting, and Jewish history
LINDA GREEN | OCTOBER 2, 2024
My husband and I just returned from a 10 day trip to Romania. We spent most of our time in Transylvania, which is both scenic and uniquely interesting. Our major reason for traveling to this part of the world was to visit the city of Cluj, where my husband’s father lived before emigrating to the U.S. in the 1930s, and to see the specific places where he and his family lived.
Our trip planners, Raluca and Malvina, did a great job of incorporating this into our itinerary, and also providing experiences that gave us a deeper appreciation of the overall history of Romania and Transylvania, particularly that of the Jews. We knew little of this history before the trip. It was very moving to visit the few synagogues that have been preserved and to meet the people who take care of them. And it was extremely interesting to tour the medieval citadels and fortified churches that dot Transylvania and to spend time in the mostly preserved traditional Saxon village of Viscri. We felt transported back in time watching the horse drawn carts, geese, goats, sheep and cows that wander through the streets of this picturesque place and we enjoyed the simple but delicious traditional foods that are truly farm to table.
We also loved going truffle hunting and enjoying the truffle pasta dinner prepared for us by our truffle guide, as well as our beautiful horseback ride through lovely meadows and forests. One of our most unusual experiences was visiting the vast and otherworldly salt mine in Turda which we would highly recommend. Throughout our trip, our guide, Paul, provided great information and suggestions that very much enhanced our overall understanding and enjoyment of the various places we visited. And it was great to spend time chatting with the lovely local people we met who provided insights into various aspects of life in this intriguing country. Overall, it was a very worthwhile trip.
Read more reviews of Raluca. Or request your own trip.
Switzerland: traditional bell-making, postcard-worthy scenery, the art of chocolate
DAVID KINSLER | SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
Our bespoke two-week journey through Switzerland was nothing short of magical. The adventure began in the vibrant city of Zürich, where we were immediately immersed in the city’s rich cultural history. One of the highlights was the watchmaking demonstration, which gave us an intimate look into Switzerland’s famous craftsmanship. The precision and artistry behind each timepiece were mesmerizing, and it set the perfect tone for the rest of our trip. Exploring Zürich was equally delightful, from its scenic riverfronts to the charming old town brimming with history.
We then ventured by train and back to Appenzell, where we experienced traditional bell-making firsthand. Watching the craftsmen at work was fascinating, and the deep tones of the freshly made bells rang with a timeless beauty. Our visit to a working Swiss farm added a wonderful rustic touch to the trip, giving us a glimpse into the country’s agricultural traditions and sustainable practices. It was a peaceful and enriching contrast to the city’s bustle.
We took a day trip to Bern, where the medieval streets and historic charm of the old city transported us back in time. The Einstein Museum was an unexpected gem—an engaging dive into the life and work of one of the greatest minds in history, all set within the beautiful backdrop of Bern’s cobblestone streets and medieval architecture.
Next, we headed by train to Zermatt, a true hiker’s paradise. The breathtaking views of the Matterhorn were absolutely unforgettable. Every step of our hikes offered postcard-worthy scenery, from pristine alpine lakes to rugged mountain peaks. The air was crisp, the trails well-maintained, and the natural beauty of the Swiss Alps left us in awe. From Zermatt we traveled to Grindenwald and the Lauterbrunnen Valley where the weather was uncooperative but the team quickly made arrangements for us to leave a day early for Lausanne and better weather.
We concluded our adventure in Lucerne, nestled on the serene shores of the lake. The city itself is picture-perfect, with its wooden bridges and waterfront promenades. The highlight here was the chocolate-making workshop, where we indulged our senses and learned the delicate art of Swiss chocolate. Creating our own confections was not only fun but deliciously rewarding—a sweet way to end our incredible journey.
Overall, this bespoke trip through Switzerland perfectly blended urban exploration, cultural immersion, and natural wonders. Each destination offered something unique, and we left with memories to treasure for a lifetime. The itinerary blended a good mixture of countryside and city sites and can through for us when the weather wasn’t cooperating.
Read more reviews of Nina. Or request your own trip.
Japan: onsen bathing at a ryokan, forging knives with a swordsmith, making sushi…
EMILY FRIEDMAN | SEPTEMBER 23, 2024
A sushi-making class: “an unforgettable family evening, joyous and full of laughter.”
This was our first trip using Wendy’s Wow List travel specialists. I can’t imagine visiting the Far East without her specialist’s guidance. I was overwhelmed with how to plan a trip to a country so diverse, with a language barrier, and we didn’t want to spend every day visiting temples and shrines. Andrea spent a full hour on the phone to understand our interests and wishes, before suggesting an itinerary. We had multiple zoom calls with him to fine-tune our itinerary.
He redirected us to a different city than we thought we wanted to visit, where we experienced one of the three most famous Japanese gardens, and had a class in gold-leaf applique. We were “spoiled” by having guides to/from railways, to/from airports. This was a luxury and a relief. (Most of our guides spoke good English, but be prepared because most people we interacted with do not speak English.)
The Gate Hotel in Tokyo was wonderful: central location, deluxe, great food, English-speaking staff. Excellent accommodations in Kanazawa at the Hyatt, as well. I must mention that I’m a “foodie” and the buffet breakfasts at both hotels were included, and were superb! A third hotel was under renovation, so unfortunately we missed staying at this boutique hotel, but Andrea was quick to find a satisfactory substitution.
I wanted to be able to interact with a Geisha, and he made it happen! This is not an easy thing to arrange. We had a special, 10-course dinner and she joined us and danced for us. An experience not to be missed—a glimpse into one of Japan’s cultural treasures. Andrea arranged for us to travel to the countryside, visit a swordsmith, and make our own knives forged in the fire! The trips to the city markets were a unique experience, and I loved seeing all the different foods and spices. Lastly, Andrea suggested a night in an intimate ryokan, where we experienced onsen bathing and a beautiful multicourse meal with all the local specialties. (Beware, most meals are raw fish (sashimi) or ramen. Research other ethnic restaurants if you don’t want fish for most meals.)
The best family experience Andrea arranged was a cooking class to make sushi, learn about miso, make matcha and mochi. That was an unforgettable family evening, joyous and full of laughter. I’ll add: Andrea’s assistant Giulia was delightful, kind, and “shepherded” us through the trip with humor and grace. Andrea planned a memorable trip, within our budget, and yet ensuring we experienced many of the “flavors” of Japan—the country and the culture. He also arranged days when we could explore on our own, which was something we really wanted. We did not want to be over-scheduled and exhausted.
Andrea loves Japan, and his skill in selecting experiences that are unforgettable and unique to Japan makes him a travel specialist of the highest caliber!
Read more reviews of Andrea. Or request your own trip.
Sri Lanka: climbing Sigiriya, a one-day safari, relaxing on the beach
LAUREN SCHOR | SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
Traveler Lauren with her husband and daughter on a one-day safari in Wilpattu National Park.
Just back from in week in Sri Lanka that we tagged onto a trip to India at the end of August with our teenage daughter and another couple. We originally spoke to Miguel and Nicola about a trip in December, but totally switched gears and planned a last-minute week-long summer trip. Because it’s so remote from the US, and such a geographically diverse country, ideally you’d have at least two weeks to spend here. Sri Lanka is a small country but there are so many regions to see and it takes a lot of time to travel from place to place.
Given we only had a week, we had some tough choices as to which areas we were going to visit—the cultural triangle and ancient ruins, the mountains and tea plantations, the jungle and wildlife, the gorgeous beaches or the cities. Ultimately with a lot of back and forth weighing the pros and cons with Nicola and Miguel, we decided on the cultural triangle and the south coast. I couldn’t imagine going all the way to Sri Lanka and not climbing Sigiriya, the ancient fortress atop a mountain and the most visited place in the country. Plus, we were near one of the national parks and we got to do one day safari! And we knew we wanted to spend time near a beach relaxing because we had also come off a week in India before arriving in Sri Lanka.
We opted to charter a flight to the south coast instead of driving the 8 hours. This area was a great combination of relaxation and culture. Galle Fort is a must visit area-the restaurants, shops and local life is unlike anywhere else in the country. And there were a lot of other activities in the area, like a local cooking class, a mask painting workshop and visiting a cinnamon plantation (who knew that 90% of the worlds cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka)!
Nicola recommended fantastic properties. We loved Ulagalla—we have traveled all over the world and its one of the most special properties we have stayed at. We enjoyed a WOW Moment at Kamantha, a traditional and delicious Sri Lankan meal prepared with indigenous tools in a mud hut. Such a special experience! We also stayed at Mosvold Villa, a newer property right on the Indian Ocean. While I wouldn’t consider it a five-star property, the location could not be beat, and we were adamant about wanting to be on the water (versus at a property like the Aman located inside the fort not on the coast).
Something else to note; we had a driver for our week but each activity and excursion had its own local guide. Sri Lanka is a special country and everywhere we went the people were so welcoming and we kept hearing how they meet so few American travelers. I have a feeling this is going to be a new hot spot destination!
Read more reviews of Miguel. Or request your own trip.
Denmark: biking, Viking Ship museum, private tour of a working wood furniture factory…
HOWARD WOLFF | SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
A private canal boating excursion was one of many Denmark highlights. Photo: Traveler Howard Wolff
Mads designed a perfect itinerary that delighted two travelers in their 70s and two in their 30s, giving us unforgettable memories from a busy week in Denmark: biking, a private boat ride on the canal, dining with Danes, as well as visits to the Viking Ship Museum, Danish Design Museum, Roskilde Cathedral, HC Museum, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, and more.
Since we arrived at 7am after an overnight flight, we were thankful that Mads arranged for early check-in at our hotel, allowing us to take a quick nap before embarking on our 2-1/2 hour bike tour. Our guide Lotte was fascinating and personable; and Dan, our driver throughout the trip, was delightful and very helpful.
Our evening at the beautiful home of the Danish couple Lene and Carsten (sp?) was not only delicious but also engaging—a great conversation and human connection. We’ll remember it fondly.
As an architect, I found our design-themed day to be particularly impactful, and my family members loved it, too. Getting a private tour of a working wood furniture factory, PP Mobler, including a visit to their forest, was very special. A conversation with a young designer at his studio was meaningful, insightful, and enlightening; and our final stop of the day at the Danish Design Museum heightened our awareness and appreciation for Danish ingenuity. After that day, we noticed every chair we sat in!
On a particularly jam-packed day, we decided to skip a visit to the Egeskov Castle and drove straight to the island of Funen after visiting Roskilde, the former capital of Denmark. The Hans Christian Andersen Museum was surprisingly clever and interactive. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art was unique and special.
We really enjoyed our harbor-facing room at 71 Nyhavn in Copenhagen. The hotel was perfectly situated, and the breakfast options were fabulous. Our overnight stay at Falsled Kro was beautiful and indulgent; our breakfast was one of the best we’ve ever had. The rooms were simply elegant and spacious. Arrangements for a late check-out allowed us to enjoy an e-bike ride from the property in the morning, and we loved every minute. Tivoli, with its theme-park vibe, was of more interest to our kids than it was to us, but we had a great time. All in all, a great experience that we are grateful to have had. Thank you.
Read more reviews of Mads. Or request your own trip.
Ireland: ruins on every corner, Dromoland Castle, private sheep dog competition…
NIK MINOCHA | SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
We and another couple contacted Jonathan at Celebrated Experiences because our daughters had tickets to see Taylor Swift in Dublin. We spent a wonderful weekend with them in Dublin and sent them home after the concert. We then spent the next week traveling around the southern loop of Ireland. Jonathan and his colleague Katie put together an itinerary that included all of the must-sees but also off the beaten path sites, offering a more authentic experience—and fewer tourists.
Ireland is the Emerald Isle for a reason; the variety of green is unlike anywhere else. Jonathan insisted we use a driver for the week and that was probably the best advice he gave us. Tommy was fantastic! He is an active and self-taught student of Irish history, which is very handy when there are ruins on every corner. He also took the time to learn what we did and did not like and tweaked our itinerary accordingly. His guidance was truly catered to us on a day-by-day basis, even down to tiniest details.
This type of trip calls for a lot of driving. We do wish more physical activity (hikes, paddling) had been included. We should have made sure such activities were added to the itinerary. We just wish we’d had more opportunity to move!
One unexpected highlight was a private sheep dog demonstration at Caherconnell Fort. Who knew there was so much skill and communication between the farmer and the Border Collies? It was a privilege to watch them work together, as they have for generations. We debated keeping this activity in our itinerary and it would have been a big loss if we missed it.
All of the hotels were top notch, but none compared to Dromoland Castle. Everyone should experience a castle at least once, especially one where you can try falconry, clay shooting and archery all in one afternoon. We would not recommend dinner at the castle, but otherwise it was amazing!
Read more reviews of Jonathan. Or request your own trip.
Peru: the Amazon, “scenic” train to Machu Picchu, horseback through villages
LORI BENTLEY | SEPTEMBER 16, 2024
Lori Bentley and family took the Vistadome train to the “breathtaking” expanse of Machu Picchu.
Just back from a 60th Birthday trip to Peru. Tom and his team planned a fantastic trip for us. We visited the Amazon, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Lima. The Amazon was amazing, and the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge provided a beautiful atmosphere and guided tours. Next, our guides Alberto and Henry along with driver Igor picked us up in Cusco, for a scenic trip to the Sacred Valley where we stayed at the Sol y Luna Lodge, which was beautiful. Our guides were fantastic and assisted with advice on acclimating to the altitude. We enjoyed a 2 hour horseback ride through villages and farmland. It was by far the best ride I have ever been on!
The Vistadome train to the village of Machu Picchu was very scenic and relaxing. We stayed at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, and the accommodations were fabulous! Of course, visiting Machu Picchu was breathtaking. A walk to the Inca Drawbridge was filled with the surrounding beauty of the area. After Machu Picchu, we flew to Cusco, a charming , historical city. Alberto recommended excellent restaurants, we even tried Cuy (guinea pig). We also enjoyed dinner at the recommended Map Café—the food and service were excellent.
There were so many highlights of the trip, and the guidance and recommendations that we received were so helpful. Grateful for the expertise and planning of Tom, and the service of Alberto, Henry, and Igor. Highly recommend utilizing their services.
Read more reviews of Tom. Or request your own trip.
Grand Teton: Old Faithful, great hikes, and a “fantastic” lodge near many trailheads
DEAN NANCE | SEPTEMBER 16, 2024
Three generations came together to enjoy a hiking trip to Wyoming.
There were five of us, from three generations—Grandfather, Son-in-law, and three Grandsons on our September Tetons trip. We all had a really great time! Melissa organized the trip for us. The Tetons are an incredible experience!
Where to start?
The Jenny Lake Lodge was a fantastic place.
* Great location, right in the middle of the Tetons.
* Wonderful meals, including five course dinners and multiple options for breakfasts.
We enjoyed the tours Melissa arranged for us.
* It was so nice that they were private, meaning that they included only our group.
* The guides were all knowledgeable, flexible, and pleasant to be with. They went to great efforts to find wildlife for us to view, and to do such things as to get us to Old Faithful at a time it was about to erupt.
All five of us particularly enjoyed the hikes that we took on our free days. The fact that Jenny Lake Lodge was near the trailheads of several great hikes was a real plus.
Last, but not least, Melissa was wonderful to work with in planning the trip. We could never have done it without her!
Read more reviews of Melissa. Or request your own trip.
India: Delhi by rickshaw, spa & arts in Jaipur, sidestepping the rainy season
LAUREN SCHOR | SEPTEMBER 11, 2024
Happy mom and teen “tagged along on a business trip” and enjoyed the Taj Mahal at both sunrise and sunset.
My teen daughter and I tagged along on a pretty last-minute business trip my husband was taking to India. Victoria put together an amazing itinerary one month before we left and she really nailed it! After our first phone conversation she put together the perfect plan and I made very few changes. It was very clear she understood what I was looking for and how we wanted to spend our time.
We were traveling off-season during monsoons, and while the weather was very hot and very humid, the actual rain barely interfered with our activities. We flew into Delhi and spent two days exploring the city which was a feast for the senses. It was a great intro to India, both overwhelming and mesmerizing. Victoria set up a tour of the old city by rickshaw which Id highly recommend as a memorable and eye-opening experience. We also took a food tour through the winding streets of Delhi which I was very hesitant about for fear of “Delhi belly,” but Victoria assured me they are very careful about the places we would visit and she was right, we were all fine!
My daughter and I then went off on our own to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal at both sunset and sunrise, which were two totally different experiences and both “pinch me” moments! Friends and family at home were very concerned about the two of us traveling in India alone, but we felt completely safe the entire time because we always had someone with us, just one of the reasons a WOW planner is so important.
Our final stop in India was Jaipur. Each city was a 3-4 hour drive from one another, which was an experience in itself passing through villages and seeing the way people live outside of the cities. We spent four days in Jaipur which was the perfect combination of sight seeing, shopping, spa time and cultural experiences. Highlights were a block printing workshop in a village outside of the city, an early morning visit to the old city, getting custom made pajamas, visiting the city palace, and meeting with an astrologer, which was a very unique experience. Our incredible guide Vikram knew all the best spots to take us to and had access to places we would have never known about. We have had a lot of private guides all over the world and Vikram is up there with the best!
We were very happy with all of the hotels Victoria had suggested—Leela Palace in Delhi, The Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra and Rambagh Palace in Jaipur. Victoria really made the most of the one week we had in India. She suggested three very different cities which were the perfect combination for a first-time visitor to India and I can’t wait to go back to visit other parts of the country!
Read more reviews of Bertie and Victoria. Or request your own trip.
Southern Africa: Botswana camps, Victoria Falls, helicopter ride, & wine tasting…
JOE COCO | SEPTEMBER 8, 2024
We worked with Julian and his company to plan our trip to Africa, specifically Cape Town South Africa, safari in Botswana, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Julian offered great guidance on when to go to optimize for the weather in each country, and when and where to go to ensure a top-notch safari experience, from animals to accommodations. He also provided insightful recommendations to optimize the value for our money.
We arrived in Cape Town on August 19 after taking an extended layover in London to break up the flights and enjoy London. Once in South Africa we stayed at the Four Rosmead, a nice boutique guest house. It’s in a quiet location yet near to excellent restaurants and cafes. The two managers were fantastic. They organized dinner reservations, offered good ideas for things to do, and provided specific safety precautions. Cape Town and the larger peninsula are surrounded by mountains and water, offering spectacular natural scenery. One of the highlights was our guided drive throughout the Cape Peninsula, to Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve, visiting the Jackass penguin colony, and driving through Chapmans Peak. Stunning beauty, and we live in the Pacific Northwest and are therefore used to lots of mountains and water.
Another highlight was our “WOW Moment” —a helicopter ride. We started by flying down the coast, alongside and slightly higher than the mountains, then around various parts of the city and suburbs. The ride provided great views and perspective. Cape Town can be windy and still a bit rainy at that time of year, but fortunately we lucked out and had pleasant weather most of the time, and our helicopter flight was smooth. We also did a daylong guided wine tasting tour through Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Franschhoek, the latter of which is a charming little town with boutique hotels and high-end shops and restaurants. It was a pleasant tour, but unless you are really into wine and wine tasting, visiting 2 of the 3 areas may be sufficient.
There were a few hiccups and downsides to our visit in Cape Town. First, a driver from the local Cape Town tour company was supposed to meet us at the airport upon arrival to take us to our guest house, but he was a no-show. We called the company from the airport and they admitted they dropped the ball, apologized, and picked us up within about 20 minutes. That really drove home the importance of having readily available contact information for airport transfers and guides, especially in locales with potential safety issues. Fortunately, Albert, our local guide for the following three days, was very knowledgeable, organized, and prompt. The other issue was that the cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain, which offers amazing views, was undergoing annual maintenance during our visit. The cable car website (which we looked at only after we arrived), contained a notice that it was shut down from July 15 – September 1, so that was a disappointment. Apparently, the maintenance schedule can vary year-to-year, so check into this before going so you aren’t surprised. Finally, something to be aware of is you need to be more careful about crime than you might be accustomed to. The managers at our guest house emphasized the importance of not walking around the city in the evening and recommended against taking taxis. Instead, use Uber even for very short drives. We found the Ubers to be highly available, reliable, comfortable, and apparently safe. Having said that, we still really enjoyed our visit to Cape Town and the surrounding area.
Our next stop was Botswana for safari, where we spent 6 days at 3 different safari camps: Duke’s East in the Okavango Delta, Sable Alley in Khwai Private Reserve, and Savute Elephant Lodge in the Savute–Chobi National Park. The entire experience was amazing—the animals, landscape, accommodations, people, food, and logistics. We saw an incredible variety of animals, often very close to our open-air Land Cruiser, at the camps, and during a river cruise: lions, leopards, giraffes, elephants, hippos, wildebeest, wild dogs, hyenas, multiple types of antelope, zebra, crocodiles, warthogs, mongooses, monkeys, baboons, ostrich and many other types of birds. Our guides were super knowledgeable, not just about the animals but also the environment, geology, flora and more. The landscape in Botswana is beautiful, in part because it’s so flat, vast and has amazing sunsets. In addition to the safari drivers/guides, the rest of the staff at the 3 locations were all very warm, friendly, and attentive. Despite being literally in the middle of nowhere, accessible only via a propellor plane that lands on a dirt airstrip, and completely isolated from virtually all infrastructure, the food was quite good and the accommodations were fairly plush. The prop plane flights to each camp were professional and reliable. There were also nice touches like stopping our afternoon safari drive at sunset for a sundowner (cocktails and snacks set up by our driver). Being in the middle of a great expanse at sunset, drinking gin & tonic and watching animals come from all directions to visit a watering hole is truly unique. Our time on safari in Botswana was terrific and the highlight of the entire trip!
Our last stop was for 2 days at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe where we stayed at the Old Drift Lodge. By this point in the trip, we were getting tired and wanted to go at a slower pace, so we just visited the falls, went on a lovely sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi River (a sundowner with cocktails and snacks), and sat on our deck enjoying the view of the Zambezi river across to Zambia. While you can do a safari drive there too, we were a bit safari’d out after 6 days of multiple hours in a Land Cruiser. Fortunately, elephants, warthogs, and mongoose wandered around our lodge (which is outside of town in the national park). The Falls are very impressive and worth visiting when the water is relatively low (when we visited) because you can see more of the geologic features of the falls and only get a little wet from the spray vs completely soaked when the water is high. We went just after sunrise to avoid the crowds and heat, and so we could see rainbows made by the spray and low sun angle. Very cool! We also had lunch at The Lookout Cafe perched above and at the edge of the falls, which offered a great view.
We had a truly wonderful trip!
Read more reviews of Julian. Or request your own trip.
Cape Town, Victoria Falls & Zambia: museum tour & cooking class, “Big 5” wildlife from photo hides
NANCY WOLF | SEPTEMBER 4, 2024
African tours, camps, and safaris kicked off with panache—a surprise pickup in a vintage Jaguar.
Our amazing first safari was thanks to Frankie Janssen, of Cherri’s office. We asked for suggestions on where to go and what time of year, and Frankie suggested a mid-August start, with a trip including Cape Town, Victoria Falls and Zambia because we wanted a place that included water activities.
Frankie planned our WOW Moment—actually a WOW day—for our first full day in Cape Town. She told me to trust her, and she was right. She hit all of the highlights…we were picked up in a vintage Jaguar. Our first stop was the Bo-Kaap area for a tour and Cape Malay cooking class. Then we went for a drive along the coast en route for a private tour of the Zeitz MOCAA, followed by a drive up to the top of Signal Hill for magnificent views, including Table Mountain.
Because we were flying into Zimbabwe from Cape Town, Frankie arranged for us to tour Victoria Falls right from the airport so we didn’t have to cross borders multiple times. The driver she arranged for us was especially helpful in expediting our crossing into Zambia. We stayed in 3 camps and all were first-rate. I told Frankie that I wanted a camp with photo hides and she sent us to Kaingo in South Luangwa National Park. We were fortunate to be there to see the red carmine bee-eaters, with the hide a few feet away from the nesting site. What an incredible sight! They also had an elephant hide and a hippo hide. By the first day at Kaingo, we had already seen the Big 5, as well as a chase of 3 male lions (we saw the white rhino at Tongabezi Lodge near Victoria Falls). We didn’t think there were any animals left to see, other than the wild dogs, but we saw them our first day at Sausage Tree Lodge. We also spotted a porcupine, which we never thought we’d see.
Being on the river at Tongabezi and Sausage Tree was a highlight. We loved the sunrise and sunset cruises, and we even tried our hand at fishing (only caught a turtle and a catfish…no tiger fish). Both Tongabezi and Sausage Tree Camp had special lunches and dinners in unexpected locations that really made the trip extra special. Zambia is a hidden gem. The only issue we had with the planning was our travel from Tongabezi to Kaingo. Because of the flight schedule, we had a 3-hour wait at Lusaka airport and once we landed in Mfuwe, we had a 2 1/2 hour drive to the camp. We didn’t arrive until 8:00 pm (we had started our day with a sunrise cruise, so we were exhausted). Kaingo does communal meals, so we were asked to go directly to dinner. Trying to converse with strangers after such a long trip was not pleasant, plus since we weren’t given the opportunity to put on bug spray, it was the one time I got several bites. Unless there is another way to reach Kaingo, I would not recommend it, despite the excellent photo hides.
Frankie added value to our trip, not only by planning our destinations and helping with activities, but also by securing drivers and VIP meet and greets who made our life easier. The one VIP meet and greet I would not do again, though, is in Cape Town. That added no value.
I’d highly recommend Frankie to plan your next safari!
Read more reviews of Cherri. Or request your own trip.
England & Scotland: Cotswolds, historic monastery ruins, distilleries, private falconry…
MICHELE BLOCK | SEPTEMBER 2, 2024
Two hours of private falconry was a highlight of Michelle Block’s “soooo memorable” Scotland travels.
THANK YOU Jonathan, Katie, Allyson and your team for planning our trip and our wonderful guides to Bath, Stonehenge, the Cotswolds (5 days, guides—Adgue and Maeve), and Scotland (16 days, Scott and Dave…our men in kilts)!!! It was flawless and soooo memorable. Each guide brought their own personalities and stories to enable us to learn about culture and history. It was fun learning the origin of some of our sayings.
Everything on our bucket list was met with some special additions. For example we opted due to the amount of steps to switch from a castle to visiting the wonderful preserved ruins of the St. Elgin monastery and then visit an abbey to hear the monks saying afternoon vespers, an experience indeed. Our goal of 2 hrs of private falconry and the highland games in Helmsdale (northeast Scotland) were remarkable. The hotels/castle of Glenapp, Isle of Eriska, and the Royal Crescent transplanted you into the world of luxury. Edinburg brought us the Scotsman right in the middle of everything to enjoy the royal mile and fringe fest. The Military Tattoo is a must if you visit in August. Pictures cannot describe the places we were taken, some off the tourist route, to appreciate the highlands and inner and outer Hebrides as well as special areas in southern Scotland, which Scott said is not on the tour guide itineraries (it should be).
We enjoyed going to distilleries which you may not have heard about and of course brought home a bottle. It is wonderful to see that all of the accommodations give accolades to Jonathan’s company. The phone app is great to keep track of where you went and where you are going in addition to helpful tips on tipping. We found the people friendly wherever we went and the hospitality was wonderful and charming. We can’t wait to start planning our vacation to Sicily and Italy with Wendy Perrin for the spring.
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Tanzania & Kenya: beautiful geography, gourmet food, warm hospitality, wildebeest & zebra migration
NANCY RIEGER | SEPTEMBER 1, 2024
Traveler Nancy Rieger says spectacular meals at the camp rivaled the finest urban restaurants.
Armand and I sought out Dan’s team for a safari to Tanzania and Kenya because of his excellent reputation. We had a wonderful trip, and were met every step of the way once we landed at our first stop, Arusha, Tanzania.
Dan secured wonderful hotels and camps, beginning with the beguiling Plantation Lodge. The property was stunning, a green Eden, with wonderful food, warm hospitality, and a room that would qualify as a generously sized apartment in Manhattan. Our fabulous and informative guide, Eric, took us to Lake Manyara the first day, and to the Ngorongoro Crater the second. Lake Manyara had beautiful geography, albeit with fewer animals because of recent flooding. The Crater was a revelation. We saw ostriches mating–including the male doing his hilarious approach dance to the female. Also had a lot of time with the babboons, the most entertaining primates around.
Then it was off to Tanzania, and Taasa Lodge. The ride from arport to Taasa brought us smack dab in the middle of the wildebeest/zebra migration. Thousands of animals honking and bleeting, crossing the Sand River. More wildlife sightings than one could imagine: crocs, warthogs nursing their young, vultures fighting over a fly-ridden wildebeest, two lionesses and two cubs with bloody mouths who were just starting to dine on a freshly killed wildebeest. Birds and hippos galore.
The only dampers at Taasa were being given a substandard room with no hot water on our first night (after arriving at 7 pm instead of 5 pm) , a guide who spent 80% of her time talking to her tracker, and a butler who was unfairly given a job he could not do. The lodge manager claimed he wasn’t listening. But he was, and was trying hard. He just needed more training. Still, I would recommend Taasa because of its location, views, and its soups. Just need to make sure about the guide and room butler.
I’ve saved the best for last: Mara Expedition Camp. Dan had highly recommended this camp. It delivered in every single way. Our guide, Clifford, was superb. No roaring around at high speeds, he was patient in seeking out wildlife and was often the first guide to spot a lion, a herd of elephants, hyenas sleeping in the grass like frat boys who had partied too hard the night before, lizards, the golden orb spider, birds of every size, hippos, crocs, I could go on.
The other staff at Mara were exceptional. They made us feel like we had a home in the Mara. Their warm hospitality, their genuineness, kindness, their special surprises that brought even more enchantment to our stay (one: a hot breakfast in the bush alongside a river) , the nature walks around the camp, the gourmet food, Yes, gourmet food that rivals restaurants in New York, London, Paris. A lovely, comfortable, and quiet tent with plenty of light, charging stations, and hot water. We’re going back there again one day with our grandchildren.
Dan made sure we had the time of our lives. He spent time asking us questions before our trip. And he made certain that we were able to see everything that we had hoped for, that we stayed in some of the best accommodations available at our budget, and that we never had any worries. We are also grateful for our WOW Moment. At Mara Expedition, wonderful gifts were in our tent upon arrival. A hat, a stylish neck gaiter, and more. :) We will come back to Dan’s company. Our next trip may be to Rwanda to see the gorillas!
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British Columbia: Whistler, hiking glacier caves, floating sauna & waterfall hot tub…
TODD FITZWATER | AUGUST 30, 2024
Traveler Todd Fitzwater hiking in a glacier cave in Whistler, British Columbia.
Travelled to British Columbia and visited Whistler and Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort. Marc, Cat and Kate’s team created a fantastic trip for us and went above and beyond to make our trip exceptional. The planning with them was fantastic. We had originally planned on visiting the Lake Louise area but Marc detected a lack of enthusiasm and asked the question we’ve never been asked… “What would be your perfect trip?” We gave him our answer and he suggested Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort. We looked it up and were convinced.
His company booked the trip and the destinations for us and arranged some great experiences. With that said, on a late Friday afternoon we decided we needed a little something more adventurous and the team got us booked on a Glacier Cave hike/visit when they should have already gone home for the weekend. Can’t say enough about this team.
Now, the trip was incredible. Whistler was fantastic in the summer. Rode the Gondolas, went peak to peak, walked the suspension bridge at the top, hiked and took in the scenic view. Food in town was great. Highly recommend Araxi and Il Caminetto. Took the previously mentioned glacier cave trip. The helicopter trip was fantastic as was the cave adventure. All arranged through Marc’s team.
Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort was an out-of-this-world experience—floating sauna docks, floating hot tub docks, land-based hot tubs nestled next to a waterfall, water safaris, deep woods hiking, whales, otters, orcas, dolphins, bears and 5 star restaurant. One dinner was without a doubt Michelin-worthy. Another dinner the dining room prepared the shrimp that I caught. Nine cabins with an eclectic bunch of people. Just a tremendous experience and one I plan on coming back for.
Thank you Wendy for turning us onto this group, and thank you Marc, Cat and Kate for an exceptional experience.
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Switzerland: guided gastronomy and kayak tours, chocolate workshop, hiking with St. Bernards
BARBARA STELZER | AUGUST 30, 2024
A cogwheel train up Mt. Rigi led to a hike with giant furry friends. Photo: Traveler Barbara Stelzer
Our week in Switzerland with our granddaughters was WONDERFUL! It started with good communication with Ana and Simon months before our trip.
Hotels were in 2 locations with private guides and day trips from each. The first was Hotel Maya Caprice for 2 nights in the charming, carless hilltop village of Wengen, and then 4 nights at Hotel Art Deco Montana in Lucerne. Our adventures included a guided kayak tour on Lake Brienz, Lauterbrunnen Valley, Trümmelbach Waterfalls, Giessbach Falls, Aare Gorge, a guided walking tour of Lucerne, chocolate workshop and tasting at Max the Chocolatier, guided full day gastronomy tour of Zurich, boat ride on Lake Lucerne, and an activity that made my granddaughters cry happy tears, a cogwheel train up to and hiking on Mt. Rigi with Koni and his St. Bernards. We were also surprised with a WOW Moment in Zurich where we were greeted by Ana and Simon’s team with champagne, fruit AND an alphorn lesson. Fun!
Drivers and guides were timely, informative and friendly. The itinerary eliminated any possible worries with its specifics about activities, times, meeting places, and added suggestions. Ana had made requested dinner reservations ahead of time which added to the seamlessness of our week. Our favorite dinners were at restaurants in our 2 hotels, and at Restaurant Grottino in Lucerne.
Our trip and the planning exceeded our expectations.
We recommend Ana and Simon’s company for sure!
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France: Normandy’s historic beaches, Roland-Garros tennis, a Baroque chateau…
MARSHA FRIEDLI | AUGUST 29, 2024
Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte was “a highlight” for Marsha Friedli and her husband during their time in France.
Magnificent! That is the best word to describe the experiences Jennifer put together for our most wonderful trip! We wanted to visit the Normandy area of France prior to visiting the British Isles. And finish our trip with Paris and Roland Garros competition. Jennifer and her team exceeded our expectations! We used almost all modes of transportation: car, van, private car, train and ferry! Jennifer had many suggestions for our time in France. We wanted to visit the beaches of Normandy as my Father-In-Law was part of the invasion support during WWII. Jennifer arranged the most informative and insightful guide, Stephane Lamache, for our time in the Normandy and surrounding area.
We also visited Giverny and the Bayux tapestry museum. Our stay at Chateau La Cheneviere was just lovely. It had a quiet room, pool and on-site magnificent restaurant. I would definitely stay here again just to stay and enjoy!
We had to get from Cherbourg, France to Southampton, England for our next part of our journey. We had never been on an ocean-going ferry and it was quite enjoyable. Jennifer had arranged a cabin for our crossing the English Channel. Great idea as we could relax as we wanted or go and explore the ferry.
After our travels around Great Britain we took the Eurostar from London to Paris. Great way to travel. Once in Paris we stayed at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand. Wonderful location, easy walking distance to shopping and several restaurants recommended by Jennifer. At the hotel Jennifer arraigned for breakfast to be included and we had daily, all-day access to the ‘club’ room. Just delightful to be welcomed and pampered after a day of walking and site seeing.
A highlight for me was visiting Vaux Le Vicomte, outside of Paris. Our driver and guide was very knowledgeable. It was a delightful experience to visit and marvel at the estate and learn the history.
Even though the weather did not cooperate with sunny days in Paris, it was mostly light drizzle and cloudy skies for our time in Paris. Fortunately our time at Roland Garros, center court, was under cover. Excellent seats and transportation arraigned by Jennifer. We had tickets for both day and night sessions, again arranged by Jennifer. We had to extend our time with the driver as the night session went long. Communication with Jennifers team through our trip was excellent! The drivers were very attentive and accommodated our requests.
A service Jennifer offers is a meet-and-greet at the airport, train, ferry, and also helps with navigating thru customs. I know having this service allayed our concerns regarding being in the right place at the right time.
Jennifer and her team made our trip into an experience of a lifetime. Thank you Wendy Perrin and team for having a WOW List of travel agents like Jennifer!
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Alaska: Denali, Talkeetna, and a small charter in the Prince William Sound (“such a treat”)
KAY REIBOLDT | AUGUST 28, 2024
Kay and her husband Max strolling in Talkeetna with friends.
Thank you Judith and Andrea for planning and coordinating our trip with friends to Alaska. My husband and I had been to Alaska before, but our friends had not. However, Judith planned a trip that incorporated new things for us to see and do.
For example, we had experienced the river boat charter in Whittier and the Prince William Sound, but it was on a larger boat with a crowd. Judith arranged for a small charter with just the 4 of us and 2 others. It was such a treat and we saw bears, otters, sea lions (playing and lounging), harbor lions and puffins! Our lunch was on a small slender strip of land that connected 2 smaller islands. As we were pulling away from our special spot, we basically saw the connection disappear with the tide and only 2 separate islands remained!
We covered a lot of territory visiting Girdwood, Homer, Seward and Talkeetna. Max and I had never been to Talkeetna and the Denali Park, so this was new for us. While the clouds covered Denali, we were still able to fly over the park and see the glaciers.
One special thing happened in Talkeetna as we were walking through town. My husband heard his name shouted and we looked up and saw our neighbors! Neither of us knew we were going to be in Alaska at the same time.
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Sardinia: Melina adapted our time with her to maximize the experience & tailor to our needs
GREGORY YURKOSKI | AUGUST 26, 2024
Cliffs, mountains, and meals made even more spectacular with Melina’s custom touches.
First of all, Marianna on Andrea’s team dutifully checked in with us almost daily. This is always a nice touch when traveling.
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. The staff at Hotel Villa Fanny were particularly fun and kind. This is a great hotel—modern and in a good location. The only thing missing was a pool and gym. Our driver, Sara, for the first several days was simply delightful. She even bought us small gifts!
Su Gologone Experience Hotel is a special place, albeit in need of a little pampering. The gym and pool were awesome. The beautiful cliffs and natural surroundings were always spectacular. The restaurant had some wonderful dishes, but we felt the food and service were not consistently good, and the menu was not diverse enough.
We loved our time with our guide Melina. She adapted our time with her to maximize the experience and tailor it to our needs. The drive and hike up into the mountains and the time with the shepherds were highlights.
We found Alghero very interesting, historic, not too touristy, and accessible. It had great food and restaurants, excellent shops, and bars with kind owners and staff. I believe Villa Las Tronas was the only 5-star hotel on our itinerary. It had an unbeatable location: an easy walk to town, quiet, and situated directly next to the sea. The pool and gym were another highlight. We had two small baths in our sea view room, but both had small or cumbersome showers. The room did not include a coffee maker and, in fact, had instant coffee packets! But the decor and breakfast and staff were all wonderful.
We probably could have used another 30-40 minutes at our last stop in Castelsardo. We enjoyed a nice lunch at a local restaurant, but we did not have time to walk to the top of the castle.
The end of our trip with friends in Porto Cervo went very well. We had great meals, enjoyed the beach, and went boating.
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Lisbon and Barcelona: private sunset cruise, a tapas crawl, and experiencing true local living
MARY LOU VOYTKO | AUGUST 26, 2024
A Lisbon highlight: Ending the day with sightseeing and refreshments on the river.
We recently returned from a fabulous trip that Gonçalo and his associate, Joana, crafted for us and our two nieces to Lisbon and Barcelona. This trip was a college graduation gift from us for our nieces, who opted to defer the trip until they had completed their post college training and were about to start their first full-time jobs.
Our nieces were amazed at all the sites that we were able to see and experience in the 6 short days that we had for the trip. In planning our trip, I assumed that we would be staying in hotels, but thanks to Joana, we stayed in amazing 2-bedroom apartments in perfect neighborhoods that allowed us to experience true local living in each city. Joana did a great job in taking all of our interests, including day trips out of Lisbon and Barcelona, and arranging an almost seamless trip.
Highlights of our Lisbon portion was hearing Fado, taking a private sunset cruise on the Tagus River, and staying in the bohemian old town section of Lisbon, while in Barcelona the standouts were the tapas crawl in the Gothic Quarter, experiencing an amazing Flamenco show in one of the highly rated venues, seeing several of Gaudi’s magnificent structural creations, and participating in a multi-course cooking class. All of our guides and drivers were wonderful, especially when they learned that one of our nieces was suffering from terrible motion sickness on one of our longer and windy-road day trips. Our guide gave up her front seat for our niece so that she was less affected, and our niece was thus able to enjoy the day. It’s reasons like this that we always use Wendy’s WOW List for all of our international trips.
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Brazil: regaled by “fantastic” guides for rainforest hike, birding in the Tijuca forest…
WENDI BERKOWITZ | AUGUST 20, 2024
We (my husband and I) went on our first ever trip to Brazil in June/July 2024, a three-week adventure, using the expert services of Paul and his team. Normally, I plan our trips, but when our destination is a bit “off the beaten path” and I am less confident about my abilities on logistics, I happily surrender the planning to the experts. This was such a destination and trip.
From the first contact, Paul added significant value. I had very particular ideas about what parts of the country we wanted to visit and how many of them to stack into our 3 weeks. Paul helped us choose locations that were “right” weather-wise for the time of year we were planning (Brazil’s winter), as well as ones that made sense logistically. He also suggested a couple of locations I hadn’t considered, and they were brilliant. Without Paul’s advice, we likely would have chosen to visit more places than made sense (with the resulting rushed and ultimately unsatisfying experience) as well as booking into some lodgings that, although are very highly “rated,” might not have met our needs and desires as well as the lodgings Paul chose for us, all of which were perfect. Along the way, we received welcome notes from Paul’s team, as well as a bottle of sparkling wine and fruit at our last stop.
We ran into a bit of a hiccup between our second to last and our last stops, resulting from weather preventing us from catching a couple of connecting flights. We received timely help from the team’s head of operations, who helped us to secure a last-minute hotel room at the São Paulo airport Marriott as well as replacement plane tickets for the flights we missed. This particular situation unfolded over the course of an entire day and into the night, and though it was stressful, it could have and would have been much more of a production had we not been working with Paul. His company also assisted us in collecting the documentation we needed to obtain reimbursement from our travel insurance. All of this was made much easier for us, especially given the language barrier (we do not speak Portuguese and many of the suppliers we were dealing with had Portuguese as their first, and in some cases only, language).
I also want to point out how important the wonderful guides and drivers were to the enjoyment of our trip. Each of them was fantastic and tailored to our stated interests. I would hire each and every one of them again if/when we return to their geographic area(s)—Rocco, who drove us from the São Paulo airport to Paraty, from Paraty to Rio, and helped to guide us on a rainforest hike in the Mata Atlantica; Ricardo, who took us on a fabulous “highlights of Rio” tour as well as a birding hike in the Tijuca forest; Stefan, who was our private guide for our 4 days in the Pantanal and introduced us to the fantastic bird (and other wild-) life there; Eduardo, who drove us back and forth between Porto Seguro and Trancoso, regaling us all the way with funny and interesting stories; and Maisa, who took good care of us in São Paulo and offered wonderful sightseeing tips even though she was only hired to drive us between the city and the airport.
I now have two experiences with Wendy Perrin WOW List experts and I am convinced that for that extra-special trip planning, this is the way to go!!
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Galapagos & mainland Ecuador: ocean safari, horseback riding, cooking classes…
THERESA SANDOVAL | AUGUST 19, 2024
From the beginning, when Allie pulled a summer trip out of nowhere to the end when she made sure everything went as planned on our trip, she was a superb travel planner! My family and I spent 2 days in Quito, 5 on the Coral II in the Galapagos, and my younger son and I had an additional 2 days in Cotopaxi. Everyone loved it!
We traveled in late June 2024 and our first stop was GO Quito Hotel, which we highly recommend. Allie procured us adjoining rooms, where we all slept soundly for both nights. The breakfast buffet at the rooftop restaurant could not have been a better introduction to the sights (the views were lovely) and flavours of Quito. After breakfast, we met our tour guide Henry who remained with us for 2 days in Quito and met my son and I for an additional 2 days in Cotopaxi after the cruise. Henry paced the sightseeing well for us, was patient with our kids and our questions, and he always had the best restaurant recommendations. After our days running around Quito, we all enjoyed relaxing at the hotel sauna, pool, and bar in the evenings.
Once our cruise began, we had to pinch ourselves because somehow we were the only family on a 20-passenger boat! The only other guest was a young digital marketing employee of the cruise company, and we all enjoyed getting to know him. It was a dream! The Galápagos Islands are as incredible as you have heard. We were on an ocean safari with the clearest water and the closest encounters with animal life that we had ever experienced. The crew on Coral II was friendly and accommodating (we have a son with many food allergies that can be a challenge), and I slept better on that trip than I have in years. My sons and husband agreed that every day was the right mix of relaxation and action, with a little education thrown in for good measure. We loved it!
After seeing off my older son and husband (after spending the night at a fantastic airport hotel—The Wyndham Quito Airport), Henry met my younger son and I to continue our adventure to Cotopaxi. We had some hiking adventures, horseback riding, cooking classes, and spent a fun afternoon testing our cool plunge tolerance in the spa. Highly recommend Hacienda Porvenir! Once again, Henry guided us to some fantastic experiences and told us great stories. Overall, we would recommend Allie—and Ecuador—without reservation.
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Southern Africa: well-curated camps, sherbet-colored dunes, lions “so close”…
JULIE HEIMARK | AUGUST 17, 2024
Quad biking in the Namib desert. Photo: Traveler Julie Heimark
To celebrate our older son’s high school graduation, we planned a 28-day Southern Africa trip with Julian for July/August 2024. We had previously worked with Julian’s colleague Allie for our 2021 Galapagos trip and knew that when it came to Africa, using Julian was a given.
This was our first trip to Africa. We found the variety of camps and destinations overwhelming so we put ourselves completely in Julian’s hands. And we are so glad we did.
Julian planned a truly amazing trip. Every detail was perfect and seamless. For the entire month, we literally just showed up—whether at a hotel or an air strip or a border crossing—and our guides/fixers took care of it all. We also used Julian’s team for our international airfare, which took all of the stress out of the process.
We did Cape Town, 3 Namibia camps (Little Kulala, Hoanib Skeleton Coast, Serra Cafema), 3 Botswana camps (Vumbura South, Duba Plains, Selinda) and Victoria Falls River Lodge in Zimbabwe.
Julian’s expertise was particularly valuable for 1) our Cape Town hotel, 2) the curation of the different camps, and 3) the itinerary. First, Julian guided us to a more modern, design-forward Cape Town hotel (the Silo) that we loved. Second, every camp was unique, and for each camp we said “Ah, now we know why Julian selected this one.” Finally, our particular path, from Cape Town to Namibia to Bots to Vic Falls, was ideal for us first-time visitors and allowed the continent to unfold before us.
There is simply not enough space to describe all of the extraordinary experiences. Hiking down sherbet-colored dunes. Lions and elephants and leopards and crocodiles so close you could have touched them. Joining African wild dogs on their hunt. Watching lionesses attempt to take down a buffalo. Sundowning with rhinos. Meeting the Himba people. Every day was a different National Geographic special. And we all agreed that this was one of our best food trips ever (and one of us is pescatarian).
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Finland: walking tours of Helsinki, opera in an ancient castle, manicured stone church and grounds…
JEANNIE MULLEN | AUGUST 17, 2024
An impromptu stop by the driver at a manicured church in Espoo, Finland. Photo: Traveler Jeannie Mullen
I reached out to Jan recently to plan a trip to Finland on short notice. This is the third such trip that Jan has planned for me to Scandinavia. Previous trips to Norway and Denmark (with a brief foray into southern Sweden) had gone beautifully so I did not hesitate to reach out to Jan again through Wendy’s website. Having worked with him before, it made the planning a lot easier. The local guide that Jan paired me with, Raila, did a super job and was a lot of fun to be with. She was particularly adept at weaving illustrations of the local way of life throughout the day. For me, one of the joys of solo travel is that I have more one-on-one time with guides and can get to know them and the local scene better. Often, as was the case with Raila, you’re given a glimpse into their everyday lives when they aren’t working, sort of “a day in the life of” look. And I find great enjoyment in that.
Finland was a fascinating place. Because the trip was planned on short notice, I didn’t take the time to do much research in advance, so the entire trip experience was a grand surprise. Finns are very low-key, quiet and friendly, the food is scrumptious and fresh (lots of fish and shellfish), the style of art and architecture is unique, public parks and walking trails are very scenic and plentiful, and the Baltic Sea (the Gulf of Finland) is everywhere you turn.
With the exception of one overnight stay in Savonlinna, I was based in Helsinki for the entire trip, so I only unpacked once. I had a private driver and guide, so whatever the plans were for the day, we could always adapt on the fly if the situation or the weather warranted. Together, Jan and Raila developed a very diverse itinerary which included several city walking tours in Helsinki and multiple day trips into the surrounding suburbs and further into the countryside. In addition to the walking tours in Helsinki which included food, art, architecture and history, there are several unique experiences that Jan and Raila included that stand out …
1) Savonlinna. I flew north to Savonlinna to watch a performance of DonGiovanni performed in Olavinlinna Castle, a 15th-century castle with three towers built on an island. Not only was the venue exceptional and different, the acoustics were sensational. Before I returned to Helsinki the next morning, I took a long self-guided walk around the town of Savonlinna, and discovered a local market outside the entrance to my hotel—a gorgeous Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral and attendant Hero’s Grave memorial and multiple ornate birdhouses which were part of over 100 in the city centre contributed by local artist Marko Ruuskanan. Returning to my hotel I walked across the Torisilia walking bridge past the Samaii ringed seal statue to the harbor and market square in front of my hotel, all the while listening to an opera singer performing at a nearby open air restaurant.
2) July is when Finns leave Helsinki and go to their summer homes. I was blessed to be invited to the summer home of Raila’s family friend one afternoon. We toured his family property (including four different lakeside saunas), had coffee and local pastries in the garden, and talked about life in the country, hunting and politics. It was truly lovely.
3) Raila’s neighborhood and surroundings. One afternoon we left Helsinki for the neighborhoods north of the city and took the same long walk along the neighborhood shoreline that Raila takes on her days off, all the while seeing how locals spend their time off with family outdoors. We ended the day at her apartment with a champagne toast and a walking tour through her modernized complex complete with dog washing stations.
4) Impromptu stops suggested by Sami, our driver. The driver that we had for the entirety of the trip often had suggestions for short detours… one stop in particular was a stone church in the suburbs of Espoo which was surrounded by the most beautifully manicured cemetery I had ever seen. Flowers were planted, not potted, so they were permanent. Everything was immaculate and the interior of the church was fascinating.
5) One evening we went to a local dance club north of the city… it was a fascinating glimpse into a unique social aspect of Finnish culture. Many couples came together for a night out of dancing, but more came as singles (of both genders) in hopes of finding a dance partner. Women lined up to be chosen as partners and if they weren’t chosen in a particular round, danced together instead.
6) Ferry ride to Suomenlinna Seaborg… this morning excursion by ferry to Suomenlinna was super interesting … built by Sweden beginning in the mid 18th-century as a naval fortress, it has also been governed through the years by Russia and now Finland… the fortified islands are now inhabited by local Finns in what is now considered a bit of an artist’s colony.
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Ireland: Killarney’s a “gem” for dining, pubs, music, shopping…
COLLEEN PIETROBONO | AUGUST 16, 2024
Our family of 4 traveled to Ireland. We had a few things planned and worked with Katie Stewart to add driver/guides, accommodations in Dublin, and special touches. Katie and her team really nailed our intention to have a full but not hectic tour of the Southwest using the sweet town of Killarney as our home base. Our driver/guide, Ger, was exceptional in his approach—professional yet engaging and full of local knowledge and charm.
Killarney was an absolute highlight as a homebase due to its location in the national park, variety of dining, pubs, music and shopping. We would have been heartbroken to simply pass through this gem of a town. And, the Killarney Park hotel exceeded expectations with its lush garden setting, fabulous breakfast and doting staff. Our return to Dublin and stay at The Dylan introduced us to a new neighborhood and the attention to detail again exceeded our expectations. Katie and her team could not have been more on-point for our crew. Thanks for the memories!
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Norway & Copenhagen: impeccable preparations, fairyland falls, captivating conversations…
ANDY KAPLAN | AUGUST 14, 2024
We recently returned from an unforgettable two-week adventure in Copenhagen and Norway with another couple that are our close friends. Torunn and Anya orchestrated a perfect journey for us.
First, they prepared us impeccably for the unpredictable weather—thank goodness! Norway’s climate can be a bit of a surprise, but Torunn and Anya had us pack for everything from 75 degrees and sunny to 45 degrees and rainy. Our wardrobe included shorts, bathing suits, rain pants, jackets, smart wool layers, and fleeces—layers, layers, layers! While other travelers canceled activities due to inappropriate gear, we were always ready to embrace the elements.
Although a couple of activities were canceled, we quickly pivoted to alternatives from a list they had provided. We spent one delightful day exploring museums in Trondheim (including their awesome Rockheim museum of pop and rock) and another indulged in extra spa time in the beautiful surroundings of our hotel. Both days turned out to be incredibly enjoyable. Ironically, we received your article about adapting to inclement weather right around that time—we could have been the poster children for it!
Second, Torunn and Anya excelled in finding authentic experiences to connect us with locals—something you know well! They really listened to our needs, preferences, and interests and created a great itinerary with a great mix of active, relaxing, engaging, and memorable. Some highlights include:
• Our private bike tour in Copenhagen began with a bit of disappointment, as our guide was an expat from LA, but we had such interesting conversations with her about her decision to move her family to Denmark and the process for citizenship and talking about the different cultures and lifestyles that we were thrilled by the end. We learned so much from her.
• In Trondheim, we enjoyed a hilarious evening at the Visit Bjørn dinner—it was a real hoot! With only one other group present, employees from the dairy cooperative Tine, we had some engaging conversations. Spotting Tine products throughout our trip became a fun game. Bjørn and his wife were very fun, wonderful hosts and the food (and drink) were great.
• During a travel day, we stopped at Tingvoll for a cheese lunch and farm tour. It was captivating and the cheeses were amazing! We could have spent the whole day talking to the owner about their ethical and thoughtful farming practices.
• We requested something like a “WOW” moment, a surprise activity that we paid for ourselves (used our last WOW certificate already), and they delivered! We had a magical dinner in Øye with a local couple in their family’s milking shed up in the valley, followed by a walk to a hidden waterfall. It felt like stepping into a fairyland, a truly enchanting experience, and getting to know the couple and hear their history and family stories made the whole thing highly meaningful and really special.
• At the Kon-Tiki Museum in Oslo, we enjoyed a private guided tour with the director, Thor Heyerdahl’s granddaughter. It was particularly thrilling for us because we studied Heyerdahl’s work in college, and exciting for our friends learning about his amazing achievements for the first time.
Third, the hotels and restaurants they chose were all lovely and very charming and well-located, with friendly staff who made us feel at home. Special thanks to Martha at the Storfjord Hotel and the delightful day and evening staff at the Britannia Hotel in Trondheim. They were simply wonderful and made a great hotel that much more memorable.
We’d highly recommend Torunn and her team—they really made our time in Norway and Copenhagen special.
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Tuscany: perfect accessible villa, and a pool to beat the heat…
SHARON CUNNINGHAM | AUGUST 13, 2024
The trip was amazing. We loved the hotel/villa Martina found for us—it was beyond perfect. We needed one of the bedrooms w/a bathroom to be on the first floor for accessibility for my parents, and Martina found the most perfect accommodations.
In fact, I would say that the villa & the hotel were the wow on this trip. The service was outstanding, the villa luxurious and understated. Having the private pool in the August Tuscan heat made our days relaxing, cooling and fun. The breakfasts every day were so delicious and abundant. We loved having breakfast served at the villa on the days we had afternoon or evening plans. I would not have found this place without Martina’s help.
The activities that Martina helped me select and put together were wonderful. As a family, our cheese and wine tasting day in Chianti was probably the highlight. We celebrated my son’s birthday on that day, and Martina arranged for a birthday cake to surprise him at the end of the day after wine tasting and lunch. He loved it and felt very celebrated. The other two stand out activities were the food tour w/Streaty and the private tour of the Uffizi. The food guide tour was so knowledgeable about food history that we learned a lot and were beyond full by the end. The guide at the Uffizi was also very knowledgeable and made the visit highly educational, even for my 15-year-old son. Although we enjoyed visiting Livorno, I would not say this visit is a must. My family is originally from there so that was the draw for us, but we found there was not that much to see there. Our guide there was very good too, though she wasn’t as good a listener as the other guides we had on the trip so we did not connect with her as much as we did w/the other guides we had.
And lastly, I cannot sing Martina’s praises high enough. She listened to what we wanted and created exactly the right trip for our family. She was very helpful w/all the different needs of our family, ages 15 to 81. When at the last minute my parents could not come on the trip, she helped rearrange what needed to be rearranged and was available by phone and text throughout our vacation. I would definitely use her services again. Martina could not control the weather and warned me that Florence in August would be tough, but she helped plan our days w/the activities early in the day or after sunset to make it more manageable. This was our only time to take this trip and I’m very very glad we did, but I would say that if at all possible do not go to Tuscany in August.
This trip was arranged by WOW List candidates. Here’s what that means.
Costa Rica: “breathtaking” volcano views, wildlife right from our hotel balcony…
ELENA DEBIASIO | AUGUST 9, 2024
Pierre and his team planned a phenomenal trip to Costa Rica for my husband and I. We went on a trip for our 25th anniversary and Pierre listened to what we were looking for to plan a trip that met all of our needs. We really enjoyed our first hotel, The Royal Corin. It was exactly what we were looking for—a calm and relaxing hotel with great pools filled with water from the hot springs. A perfect place to go after a day of hiking and sightseeing. The views of the volcano were breathtaking.
We also enjoyed each tour that was booked for us—from the suspension bridges to the rafting, each tour was special in its own way. The tour groups were never too big, and we felt like we got great attention from our guides. In fact, the coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour was a private tour!
Our next hotel, Hotel Parador, was also nice, but for different reasons. It also boasted stunning views and included a variety of wildlife that could be spotted and experienced right from our hotel balcony. We had close encounters with monkeys, sloths and incredible birds, just being on the hotel grounds. All of our guides were extremely knowledgeable and knew all the great spots for animal sightings.
We appreciated how Pierre and his team organized such a seamless trip for us, which included private transportation to hotels and the airport. Because of their attention to detail, we had a relaxing and memorable trip.
Read more reviews of Pierre. Or request your own trip.
London: special access to Churchill’s War Rooms, food and drink tours, spotting King Charles…
ROBYN NEEDHAM | AUGUST 8, 2024
Our trip to London that Katie planned was fantastic! It started out rough, not because of Katie’s planning, but because our flights were cancelled due to the CrowdStrike issues. Katie was quick to rearrange our plans due to these glitches and all was done smoothly and seamlessly. The hotel that was arranged was top-notch. Location was amazing on the edges of central London and SOHO. Highlights of our trip included a “behind the glass” tour of Churchill’s War Rooms. If you like history, even if you don’t, we highly recommend this tour. The bunker rooms are just like they left them at the end of the war. From there, we walked through central London, Parliament and Big Ben, but more unique highlights included the historic hat shop to all the royals, Churchill and others. The cigar store that kept Churchill supplied during his stressful war days. And a personal view of King Charles leaving St James Palace! Can’t guarantee that on every tour, but our guide, Angus, was very knowledgeable and observant to place us in a spot that was likely to see King Charles.
We also replicated the iconic Beatles’ Abbey Road crossing and saw many of the studios and venues in SOHO that vaulted the careers of artists such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Elton John, The Sex Pistols and more. We also toured London and learned its history through 4 drinks, tea, coffee, beer and gin, as well as a food walking tour through East London that taught us London’s food options have matured and match that of any place in the world. A huge improvement from the poor reputation of yore.
Katie customized our trip to our perfect interests. And we finished our trip watching our daughter perform in an honors choir at Royal Festival Hall, a short walk across the Thames from our hotel.
Our tour guides, Emma, Angus, Chris, George and Nicholas, were all fantastic. All knowledgeable and all attentive to our wishes. They made our London trip amazing and left us wanting to visit again. London is now one of our favorite places in the world and a place we definitely recommend all to experience.
Cheers!
Read more reviews of Jonathan. Or request your own trip.
Malta: delicious food, interesting locals, archaeology…
RUTH ANNE LAWSON | JULY 31, 2024
We just returned from five nights in Valletta, Malta. We had just completed a Mediterranean cruise and flew to Valletta from Barcelona. In Valletta, we were met by our driver, Owen, and our guide, Robert, and began our incredible Maltese experience arranged by Jason Allan. I really hate to use the word “amazing” because it is so overused right now, but Malta is truly amazing. I wish we had planned 2 weeks there because I don’t think Jason would have run out of fabulous experiences for us.
Jason arranged incredible accommodations and suggested great restaurants. Our adventures in Malta were a treat for all our senses. We tasted great local wines and dishes, toured interesting museums and archeological sites, and spent a relaxing day on the Mediterranean Sea. Our guide and driver were so accommodating when we asked to see where the bomb hit the dome of the basilica at Mosta. Even though it was not on our agenda, they happily added it and we so appreciated their flexibility. My husband has a strong interest in WWII and was thrilled to see the private home museum of a local expert on Operation Pedestal. We felt extremely fortunate to be able to spend time looking at his collection and hearing his stories of Malta’s WWII involvement. As an amateur artist, I especially loved seeing the art of Caravaggio at St. John’s Co-Cathedral.
There can be little doubt that the Mediterranean is a huge incredible archeological site and Malta is an integral part of it. We wish we had known to stay longer, but believe strongly that Jason’s planning maximized our time in this incredible country.
Read more reviews of Jason and Damon. Or request your own trip.
The Galapagos & Machu Picchu: smart itinerary, great local contacts, mid-trip support…
JESSICA PRINCE | JULY 30, 2024
We couldn’t have been more pleased with the service, planning, depth of knowledge, and responsiveness of Allie and her office in putting together our most special Galapagos and Machu Picchu adventure — but they really shined, and showed their exceptional service, when my husband got sick and we needed to make a few last-minute adjustments to our itinerary.
They kept close tabs on us and his health, making us feel extra cared for, and seamlessly still got us the trip of a lifetime. It was extra validation that we picked the exact right consultant to plan our holiday.
All the Galapagos ships Allie suggested looked fabulous. We chose the Endemic and the expedition exceeded expectations. The ship and rooms are stunning, airy and open; and the staff couldn’t do enough for us. Delicious and fresh meals, fascinating tours of the islands and animals, and flexibility even to follow blue whales when spotted (even though not on the itinerary).
All the guides, drivers, transfer agents, hotels, restaurants, locales, and activities Allie planned for us in Peru were perfect. Everything was smooth and easy for us. It wasn’t until we got there that we fully appreciated the care and thought that went into our itinerary. Allie understood the exact right number of days in each place, with just the right amount of free time vs. touring. Each hotel was carefully and perfectly selected for us.
I cannot think of even one aspect of Allies service that was not exceptional. I have already suggested her to several friends; and can only hope our next consultant is as good as she is. Run, don’t walk, to use her for your Ecuador and Peru adventure!
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Caribbean yacht charter: snorkeling an epic reef, fishing for your dinner…
JOHN LIVERMORE | JULY 22, 2024
Just back from a family vacation to Belize. We booked a 7-night cruise aboard the 52-foot Ventana Al Mar with our 3 sons through Rachael and Patricia. We landed in Belize City and were met by John, our driver, to take us 20 minutes to the pier where we found our boat. On board were Eric and Hanna as our captain and chef.
Our days were filled with cruising the sparsely populated southern reef of Belize, stopping at a couple of snorkeling spots each day. Eric, our captain, who grew up fishing the same waters we were on, was an expert in everything we found under the surface. He showed us how to find lobsters and how to spear them to eat for our dinners. The reef was beautiful to behold with tons of colorful fish. I personally saw a large octopus, several manta rays, and a couple of large crabs. I have never seen up close a reef so prolific with abundant life.
Eric was a fantastic captain. Easygoing with a good sense of humor, he is deeply skilled in all things boating, and even was able to complete repairs singlehandedly on a couple of issues that came up with the engines and generator. He had our route planned for our stops, when we should leave each morning, and how long to spend at each location.
From a sailing friend who bareboat captains his own vessels, the Belize waters are expert-level terrain boating-wise. There are many shallow areas where one can run aground, and the weather and currents can be tricky. After speaking with my friend, I realized HOW MUCH CAN GO WRONG AND QUICKLY. Every day on a sailing vessel, there are many issues around resource management, navigation, weather, mechanical, the list goes on. For a passenger, a good captain means you never notice any of those issues. Eric is that captain. As a passenger, he made sure our journey went smoothly.
Hanna, our chef and first mate, made great breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinners for us each day. My wife and I tend to travel with food in mind, so having great meals deliciously prepared are always a priority. Hanna knocked it out of the park with every meal. Her style is heavily influenced by her travels across the Mediterranean.
Food/meals included appetizers like shrimp with a sauce and spring rolls, lobster ceviche, and Mediterranean chicken skewers, and dinners like grilled grouper, pork tenderloin, lobster Cajun pasta. One day we had a BBQ-style lunch on the beach that Hanna and Eric set up from the boat, and another night we had lobster tails and large crabs cooked over a fire “fisherman style.” One night, Eric free dove down about 50 feet and speared a beautiful Hogfish that was served that night (fantastic piece of fish). Everything was delicious, and Hanna kept the boat tidy and clean during our stay.
Thank you to Rachael, Patricia, and their team for helping us to have such a great experience in Belize. And thank you to our gracious hosts, Eric and Hanna, for providing such great day-to-day experiences!
Read more reviews of Patricia and Rachael. Or request your own trip.
Egypt & Dubai: special access, avoiding crowds, beating the heat…
JEFF STENGEL | JULY 21, 2024
Jeff and Linda Stengel got time alone with the Sphinx.
My wife and I just returned from a great trip to Dubai and Egypt. Jim and his team did a wonderful job of planning a trip that met our preferences for the right amount of history with modern comforts. We spent the first two days at the Address Dubai Mall. It is an excellent hotel attached to the Dubai mall with a view of the Burj Khalifa from the balcony of our room. Jim arranged a tour of the city that gave us a great overview and better understanding of old and new Dubai.
From there we were on to Cairo. We spent two days touring the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), Khan el Khalili Bazaar, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Giza, Valley Temple and Sakkara. Our Egyptologist and guide did an amazing job of showing us all the sights while avoiding large crowds. At the impressive GEM, which is undergoing a soft opening, we were the first visitors in the complex prior to its opening time and seemed to have the entire place to ourselves for over 30 min.
The best part of Cairo for us was the morning we toured Giza. We entered through the back gate to the Pyramid complex when it was just opening and the vendors were arriving, including a group of at least 50 camels and their handlers. What a spectacular sight to see all these huge animals entering the historic Giza plateau. Later in the morning we would ride two of those camels with the Pyramids in the background. As we continued inside the gate we were the only people in the area of the Sphinx. Our guide was able to explain the history of the pyramids and the plateau to us in the shadow of the Sphinx with no tourists to be seen. Later that day at Sakkara our guide arranged for us to enter several tombs that were closed to the public that day. Again, no other tourists.
From Cairo we flew to Aswan, enroute stopping to visit Abu Simbel. That night we stayed at the Old Cataract Hotel with a room that had an astounding view of the Nile and the Nubian archeological dig across the river. The hotel is a treasure trove of history and its 1902 Restaurant is a wonderful nod to the area’s nostalgia. The next day we boarded the Oberoi Zahara for a Nile cruise. Jim had told us this was the nicest small cruise ship on the Nile. He was certainly correct. The boat was very comfortable, the food very good and the crew outstanding. We cruised for a couple of days down the Nile, touring several temples along the way and enjoying the view of the small ribbon of civilization that the river supports along its banks.
Our last stop was Luxor. In Luxor we visited Medinat Habu, the Valley of the Kings (including the tomb of King Tut and Seti I), Karnak Temple, the Temple of Luxor, and the Luxor Museum. During our time in Luxor, the temperature had become unusually high, about 20 degrees above normal, with the high approaching 115 degrees. Thanks to Jim we had a private guide the entire time who made sure we avoided the hottest part of the day and took well-spaced breaks when we explored all the important sites. We noticed another tour group that was also traveling on the Oberoi Zahara who was out for an extensive time touring and returned to the boat very hot and tired at the end of the day.
During all of our travels, we felt completely safe. The arrangements made by Jim and his team of operations people, guides and drivers were spot-on and flexible enough to meet any changing conditions.
Read more reviews of Jim. Or request your own trip.
Bali: lesser-known gems in a “Hawaii on steroids”…
DON SCHERER | JULY 20, 2024
Bali is incredibly beautiful, Hawaii on steroids. The biggest challenge is avoiding traffic and crowds as much as possible. For that reason, we followed Diane’s advice and avoided southern Bali. We did go to Ubud, where that’s also an issue. Our strongest advice to others would be to seek out less well-known places, such as Munduk and Sideman, which are less developed and more like the Bali of old. We’d also suggest avoiding some of the best-known temples, parks, rice fields and waterfalls, because the lesser-known places are almost as impressive and a lot less crowded.
We loved all 5 hotels where we stayed. We can see why Diane says that Como Shambhala is her favorite in all of Bali, even though it’s quite a bit less expensive than some other places in Ubud. Amankila was our splurge and lived up to expectations as a fabulous place. Our most pleasant surprise was Munduk Moding, where we loved the surrounding area, our room, the food, the service, and the activities, all at a very reasonable price. Because all the hotels were so great, we avoided a lot of the traffic and crowds by seeing most sites on transfer days, so that on non-transfer days, we could enjoy the hotel grounds and their immediate surrounding areas and activities. That made for an active yet relaxing vacation.
A couple activities near Ubud that we’d highly recommend were the Mask and Puppet Museum; ARMA; the Bird Park and adjoining Reptile Park; and the walk through the rice fields at Subak Sukabayu. And massages were great and inexpensive almost everywhere, especially at Munduk Moding.
A real highlight was visiting a traditional village where Diane is worshipped by the locals. We were the only tourists there and interacted with the villagers to make offerings and hats; walk the fields and observe the farmers hard at work; eat a delicious traditional lunch; and participate in their traditional music and dance. Not only did we like it, but the villagers also seemed to genuinely enjoy it. It wasn’t touristy at all and seemed very authentic.
Another highlight was our WOW Moment on our final evening: a traditional Balinese dinner at Amankila with a great bottle of Australian wine.
All in all, a very good vacation.
Peru: traditional crafts, Machu Picchu by train, cooking class…
GERALD PENA | JULY 20, 2024
Mark planned an amazing 10-day trip for the four us (two couples) in Peru that spanned across Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Cusco. We ate at some excellent restaurants (Maido, Central, MIL), with very good local restaurants mixed in as well. Our guide Jonathan throughout the trip was one of the best we’ve ever had, immense knowledge and extremely friendly, he almost felt like a family member by the end of the trip!
Other than Machu Picchu, the highlight of the trip was the Hiram Bingham train from Machu Picchu to Cusco — what an incredible experience with dinner and entertainment that made the 3.5-hr journey fly by! We loved the unique experiences Mark arranged, such as the visit to the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, where we learned about textile weaving from local women; MIL Immersion Experience where we spent 2-3 hrs walking through the native lands to learn about local ingredients from a farmer then ending with lunch; and an in-home cooking class with a local chef that started with a walk through the farmers’ market and ended with a delicious 3-course lunch atop the chef’s balcony.
Jessica and the in-country team were simply tremendous with their concierge support throughout our trip, as there were several instances where schedule/timings had to be changed, and especially at the end of our trip where our return flights home were cancelled/delayed twice. Overall, we had an awesome vacation and big thanks to Marisol’s team!
Read more reviews of Marisol. Or request your own trip.
Brazil: combining big cities, coast, and Amazon…
ANNE MARIE SEIBEL | JULY 20, 2024
Anne Marie Seibel and family in the Brazilian Amazon.
We just returned from an incredible trip to Brazil planned by Paul. We had our children with us, ages 19 and 16. Paul helped us plan out a trip that balanced the wonders of the Amazon with the big cities of Rio and São Paulo. We also made a stop in Paraty.
Our guide in São Paulo, Maissa, picked us up at the airport after our overnight flight from Atlanta and conducted a tour crafted to our interests. We stopped at a local market, saw the famous murals, found a shop to buy organically grown coffee, visited a street where only musical instruments were sold, and checked off key historic monuments. She also saved the day the next morning when our flight time changed to an earlier time and she helped us all the way until security to be sure we made it.
The Cristalino Lodge in the Amazon was nothing short of magical. Our guide Rafael was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the animals and plant life all around us. He skillfully guided us, along with our boat driver who knew the river like the back of his hand. The 50-meter towers were both highlights and challenges for those of us scared of heights. But, being above the top of the rainforest canopy to watch the rainforest wake up was worth it. Food and facilities at the lodge were excellent and we left with a deep appreciation for the work being done to preserve the Amazon.
In Rio, our guide, Ricardo helped navigate cloudy weather to adjust our two-day plan on the fly. He received a call as soon as Christ the Redeemer was out of clouds and we beat the crowds up to the top. The weather held out for our WOW Moment of flying by helicopter over the city. Rain disrupted a planned hike, but we replaced it with two tours that were a hit — the Maracanã soccer stadium and Carnival World. Both ended up being a welcome opportunity to get a feel for culture in Rio and we thoroughly enjoyed them.
Our highlight in Paraty was an in-home cooking lesson by Yara Castro and Richard Roberts. They welcomed us into their home with lessons on history and food. We stayed at the beautiful Pousada Literária de Paraty.
We were thankful that Paul’s team made wonderful hotel and restaurant selections in each location and their app was easy to use.
Read more reviews of Paul. Or request your own trip.
Arizona and Utah national parks: off-roading, hiking, canyoning…
BRUCE MITTLEMAN | JULY 14, 2024
We had a wonderful experience with Melissa, and recommend her without reservation. We were a family of four traveling with two teens. Melissa was informative, friendly, and available to us from start to finish. We had several phone conversations before the trip, adjusting the itinerary based on our preferences and budget. Melissa patiently answered all of our questions, and even helped us when our rental car broke down. We started our trip in Sedona, AZ, continued to the Grand Canyon, then to Page, AZ, Bryce Canyon, UT, Zion, and Las Vegas, NV.
Highlights of the trip were: the exciting Pink Jeep tour in Sedona, exploring the hoodoos of Bryce, the spectacular beauty of Antelope Canyon, and canyoning in Zion, a new experience for us. We enjoyed hiking the Narrows in Zion, though would recommend an earlier start, since it was crowded while we were there. Melissa thoughtfully chose accommodations to maximize space and privacy, while keeping costs down. We especially loved the accommodations in Sedona and in Bryce, both adorable cottages. This trip was an amazing adventure.
Read more reviews of Melissa. Or request your own trip.
Lisbon & Mallorca: hip guide, navigating Taylor Swift crowds, beachside lounging…
ELIZABETH CRAWFORD | JULY 11, 2024
Elizabeth Crawford and family at a waterfront restaurant featured in The Night Manager mini-series.
We recently enjoyed a 2-week trip to Lisbon and Mallorca beautifully planned by WOW expert Ivan. Ivan took the time to really understand our goals in the trip, and created an itinerary that prized creating memories with our kids. My daughter and I arrived separately from my husband and son, so it was very reassuring to be met and escorted by a driver in a very nice Mercedes minivan upon arrival to Lisbon. The hotel Ivan arranged for us was a “postcard-perfect” palace in a central location perfect for mom and daughter to explore from for a few days.
Once the rest of the family arrived, Ivan arranged a Foodie tour with local guide AnnElise. She spoke excellent English, was a history expert, but was also young and fun so our kids felt like she was just hanging out with us. As we explored, AnnElise used her personal connections with the culinary community to guide us to memorable experiences more authentic than touristy: We tasted Iberian ham from a small grocer, Bifana sandwiches from a lunch counter, pastries from a historic baker, and cherry liqueur from the “original” maker. We even shared beer from a horn in an old tavern. We were ultimately in Lisbon to see the Taylor Swift concert. Ivan arranged for an experienced driver, who provided invaluable white-glove treatment in the midst of huge crowds. Our driver was able to drive us right to the stadium, and then waited for us to escort us home after the concert. We felt secure and really enjoyed his company as he navigated the crowds and entertained us with stories of his celebrity driving experiences.
When we transferred to Palma de Mallorca, Ivan again made sure we had a local guide to introduce us to the city. Laura was charming and well connected to the local restaurants. While winding us through the narrow streets, pointing out landmarks and helping us learn our way around, Laura introduced us to local tapas bars and wines. The food was excellent and we had our favorite wine of the trip in an exclusive wine bar that we would’ve never been able to get into on our own.
Ivan was in constant contact with us throughout our trip, making sure we knew what to expect as well as checking in daily to make sure our experiences had gone well. At Ivan’s suggestion, we took the opportunity to explore the historic inland towns with our local guide, Laura. My husband had asked to see the scenic restaurant featured in the mini-series The Night Manager along our route. Much to our surprise, Laura spoke to the restaurant matriarch, and we were able to have lunch in this gorgeous, exclusive setting—yet another restaurant we would never have been able to get into on our own.
And when we finally arrived at our spectacular hotel on the cliffs of Port de Soller, we felt like movie stars. We reveled in luxurious lounging at our hotel. Then later in the week, Ivan arranged for a private sailboat excursion with a very experienced captain for us. We appreciated that we actually sailed (not something you can always count on) along the stunning coastline, and loved swimming in the crystal-clear waters. Our trip was spectacular, and Ivan succeeded in making it feel personally tailored to us, with local access and expertise that only a WOW specialist can provide.
Read more reviews of Iván. Or request your own trip.
Hawaii: city and beach from a “serene home base”…
JENNIFER CHENG | JULY 10, 2024
A smart private guide (like the one who surprised Jennifer Cheng’s family with a dinosaur puppet) know how to keep kids entertained.
We decided in early May to take a summer family trip to Hawaii for our son’s graduation. We’re a family of 5, and the kids had never been to Hawaii but my husband wanted a city vacation, so I picked Waikiki, which I hadn’t visited since college. It was a busy time of the year for us and I was overwhelmed with all the choices, so I filled out the trip questionnaire and started the process with Dani and Jen. We traveled at the end of June/early July for a week, so we had less than 6 weeks to plan. It was such a relief to not have to research everything and know that I was getting vetted recommendations and a thoughtful itinerary. I’m so glad I had their bookings, guidance, and their app with all the details and documents.
Based on what I told them, they recommended the Halekulani, which I marveled at as the right choice every time we returned to the hotel — so beautiful and calm and pampering in the middle of hectic Waikiki. The kids loved all the shopping and food options right outside the hotel, and it was so nice to have a serene home base with amazing service. Dani and Jen’s booking included room upgrades and daily breakfast for 5. I was also able to enjoy the hotel’s morning fitness class a few times.
We had a mix of busy days and relaxing days, and Jen made sure we had dinner reservations each night. The teens took surf lessons and we did the Kualoa ranch UTV raptor tour, all arranged by Jen. They also made the arrangements for a fantastic Diamond Head sunrise hike. When we visited the North Shore, we ate at the shrimp trucks and did the Haleiwa stand up paddleboarding on their recommendations. Overall, a memorable and wonderful family vacation. Everyone loved it. Thank you!
Read more reviews of Jay and Dani. Or request your own trip.
Azores: outdoor adventures, fascinating geology, easy logistics…
SUSAN CRANDELL | JULY 10, 2024
Susan Crandell and family near a tide pool on the coast of São Jorge Island in the Azores.
Just back from 11 days in the Azores. That’s more time than many tourists spend, because the islands are often an add-on to mainland Portugal. I am so glad my family invested more time to explore this archipelago, rich in geology and history. A skillfully drawn itinerary by travel planner Gonçalo allowed us to see four islands with only two changes of lodging. We stayed at two hotels on the main island, São Miguel, and in a spacious two-bedroom villa on the vineyard-rich island of Pico. Ferry rides so pretty they made transportation an event in itself took us to Faial, where a dramatic lava formation soars into the sky, from an eruption in the 1950s, and to São Jorge, where lava flows and landslides have created fajãs—level land at the foot of volcanic cliffs that support small seaside communities. The volcanoes that shaped this archipelago gave each island a different geography, every one beautiful in a unique way.
Our itinerary had us outdoors every day, hiking, kayaking and mountain biking, tasting local wines and cheeses, even cooking our dinner underground in the geothermal area of an inactive volcano. We visited a town inside a caldera, did an off-road Jeep tour, and spotted two species of whales, three species of dolphins, and an elusive hammerhead shark on a private boat tour. Most of our guides were locals who conveyed deep knowledge and even deeper passion for their islands. We soothed jet-lagged bones in geothermally heated pools on our first day; on our last full day, I had one of the top massages of my life (ask for Andre at the Octant Hotel in Ponta Delgada). I encourage anybody to mimic our extended itinerary and give the Azores their due.
Read more reviews of Goncalo. Or request your own trip.
Tanzania: cheetah and lion sightings, meeting photographers and conservationists…
ELANE ZELCER | JULY 7, 2024
A female lion rebuffs the approach of a male. Photo: Traveler Elane Zelcer
Having returned from East & Southern Africa yesterday, I’m still reliving those wonderful moments that come from having excellent guides that ensure extraordinary experiences alongside deep knowledge.
Cherri’ team, Katie and Yaqana, set this all in place knowing that I wanted to see and photograph big cats and elephants in the Serengeti Plains, Tanzania from 7-14 June. I’d been to Namibia, Botswana & Zambia, but not Tanzania. And this time I was travelling alone.
Namiri Plains, my first stop, was amazing — a really glorious lodge. My guide, Hatibu, met me at the Seronera airstrip, and over 4 days we were close to cheetah including a coalition of three males; a coalition of three lions that were pursuing a single male; a mother cheetah with five very young babies, fur-balls that romped & played in the deep grass while she called them as they disappeared & reappeared; and a young curious elephant that was comfortable with us being close by.
My last night included dinner with Kelvin Munisi, Project Manager with the Cheetah Conservation Initiative in Tanzania — this is an important program that is ensuring survival of cheetah in various African countries. It was good to learn about this.
Flying to Grumeti Airstrip, I saw more of Tanzania from the air — my next location was Mila Tented Camp, with “tents” that provided excellent accommodation and where I was looked after superbly. My guide Isack met me at the airstrip and soon we were watching three lions with 15 young cubs, then ostrich displaying their feathers, and we found two cheetah hiding in the deep grass. The next morning we spent several hours with a big male lion who was pursuing a disinterested female — even when she lashed out and her cubs appeared, he continued. All sightings were fascinating and provided great learnings and photo opportunities.
And to top it all off, my WOW Moment was an afternoon with Stanley Raymond, a fantastic photographer. We tried to photograph Mt Kilimanjaro, but the weather wasn’t helpful, so we had a great several hours photographing other sights and talking all things photography.
A big thank you to all those who helped make this trip so enjoyable — there is no doubt that your knowledge and guidance helped make this safe, fascinating and definitely unforgettable.
Read more reviews of Cherri. Or request your own trip.
Galapagos: small-yacht cruise plus a boutique hotel stay…
ANDREA PHILLIPS | JULY 7, 2024
Claire, Andrea, Rachel and Dave Phillips bonding with sea lions at Gardner Bay on Espanola Island. Photo: Gideon Kleinman
Standing in LAX on a delayed departure morning with 2 phones in hand—one connected with the airline agent and one with Allie—made me realize the true value of having a Trusted Travel Expert. This was our 7th Wendy Perrin trip, but who would have thought that engine trouble on our first flight would make us miss our connecting flight and almost ruin a trip to the Galapagos Islands planned a year in advance?! Thanks to Allie’s quick thinking, we were rerouted to a different city in Ecuador, on the only available flight over the weekend. She was able to alter our migration cards and flights to ensure we made it for our full 7-night cruise, saving us from missing out on the incredible first stops! Fortunately, this was our only hiccup and the rest of the trip went smoothly under Allie’s exceptional care. And by securing our trip with travel insurance from Travelex, another Wendy Perrin recommendation, we will also get a good portion of reimbursement back on the services lost and the extra services paid for.
As travelers who love adventures with animals, the Galapagos Islands were an ideal pick for a special trip for our graduating senior. With Allie’s help, we selected to sail on the Endemic on June 9th on Itinerary 8B. We picked this route for the specific island stops and the types of animals and unique environments we could possibly see. We’re not typically fans of cruising, so we were initially nervous about spending a week on a cruise. However, with so many daily excursions and visits to new islands—sometimes 2-3 in a day—the time on board felt necessary and well-balanced. The islands are simply breathtaking: pristine, unspoiled, and teeming with wildlife at every turn! You had to carefully watch your step, as baby and adult sea lions, blue-footed boobies nesting with their chicks, and land and marine iguanas sprawled across the pathways, eagerly inviting your admiration. The entire experience felt like stepping into a living, breathing nature documentary!
The Endemic, a double-hulled catamaran, has the charm of a modern boutique hotel that transports you from island to island with 8 large staterooms (only 16 passengers max), each with its own balcony, Wifi, and was very stable, minus a few rough nights on some longer crossings! It was lovely getting to know our fellow passengers quite well, being on a small ship, as we were always with the same group for excursions and meals. Our naturalist guide and crew of 11 were friendly and knowledgeable, always ready with warm towels, fresh drinks, and smiles. The meals were delicious and plentiful with many special meal requests being honored. The weather at this time was warm without being too hot and the water was only chilly at first entry, as we had nice wetsuits provided by the Endemic to wear while snorkeling.
My older daughter and I embarked on a special side trip to scuba dive at Kicker Rock near San Cristobal on our first full day. It was an unforgettable experience, especially when a group of curious sea lions joined us, playfully diving alongside. They truly are the stars of the islands! Our sailing route was filled with incredible highlights: On Española Island, we frolicked with sea lions at Gardner Bay’s beautiful beach and hiked to Suarez Point to witness the mesmerizing albatross mating dance; on Santa Cruz Island, we marveled at the massive Highland Tortoises in their natural habitat; on Bartolomé, we snorkeled with penguins and hiked up for a breathtaking view of Pinnacle Rock; on Floreana, we snorkeled at Devil’s Crown, visited Post Office Bay, and kayaked around mangroves with marine iguanas and sea turtles; and near Sombrero Chino, we snorkeled with numerous sharks and sea lions.
For the second part of our trip, we stayed at the relaxing Finch Bay Hotel on Santa Cruz Island. This wonderful hotel boasts a serene pool area frequented by amusing local ducks and a beach that feels like a hidden paradise. Our days were a mix of exploring the charming town of Puerto Ayora, hiking to secluded beaches and breathtaking lava rock formations, and biking through the island landscape. We indulged in spa treatments, enjoyed ocean kayaking, and experienced another unforgettable day of scuba diving at Gordon Rocks, where we encountered majestic hammerheads and other sharks. Allie also arranged for a family photo shoot at Tortuga Bay, giving us lasting memories of our trip. The combination of a week-long luxurious cruise and a few days of a tranquil island stay gave us a truly immersive Galapagos experience, one that we will cherish forever.
Without Allie’s expertise in planning our route and saving our trip, our experience wouldn’t have been nearly as incredible. For anyone planning a journey to the Galapagos, know it can be challenging and her advice is invaluable: allow yourself 2-3 days (preferably on weekdays) to arrive in Quito or Guayaquil to ensure you catch the limited island flights. Allie is a true Galapagos expert, and we couldn’t imagine trusting anyone else with our adventure. Thanks to her, our trip was unforgettable!
Read more reviews of Allie. Or request your own trip.
Spain: art and architecture, landscapes, smart pacing…
MARY ARZT | JULY 7, 2024
Mary Arzt and her husband Len seized a photo op during the annual Cordoba Fair.
After decades-long procrastination, we were finally ready to visit the many places in Spain that had accumulated over the years. Since it would be a complex trip in a new country with several stops, we turned to Wendy’s WOW List for guidance. Virginia and her staff were the obvious choice and they created a trip well beyond our already high expectations.
Since both my husband and I are on the older side, we needed to pace ourselves and still see everything we wanted to see. Virginia helped us accomplish this by pacing the trip perfectly, giving us plenty of downtime and moving the trip along when it was time.
Lifetime memories of our trip include the view of the Summer Palace from our room at the Alhambra, the timeless Granada Hammam, the shady garden courtyard outside our room in Cordoba during an otherwise hot afternoon, the overwhelmingly huge Mosque, an amazing three-hour jewel-like lunch in Seville, multiple delicious tapas tours with gracious guides showing us where the locals go, a delightful tutorial on Cervantes in the neighborhood where he lived and worked, seeing Velazquez’s Las Meninas at the Prado in Madrid and Picasso’s multiple deconstruction at the Picasso Museum in Barcelona (!), visiting the amazing Guggenheim in Bilbao, seeing San Sebastian’s bay for the first time, and drinking in Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona — to name just a few.
What made all these memories even better were each of Virginia’s tour guides. They were knowledgeable, thoughtful, intelligent, and to a person excellent ambassadors of their respective regions and areas of expertise. All of what they shared with us, the evocative art work, stunning historic and modern architecture, amazing geographical vistas, and the extraordinary meals spoke to our hearts, souls — and stomachs!
Unfortunately, during our trip my husband fell quite ill and Virginia’s team shone during these challenging times. They helped us get medical service in multiple hotel rooms, navigate the medical system in a foreign country (no small thing), and guided us in the use of our travel insurance policy in order to have him get well as quickly as possible. Their ongoing check-ins and authentic concern helped us feel supported and cared for while we were far away from home. It also allowed my husband to feel better more quickly and get back to enjoying our trip.
We unreservedly recommend Virginia and her team to anyone who is interested in having a quintessential Spanish experience customized to their unique interests.
Read more reviews of Virginia. Or request your own trip.
Japan: exquisite ryokans, flawless logistics…
ELLEN LIEBMAN | JULY 5, 2024
A trip of a lifetime! Andrea’s office exceeded our expectations in planning and executing our trip to Japan while staying within our budget. The team went above and beyond in terms of accommodating our needs and dreams. We can’t say enough about the time and attention put in to planning this trip. In fact, at the last minute they were able to add our cousins to the trip, making sure we would be following the exact same itinerary.
Andrea and his team made sure that all aspects of the trip ran like a well-oiled machine. As a result, we were able to see far more of Japan in 15 days than we expected. We were able to visit Tokyo, Matsumoto, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, Naoshima (Art Island) & Hakone. We had a private car and driver with informative guides leading us on our tours of museums, temples, shrines and gardens. Most of our accommodations were at exquisite Ryokans. The surrounding beauty and quality of the food was amazing. All of our transportation was flawlessly planned, and we even had a guide traveling with us on the bullet trains for all but one leg of our trip. Additionally, Andrea’s office created a WhatsApp chat which allowed the four of us to have 24/7 access to his team, giving us tremendous peace of mind in case of an emergency. We are very grateful to have been introduced to Andrea and will certainly keep him in mind for future trips.
Read more reviews of Andrea. Or request your own trip.
London & Paris: great introduction to both cities in a week…
LAURA MCDERMOTT | JULY 2, 2024
We just returned from a 6-day trip to London (3 nights) and Paris (3 nights). Was a fabulous introductory trip to both countries, as we traveled abroad with our two youngest children (13 and 18 years old) for their first time. Jennifer and staff were terrific at arranging transportation, hotel and guides. Every plan was smooth, and we never had a moment’s worry. The itinerary was full, but we were able to truly see the iconic sights and places of interest for our first time in London and Paris. Both hotels we stayed in were excellent, with connecting rooms that allowed us to be “with” each other while keeping a little privacy. The Rubens at the Palace hotel in London was especially fun for us, with a porter greeting all guests at the door in full palace costume. Both hotels also had delicious, included breakfast which made for an easy start to each day.
Highlights in London included the Churchill War Rooms and museum which was probably everyone’s favorite place we visited, dinner at the Shard (we chose to eat at Oblix West and Jennifer made sure we had pre-booked a window table during sunset…amazing!), and the Borough Market for their famous chocolate-covered strawberries (they did not disappoint!).
Highlights in Paris included a dinner boat cruise on the Seine, seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night and strolling along the Champs-Élysées toward the Arc (which we climbed up to a spectacular view of Paris).
This was truly a seamless, memorable and fantastic trip! Many thanks to Jennifer and her team for the effort they put in to make our vacation wonderful.
Read more reviews of Jennifer. Or request your own trip.
Malta: crowd-free experiences, insider access to local people and places…
SAMANTHA MICHAELS | JUNE 30, 2024
We traveled to Malta with another couple in May. Damon Allan did an outstanding job of planning our 6-day trip for us. It was clear from the beginning that he truly loves Malta and wants his clients to love it as much as he does. We worked with Damon for several months, planning and tweaking our itinerary, and at one point ended up with a potential package that exceeded our budget. When we asked him to pare it back a bit Damon graciously and quickly came up with suggestions and options to bring it back in line.
We knew we were in good hands when we landed in Malta and were met on the (hot) tarmac and whisked to our (cool) private car whilst fellow travelers were herded onto (hot) buses to be driven to the terminal to collect luggage. We’re very committed to carry-on luggage only and this commitment, along with Damon’s organization and planning, resulted in us being driven directly to our hotel without stepping foot inside the airport terminal. This likely pared at least an hour off of what was already a very long travel day.
We stayed at the Iniala hotel in Valletta and, as a benefit of being Damon’s clients, received a food and beverage credit and a welcome gift of wine and snacks in our room. The hotel is lovely and the view of the harbor is even lovelier. We can’t imagine staying anywhere else in Valletta. In the fascinating old walled city of Mdina we stayed at the Xara Palace and had the delightful experience of walking through the streets after dark, when it seemed as though we were the only people in the city.
Damon arranged for us to have a driver and a guide for our entire week in Malta. This was crucial to the success of our trip as our itinerary was very full and we certainly couldn’t have seen and done as much as we did had we not had transportation arranged to and from — and between — each excursion. Our guide Pierre is hands-down the best guide we’ve ever had. He is extremely knowledgeable about Malta’s very complex military and political history and is equally well versed in architectural and art history. We simply would not have had as rich an experience in Malta had we not had the benefit of his wonderful story-telling style of explaining what we were seeing and experiencing. Pierre is not only an incredibly well informed guide, he’s also very good at assessing his clients’ needs and interests and adapting to same. When we started to lag a bit on a very hot day he sensed our need for a rest and quickly found us a shady spot for a drink. When he noted we were starting to overdose on church artifacts he suggested a change of pace. And on one occasion when a scheduled car didn’t show up as planned he quickly ushered us to an interesting shopping street while he sorted things out. The delay wasn’t a big issue and certainly wasn’t a problem for us, but his handling of the situation speaks to his commitment to customer service and his desire to shield his clients from any inconvenience. Similarly, he accompanied us with our driver back to the front door of our hotel at the end of every day, even though some days our activities ended close to his own home. His insistence on escorting us to our hotel likely added another hour or so to his work day but he wanted to ensure that all went well for us.
The food in Malta was great. Damon booked reservations for us at very good restaurants and we unfailingly had the best tables.
Everything we saw and did in Malta was interesting and enjoyable. Some of the more unique experiences (lunch in an olive grove with a surprise presentation — thank you Damon — by a scholar/maker of traditional Maltese musical instruments, a picnic on the beach in Gozo, a visit to a private palazzo hosted by the owner) were possible because of Damon’s personal connections in Malta. These experiences simply wouldn’t have been available to tourists traveling/booking on their own and were a huge part of the value in working with Damon. Similarly, tourists traveling on their own would likely not have ended up with a guide of Pierre’s calibre.
We’ve not previously worked with a travel planner to the extent that we worked with Damon. Having done so, we’ll likely never travel again without dealing with someone on Wendy’s WOW List. We’re converts. Our trip to Malta was not inexpensive but we came away knowing we received incredible value for our expenditure. As noted, we believe we had unique experiences due to Damon’s personal connections. While we were in Pierre’s very capable hands every day, we also had the benefit of Damon’s long-distance involvement while we were in Malta. When it looked like the weather was not going to be favorable for a boat trip to the island of Gozo, he and Pierre worked their magic to juggle things and postpone the trip to the following day. This is something we could not have done on our own without considerable stress and without sacrificing other parts of our itinerary. As it was, everything was seamlessly reorganized for us such that we didn’t miss out on anything. It’s difficult to put a price tag on that kind of service/attention.
We’ve been home from our trip for just over a month and are still digesting all that we saw and learned. Now when we run into any kind of a day-to-day glitch (a lineup at the grocery store, an inability to get reservations at a favourite restaurant, difficulty finding a parking spot) we look at each other and say “Where are Damon and Pierre? Surely they could sort this out for us!“ Does this tell you how much Damon deserves to be on Wendy Perrin’s WOW List?
Read more reviews of Jason and Damon. Or request your own trip.
Switzerland: hiking, chocolate, making family memories…
JENNIFER DATWYLER | JUNE 24, 2024
Jennifer, David, Veronica, and Reed Datwyler hiking with St. Bernards.
My daughter recently graduated from high school. She chose a family trip to Switzerland as a celebration of her accomplishments. My husband and I, along with our 18-year-old daughter and 20-year-old son, left home May 25, 2024 for a ten-day trip to three distinct regions of Switzerland. This trip was expertly planned by Nina and Annina.
We flew direct from San Francisco to Zurich. The afternoon of our arrival, we toured the city of Zurich in a Tuk Tuk, where we were welcomed with chocolate fondue en route. The next day, we took a short train ride to the town of Appenzell, where we visited with a local bell maker who demonstrated the art of forging cow bells. My daughter even got to participate in the forging process! From there we visited an organic farm. The farmer, Sep, prepared an incredible lunch from products harvested on his farm.
From Zurich we traveled by train to Interlaken. We stayed in a beautiful wellness hotel right on the water outside of town. Our time in Interlaken included a private chocolate-making workshop and the highlight of the trip for my daughter, a hike with Konstantine’s St. Bernard dogs.
The third stop on our trip was to the Italian region of Switzerland, where we stayed in the town of Ascona. Here we rode E-bikes to a small family-run grotto where we learned to make risotto. We spent another day exploring the Bavona valley. We enjoyed a hike through the most beautiful terrain we have ever seen. My son commented that he felt as if he were in “middle-earth” and was expecting to encounter a hobbit at any moment.
The entire trip was flawless. All the details were handled expertly. We will never forget this time together as a family.
Read more reviews of Nina. Or request your own trip.
Sicily: private lunches, illuminated temples, birthday surprises…
ANDREA SCHEIN | JUNE 23, 2024
We had a wonderful trip to Sicily at the end of May with Matteo. We booked the trip after reading the reviews on WendyPerrin.com. I had some reservations about booking the trip completely online, but after disappointing vacations with personal travel agents, I figured why not. I have to say everything written about their tours is 100% true. They are meticulous planners and they know each guide personally, which makes the experience even better!
While in Palermo, in addition to seeing the city and the markets, we had a marvelous trip to Monreale—the mosaics are incredible—followed by a private lunch at a winery.
On to Agrigento, where we celebrated my 70th birthday. Matteo advised us to stay at Villa Athena in the National Park. It was fabulous—especially dinner on the hotel terrace overlooking the illuminated temples. Following dinner, there was a knock at our door. Matteo sent me a birthday cake! Our second night was special as well—spending it in a small local town with a culinary guide, and a private dinner as per her suggestions in a local restaurant.
Finally, on to Sircusa—we stayed in the historic island of Ortigia. We visited Mount Etna with a geologist followed by another fabulous lunch at a Mount Etna winery—with a celebrity guide who has actually published books about the vineyards there. Our last day was spent on a trip to Noto and Noto Antica followed by lunch at an incredible self-sustaining slow-food farm.
BTW—we actually got to meet Matteo when he surprised us at a gelato cafe in Ortigia.
This really was a fantastic trip with a great mix of culture, outdoor excursions and fabulous food. I just wish they had other tours in the rest of Italy!
Read more reviews of Marcello and Matteo. Or request your own trip.
The Cotswolds: scenic villages, hands-on experiences like foraging with a chef…
VANESSA HULME | JUNE 23, 2024
When my husband and I wanted to plan a week in the Cotswolds, we knew Jonathan and Katie and their group were the ones to contact. We had utilized them previously for a trip to Ireland, and trusted their knowledge and professionalism.
As before, they excelled in every facet of this trip. We explained that we wanted to spend days with cultural activities, hands-on experiences, plus have downtime just to be. The accommodations and itinerary they put together suited us perfectly (thanks, Jonathan, for encouraging us to stay at the Whatley Manor; it is a VERY special place).
From visits to a cheese-making factory, a trip to a brewery that uses the same equipment and techniques it has for hundreds of years, to a tasting at the wonderful Cotswold Distillery (the first full-scale distillery in the Cotswolds), to visiting Bath and the myriad of beautiful villages in the area, everything worked perfectly. The drivers and guides who took us on these adventures were second to none, and provided us with so much information on the area.
As if that were not enough, Wendy and Jonathan’s staff arranged for an incredible WOW Moment during our stay at Whatley Manor. We spent a day with Ricki Weston, their Executive Chef, foraging in his favorite places and then returned to his kitchen where he gave us a lesson in cooking, and even prepared a meal for us. What a special experience; thanks to you both, Wendy & Jonathan!
Jonathan’s team made our vacation a smooth and seamless experience, and we will not hesitate to call on them again.
Read more reviews of Jonathan. Or request your own trip.
Norway expedition cruise: fjords, villages, polar bears…
TOM REDBURN | JUNE 23, 2024
Passengers and a photography guide from the National Geographic Endurance in Spitsbergen. Photo: Traveler Tom Redburn
We enjoyed a wonderful expedition trip on the National Geographic Endurance along the Norway coast, continuing above the Arctic Circle to Svalbard. The trip ran from May 31 to June 15, starting in Bergen and ending in Oslo, after a charter flight from Longyearbyen. We already had a good idea of what we wanted to do, but Ashton Palmer helped confirm that we had made the right choice in choosing a Lindblad/Nat Geo ship over any of the other possible ways of visiting Norway and Svalbard. Lindblad/Nat Geo created the perfect itinerary for us and the friends we were traveling with, poking in and out of fjords, visiting picturesque villages and incredible scenery along the coast for 9 days before heading to Svalbard and its rugged landscape, where we were fortunate to see about 10 polar bears, dozens of walruses, hundreds of thousands of birds and more, from our ship, Zodiac expeditions, kayaking, and walks on land.
I can’t imagine a better way of traveling to this part of the world than on the Endurance, which can take no more than 128 passengers (we had 110), with the large majority of cabins having balconies for private viewing, while also providing terrific public spaces, fantastic meals, an excellent gym and spa, and absolutely first-rate guides, wonderful daily presentations, and a staff that met all our needs — and more. It’s not inexpensive, but I thought the value was worth the money.
The schedule is somewhat flexible, depending on weather and other factors, but among the highlights were viewing Briksdal Glacier, enjoying waffles and jam at a couple of charming restaurants set on a lake and one of the Lofoten islands, visiting a husky farm for training dogs for racing, kayaking along a cliff with roosts for thousands of birds, and spotting polar bears along the coast of Svalbard that the captain and expedition leader found along the route. There are no guarantees and the rules forbid getting too close to the bears (I think 200 meters is the minimum distance) but every time we saw a bear and were able to photograph it or view through binoculars, it was a thrill. It was late spring/early summer and most days the sun never went down. The weather was usually right around freezing, and we had everything from brilliant sunshine to cloud bursts of rain, even some snowflakes, and bitter wind. We were given heavy coats as part of the trip and rented waterproof boots and always felt well protected despite the constantly changing conditions.
At the same time, what made the trip special was the amazing experience and background of the guides, the two photography experts: Tim Laman, a NatGeo photographer, took some terrific pictures and showed off some of his even more stunning photos (many of birds) from his other adventures around the world.
We did have a couple of hiccups along the way. Both Lisa and I, along with two of our friends, came down with Covid fairly early in the trip. But that barely put a crimp in what we were able to enjoy. The doctor on board prescribed Paxlovid and our symptoms were mild. We were required to eat in our room for five days, but otherwise were able to wander the ship as long as we were wearing masks and managed to see just about everything the other passengers witnessed (we missed a couple of hikes and a Zodiac trip but that’s about it.). And the final day in Longyearbyen when we disembarked before flying to Oslo was poorly planned and should be rethought by Lindblad.
This is the kind of trip where the WOW List planner is not as deeply involved as on most trips, but we were grateful that Ashton and his team suggested a cabin on the starboard side for better viewing, advised us to sign up early for the night on deck in a clear dome, and gave us several other options so that we could feel extremely pleased by our choice of going on the top-of-the-line Nat Geo Endurance. I really can’t imagine a more luxurious, more beautiful, more stable and more accommodating ship for expedition cruising. I dont think I’ll ever go on a conventional cruise (I simply can’t imagine traveling in one of those mega ships) but we feel confident with Ashton so that I plan on consulting with him again on a future small-boat trip we hope to take in 2026 to the South Pacific.
Finally, I’d like to offer a shout-out for Torunn Trosvang, another WOW travel advisor. We planned five days in Norway at the end of our cruise, with 3 days in Oslo and 2 we expected to spend in Flam. But I noticed in Torunn’s Insider’s Guide that she recommended not staying in Flan and instead going to the nearby 29/2 Aurland, a truly special small inn with a fascinating history in one family for several generations, and an excellent young chef (22!) who happens to be the son of the owner. We never would have found it without that mention on Wendy’s website, and highly recommend reading the helpful advice that most of her recommended local advisers offer — for free!
Read more reviews of Ashton. Or request your own trip.
Zambia: three generations on safari, at Victoria Falls…
TRACY GOBLE | JUNE 21, 2024
Tracy Goble and family enjoying lunch on a sandbar of the Zambezi River.
WOW!! We just returned from Zambia and had a fabulous experience, planned by Daniel! We normally travel to Zambia for work with a university in Ndola, but this year we brought our oldest kids and grandkids with us and wanted a special safari experience. Daniel found an amazing safari camp and arranged a seamless trip for us! First, we did our work in Ndola. We had a great deal of luggage, and knew before we left it would be a problem for the small plane we were on for safari. Daniel went to work in a WOW way, and found a tour group in Lusaka that could store our hard-sided bags for 4 days!! I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but he found a way to get us to safari and still be able to carry everything we needed for our trip.
On to safari in the Lower Zambezi…we arrived in Sausage Tree Camp and had an absolutely fantastic experience!! Henry met us at the Jeki airport on the dirt air strip. We climbed into the open jeep for our transport to camp, but Henry asked a question. “Would you like to get settled in your rooms, or would you prefer we go find the wild dogs we just had spotted in the park?” We knew how hard it was to see wild dogs, so we said, “Let’s go!” and off we went on safari!! Henry was amazing, and my grandchildren were so happy they could understand him since many who speak English in Zambia have accents that are hard for Americans to understand. Our time at Sausage Tree Camp was definitely special, with surprise lunches on a sandbar with our feet in the water, unexpected sundown cocktail parties set up on the river bank, and dinner under the stars one night! The resort is staffed with amazing people who cared for us like family!! I would never have found this safari camp by myself, but Daniel knew all about it.
When we left the camp (after seeing so many amazing things, like lionesses eating a water buck, a leopard retrieving a kill out of a tree, fishing on the Zambezi River, 2-week-old elephants surrounded by protective parents, and so much more), we headed to Livingstone to experience Victoria Falls! We stayed at the Royal Livingstone Resort, which is an experience every traveler needs in their lifetime!! My favorite place in the world is sitting on the deck by the river at sunset, listening to the nearby Falls thundering with hippos calling in the distance. The breakfast at the Royal Livingstone is an epic buffet, and most likely you will see zebras and giraffes walking by on the grass. Daniel also arranged for us to visit the nearby park to see White Rhinos. They are heavily protected, but you still get to drive near them, and then get out of the jeep to walk near them for photo ops!! What a wild experience!! Our trip as a family was a dream come true, and we cannot thank Daniel and his team enough for this great adventure!!
Read more reviews of Dan. Or request your own trip.
Peru: far more than just Machu Picchu…
TIM TRICHE | JUNE 21, 2024
A woman weaving in Lamay, Peru. Photo: Tim Triche
Despite a disastrous beginning due to airline travel delays and cancelled flights, Mark and Jessica rose to the occasion and successfully rearranged our itinerary so that despite over two lost days of travel we were nonetheless able to do almost everything that was originally scheduled. Kudos to them for dealing with a very difficult situation. The trip itinerary they arranged was truly exceptional; I have never had a better travel experience. They arranged all the things we requested and added many more that enriched our experience far beyond our expectations.
Our guides were absolutely top notch; Claudio in particular deserves a shout-out. He accompanied us for most of the trip and was the consummate travel guide—knowledgeable, engaging, experienced, and a truly nice guy. And, an accomplished photographer who identified some fantastic photo ops for us that resulted in many keepers that will enable us to remember this trip for years. I have done photography as a serious hobby for decades, and another shout-out to Adriana, the photographer who took us around Cusco at the end of our trip. I learned a great deal from her, and took some creative photos that would otherwise never have occurred to me. All in all, the trip couldn’t have been better, and my entire family will never forget the experience.
Everyone thinks of Machu Picchu when thinking of a trip to Peru, as we did, but we now realize it is much, more more than that. Cusco and the Sacred Valley were the heart of the Inca civilization; Machu Picchu just epitomizes that lost culture, but it lives on in many ways in the people you meet along the way. In contrast, Lima is a cosmopolitan urban city with fantastic food and art, and hotels to match, a delightful contrast to Cusco and the Sacred Valley. And lest you consider bypassing the Sanctuary Lodge at the entrance gate to Machu Picchu: don’t. It is worth every penny, and such a pleasure to simply walk to your hotel from the gates of Machu Picchu after hiking up and down all day long.
And a word to photographers: Be sure to use a polarizing filter on your camera; the light is harsh and unforgiving. And, a wide-angle lens is a must; many views in the cities and in Machu Picchu are in tight spaces or benefit from a wide-angle view of things, like street photography in the cities and the panoramic views from Huayna Picchu and Huchuy Picchu (the smaller of the two peaks overlooking Machu Picchu). And finally, a note about hotels: They were all great, but Sol y Luna in the Sacred Valley and Monasterio in Cusco were unforgettable; truly remarkable hotels. And worth noting: All of this was put together on rather short notice at high season by the folks in Marisol’s office. We couldn’t have been more pleased with our trip, thanks to their efforts.
Read more reviews of Marisol. Or request your own trip.
French Polynesia: cruising the Marquesas on a unique ship with local flavor…
ANNE HALL | JUNE 19, 2024
Taioha’e Bay as seen from Nuku Hiva, the largest island of the Marquesas. Photo: Anne Hall
I’ve wanted to travel to the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific since I first heard the Crosby, Stills & Nash song Southern Cross. To do so, my husband and I contacted WOW Lister Kleon for advice. Kleon set us up on the Aranui 5, a hybrid cargo and passenger ship that sails to the six inhabited Marquesas Islands twice a month. The Aranui has less than 200 passengers of all nationalities, has some of the amenities of a cruise ship but was an experience beyond—three-course lunch and dinner with wine, all-passenger trips ashore to wander the islands, Marquesan meals in secluded areas of the islands, access to cultural dancing and art and music, and several opportunities to experience the Marquesans’ quest to return to their language, traditions, and culture. We went to the village where Herman Melville jumped ship (and wrote about it in his book Typee), to the island where Paul Gaugin painted, and to the island where Thor Heyerdahl developed his theory of Pacific Ocean migration. The staff was made up of people who are natives of the Marquesas. They were delightful, solicitous about the needs of the passengers, and so friendly. It felt like there was no divide between crew and passengers.
Kleon suggested we spend a week afterward on Vahine Island, a very small resort on a small island several miles to the south of Bora Bora. We flew from Papeete to Raiatea, where the resort boatsman picked us up for the 45-minute trip to the island. We stayed in one of 6 bungalows along the lagoon where black-tip reef sharks and rays swim every day. The food (we had 1/2 board of breakfast and dinner) was luscious. We couldn’t be more sincere in describing the staff as warm, kind, and generous. We urge everyone interested in the most idyllic place in the world to go to Vahine Island.
Our hats are off to Kleon. He knows the South Pacific very, very, very well. He guided us in the best, most gentle way to devise a trip that we would enjoy. Certainly this trip was one of our top ten experiences of a lifetime. Thank you, Kleon.
Read more reviews of Kleon. Or request your own trip.
Morocco: personal touches, guides who go the extra mile…
SARA BENDA | JUNE 19, 2024
Sara Benda and family rode camels from their luxury camp in the Sahara.
Our trip organized by Hicham’s office was everything we hoped for and more to help us discover the beautiful country of Morocco. Every little detail was arranged to make the whole experience seamless. The lodging and restaurants they chose for us based on our preferences were wonderful, and there is absolutely no way we would have known how to find them otherwise. There were personal touches that went above and beyond, like providing us with Moroccan cash when we arrived, knowing it would be difficult to obtain right away, or always having fresh water bottles and snacks available. They connected us with fabulous local people. Best of all, they provided us with an absolutely amazing guide, Mustapha Asri, who was with us the entire trip. He provided us such a rich education about the history and culture of Morocco, through his itinerary and guidance, with such a warm personality. He made sure every element of our experience was exactly how we liked it. If that weren’t enough, we were provided with a fantastic driver and very comfortable van for the whole trip as well. The entire experience was flawless and perfect—everything we could have hoped for and more. This was a trip of a lifetime for our family.
There was nothing about our trip we would avoid. Every stop along the way was special and shouldn’t be missed. Casablanca, Fes, camping in the Sahara, Ouarzazate/Benhaddou, Marrakesh, and hiking in the Atlas mountains. I wouldn’t give up any of those experiences.
The most unusual experience we had was having our Berber hiking guide take us into his own home for tea and to meet his wife and young boy. It was precious. The luxury camping in the Sahara was an out-of-this-world experience.
This trip was worth every penny. Thank you!
Read more reviews of Hicham and Radia. Or request your own trip.
Montana & Wyoming, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Paradise Valley…
AMY STERN | JUNE 19, 2024
My husband and I just returned from a 10-day trip to Montana’s Paradise Valley and Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, expertly arranged by Melissa. It was an amazing trip! Melissa was a joy to work with, always responding quickly and cheerfully with great advice and recommendations. She is so knowledgeable about Montana and Wyoming, and especially with our US national parks. She was able to easily make hard-to-get reservations at national park lodges, particularly at Jenny Lake Lodge. The hotels she reserved outside the parks were incredible! She also arranged private tours of the parks with excellent guides. Throughout the trip process, she was always available to answer questions, and the written trip material she provided was specific, thorough and helpful. I highly recommend working with Melissa if you are planning to visit the US national parks and western states.
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Southern Africa: Cape Town, safaris, Victoria Falls…
ARTHUR EVERLY | JUNE 18, 2024
We recently returned from a remarkable 16-day vacation in Africa, meticulously planned by Julian, and I couldn’t wait to share our incredible experience.
Planning and Preparation:
We began planning our dream safari trip a year in advance with Julian, which turned out to be a wise decision as many of the safari camps and lodges get booked well in advance. Julian’s expertise and attention to detail were evident from the start. He took the time to understand our preferences and crafted an itinerary that perfectly matched our interests and expectations.
Accommodations:
Throughout our journey, we stayed in a variety of accommodations, ranging from luxurious lodges to intimate tented camps. Each place was unique and provided a different experience of Africa’s stunning landscapes and wildlife. The lodgings were not only comfortable but also strategically located to offer the best wildlife viewing opportunities. The staff at each camp was incredibly welcoming, making us feel at home in the heart of the wilderness.
Cape Town Adventures:
Our first stop was Cape Town, where we stayed at the beautiful Table Bay Hotel on the waterfront. The hotel offered stunning views, luxurious accommodations, and convenient access to all the city’s attractions. We were greeted by Stephen, our driver and guide for this portion of our trip. Stephen’s knowledge and enthusiasm made our time in Cape Town truly special.
With Stephen as our guide, we enjoyed three amazing day trips:
Table Mountain and Cape Town Tour: On our first day, we took a breathtaking trip up Table Mountain, which offered panoramic views of the city and the surrounding landscape. This was followed by a comprehensive tour of Cape Town, including a visit to the historic Castle of Good Hope. Stephen’s insights into the city’s history and culture were invaluable.
Cape Point: Our second day was dedicated to exploring Cape Point. The scenic drive down the peninsula was filled with stunning coastal views, and the experience of standing at the tip of Africa was unforgettable. We took in the rugged beauty of the area, enjoyed the local wildlife, and marveled at the dramatic landscapes.
Wine Region Tour: The last day in Cape Town was a delightful tour of the renowned wine region. We visited several vineyards, tasted exquisite wines, and had a delicious lunch at Sir Richard Branson’s vineyard. The picturesque scenery and the quality of the wines made this day a highlight of our stay in Cape Town.
Botswana Safari:
After our wonderful time in Cape Town, we were off to Botswana for the safari portion of our trip. Julian planned for us to stay in three different camps, each offering a unique and immersive experience.
Sable Alley: Our first camp in Botswana was Sable Alley, which provided us with breathtaking views of the hippo pond right from our comfortable deck. The accommodations were luxurious yet perfectly blended into the natural surroundings. Watching hippos from the deck was an incredible way to start our safari adventure. The game drives were exciting, offering sightings of a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, lions, and an abundance of bird species.
Dukes Camp: Our second camp was Dukes Camp, situated right on the Okavango Delta. The daily game drives were wonderful, allowing us to see all the animals we had hoped for, but the highlight of our stay was the sunset power boat ride and our sundowner on the delta. The serene beauty of the delta at sunset, combined with the thrill of the boat ride, made for an unforgettable experience. The Okavango Delta is truly a magical place, and our time there was a perfect blend of adventure and beautiful landscapes.
Savuti Elephant Lodge: Our third camp was the Savuti Elephant Lodge in Chobe National Park. Although this camp had fewer animals due to the lower water levels, it was our favorite. The people here were exceptional—not only were they great guides, hosts, cooks, and servers, but one night they all got together to sing, dance, and put on a show for the seven guests. Their warmth, hospitality, and talent made this an unforgettable experience. Simply the best!
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe:
Lastly, we traveled to Zimbabwe to visit the breathtaking Victoria Falls. This natural wonder is not to be missed on any trip to southern Africa. The sheer power and beauty of the falls were awe-inspiring. We enjoyed a guided tour, learning about the history and geology of the area, and took in the spectacular views from various vantage points. The experience of seeing Victoria Falls was a fantastic way to conclude our African adventure.
Safari Experience:
The safaris were the highlight of our trip. Thanks to Julian’s thoughtful planning, we were able to visit several renowned national parks and reserves. We had the chance to see the Big Five up close and personal, as well as countless other animals in their natural habitats. Our guides were knowledgeable, passionate, and truly enhanced our understanding and appreciation of the wildlife and ecosystems we were exploring.
Standout Experiences:
Several moments stood out during our trip, thanks to Julian’s careful planning. A surprise lunch in the bush, arranged by one of our lodges, was an unforgettable highlight.
Special Thanks:
Lastly, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Julian, Lisa, and their entire team for a perfectly planned trip. Our itinerary included 10 flights, 5 different lodgings, and countless connections that had to be just right—and they were. It truly was the trip of a lifetime.
We wholeheartedly recommend Julian to anyone looking to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure in Africa. This trip was more than just a vacation; it was a journey that created lasting memories and deepened our love for this extraordinary continent.
Thank you, Julian and team, for making our African dream come true!
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Switzerland: farm visits, hikes, all local guides…
JEFF STAUFFER | JUNE 17, 2024
We visited Switzerland for the first time from May 29-Jun 10 and had Nina & Karolina make our arrangements. They put together an itinerary that gave us a great cross-section of the country. We started in Ascona and ended in Zurich, with Zermatt, Lausanne and Gstaad in between…it was a fabulous trip!
Our experiences focused on the natural beauty of Switzerland and local experiences. We especially enjoyed the farm visits, cheese making, hikes, restaurants and Swiss wine. It’s hard to pick a favorite when pretty much every day and every event was well planned and mostly unique to Swiss culture.
There is no way we could have made all the plans that Nina’s office did and experienced as much of the country as their efforts allowed us. We especially appreciated that all of the guides were local and very much part of the fabric of their community.
Karolina was great at responding to our requests and adjusting our itinerary many times to accommodate our wishes.
All in all, it was a great experience, and we look forward to visiting Switzerland again with the help of Nina and team!
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Italy: back-of-the-house theater tour, private boat trips in the Lakes region…
JEANNIE MULLEN | JUNE 15, 2024
Approaching Isola dei Pescatori by boat. Photo: Traveler Jeannie Mullen
I had a short window of opportunity to squeeze in a trip to Milano and the Lake District in northern Italy recently and turned to Wendy for advice on how best to approach a private trip with local guides and drivers that worked with my schedule. With very short notice (three weeks) during what is a very busy season in Europe in general and northern Italy in particular, Andrea and Creta put together a lovely and well-balanced itinerary that met all of my particulars. They were prompt, detailed, responsive to all of my questions and delivered in spades.
The trip started with two days of guided walking tours in Milano…on day one, we visited Basilica di Santa Maria Delle Grazie, San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore, and the canals, shops and neighborhoods in the Berra district…afternoon food stops included saffron risotto, charcuterie, limoncello AND the obligatory gelato. Molto bene! The second day started with a back-of-the-house tour of Teatro alla Scala or La Scala (the opera house), followed by the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and the Duomo (too many flying buttresses to count!).
I had been to most other parts of Italy on previous trips but never the Lake District, so the rest of the short time that I had available was spent enjoying Lago Como and then Lago Maggiore. They were similar in beauty, but very different in feel (Como was a good bit busier and suffered a little more from the traffic on narrow, winding lakefront roads). I spent my first afternoon on Lago Como investigating the shops and restaurants in Mennagio. It is such a photogenic area, particularly along the lakeside promenade. The following day was spent with a private boat tour of the villages, gardens (Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo was stunning) and villas around Como. Everything looks better from a boat! And, no joke, our boat captain’s name was George (just not THAT George!). I took the ferry across Como to Bellagio on my second full day, met with a darling local guide, Emanuele, who proudly introduced me to and shared stories about the numerous Bellagio hamlets that we passed through on our way to lunch at a local restaurant which boasted a gorgeous view of the upper end of the lake. On our way to the top (5K in total with a 1,400 ft elevation change which took place mostly in the last 1/3 of what started out as a walk and ended up being a “hike”), we walked through the hamlet where he, his parents and grandparents live. We also shared fresh black cherries from a tree in his grandmother’s garden! On our return by car to the city center Emanuele helped me find a local shop to purchase local olive and truffle oils before I boarded the local ferry back to Mennagio. The weather had been threatening each afternoon of the trip and unfortunately did not cooperate for the WOW Moment that had been scheduled for later that evening, a sunset cruise around the lake.
My next three days were spent on Lago Maggiore in Stresa, another beautiful lakeside village where every photo fairly jumps into your camera by itself. I explored the shops and narrow alleys of Stresa on my own the first afternoon and took a long walk along the lakefront the following morning. I met Kate, a local guide, that afternoon for a tour of two of the three Borromean Islands on Maggiore…Isola Bella and Isola dei Pescatori. The Baroque palace (complete with underground grottos) and Italian gardens on Isola Bella were stunning despite threatening weather. After a short boat transfer we had Isola dei Pescatori basically to ourselves. It was a lovely and picturesque island, where a small number of fishermen still live and work to supply the local eateries. The small church on the island, the Church of San Vittori, dates back to the 11th century. Headstones in the local cemetery just around the corner had some wonderful stories to tell. The next day we drove to the opposite side of Lago Maggiore for a walk through the botanical gardens of Villa Taranto in Verbania. Kate brought Taranto alive with her many stories behind the history and development of the gardens. Afterward we walked to the next lakeside village, Sintra, and enjoyed a tasty charcuterie lunch before returning to Stresa for the evening.
In sum, this trip which was planned on short notice at a very busy time during the travel season, turned out to be just the ticket for an 8-day getaway to what has now become my new favorite part of Italy. Andrea and Creta listened closely to my stated trip goals and came through brilliantly. All of the logistics were taken care of in great detail. And, in a very nice touch before my departure…Giulio contacted me directly and reviewed the details of the itinerary (and how to access it through their portal) to be sure that I was content with the final itinerary and logistics before I headed to the the airport the next morning. I was also contacted multiple times during the trip by the local tour coordinator to be sure that everything was going according to plan. Each of the local guides and drivers were well chosen and ensured that the logistics were seamless. Last but not least, the fast-track arrival and departure services in Milano were perfect given the long lines I witnessed at immigration and security.
Grazie mille, Wendy, Andrea, Creta and Giulio!
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Italy: finding off-season gems and avoiding crowds in the busy spots…
DEBORAH WENTE | JUNE 13, 2024
Deb and John Wente in their private boat on Lake Como.
We just returned from a trip to northern Italy planned by Andrea’s office (May 28-June 8, 2024). The primary destination was lake country, but we started with a few days in Cogne in the Aosta Valley. It was off season, many shops and restaurants were closed, and we loved it! Hotel Bellevue was wonderful, and there were hiking trails accessible just out the front door. We had a guided hike into Gran Paradiso Valley complete with a wonderful picnic lunch.
Next we traveled to Lake Country. We visited Lake Orta, Lake Mergozza, Lake Maggiore and Lake Como. At times we hit crowds, but mostly we were able to escape into the surrounding countryside thanks to our guides. We were lucky and the weather was beautiful. Andrea and her team planned a number of hikes around the lakes which gave us an opportunity for solitude, and the chance to chat with the local guides.
We explored the Borromean Islands in southern Lake Maggiore — very interesting. We stayed on one of the islands, Isola Bella. It was lovely but it’s important to be prepared for the closing of all shops, bars, and restaurants after the last ferry leaves around 6:30 pm.
A stop in Lugano for lunch and shopping was fun, then on to Lake Como. We loved Hotel du Lac in Varenna. Our terrace looked out over the lake with the smell of jasmine in the air. It was magical. We took a couple of hikes, explored Bellagio, had an amazing lunch at Baita Belvedere and explored the lake by boat. Staff at the hotel told us we had to go home to rest because we did “everything” while we were there.
Then, our WOW Moment! We pulled up to a dock and there was a musical group founded in 1807 from the village of Lezzeno waiting on the shore to entertain us. We even waltzed a bit! One of the members made focaccia and pizza for our snack and we toasted with sparkling wine with our guide Rita. Family and friends of the group waved us off as we got back on our boat.
Friends ask me how I find these destinations and experiences and I explained it is the expertise of the Trusted Travel Experts recommended by Wendy Perrin. Andrea lives in Bellagio on Lake Como and personally knows the guides she recommends. They were fantastic. It makes all the difference to have good, local guides and interesting, hospitable places to stay.
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Japan: hands-on with artisans, ryokan stays, farm visit…
BARBARA FIERMAN | JUNE 10, 2024
Barbara and Robert Fierman at Senbon Torii in Kyoto.
Andrea planned the trip of a lifetime for my husband Bob and me and our friends as a joint anniversary celebration. The trip was well-paced and balanced, but also so exciting. Our guides were outstanding—they were well-prepared to share history and culture with us as we navigated through the trip. They went above and beyond each day to maximize our experience.
I expected to visit impressive shrines and temples, and beautiful gardens, but wow! They exceeded all of our expectations. Each of our special activities was a blast! My favorites included taiko drumming, where our drumming expert got us to perform a brief but lively routine and then performed for us; having a private tea ceremony with a geisha; and attending a sumo wrestling tournament. We also enjoyed learning from the youngest of many generations who have practiced pottery, candy, and soba noodle-making.
We stayed in an outstanding array of accommodations. The Capitol Hotel in Tokyo was perfect for our introduction to a new, foreign city; at the boutique Hiramatsu Kyoto we experienced the height of service and elegance. The three ryokans—one each in Kaga, Naoshima, and Kawaguchiko—were beautiful and Zen. Our favorite was Fu Fu Kawaguchiko, where we had spectacular views of Mt. Fuji. The location was accessible to many sites, and it was in an idyllic setting.
In addition to the cities, we visited an organic tea farm in Uji where we learned about the industry, picked tea leaves, and were treated to a delicious lunch which included tea leaves prepared a la tempura-style. We spent a day in Nikko where we hiked along a massive waterfall to a lake and then visited the magnificent Toshogu Shrine, set in a beautiful forest. Our overnight on the island of Naoshima provided a glimpse of restored homes turned museums as well as state-of-the-art museums designed by famed architect Tadao Ando and outdoor installations, including the pumpkin, created by Yauyoi Kusama.
Andrea and his team did an amazing job of coordinating the multitude of details this experience involved. We can’t thank him and his team enough.
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France: deliciously slow travel via canal barge…
WILLIAM FISHER | JUNE 10, 2024
Bill Fisher and his wife in the garden before dinner at the home of their barge captain’s parents.
If you want a super-relaxing weeklong vacation in France and love to sample a wide variety of wines and cheeses, look no further than a barge cruise through Burgundy. We spent a week on the Magnolia arranged by Caroline. Choosing a canal cruise can be somewhat overwhelming but Carloline’s insight made the process seamless and her recommendation was perfect. The crew on the Magnolia was wonderful (5 crew for 6 guests) and the food and wine pairings were spot-on. The daily excursions were intimate with such a small group and our visits to local markets, truffle hunting, and dinner with one of the crew members’ parents in their own home were truly memorable. A typical day included bike rides on the path next to the canal (the boat goes REALLY slow) and leisurely four-course meals at the end of the day. This is a great way to unwind and sample the food and wine while cruising the canals of France. If you want to investigate opportunities, make sure and give Caroline a call.
Read more reviews of Ellen and Caroline. Or request your own trip.
Italy: “treated like royalty” on 50th-anniversary trip
ROBIN AND WARREN LEVY | JUNE 10, 2024
As we sit alone on chaise lounges after swimming at the indoor pool at our final hotel (we already lounged at their private beach in total solitude), we are looking out at a cloudless sky and the beautiful blue waters of the Tyrrhenian sea. We have been treated like royalty for 10 days, with wonderful drivers and incredible guides giving us the experience of a lifetime. Although we still enjoy planning our trips sometimes, there is something to be said for having everything done for you by a first-class tour agency. Spoiled? Just a bit!
Andrea’s team planned our 50th wedding anniversary trip to Italy with ease and professionalism. After speaking with Andrea via zoom, she planned a wonderful 10 days to Florence, Tuscany and Cinque Terre for our celebration. She recommended hotels, tours, and restaurants for us to decide upon as well as guides and drivers to take us around. Stefano and Alessandra followed up with us before and during the trip, making us feel like we were always being taken care of behind the scenes. We wouldn’t change a thing and only wish we had extended the trip a little longer! We loved all the hotels, which were in perfect locations, had wonderful breakfasts and were planned in the perfect order of the trip. The guides were outstanding, especially Chiara (Florence) and Andrea (Cinque Terre). The drivers were also outstanding, especially Mauro (beginning of the trip) and Gianni (towards the end of the trip). The food, the people, and of course the scenery was amazing and we can’t wait to return to Italy again.
Finding Andrea and her agency through The WOW List was easy and we would absolutely do it again in the future. Thank you everyone for our trip of a lifetime as we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary!
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Egypt and Jordan: “We felt safe throughout our journey…”
RICK DISHNICA | JUNE 10, 2024
I recently planned a trip with a friend to Egypt and Jordan from April 21 through May 5, 2024 with the help of Arlene. Given the recent events in the Middle East, we had many concerns about our trip, but with Arlene’s and her team’s help, we embarked on our journey with a high degree of confidence that we would have good support during our trip and were prepared with options if the conflict widened.
Everyone we interacted with in both countries were well trained and experienced professionals. We were greeted by members of the local management teams when we arrived in the airports to guide us through security and to our hotels. All of our guides were highly educated and fluent in English and each of the three guides we worked with gave us deep insight into the history, culture, and people from past civilizations. They are all among the best guides I’ve had the pleasure of working with and would highly recommend all three of them. The drivers were experienced and very pleasant to travel with and we always felt safe driving with them. We felt safe throughout our journey and would highly recommend traveling to Egypt and Jordan now.
Read more reviews of Jim. Or request your own trip.
Mediterranean cruise: private touring in Greece, Turkey, Italy…
SUSAN KETCHUM | JUNE 9, 2024
Tom Philbrick and Susan Ketchum at Ephesus.
We recently returned from a Seabourn cruise from Athens to Venice booked through Cheri on Mary Jean’s team. This is the second time we had Cheri book a Seabourn cruise for us and she makes it so much easier than booking directly with the cruise line.
When we cruise we prefer to book private land tours and drivers so Cheri referred us to Gavin Crawford, also in Mary Jean’s office. We had an initial call with Gavin and knew immediately he was the right person for us. We landed in Athens and stayed 3 nights prior to our cruise at Amanzoe in the Peloponnese. This Aman property is outstanding and was a great beginning to our trip. From there, we returned to Athens for one day before embarking on Seabourn Quest. While in Athens, Gavin arranged for a private tour of the Acropolis with a guide who knew how to get around the crowds that were already there in early May.
Gavin has traveled extensively, including to the ports on our cruise, and also understands Seabourn and when we would tender and when we would dock at the ports. He was so helpful in guiding us about whether to hire a guide and driver or skip it and explore on our own at some ports. At one point, close to the start of our trip, Seabourn adjusted the itinerary to go to Turkey first and stop in Greece after, the reverse of the original route. Gavin was quick to contact the guides and rearranged our schedule. As a result, in Bodrum, Turkey our private cooking class at a vineyard was changed to a private class at the home of the chef, with her 87-year-old mother, Ila, instructing instead. It could not have been more perfect! Ila had us prepare 5 dishes using fresh ingredients from her garden. It was a special treat to sit outside on her terrace overlooking the hills and ocean as we worked, all the while listening to Ila’s fascinating life story. We will never forget this special day and personal connection.
Another great memory was the evening in the amphitheater at Ephesus that Seabourn arranged with a concert by the very talented Aegean Chamber Orchestra. Enchanting!
The cruise ended in Venice and as we had been several times we wanted to stay somewhere we had not in the past. Gavin recommended the Belmond Cipriani and it was the perfect choice for us. Far from the crowds (already packed in May!), yet only a 7-minute water shuttle compliments of Cipriani to St. Mark’s Square. We loved our room and the service.
All of our guides were first class, very knowledgeable, pleasant and flexible. Because it was just the 2 of us, we were free to adjust our schedule during the tours. In addition, we were able to leave later in the morning from the ship than the passengers going on the bus tours that Seabourn arranged and return when we wanted. The drivers were excellent, all professional in very clean, comfortable, Mercedes vehicles. We felt very cared for. Gavin arranged for VIP airport assistance in Athens at the start of our trip and in Venice at the end. We use this service whenever possible traveling internationally as it saves us so much time.
We have had so many wonderful experiences on our travels thanks to Wendy and her list of trusted advisors. Although this trip went off without any issues, I know we had backup if we needed it. We have already planned another vacation, in August, to Scotland. And of course we are planning it with another expert from Wendy’s WOW List!
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Greece: hotel rooms with a view, prime restaurant seats, private sunset cruise…
MOLLY WHISENANT | JUNE 8, 2024
The happy couple, Connor and Coyann Whisenant, at the Acropolis.
A honeymoon HAS to be PERFECT as you cannot do them over. I booked a honeymoon trip for my son and daughter-in-law with Maria’s office. Eleni and her team are THE BEST!!! Eleni worked with my son, daughter-in-law and me to discuss what the couple wanted in a perfect honeymoon. The happy couple picked from amazing choices for excursions, sites, cooking classes, boating adventures, wine tastings, etc. Eleni delivered BEYOND their wildest expectations!!! From the moment they were picked up at the Athens airport until they boarded their flight to go home in Santorini, Eleni had it planned to perfection. She handled any special requests with ease and made them happen…at one location wine was offered but my son likes beer so she had Greek beer ready, cold and waiting for him. She also was a huge help with dinner reservations. She gave the couple an extensive and descriptive list of different restaurants in each of their honeymoon locations (Athens, Mykonos and Santorini) and made suggestions as well. She made the reservations as requested. One restaurant location in Mykonos was in a cave along the water. My daughter-in-law said she felt like a VIP as the best table in the restaurant was ready and waiting for them when they arrived.
Eleni was also very good at explaining why some excursions were priced higher than I initially thought they should be…i.e. the boating excursions. Once she explained more detail regarding the type of boat, that the couple would have the entire boat to themselves for the sunset cruise, and the private dinner that was cooked and served on the boat for them, I happily booked the boating excursion. This turned out to be one of the couple’s favorite things they did on their honeymoon. They said it was the perfect way to end their honeymoon…a private sunset cruise in Santorini with a fantastic dinner…just the two of them. The crew even played their song that they first danced to at their wedding for them!!!
Other things they enjoyed were the cooking class which was at a farm. My son is not an adventurous eater but he loved the different cheeses made on the farm and tried everything. The hotels that Eleni booked were amazing. In Athens, they had a view of the Acropolis at night, and in Mykonos and Santorini she booked rooms with a hot tub and another with a plunge pool.
When they returned, I asked them what they would change and the answer was “absolutely nothing!!! We loved our honeymoon and thanks so much!!!” This is exactly what you want to hear as a parent, because as I stated at the beginning, a honeymoon HAS to be perfect because you only have one! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Eleni and her crew!!!!!!
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Norway: RIB boating, helicopter tour, mountain climbing…
BARBARA LICH | JUNE 7, 2024
Barbara Lich’s son climbing in Norway’s mountaineering capital of Andelsnes.
Our trip (planned by Torunn and Karin) exceeded expectations! Wow! Norway. My husband and I wanted to take our four children on a graduation trip to Norway. When we first talked with Torunn, she listened to what worked for my family in previous trips, what we were looking for (an active trip to see and experience as much as possible). And she delivered!
Our children are ages 25, 22, 18 and 14. Our trip started in Oslo where we dined at the amazing Solsiden Restaurant. My family has a multitude of food allergies and Torunn’s office managed this expertly by advising the restaurants ahead of time and helping select restaurants that could manage them. We ate very well! The hotel selections were perfect for my family. When Torunn heard that our daughter is a competitive figure skater and wanted to see sights near the 1994 Olympic venue in Lillehammer, she arranged that we would stop in Lillehammer and even set up bobsledding (!) at the Olympic Training site! That was an experience to remember.
We next enjoyed a beautiful train ride to Andelsnes! Our historic hotel was so beautiful! We felt like we were sitting in the middle of a postcard. Andelsnes is near the most gorgeous mountains and a top destination for mountain climbers. Our oldest son is a climber and has earned some certifications for climbing. Karin arranged the most expert mountaineering guide with international certification and amazing demeanor for my oldest son—it was the highlight of his trip. They climbed for 12 hours and the Alpine Hike was one of the most difficult. It was an experience he will never forget…and the lovely staff at Hotel Aak held his dinner for him to enjoy when he returned at 11 pm at night! The hotel was not only beautiful but the staff was so helpful and kind. From Hotel Aak we went to Nikkahuset, a villa owned and run by Leif. My family enjoyed two days with him preparing outstanding meals and he took us to see Trollsvegen since it was closed near Andalsnes. We loved to sleep listening to the running river and seeing the adorable sheep across the way.
From Valldall and Nikkahuset, we took a very long and scenic drive through the mountains to Hotel Walaker in the Lusterfjord. What a beautiful place. Here we enjoyed a RIB boat ride and gorgeous waterfall hike! Not to mention the outstanding meals we ate at the hotel. Friendly and helpful staff. Gorgeous location on the fjord. Karin arranged for us to end our trip in Bergen. There my daughter and I had a great morning horseback ride with the most friendly and kind trainer. That afternoon, my husband and children took a 90-minute helicopter tour over Hardangerfjord. Karin called and confirmed that morning that the weather was good for the helicopter and that it might be a bit windy. My family loved that helicopter experience. Sadly it was time to depart the next morning. What a beautiful country and special family time! We really loved every minute and would recommend Torunn’s team to everyone.
Read more reviews of Torunn. Or request your own trip.
Thailand: taking advantage of rainy season, with clear skies and off-peak rates…
TONY FORD-HUTCHINSON | JUNE 7, 2024
Tony Ford-Hutchinson and wife Jane in Bangkok, with Wat Arun aglow in the background.
Despite having visited all the surrounding countries, for some reason we have never got beyond Bangkok airport! A two-day board meeting in Bangkok gave us the opportunity to combine this with a two-week trip to Thailand. The beginning of May is not peak tourist season and was hot. However, we lucked out as a bit of rain up north reduced the air pollution levels and the real rains started just after we left. We worked with Dan to figure out where to go and what we liked and did not like, and decided to start with Bangkok and then spend time in Northern Thailand at Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
The key to a personalized trip like this is the guides. We had two exceptional guides, Kob in Bangkok and Berm in Northern Thailand. Both were extremely flexible, very knowledgeable and took us to all sorts of interesting restaurants to try all the different Thai cuisines. In Bangkok on Day 1 we toured the creative district (Jane got two dresses made using a contact from a friend) and explored the waterways of Bangkok with a private longboat. Day 2 we explored all the key sites in Bangkok and on Day 3 we drove out to Ayutthaya, the ancient Siamese capital. Other highlights of Bangkok were a foodie’s tour around Chinatown, a cooking experience for Jane while I was in meetings and dining at two of the top 50 restaurants in the world, Gaggan Annand and Le Du.
We then flew up in the evening to Chiang Mai and stayed at the wonderful 137 Pillars House. On our first day we went up Doi Suthep, the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai, and explored the temples around there. The weather had cleared as a result of rains and we actually had great views. In the evening we drove around Chiang Mai in an electric Tuk Tuk and ate local specialties in the night market. We had specifically requested to learn about some of the textile weavings for which Northern Thailand is famous. Dan arranged for us to go to Studio Naena to meet Patricia Cheeseman, a renowned textile expert and author, where we had hands-on experience with tie-dying with natural indigo dye. The next day took us north of Chiang Mai for hiking and bamboo rafting down the Mae Tang river.
Our road trip to Chiang Rai was no ordinary road trip as we skirted the Myanmar border, stopping at various points including cooking lunch in bamboo containers with the Lahu hill tribe. In Chiang Rai we stayed at Pa Sak Tong (at very off-season rates!) where we had a whole 3-bedroom villa to ourselves complete with exercise room, steam room, private pool etc. To look after our every need, we had two excellent cooks, Nid and Kwanjai, and three outstanding butlers, Tai, Benny and Pleaw, all this on 28 acres looked after by 13 gardeners and overseen by the estate manager, John Dunbar! Needless to say, we tried to maximize our stay on the villa, although we did make a day trip to the Golden Triangle where we set foot in Myanmar, Laos and Thailand all on the same day. Another bonus for this location is that the dining experience at Native Food Lab is a short walk from the Villa. All in all, an amazing trip and thank you to Dan and his staff for organizing everything.
Read more reviews of Dan. Or request your own trip.
Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro: farm visit, beach time, living history…
CATHERINE MATHIS | JUNE 4, 2024
We just returned from a wonderful trip to Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro that was planned for us by Ala. With her in-depth and firsthand knowledge of this part of the world, she was able to help us sequence and plan the trip in a way that made it interesting, educational and fun. This is the third trip we’ve taken with Ala’s company. We also traveled with them to Russia and to Austria and Poland, and have been impressed with their attention to detail, selection of hotels and restaurants, and the quality of their guides and drivers.
Ala recommended that we start the trip in Sarajevo, which turned out to be an excellent suggestion. History came alive through the talks we had with our fabulous guide who had been a child at the time of the siege of Sarajevo (1992-1996). One of the highlights of our time in Split, Croatia, was a tour of the beautiful Mestrovic Gallery with the curator, who had worked there for 15 years. We loved the cooking class Ala arranged for us at a farm just outside Dubrovnik. So fun to harvest the vegetables we had for lunch and collect the eggs for the cake we made!
We had shared with Ala that we also like some down time on our vacations. We spent two nights at the stunning Maslina Resort on Hvar with its gorgeous views of the Adriatic Sea. The staff at the hotel could not have been nicer or more accommodating. In Montenegro, we stayed in a beautiful hotel right on the Bay of Kotor. All in all, this was a well planned trip that we greatly enjoyed!
Read more reviews of Ala. Or request your own trip.
Malta: touring palazzos, being guided by a knight…
CAROLE PINSTEIN | MAY 31, 2024
When we were trying to decide where to go next, we looked at some of the reviews from Wendy Perrin for inspiration. We were immediately drawn to Malta with Damon and Jason. This was our 109th country (we’re old). We wanted to do something a little different instead of just walking around old cities and visiting churches. We were intrigued with the many different activities we could choose from that were so different from anything we had done in the past.
I can’t even put into words how great it was. Unfortunately, we had to reschedule the trip 3 separate times. Damon remained the incredible professional, and changed everything repeatedly. I just wouldn’t give up. I was determined we were going to Malta.
Where to start? Damon. Never have I worked with someone who is so kind and great at his job. We were even lucky enough to meet him. He now lives in London, but obviously he spends time in Malta. He timed his trip so he could surprise us. We just adore him.
Hotel. He put us at the Domus Zamittello on the pedestrian street in Valletta. We loved it. Great location, great room, and wonderful staff. Damon booked us dinner reservations every night that were only a short distance from the hotel.
Guide and driver. We had Martin, who is a Knight of Malta. We were just fascinated with the knight history. He knows his stuff, and it was a pleasure to have him. Manwell was our driver and I just loved him. What a sweet unassuming man. I have some mobility issues, and he took such good care of me. (Damon even bought a foldable seat for me so I could sit down.)
Sights. Loved everything. Damon worked really hard to make sure our itinerary didn’t have a ton of steps and too much walking. Martin took it from there and adapted when necessary.
I loved all the unusual activities like the sheep farm, lunch in the olive grove, the picnic on the beach, the tour of the palazzo, the guilder, etc. We could go back and pick all different activities and be just as happy. Everything could have been our WOW Moment. That’s how special it all was.
I really can’t think of one thing I would change. It was just perfect, and I’m not the easiest to please. I suggest if you’re looking for something a little different, book Malta immediately.
Read more reviews of Jason and Damon. Or request your own trip.
Italy: exclusive winery visits, private boat in Portofino…
ELAINE PATTERSON | MAY 27, 2024
Elaine and Gregg Patterson on the rooftop of the Marrone Winery in La Morra, Piedmont, where they had lunch and a private tour.
My husband and I just returned from our fifth trip to Italy with Maria and Brian. We had been to different parts of Italy about a dozen times before we started working with Maria and Brian and quickly learned that they can deliver itineraries and experiences that we could never arrange on our own. (And I say that even though I love doing travel research and have planned dozens of trips for us over 40 years.)
For this trip, we gave Maria our wish list of Turin, Piedmont wine region, Genoa, Portofino and Lake Maggiore. Having worked with her before, she knows our favorite kind of hotel, activities, and restaurants and her recommended itinerary checked every box. Wonderful hotels with spacious rooms and beautiful views, private vineyard/winery visits (most with amazing lunches), and the best tour guides who were great travel companions and also helped us plan our free days. I think great guides help you fall in love with a place, because they love it, and that’s exactly what happened to us in every location.
Maria’s recommendation for a day on a private boat in Portofino was magical in every way, the restaurants she suggested were all local, delicious, and down to earth, and all the transportation arrangements (excellent drivers, comfortable vehicles) were totally seamless. Our WOW Moment—a private lesson making cocktails at Martini headquarters near Turin—was completely unexpected and completely fun! We learned so much and have so many unforgettable memories from this trip thanks to Maria & Brian and their network of exceptional people on the ground. We’re already thinking about where to go next with their help.
Read more reviews of Maria and Brian. Or request your own trip.
Puglia, Italy: family-run farms, olive groves, historic villages…
MARIO QUEIROZ | MAY 17, 2024
Isabel, Mario, Julia, and Martha Queiroz in the town of Alberobello.
Alison and Elisa prepared an excellent itinerary for our eight days in Puglia. We’re a family of four, with two adult daughters in their 20s. We had a fantastic experience in this beautiful and authentic part of Italy. We’ve been to the more classic Italian tourist destinations and to multiple Mediterranean spots in other countries, and we strongly recommend a visit to this less explored region near the heel of the Italian boot. Alison and Elisa were professional, detailed, creative, and responsive in understanding our travel interests to select accommodations and experiences for our itinerary. They really know Puglia!
All of the hotels were upscale and welcoming, with excellent service. The boutique hotel in Ostuni (Paragon 700) was perfectly located for exploring the northern part of Puglia, where we stayed for four nights. My wife is a relatively discerning interior designer and loved the Paragon 700. While in Ostuni, we went on an e-bike tour of the countryside through the endless olive groves, past numerous trullis, and visited the towns of Locorotondo, Martina Franca, and Alberobello, the old town of the latter being composed entirely of trullis. On the bike tour, we stopped at a family-run farm, where our girls (and mom and dad!) marveled at the site of a day-old litter of 12 piglets and 1-month old little calves. We experienced mozzarella making, including burrata, and then had an amazing meal — the ultimate farm-to-table experience. Our guide on the bike tour, Silvia, was knowledgeable, interesting, and super pleasant to be with. The two support vans were key to getting the most out of the day (biking, walking around in the towns, carrying some of our stuff, safety, etc). Our favorite restaurant for dinner during this first part of our trip was Taverna della Gelosia in Ostuni, recommended and reserved for us by Alison’s office. While in Ostuni, Alison stopped by our hotel to greet us and have a drink. It was a nice, genuine touch for Alison to drop by.
The second part of our Puglia trip was in the south, near Lecce, where we stayed at Masseria Trapana for three nights. The Masseria was fabulous, with fewer than 10 suites and everything we needed for relaxing in luxury. One of the coolest things was the underground hot tub, literally a cave, with an opening on the roof for natural light. Alison’s team prepared two experiences for us on this part of the trip which were also fabulous: A private visit to the Duca Carlo Guarini winery which has been in the same family for nearly 1,000 years, or 24 generations! The visit to the winery was supposed to last 2 ½ hours and we were there for more than four hours, including another excellent meal and a tour of the town palace where the adult sons of Don Giovanni (the patriarch who runs the wine business) are building their own winery and wine business.
The day after the winery we went on a private boat tour of the beautiful coast to see the idyllic Lecce limestone cliffs, turquoise waters, and lots of little bays and coves for swimming. Fabbrizio, the captain of the Tortuga, was pleasant, competent, and did a great job taking care of us, including serving a meal which his mother had prepared. The Tortuga is docked in the port of the ancient town of Otronto. Going in and out of Otronto felt like being in a small, undiscovered San Tropez. Somewhat surprisingly, Lecce was probably our favorite town of all of the Puglian towns we visited, and that’s a pretty high bar. I guess there’s a reason they call it the Florence of the South.
Alison and Elisa were available at all times for our questions and for a few last-minute itinerary and restaurant changes, and they always got things done with immediacy and with the most pleasant attitude. We strongly recommend a visit to Puglia, in partnership with Alison’s team to make it special.
Read more reviews of Antonello and Alison. Or request your own trip.
India: exploring way off the beaten path…
DALE HAYES | MAY 18, 2024
I had long heard about the Forbidden Frontier of India, tucked away in the Northeast part of the country between Bhutan, Burma, and Tibet in the Highlands. Arunachal Pradesh is India’s newest state and difficult to visit, but Sanjay and his team made it happen for me. They took care of all the permits, even as an election threatened to undo my itinerary, found great hotels in this remote part of the world, and made sure I had fabulous guides, drivers and vehicles. I did not see another non-national person as I explored remote villages, monasteries, and breathtaking scenery unlike anywhere else in India.
Sanjay also recommended some time in another part of India — Gangtok, Pelling and Darjeeling — to balance the trip. The places he recommended provided great opportunities to see the Himalaya and experience yet another very different way of life. Sanjay knows India!!!
But Sanjay really saved the trip when the airline cancelled my flight from Newark to Delhi while I was in flight to Newark! Within minutes of landing, Sanjay was on the phone giving me options, and one got me to Delhi on a different airline at about the same time I was scheduled to arrive. The airline that cancelled my flight did not give me the option Sanjay found, as they wanted to keep me “in the family,” but using the information Sanjay provided the airline agreed to transfer my ticket at no additional cost!! I knew I was in safe hands for the next month.
Read more reviews of Sanjay. Or request your own trip.
Paris: family-friendly experiences, assistance with a medical emergency…
JAN HEININGER | MAY 2, 2024
Jan Heininger and family enjoying Paris.
This is a two-part review because there were two trips during the ten days my husband Jamie Reuter and I spent in Paris in April 2024 on a trip designed by Jennifer. The first was a wonderful week of Paris with kids — a trip with grandparents (us), our daughter and son-in-law and their three kids ages 2, almost 4 and almost 7. The other trip is how Jamie actually spent the entire time in a Paris hospital having broken his leg/hip the first day. Jennifer’s role and assistance for both was essential. The former is why you should use Wendy’s experts because they design creative and wonderful itineraries executed to perfection; the latter is why when calamity strikes, you need the kind of assistance that no regular travel agent or group-trip company can provide.
Jennifer knew exactly how to design a trip geared towards introducing three very young children to foreign travel and Paris in particular. She had us go up the Eiffel Tower (something I’d never done in seven previous trips to Paris), thoroughly exciting the two older kids, take a boat trip on the Seine so we could see the Tower from the river, have a personal guide take us around for a “Paris with Kids” tour that included Notre Dame (nearly four-year-old Simon made me go over every single board around Notre Dame that detailed the post-fire reconstruction process — budding engineer here), sailing boats in Luxembourg gardens, sample chocolates and much more. Jennifer sent us to the Science and Industry Museum that has a wonderful kids’ section, to Musée des Forains, a terrific museum of historical carnival exhibits with three historic carousels we all rode, Le Jardin d’Acclimatation, Paris’ answer to Disney World but far more manageable and enjoyable even for adults, l’Atelier des Lumières, a surround-sound and light show now focusing on Ancient Egypt that even the two-year-old was enthralled by, and an excellent food tour. The highlight was a cooking class my husband and I were supposed to do but instead I took six-year-old Oliver, who proceeded to make the entire dinner under the wonderful chef’s direction, including making and piping pâte à choux for profiteroles, making, rolling and cutting fresh pasta, making chicken roulades with the stuffing he’d made and piped into them plus individual cheese soufflés he piped into ramekins. My contribution was to cut ½ an onion and four mushrooms. Oliver beamed when Simon announced it was such a wonderful dinner Oliver should make dinner for the family every night! Jennifer had us stay in a lovely three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment with daily service in Marais. We went everywhere by metro and probably walked 5-6 miles a day. FYI: With young kids, be prepared to stop and ride every carousel you come across — there are a LOT of carousels in Paris.
While the rest of us were doing these wonderful activities, an ambulance had taken poor Jamie, who’d fallen along the Seine just seven hours after our arrival in Paris, to the emergency room where it was found he’d broken his leg badly next to his artificial hip. Suffice it to say we could not have managed without Jennifer. While I erred in not immediately calling her directly but her emergency number instead, once Jennifer found out, she dispatched her head of French and UK operations Albin Fady-Bonnet who devoted his already busy week to shepherding us through a very frustrating ten days of dealing with a vastly different medical system from ours. My husband languished in hospital for six days before he finally had surgery. He was in Hôpitaux Universitaires Pitié Salpêtrière, France’s best hospital with the best doctors. But as this is Paris’s trauma hospital (where Princess Diana was taken), my husband kept getting bumped by other more traumatic cases. My French is passable but insufficient for medical nuances. In a medical system where doctors rule all and feel little need to communicate with patients and not at all with their families, I was constantly scrambling to get information, try to arrange for medical evacuation, set up matters for our US doctors to operate if necessary when we got back, negotiate with our health insurance company and deal with our financial adviser. There is no way I could have handled it all without the assistance (multiple times daily) of Jennifer and French-speaking Albin, who intervened repeatedly with the hospital on our behalf to get information we could not get ourselves. It involved much more than I’m going into. Suffice it to say, we were the nightmare clients that no one ever wants to be (or have) and Jennifer and Albin handled it with grace and aplomb, rearranging our itinerary at the drop of a hat and getting me a (wonderful) hotel to stay in after the kids departed. We were to go to London afterwards, which obviously wasn’t possible. That entailed a great deal of effort for Jennifer in canceling pre-paid reservations and negotiating refunds where possible.
We’ve taken at least twenty trips with Wendy’s experts because they listen carefully to what their clients want, design itineraries with excellent and unusual activities, many of which we could not arrange on our own, and then execute them flawlessly. For rare glitches, they jump in to fix things immediately. We know our expert is monitoring everything. Seldom have we had to call upon our trip organizer while traveling for anything. This time we did. I had confidence that Jennifer, just like every one of Wendy’s carefully vetted specialists, would jump in to do whatever was needed to get us safely home. Even Wendy herself helped out and checked in to see how Jamie was doing.
I cannot praise Jennifer highly enough. She is a delight to work with — and she’s smart enough to hire such superb staff as Albin Fady-Bonnet. Our trip could have been a disaster. It wasn’t and we had a wonderful time in Paris with kids. We never could have gotten the assistance we did in dealing with Jamie’s medical situation had we not had them by our side.
FYI: Follow Wendy’s advice and get trip insurance even for easy trips to places like Paris. I had not as this wasn’t Sri Lanka (our most recent trip), Africa or Bhutan. I should have. No one wants to have to put up what I was asked for to medically evacuate my husband — 140,000 Euros in cash up front. Fortunately we were able to avoid the medical evacuation route. We flew home five days after the surgery in business class (the only way the French doctors would let him go) with Jennifer having arranged a car and driver and a person who expedited our way with wheelchairs through to the airport to the plane.
Read more reviews of Jennifer. Or request your own trip.
Spain: meeting farmers, winemakers, restaurateurs…
SALLY BELL | MAY 6, 2024
The Alhambra in Granada. Photo: Traveler Sally Bell
Wow! Just Wow! When Wendy indicates her travel fixers can plan a “WOW trip” for you, you can absolutely believe it!
Our group (3 couples) had an incredible 19-day trip to Spain—all of it planned perfectly and expertly by Ivan. After our initial Facetime meeting, Ivan put a sensational itinerary together which catered to our interests in culture, history, architecture and food. Through his knowledge, dedication and carefully cultivated contacts and friends throughout Spain, every detail was handled.
All of our drivers were prompt, courteous & efficient. Every single one of our guides were bright, friendly, well-versed and quick-witted. We enjoyed getting to know them & came away from each tour or experience with increased knowledge of the history and culture of Spain.
In addition to city walking tours and seeing the historic sights in Seville, Cordoba, Cadiz, Ronda, Vejer de la Frontera, Granada, Nerja, Frigiliana, Barcelona, Toledo & Madrid, we hiked in the natural park of the straits of Gibraltar, the valley of the Genal River visiting Benadalid & Benalauria, and in the nature reserve of el Torcal de Antequera along with a visit to the dolmens.
Our favorite days were when we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves into the lives of farmers of brave bulls, Spanish horses, and tropical fruits—along with owners of vineyards and family-owned restaurants. We enjoyed delicious home-cooked meals, wonderful sherry and wine, and had our “best days” learning about their lives and their work.
Ivan was in contact with us daily—making sure we enjoyed our day & the hotel in which we were staying, as well as providing details for the following day. He and his office staff handled every question promptly.
We loved visiting Spain. Not only is it a beautiful country with so much history and tradition, the people are welcoming and kind. This was one of those trips you hope to experience when you travel. And thanks to Ivan, his team and all the wonderful people we met along the way, our trip far exceeded our dreams!
Read more reviews of Iván. Or request your own trip.
France: barge cruise in Burgundy…
JOHN BRADUNAS | MAY 6, 2024
Caroline suggested a week-long cruise in North Burgundy aboard La Belle Epoque, a 12-passenger barge to ply the inland waterways of wine country; she was spot on. Caroline got me an upgrade to a suite and I was ready to cast off. Captain Craig, Pilot Luke and Matalo Brice safely and SLOWLY (at 2 to 4 knots) ferried myself and 6 other vacationers around the farmlands southeast of Paris. Chef Jan and his hostesses Ola and Emma kept plying us with wines from the region, cheeses made from the cows we passed on our cruise, and fresh baguettes and croissants every morning (and tasty fish and beef entrees)!!
We visited chateaus, churches, abbeys and vineyards…sampled (more) local fares and were entertained by amazing people. Imagine being buzzed by an eagle during a falconry demonstration or dining with the baron and baroness (friends with the former Queen Mother and Diana), tasting their family’s latest champagne vintage!!
Read more reviews of Ellen and Caroline. Or request your own trip.
Ecuador & the Galapagos: meeting artisans, cruise on a small yacht…
BONNIE RASKIN | MAY 6, 2024
This trip—to Quito, Ecuador and the Galapagos—was my husband and my 5th WOW List professional experience, and like all of our previous trips, it was exceptional. We worked with Allie Almario, and Allie and her team guided and supported us start to finish, planning the perfect, individualized itinerary for us exploring Quito and then placing us on the fabulous Horizon trimaran ship for a 5-day cruise in the Galapagos. Our charming hotel in Quito—Casa El Eden—was delightful. The owners treated us like family and we lacked for nothing. Our guide and driver took us to places and activities that we never would have been able to research and discover on our own, translating effortlessly so we missed nothing from the local artisans we met.
The Horizon was so much more than what we requested: a small and stable ship. We had a crew of 13 for 8 passengers. Our naturalist was incredible. All of the equipment—snorkeling and hiking gear—was top flight; the food was sensational and the accommodations luxurious and so comfortable. I had tears when it was time to leave.
Allie made sure that we had EVERY conceivable detail and information that we needed before we departed the U.S. and she always answered any of my questions or concerns with crazy-fast speed and thoroughness. Also with a wonderful sense of humor.
I can’t imagine EVER planning a bucket list trip without the aid and assistance of a WOW specialist. Next June we’re off to the Maldives—thank you beyond words Wendy and team!
Read more reviews of Allie. Or request your own trip.
Paris: private access at the Eiffel Tower, Palais Garnier…
JOHN BRADUNAS | MAY 6, 2024
On my first evening in the city, I was given a private tour of the Eiffel Tower (no waiting in lines for me!!) and got to see everything from the underground operations to the recently-restored office of Eiffel on the summit. Dalida provided amazing insights of what it took to build such a structure and what it takes to keep it running—with millions of visitors each year. The evening was topped by a 7-course dinner (with wine, of course) at the Michelin two-star restaurant Jules Verne on the second level of the tower.
Jennifer also got me a private tour of the Palais Garnier—one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. Sophie led me through the many practice rooms, the massive stage and scenery storage (5 floors above and five floors below the stage!!). And for those aficionados of the Phantom of the Opera, do NOT reserve Box 5—it comes with bad luck….and yes, there IS a lake under the opera house, complete with live fish and small boats.
Finally, I was paired with a fellow historian—Frederic—who guided me through the city for 5 days. I revisited some old haunts—Montmarte, Rodin Museum, Saint Chapelle, the Concierge, the Marais and Les Invalides, and ventured to Giverny and Versailles to get my fill of Louis XIV and Monet. When it was time to return to reality, Jennifer’s team whisked me to the airport, through security and customs to my waiting aircraft. I am so grateful to Jennifer, all of her local experts, and to Walid and Camille for keeping me on schedule for this amazing journey.
Read more reviews of Jennifer. Or request your own trip.
* Although we have compiled and reviewed these reviews for trip planners to earn a spot on The WOW List, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or truthfulness of the reviews we receive and cannot assure that all travelers will have the same experience.
