Wild & Precious Travel Co.

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Wild & Precious Travel Co.

Luxury travel agency for adventure seekers and lifelong learners.

10/24/2023

Resurfacing after an incredible safari experience in Zimbabwe with . Going on safari has been a dream of mine for many many years, and I’m so glad that my first safari has been with a company with such a remarkable conservation program.
Singita Pamushana Lodge is located in southern Zimbabwe within the Malilangwe Reserve. One of the most memorable experiences was an up-close encounter with a black rhino 🦏. Black rhinos can be quite dangerous for humans if on foot, as they’ll charge at threats; this rhino was very curious and walked right up to our vehicle, giving us front row seats to the behavior and characteristics of a critically endangered species. As our guide cut on the engine, the rhino looked to charge before turning and retreating. Seeing this from just a few meters away was incredible.
Through Singita’s conservation work in the Malilangwe Reserve, the black rhino population has increased 532% (and the “near threatened” white rhino has increased 729%— we saw more than 30 white rhinos including some babies). Malilangwe Reserve is 150,000 acres, and a maximum of three safari vehicles can be out at once. This means minimal disturbance for the wildlife populations, and an almost completely private experience for guests.

10/19/2023

Salzburg wowed me✨
Some of my favorite experiences:
🔸cable car to the top of Untersberg ⛰️
🔸sampling foods at the Thursday farmers market
🔸front row tix to an intense classical concert at Mirabell Palace
🔸so many Sound of Music sites! Including a private tour inside the palace shown as the Von Trapp Family home in the film and which now houses a nonprofit foundation
🔸getting restaurant recs from locals while trying the famous “summer punch” at a tiny wine and spirits bar open since 1903.
Salzburg is a versatile destination for families, couples, and solo travelers. It’s a 90-minute train from Munich, and 2.5 hours from Vienna. A popular day trip option for Danube River cruises, I will instead be recommending 2-3 nights in Salzburg before/after my clients’ river cruises, as it warrants a full stay!

05/05/2023

We are in MALTA 🇲🇹 ☀️
First impressions:
A+ bar/cafe culture!
The doors and traditional balconies are beautiful— each one is a little different.
Especially after having spent the past 10 days in England and France, Malta is a great value.
Malta has been gaining popularity, so it’s not exactly a hidden gem, but still more under the radar than their neighbor Italy, yet sharing some cultural and culinary traits.
We’ll spend 2 days in the capital Valletta, 2 days on the island of Gozo, and our final day in Mdina/Rabat.

05/05/2023

Such a fun 10 days exploring London, Kent, Reims, and Paris! London and Paris are two of my most-booked destinations, both of which are perfect for girls trips👯‍♀️🍷🛍️🥐☕️. While I’ve said farewell to my travel companion Anna, I’ve been joined by my husband to explore a new-to-me destination that I think just might be an amazing fit for my clients. Stay tuned!

05/03/2023

How much cheese is too much cheese? Asking for a friend… 🧀🧀🧀

05/01/2023

Did you know that the Champagne region is very easy to reach from Paris? The city of Reims is a convenient base for exploring Champagne, and is just 45 minutes by train from Paris. Perfect overnight or even day trip. Today’s tour with .tours was educational and delicious🥂

04/30/2023

You can’t visit the UK in spring without spending time in the countryside. Our base at the farmhouse of was a beautiful setting surrounded by gorgeous walks through woodlands, gardens, and 🐑🐑fields. There are so many spots to explore just an hour or two from London!

04/26/2023

Springtime in London 🌸🪻🌼
This is my favorite time of year anywhere, but especially here! The offers guests entry to the curated gardens just across the street and will even set up afternoon tea picnics 🫖🍰🧺🍾
I love London’s huge parks like Hyde and St. James’, and the quaint squares as well, but these gardens were a charming and special element to our stay.

03/15/2023

A night to remember! I felt super privileged to join an intimate dinner with Wolfgang Puck at Spago Budapest with my Gifted Travel Network colleagues. Sitting a few seats down from this absolute legend was 💯☺️. This was my first Spago experience, and everything was top notch, and they handled my dietary restrictions (gluten-free and pescatarian) beautifully. A million thanks to my host agency for arranging such a special event, the Spago team for serving us a great meal, and to Wolfgang for coming straight back from catering the Oscars to spend time with our advisors! Spago by Wolfgang Puck Budapest

03/15/2023

Obsessed with Budapest’s golden glow at night🌟. It doesn’t hurt that the city is full of stunning bars and restaurants that accentuate the magnificence of this city. Everything is grand but feels accessible, and the city is so very walkable. Pictured here are the view of the Elisabeth Bridge from ’s rooftop, along with its bar.
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I am in Budapest for 2023 River Cruise Expo. This is my 3rd time here, but I have much more time to explore and find hidden gems for my clients. Budapest is a popular start or end city for Danube river cruises, but it’s an amazing standalone city that I could spend a whole week in. Fine dining, architecture, history, and such friendly people.

12/19/2022

What’s it like aboard this luxury expedition ship? First of all, with a max of 132 passengers, the Sylvia Earle has plenty of space. There are beautiful common areas such as a library, citizen science lounge, lecture lounge, 2 restaurants, 2 bars, jacuzzis + heated pool, sauna, gym, and LOTS of areas from which to observe the surrounding scenery and wildlife. In the mudroom, each cabin has its own locker for gear so we don’t have to bring anything wet into our room. Our balcony stateroom is spacious, with heated bathroom floors and plenty of storage. It’s a super welcoming space to come back to after an excursion!

12/16/2022

This morning’s landing at Damoy Point gave us yet another opportunity to watch penguins in their natural habitats. These gentoo penguins are perched atop their nesting sites, waiting for the snow to melt so they can lay their egg(s). Penguin pairs bond for life, and the male and female separate for most of the year but return each summer to their exact nesting spot. It’s amazing to learn about these amazing animals while they’re just 15 feet away! 🐧🐧🐧

12/15/2022

Greetings from ! Only a few days in, and already what an unbelievable adventure. We’ve seen thousands of penguins (gentoo, adelie, and chinstrap), a few whales, seals (weddell and crabeater), and all manner of ice 🧊
There are different ways to experience Antarctica, and I chose an immersive expedition aboard Aurora Expeditions’ brand new ship the Sylvia Earle. I’m here with 114 other passengers plus an amazing expedition team and crew, and we’ve been making 2 landings each day. Seriously so grateful for this experience, and excited for the days ahead. More to come 🦭🐧🐳🇦🇶✌️

11/08/2022

Happy birthday to the best travel partner 💕
We spent our final day in Peru walking around , then joining a super fun food tour with guide Kimberly + 3 other travelers. Still so much to share and reflect on, but celebration is always a good way to end a trip.

11/05/2022

This is Carmen, Amaru community guide. Our interest was in their agriculture, and learning about the incredible variety of potatoes native to area. But, we learned so much more. She and her community members made us feel so welcome, and I was grateful for such an immersive experience with them. She asked us to tell more people about her community so they will visit. More in stories.

11/05/2022

Machu Picchu…I underestimated the magic of this place. Our guide “Luvi” was one of the best guides we’ve experienced throughout our travels— yet another reason we were happy to have chosen the train service for our Machu Picchu visit.

11/04/2022

I ❤️ trains. Taking the to Machu Picchu is something I’ve literally dreamt about. Yesterday’s journey was a celebration from the start; the elderberry mimosas we were handed during check-in, followed by the local dancers and musicians who entertained us pre-departure, and the pisco sours in the bar carriage while meeting other travelers.
Periodically during the 3.5 hour trip, we’d gain context and history from our local guide. Passing through the various towns within the Sacred Valley, the agricultural landscape eventually transitioned into jungle and mountains. After a 3-course meal onboard, we arrived in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu. (The Hiram Bingham experience doesn’t stop with the train ride, but more on that next time).
I loved every moment of this experience, especially sharing it with my dad and my husband. Truly something to remember forever.
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A train from Cusco is the only way to reach Machu Picchu. There are several levels of train, and the Hiram Bingham is the luxe option. The fare includes transportation up to Machu Picchu, your ticket into the site plus a local guide, and afternoon tea at . The return trip includes a 5-course dinner, open bar, and local entertainment onboard.
Truly so happy to have had this experience leading into our Machu Picchu visit!

11/02/2022

ALPACAS 🦙🦙❤️
You see them everywhere in this part of Peru, and to our absolute delight, we were invited to feed the two pets of our Cusco hotel owners. We fed them for about 10 minutes, and after returning inside, we realized that they were clearly expecting more 😂

11/01/2022

PERU 🇵🇪 ⛰️
We’ve spent our first few days in the Sacred Valley, located outside of Cusco. This area has so much to see and learn about the Inca’s ingenuity in building and agriculture. Our local guide Bryan really brought these ancient sites to life for us, and answered our dozens (hundreds?) of questions throughout the day— all while helping us bypass the crowds.
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The majority of our trip will be based in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, with a couple of days in Lima. I’m sure I’ll get tired of ruins at some point, but luckily not yet.
Photos 1-2: ruins
3-7: town / Sunday market / ruins.

10/13/2022

We’re getting a nice diversity of experiences in Northern Italy. After a few days around Bologna and Modena, we headed to the Parma countryside. This area has a number of castles and towns known for their thermal waters, and our relais was next to a preserved castle (unfortunately closed during our stay). The scenery was stunning!
Traveling together can be a lot- for all of us- and I’m glad we had these couple of relaxing days in the middle of our trip to rest up for the next stage of our journey.

10/09/2022

Fall break in Italy 🇮🇹
We’re spending the next week in the Emilia Romagna region, also known as the food capital of Italy! The inspiration for the trip was Calvin’s senior year / his intense interest in performance cars, and our unanimous love of great food.
After our quick intro to Bologna shown here, we’re now headed north so that Calvin and John can check out the museums/factories of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Pagani— while Isabel and I continue our exploration if the region’s gelaterias 🍦
Even in the first 24 hours, we’ve logged some good memories and cultural experiences. Traveling as a family is never seamless, but always worthwhile!

09/23/2022

Maybe you’re a “resort person,” or maybe you just need a break from decisions more complicated than “mai tai or margarita.”🍹
Regardless, I’ve got your back😊
When it comes to resorts and beach destinations, there are an *overwhelming* range of options. There’s no one resort that works for absolutely everyone. The “best” is truly subjective, and my favorite thing is matching my client to the right experience.
This week I’m trying out and touring Riviera Maya resorts to understand the aesthetic, atmosphere, services, and (most importantly for me😂) food & bev, that each offers.
These resorts are at different price points; Some are all-inclusive, some not; but all offer a luxury experience for the right guest.
If you are looking for a relaxing getaway, now is the time to chat, as fall is typically the best time to book. DM to start rhe conversation, or schedule a discovery call through link in bio.

08/24/2022

Back from a week in Vegas😅! Virtuoso Travel Week is my biggest conference of the year— a gathering of nearly 5,000 Advisors and suppliers. I’m still in a somewhat busy season, but here’s why spending a week of time (and a couple weeks worth of energy🤣), is worth it for me and my clients:
*Relationships are EVERYTHING. In an age of crazy travel issues, having an established line with a hotel GM or tour operator makes such a difference in getting you special attention and resolving issues quickly.
*Travel suppliers love advisors and offer us extra perks/deals during travel week to pass on to our clients. Yesterday this saved one of my clients $735 on an expedition cruise🐧🙌
*Professional development makes a difference! Especially as a sustainability-oriented travel advisor, learning the latest research and strategies helps me better direct clients toward conscious travel.
In 6 days, I met 1:1 with 120+ travel suppliers and attended ~20 events with suppliers and my peers. I love being part of this community and leveraging our expertise to develop meaningful travel experiences for my clients 💜

08/13/2022

Sometimes a new destination catches you off guard in the most delightful way. Last July we road tripped through the western Balkans, and our time in Montenegro was the standout. Swimming in the vast waters of the Bay of Kotor, biking into town for a delicious meal with local wine at an uncrowded restaurant set over the water, and (for John) hiking to the top of the old town’s former fortress to take the first two shots. Further afield, hiking and scenic views abound. Our one failure was not planning enough time in this beautiful place, but it is definitely on our return-to list! For a luxe Bay of Kotor stay, is your place 💎✨. With so many of the major European destinations experiencing a major post-pandemic surge, lesser-visited countries like Montenegro should climb to the top of your “next trip” list.
1st 2 📷:
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06/04/2022

, a beautiful boutique property on Isla Colon, Bocas del Toro in Panama 🇵🇦. With just 23 rooms and 8 villas, this adults-only property is a peaceful spot for a romantic getaway or wellness retreat.
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Location: a 15-minute taxi from Bocas del Toro airport and Bocas town.

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Chattanooga, TN

Telephone

+14234880230

Website

http://www.wildandprecioustravel.com/

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