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.

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Sri Lanka​: historical sites and beach time, botanical visit with botanist, UNESCO site in a vintage VW

WENDY TUCKER | APRIL 9, 2025

My husband Marco and I just returned from a wonderful three-week trip to Sri Lanka planned by Miguel and Nicola. We experienced a vast range of geographic areas and experiences from cultural, beach, safari, religious and most important to us, immersive with the local people.

Our guide/driver, Manjula, was stellar. Before we left the airport upon our arrival, we all agreed that for our 3 weeks together we would be a “family,” and we were—despite many 3-hour-plus drives, we were comfortable, relaxed, and spent time chatting, listening to Sri Lankan music or just quietly looking at the passing scenery. Manjula quickly learned the nuances of my husband’s challenges remaining from a traumatic brain injury due to a motorcycle accident years ago. Although Marco is physically fit, he still has challenges with uneven terrain and stairs without handrails as well as environments with a lot of commotion and people. Manjula always made Marco feel comfortable and supported without being demeaning, which we were both so grateful for.

This trip was unique for us as in total we stayed at 8 different places but I am so glad we listened to Miguel and Nicola as to the rhythm of the trip. After 24 hours to travel, staying an extra night at the beginning at the tranquil boutique Wallawwa Hotel was perfect. We saw so much and had so many great experiences including all the historical highlights like Sigiriya Lion Rock, Dambulla Cave, Temple of the Tooth, and the ancient city of Anuradhapura, beach down time at the gorgeous Amanwella with a fantastic cooking class, and visits to tea and cinnamon plantations where we were astounded at how much hands-on labor is required.

Our favorite experiences included a visit to the Botanical Garden in Kandy with an incredibly knowledgeable botanist who has written numerous books and knew every plant and tree in the garden. A visit to a quiet beautiful Buddhist cave temple inhabited by only two monks where we received a lengthy blessing and were the only ones there. And our WOW Moment—a drive around UNESCO World Heritage site Galle Fort in a 1971 VW convertible with a local guide whose family ran a tea shop in the area. My husband, who is a classic car lover, had a grin ear to ear when we walked out of our hotel and saw the car!

Miguel and Nicola spent time learning about us and our interests and their recommendations of places to stay and experiences and the overall feel of the trip showed that they listened. They each made time to meet us personally, which was a lovely surprise and another opportunity to chat with a local and learn more about this beautiful, welcoming country and people.

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Contact Miguel

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India: a work trip extended to include “must-see” sites, local markets, and rescue elephants

BERTRAND SMYERS | APRIL 4, 2025

Amazing trip put together on short notice! Thanks to the planners and Wendy Perrin for making my brief stay in India so wonderful.

I decided in mid-February 2025 that I needed to make a trip to India in mid-March for business. I was flying into Delhi, but the business destination was Pune. My business dealings required 2-3 days to complete. I had never been to India before, and wasn’t sure if I’d ever make it back, so I wanted to add a few personal days to see and experience the region around Delhi. This included especially the Taj Mahal but also what is known as the “Golden Triangle” —formed by Delhi, Agra (where the Taj is), and Jaipur. Unfortunately, I only had another 4 days in which to make this happen. I was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to pull off the planning without expert guidance.

Fortunately, Wendy’s team connected me with a tour company led by Victoria (who’s based in the UK, I believe) and Diggy (who met me on the ground later in India). In short order, they put together a fabulous itinerary that met my core objectives. My guide, Harsh, met me at the Delhi airport when I returned from Pune. From there, we set off on an adventure that hit the “must-see” spots (like the Taj, the Jaipur City Palace, Amber Fort, Red Fort, and many others) and lots of wonderful and unique extras, such as jewelry-making, other handmade arts & crafts, trips to a few local markets, and even an afternoon with rescued Asian elephants.

The choices of lodging and dining were top-notch, as well. During the trip, Harsh shared much of his knowledge of Indian history and culture, for which I was very grateful. I ended the trip exhausted but quite satisfied and ready to return to experience more of this fascinating country.

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Portugal: pastry & astronomy workshops, Jewish history, walking tours with “best ever” guides

DEBBIE AND ROB POLISHOOK | APRIL 3, 2025

My husband and I travelled to Portugal from March 19 – April 2 2025 to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Goncalo’s colleague Joana helped us plan and arrange our entire trip from accommodations, to car rental, to drivers, tour guides, experiences, meals, etc. During our initial 40-minute Zoom with Joana and Goncalo they helped draw out from us what experiences we wanted to have and in which cities, at what cost, and at what pace. When we received our initial draft itinerary we were “shocked” in a good way at how well they had listened and how they really understood us and how we like to travel, and it only got better from there.

From our wonderful private walking tours with the best quality tour guides we have ever experienced, we explored Porto (Portuguese history), Coimbra (Portuguese history), Douro Valley (boat tour, hike alongside the vineyards), Belmonte (history of the Jewish people in Portugal), Evora (Portuguese history and Jewish Portuguese history) and Lisbon (Portuguese history, Jewish Portuguese history, Sweets Tour including a Pasteis de Nata-making workshop, Street Art Tour), to our relaxing 2 days in the Alentejo region—where we learned to make pottery and had a chance to take a Stargazing workshop with an astronomy expert to learn about our planet, stars and galaxies—we had such a wonderful and fulfilling time, and credit Joana’s team with helping us make it happen in such a seamless, fun and relaxing way.

I would highly recommend working with them and would work with them again in the future if/when we return to explore other parts of Portugal.

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Spain: sidestepping rain with the “eccentric” Gala Dali Castle and a tapas tour

BARBARA PALTER | APRIL 3, 2025

My husband and I were travelling to Barcelona on business and wanted to extend our stay to see the sites around the city.

I contacted Pablo early in the year to let him know that we were coming to Spain but weren’t entirely sure of our timing. He was super helpful and provided us a list of suggested ideas for the surrounding area.

With just a few weeks before departure, Pablo put together a fantastic itinerary for us. We spent three days with our marvelous guide Jordi. Jordi was super friendly, incredibly knowledgeable and just a pleasure to spend time with. Sadly, it rained for most our time together and Jordi manipulated the schedule so that we could be indoors during the downpours. One of the gems that he inserted at the last minute was the Gala Dali Castle—this was not a museum but rather the home of Dali’s wife. The architecture, furniture and photos there helped us to understand the eccentric lives of Gala and Salvador Dali—would highly recommend! In addition, Jordi took us on a tapas tour around Barcelona. We ate our way through some sensational local restaurants and enjoyed every bite.

Thank you to Pablo, Jordi, and our driver John who really made our stay in Barcelona a special one.

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Colombia: visiting a coffee plantation, cooking with a chef, admiring orchids

MOLLY WHISENANT | APRIL 1, 2025

Boris and his team planned a fantastic journey and really stepped up when we had issues! Our group of 6 worked with Boris’ team to plan our trip to Colombia. We visited Medellin, the coffee region and Cartagena. Our group consisted of me, my husband, and two of our sons on spring break from college, another couple and one of our other sons who was working in Medellin unexpectedly. Despite planning the trip in advance, our group had two issues. Two weeks before our trip, one of my older sons found out he would be working in Medellin at the same time we were in Colombia. I contacted Boris, who was able to book my son on a flight from Medellin to Cartagena at the end of his work week. He was also able to secure a room for my son to stay at our hotel in Cartagena. My son was able to join us for the last portion of the vacation and activities thanks to Boris and his team! The second issue we ran into was the couple traveling with us had a family member pass away during our trip. The husband had to fly home early. Boris and his team worked to make arrangements to accommodate this change.

We covered a wide variety of activities in Colombia. In Medellin, we visited District 13 and a historical monument dedicated to the loss of life during the Escobar years (our guide Lillian was very informative regarding the history of Colombia…she was also a reporter). We visited the second largest collection of orchids in the world at the home garden of the collector. Over 5,000 different types of orchids were being grown on site!!!! We also had a private cooking class at the chef’s private home. Very yummy food and a wonderful setting.

In the coffee region, we stayed at a wonderful hacienda out in the country….so tranquil and lots of birds. We visited a coffee plantation and went bamboo rafting. In Cartagena, we did a rum tasting, a private cooking class (one of the trip highlights!!!!), street food tour (I am NOT a fan of street food in foreign countries, but our guide took us to some fabulous places and the food was divine and no one got sick!) The final day was spent island hopping in the Rosario Islands with a stop for a late lunch at a beach club…a perfect end to our trip.

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Chile: Santiago, Rapi Nui, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Valparaiso, & the Atacama desert

MATT WILSON AND LYLE YORK | APRIL 1, 2025

We just returned from a splendid three-week trip to Chile, including stops in Santiago, Rapi Nui (Easter Island), Patagonia National Park, Torres del Paine, Valparaiso, and the Atacama desert. Jordan and Olivia planned the trip.

They listened to our desires and put us in nature-oriented, history- and culture-oriented lodges that offer daily excursions suitable for our ages and fitness levels. (One of us is about to be 80 and the other 69, and we’re relatively fit.)

They recommended places to visit and stay, coordinated flights (getting around long-and-skinny Chile requires many airplane rides) and transfers to and from airports. Their attention to detail made for easy traveling. We stayed at Explora Rapi Nui, Explora Patagonia in the new national park (where we crossed paths with a puma about 30 feet away), and Tierra Patagonia in Torres del Paine.

Our favorite lodge was Awasi Atacama. It gave us beautiful architecture, great food and table service, personal attention in general, one excellent guide for our entire stay, and warm and dry weather!

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Cuba: a mural tour, a mixology lesson, and “personal touches” like a home-cooked meal

ANN MARIE BELL | MARCH 31, 2025

Our trip to Cuba in March 2025 was nothing short of extraordinary. What made it so special wasn’t just what we saw and the richness of the experience (though both were good), but the exceptional care and expertise with which every detail was planned. The experience surpassed what we could have imagined.

From the very beginning, Rob and Ana Maria took the time to truly understand what we hoped to gain from our time in Cuba. Their thoughtfulness, in partnership with their phenomenal on-the-ground team, Raquel and Diana, made all the difference. Raquel met us at the airport and became our amazing guide and companion throughout our stay. Diana, our 24/7 concierge, partnered with Raquel to work magic behind the scenes to make sure every moment was seamless. She made a point to see us several times during our stay. Their level of commitment went far beyond professionalism—by the end of the trip, we had met their families and were invited to attend Diana’s daughter’s birthday party. These personal touches allowed us to experience Cuba through the eyes and hearts of the local people.

We asked for a trip that would help us connect with the culture and learn about the people. They delivered far more than that. Some of the most memorable experiences included a private concert at the home of a celebrated Cuban guitarist (Molina), and a mural tour that was originally planned with the artist himself, who was unexpectedly out of the country. In his place, his wife welcomed us, hosted us for coffee, and shared stories of his work. In a thoughtful gesture, the artist left two original portraits to take home.

The food and drinks were exceptional, including the cooking class and rum tasting/mixology lesson we had. As good as those were, one of our favorite experiences was sharing lunch in the home of a Cuban family. The meal rivaled the top restaurants we visited, but what stayed with us was the intimate conversation and powerful connection we felt around their table and their efforts to improve their community. Another surprise…attending a local baseball game, which was unplanned and coordinated by the family we shared lunch with. It was another glimpse into the everyday Cuban spirit.

There was also a day trip to Vinales, where we explored tobacco and coffee farms and gained a deeper appreciation for the traditions and resilience of Cuba’s farming communities. Our driver during the trip, Tony, safely transported us around Havana and to the countryside. His commitment was remarkable in ensuring our comfort and making sure our journey was smooth (when things we take for granted, like availability of gasoline, cannot be assumed in Cuba).

The trip could not have been more thoughtfully and beautifully curated. The warmth, resourcefulness, and hospitality of the Cuban people was front-and-center in every interaction. We are grateful to Rob and Ana, Raquel, and Diana—not only for planning a perfect trip, but for welcoming us into their everyday lives. It was an experience we will carry with us forever.

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Contact Paul

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Japan: entertaining three generations with baseball, ninja museum, hiking, and picnic

LESLIE ENLOW | MARCH 31, 2025

Wendy Perrin for the win. For spring break we took a family vacation to Japan. None of us had ever been so Andrea had his work cut out for him. The trip centered mostly on keeping our 9-year-old grandson entertained by going to a baseball game, sumo wrestling demonstration, samurai sword experience with a 16th generation samurai, and ninja museum. We still saw plenty of shrines and gardens to keep everybody happy. The weather started out cold and rainy but that did not dampen our spirits.

All of our guides were exceptional and very attentive to our 9-year-old. Andrea and his team were in constant contact with us and able to answer any questions that arose. The itinerary was varied in places and accommodations. The hotels and ryokans were all unique experiences. A highlight was walking the Nakasendo Trail where we had our WOW Moment, a picnic lunch at a scenic overlook. So scenic, in fact, that other tourists were taking pictures of us enjoying our lunch with a cherry blossom centerpiece. We were a little early for cherry blossom season but Andrea was determined that we would see some.

We had a busy itinerary to fit in all that we wanted to do but there was enough down time that we weren’t exhausted. It was the perfect trip and one we will never forget.

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Ecuador & the Galapagos: Cloud forest in Mindo, Papallacta hot spa, snorkeling & hiking the isles

KATIE MCBRINE | MARCH 30, 2025

Our family (2 teenagers and 2 adults) went on the trip of a lifetime to Ecuador and the Galapagos. We went from March 15th to the 26th. Allie helped us plan the most amazing trip we have ever taken. She was extremely knowledgeable and really listened to our wants and needs. We could have never planned such a long and complicated trip without her. All the places we went (city tour in Quito, Cloud forest in Mindo, hot spa in Papallacta) were fun for both kids and adults. Our tour guides in Quito did an outstanding job of educating and entertaining us. The van broke down and while we waited for another van, they were able to get us an impromptu coffee tour which turned into a highlight of the trip.

We were on the Galaxy ship for the Galapagos part of the trip. We did the 5 day tour and it was the perfect length for us. The crew on the ship were lovely and very helpful. My husband got pooped on by one of the many frigate birds that were following the ship and they very nicely helped clean his clothes. The food was great. The kids loved sushi night! The beds were very hard so if that is a problem for you, you may want to pack some sort of mattress support. We were very lucky with the weather. It was at the end of the rainy season but we had mostly sunny, beautiful days. We only had to cancel one snorkeling activity due to rough dangerous waves. Each day was spent with a snorkeling and hiking activity in the morning and afternoon. We saw all the animals we wanted to see up close. We always felt safe and cared for by the guide and staff. 10/10 would recommend this trip to everyone.

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India: cruising the rivers, bathing in luxury, living like royalty, “painting” the town

RON KLAUSNER | MARCH 28, 2025

My wife and I are avid travelers and have visited over 70 countries but we have always avoided going to India for fear of getting intestinal problems. We finally bit the bullet and decided to go, did not get sick and loved India! The people, the people, the people. We went for three weeks with another couple this March and visited Assam by boat down the Brahmaputra River and the major sights Varanasi, Delhi, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Agra. We also spent three days off the beaten path at Desert Retreat in Jamba, a three-hour drive from Jodhpur.

The first highlight of our trip, however, was the service given by Sanjay and his company when our flight to India was delayed for 24 hours. It was Saturday night and he was on the phone for hours with his staff in India and us making contingency plans. He was making all sorts of contingency plans depending upon when we finally arrived. We missed the departure of our cruise down the Brahmaputra River but managed to catch up to it a few days later. I should also say one of our suitcases got delayed on the flight to Assam and we had it driven 5 hours to meet us rather than lose another day of our trip waiting for it at the airport. Meanwhile, Sanjay and his crew took great care of us in India until we met the boat. That alone was worth booking with Sanjay!

Although we were between earning WOW Moments, I feel Sanjay made our entire trip a Wow Moment. In Varanasi we had a private sunset and sunrise boat cruises on the Ganges River, and a sitar concert at the home of Ravi Shankar’s cousin. We also participated in Holi day where we celebrated Spring by joining different groups of locals and covering each other with paint and water and then dancing together in joy.

To get to our next destination we had to fly back to Delhi to take another plane. While in Delhi we visited an amazing Sikh temple that feeds over 10,000 people a day. Image seeing a great room with 1,000 people at a time sharing a meal together. It was an amazing act of social justice practiced by the Sikhs every day!

We then went to Jamba where we explored rural India while bathing in luxury at Dune Retreat, a property consisting of private “cabins” with incredible service run by a local family. We were the only ones at the property as they close the rest of the rooms when a Nomadic group comes to visit. Amazing!

From there we went to Jodhpur and stayed in its main palace. The royalty stayed in one section of it and we were in the other. Needless to say, we were treated like royalty. We then flew to Udaipur staying at the summer palace on its own island. Both properties were extraordinary.

After Udaipur we flew to Jaipur and visited the “pink city.” Our last night there we had dinner at the home of a very special family. They are royalty but what makes them special is the parents have one biological child and adopted nine children from age 8 to 19! The children, all girls, were abandoned as babies because their biological parents wanted boys, not girls. This family is now raising them as their own. We ate, we sang and we all danced together. What joy!

We completed our journey by going to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Need I say more?

Without reservation I implore you to visit India if you have not already done so. We ate only at the hotels, and avoided any water other than bottled and any uncooked food. We did not get sick.

Finally, if possible, ask for the guide Shaitan. He has a breadth of knowledge and will do anything to please you. He often went off script. One of our most memorable moments occurred when we saw a bunch of women all dressed in magnificent yellow dancing on a side street. We went to take photos and after a while one of the women gestured for my wife to join her. She did and had a wonderful time. When I asked Shaitan what was going on he said the women were celebrating because one of them just had a daughter who got engaged. They went down the street knocking on doors and neighbors kept joining. How wonderful to ask my wife to join and Shaitan was not going to interrupt.

Overall, one of our best trips ever!

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Norway: exploring the ice hotel, pulled by reindeer, viewing “always breathtaking” Northern Lights

THERESA SANDOVAL | MARCH 26, 2025

We had the BEST time in Norway!! Torunn’s team, Thea and Danny, left us in good hands throughout our journey to Alta to see the Northern Lights! They made everything about the planning process as easy as possible—which was a stretch because we were juggling the needs and desires of three generations spanning from 12 to 81. We were all on different flights on different days…we were a lot to handle. But we had the most fun on this trip. It was well worth the journey north, even for my reluctant traveler husband.

We started with snowmobiling to an overlook down to a river, then had a homey lunch at an inn, followed by an afternoon exploring the ice hotel on our hotel’s property. That night, we were pulled by reindeer to a Sami hut to hear stories of their culture and sample some delicacies. The next day, dogsledding was the event of the day! It was the most fun we had together! From harnessing the dogs to mushing through the pristine scenery, it could not have been better. We had a fantastic dinner that night at the farm where the dog sledding took place. It was delicious, and the atmosphere was exactly what you’d hope to find on a cold snowy night in the middle of nowhere. Cozy, warm, filled with locally sourced food that pleased everyone at the table.

The next day, we transferred to another hotel with a different vibe from the first. I can see why they recommended that we try both. This one was on a mountainside where the family has a small herd of sheep and runs a ski-in, ski-out inn next to the area’s only slope. From here, the good food continued, and we went snow shoeing, ice fishing, spa-ing, tubing, and skiing. It was a blast!
And I haven’t even mentioned the Northern Lights! We were lucky enough to view them 4/6 nights that we were there, from both hotels. My parents even saw them from their plane! They varied in intensity and movement, yet they were always breathtaking. Thank you, Thea and Danny for planning and helping us execute this memorable trip!!!

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Japan: two opera matinees, Taiko drumming instruction, Kintsugi workshop, cooking class

BEVERLY PHILLIPS | MARCH 25, 2025

Tokyo 2/3/2025 to 2/9/2025

We asked for the impossible, and Andrea made it happen! With just over a month to plan, our family traveled to Tokyo for two opera matinees of Carmen, and Andrea and his team crafted a truly magical journey—one that allowed us to prepare, savor, and fall in love with Tokyo.

With only five days in the city, we didn’t want to waste a moment. Having visited Japan before, we knew this time we wanted to focus on immersive experiences without any stress. Our priorities were clear: seamless communication with guides and drivers, prompt and top-notch transportation, and the chance to feel the city’s rhythm.

Presto! From the moment we arrived, every detail was meticulously arranged. We were whisked from the airport to our hotel, where a beautifully curated welcome basket awaited us—filled with exquisite Japanese treats and treasures, including a box of handcrafted Kuromoji toothpicks from a shop with a 300-year history.

The next morning, we jumped right into a Taiko drumming class led by an incredible instructor. Even with three generations—grandparents, parents, and children—we all played our hearts out. And to top it off, our instructor, a professional performer, gave us a private demonstration. Wow! The energy was infectious, and the experience was unforgettable.

Throughout our trip, transportation was flawless which was a feat in itself, considering that our group was sometimes split between different locations. The team kept communication flowing seamlessly, anticipating every detail. They must have used magic because if traffic caused delays, they adjusted pickups on the fly. Jolina and Anne were extraordinary, keeping us informed down to the smallest details with weather updates, schedules, driver names, even what shoes to wear. And we could always reach them in an instant.

Attending the opera was just as smooth. On one occasion, when a leisurely lunch threatened to make us late, Andrea’s “Guardian Angels” relocated us to a restaurant near the opera house and sent our guide Josh ahead to hold our table. Incredible! And as vegans, we presented an extra challenge, but Andrea handled it masterfully.

Andrea had also suggested a Kintsugi workshop in our initial conversation, and he couldn’t have been more right. Our Kintsugi Master skillfully demonstrated the technique while our translator conveyed every detail seamlessly. As we glued, sanded, and painted the delicate golden veins on our bowls, we connected deeply with the tradition of embracing imperfection. It was a profound experience and one we will never forget.

No trip is complete without a cooking class, and our lesson in a traditional Japanese kitchen was one of the most rewarding experiences of all. Guided by Michie and her friend, Chef Eri, we prepared a sumptuous vegan sushi lunch. Witnessing firsthand how these dishes come together in a Japanese home was fascinating, and we learned more than we could have imagined. Not a single morsel was left uneaten!

A day trip to Nikko took us to the Shinkyo Bridge, Toshogu Shrine, and Futarasan Shrine, where our guide Wesley provided incredible historical insights. My husband, a Tokugawa Ieyasu enthusiast, was thrilled to visit his burial site and shrine. Climbing the 200 steps to the shrine has since become a source of great pride but a bit tricky afterwards when we sat on the floor for lunch at a lovely Japanese restaurant!

To top off this extraordinary journey, Andrea and his group gifted us a set of handcrafted ceramics by Shinichiro Ogata, along with his concept book—a beautiful way to continue reminiscing about our time in Japan.

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Malta: sites pre-dating Stonehenge, private Palazzo visit, intimate winery tours & cheese-tasting

ROBIN AND JOSH MADDEN | MARCH 24, 2025

Damon planned a seamless trip perfect for our interests. The first unique feature was that we had the same guide and driver for the entire trip. Our guide Pierre was incredibly knowledgeable about history, art, religion and culture. Manuel our driver was professional, kind, and also extremely knowledgeable himself about all aspects of Malta. By the end of the week, they both felt like friends.

Damon created days perfectly structured: combinations of culture, art, food and unique experiences. We visited several museums and historical sites where Damon arranged for a curator to meet us and take us around the collection. Sometimes it was after hours, so we were the only people there. Pierre expertly explained history as he took us through sites pre-dating Stonehenge and the pyramids to the era of the Knights of Saint John and the British. There were many highlights, but the ones that really stood out were those where we met local experts. We went to a sheep farm and tasted their cheeses with a former chef, met with an art restorer at her workshop, and saw how she and her team worked to restorer pieces over months.

On Gozo we had an incredible luxury picnic on the shore, played bocci with some locals and an ex-New Yorker, and met some sea salt harvesters. In Mdina we stayed inside the walls, where at night it is so gorgeous and quiet. There we learned about organ restoration and got to hear the restorer play. We visited the private Palazzo of a noble family, taken around to see their centuries-old home and collections, including a private altar with a relic of the cross. We had two private winery visits: one at San Niklaw winery, where the winemaker is a Pediatric surgeon, and the son also a winemaker and a medical student; the other at Markus Divinus, where the proprietor also has another day job. They both make incredible wines, rivaling wine we’ve had anywhere in the world. We only wish we could get them in the U.S.! Damon kept in touch the whole time, and even sent a 1947 Vauxhall car to pick us up one evening as a birthday surprise. And there was so much more…. We never would have had any of these experiences on our own.

So glad Damon planned this trip, and would unreservedly recommend others to contact him and Jason.

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Japan: learning kintsugi pottery and Taiko drumming, experiencing ryokan and onsen

MIKE HARRIS | MARCH 23, 2025

Our trip to Japan, organized through Andrea, one of Wendy Perrin’s WOW List travel experts, was phenomenal. I had been to Japan many times for work, so was eager to see parts of the country tourists (and business travelers) don’t normally see, and this trip really delivered. Some highlights:

– Super helpful, always-available support to help adjust the itinerary when required due to a cancelled flight or adverse weather. The team was highly responsive and provided great alternatives.
– A kintsugi pottery class (the art of repairing broken pottery with gold leaf)
– A private Taiko drumming experience with a great instructor and master drummer
– Staying in ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) and experiencing the onsen (baths) with incredible dining in incredibly peaceful settings
– Perfect travel arrangements, from private cars to bullet trains
– Amazing views of Mt. Fuji from a private outdoor onsen (hot tub on the deck)
– Great mix of big city (Tokyo), smaller city (Kanazawa), and post town (Narai) to give us the full flavor of the country.

This photo of Mt. Fuji is taken from the private deck of our hotel room. Doesn’t get much better than that!

This was the first time I’d used Wendy Perrin’s services and I was very happy with the overall experience, comprehensive service, and organization. I would highly recommend.

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Portugal: resort in the Algarve, yachting down the Douro River, private winery tours & tastings

ANDY AND MARCI SHAPIRO | MARCH 19, 2025

Portugal Trip – Nine (9) Nights – March 2025

My wife and I have been working with WOW List experts for many years on many amazing trips and have never been disappointed. Our expectations are very high and occasionally a planner we are working with exceeds them, which was exactly the case with Goncalo & Sofia. To truly understand why we feel this way some background information is necessary. We’re planners, and typically plan our trips well over a year in advance, which is exactly what we did with our Portugal itinerary. A few weeks before our scheduled departure we were confronted with a serious medical issue that required us to cancel. Fortunately, we had and can’t recommend enough, having Trip Insurance.

Goncalo & Sofia, knowing they were now not going to make any money with us, worked just as hard helping us get our money refunded (i.e. lots of forms and follow up required) as they did plan our trip. Moreover, Goncalo shared a very moving personal story that applied to our situation and was a source of inspiration and hope for my wife and me during our medical crisis. Words cannot adequately express how much these gestures meant to us.

Fast forward six (6) months… we received medical clearance to travel internationally but only had a six-week window in which to plan and take the trip. My first email was to Goncalo and Sofia asking if they could re-do our Portugal trip less a few days. I explained it did not have to be perfect, but my wife and I would love to take this Portugal trip if they could make it happen.

They first expressed how happy they were to hear from us and joy that we were given medical clearance to do what we love… travel! They then said, “We will have an itinerary to you very soon.” In short, the Portugal trip Goncalo & Sofia planned was PERFECT! From start to finish, my wife and I LOVED it!

Our adventure began with three (3) nights in the Algarve at a beautiful and relaxing resort overlooking the dramatic and spectacular cliffs along the Atlantic Ocean. It was the perfect way to start our trip, to recover from our flight and transfer journey, adjust to the time zone and generally acclimate. Highlights included long beautiful hikes with a guide and a private sunset cruise. Somehow Goncalo and Sofia arranged for a significant upgrade on the yacht we chartered which was a welcome surprise and treat!

Next was three (3) nights in Porto at a fabulous luxury hotel fronting the Douro River with incredible views. Highlights here were our amazing private guide providing a wonderful tour of Porto. There is an art to being a great guide and whenever we had guides on this trip, they were fantastic! And of course, the private tours and tastings we had at Taylor Fladgate, Graham’s and Quinta do Noval were mind boggling! Seeing huge crowds of people (i.e. Taylor and Graham’s) and then be whisked away for the “private experience” that only experts like Goncalo & Sofia can arrange is always a pleasure. Last, but certainly not least, was the private yacht (i.e. another upgrade! Lol!) cruise down the Douro River through the Douro Valley Wine Region! What FUN!

Our final stop was in Lisbon for three (3) nights. We stayed at a former palace that was converted to a luxury 5-star hotel with what we thought was the absolute best location, even better than the Four Seasons, where we stay often when we travel. Speaking of amazing guides, our guide in Lisbon just prior to us took around the former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau; before that was Magic Johnson and Samuel Jackson with their wives, as well as many other notable people. My wife and I could not believe he was our guide too! We loved hearing the fascinating stories and learning all about Lisbon and Sintra (Cristiano Ronaldo too! Lol!) from such a master at his craft! Additional Lisbon area highlights included two winery visits, a Fado
Show, the University of Coimbra and its Biblioteca Joanina (a must!) and, dinner at the Chef’s Table of a two-star Michelin restaurant! WOW!

A few final thoughts… Goncalo and Sofia also arranged several meals for us at delicious indigenous restaurants. Our drivers were very safe and always arrived early. The airport transfers were seamless and easy. The pacing of the trip, very important to us, allowing for strategic down time was flawless. We thought the trip pricing was extremely fair and reasonable and most cost effective compared to other trips we have taken.

In conclusion, Goncalo and Sofia’s planning and execution of our nine (9) night Portugal itinerary was perfect! For many reasons this trip is already especially impactful and meaningful. We will forever be so grateful and appreciative for everything Goncalo and Sofia did on our behalf! OBRIGADO!

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Malta: meeting cultural & culinary artisans, playing bocci, donning leather for birds of prey

JAN HEININGER | MARCH 19, 2025

Jason planned a nine-day trip for my husband and me in early March 2025 that was filled with superb experiences we could never have planned on our own. As we had spent five days in Malta in 2011 and had seen most of the usual sights, for this trip we sought activities that would allow us to more fully experience Malta’s unique culture. Boy did Jason deliver. We visited with a pipe organ restorer who was working on an organ high in a historic church’s nave, an artisan gold gilder (and builder of exquisite Maltese clocks), and a builder of traditional Maltese boats. We met with a knight of the Knights of St. John, founded in the 12th century to care for pilgrims, who gave us a wonderful tour of Ft. St. Angelo, the Knights’ headquarters until ejected in 1798 by Napoleon. We felt honored he gave us the time to sit and discuss the modern version of the Knights of St. John.

We visited the Hypogeum, an outstanding burial complex of a civilization in use between 4000 and 1500 BC. We played bocci ball with local Maltese, rode ATVs on Gozo Island, had a lovely private Gozitan picnic, created our own Maltese tiles, learned to make Malta’s renowned street food pastizzi in a local couple’s home, visited a WWII military collector in his private museum and even got a ride in his beloved “Bessie,” the WWII military truck Queen Elizabeth learned to service during the war. We visited a private 900-year-old Mdina palazzo whose owner showed us the family’s prized possessions, had a marvelous lesson by an art restoration specialist, and an enjoyable rustic farm lunch with a delightful Maltese couple.

Finally—as if all this wasn’t enough—we had a falconry experience that enthralled us. We are birders and enjoy watching birds of prey. To have a Harris Hawk, a Barn Owl and a Pharaoh eagle-owl fly from my husband’s leather-gloved wrist to mine for two glorious hours was an unbelievable treat. The falconer let fly his Peregrine Falcon who then sat sunning himself and had a mind of his own about when he would come back. The falconer, standing behind us, was a whiz at making slow-motion videos of a bird of prey flying to our wrist with wings outspread. Oh my.

All of these experiences were made possible because of Jason’s extensive network of Maltese friends. Most visitors to Malta now have little interaction with Maltese. Since our 2011 visit, Malta has been flooded with immigrants, as has much of Europe, and they now largely populate the hospitality industry. Your chances of meeting and conversing with Maltese locals are far less likely now—unless Jason Allan arranges your trip.

In the tiny islands of Malta and Gozo, the crossroads of the Mediterranean, we stayed in three places, had a wonderful personal guide for the week, a lovely driver and memorable experiences. Wendy Perrin went to Malta earlier this year and has repeatedly recommended it to her readers. We agree. Go now. And use Jason. He’s terrific.

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England: Cotswolds, Tower of London, and Kew Gardens brought to life by private guides

JAN HEININGER | MARCH 19, 2025

England and Malta, Feb 28-March 15, 2025

Jennifer organized for us a recent stay of five nights in England (London, the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon) before we went on to Malta for another nine days. This was the third trip Jennifer has organized for us and as ever she made and executed arrangements that were flawless. From airport pick up from Heathrow to drivers to guides and accommodations, we were cared for seamlessly. (And that all-electric BMW i7 was to die for.)

Our tour of the Tower of London was excellent (I had been but my husband had not) and having a private guide brought the Tower alive. It was eerie to stand where Sir Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell had been executed—a site I’d missed on my previous visit. Similarly, having a highly knowledgeable guide for Kew Gardens enhanced our visit. For two days we had an excellent guide/driver for Blenheim Palace, a driving tour with stops of the Cotswolds and a day in Stratford-upon-Avon. (Be sure and take the superb Costume Tour at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.) Given the tight quarters of the Shakespeare sites, we were exceedingly glad we were visiting in early March and not high season when all the sites would be over crowded.

Our hotels were excellent and we were delighted Jennifer was able to join us for breakfast one day. It was a treat to finally meet her in person. We can’t praise Jennifer highly enough. Last year, on the second trip she arranged for us, my husband broke his leg in Paris and Jennifer and her French head of operations gave us enormous assistance dealing with his twelve days in hospital and for surgery. We were so glad that this year we were able to go from being the clients-no-one-wants-to-be (or have) to clients for whom everything goes flawlessly. For years, Wendy has urged off-season travel to high-demand places. We couldn’t agree more on the value of doing so.

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Norway: glass cabin, mountain caves, fishing from Henningsvaer, & Northern Lights

CHRISTI LECLAIR | MARCH 18, 2025

You know it is a magical life changing vacation when you’ve made friends with the locals! Everyone in Norway was so friendly and kind. The balance of city and wilderness experiences was amazing.

We were centrally located in Oslo, so happy with the accommodations, near the bus and walking everywhere was a breeze! A flight to northern Norway, a ferry ride, and we were transported to the Arctic Circle! My number one bucket list experience was to see the Northern Lights, and our time at Manshausen delivered!

We were a family of 5, kids are 28, 27, 24 years old. The trip had something for everyone. Of course the northern lights, city walking/food tour, sea kayaking, a moutain hike to a cave, cod fishing, sauna/hot tub time. Time together as a family stood still as we ate meals together and played a lot of card games.

It really is a small world! Turns out our Oslo city walking/food tour guide is a friend of my college girlfriend that lives in Oslo. We were on tour when I mentioned we were having dinner with a college friend and her husband that night. I hadn’t seen my friend since college graduation 37 years ago. I couldn’t even believe it when the guide said they all know each other and she grew up with my friend’s husband!

Our travel planners added so much value! Everything was outlined in an app, we could message them if we had questions. I was nervous about the language but no worries it all turned out wonderfully, I felt that the company gave us the local read on everything. We left our trip with pictures of the Northern Lights, true local connections, and Norwegian sweaters from the sheep farm!

I had a health setback three years ago, and it was at that time my husband said, plan your number one bucket list trip, we will do it. This trip was it. I’m on cutting edge meds and have an excellent heart failure team of doctors. This trip was a celebration of life. Don’t wait for medical side step to prompt you to get out there and travel your bucket list trip. Fill out Wendy’s form, start planning today!

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Iceland: climbing glaciers, dog sledding, driving the black beach, and Northern Lights

GAIL FENNELL | MARCH 17, 2025

Iceland March 4-9, 2025
I highly recommend my travel consultant Mads. He helped me plan a 5-day trip to Iceland for my family (my husband, myself, my 3 grown sons with their significant others, and my 5-month-old granddaughter). There was not one aspect of the trip that I would have changed. We climbed glaciers on foot and in a monster truck, went dog sledding (even the baby), soaked in the hot springs, drove down the black beach and relaxed in a fabulous villa in the country where we saw a spectular show of the Northern Lights. Every one of his recommendations worked with our family situation and one day was more exciting than the next. We will definitely be using Wendy Perrin’s WOW List again!

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New Zealand: hiking and sailing, glamping on a hilltop, appreciating a carved Maori gift

KAREN SIEGEL | MARCH 16, 2025

Just got back from 24 days in New Zealand. Jean-Michel and Felicity planned a fantastic trip, with Ellen and Catharina supporting us through WhatsApp while there. I can’t say enough about their superb itinerary, unique hotels and excellent experiences!

We started in Waiheke to acclimate, but enjoyed hiking, winery tours and a day sail around the islands nearby. We had a private tour of a bird/reptile sanctuary and stayed in a unique “glamping” tent if you can call it that, it was a gorgeous 4-bedroom home sitting on top of a hilltop. We had a whole day with a Maori carver who exquisitely introduced us to his heritage. While with him he handed us a beautifully carved “club” and said it was a gift from the travel planner and Wendy Perrin. Now I really understand what a WOW Moment is, we were wowed! We had private helicopter rides over Doubtful and Dusky Sounds, an overnight on Doubtful Sound, Jet Boat and Scenic Seaplane excursions, and stayed in the most beautiful locations and hotels in the Fiordland National Park and Glenorchy areas. What an incredible country and trip!

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Thailand & Cambodia: kayaking through caves, drifting through floating markets, playing with elephants

TED AND KATHIE EMBACHER | MARCH 15, 2025

We just returned on March 9 from a wonderful adventure in Thailand and Cambodia planned by Raphael and Dan. Everything was executed flawlessly with fabulous guides who were always prompt and greeted us with a smile. The adventures that we decided on did not disappoint. Although our schedule was jam packed, there is not one thing that we wish we had left out. All of our hotels were wonderful as were our flights within the countries.

Raphael communicated with us throughout our planning process and made suggestions and adjustments to our plans. He always answered our e-mails promptly and listened carefully to what we needed.

Perhaps the fact that we took over 1,500 photos of our trip says more than our words ever could. We had one amazing experience after another as we viewed the beautiful Wats, drifted through floating markets, visited old towns, ate local foods, played with elephants, walked through the large local markets and kayaked through caves into surreal lagoons.

We made a few local friends who we are now Facebook friends with.

Our guides were knowledgeable, friendly and prompt. Mr. Yo saved Kathie’s life in Bangkok when her long skirt got caught in an escalator and he was well prepared with a pair of scissors in his backpack to cut her out. Tiger executed our WOW moment in Cambodia and made it so special. I’m not easily overwhelmed, but our special dinner on a beautiful wooden boat while cruising slowly through the floating villages on Ton Le Sap created a life long warm memory. Sanee in Chiang Mai became a good friend, as well as our guide. She was truly special. And NaNa in Phuket took us to the best small food places where we ate Thai food that we never knew existed and tasted fantastic, including a small stall that had a Michelin mention!

Thailand and Cambodia are beautiful countries and the people are among the kindest we’ve encountered. They are definitely places to see before you die and Raphael and Dan’s group are the folks to take you there. Our trip created lifelong memories (not that we’ll need memories with the 1,500 photos that I took).

Ted and Kathie Embacher
Thailand and Cambodia
February 21-March 9

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Egypt: sailing the Nile on a dahabiya, food tour in Cairo, attentive guides throughout…

KATHERINE HOYT | MARCH 14, 2025

My trip to Egypt, after an initial conversation with James, was then coordinated by Arlene at his company. I am now 80 years old and it was the best trip of my life! I traveled with a friend who is 78, and we could never have seen and experienced so many wonderful things without Arlene’s planning and constant assistance, even while we were traveling. It is a tribute to both her and Jim that all our local coordinators love them! We were cared for and our needs were met as never before. When terrain was difficult or there were stairs without railings, our guides assisted us, one on each arm. The guides were excellent and highly respected by other guides we met, and our drivers were superb, especially Abraham, our expert driver in the chaotic traffic of Cairo.

We decided to skip the long car trip to Abydos and Arlene arranged an alternative program in the Valley of the Kings, including the workmen’s tombs which should not be missed. Sailing the Nile on a dahabiya is always going to be a cherished memory! Also a food tour in Cairo with a local company called Bellies en Route, escorted by Inas on one of the first days, who introduced us to a Cairo we would never have seen otherwise.

Small changes in our schedule were made smoothly and unobtrusively to suit our needs and changing conditions by Samy, our overall local coordinator and friend for life. And to cap it all off, our WOW Moment was a private yacht trip, including a delicious meal, on the Nile in Aswan. The trip was a highlight in my lifetime of travel!

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Vietnam: calligraphy and cooking lessons, cacao farm tour, custom-tailored coats

CAROL ZUCKERMAN AND BARRY GOLDSTEIN | MARCH 11, 2025

We just returned from nearly three weeks in Vietnam, traveling to Hanoi, Nimb Binh and Ba Vi in the north, Hue and Hoi An in Central Vietnam, and Can Tho/Mekong Delta and Saigon in the South. The trip was amazing due to the rich history and culture, kind people, varied and beautiful landscapes, and terrific food. Sandy, Ethan, and Corban’s team were indispensable as travel consultants from the first moment we spoke with them, through the planning of our itinerary, choice of wonderful local hosts in the different parts of the country, suggestions and flexibility, and impeccable planning of every detail and logistic so that our days and travel from one place to another were seamless and stress-free. Suffice it to say, we would not have had the experience we had without their meticulous planning.

We were in Vietnam in February and, unfortunately, the weather in the north and central part of the country was rainier than expected so we had to pivot from the plan on some days. For example, rather than hiking in Ba Vi in the rain and mud, our guide Trang took us to a yogurt manufacturing shop in Ba Vi and then arranged a visit to a local village with lunch in a historic village home. In Hue, our guide Ngoc suggested a rickshaw ride, arranged a visit to a calligrapher’s home where we were able to try the art on our own, and we loved our private cooking class at a hotel restaurant. He also was instrumental in pointing us to the right tailor for sport coats to be made in a day in Hoi An. In Can Tho, when we asked our local host Sue An to recommend a restaurant where mostly locals go, she pointed out a place close to our resort and was kind enough to come there with us in the evening to order for us and make sure we ate food that wouldn’t make us sick. The impromptu visit she planned to a cacao farm with a tour by the owner also was a real treat. And in Saigon, the Cu Chi tunnel visit, which we reached by a speedboat ride on the Saigon River, and the evening Vespa Food Tour throughout the streets of Saigon, were some of the trip’s most memorable highlights.

We highly recommend experiencing Vietnam with the assistance of Sandy, Ethan, and Corban. We weren’t sure what to expect with the flexibility built into the itinerary, but the spontaneity it allowed clearly enriched our trip. It allowed us to visit art galleries, shops, an herbal medicine museum, and several markets on the last-minute recommendations of our local hosts or just because we passed by a place that seemed interesting. We cannot say enough about this team and the value they added to our Vietnam adventure.

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Chile: active in the Atacama dessert, relaxing at Clos Apalta winery in the Colchagua Valley

SALENA AND ALLEN KERN | MARCH 9, 2025

Jordan, Renee, and Carmen planned our trip to Chile. This was one of our “easy” trips: All we had to do was choose our dates (in this case, dependent on friends in Santiago) and choose the properties. We knew we wanted to visit the Atacama Desert and then probably spend a few days relaxing at a winery.
Could we have done this all by ourselves, on the internet? Most likely, but the benefit of expert advice was invaluable.

We compared and contrasted the properties for a bit and I finally decided to splurge on Awasi Atacama. I think that that was in retrospect a fortuitous decision: The weather was not as we expected and at Awasi every activity was designed for us as we went along, day by day, hour by hour. We lucked out with the most wonderful guide, Leo (perhaps all the guides are as wonderful), who “got” us and made sure we were happy. The food and wine at Awasi was wonderful; the service was top-notch. I can’t tell you how the staff picks up on every nuance to make sure you are pleased. I would definitely do another Awasi property if traveling to this region.

Everything on this trip went without a hitch. We were picked up on time (we take transfers for granted until the driver doesn’t show up or is an hour late, which has happened to me). After our 5-day trip to the desert, where we were busy almost every minute, we spent a couple of nights at Clos Apalta in the Colchagua Valley doing almost nothing. We did not want to come home.

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Cambodia & Thailand: biking Angor Wat, strolling with elephants, snorkeling the Phi Phi islands

LIANE MACMILLAN | MARCH 8, 2025

This is our 3rd Wendy Perrin trip and it was nothing short of remarkable. Four cities in 12 days was an ambitious request and Daniel’s colleague Raphael delivered an itinerary that fun, exciting and luxurious. The travel coordination between cities was top notch and made transitions seamless and stress free.

Our guides in each city went above and beyond to curate experiences tailored to our interests. Our trip through Bangkok with Ki, bike ride in Cambodia around Angor Wat with Camera, walking with the elephants in Anantara Resort, and our snorkel tour of the Phi Phi islands are just a few examples of this. The service and value of our trip truly exceeded our expectations. Can’t wait for our next adventure with Wendy!

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Oman: majestic fjords, night in a desert camp, Wadi swimming, snorkeling the Dimaniyat Islands

JENIFER BUNIS | MARCH 7, 2025

I’m just back from a fabulous two-week adventure in Oman. My friends are used to hearing about my crazy travels, but this destination elicited quite a few “you’re going WHERE?” type comments, followed by “why Oman?” I promised everyone I’d be more qualified to answer the Why question upon my return.

Thanks to my planner Dan, my friend and I experienced all that Oman has to offer, which is quite a lot. We flew into Dubai and spent a day there on our own before getting picked up and driven to Khasab, in the Musandam peninsula, also known as the Norway of the Arabian world. This area is known for its majestic fjords, best experienced via a day on the water in a local dhow. We saw dolphins, we snorkeled, and did our best to get over our jet lag during our time in this little pocket of Oman. Khasab itself isn’t much to look at, but the fjords themselves are pretty special.

Dan put together a pretty comprehensive tour for us, which began in earnest when we arrived in Muscat and met our guide for the week, Khalid. We saw Oman through his eyes, learned so much about the history, the culture, what it means to be an Omani, and all about his life and his family. We loved our stay at the stunning Chedi hotel in Muscat and marveled at the opera house and of course the grand mosque. We spent a great day snorkeling/scuba diving at the Dimaniyat Islands. We also enjoyed dinner at the home of a local Omani family, and experienced firsthand the hospitality that this country is known for. Then we embarked on “the grand tour,” which is a loop that includes all the highlights of the region. We had one great night in a desert camp that I actually found on my own, looked smaller and more intimate than the one suggested by Dan. Even though Dan’s team in Oman didn’t have any real experience with it, they were open to having us give it a try. Worked out great.

Oman is famous for its Wadis (rocky river gorge swimming holes), and the typical tour includes a few of the more popular ones, which can get pretty crowded (at least by Oman standards). My research uncovered a fairly strenuous and lesser-known Wadi, which Dan also arranged for us to do, even though his team hadn’t taken people to it before us. That was another major highlight, and we are so glad Dan was able to make it happen for us.

Dan managed to incorporate fantastic hiking, ample culture, lots of new experiences, some great hotels with character, all wrapped up into a wonderful 12-day exotic adventure. He worked with us patiently to help build the trip of our dreams, and was always responsive to any pre-trip questions or last minute adjustments. We loved our time in Oman, and while it’s still hard to provide a succinct answer to “Why Oman,” anyone patient enough to listen to a longer answer and/or look at my photos will truly understand how special this country is.

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Portugal: live music at Verdi and Fado venues, countryside drives from Lisbon and Porto

FRANK DIXON | MARCH 3, 2025

This was our fourth trip using the WOW List. We started planning this, our first post-Covid international trip, last October and spoke to Gonçalo with a rough description of our ideas. He gently suggested we modify our plans to take full advantage of our 12 days. When the first draft of the itinerary that reflected our wish list of hotels and ground transportation came back well over budget, we asked for another Zoom conference. Goncalo worked through the draft, and we made progress understanding where the costs had exceeded our original budget of $15,000 by another $13,000. After a few more emails with assistant Sophia regarding the hotel’s room options, we settled on a final itinerary well within our budget.

The result was a remarkably enjoyable 12 days in Porto, Lisbon, and a few day trips into the countryside escorted with exceptional guides, drivers and very comfortable ground transportation. The historic hotel selected in central Porto was a classic gem. When there was a slight problem with construction noise the first morning, but the general manager stepped in and there was quiet the rest of our stay. Sophia also checked to make sure all was fine.

We had the best dinners enjoying the local cuisine and wine with the restaurant reservation made on our behalf. The live music events—particularly the Verdi and Fado venues and performers—were memorable.

Our guides were eager to please, fun, very professional, and experts in Portuguese culture, history, and contemporary issues as well. We feel we made friends with them. We essentially received a condensed graduate course in Portuguese history with the three guides, two of whom stayed with us for several days of guided tours. The third guide was a graduate of University of Coimbra who walked us through the World Heritage site amidst the students and professors on a private tour as if he were just another faculty member.

Having some mobility issues as we have reached our seventies, we were nervous about resuming international travel. Thanks to Goncalo and Sophia’s expert advice and planning, we had a safe and wonderful vacation. We have the confidence to travel overseas again and hopefully return to Portugal one day soon.

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Cuba: itinerary created for “culture hounds” in Havana, Santa Clara, Trinidad, Cienfuegos

BILL MELAMED | FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Rob, Ana and their team provided a memorable and wonderful week in Cuba. From the first outreach through the planning process, they worked with this group of four culture hounds (me, my husband, and two friends) to craft a unique and custom itinerary that allowed for so many memorable moments. Cuba is a country of contrast—beautiful but challenging, difficult but hopeful—and our week there allowed us to see, learn, and experience it all.

We had countless private moments with Cubans in their homes that built memories that we will carry with us. If Cuba is not on your travel list, adjust your list NOW and talk to Rob’s team about how to see this special country. We were there for a week (February 16-23) and loved it from beginning to end. We were especially happy to be out of Havana and see more of the country, including Santa Clara, Trinidad and Cienfuegos. Go if you can, you won’t regret a minute.

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Colombia: salsa lessons, night swimming in bioluminescence, rum & exotic fruit tasting…

LAUREN SCHOR | FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Boris and his team put together a fabulous five-night getaway over Presidents’ weekend for our family of three (our daughter is 14). From our first conversation, I knew that Boris understood exactly what we were hoping to get out of this trip—culture, food, activities, and some time to unwind. Since we had a limited amount of time, we took an easy five-hour direct flight from New York to Cartagena. We spent three nights relaxing at the Sofitel Baru beach resort, which is brand new and a 90-minute drive from the airport and the city. Boris had suggested we do the bioluminescent plankton night activity, which we all loved! Swimming in the warm water at night with glowing microorganisms around us was an incredible experience!

We then spent another two nights at Casa Pestagua, a beautiful boutique hotel in the walled city. Cartagena is a colorful, picturesque, walkable small city with beautiful spots around every corner. After a couple of conversations about our interests and travel style, Boris arranged some amazing activities for us: a private salsa dancing lesson in a nightclub; a chocolate, rum, and exotic fruit tasting; a street food tasting and street art walk; a historical tour of the city, and a cooking class on our last morning. We also had plenty of time for wandering around and shopping for some fun treasures. Boris planned out our schedule perfectly. One thing to be prepared for is the weather. I knew it was going to be hot, but the humidity made it feel even warmer. We took plenty of breaks in cool stores and restaurants, but it’s something to be aware of.

People back home were surprised to hear that we were going to Colombia because of the country’s history and reputation, but Colombia is not what it was 25 years ago—we never felt one bit unsafe. If you’re thinking about going to Colombia, go now, before it gets too popular and crowded, and definitely let Boris plan your trip! Cartagena is a gem and I hope to work with Boris again on another trip to see more of this beautiful country!

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Switzerland: hiking, skiing, and sledging; Swiss cheese, chocolate and wine by moonlight

ASHLEY POINT | FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Our family of five (2 adults and 3 kids ages 7-13) just returned from our ski holiday in Grindelwald, Switzerland. Skiing in Switzerland is different than in the US. Switzerland uses trains, gondolas and large lifts. There were mostly beginner and intermediate runs (with a few advanced runs). The mountain regions are huge and you can ski all day and never ski every run. We arrived in Zurich on Saturday; our driver took us to Grindelwald to stay at the Aspen hotel (we thought finding the train and transferring with three kids and lots of luggage would be too much).

The Aspen hotel is a small ski in/ski out hotel in the Jungfrau region. Everyone was very polite and helpful throughout the stay. We stayed in a family suite and a large breakfast was included every morning. Saturday evening we took a private guided sunset hike of Wengen with Weronika and tasted Swiss cheese, chocolate and wine by moonlight while overlooking the waterfalls in the region. She was great with the kids! We skied Sunday with instructors in the morning. They were able to give us the best ideas for the rest of our ski vacation. Monday we skied as a family. Tuesday we toured the area (Interlaken, Lucerne, Isenfluh and Bernese Oberland) with Celio. He took us up a small gondola to a local fondue spot (8 tables in the entire place). He was very knowledgeable about Switzerland, Europe, history, politics and more.

Wednesday and Thursday we skied again. On Friday we went to Funky Chocolate in Interlaken for a private chocolate making class and toured Interlaken while our chocolate dried. Afterwards we met up with Weronika again and raced down the slopes on sledges. We almost crashed several times, but it was wonderful fun and we wanted to do it longer but the lifts were closing. Overall, Nina and her team listened to our desires for 4 solid days of skiing with Swiss culture and fun for the kids thrown in. They surprised our son with a birthday cake and planned other surprises along the way. The only thing we wished we had saved time for was the paragliding. There were many in Interlaken and it looked thrilling!

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Malta: a visit with cloistered nuns at a monastery, private lunch on a secluded beach

CRAIG BORQUE | FEBRUARY 23, 2025

I knew from my initial conversations with Damon that he was going to plan a trip tailored well to our needs and tastes, but throughout our 7 days in Malta, it got better and better! He put us in a hotel perfectly located in Senglea, walking distance from Birgu and a quick boat ride or short drive over to the Capital City of Valletta. He scheduled our days perfectly to see everything Malta has to offer all over the island, while also balancing the needs of a 9-month-old!

Our guide Robert was one of the most knowledgeable, flexible, kind individuals I have ever encountered! He was with us our entire trip and I am forever grateful for the relationship we formed with him. We had more than one WOW Moment on our trip, but the one that stands out to me (due to our Catholic faith) was when Damon and Robert surprised us with something not on the itinerary. They scheduled a visit with one of the cloistered Jerosolimitan nuns at the Church and Monastery of Saint Ursula in Valletta. Robert has long-time family ties with the Monastery, and we felt so lucky and blessed to get to have that experience!

Overall, I will tell everyone I know to make sure Damon plans their trip to Malta! It exceeded all expectations! I also want to give a shout out to our driver Alex who was so good to us! Both he and Robert watched our son Jude at times so my wife and I could enjoy certain times, such as WOW Moment #2 that I can’t forget to mention. On our day trip to the island of Gozo, Damon arranged for someone to set up a private picnic for my wife and me to enjoy on a secluded beach. Waves rolling in, champagne, local cheeses and meats, etc. Truly stunning! We will return to Malta and reach out to Damon, Robert and Alex again!!

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Southeast Asia: visiting monks on a mountain, waterfall hikes, ox cart to candlelit dinner

DAVID AND BARBARA MYERSON KATZ | FEBRUARY 17, 2025

We’re experienced travelers, recently back from an amazing trip to Southeast Asia, beautifully arranged by Ethan who worked with us closely every step of the way—even helping us to negotiate an international departure slightly delayed at the last minute by a major snowstorm in the eastern US. (Yes, always make Day 1 of any trip a day at leisure. This is the second recent international trip we’ve taken where we’ve done so—and on which our initial arrival abroad was delayed, that time by a local airline workers strike! As with this trip, arriving a day late didn’t prevent us from seeing or doing anything that had been planned.)

We wanted to cover the highlights of four countries—Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia—independently and with opportunities to meet people who live and work where we’d visit, to walk and hike through beautiful landscapes, see wildlife, and eat delicious food, in roughly three weeks at a reasonably easy-going pace. Impossible, right?

Somehow, Ethan was able to put it all together for us, enlisting a network of charming, veteran guides at every stop who whisked us through transfers, knew exactly when and where to arrive at every point of interest and activity for immersive experiences without long waits or crowds, and provided uniquely personal experiences through their extensive local contacts. Our guides became friends and seemed to know instinctively exactly when we’d be hungry and when we needed to rest all along the way. Accommodations were exactly what we love when we travel—smaller, boutique-type hotels, locally owned, perfectly located, inviting, comfortable, restful—and within our budget.

Highlights from an unforgettable trip: A fascinating private conversation with a young Buddhist monk at beautiful mountain top monastery; quiet walks among temples shining in the light of a full moon; hikes—to a stunning waterfall near a moon bear rescue, up countless steps to breathtaking views of mountains, rivers and rice paddies (multiple massive steps seem to be a Southeast Asian thing!); walking through the jungle with rescued elephants roaming free; rowing, paddling and cruising Vietnam’s mysteriously beautiful bays, lakes and rivers, where we learned how to properly cast a fishing net and enjoyed a delicious lunch of fresh fish and vegetables on board a small boat; navigating the bright, bustling streets of Hanoi, Saigon and Bangkok (festooned for the upcoming Lunar New Year) while sampling local dishes and treats; visiting the home of retired teachers who served us tea, played traditional instruments, and allowed me, a singer, to try my hand at a tranh while singing solfeggio with our hostess; a ceremony celebrating the full moon with song and dance at the home of one of our guides along with his extended family; a candlelit dinner for two at sunset and under the stars at a beautiful remote location—transported there by ox cart; and sunrise—incredibly, away from the crowds—at Angkor Wat.

We arrived home feeling that we’d seen and done everything we’d hoped for and more. We recommend Ethan and his crew enthusiastically and without hesitation!

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British Virgin Islands: snorkeling with turtles, tubing off the dinghy, daydreaming on the flybridge

JEREMY SILVERMAN | FEBRUARY 16, 2025

Our family had an amazing Virgin Islands sailing vacation over this past winter break with the expert and valuable assistance of our planner, Mandy.

Our planning journey began later in the fall than it should (as usual for us when regular life gets in the way). With availability limited for our initial vacation idea, Wendy and Brook asked—based on how much we loved a catamaran day charter in Belize, on a prior WOW List trip—whether we would be interested in exploring a full week sailing charter. We had some initial concern that a week on a sailboat would be too much togetherness for our family of 4 (with kids ages 17 and 21). But we love being on the water and, after an introductory call with WOW List expert Mandy, we were comfortable that a charter could accommodate our family dynamics.

Among other considerations, our 21-year-old is on the autism spectrum—he is high functioning, but we would need the right space and, most importantly, the right crew for the vacation to be fun and comfortable (physically and otherwise). Mandy’s expertise and detailed knowledge of the available boats and her personal relationships with the crews were clear from our first conversation. She was extremely responsive, personable, and our planning process was personalized to our unique needs and priorities, ultimately landing on One Love for the week of December 20.

Within minutes of arriving in St. Thomas, meeting Captain Christian and Chef Laura and getting settled onto One Love, we knew we had made the right choice. The boat is beautiful, the bedrooms more spacious and comfortable than we expected, and the overall design and layout of the boat allowed for everyone to have their favorite spaces.
We could go on FOREVER about our incredible experience, but some highlights and details include:

• Our daily routine generally included my wife and I waking up for coffee on the flybridge for sunrise (not to be missed), followed by a leisurely breakfast (earlier for us, later for the kids) and usually some morning snorkeling or paddleboarding for me. From there, we would usually have some group morning activity, like a great snorkel spot (Maho Bay and Little Lameshur Bay, USVI, and The Indians, Cistern Rock and Wreck of the Rhone stand out) and delicious lunch on the boat before sailing for a couple of hours to another beautiful location. At some point mid-to-late afternoon, we would arrive at a gorgeous bay for more water activities—snorkeling, paddleboarding, or even tubing or wakeboarding off the back of the dinghy. Afternoon would lead into sunset “sundowner” appetizers and cocktails, then a fantastic dinner, family game night and then off to sleep and dream about the next day, then wake up and repeat!
• We can’t say enough about Christian and Laura—they are welcoming, kind, FUN and experts at what they do, while making everything seem effortless. We had an intro zoom with Christian and Laura about a month before our departure after completing a detailed questionnaire about us, including our activity, food and beverage favorites. That zoom conversation laid the groundwork for the most personalized vacation we’ve ever had. Laura provisioned the boat and created a food menu for the week tailored to exactly what we like. She is truly an excellent chef and every meal was a special experience. Our First Night of Hannukah/Christmas Eve dinner is one that we will never forget—our family is Jewish, but we told Christian and Laura that we wanted that night to be about sharing traditions (ours and theirs). With that in mind, Laura made potato latkes with homemade applesauce for the traditional Hannukah element, along with a salmon dish that was an ode to the Feast of Seven Fishes. The food was fantastic, but the personal care and attention took the whole experience to the next level.
• One Love offered plenty of space for everyone to enjoy their preferred environment at all times of day. During the sailing part of the day, each of us gravitated to their personal favorite location and activities—my wife and daughter were usually on the front of the boat to sunbathe and read, my son was watching college football bowl games in the shaded eating area in the back of the boat (the Wi-Fi was as good as my house in Atlanta), and I was on the flybridge watching the islands go by, eyeing beautiful sailboats and yachts and daydreaming away the afternoon.
• One of the many benefits of this type of vacation is the flexibility and spontaneity it allows. Our days always had some plan, but we truly could do what felt right in the moment and shift in whatever way was best for us. One of our family vacation mottos is that we never leave fun to chase fun—so when snorkeling with the turtles at Maho Bay was too good to leave until after lunch one day, we went a shorter distance that afternoon and spent that night in a different magical spot than was originally planned. On another day, our original mooring spot for the overnight was too windy, so Christian called an audible and we made our way to a less trafficked bay at Cooper Island with only one or two other boats. That evening, the fish activity under the boat was amazing—tarpon and other fish were swimming all around us after dinner. I asked my daughter if she wanted to do a night snorkel, she said yes and we were in the water in about 7 minutes. We snorkeled in darkness with a flashlight and saw things we’d never seen before or in the same way. Along the way, we found ourselves eye-to-eye with two cuttlefish (squid) that were rapid fire changing colors in every share of luminescence. Normally, they are skittish and you can’t get close, but they were literally inches away and let us touch them without swimming away.

Like I said, we could go on forever about our magical week on One Love, but by now you should get the picture. We are already looking forward to Mandy helping plan our next sailing charter vacation, maybe in Greece or Croatia (or both)!

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Norway: hot tubs & champagne, snowshoeing, getting Northern Lights sightings down to a science

JERRY HULLER | FEBRUARY 14, 2025

A bucket list trip of mine has been to travel to see the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). I visited Iceland a year ago, but only saw the Aurora for a few minutes on 2 nights of a 4-night trip; they were not very prominent. I learned that seeing the Aurora is somewhat a matter of luck. You need dark skies, mostly clear skies, and solar activity causing favorable Aurora viewing conditions as measured by the Kp Index (measure of global geomagnetic disturbance), HPI or Hemispheric Power Index (total energy of the Aurora), and Bz (solar magnetic direction).

In Wendy Perrin’s newsletter, I have read about successful trips to Tromsø and Alta, Norway, to see the Aurora. So I decided to travel about 400 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle to Alta, which is less commercialized and less crowded than Tromsø. I chose to visit in the winter around a new moon for darker skies. I knew it would be cold in northern Norway, so I said to myself, “I’d like to see the Aurora from a hot tub!” I knew I would need mostly clear skies which is not always guaranteed, so I decided on a 5-night visit to enhance my chances of success. I knew I would need someone with specialized knowledge about the area, so I contacted Wendy’s WOW List planner, Torunn, to arrange my trip.

Thanks possibly to an intervention by Torunn with the Norse gods, I was lucky to see the Aurora on 2 of the 5 nights, including from hot tubs at two different locations in the Alta area—the Björnfjell Mountain Lodge and the Onga Boutique Hotel. So all my expectations were met! We were even surprised with some gifts of champagne and chocolate at our lodges and hotels by Torunn’s team.

Torunn and her staff (including Danny and Thea) listened carefully to what my wife and I were interested in doing, tailored the trip accordingly, and then made adjustments based upon our feedback. They even suggested staying at a second location in Alta, the newly opened Onga Boutique Hotel, which was a definite winner to me. They arranged for all ground transportation, meals, hot tub visits at Björnfjell and a cabin at Onga with a private outdoor hot tub (and sauna). We decided not to do dog mushing, but enjoyed a snowshoe hike with a local insider, lunch in a lavvu, a bonfire dinner (but no stargazing because of the cloudy skies), a tour of the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel with a drink at the Ice Bar, a reindeer sled ride, and stories by a Sami (indigenous person) around a fire. We had to skip a frozen river walk due to a pulled muscle I suffered. Torunn also arranged for an Aurora Dome for us at the Onga—it’s basically a geodesic glass igloo with a wood pellet stove for warmth for observing the Aurora; you could sleep there if you wanted. To me, there was too much light reflection from the stove for stargazing or observing the Aurora. At the Onga, the staff did have daily Aurora walks, weather permitting; one night was cancelled due to cloudy weather; the other night we saw the Aurora prominently in the night sky.
The meals at the hotels, including one meal at the Maku restaurant at the Sorrisniva Artic Wilderness Lodge, were excellent. At the different hotels, we savored reindeer stew, reindeer steak, moose steak, halibut, and cod. We had a choice of dinner meals at the Björnfjell and a gourmet chef at the Onga.

Torunn and her staff also arranged for us a nice hotel, the Amerikalinjen, in Oslo, Norway, on our stopover flights back to the US.

I would definitely recommend Torunn and Up Norway to others. She and her staff did an excellent job with planning the trip to meet our desires.

Aurora tips: bring a tripod if you’re interested in getting time-lapse videos of the Northern Lights. Wear a glove liner that will work with your camera or smartphone; it’s cold in the winter. Locals told me the best Aurora viewing is when the temperature is -10 to -20 degrees Celsius or colder; there tend to be few clouds in such conditions. The best viewing we experienced of the Northern Lights was at the Sorrisniva (we saw the Lights from horizon to horizon) and at the Onga (in a valley, but great views). My wife and I got good photos with the Night Mode on our smartphones (iPhones), which are 2 and 3 versions old. I got some good time-lapse videos using the tripod and the NightCap app for my iPhone. Find and use a good Aurora app or Internet website, or check with your hotel or lodge staff; I used https://northernlightsmap.com and https://Aurorasaurus.org.

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Vietnam, Cambodia & Thailand: meditate with monks, work an organic farm, Angkor Wat sunrise

LISA WOLLAN | FEBRUARY 12, 2025

Our 22-day trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand was truly a once in a lifetime adventure! We worked with Ethan (and later Corban). We’ve traveled a fair amount and have done lots of planning but have never had such a seamless trip. From being met at airports, getting our visa in Cambodia, transfers between hotels, cars, tuk tuks, meals, entrance into sights, being flexible and accommodating us when we had a request, all went without a visual hitch. We know this took TONS of planning beforehand and lots of coordination by our planners, guides, drivers, etc. It was amazing!

We appreciated the guides’ openness and their different views of history, including social and political life that resulted from their experiences. Their openness gave us a comprehensive view of a complicated history that extends to current life. All day every day, we asked questions. Each and every guide was knowledgeable, friendly, easy to be with and open to us and our questions. By the end of our time with each guide, they felt like friends.

There are so many highlights, it’s hard to narrow it down. We saw the typical tourist sights (which were amazing), but also were given access to behind-the-scene experiences in Vietnam and Cambodia that we couldn’t have done on our own. We’ve watched Anthony Bourdain travel segments and commented on how it would be cool to have such unique experiences like he did. This trip was filled with them. From meeting an organic farmer and working on her farm, to getting a glimpse into the life of the floating villagers near Tonle Sap, to morning meditation with monks are just a few of the examples. Other favorites were the Jack Tran Eco tour, Vespa night tour in Saigon, night food tour in Phnom Penh, all the activities on the day that ended with dinner at Villa Chandara. Coming out from watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat, we had a table set with China in a field for breakfast. Nearby three local kids were singing happy birthday to us and giggling when we interacted with them. A very nice touch planned by the team.

The hotels were first rate, our favorite being the Jaya House River Park in Siem Reap. Food was delicious including some multicourse lunches that were part of our package.

Our wish and goal for our trip was to get a deeper understanding of the countries we visited, their history and the lives of the people who live there. We came away with that and much more. We can’t say enough nice things about the whole experience.

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Costa Rica: birding in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, sunsets on the Nicoya Peninsula

JOE LYLE | FEBRUARY 11, 2025

We’ve just returned from our second trip to Costa Rica, expertly organized by Irene and smoothly executed by her team. Our first visit, also arranged by the group, took us to the Osa Peninsula and Manuel Antonio National Park. This time, we asked Irene to plan an adventure exploring other parts of the Pacific coast, and she created an itinerary that included the Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Teresa on the Nicoya Peninsula. These two destinations offered different experiences, starting with four nights at the Senda Hotel in Monteverde.

Our guide, Jonathan, was incredibly knowledgeable about the local fauna, wildlife, and bird species. One highlight was a day spent hiking through Selvatura Park, where we marveled at the breathtaking views from the eight suspension bridges high above the forest floor. We were fortunate enough to spot a Quetzal, a bird that many birdwatchers visit Monteverde specifically to see, as it has the largest population in the area. The following day, Jonathan led us to the Curicancha Reserve, where we observed various bird species, even captivating the attention of us non-birders.

The Senda Monteverde Hotel offered several walking paths and was conveniently close to the Aguti Wildlife Reserve for hiking and exploration. We didn’t need to go far to encounter a large family of coatis playing, agoutis darting about, and wild pigs squealing—sometimes right outside our front porch! After a long drive with our driver, Norman, we arrived at our next stop, the Nantipa Beachfront Resort in Santa Teresa. Here, we relished our beachfront bungalow, spent time by the pool, and enjoyed peaceful beach walks. We were treated to spectacular sunsets each evening, capping off a day of pure relaxation.

What made both locations so special was the option to tailor our experience—whether we wanted a laid-back retreat or an adventurous one, with activities like zip-lining, horseback riding, surfing, and immersing ourselves in nature. We’re already planning our next trip to Costa Rica and know that Irene and team will deliver another unforgettable experience.

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Mexico: Oaxaca cooking, visiting Chichen Itza, swimming in a cenote, Lucha Libre wrestling

LAURIE RICHTER | FEBRUARY 9, 2025

Our trip to Mexico included five adult couples aged 60-70 who traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico City and Merida. Zach and his colleagues planned eleven nights of activity, meals and exploration. After an initial issue with our first hotel was resolved, all our lodgings were top notch and exactly what we asked for. Chable Yucatan was the kind of place that made us wish we had just one day more to stay and take advantage of what the resort had to offer. Just stunning.

Our tour and transportation arrangements were flawless. Moving ten people around isn’t easy and we had modern vans and drivers with us all of the time. There were so many places to explore and activities to do that Zach and team gave us as options, and then set up for us once we had chosen. Some of the highlights were visits to crafter families, the cooking class outside of Oaxaca, the chinampa agri-tour and tacos and Mescal tour in Mexico City, and the cenote swim and lunch on the way back from Chichen Itza near Merida. With ten, it usually made sense to have dinner reservations, and we liked going back and forth between fine dining and more casual neighborhood dining. Another fun night time activity was Lucha Libre wrestling in Mexico City. Unforgettable.

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Egypt: pyramids and temples, camel markets, hot air ballooning, and villages along the Nile

HELEN BLUMEN | FEBRUARY 6, 2025

Egypt is a wonderful place to visit, with so many different things to see and do. The variety is incredible—it’s not just pyramids and temples, but camel markets, small villages along the Nile, and lovely handicrafts.

Seema arranged a magnificent trip. Excellent guides, amazing food, fabulous accommodation. And best of all, great pacing, so that we could take it all in.

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Galapagos: kayaking to rare sights, snorkeling with sea lions, scuba with hammerheads

SHELBY WILLETS | FEBRUARY 2, 2025

Allie planned an adventurous 2-week land-based tip to the Galapagos for our family of 3 over winter break 2024. Traveling with our teenage son, we like to keep an active schedule. Allie understood the assignment and delivered an action-packed vacation. Highlights included a private kayaking excursion where we had access to sites rarely seen by visitors, snorkeling with playful sea lions and SCUBA diving with schooling hammerhead sharks—a bucket list item. For our WOW Moment, we were treated to a private photo shoot with the giant tortugas—perfect timing for our Holiday cards!

Since we booked our trip less than a year in advance, Allie had to work some magic to find large hotel rooms that would accommodate the 3 of us. As a result, we stayed at three different hotels. Which was not a hassle as Allie arranged for our luggage to be transported from hotel to hotel while we were out exploring. We actually enjoyed experiencing 3 different properties.

We enjoy traveling with Wendy Perrin’s trusted travel experts as it makes our vacations true vacations—we know that the details are taken care so we can relax and enjoy our time together as a family.

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Chile: enjoying Atacama Desert and Altiplano explorations in spite of medical issues

KAREN LINDFORS | FEBRUARY 2, 2025

We arrived in the Atacama Desert of Chile following a trip to Antarctica. What a change in scenery! Mark planned our journey to the Atacama which was supposed to be followed by an overland traversa into Bolivia (more on that later). We stayed at the Explora Atacama Hotel and we cannot say enough about how wonderful it was. Mark had arranged a private guide and driver for us so we were able to pick and choose the “explorations” we took part in. We did a wondrous variety of things, from soaking in a private natural hot spring to sliding down sand dunes to doing a river hike in a beautiful red rock canyon. Our visit was capped off with a trip to see the geyser field on the altiplano at 14,000 feet of elevation, which included a breakfast while we watched vicunas roam. Magnificent!

We were only supposed to stay at the Explora Atacama for three nights before journeying into Bolivia, but on our first full day there my husband developed a kidney stone. The hotel staff and our guide could not have been more helpful or kinder. Maureen, the hotel manager, arranged for a doctor to come to the hotel. She also drove us to the pharmacy in San Pedro de Atacama several times. They were in contact with Mark’s team who kept track of our situation. My husband found that walking and being active kept the pain level down so he was able to enjoy all but one of the excursions.

Knowing that we were going to be in a remote part of Bolivia at high altitude, we decided it was best to cancel that part of our trip. We returned home, kidney stone and all, after staying at the Explora for five nights. Mark has been very helpful and prompt in getting documents to us so that we can make a claim on our insurance. Three days after we returned home, my husband passed the stone and is pain free. We are so grateful that both Mark’s team and the Explora folks took such good care of us. We would not hesitate to use them in future travels.

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Egypt: the grandeur of history, landscapes, and ancient wonders, with ambience of drifting feluccas

TINA HUNT | FEBRUARY 1, 2025

Egypt is a destination that truly takes one back to adventures of their favorite archeologist or treasure hunter. The fusion of ancient history, breathtaking landscapes, and warm hospitality made this journey unforgettable. We all three had an amazing time in Egypt with many thanks to our wonderful guides (special shout out to Sammy and George for going the extra mile) and overall trip organization through Jim’s very talented team. Here’s a few of the highlights:

The Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx:
Standing in the shadow of these ancient wonders is an experience unlike any other. Their sheer size and timeless grandeur are staggering. Arrive early to beat the crowds, plus our guide took us counter clockwise through the site (i.e., started at the exit which made the experience even more engaging). We recommend going to the Museum of Antiquity the day before heading to the Great Pyramids when in Cairo. Otherwise, it’s sort of like seeing the grand finale of fireworks without the pre-show ;)

Abu Simbel:
This monumental site is awe-inspiring both for its size and the incredible feat of relocating it to save it from flooding. Catching it at sunrise can be unforgettable though any time of day you can get you will not be disappointed.

The Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan:
This historic gem is a masterpiece of elegance and luxury. Perched on the banks of the Nile, it offers stunning views, especially at sunset. Sipping cocktails or tea on the terrace while watching feluccas drift by felt like stepping back into an Agatha Christie novel. Even if you’re not staying there, a visit is a must for its ambiance and connection to Egypt’s golden age of travel. We enjoyed it so much that we added an extra day here. The formal dining is a completely different experience than the morning buffet and we found it very enjoyable.

Luxor & Karnak Temples:
These temples are unparalleled in scale and detail. Walking through the Hypostyle Hall in Karnak, with its forest of massive columns, was like stepping into a different world. We felt that the night light show made the Karnak temple come alive with wonder plus the much smaller crowd was an added bonus and would highly recommend doing the night light show before touring the site during the day.

Luxor Temple, especially when illuminated at night, we’ve heard can be pure magic. Though we decided that a daylight tour gave us enough of an overview, we wish we had done the night viewing of this temple after the impact that such a visit had on us from the Karnak.

Valley of the Kings:
Exploring the tombs of ancient pharaohs was a deeply humbling experience. The vibrancy of the wall paintings and the sense of history they evoke are unmatched. We were amazed by the range of artwork and color palette still visible after all this time.

Tomb of the Nobles (Aswan):
This was an unexpected delight. These lesser-known tombs, belonging to ancient officials and governors, are more intimate than the grandiose royal tombs. The beautifully preserved artwork, personal stories, and quiet atmosphere made it a truly memorable. Be sure to purchase a sculpture or two from the few folks that are working hard to make a living in this less traveled area.

Nile River Cruise on The Oberoi Zahra (Kom Ombo & Edfu Temples):
Cruising the Nile is both serene and fascinating, with each stop bringing new wonders. The Oberoi staff and setup on the Zahra were just wonderful. The meals were exceptional, along with the service. The well placed excursions added to the fun and sense of adventure for the cruise.

• Kom Ombo Temple: A fascinating dual temple dedicated to Sobek (the crocodile god) and Horus. The mummified crocodiles in the onsite museum were a unique touch.
• Edfu Temple: One of the most well-preserved temples in Egypt, dedicated to Horus. Its towering columns and hieroglyphics gave a vivid sense of ancient life and ritual.

Egypt exceeded every expectation and then some. It’s a journey that stays with you long after you leave.

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* 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.