December News Just Released

Happy Sunday!

Here we are in the final month of 2025. I feel like I just packed away last year’s decorations, and now the holidays are calling again. This season always brings a mix of reflection and anticipation, and that feels especially true for me this year. One of my highlights has been reshaping Sojourn Explorers and creating this dedicated space to share luxury wellbeing travel experiences with you.

When Sojourn Explorers first began, the focus was on group hiking and pilgrimage journeys. Then came curated solo adventures and small-group trips. More recently, I added the option to book individual experiences with select partners. And now, as of Thanksgiving, something new has opened.

I can connect you with some of the finest travel companies in the world. Names you may recognize:

Abercrombie & Kent
Explora Journeys
Four Seasons Private Jet
Hurtigruten
Kensington Tours
National Geographic Expeditions
National Geographic – Lindblad Expeditions
Paul Gauguin Cruises
Ponant Explorations
Silversea Cruises
Tauck

You may already book with some of these companies. Working through Sojourn Explorers adds something different. I take the time to understand what you enjoy, how you prefer to experience a place, and what you want this next journey to offer. From there, I guide you toward experiences that genuinely fit. You receive added benefits such as upgrades, special offers, breakfast, and credits during your stay, though the real value is having someone who looks out for your experience from the start.

Transformational travel has always been at the heart of my work. Some places reveal something meaningful when you give yourself to them fully. This month, I want to revisit journeys that offer a deeper perspective. These are destinations where nature, culture, and meaning come together in ways that stay with you.

SOJOURN EXPLORERS
HIGHLIGHT BOX

PONANT x The Explorers Club

Voyages for the Curious, the Courageous,
and the Deeply Alive

Some journeys leave a lasting imprint. Standing at the edge of the Antarctic Circle. Watching light move across the Chilean fjords. Experiencing the vibrant cultures of Papua New Guinea. These are the kinds of moments that open you in unexpected ways.

As a long-time member of The Explorers Club, I am grateful to share PONANT EXPLORATIONS with you. These expeditions bring you into remote regions with intention and care, guided by scientists, naturalists, and field researchers who share their work throughout the journey. It feels less like a cruise and more like witnessing the planet in real time.

A glimpse of what awaits:
• Beyond the Antarctic Circle
• New Zealand’s Subantarctic Islands
• Inuit Spring of Ammassalik
• Scottish Archipelagos & the Faroe Islands
• Australia’s Kimberley
• The Geographic North Pole
• New Guinea Odyssey
• Chilean Fjords
• Belize & Caribbean Nature Sanctuaries

Each voyage is immersive, thoughtful, and designed to offer a deeper connection with the world around you.

TAKE A SHOT AT HAPPINESS RETREATS
Nepal

February 20–27, 2026 | 8 Days
All-Inclusive | Limited to 16 Guests

Nepal has a way of inviting you into a slower, more present way of living. Your journey begins at The Dwarika’s, Kathmandu, where centuries of artistry are reflected in every corridor and courtyard. You visit sacred sites, step into rituals that have anchored Nepalese life for generations, and feel the history that lives through its people.

Midweek, you travel to Dwarika’s Sanctuary in Dhulikhel. The hills open to the Himalayas, and with them comes a natural sense of expansion. Mornings support meditation, breathwork, and reflection. Evenings offer mantra chanting, sound healing, energy practices, and writing that helps you hear your own truth.

There is time to explore local villages, time to meet with an Ayurvedic doctor, and time to photograph what draws your attention. You return home lighter, clearer, and more connected to what matters now.

New Mexico

All-Inclusive | Limited to 10 Guests
April 8–12, 2026 | 5 Days | All-Inclusive | Limited to 10 Guests

Set on Ted Turner’s 550,000-acre private reserve, this retreat gives you room to unwind and reconnect with yourself in a meaningful way.

Here, explore meadows and forested trails, and breathe crisp mountain air. Elk and bison move freely across the landscape. Evenings gather around the fire, where conversations often lead to insight. You photograph scenes that reflect what is shifting inside you and engage in practices that support clarity and direction.

You return home focused, refreshed, and ready for what comes next.

Why Travel with Me

Travel holds power when it reflects the stage of life you are in. Some journeys ask you to explore. Others ask you to pause and reflect. Others help you see your path with new perspective. My role is to listen closely to what you seek and build an experience that honors that intention.

My background as a storyteller and wellbeing teacher guides how I design each journey. I look for places that naturally encourage insight and personal meaning. No templates. No generic itineraries. Just thoughtful planning shaped around who you are and what you hope to experience.

You may travel far, though what you learn along the way often follows you home and influences the choices you make moving forward.

Photo Op + Action Opportunity:
A Moment of Holiday Meaning

December often moves quickly, yet it still offers brief moments that speak to us. As you move through the holiday season, take a photograph of something that brings a sense of warmth or meaning to your day. It might be a familiar tradition, a gesture, a color, or a simple detail that makes you pause.

Write one sentence about what this image reflects in your life right now.

Let it be genuine and personal.

This season often reveals what truly matters when we give ourselves a moment to notice.


Your fellow Sojourner,

Maria Baltazzi, PhD, MFA
Happiness Explorer | Wellbeing Teacher
Founder of
Sojourn Explorers
Award-Winning Author,
Take a Shot at Happiness
Emmy-Winning Producer

Know someone who would enjoy these journeys? You are welcome to share this with them.

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Sojourn to Happiness

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