Howzit! Just back from a family trip to Tanzania, and awe is on the mind. Some journeys dazzle. Others transform. The most moving travels begin with awe - that rare, electric feeling that stops you in your tracks and reminds you how vast, beautiful, and connected the world truly is. It is the experience of encountering something extraordinary, a moment that stretches your perspective and sparks reverence, wonder, and humility. At its finest, travel creates these moments. Horizons alive with migrating wildlife. The quiet spectacle of the Northern Lights. Snow-covered peaks that make you feel small. Connections with communities whose values and culture are profoundly different from your own. These experiences do more than inspire - they reshape how we see the world. This month, we are lifting the curtain on how we design journeys where wonder is the destination. Cheers! Darren & the Somms |
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What most see on National Geographic is only one chapter of East Africa’s Great Migration. In reality, nearly two million wildebeest, zebra, and antelope move year-round, guided by rain, grass, and instinct. We recently returned, and after watching it unfold - our boys were completely captivated. After countless safaris, we are letting you in on a secret that few travelers ever witness. From January through April, the southern Serengeti comes alive with newborn calves. Peak calving in February blankets the plains with thousands of tiny new lives, an intimate display you won’t often hear about. By mid-year, the herds head north into Kenya, returning south by December to complete the loop. These quieter months of winter and spring offer the perfect window to experience the wildlife up close, far from the crowds. With careful timing and strategically placed mobile camps, this extraordinary spectacle can be enjoyed privately and intimately, perfectly timed for family adventures during school breaks. Visiting the local Datoga tribe takes the trip to another level. These rural communities are part of the landscape itself - and finding them is a journey in its own right. Eye-opening and impossible to fully grasp from afar…this is one of the most wonder-inducing experiences you can have. Let us help you find the secret season…here and anywhere. |
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Sometimes awe shows up where you least expect it. Travel Sommelier’s Hailey just returned from Montana, where winter is not measured in ski runs - it is measured in moments of splendor. Horseback across 25,000 untouched acres. Fly fishing, sapphire mining, old saloons, hand-crafted beaver-fur hats from a tiny atelier with decades of tradition. Concierges handle every detail, kids disappear into their own adventures, and Tuesdays bring rodeo under winter skies. Bowling alleys in the saloon, slopeside pizza surprises, shooting ranges, ATV wildlife tours, and equestrian programs where you can literally adopt a pony for the week. We have the inside intel on a destination where ages five to eighty can find their rhythm. Adventure comes first, with luxury quietly woven throughout. Extraordinary experiences often live just beyond the obvious - and we are here to take you there. |
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Looking Up - Celestial Travels |
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Some of the most profound travel experiences happen overhead. 2026 and 2027 bring extraordinary celestial events - rare planetary alignments, the Northern Lights, and a once-in-a-century total solar eclipse crossing North Africa. These fleeting cosmic moments turn destinations into stages for something timeless. A few highlights worth traveling for… + Aug 12, 2026 — Total solar eclipse crossing Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. + Feb 6, 2027 — Annular “ring of fire” eclipse across Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. + August 2, 2027 — The Great African Eclipse, one of the longest total solar eclipses of the century. Learn more about your chance to experience it, the Travel Sommelier way. |
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Until the next trip to toast, |
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9 Standish Street
Duxbury, MA 02332, USA |
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