Seattle | A Warm Welcome
Arrive in Seattle and transfer to your accommodations at the Four Seasons, where you meet your tour leadership team and fellow guests over cocktails and dinner.
Taiwan | Fusion of Cultures
Set off on your private jet for Taipei, Taiwan, crossing the International Date Line en route. On arriving, transfer to your luxury hotel. The next day, explore the city with an expert guide, starting at the famous Lungshan Temple, begun in the 17th century during the Qing Dynasty, and continuing to CKS Memorial Hall and the old-town markets of Dihua Street. Design Your Day this afternoon, choosing from a spa treatment, a guided shopping tour or a hosted tea service. Celebrate Taiwan’s diverse cuisine at a festive dinner. The next day, board your private jet for the flight to Hualien and the magnificent Taroko National Park, a place of forest-covered mountains and marble canyons. Enjoy a charming local performance at the cultural center before returning to Taipei. In the evening, visit the National Palace Museum after hours for an exclusive tour of select museum galleries, complete with expert commentary.
Nepal | Heart of the Himalaya
Upon arrival in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, you are welcomed by a special panchakanya ceremony, said to bring good luck. Attend a lecture presentation by a Mount Everest summiteer and hear a firsthand account of the determination it takes to summit the world’s highest peak. Your talk serves as a prelude for an awe-inspiring helicopter flightseeing excursion to Everest. Take in spectacular views of Everest Base Camp and the mountain itself, as well as other peaks such as Lhotse and Ama Dablam. Also, view the Khumbu Glacier, which begins on the Western Cwm near Everest; its icefall is the first major obstacle climbers face in making their ascent. Design Your Day from an assortment of tempting activities: Visit the monastery and nunnery at Kopan, where you learn about Buddhism and join in a guided meditation; explore Patan, city of art and artisans, with its winding alleys and shaded courtyards; or take in the bustle and energy of Kathmandu, exploring an open-air market and Durbar Square. Tonight, meet with a heritage and architecture expert to learn about the ongoing reconstruction of Nepal’s UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Bhutan | Buddhist Heritage
Board a local charter flight bound for Paro, Bhutan. A short drive then takes you to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, where you are greeted with a private tshechu festival put on just for you. The next day, depart for Dochula Pass, which on clear days offers a beautiful 360-degree view of the Himalaya. The pass is also a popular spiritual destination for locals and visitors for an important temple located on its crest. In the afternoon, visit Buddha Point for a sweeping view of the Thimphu Valley. Observe visitors offering prayers to the Buddha, the largest statue in the country, and then walk around for a glimpse of the valley. Later, visit the majestic Tashichho Dzong, which houses the main government, the National Assembly, the king’s throne room and the summer headquarters of the monastic body. Experience Bhutan your way with the Design Your Day activity of your choice: Hike to breathtaking Taktsang Monastery, also referred to as the “Tiger’s Nest,” the unofficial symbol of Bhutan; cycle the Paro countryside; visit the National Museum of Bhutan, and then meet with an astrologer for a personal fortune telling; or relax at the hotel and enjoy a spa treatment.
India | The Romantic Taj Mahal
Fly to Agra, India, by local charter and arrive at the Oberoi Amarvilas to a festive welcome befitting a maharajah. Settle into your room and take in a stunning view of the Taj Mahal right from your own private balcony. If you choose, visit the Taj Mahal and see the sun setting behind the iconic marble mausoleum. This evening, don traditional dress for an exclusive dinner inspired by the local bazaar. Begin the next day with a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal itself. Perhaps the world’s most perfectly proportioned monument, this stunning mausoleum was built by artisans from neighboring Islamic countries to immortalize Shah Jahan’s last wife, Mumtaz Mahal, as the “light of the palace.” No photograph does the Taj Mahal justice — it looks as if it were painted onto the sky and is both strikingly simple and graced with fine details, particularly the pietra dura (inlaid stonework) of the cenotaph. With dawn’s stillness hanging in the air, marvel as the luminous marble skin of the Taj Mahal’s façade assumes the pink and orange hues of sunrise. After your unforgettable encounter, return to your hotel for brunch, and then drive to Agra’s airport to rejoin your private jet.
Uzbekistan | Silk Road Enclave
Arrive at your hotel in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, welcomed by a throng of local musicians and flower-bearing children. The following day, explore Samarkand’s Silk Road heritage as you visit Registan, a trio of striking, majolica-clad madrasas. Continue on to the grand mausoleums of Gur-Amir and Shakhi-Zinda, architectural treasures dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Pause for lunch at a local teahouse, where you learn to make one of the region’s signature dishes. Then, take in a regional music and folk-dancing performance at a neighboring caravanserai (roadside inn). The next morning, take in the grandeur of Bibi Khanym, one of the largest and most magnificent mosques of the 15th century. Reduced to ruins by the 20th century, original remains and restored sections of its architecture tell its history. Next, glimpse local daily life as you stroll through bustling Siab Market, the labyrinthine Jewish Quarter and historic Gumbaz Synagogue. Enjoy a traditional lunch followed by a private performance of street acrobats. This afternoon, visit local artisan workshops and enjoy free time at Tashkent Street. This evening, attend an open-air concert in Registan Square, complete with an orchestra, calligraphy demonstration, fire jugglers and fashion show.
Abu Dhabi | A Desert Interlude
Arrive in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, a modern city with a strong sense of Emirati heritage. After settling into your hotel, head to the Yas Marina Circuit, home to the annual Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, for a cocktail and dinner, followed by a sensational auto race put on just for you. The next day, discover the Louvre Abu Dhabi, home to a vast collection of artifacts and a modern architectural marvel in itself. Then, visit Qasr Al Watan, known locally as the Palace of the Nation, to gain a rare insight into Emirati governance and culture through the palace’s exhibits. Enjoy a private lunch served inside the palace. This evening, venture out into the dunes for a sunset cocktail reception and dinner in a romantic tented oasis beneath the desert stars. The following day, choose from a host of Design Your Day options: Discover Dubai by land and air and participate in an exciting camel-back polo match; play 18 holes at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; or explore Qasr Al Hosn, a historical landmark and the oldest stone building in Abu Dhabi. The next day, pay a visit to the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, widely renowned as Abu Dhabi’s crown jewel. The mosque accommodates the world’s largest Persian carpet, seven crystal chandeliers and some 41,000 worshipers. Return to the airport and board your private jet.
Jordan | Nabatean Treasures
Fly to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a country with outstanding ancient history and beautiful desert landscapes. The next day, discover Jordan’s most iconic treasure, the ancient city of Petra, built between 800 BC and AD 100 by the Nabatean Arabs. Meet with an archaeologist and enjoy a private lunch in a cavern on the site. On your last evening here, enjoy a special candlelit dinner at “Little Petra” (Siq el-Barid), among the temples, enhanced with dramatic lighting and traditional music. Siq el-Barid is a classical temple that stands guard outside the miniature siq, which appears to have been an important suburb of the city of Petra. The narrow file, only some 380 yards long, is crammed with tombs, temples, houses, water channels and cisterns. The next day, explore Wadi Rum, known as the Valley of the Moon, the largest and most magnificent of Jordan’s desert landscapes. Enjoy an exhilarating 4x4 experience as you explore the vast sand dunes and rose-tinted mountains where Bedouin tribes still camp. Return to Aqaba’s airport and rejoin the crew of your private jet.
Sicily | Mediterranean Jewel
Spectacularly perched on the side of a mountain, Taormina, Italy, offers a vibrant taste of the Sicilian dolce vita. Hit the road and take in the nearby artisan villages as you drive your own vintage Alfa Romeo or Fiat 500, stopping to see a traditional opera dei pupi (marionette performance), play a traditional mouth harp and visit a local Sicilian cart-decorator workshop. Meet a local historian who delves into the history and realities of the Mafia in Sicily. Explore the ancient Greek theater of Taormina, built in the third century BC. Discover the charming town of Taormina on a privately guided walking tour, then journey to the heart of Mount Etna in 4x4 vehicles. Cap off your time in Sicily with a gala farewell dinner held in a town square opened just for your group. Experience the atmosphere of a 19th-century Sicilian wedding, complete with folk dancing, music and traditional delicacies. The next morning, board your private jet for the flight back to Boston, U.S.A., where you bid farewell to your private jet crew and connect with your homebound flight.
