Cultural Treasures: Around the World by Private Jet

Arrive in Seattle and transfer to your accommodations at the Four Seasons Seattle, where you meet your tour leadership team and fellow guests over cocktails and dinner.

Set off on your private jet for Osaka, Japan (crossing the International Dateline en route) and transfer to Kyoto. Spend a morning taking in the sights of Kyoto and enjoy a guided Zen meditation session, a Japanese tea ceremony and a walk through peaceful bamboo groves. Choose from several inspiring Design Your Day options, including a lesson in samurai swordsmanship; a guided shopping excursion and food tour; a sake brewery visit and tasting; and a lesson in making Japanese sweets. In the evening, dine at Nijo Castle — reserved exclusively for you — where you are welcomed by samurai warriors in armor. A morning visit to Nara begins with a stroll through Nara Park, famous for its habituated semi-wild deer, followed by a stop at eighth-century Todai-ji Temple. This afternoon, experience the ancient art of kimono wearing as a traditional tailor visits to outfit you for tonight’s gala dinner event. Dinner is accompanied by a private geisha performance, followed by a thrilling taiko drumming demonstration at Kiyomizu Temple.

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, making a landing nearby, and view 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.

Board a local charter flight bound for Paro, Bhutan. Upon arrival, receive the gift of a tashi khaddar, a white scarf traditionally given to welcome auspicious guests. After lunch at your hotel, visit the National Museum of Bhutan, housed in a 17th-century circular fortification, which features the country’s finest collection of Bhutanese art. The following morning, travel through the Paro Valley to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, for an exploration of the town and a visit to Buddha Point, home to the country’s largest statue. This afternoon, a private tshechu festival is put on just for you. Held annually, the tshechu brings people from surrounding villages together for a colorful celebration of the nation’s Buddhist heritage. The following day, you may choose an early morning hike to Taktsang Monastery (“Tiger’s Nest”) or Zurig Dzong, raft the Paro Chhu River, cycle around Paro or visit a Bhutanese astrologer for a personal fortune telling.

Return to Kathmandu by local charter flight, rejoin your private jet, and 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. 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.” 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 breakfast, and then enjoy a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Agra Fort and Itmad-Ud-Daulah (Baby Taj), considered the imminent precursor to the Taj Mahal. After lunch at a renowned tandoori restaurant, relax at the hotel in the afternoon, capping off your time in Agra with a second visit to the Taj Mahal, with sunset bathing the iconic monument in soft orange. Your time in India ends with a private Mughal-style dinner.

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 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, witness 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 on Tashkent Street. This evening, attend an open-air concert in Registan Square, complete with an orchestra, calligraphy demonstration, fire jugglers and fashion show.

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, choose from a host of Design Your Day options: Discover Dubai by land and air and visit the new Museum of the Future; play 18 holes at the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; explore Qasr Al Hosn, a historical landmark and the oldest stone building in Abu Dhabi; or participate in a sunset class teaching the art of falconry. 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, 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. 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.

Fly to the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan, a country with outstanding ancient history and beautiful desert landscapes. Celebrate your arrival with a special candlelit dinner at “Little Petra” (Siq el-Barid), a classical temple just under four miles north of the famous Nabataean capital, and once an important stopping point on the long-distance trade routes, with fertile plains for grazing pack and saddle animals. The entrance to the miniature siq is crammed with tombs, temples, houses, water channels and cisterns. The next day, discover Jordan’s most iconic treasure, the ancient city of Petra, carved from the surrounding mountains between 800 BC and AD 100 by the Nabatean Arabs. Learn about Al-Khazneh (The Treasury) and the creation of the many other structures from a local archaeologist and enjoy a private lunch in a cavern on the site. The following 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.

Nestled at the foot of Mount Pellegrino, the seaside city of Palermo 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. While taking part in a private walking tour of Palermo, stop at a monastery to taste local delicacies. Cap off your time in Sicily with a private gala farewell dinner. 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.