Trips for 2026 Now Open

Happy Sunday!

Tonight is the final evening of Hanukkah. Christmas arrives on Thursday, and Kwanzaa follows the next day. It is a joyful, festive time around the world, and equally a time for spiritual reflection. A moment to begin closing the door on this past year and to consider what we want to carry into the next.

While there is much to celebrate, there is also a heaviness for many. I am shocked by the recent loss of well-known and beloved figures and deeply saddened by the friends who have departed. In moments like these, I find myself thinking about the “no mores” that accompany loss.

No more holidays with family and friends. No more opportunities to make right what was left unresolved. No hugs or kisses from those we care about. This brings my attention back to the value of time and how I choose to use it. I am sure I am not alone in this reflection.

For me, it is not about pondering the legacy I want to leave behind. I believe my legacy lies in my efforts to be a good human, to do my best, and to support others where possible. That is a big part of why I write about happiness and wellbeing and design experiences that feel meaningful. What matters most to me is how I spend the 1,440 minutes I am given each day when I wake up, and how I can support others in fully experiencing theirs.

When Sojourn Explorers first began, the focus was on group hiking and pilgrimage journeys. Then came curated solo adventures and small-group trips. Today, I can connect you with some of the world’s finest travel companies, opening access to journeys across the globe. These partnerships include collaborations with:

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

…and a lot more

You are invited and always welcome to explore the Sojourn Explorers way—where luxury and adventure meet experiences that inspire awe, challenge perspective, and open new ways of seeing the world.

I take the time to understand what you enjoy, how you prefer to experience a place, and what you want your next journey to offer. From there, I guide you toward experiences that genuinely fit. You receive additional benefits such as upgrades, special offers, breakfast, and credits during your stay. The real value comes from having someone who looks out for your experience from the start.

Transformational travel that uplifts you has always been at the heart of my work. I offer destinations where nature, culture, and meaning come together in ways that stay with you.

SOJOURN EXPLORERS
HIGHLIGHT BOX

Celebrate Europe: 2026–2027 Voyages with National Geographic-Linblad Expeditions Anniversary Offer

You step aboard a small expedition ship as the coastline comes into view. Villages appear where land meets sea. Stone harbors, rugged cliffs, and narrow inlets reveal places larger ships never reach. You arrive with time to explore on foot, notice your surroundings, and engage with the place without feeling rushed.

As the journey continues, Europe shows itself through layers of history and daily life. Scientists and regional experts share what they know from working in these environments, offering context that deepens what you are seeing as you move through each destination. Landscapes and traditions begin to connect, creating a clearer sense of place rather than a series of stops.

This Anniversary Offer opens access to select 2026–2027 expeditions for travelers who want to experience Europe with depth, curiosity, and intention.

TAKE A SHOT AT HAPPINESS RETREATS
Nepal

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

You arrive in Kathmandu and immediately feel the pace of life change. Sounds soften. Movements slow. At The Dwarika’s, carved wood, stone courtyards, and flickering lamps invite you to linger rather than rush. Days unfold through temple visits, sacred sites, and rituals that have quietly shaped daily life for centuries.

Midweek, the journey carries you beyond the city to Dhulikhel. Hills roll outward. The Himalayas rise in the distance. Mornings begin with stillness, breath, and reflection as light moves across the landscape. Evenings bring mantra, sound, and writing, offering a chance to listen more closely to what has been asking for your attention.

You photograph what draws you in without explanation. You walk village paths. You meet with an Ayurvedic doctor. Conversations take on depth without effort. By the time you return home, something has shifted in how you relate to time, intention, and what truly matters to you now.

New Mexico

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

Here, the land stretches wide. The air feels clear. You settle into Vermejo’s historic Bartlett Cottage and begin to notice how little you need to do to feel present.

Days are spent walking the land, watching elk cross open fields, noticing light move across forest and meadow. Photography becomes a way of exploring rather than documenting. Writing offers space to articulate thoughts that rarely surface at home. Evenings gather around the fire, where conversation flows naturally and silence feels welcome.

Set on Ted Turner’s 550,000-acre reserve, this retreat offers time to consider what you are ready to release and what you want to carry forward. You leave with a clearer sense of direction and trust in your next steps.

Why Travel with Me

I approach travel the same way I approach writing and reflection. I pay attention to what a place asks of you rather than what it promises. I consider how an environment shapes thought, emotion, and perspective.

I curate experiences that make room for genuine engagement with place. That means allowing time to linger, choosing settings that invite reflection, and designing journeys at a pace that supports awareness rather than constant motion.

This is travel for people who value depth, discernment, and time well spent. The goal is not to collect moments, rather to have moments that clarify how you want to live.

Photo Op + Action Opportunity: A Moment of Holiday Meaning

During these days at the end of the year, notice a moment that stops you. Lift your camera and capture it as it is.

Write one sentence about why this moment asked for your attention.

What stands out at year’s end usually reflects what feels most meaningful in this moment.


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

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Sojourn to Happiness

Sign up for Maria Baltazzi’s Take a Shot at Happiness newsletter for practical ways to bring more happiness and meaning into your life. An award-winning author and happiness explorer, Maria shares science-backed tools to shift unproductive thoughts, stay inspired, and grow in fulfilling ways. Her book, Take a Shot at Happiness, has won multiple awards, including the Independent Press, NYC Big Book, and Nautilus Book Awards. She uniquely integrates camera phone photography and journaling as tools for self-reflection and personal growth. Each issue offers insightful advice, uplifting quotes, and simple ways to enhance your wellbeing. Join a community that values purpose, creativity, and happiness.