We plan. You go.
Stuffed Duffel is a trip-planning boutique on a mission to tackle go-to bucket lists everywhere. We’re not a travel agency. Rather, we’re globetrotting enthusiasts and former adventure tour leaders who craft custom itineraries based on your dreams and our been-there, done-that expertise. From mapping out the big picture to fine tuning the details, we curate inspiring journeys packed with spirit. All for a single modest fee. If you’re hungry to have someone else do the planning so you can do the relaxing, playing and exploring, then grab Stuffed Duffel and go. We’re ready when you are.
How It Works
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Connect
Every Stuffed Duffel journey starts with a get-to-know-you chat. You ask. We answer. You muse. We listen. This is when we go over your needs, hopes, timeline and budget — the framework we need to create an exceptional journey just for you. If it feels like we’re a good fit, we’ll start to map out your custom trip. This is also when we collect our modest development fee, which covers the entire planning process.
Develop
While you do your thing (working? parenting? crawling in traffic somewhere?), we do our thing — diving deep into creating a spirited and thoughtful itinerary ready to wow. Once we put together a general blueprint (usually within 5 days), we’ll email it to you, and then review it with you by phone or in person.
Refine
Think you want to go there, but not there? Do more of this and less of that? No problem. We’ll refine the itinerary to fit your needs. We’ll then fill in the blanks, such as accommodations and activities. Once the specifics are nailed down and reservations made, you’ll know the final cost of the trip and we’ll ask for the deposit. To make your life as easy as possible, you simply pay us, and we pay everyone else.
Finalize
About 90 days before departure, we’ll touch base with you to confirm your travel details and collect full payment. Three weeks prior to the start of your journey, you’ll receive both an electronic and paper version of your Stuffed Duffel Travel Pack, which includes the final itinerary, contact numbers, relevant reading materials and other important and fun tidbits. We’ll also schedule a quick call to answer any last-minute questions.
Go
You’re there! We’ll check in behind the scenes to make sure you’re having a terrific time and that everything is running smoothly. (Rest assured, you can reach out to us at any point if you need assistance.) We also want to hear about your trip upon your return. We encourage you to fill out our survey about your experience or, just as easy, touch base by phone or email.
Where We Go
We’ve toted our duffels to here, there and just about everywhere. If you want to visit a spot on the globe we haven’t experienced personally — hard to imagine, but hey, it’s a big world — we’ll do all the research.
↟Latest photos from the field
Fees
For everyone who appreciates the value of having someone else do the trip planning (and really, that’s most overworked, big-dreaming people), then Stuffed Duffel is for you. You pay us a single fee up front, and we do the work of creating an itinerary filled with personality.
We offer three types of trip planning programs:
We do everything, from crafting a custom trip to checking in to make sure your journey is going as planned (in other words, beautifully.) For our sleuthing and on-the-ground expertise, we charge a single $500 planning fee for a standard 8-10 day trip.
Want some advice for a trip you’ve planned on your own? Say, you know you’re going to Costa Rica in February, but want suggestions on tucked away haunts, must-do activities or how to spend a couple of free days? Our Lite Pack will give you a boatload of great suggestions for a single $150 fee.
If you have a lengthy list of go-to places, consider joining the Stuffed Duffel Club, which offers you unlimited long-range travel planning for a $1,000 annual fee. We’ll work with you to check off your bucket list, one amazing journey at a time.
Core Membership Benefits:
- Exclusive, personalized attention – club is limited to 100 members.
- Unlimited access to a travel professional with over 20 years of experience.
- Mapping your bucket list.
- Customization and execution of unlimited trips throughout the year.
- Membership discounts: up to 5% discount on trips of one week or longer.
- Referral program: $200 cash or $250 credit towards a future trip when one of your referrals joins the membership program.
- Other benefits:
- Up to $100 Uber credit per year.
- Up to $100 credit towards Global Entry TSA Pre-application.
- Reminders of important expiration dates (passports, visas, etc.).
- Medical & Evacuation coverage on all trips booked through Stuffed Duffel (approx. value $250pp).
- 24/7 travel assistance.
Spread the Word Referrals
We love word of mouth referrals. If you had a great experience with us and are kind enough to recommend us to a friend who then uses our services, first, thank you! Second, we’ll send you a $200 referral fee.
Testimonials
Swimming with a whale shark! Seeing humpback and gray whales so close, so personal! Glamping in Espiritu Santo Island, unforgettable sunsets! Most important of all… traveling with friends!
Jose & Linda Marquez – San Jose, CAAs my husband and I approached our 50th wedding anniversary, our family wanted to plan something special to celebrate. We’ve always been adventure travelers and began to investigate places that would suit 11 of us. Our ages ranged from 10 to 75 and we lived in various parts of the U.S. We contacted Stuffed Duffel and Danilo Bonilla helped us evaluate several options until we settled on Churchill Wild in Churchill, Manitoba to view polar bears and beluga whales. Stuffed Duffel coordinated all the arrangements with the lodge and for our complicated travel there and home. Danilo made sure we were well informed of what we would do during the trip and what gear we would need. We had some special needs that he communicated to the lodge and they were able to accommodate. It was a spectacular trip for each of us in the family. Thanks to Stuffed Duffel and Danilo!
Janice Montross – Indianapolis, INI have traveled with Danilo on 3 trips in the past 3 years. all the trips were excellent and well organized.
Dinh Chu – Milpitas, CAWhale watching, sea turtles and fishing, and best of all, the glamping on the Isle. Danilo was the best. Very great group of people on the trip.
Gayle Peters – La Quinta, CASwimming with the whale sharks was fantastic. What we got to experience at the island was incredible. The fishing with local fishermen was a highlight. Whale watching was an opportunity of a lifetime. The cooking class and the turtles were fun activities.
Fred & Paige – Carmichael, CAThe trip put together for my husband and I by Stuffed Duffel to Borneo and Bali was amazing and well beyond what I could have imagined. At each location, we were simply awestruck. Even when we had a glitch with one of our airlines, Danilo, from halfway around the globe, was able to make the necessary changes for us. Everyone associated with the trip, from guides to hotel staff, were exceptionally nice. We were made to feel very special. Thanks, Stuffed Duffel for such great memories.
Sandi Dunn & Dick Barbar – Carmichael, CAWe have traveled to many places… Stuffed Duffel provided an outstanding service, Danilo listened to our needs and arranged an incredible trip to Baja Mexico for us. We had a once in a lifetime experience to swim with a whale shark at La Paz; “glamping” experience in Espiritu Santo Island, I felt like I was in some glamourous travel magazine! We could not think of ANYTHING that we would have wanted to do differently and it was a perfect trip!! We will definitely use Stuffed Duffel again (and again) for our future trips!!!
Mark & Elina – San Jose, CAAbout Us
Stuffed Duffel is a custom trip-planning boutique that makes it a breeze for you to pack and go. We’re a small, but mighty team of experienced explorers who believe in the power of travel to open minds and hearts. We created Stuffed Duffel because we want to fill memories with awe and wonder, one adventure at a time.
Giving Back
Stuffed Duffel believes in giving back to help make the world a better place to grow and thrive. That’s why we donate 1% of our sales to different non-profit organizations.
Meet Danilo
Stuffed Duffel is the brainchild of Danilo Bonilla, a longtime expedition leader and globetrotting enthusiast. Born and raised in Costa Rica, Danilo became a river guide to pay his way through college. Once his paddle hit the water, he was off — from captaining the Costa Rica White Water National Team to leading trips throughout the world (more than 20 countries at last count.) He later moved to the US where he served on the leadership team of Mountain Travel Sobek, the pioneer of adventure travel. He now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area where he heads the Stuffed Duffel team.
Address
1109 Clarendon Cres
Oakland, CA 94610
USA
Phone
+1.510.213.1194
