The 2026 WOW List: 103 Top Local Fixers in Countries Worldwide

Jim jokes that he’s a frustrated Indiana Jones—which is why he’s spent much of his career scrambling around the ancient temples and pyramids of Egypt. After five years in Cairo running the local office of a major travel firm, he started his own company in 1995 to plan trips to Egypt and beyond. Jim’s customized itineraries combine luxury and adventure—he’ll have you sailing down the Nile in a dahabiya one day and lounging by the pool at the Old Cataract Hotel the next—and he has the connections to get you into tombs that are closed to the public.

Read Jim’s Insider’s Guide to Egypt. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

After earning an MBA from Harvard, Hicham returned to his native Morocco to fulfill his dream of introducing travelers to the best of his homeland beyond the typical tourist routes. He and deputy Sara Laghribi can arrange everything from a family-friendly scavenger hunt through Marrakech’s souks to a cooking class in a Berber village to a workshop in metal welding or book binding, and they love to place travelers in the most atmospheric 4- and 5-star riads that ooze Moroccan charm. Thanks to trusted colleagues in Spain, they can also mastermind a trip that combines both countries. 

Read Hicham’s Insider’s Guide to the Sahara Desert. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Thanks to 23 years’ experience planning trips to Morocco, Michael designs seamless itineraries utilizing the savviest logistics and most atmospheric luxury riads. He encourages travelers to slow down to match the pace of local life, whether by lingering over a late-afternoon mint tea and people-watching in a bustling Marrakech square or staying up late around the fire at your Sahara encampment while the African stars dazzle above you. He handpicks the right special-access guides for each trip, whether your focus is textiles and tile work, a culinary deep-dive, or Jewish heritage.

Read Michael’s Insider’s Guide to Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Cherri has spent more than 30 years combing the African continent to create unique travel experiences: canoeing the Zambezi; galloping on horseback with zebra and giraffe across the Okavango Delta; scuba diving off Mozambique; exploring the remote corners of Ethiopia, Gabon, Madagascar, Cameroon, and the Congo Basin. While Cherri’s out exploring, Katie heads up their Colorado office. They help both private travelers and small groups get exceptional value out of wildlife-rich, conservation-minded safaris. They know the managers, rangers, and trackers at the best camps and lodges, and they orchestrate everything from light-plane transfers to village visits to ensure your trip runs smoothly.

Read Cherri and Katie’s Insider’s Guides to Namibia Adventures, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Madagascar. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Dan draws on his vast network of connections to ensure that each safari really is the trip of a lifetime and that each traveler gets the most rewarding safari experience possible for their travel dollar. Based in the New York City area, he is always on call and always making sure that his clients are treated like royalty at every lodge and camp. Parents and grandparents wanting to take young children on safari: Do yourself a favor and have an honest conversation with Dan, who is a father of young kids himself, about which countries and parks are truly the most child-friendly. 

Read Dan’s Insider’s Guides to South Africa Safaris and East Africa Safaris. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Fluent in Afrikaans and Zulu, Julian was born and raised in South Africa, where he spent the early part of his career establishing his safari bona fides by working as a ranger in KwaZulu-Natal and cohosting a weekly radio program about wildlife conservation. Later, he coauthored Fodor’s African Safari, giving him the chance to show off his extensive knowledge of every park, lodge, and safari camp in southern Africa. He knows exactly where to go—and when to go—to make the most of your time and money, and takes great pleasure in introducing travelers to the lesser-known corners of the continent, such as the wilds of the Congo rainforest (“The Jungle Book come to life,” as he calls it).

Read Julian’s Insider’s Guides to Botswana’s Small Safari Camps and Cape Town and South Africa’s Winelands. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Sharing her homeland’s hidden gems has been Mei Zhang’s lifelong passion, interrupted only by the years she spent earning her Harvard MBA and working for McKinsey before she founded her travel company in 2000. No matter the occasion—family trip or 50th-birthday celebration—Mei can filter the seemingly endless options for clients to craft the experience that’s just right for them. Mei grew up in Yunnan province and has particular knowledge of Guizhou and Sichuan provinces too; now based in California with offices in Beijing and Taiwan, she has close relationships with hotel and restaurant owners and makes sure that her clients get the red-carpet treatment. Her guides and drivers are the best in the business, opening the doors to authentic Chinese culture and steering travelers away from the crowds, the expected, and all things touristy.

Read Mei’s Insider’s Guides to Beijing, Yunnan Province, and China’s Big Cities and Small Villages. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

The son of a brigadier general in the Indian Army, Sanjay was born in New Delhi and grew up living in numerous places throughout India. He began mountaineering and rock climbing in the high Himalayas at age 15, and since 1979 has led groups on trekking, climbing, touring, and safari trips not only in India but in Tibet, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan. Committed to running trips that are ecologically responsible and culturally sensitive, Sanjay has been named an “Unsung Hero of Compassion” and recognized by the Dalai Lama for the community projects he has created in South Asia.

Read Sanjay’s Insider’s Guides to Agra and the Taj Mahal, Delhi, and Secrets of India. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

While living for ten years in Jaipur—where they were married and had their first child—Bertie and Victoria introduced so many visiting friends to their favorite places and people in Rajasthan that it turned into a travel business. They plan trips tailored to individual interests—a type of travel experience that is rare in India, where most tours emphasize ticking off as many main landmarks as possible. Bertie’s areas of expertise include Moghul architecture and wildlife photography. Victoria’s passions include yoga, Indian cooking, and textile design, and she is known for her popular Jaipur bazaar crawl. They now live in England, but their Jaipur office is run by a dedicated team of local employees who have been with the company from the beginning.

Read Bertie and Victoria’s Insider’s Guides to Rajasthan and Mumbai. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Many travelers know and love Bali—but what about the rest of the Indonesian archipelago? And if Bali is your focus, can you plan the trip yourself in a smart way that avoids the pitfalls of popularity, from traffic jams to overcrowded beaches? Indonesia is also home to far-out wildlife (think Borneo’s orangutans and Komodo’s dragons), lush rainforest, and plenty of rarely visited spots. Curious about the possibilities? Ask us, and we’ll match you with the right fixer to create just the trip for you.

Because he lives in Hong Kong and has made Asia his home for more than two decades (he’s Italian by birth), Andrea has regional connections that enable him to offer a broader range of itineraries and price points than you’ll find through most U.S.-based firms. He’s open to arranging relatively short experiences of Japan because he’s accustomed to booking long weekends there for his Hong Kong clientele, and he uses WhatsApp to stay in contact—from a nearby time zone, no less—throughout your trip. He can arrange visits with sushi chefs and bonsai masters or hard-to-get access to sumo events; he is equally comfortable sending you around rural and urban Japan by train or private car, and is particularly adept at managing groups with disparate interests.

Read Andrea’s Insider’s Guide to the Philippines. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

After living in Japan working for Goldman Sachs, Scott launched his own firm to deliver five-star-only journeys into the soul of Japan, peppered with the sorts of experiences that are normally very difficult for travelers to access. He has spent decades cultivating local relationships, hand-picking the savviest guides, and uncovering unusual opportunities that unlock the mysteries of Japan. He and son Jason orchestrate trips for visitors of every age, from children fascinated by samurai swords and manga comics to romantic couples in pursuit of exquisite ryokans with secluded hot springs. They can arrange encounters with experts in pottery, textiles, kendo, taiko drumming, and more. They can even deliver a practice session at a sumo training stable or a dinner with geisha entertainment at a teahouse open only to invited guests.

Read Scott’s Insider’s Guide to Classic Japan. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Maybe a friend’s just back from Seoul and is raving about her culinary finds. Or your interest has been piqued by Korea’s influence on global culture, from K-pop to Squid Game. But did you know that Korea is also a land of UNESCO-inscribed rural landscapes, ancient Buddhist temples, and a deep reverence for tradition? Language and cultural barriers can make it a tough nut to crack; let us connect you with an expert who knows the lingo and can help you navigate the many faces of this fascinating country.

Justin’s frequent trips to the Indian Ocean over the past 20-plus years make him uniquely qualified to match you with the specific island, resort, and overwater bungalow that best suit your needs. This is especially crucial in the Maldives, where you’re likely to spend all of your time at a single, private-island resort, and there are new properties opening regularly. In the Seychelles, Justin can help you rent a car to go exploring and point you to the best beaches and hiking trails. Given how many people fly to the Indian Ocean via Dubai, he has become an expert on the United Arab Emirates too and can help you get the most value for your money there so you can splurge in the islands. 

Read Justin’s Insider’s Guides to the Maldives, the Seychelles, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A Mongolian-American who grew up in New Jersey, Jalsa started out in construction and used the proceeds from his successful business in that sector to found a travel company in 1992 and bring tourism to a place—Outer Mongolia—that was once synonymous with the end of the earth. Jalsa now splits his time between Mongolia and the U.S., leaving daily operations to trusted deputy Undraa Buyannemekh, who was born and raised in Mongolia and attended college in the U.S. Jalsa and Undraa don’t simply design itineraries that cross off sights on a checklist; they pair travelers with experts—historians, scientists, artists, photographers—who give visitors a comprehensive understanding of the country’s history, culture, and traditions.

Read Jalsa and Undraa’s Insider’s Guide to Mongolia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Nepal’s most noted feature is its towering peaks, Bhutan its vibrant culture; both require the thoughtful guidance of an expert to navigate. We know insiders who have been exploring these nations for decades, have even hobnobbed with kings, and can take you to the most dramatic valleys and beautiful trekking routes—and, if you’re going fully remote, make use of the best porters, cooks, and camping equipment to boost the comfort level of your trip. With two weeks or more, you can even combine Nepal’s mountains with Bhutan’s colorful Buddhist festivals. Tell us about the trip you’re dreaming of, and we can help make it happen.

Miguel, who has lived in Sri Lanka since 2003, raising three children there, provides visitors with insightful, engaging experiences in this logistically tricky but enchanting country. He helps travelers to get off the beaten path without sacrificing comfort or charm, and to meet the colorful local characters who provide a real sense of place (authors, architects, even the Leopard Man). Having watched Sri Lanka undergo so many changes in the past two decades, Miguel is deeply committed to conservation. He developed the Pekoe Trail, a nearly 200-mile hiking track through Sri Lanka’s hill country, and chooses hotels that emphasize sustainability.

Read Miguel’s Insider’s Guide to Sri Lanka. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Sandy and Ethan craft tailor-made itineraries that combine five-star creature comforts with authentic local experiences. Both grew up in the region: Sandy graduated from the International School of Bangkok in 1969 while his father was serving in the Vietnam War and has planned trips to the region for more than 30 years; Ethan was raised in Cambodia and is fluent in Khmer. Sandy now splits his time between Saigon and the U.S., while Ethan keeps the office running in South Carolina. They have a vast network of powerful contacts in the hotel industry—which translates into status for you—and a wonderful selection of on-the-ground hosts, all charismatic locals whom Sandy considers family (some of them really are!).

Read Sandy and Ethan’s Insider’s Guides to Thailand, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Bangkok, and Laos. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A celebrity in Thailand as the host of several TV shows there, this Thai-speaking Canadian got his start in Asia working for the Thai royal family more than 20 years ago. With that notoriety came the ability to open all sorts of doors that others can’t (private lunches in the homes of famous architects and designers, exclusive tours of Bangkok’s underground art scene). Daniel has a variety of tricks up his sleeve to keep travelers far off the beaten path—whether that’s getting a private monk blessing in Wat Pho, entry to famous landmarks before they are open to the public, or visiting artisans’ workshops that are accessible only by boat. He also has offices in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.

Read Daniel’s Insider’s Guide to Thailand Like You’ve Never Seen It. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Zulya grew up in Uzbekistan—her hometown, Bukhara, is one of the legendary cities of the Silk Road trading route—and has lived in the U.S. since 2003. This makes her well suited to introduce foreigners to the stunning landscapes and mystical ancient sites of Central Asia, including all five “Stans.” She started out as an interpreter and guide for journalists, diplomats, and heads of state visiting Uzbekistan. Her personal contacts at museums, exhibition sites, and performance companies translate to exclusive access for her travelers, and the encounters that she orchestrates with artisans and businesspeople help bring to life aspects of the culture both ancient and contemporary.

Read Zulya’s Insider’s Guide to Uzbekistan. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jill was raised in a small fishing community in Newfoundland and is deeply rooted in Canada’s Atlantic provinces. Her customized itineraries extend throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and the Maritime provinces, uncovering secrets that most people miss: the side road with a stunning view, the tiny fishing village where you can chat with locals over tea. Her tours are either self-drive or privately guided, and her personally selected accommodations include small inns and B&Bs. One of her specialties is a seaside picnic lunch sourced from local ingredients (think chutney-glazed ham, garden veggies, homemade bread) and prepared in the 150-year-old lighthouse where her grandmother was born.

Read Jill’s Insider’s Guide to Newfoundland and Labrador. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Centuries of history, majestic megafauna, indigenous culture, pristine landscapes, and a strong dose of France, all within a short flight (or even a drive) of many U.S. locales: This is Quebec. Browse Montreal’s street art with an internationally acclaimed artist, hop on a seaplane for a picnic on a remote beach, get VIP access to observe whales and black bears in the wild. Click on the button below and we’ll connect you with a side of Canada you’ve never seen before.

Born in Montreal and now based in Vancouver, Marc is most passionate about helping travelers access Canada’s most remote places, dazzling landscapes, and memorable activities. His favorite itineraries combine beautiful backcountry, fascinating wildlife, and authentic local culture with luxury accommodations (think glamorous tented camps and sumptuous wilderness lodges). Marc and his team are like special-ops agents—pros at logistics, taking into account weather patterns, tides, seaplane schedules, and dozens of other details to ensure a seamless experience. Their tight-knit relationships with top outfitters, guides, and hotels translate to VIP treatment for you. And if you’re looking for kid-friendly adventures, Marc has plenty of ideas—his two kids grew up on scouting trips throughout Canada.

Read Marc’s Insider’s Guide to British Colombia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Mandy knows every yacht in the Virgin Islands (where she lives for part of the year) and a vast number elsewhere in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. She can match you to the right location, vessel, and crew for your needs—whether you’re a couple on a romantic getaway, grandparents and grandkids with disparate interests, or a group of friends looking to let loose at sea. She knows which captains and crews have a long and successful history together, which chefs are vegetarian or gluten-free, and which boats have dive instructors onboard (which means you need not be scuba-certified to dive). Some of Mandy’s yachts can carry as few as two travelers, but the sweet spot for pricing is with a group of eight.

Read Mandy’s Insider’s Guide to Caribbean Yacht Charters. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A Londoner who gave up the rat race to settle in the tropics (Rachael, who now lives on the coast) and a Belizean who still resides in her hometown (Patricia, who’s based near the jungle), this dream team designs custom-tailored itineraries that capture Belize’s natural and cultural wonders. From scuba diving and sport fishing to Indiana Jones–style cave adventuring, they know how to keep the adrenaline flowing. Patricia spent several years working at some of the country’s luxury resorts, so their travelers get special attention there, and they can mastermind everything from private-yacht charters to Champagne picnics beside a waterfall to helicopter flyovers of the Great Blue Hole.

Read Patricia and Rachael’s Belize Insider’s Guide: Azure Waters, Green Jungle. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

With its natural beauty, wide-ranging water- and land-based activities, and genuinely hospitable locals, Los Cabos is an easy getaway, made even easier by Julie. Her deep roots and intimate connections there save you money and spare you headaches. She knows the resorts like the palm of her hand, but she also has a portfolio of private rental properties that includes more than 100 luxurious villas and condos suitable for families, couples, and groups of friends. Her Cabo-based concierge team is available 24/7; they can arrange everything from fishing and yacht charters to private chefs and in-villa celebrations.

Read Julie’s Insider’s Guides to Los Cabos Villa Vacations and Los Cabos Beach Vacations. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Meg is exceptionally well-connected among the who’s who of the travel world, an accomplished diver who has scoped out every Caribbean reef, and a mom of twenty-somethings, so she is an excellent solution for active family trips. Her longstanding friendships on select Caribbean islands—specifically, Anguilla, Antigua, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Nevis, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and Turks and Caicos—as well as on Mexico’s Riviera Maya on the Caribbean Sea, translate to special treatment for her travelers.
NOTE: Meg is not able to accept new trip requests at this time. For a different recommendation, CLICK HERE.

Read Meg’s Insider’s Guide to Scuba Diving in the Caribbean and Bahamas. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A native Costa Rican who splits her time between the U.S. and Costa Rica, Irene masterminds trips to her homeland that marry sophisticated luxury, a deeper connection with the environment, and access to local communities. She knows which high-design jungle lodges, stylish beach resorts, and adventure outfitters truly prioritize not just comfort but a commitment to preserving the culture and environment. Irene is always eager to arrange meaningful one-on-one experiences with the locals. (You might even get invited to her mother’s home for a cooking lesson.) And her warm demeanor ensures that she’ll get to know you well during the planning process, so she can whip up special touches like an unexpected upgrade or a birthday surprise.

Read Irene’s Insider’s Guide to Costa Rica Luxury Eco-Travel. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Costa Rica’s wildlife has fueled Priscilla’s own explorations of her homeland, and it’s on display in the itineraries she designs featuring the country’s national parks and volcanoes. While her own family’s trips lean toward active adventures involving mountain biking, hiking, canyoneering, and whitewater rafting (Priscilla’s got two active sons), she is just as fluent in the many options for romance and serenity on blissful beaches and foodie exploration of farms and charming local restaurants. In a place where distances are short but the infrastructure weak, Priscilla is smart about utilizing private drivers, helicopters, and chartered or scheduled flights to make the most of her travelers’ precious vacation time. After nearly 30 years in the business, Priscilla makes sure that no trip detail is overlooked, and sustainability and safety are always key (she refuses to book most ziplines in the country because they aren’t up to U.S. standards).

Read Priscilla’s Insider’s Guide to Costa Rica Adventure. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Yes, you can still travel to Cuba. Legally and privately. The Cuba experts we know have worked in the country for years and are well-connected to artists, musicians, historians, TV personalities, and the best privately-owned boutique B&Bs, casas particulares, and paladares. They can have you learning the secrets of a perfect mojito from a local bartender, enjoying a night out at a pop-up jazz club, bird-watching on a day trip into the countryside, and strolling Havana with a former architect or journalist (who now earns more as a private guide).

An elite guide in Mexico for more than two decades, Zach learned everything about what sophisticated travelers really want there but can’t easily find, then founded his own travel firm to deliver exactly that. Currently based in New York City, Zach spent many years living in Mexico with his wife and two sons; he still travels there regularly to cement his insider connections across the country’s wide array of coastlines, colonial cities, wildlife reserves, beach resorts, historic haciendas, private villas, ancient monuments, award-winning kitchens, and thrilling activities (he’s a big surfer). His deep relationships with local hoteliers, communities, and fixers of all kinds translate into room upgrades, special-access visits, and off-the-beaten-path experiences that travelers wouldn’t know about otherwise.

Read Zachary’s Insider’s Guides to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City, and the Riviera Maya. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Pierre, a Frenchman whose adopted home has been Central America for more than 20 years, orchestrates multi-country itineraries that maximize efficiency in Panama and Nicaragua—places that are still relatively undeveloped—and in Costa Rica. Trips can feature adventure activities from soft to strenuous (think river rafting, horseback riding, ocean or mangrove kayaking, volcano hiking); a romantic Caribbean beach escape; bird watching and other wildlife pursuits; visits to archaeological sites, colonial towns, and native villages; a focus on three of the region’s most popular exports—coffee, chocolate, and cigars; or all of the above. 

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Mandy knows every yacht in the Virgin Islands (where she lives for part of the year) and a vast number elsewhere in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as in the Mediterranean. She can match you to the right location, vessel, and crew for your needs—whether you’re a couple on a romantic getaway, grandparents and grandkids with disparate interests, or a group of friends looking to let loose at sea. She knows which captains and crews have a long and successful history together, which chefs are vegetarian or gluten-free, and which boats have dive instructors onboard (which means you need not be scuba-certified to dive). Some of Mandy’s yachts can carry as few as two travelers, but the sweet spot for pricing is with a group of eight.

Read Mandy’s Insider’s Guide to Caribbean Yacht Charters. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Chartering a canal barge (ideal for groups of 4 to 12 adults) or booking individual cabins on such a vessel (for 2 to 4 travelers) is slow travel at its best: You get to glide along centuries-old canals and waterways through the bucolic European countryside, covering just a few miles a day between excursions to vineyards, villages, castles, markets, and local artisans’ studios. Ellen Sack, the original Barge Lady since 1985, and daughter Caroline Sack Klein will level with you about the pros and cons of each itinerary, as well as the cuisine, service level, and sightseeing possibilities on offer for each vessel. The warm welcome their travelers receive onboard is testament to their close relationships with the vessels’ owners.

Read Ellen and Caroline’s Insider’s Guide to France’s Waterways. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Tom Baker has sailed on more than 250 ships in over 50 years. From Alaska to French Polynesia to the Panama Canal, from the Douro to the Rhine to the Danube, if an ocean or river ship docks there, chances are he’s been—more than once! First Tom helps each traveler pinpoint the right ship, cabin, and itinerary. Then he advises on which private guides, group shore excursions, and flights will best suit your needs. He has particular clout with river lines AmaWaterways, Amadeus, Scenic, Tauck River, Uniworld, and Viking, and with ocean lines Celebrity, Holland America, MSC, Norwegian, Oceania, Royal Caribbean, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and Windstar.

Read Tom’s Insider’s Guides to Alaska Cruises and Mediterranean Cruises. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Ashton spent nearly a decade as an expedition leader, guide, naturalist, conservationist, Zodiac driver, avid bird-watcher, and photographer in the last wild places—Antarctica and the Arctic, as well as the Galapagos, the Amazon, and the South Pacific. Realizing that travelers desperately needed unbiased guidance on every expedition line and ship, he founded a travel firm in order to provide just this. Now, he and his staff work tirelessly to match travelers with the right small-ship expedition trips. He has traveled to Antarctica more than 50 times and spent a collective three months in the Arctic, including Greenland. Because of his relationships with the top cruise lines and tour operators, he often secures preferred rates.

Read Ashton’s Insider’s Guides to Antarctica Cruises, Arctic Cruises, and Small-Ship Alaska Cruises. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Mary Jean sends an enormous amount of business to the more high-end cruise lines—Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Oceania, Azamara, Cunard, Holland America, and Celebrity among them—enabling her to secure preferred cabins and procure generous onboard credits for her travelers. And her pull with five-star hotels comes in handy when she’s making pre-and post-cruise land arrangements. When she’s offline in Africa—she is seriously committed to wildlife preservation—or sailing on the coolest new ships in remotest Asia, speak with her trusted deputy Cheri Ozimac.

Read Mary Jean’s Insider’s Guides to Asia Cruises and Africa Cruises. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Antwerp and fluent in Dutch, English, French, and Portuguese, Tom started as a hotel concierge and now treats travelers to that same white-glove service as he crafts Benelux itineraries. It’s a compact region (Amsterdam is an hour’s drive from his office) yet filled with friends of Tom’s who can make your trip special, whether that’s a master Cicerone (a beer sommelier) who can guide you through a tasting of Belgium’s finest brews, a Michelin-starred chef who will cook for you as you glide along Amsterdam’s canals in a plush 19th-century boat, or a renowned chocolatier who treats you to a workshop in his private atelier. Accommodations are most often in stylish, independently owned boutique hotels, along with the odd medieval castle.

Read Tom’s Insider’s Guide to Belgium. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Karen loves to introduce travelers to everyday folks who have captivating stories to tell, from a police officer stationed at Scotland Yard to a “high sheriff” who represents the Crown at local ceremonies. She’s based in Shropshire, on the border with Wales, and after 30 years planning trips amid England’s unpredictable weather, Karen knows to always have a Plan B in her pocket. She’s also wise about when to splurge on a private guide, and when a high-quality group excursion keeps a trip budget on target. Her preferred accommodations lean toward the eccentric—think places with personality, where every room is decorated differently—and she’s equally comfortable hiring a private driver, booking train tickets, or sending you down country lanes in a rental car.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jennifer is currently based in London and has also called Rome and the south of France home—all the while building her outstanding connections to charming boutique hotels, hard-to-get-into restaurants, and expert private guides. She can make the line at the Eiffel Tower disappear, snag front-row seats for Paris Fashion Week, or get you an after-hours tour of the Tower of London. Jennifer is equally deft at planning itineraries for families—she’s taken her own daughter all over Europe—as she is for high rollers (she’s a private-jet broker too). For those flying commercially, her VIP meet-and-greet starts at the aircraft door and includes fast-track entry through immigration to a waiting car.

Read Jennifer’s Insider’s Guide to Paris with Perks. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Philip crafts elegant, bespoke itineraries through the hidden pockets of France that, sadly, most travelers miss. The reason he knows so many charming villages, country lanes, waterways, and cowpaths—not just in his home base of Provence but throughout the country—is the many years he spent captaining both hot-air balloons and luxury hotel barges. He can unlock the Palace of the Popes at night, helicopter you in to hike with shepherds in the Pyrenees, or ensconce you in a chic beachside villa whose guest list looks like the Oscars seating chart. Bear in mind that many of the sights he’ll recommend are so hidden that you’re better off using one of his English-speaking driver-guides than renting a car and attempting to navigate on your own.

Read Philip’s Insider’s Guide to Provence and the French Riviera. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Looking for a more affordable experience of France? From his office in a village surrounded by Beaujolais’ vineyards, Joël designs itineraries, utilizing a wide range of accommodations (from 3- to 5-star), both private guides and small-group tours, and often a mix of rental cars, trains, and private drivers. A trail runner and cross-country skier himself, Joël loves to show travelers the sportier side of France, but he’s equally comfortable planning a trip focused on his country’s history or gastronomy. And he’s got two teens, so he understands what works best for families.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Independent-minded travelers who want a local’s insights on the best things to see and do in Ireland and Scotland will enjoy chatting with Louise and Rachael. Louise, who was born and raised in Ireland and now lives in Sligo, and Rachael, who grew up in Scotland and is based in the Highlands, can put you up in 3-star B-and-Bs, Georgian houses converted into small hotels, and 4-star castles with 5-star service. They can keep you as active as you like—hiking, biking, foraging for seaweed—but are just as comfortable planning more sedate experiences, like a private boat on Loch Ness.

Read Louise and Rachael’s Insider’s Guide to Outdoor Adventures in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

This section is divided into:

• Regions Within Italy
• Ultimate Italy
• More Affordable Italy

Anna and Emanuela are based in Genoa, in Italy’s northwestern region of Liguria, which is best known for the picturesque villages of the Cinque Terre and star-studded Portofino. What many travelers don’t know about—but should—are the region’s colorful hilltop towns, its hiking trails with breathtaking coastal views, and its family-run agriturismos.  Anna and Emanuela make sure that their travelers visit the Cinque Terre in the opposite direction than the cruise-ship day-trippers do, to avoid the crowds. They can introduce you to artisanal producers of wine, olive oil, honey, and beer, and to help you work off all those calories, they’re ready with plans for biking, kayaking, snorkeling, and other active pursuits. Since starting out in Liguria, they’ve expanded their business successfully to all of northern Italy except the Dolomites.  

Read Anna and Emanuela’s Insider’s Guide to The Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Puglia’s spectacular Adriatic coastline makes it the hot new alternative to the traffic-clogged Amalfi Coast a couple of hours to the west. Antonello, a Puglia native and former professional cyclist, roams the region’s rural villages finding and creating unique experiences. If your aim is to burn off as many calories as you ingest, Antonello will balance hikes and bike rides with stops at a local farm for a burrata-making session, or at an olive grove for an olive oil tasting with a family who’s been in the business for generations. If you want adventure without the sweat, he can arrange hot-air balloon rides, sailing trips, and self-drive itineraries along roads that will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

Read Antonello’s Insider’s Guide to Puglia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

While running a school for Americans studying in Sicily, Marcello found himself planning trips for the students’ visiting families—and thus his travel business was born. Matteo, meanwhile, has hospitality in his blood: Raised in his family’s restaurant in St. Moritz, he’s been known to moonlight upon occasion—when restaurateur friends need a break—in the front of the house and show off his food-and-wine cred. Together they can arrange anything from a hike or donkey ride on Mt. Etna with a volcanologist to a market tour and cooking class with a chef, a visit to Greek ruins with an archaeologist, or a tour on a lovingly restored sailboat, all hosted by passionate locals whom they consider family. Choose them when you want a private car and driver throughout your trip, as they do not arrange self-drive itineraries. If you prefer to rent a car, write to Ask Wendy for a different recommendation. 

Read Marcello and Matteo’s Insider’s Guide to Sicily. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Travelers who are eager to explore the nooks and crannies of Sicily by rental car should know Laura. A native Italian currently based in Sicily, she spent almost 20 years living in the U.S., so she understands the expectations of American travelers. She is on a first-name basis with the people who can enrich a trip, from winemakers to sheep herders to archaeologists, and her itineraries weave together Sicily’s rich history and its vibrant present. She steers travelers away from American chain hotels and instead to boutique options, private villas, and chartered yachts.

Read Laura’s Insider’s Guide to Sicily. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Andrea, who is based on Lake Como, can open doors that are closed to most people. A bilingual former guide, she knows all the tricks for tailoring a trip to your fantasies while avoiding your pet peeves, and for reducing logistics and saving time at the most well-known sites while also squeezing in the hidden gems. Andrea has the clout with Italy’s finest hotels to pull strings and ask for favors, and her team has a track record of coming to the rescue 24/7 should the need arise. Save her for extra-special trips where you are splurging on five-star hotels and VIP excursions—e.g., wedding anniversaries and surprises for elite travelers.

Read Andrea’s Insider’s Guides to Amalfi Coast and Italy’s Lakes Region. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Call on Maria and Brian when you want the ultimate culinary tour of Italy, or to be matched with charming and terrifically knowledgeable private guides and drivers who have keys to doors you wouldn’t even know how to look for, let alone open. Maria has a background in art history, Brian is a former chef; they met as professional opera singers. Through this husband-and-wife team, you can gain entrée to noteworthy winemakers, charismatic artisans, secret private gardens, and the like. Maria and Brian have a home in Umbria and love to show travelers that region’s hidden charms, but they are equally comfortable making arrangements everywhere from the Amalfi Coast to Lake Como—as well as farther north into Switzerland; Brian is an enthusiastic hiker and skier who’s tested out many Alpine slopes and trails.

Read Brian and Maria’s Insider’s Guides to Venice, Florence, Umbria, and Tuscany. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Born in the Veneto, Luisa now lives in Rome—she is co-author of The 500 Hidden Secrets of Rome—and is well-connected in Italy’s art-history realm. Once a fixer for foreign journalists, she’s a pro at gaining insider access for her travelers, especially at museums and the Vatican. Luisa is a proponent of renting a car in the less jammed parts of the country and will provide driving itineraries with plenty of interesting stops, such as little family-run olive oil estates in Tuscany or off-the-beaten-path villages in Puglia. She can also orchestrate multi-country itineraries that involve France, Croatia, Spain, Austria, Germany, Greece, and elsewhere in Europe.

Read Luisa’s Insider’s Guide to Rome. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jennifer can make the lines at Italy’s legendary sights disappear and snag front-row seats for Milan Fashion Week. She is currently based in London and has also called Rome and Paris home—all the while building her outstanding connections to charming boutique hotels, hard-to-get-into restaurants, and expert private guides—so she can seamlessly combine Italy with England, France, and also Switzerland. Jennifer is as deft at planning itineraries for families—she’s taken her own daughter all over Europe—as she is for high rollers (she’s a private-jet broker too). For those flying commercially, her VIP meet-and-greet starts at the aircraft door and includes fast-track entry through immigration to a waiting car.

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Based in Milan, Alberto and Martina focus on authentic experiences and connecting travelers with the local way of life. They each grew up in Italy, then lived and worked in the U.S. before returning home to pursue their mission. Alberto was raised in Sicily by the sea (he’s an avid windsurfer), then earned an MBA and worked at J.P. Morgan in New York City. Martina is originally from Lombardy and, fascinated by art history, studied cultural heritage and worked at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. They’re willing to use 3-star hotels and transport including trains and rental cars.

Read Alberto and Martina’s Insider’s Guide to The Dolomites. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jay makes travel to Italy and beyond more affordable via a wide range of accommodations, including boutique hotels, B&Bs, and sea-view apartments. He knows where the trains and ferries are convenient and reliable, where it’s easy to drive yourself, and where you’ll save time and aggravation by hiring a private driver. For sporty travelers, he can arrange everything from biking to canyoning, and if you’re near the coast, he’ll be sure to include time on the water, be it by sailboat, kayak, or ferry.  Jay is headquartered in New York but has staff based in much of Mediterranean, Central, and Eastern Europe.

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From accessing private residences of nobility in the city of Mdina to meeting members of the Knights of Malta, brothers Jason and Damon can unlock doors that you couldn’t find on your own and probably didn’t know exist. Damon is based in London and Jason lives in Canada; both are citizens of Malta, where their mother was born and where they have a team on the ground. Malta’s central location makes it an easy connection before or after other European itineraries, so they’re equally skilled at adding a few nights onto a trip elsewhere in Europe, or custom-tailoring a weeklong exploration of the islands’ rich history and culture. They work with a range of accommodations, from luxury hotels to locally run boutique properties and classic Mediterranean palazzos that you can have all to yourself (with private maid, butler, and chef service, if you like).

Read Jason and Damon’s Insider’s Guide to Malta. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

In Portugal you’ll find the delights of other Mediterranean countries—first-rate food and wine, medieval villages, dramatic beaches, dreamy islands—but at a lower price tag. Portugal is also warmer in winter, not to mention closer by plane. Fair warning, though: Its soaring popularity has stretched its tourist infrastructure thin in peak and shoulder seasons. You need a well-connected local advocate in your corner to get the rooms with the best views, optimize your itinerary with non-touristy experiences, and receive the level of service you’re accustomed to in Italy or France. If you tell us your specific trip goals and needs, we can tell you the right local fixer for you.

Iván is a born people-person—so much so that he left behind a good engineering job to show travelers the authentic side of Andalusia, his beloved home region in southwestern Spain. He now designs trips throughout Spain—including the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera—and to mainland Portugal and Gibraltar. On a trip planned by Iván, you’re as likely to share a country lunch with a Spanish horse breeder as you are to learn the history of the Alhambra with an architect or landscape designer. His charisma also opens doors to wineries, artisan workshops, private fado shows, and Iberian pig farms and olive-oil mills that have been in the same families for generations. 

Read Iván’s Insider’s Guide to Southern Spain. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Born and raised in Spain, Virginia has a little black book thick with the names of local experts eager to show you their corners of the Iberian peninsula: architects, chefs, flamenco dancers, museum curators, even aristocrats living in ancient castles and palaces that are practically museums themselves. Her bespoke itineraries extend to all of the Balearic Islands, Madeira, Tenerife in the Canary Islands, and São Miguel in the Azores. Virginia has a keen interest in wine and winemaking, and she is well-connected in the foodie world. Her savvy local drivers and clever guides will save you considerable time and hassle. If you prefer to rent a car and drive yourself, click to Ask Wendy for a different recommendation.

Read Virginia’s Insider’s Guides to Madrid, Barcelona, Andalusia, The Algarve, and The Alentejo. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Pablo was born in Spain, studied art history there, and worked in museums until he realized that he wanted to help travelers craft their entire trips, not just a single stop along the way. His network of connections ensures he can reserve tables at the most sought-after restaurants in San Sebastián, arrange private flamenco lessons in Madrid, or get you into the hidden-gem wineries in La Rioja. Rather than the fanciest hotels, Pablo prefers the charming, one-of-a-kind 4-stars with a great location—and, in the countryside, a location that’s easy to find in a rental car.  Pablo covers mainland Spain and Mallorca only, so if you’re headed to Ibiza or the Canary Islands, write to Ask Wendy.

Read Pablo‘s Insider’s Guide to Spain’s Basque Country. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

For a more affordable trip to Spain, call on Juan. He was born in Madrid, globetrotted through his childhood, went to college in the U.S. and business school in Barcelona, and has now returned to Madrid to reveal fascinating aspects of his country to travelers. He knows which doors to knock on to make each trip special—meeting an artisan who makes flamenco dresses by hand, pregaming with superfans before a soccer match, or visiting small wineries near La Rioja, where his father is from. Unlike many other Spain specialists, Juan can accommodate travelers who prefer to get around by rental car (in addition to private drivers and high-speed trains), and he handles not just the mainland but also Ibiza, Mallorca, and the Canary Islands.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

This Swiss native’s network of connections runs deep. She can arrange dinner in a castle, tickets to exclusive music and film festivals, and entrée to personal art collections. In the Alps, she plans trips that include hikes with Saint Bernard dogs and introductions to how cowbells are made and traditional Appenzell costumes embroidered. Elsewhere she adds plenty of iconic Swiss elements, such as chocolate- and watch-making workshops, or even a romantic dinner of raclette warmed over a candle inside a cave. Overnight accommodations on her itineraries range from family-run inns and alpine farms—where you can help milk the cows—to private chalets and 5-star grande dames.

Read Nina‘s Insider’s Guide to the Secrets of Switzerland. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Gwen masterminds custom trips for independent travelers to Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. She’s based in the U.S. but heads to the region at least twice a year to cement her strong relationships with local hoteliers, test train and driving routes, and add to her ever-growing list of local experts—from museum curators to pastry chefs to artisanal vodka makers—who provide access and insights that you could never get otherwise. She prides herself on knowing where to find the best food—and drink—in every town from Innsbruck to Budapest to Krakow, and she is an expert on the region’s Christmas markets! 

Read Gwen’s Insider’s Guides to Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Thanks to frequent trips to the former republics of Yugoslavia during the nearly two decades she spent in the hotel industry in Europe, Ala excels at crafting itineraries that combine the coastal must-sees (think Dubrovnik and Kotor) with historic gems (think Sarajevo and Split) and the picturesque countryside in between—all while avoiding tourist traps, navigating travelers around the cruise-ship crowds that plague the coastal cities, and wisely negotiating border crossings. Charming 5-star and 4-star hotels are a focus for her: She’s always up on the latest openings and will warn you away from the more run-down boutiques.

Read Ala’s Insider’s Guide to Croatia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jay makes travel to Croatia—and beyond to other parts of Europe—more affordable via a wide range of accommodations, including boutique hotels, B&Bs, and sea-view apartments. He knows where the trains and ferries are convenient and reliable, where it’s easy to drive yourself, and where you’ll save time and aggravation by hiring a private driver. For sporty families, he can arrange everything from biking to canyoning, and if you’re near the coast, he’ll be sure to include time on the water, be it by sailboat, kayak, or ferry. Jay is headquartered in New York but has staff based in much of Mediterranean, Central, and Eastern Europe.

Read Jay’s Insider’s Guide to Affordable Croatia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Alan and Ivana help travelers connect with charismatic locals and dive into Croatia’s history, food, wine, and archaeology: Imagine meeting a winemaker whose family has been in the business for 500 years, or enjoying a meal cooked in the woods with a father-daughter team of truffle hunters. Getting around the region can be time-consuming, so Alan and Ivana know what stops will make the journey satisfying; they can even arrange a private boat to take you between Split and Dubrovnik, island-hopping along the way. Their travelers usually overnight in 4- and 5-star hotels, though Alan and Ivana also work with a curated selection of chartered yachts and private villas.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Claudia returns to her native Germany regularly to ensure she’s on top of the latest intel. She specializes in highly detailed self-drive and train itineraries for independent-minded travelers and will map out for you the most scenic driving, hiking, cycling, train, and ferry routes, and even where to bobsled or ski for a couple of days. She can point you to the best castles to sleep in along the Rhine, hire the latest-model Porsche for your tour of the Bavarian Alps, and manage journeys that continue into Eastern Europe, the Adriatic, or Scandinavia.

Read Claudia’s Insider’s Guide to Bavaria, Germany. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Greg has extensive connections, and friends in high places, throughout Eastern Europe, but he is especially well-connected in the former Soviet republics, from the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) to the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia). He and his team troubleshoot every aspect of your itinerary through these countries whose rural areas are filled with old-world tradition, medieval charm, and picture-postcard natural settings, and whose modern cities brim with technological innovation and emerging foodie scenes. Not only can Greg and his team ensure you skip the lines at popular castles and palaces, but he can also get you inside the most exclusive venues that are off-limits to the general public.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jacoline, who has lived in Athens for more than two decades, literally wrote the book on travel in Greece (three of them, in fact, including Jacoline’s Small Hotels in Greece). Her research for those volumes has taken her to every corner of the mainland and just about every inhabited island. Call on her when it’s your second or third—or tenth—trip to Greece and you’re ready to focus on the most charming spots that everyone else misses, including the hidden-gem boutique hotels and guesthouses where you’ll be on a first-name basis with the owner.

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Born and raised in Athens, Maria manages a team of Greece-based travel designers who custom-tailor private itineraries throughout the country. She and her team can often be found exploring the undiscovered parts of Greece, whether that’s an island situated near Santorini but with a fraction of the crowds, or a gorgeous spot on the mainland that is equally rich in culinary and archaeological finds. They also love planning trips for the off-season, when you can meet more villagers than tourists.  As for accommodations, their portfolio includes 5-star and boutique hotels, private villas with four or more bedrooms, and yacht charters. (Don’t want to spend a whole week on the water? They can arrange day sails on a private catamaran.)

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Mina, who divides her time between Athens and Florida, has been visiting Greece since childhood and is particularly keen to help travelers when it’s their first trip to the country. She regularly road-tests an array of Greek islands, experiences, and accommodations so she can help you see the country’s iconic sites while navigating its tricky logistics. Her knowledge of reliably good places to stay extends to rental villas, yacht charters, and an organic agritourism farm in the Peloponnese where you can pick olives, stomp grapes, and make pastries with the village ladies. Mina has two teens, so she is especially helpful to families.

Read Mina’s Insider’s Guide to the Ionian Islands. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

In Raluca’s hands, you’ll gain a full appreciation of her native country’s beautiful landscapes and its culture charmingly stuck in an earlier era, when people organized their lives around the seasons. Raluca will show you the best of the Carpathians’ forested peaks, ideally seen on foot or horseback; Bucharest’s curious combination of Art Nouveau and brutalist architecture; the Danube Delta’s rich avian and aquatic life; and 13th-century UNESCO World Heritage-recognized villages and churches in picture-perfect Transylvania. You can even spend time with some of the many traditional village craftspeople whom Raluca has befriended, likely ending up in their attic looking through old photographs.  

Read Raluca’s Insider’s Guide to Romania. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Karen has lived and worked in Istanbul for more than 20 years and has offices across Turkey. Her local connections—from museum directors to star restaurateurs to powerful hoteliers to the country’s culture ministry—enable her to gain all manner of special access. She can introduce you to shop owners who will show you their special wares not displayed to the public and create one-of-a-kind experiences. When you’ve got limited time—and who doesn’t?—her intimate knowledge of the country helps you make the smartest use of it, and she is on the ground and on-call to answer questions and fulfill special requests. If you’d like to charter a gulet on the Turkish coast, she’s the expert.

Read Karen’s Insider’s Guides to Istanbul and Turkey’s Aegean Coast. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Turkey has been Earl’s second home since he first ventured to Cappadocia more than 20 years ago. He started his company in 2002 to offer travelers tailor-made luxury itineraries with a wider array of cultural and culinary experiences than were typically available at the time. He now lives half the year in Istanbul but is constantly crisscrossing the country to stay abreast of the latest hotel, restaurant, and gallery openings and to collect even more uniquely Turkish experiences that other travel firms don’t offer—say, a private cooking lesson in the home of a noted chef or access to a normally off-limits ancient ruin. Earl knows that a guide can make or break a trip, and he is known for handpicking only the savviest, all of them highly educated, personable, and accomplished in their own right.

Read Earl’s Insider’s Guides to Istanbul and Cappadocia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Copenhagen, Mads travels frequently throughout Denmark (including the Faroe Islands) to stay abreast of the latest offerings for his travelers—like a candlelit dinner inside the Stone Age collection at Copenhagen’s National Museum, or a private cruise aboard a former royal yacht. When it comes to Iceland, adventure is Mads’ forte, from river rafting to horseback riding to glacier walking, but it can be made soft enough to please grandparents on a multigenerational trip. He works with elite driver/guides who own safe, luxe vehicles that can venture into Iceland’s rugged backcountry.

Read Mads’s Insider’s Guide to Off-the-Beaten-Path Iceland. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A globetrotting Norwegian who spent three years in Bhutan working for Aman Resorts, Torunn returned home and launched her own business to show travelers a more authentic and sustainable side of her country. Her trips focus on getting people out into the country’s stunning landscapes via mountain bike, kayak, dog sled, or even hut-to-hut overnight hikes. Her preferred accommodations include stylish treetop cabins, domes with see-through ceilings, and luxurious off-the-grid lighthouses—cozy places where you’re hosted by the owners and introduced to the local culture and traditions. Torunn also likes to include food experiences (harvesting, foraging, cooking classes) and indigenous interactions in her itineraries. She is savvy about integrating different forms of transportation—trains, rental cars, private drivers, public ferries, private boats—in a way that is seamless for the traveler.

Read Torunn’s Insider’s Guide to Wild Norway. Check Wendy’s pricing tip

From his home base in Oslo, Jan specializes in custom-tailored adventures into the lesser-known regions of Norway and Sweden, plus Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. His imaginative itineraries often involve seeing the northern lights or sampling the best Nordic cuisine, but he can also arrange activities you may not have known were possible, from harvesting eiderdown with local ladies to spending a day with reindeer herders. In Sweden he can get travelers onboard the famous 17th-century ship the Vasa—an honor usually reserved for royalty and heads of state. His expert team and partners go to great lengths to ensure you get meaningful experiences, an itinerary with no details left to chance, and white-glove service all the way.

Read Jan’s Insider’s Guide to Norway. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Dubai for the past decade, Nick travels frequently in the United Arab Emirates and throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Thanks to the volume of business he does, he has special rates with the best hotels in the region—both brand-name and those lesser-known—but for him the most important trip elements are the experiences that only his connections make possible: a high-fashion photo shoot in the desert, a visit to a camel farm, or dinner in a presidential palace. Nick is equally comfortable arranging a weeklong Arabian adventure or a quick city stopover on your way to an African safari. His 24-hour concierge service tends to travelers’ needs on the ground.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jim jokes that he’s a frustrated Indiana Jones—which is why he’s spent much of his career scrambling around the ancient temples and pyramids of Egypt. After five years in Cairo running the local office of a major travel firm, he started his own company in 1995 to plan trips to Egypt and beyond. Jim’s customized itineraries combine luxury and adventure—he’ll have you sailing down the Nile in a dahabiya one day and lounging by the pool at the Old Cataract Hotel the next—and he has the connections to get you into tombs that are closed to the public.  If you want to combine Egypt with Jordan, Jim can make it happen in the smartest way.

Read Jim’s Insider’s Guide to Egypt. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jonny has spent decades adventuring in the Middle East and Central Asia—he’s even written books about his epic journeys through Afghanistan and by horse along the Silk Road. His right hand, Dan, has traveled extensively in Jordan, Oman, Iran, Israel, and Palestine. Now based in the U.K., they deliver multi-country itineraries that get you under the skin of the world’s exotic frontiers, while ensuring your safety throughout. They are eager to immerse you in the local culture via overnights in village homes or desert camps, but are also well-acquainted with the magnificent 5-star properties. By day, they’ll introduce you to semi-nomadic families of shepherds and their goats in Jordan, or get you to the tallest dunes in Oman’s Empty Quarter at sunset.

Read Jonny and Dan’s Insider’s Guide to Oman. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

After graduating from Boston University, Joe moved to Israel and served as a paratrooper in the Israeli Defense Forces, then gained his travel chops by working as a guide, quickly becoming one of Israel’s best. After learning what sophisticated travelers to Israel really want that wasn’t being offered, he founded his own travel company, hiring his fellow guides who are among Israel’s most charismatic and in-the-know. Joe can also introduce you to noteworthy locals from varied backgrounds (Muslim, Christian, Druze, etc.) and arrange all manner of unique experiences, whether for a bar mitzvah or to help shed light on the October 7th attacks and their aftermath.

Read Joe’s Insider’s Guides to Jerusalem and Israel. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

An experienced trekker and expedition climber, Tom specializes in outdoor adventures and active family travel throughout South America. He’ll point you to the best hiking trails—for every skill level—near Machu Picchu and in Patagonia, and the most thrilling jungle adventures in the Amazon. Wherever you’re headed, he’ll ensure you’re in the company of highly trained, highly personable English-speaking guides. If you’re looking to cross borders or link multiple regions, he’s a pro at making the trip seamless, dodging logistical hassles and making it all run like clockwork.

Read Tom’s Insider’s Guides to Patagonia and Machu Picchu. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jordan’s contacts—winemakers, true-blue gauchos, indigenous families—give travelers an authentic experience of southern South America.  He loves juxtaposing the several sides of Chile—the driest desert in the world, the temperate rainforest, and the vast Patagonian landscape—and combining awe-inspiring lodges with remote agritourism enterprises. His background as a wilderness guide gives him an edge in picking the best adventure experiences, from stand-up paddle boarding on blissfully empty lakes to horseback riding past jagged peaks and icy glaciers.

Read Jordan’s Insider’s Guide to Chile. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Buenos Aires and the daughter of an Argentine ambassador, Maita has superb connections throughout Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay (where she has a second home). She can make pretty much anything happen and is passionate about providing travelers with those authentic, one-of-a-kind encounters that create the happiest travel memories. She is particularly fussy about hotels: Whether it’s a luxury estancia in the Pampas or an eco-lodge in Tierra del Fuego, she’ll detail all the pros and cons.

Read Maita’s Insider’s Guides to Buenos Aires and Argentina’s Wine Country. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Paul’s vibrant itineraries incorporate as much nature, sea, and culture as possible. From his home base in Rio, he regularly digs up intel on fabulous new hotels, hidden beaches, and wilderness adventures. His connections across the continent open doors for his travelers—imagine bottling your own blend with a winemaker in Mendoza, or taking a privately owned 50s-era Chevrolet for a road trip in Uruguay—and his relationships at the hottest properties often translate to upgrades for his travelers.

Read Paul’s Insider’s Guides to Rio de Janeiro and Trancoso. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Medellin, Boris is constantly traveling the length and breadth of Colombia to discover and develop new opportunities for his travelers, from paragliding in coffee country to stargazing in the desert with an astronomy professor. He can arrange for you to cook alongside a cutting-edge chef, visit an Amazon lodge that works hand-in-hand with the community, explore Bogota’s gallery scene with an art expert, or road-trip between indigenous villages and UNESCO-quality pre-Hispanic sites. He is well-connected at the country’s handful of boutique hotels; for larger parties that want room to spread out, Boris also has a portfolio of private homes and fincas, some of which aren’t available to the public.

Read Boris’s Insider’s Guide to Bogotá, Colombia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Allie’s passion for wildlife conservation, photography, and indigenous cultures drives her fascination with the Galapagos Islands. As the former executive director of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association, Allie has a bead on which ships operate sustainably and support local conservation efforts—and which don’t. She can pinpoint the best luxury ship (or land-based lodge) for your needs and can even acquire a private guide (for a price) if you prefer private shore excursions. 

Read Allie’s Insider’s Guides to Quito and the Northern Andes and the Galapagos Islands. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A native Peruvian, Marisol chucked a career in the financial world to become a pioneer in experiential travel to Peru and Bolivia; she also plans trips that combine the Galapagos with either country. She and trusted colleague Mark Green—a Brit who guided trips in South America for many years and is married to a Peruvian—work with a network of prominent historians, photographers, chefs, museum directors, and fashion designers to deliver privileged access to people and places throughout the region. Call on them if you want to explore the hidden pockets that most travelers miss, from the oldest city in the Americas to a little-known protected reserve next to Bolivia’s Uyuni salt flats.

Read Marisol’s Insider’s Guides to Secrets of Peru, Peru for Food Lovers, and Bolivia: The Salt Flats Are Just the Beginning. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Mariana likes to find ways to make travel in Peru more affordable for younger travelers. After a career in museums and archaeology, she joined the travel company her family started three generations ago, and now she can use her connections to get you into a museum’s storeroom or arrange for a stroll through Cusco with the grandson of an acclaimed indigenous photographer. With two adolescents at home, Mariana knows how to keep all your family members engaged, and she is passionate about the best wildlife experiences in Peru’s rainforest.

Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Sydney, Stuart and Jacki can arrange access to private homes, golf courses, and art collections, and will offer careful guidance on everything from drives through the Margaret River wine region to sailing trips around the Whitsundays. They will point you to the sections of the Great Barrier Reef that are the least visited and most spectacular, and they know exactly which island properties are best for hyperactive families, spa-loving hedonists, or Robinson Crusoe fantasists. If you’d like to combine Australia with New Zealand, Stuart and Jacki can collaborate with Auckland-based colleague and fellow WOW Lister Sarah Farag.

Read Stuart and Jacki’s Insider’s Guides to Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Based in Adelaide in South Australia, a wine capital of the world that is also known for its diverse food culture, Drew is originally a farm boy who studied agricultural science. His longtime friends now own some of the country’s biggest cattle and sheep stations and most influential wineries. Kylie, who grew up in the Riverland region of South Australia and has worked with Drew for two decades, is a whiz with logistics. They are equally comfortable sending you to camp with a private guide in the remotest outback, or zipping you to the Great Barrier Reef from your luxury lodge via helicopter. They are affiliated with an air desk in the U.S. that can often find unbeatable first- and business-class airfare for international flights.

Read Drew and Kylie’s Insider’s Guide to The Australian Outback. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

When Kleon first sailed to French Polynesia more than thirty years ago, he fell in love with the island’s people and their culture. On his many trips since then, he’s explored both the famous islands that attract first-timers and the lesser-known gems his intrepid repeat travelers want to visit—all the while bolstering his vast array of contacts and experiences. Since he books directly with companies in Tahiti—leaving out the U.S.-based wholesalers—his prices are competitive, and his travelers get free services and amenities at virtually every hotel. As an experienced sailor and diver, Kleon knows the best locations and outfitters for those activities too.

Read Kleon’s Insider’s Guide to Bora Bora, Tahiti and French Polynesia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jean-Michel, who raised four children in New Zealand and now lives in enchanting countryside on the South Island, is passionate about truly meaningful travel that caters to people who want to “go further, deeper, and see things others do not see.” His connections with local communities and noteworthy experts run deep, and he combines them with his network of helicopter pilots and boat captains to create itineraries that typically would be impossible to arrange on your own. His team can modify an itinerary on the fly to work around uncooperative weather or to satisfy a traveler’s spontaneous desire to add another location. For something really different, talk to him about adding time in the Cook Islands, a former protectorate of New Zealand that is a group of 15 remote islands barely touched by tourism. Jean-Michel has begun working with the local community there to deliver an authentic experience of one of the world’s last idyllic travel frontiers.

Read Jean-Michel’s Insider’s Guides to Active New Zealand and Queenstown. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

A native New Zealander based in Auckland, Sarah works her superb connections—from sheep farmers to helicopter pilots—to open doors for travelers. She can set you up with a driving itinerary and rental car with stops for scenic hikes, wine tastings, and whatever else you might enjoy, but if you’d prefer not to worry about driving on the left-hand side of the road, she has the savviest private drivers at her beck and call. Sarah has pull with the country’s top luxury lodges, guesthouses, and even private homes with chefs. And, as a mom of two teenage sons, she is tuned in to what families enjoy. Sarah can add beach stops in Fiji and other South Pacific islands, or coordinate with colleague Stuart Rigg, an Australia expert on The WOW List, to include time in Australia.

Read Sarah’s Insider’s Guide to New Zealand and Australia. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

From Alaska to Texas, and especially her home state of Montana, Melissa has spent years exploring America’s national parks out West. She’s sussed out the most eye-popping routes, the most efficient logistics, the smartest lodging options all the way from cushy hotels to backcountry base camps, the savviest special-access guides (some PhDs, others former park rangers), and the local characters who bring life to each park and can show you things you’d otherwise never know to look for. Beyond and between the national parks, she designs road trips that might incorporate stops to explore quieter state preserves, meet a Native American storyteller, or walk through a vineyard with the winery’s owner—and she loves to get people just slightly out of their comfort zone, whether that’s a gentle float or Class IV whitewater, an easy hike, or a thrilling mountain-bike adventure.

Read Melissa’s Insider’s Guide to Yellowstone National Park. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Judith has mastered dip-net salmon fishing, camping solo in bear country, and skiing at 40 below. She can orchestrate complicated itineraries to remote lodges with few other guests, select the perfect backcountry retreat for a family reunion, set up a rendezvous with an Iditarod champion, or fly you to a glacier for summer sledding. Her outdoor guides specialize in everything from fly fishing to river rafting to kayaking with whales. Note: She does not book Alaska cruises. For a small-ship expedition cruise, which is the best way to see the coastline and wildlife, contact Ashton Palmer. For something more affordable—which means a large ship—contact Tom Baker.

Read Judith’s Insider’s Guide to Alaska. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Jay and Dani spend six weeks a year in Hawaii, escorting groups of Silicon Valley execs as well as vacationing with their two daughters. Their agency has significant clout with the 5-star resorts—which translates into perks for their travelers—but they also book rental homes when that’s the smarter choice for the group. Living in Los Angeles and with offices throughout California, they can also orchestrate out-of-the-box itineraries in their own backyard.

Read Jay and Dani’s Insider’s Guides to Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

The seemingly infinite array of hotel, activity, and dining options that Walt Disney World offers can overwhelm anyone—and don’t get us started on the Genie+ system. Michelle will design the perfect Disney vacation by learning the details of your group (which characters you want to meet, how scary a ride your kids can handle), sorting through the veritable banquet of choices, and helping you decide what to put on your plate. She continuously checks all rates to make sure you pay the lowest possible prices—even if a discount appears after you’ve booked—and maximizes your time at the parks by strategically planning your Park Pass reservations to align with requested meals, character meet-and-greets, and fireworks shows. Whether your plans involve Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani (the Disney resort in Hawaii), or Disney Cruise Line, Michelle can minimize any and all hassles.

Read Michelle’s Insider’s Guide to Disney World, Orlando. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.

Meg has been skiing in Colorado since she was five, including a stint as an instructor. She lives in Vail and also knows Aspen, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Jackson Hole, Keystone, Telluride, and other resorts like the palm of her hand. Whether for a high-end ski trip or a luxe summer outdoor adventure, she will gauge your group’s experience level and use her local connections to put you not just on the right mountain, but in the right hotel room, condo, or house with prime access to the ideal runs or trails. Flustered by your family’s mix of ability levels and interests? Her private guides can help you avoid the lines and ski a variety of terrain—and if not everyone is a hardcore skier or snowboarder, Meg also knows where to find the best snowmobiling, snowshoeing, yoga, and spa treatments.
NOTE: Meg is not able to accept new trip requests at this time. For a different recommendation, CLICK HERE.

Read Meg’s Insider’s Guide to Skiing the Rocky Mountains. Check Wendy’s pricing tip.