have you met our founder darren?

Those who have, know that he is a man of many talents — someone who could have gone in many directions in life. Darren left finance on a high 15 years ago (a brassy move, to be sure) to follow his heart and start a company that combined his passions: travel, animals, wine, and food. His colleagues at the bank he was working for at the time said, “Are you kidding?” and recounted tales of failed passion projects. His friends and parents said, “Are you sure?” and worried he was too young to take himself out of the game. Darren was a professed bachelor with no kids and a strong moral compass — and he was ready to press go.

 

Fourteen years, one wife (and business partner), and two kids later, Travel Sommelier is a thriving company that has brought travel joy to multitudes. Mike and Hailey, our two other salespeople, took similar leaps to land in their dream seats. Travel Sommelier now sends clients all over the globe at the most refined and personalized level, while employing a robust staff to ensure journeys happen seamlessly.

 

In this month of gratitude, we give thanks for taking risks, following dreams, the TS team, and our CLIENTS. Thank you!

 

“Do what you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” — Confucius

 

— The TS Team

Girls’ spa trips and the female quest for sacred roots have been trending for years… but what about the men? Here’s one man’s search for zen in Sri Lanka — a destination Darren returned from absolutely lit up.

 

Sri Lanka is, as locals say, “a land like no other.” After several weeks there, Darren understood why: the country blends the spices and Ayurveda of India with the stillness and cleanliness of Japan, set against extraordinary contrasts. With opposing monsoons — one coast glowing while the other rests — there are only narrow windows when you can truly “have it all.” Experiencing that timing firsthand was essential. Darren broke his journey into three pillars: spiritual, spa, and physical.

 

Spiritual: At a monastery, Darren had a private deep-dive session with a Buddhist monk — an experience not offered to the public. It became an open-ended conversation about Buddhism, philosophy, and modern mindfulness. As Darren shared, “They care, and they share,” from monks to everyday people — including a fruit vendor who even offered him money out of pure kindness.

 

Wellness/Spa: His visit began with a full Ayurvedic assessment that shaped a customized plan of yoga, meditation, massage, heat/cold therapy, and daily rituals. Meals were clean and light — curries, rice and noodle dishes, cinnamon, and king coconut water. And the tea. He left with glowing skin and a deeper understanding of his body and optimal diet. Sri Lanka also offers unique experiences like fire-walking ceremonies and behind-the-scenes tea-estate tours.

 

Physical: Darren hiked and biked through rice fields and villages, and discovered a thriving surf culture on the south coast. An unexpected highlight: Sri Lanka is a major birding destination. Yala National Park attracts migratory species flying south over the Himalayas — a detail that stunned even Darren.

 

After exploring the island firsthand, one thing was clear: Sri Lanka’s depth can’t be understood from afar. It has to be lived, felt, and tasted — and for Darren, it delivered a wholehearted reset.

Travel Sommelier’s Rae and Hilary have just returned from an African adventure, and one place left a lasting imprint: Sterrekopje Farm.

 

Before or after a safari, you may need a place that grounds you — a place that helps you arrive or return. Sterrekopje does both. It’s a quiet counterpoint to the wild, the perfect bookend that deepens everything you’re about to experience or everything you’ve just seen. Time here is quietly transformative — the kind of place you don’t just describe, you feel. You arrive as one person, and something within you subtly rearranges. From the moment you step onto the land, the intention is palpable. No door numbers, no menus, no clocks — nothing to rush. You return to presence. The only “menu” is a list of soul-opening questions placed on the dinner table, drawing strangers together like old friends.
 

The décor is its own language — effortlessly chic and full of emotional texture. Tactile invitations to slow down are everywhere: woven textiles, copper cups, handmade ceramics from the art studio next door. Hundreds of books meant to be touched and shared, maybe while sipping a garden tincture or wandering inward to meet yourself again. At the spa, healers work with ancient gentleness beneath ceilings of dried herbs and flowers harvested from the farm. It feels like the earth is holding you.
 

Foodies will adore the kitchen, which seems as if it leapt straight from Julia Child’s imagination: vintage copper molds on the wall, farmhouse tables, herbs just picked, and garden elixirs that nourish before you taste them. Sterrekopje is a sensory experience. When you leave, something in you is quieter, clearer. The wild makes more sense after your body has truly exhaled.

 

For anyone traveling through South Africa at the beginning or end of a safari, Sterrekopje is the ideal spiritual bookend. Begin here or end here — either way, you’ll understand your safari, and yourself, more fully.

As the season of giving begins, we find ourselves reflecting on the women who do it all—those who give endlessly to their families, careers, and communities, often leaving little time for themselves.

 

That’s why we’re excited to share Fire & Reign, a 5-day private retreat in Anguilla created in partnership with Travel Sommelier. Designed for high-achieving women ready to pause the giving and return to themselves, this experience offers something far more meaningful than another wrapped gift: renewal, clarity, and reconnection.

This isn’t a getaway—it’s a gateway. Through somatic healing, intentional visioning, and elemental connection, participants will rediscover what truly lights them up beyond achievement—returning home clear, grounded, and reignited.

 

Give her (or yourself) the rarest gift of all this season: space to be seen, held, and transformed.

 

Fire & Reign takes place February 21–25, 2026. Reach out to us for more details on this extraordinary experience.