How and Why We Curate Inner and Outer Journeys

While we specialize in African destinations, we love venturing to other parts of the world as well. We have a vast network of trusted travel partners and service providers that we collaborate with to curate immersive travel experiences almost anywhere you can dream of — all you have to do is choose your dates, destinations, and we do the rest.

We specialize in solo and small group travel to less crowded destinations that offer unique and amazing experiences. Every sojourn is guided by our Four Compass Points of Travel.

Experiences. This compass point is an activity that engages you with the environment — hiking, sailing, community visits. This is your guided outer journey.

Wellbeing. This compass point connects to your why. Why you want to take this sojourn. Is it to unplug so you can reflect on a career pivot? Do you need to reset your priorities? Learn to manage stress better? This is your guided inner journey.

Luxury. This compass point is about your environment. We care about where you place your head at night. We care about what you eat and what you drink. We handpick places that are unique as well as sustainable.

Giveback. This compass point is about being respectful and supportive of the places we visit. Every trip offers a donation gift that supports the destination we visit.

Outer Journey

Let us know if you are celebrating a milestone event, maybe your 50th birthday! Want a particular experience, dinner with a Maasai family in their village. Or to meet someone, say the Patriarch in Jerusalem. We will do our level best to make that happen.

We are discerning, so you do not have to be. All our accommodations are carefully researched and vetted. Being that we are foodies at Sojourn Explorers, that is a vital part of the experiences we create for you as well.

Safety while traveling is another concern we take seriously. We work with local providers with excellent safety records as well as highly-trained, expert guides.

At Sojourn Explorers, we are deeply committed to excellence. Our founder, Maria Baltazzi, is an Emmy recipient television producer and seasoned traveler, who has directed productions large and small on every continent and uses her award-winning skills to create unique experiences and memories to last a lifetime.

Inner Journey

Your inner journey begins by asking these questions:

Why do you want to take this trip?
What do you want to experience while traveling? How do you want to be and feel?
How do you want to return home? What is the takeaway you want from your experience?

Together, we will discuss where you want your inner journey to go. Do you want guidance working through the stresses of life? Maybe, you want to renew, reignite your purpose. Maybe you are at a crossroads and want to redefine your direction. Or, perhaps it is time for a career pivot. All of these require some shift in mindset. Maria will help you get there through guided inquiry and reflections that are interwoven throughout each day of your trip.

Maria joins your trip as your inner-guide. If you prefer, we can design a self-guided inner experience. She specializes in constructive and creative thinking to empower greater happiness, clearer purpose, and refined intentional living. Maria has spent over a decade, immersing herself in the art and science of happiness, positive psychology, spiritual psychology, neuroplasticity, and mindfulness. She uses this background to create and guide your inner journey; before, during, and after.

Programs Available

Once you decide on your outer journey, Maria will arrange an in-depth consultation with you. Afterward, she will create a personalized program that includes daily reflections, meditations, and mindful movement. You can choose from one or a combination of areas.

Stress Decompress

Focus on proven methods that you can use in your daily life to ease frustration and overwhelm.

Radical Renewal

Focus on restoring a sense of wellbeing and ease.

Redefine, Refine

Focus on looking at how your life is now and what you would like it to be.

Guided

Outer Journey

Tailormade Travel Design

Immersive Experiences

Exquisite Accommodations

Trusted Local Guides

Inner Journey

Pre-Journey Inquiry with Maria

Maria travels with you as your Inner-Guide

Post-Journey Inquiry with Maria

*Recommended

START PLANNING

Self-guided

Outer Journey

Tailormade Travel Design

Immersive Experiences

Exquisite Accommodations

Trusted Local Guides

Inner Journey

Pre-Journey Inquiry with Maria

Personalized Daily Journal

Post-Journey Inquiry with Maria

START PLANNING

Questions about which plan is best for you?
Please contact us.

Inquire

How We Travel

Start
a Conversation

We speak with you on the phone, Skype, or Zoom. We genuinely want to understand the trip you have in mind and what you hope to take away from your experience. How do you want to return home?

Curating an
Amazing Journey

With your wishes as our guide, we will tailor a trip to include every detail from the time you leave home to your return. Each journey is uniquely designed and kindly request $350 to cover our team’s time. Once you book your trip, this amount will then be applied.

Getting
You Ready

Maria will enage and inspire you about your trip, from reading material to questions to think about to videos to watch. Before setting off, there will be a call to go over details and answer questions.

The Journey

There is an outer journey that is your destination, planned experiences, real adventures, or cultural events. Then, you have your inner journey, meaningful conversations, and time spent reflecting, all guided by Maria.

The Return

Your trip does not end when you come home. Maria will follow up to help and discuss what you have learned and how you have put your renewed and refined perspective into meaningful action.

Kind Words from Guests

DEEPER CONNECTIONS - EXQUISITE EXPERIENCES

The most memorable trip of our lives

Thank you so much for helping us to design and execute one of the most memorable trips of our lives. You took amazing care of all our travel details, so much so that it felt so smooth and easy, even though we were in a foreign country. Yet the most special part was that you not only designed a trip for us, you designed an incredible experience. Feeling blessed to have you on our trip.

Gerardo V Manufacture Owner

Last a Lifetime

Priceless memories that will last a lifetime.

Jeanine H Guest

Literally spectacular!

My trip was so well-orchestrated! Each detail was spot on perfect! I can’t thank Maria Baltazzi enough for making this experience so magical! Her choices of locations, accommodations, meals, tour guides, and on and on was literally spectacular! I can’t wait for the next adventure!

Gary G Former BP Operations Engineer

New Life

This journey marks the beginning of my new life.

John K Entertainment Industry Professional

Happy to recommend a trip

What a fabulous trip we had with Maria! Every last small detail was executed perfectly. We wanted for nothing! Accommodations were splendid and the food!!! We ate so well, I thought I was going to have to start jogging to work off the pounds gained!! Our local guide was very knowledgeable but also charming and fun. I would be more than happy to recommend a trip to anyone I know. Thank you — Thank you!!

Helen G Former radio talkshow host

Extremely Blessed

I feel extremely blessed to be a part of the journey with this beautiful group of people!

Carmen K Guest

Always In Our Hearts

We feel so blessed that our journey was shared with Maria. We couldn’t have asked for a better journey…This trip was incredible and will always be in our hearts.

Ted V Chemical Engineer

Faith and Beliefs Magnified

Truly a trip of a lifetime. It’s difficult for me to express my thoughts and the raw emotions that I experienced in the last ten days; as my faith and beliefs have been magnified like I have never imagined. Thank you for making my spiritual journey such an incredible experience.

Steve H Development Contractor

Many Memories

The trip was fantastic. I made so many memories and found myself, along with a second family.

Katerina B Student

Pilgrimage to Savor

This trip has been one I’ve taken as a pilgrim to savor the beautiful and historic landscape that so influenced the thoughts of the world. I am truly blessed.

Jayne P Guest

More Than We Could Have Dreamt

This trip was something that we wanted to do for so long. It was so much more than we could have dreamt of. We are blessed and grateful for all that we have seen and experienced together.

Tony K Guest

We All Take Away What Was Special

Whatever our stories or reasons for ending up together was meant to be and we all take away what was special to us, understand our faith better, and now have bonds we will carry forward.

Jodi L Airline Professional

An unforgettable experience

Truly an unforgettable experience! You have done an amazing job. We appreciate you putting this wonderful trip together in such a thoughtful way! Thank you for all the things you have cared for and all the detailed information you send in every email! Loved your packing list by the way! I was really doubtful about packing. Big family hug!

Monica H Chemical Engineer

I feel blessed to have experienced my journey

Maria lets your journey be whatever you want it to be, whether that be based on the walking, the history, spirituality, photography, sightseeing. Personally, it was about all of the above for me. Maria is also a qualified [mindfulness movement] teacher and offered stretching if and when we wanted/needed it. It really tops off a day of walking! I feel blessed to have experienced my journey the way I did, fun and serenity rolled into one.

Valli K Guest

Exceeded all of my expectations

Our trip exceeded all of my expectations from beginning to end. It was truly the best family trip we’ve ever had. Thanks again and best for you and Sojourn Explorers.

Andres V Climbing Guide

Inner + Outer Journeys