The American West by Private Air

Arrive in San Francisco and transfer privately to your accommodations at the iconic Fairmont San Francisco Hotel atop Nob Hill. Transfer from your hotel to Waterbar for cocktails and a private dinner with Geoffrey Kent and your Inspiring Expedition staff. Waterbar is San Francisco’s foremost seafood restaurant located on the waterfront with sweeping panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island. Enjoy San Francisco-style musical entertainment as you dine.

This morning, head out in Sprinter convertibles across the Golden Gate Bridge and northward along Coastal Highway 1 through redwoods to Sonoma Valley. You are welcomed at the Farmhouse Inn Restaurant (Michelin 1-Star) with a private oyster- and wine-tasting reception on the lawn, hosted by local winemakers, followed by lunch with the owner. Farmhouse Inn is located in the heart of the Russian River Valley and is the gateway to Sonoma, and features fresh ingredients straight from the owners’ farm, accompanied by fine wines perfectly suited to complement the dining experience. After lunch, continue by motorcoach to Bardessono Hotel & Spa, your home for the next three nights. The late afternoon is free for tennis, pool, the spa or relaxation. Tonight’s dinner is hosted by Tusk Estates owner Michael Uytengsu in his personal wine cave. Born from one of the best vineyards in Napa Valley, Tusk wine is master winemaker Philippe Melka’s masterpiece. Tusk Estates is opened exclusively for you tonight.

After breakfast, enjoy your choice of activities: Exercise in the workout room, practice yoga, play a game of tennis, enjoy a luxuriating spa treatment, take a guided hike or bicycle trek, or simply relax. Later in the morning, depart for a private tour and barrel tasting at the exclusive Kenzo Winery, home to some of the world’s finest wines, followed by a multi-course wine-paired lunch. Then continue to Promontory Winery overlooking the Napa Valley. Truly a world apart from the Napa Valley that most people experience, this secluded canyon features diverse geology, dramatic slopes and panoramic exposures. After a delicious wine tasting, return to the resort mid-afternoon, where the time is yours to relax or participate in the resort’s activities before freshening up prior to a private dinner at Peju Vineyard. Enjoy an interactive cooking demonstration, wine tasting and a vineyard dinner with the owner and winemaker. Farming organically and sustainably, their estate-grown fruit develops into award-winning wines that exhibit a graceful pairing of power and elegance. Enjoy a stroll through the beautiful gardens and perhaps browse the second-floor art gallery. Peju Winery has been reserved exclusively for you.

After breakfast, enjoy your choice of activities. You may exercise in the workout room, practice yoga, play a game of tennis, enjoy a luxuriating spa treatment, take a guided hike or bicycle excursion, or simply relax. Later this morning, head to the Constant Diamond Winery, perched on the summit of Diamond Mountain in the northern Napa Valley. Producing collectible wines since the early 1990s, this is one of the area’s highest and smallest wineries. In the afternoon, you may wish to explore some of the tasting rooms, boutiques and art galleries in the quaint town of St. Helena, or return to the resort for some time at leisure. This evening, dine at Thomas Keller’s legendary French Laundry restaurant, a culinary experience that tops every foodie’s bucket list. Chef Keller continues to pair classic French techniques with wildly fresh ingredients in a setting that is a perfect storm of restaurant greatness. Located in Yountville, The French Laundry is the very picture of bucolic charm, with ivy creeping up its stone facade and a tastefuly decorated dining room.

Head out this morning for a very special surprise stop at one of northern California’s most exclusive locales. Continue to the Santa Rosa Airport to board a private charter bound for Page, Arizona. Check in to your accommodation at Amangiri, with time to rest and freshen up before dinner. Gather for sundowners and dinner on a private terrace at Amangiri, followed by a laser light show on the surrounding cliffs and stargazing with a local astronomer.

Start the day with your choice of Design Your Day activities, from a private stretching and yoga class to a private hike. You may also take advantage of your resort’s workout room, pool and spa. Later this morning, depart for a private float trip on the Colorado River through the Glen Canyon. This is a flat-water float along a winding waterway with sheer red-rock walls rising 800–1,500 feet on either side. Pause for a gourmet picnic lunch along the river. Depart on horseback or vehicle for on-property sundowners and an outdoor barbecue dinner by a campfire. Enjoy a Hopi Native American cultural and dance program.

Board a charter aircraft for the short flight to the Grand Canyon Airport. Enjoy a private excursion in Grand Canyon National Park, including lunch on a private point jutting out over the canyon. With its staggering dimensions — 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and over a mile deep — Arizona’s Grand Canyon occupies a special place in the mythology of the American West. Carved out of layers of rock over untold millennia by the mighty Colorado River, the canyon welcomes millions annually who come to descend to its floor, fly over its vast expanse or simply stand on its rim and behold the view. Your excursion is led by Wayne Ranney, author of Carving Grand Canyon, and includes vista points, historic sites, a private visit to the home and studio of the Kolb Brothers (the first to photograph the canyon in late 19th century; their studio is not open to the public), the archives of the museum, and more. Conclude your visit to the canyon with a dramatic helicopter flightseeing excursion over the vast chasm. Return to the airport for your charter flight back to Amangiri. Navajo artist Shonto Begay joins you for cocktails and shares images and stories over dinner on a private terrace at your resort.

This morning, depart for Page Airport and your private charter flight to Moab, Utah. Set out on a private excursion in Arches National Park, discovering its unusual geologic formations, such as the 60-foot-tall, freestanding Delicate Arch; the Marching Men, seven towers lined in a row in the Klondike Bluffs area; and the Eye of the Whale, as well as arches not accessible to the general public. Stop for a gourmet picnic lunch en route. Return to Moab Airport and fly on to Driggs, Idaho, and transfer to your accommodations at Amangani. Enjoy sundowners on a private terrace overlooking the Teton Range, followed by a private dinner in the resort.

Start the day with the Design Your Day activity of your choice. Your options are plentiful, including horseback riding, hiking, biking, spa treatments or browsing the shops and galleries in downtown Jackson. Return to Amangani by mid-afternoon to relax and freshen up. This evening, head out to the National Museum of Wildlife Art for cocktails, dinner and a private, after-hours curator-led tour of the collection, which holds over 5,000 pieces from more than 500 artists.

Head out early this morning for a game drive in Grand Teton National Park. For rugged, snow-capped peaks that jut upward into brilliant blue sky, and verdant, pristine valleys laced with rivers, forests, wildflowers and wildlife, few places in North America can rival Grand Teton National Park. Today, what was once the isolated province of fur trappers and homesteaders is a bountiful natural treasure set aside for all to enjoy. Animals are at their most active as you set out, providing good opportunities for finding the park’s iconic species, including bears, moose, antelope, bison and elk. Lunch is at your leisure at Amangani with time to relax and enjoy the pool and spa, or take a guided hike or horseback trail ride. Later, depart for a private dory float trip on the Snake River, ending at tepee basecamp for an outdoor barbecue dinner, campfire and a group photography session.

This morning, depart Jackson for a flightseeing excursion over Grand Teton National Park and southwestern Yellowstone to West Yellowstone. This unforgettable flight provides a perfect perspective of the dramatic topography of these two exquisite natural wonders. Explore Yellowstone National Park, America’s first and most iconic national park. Its more than 3,400 square miles of wide-open spaces offer a stunning and unique topography that includes lakes, canyons, rivers, mountains and a multitude of geothermal features, such as Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs and the famed Old Faithful Geyser. A haven for wildlife as well, the park boasts hundreds of species, among them moose, elk, wolves, grizzly bears and the nation’s largest public herd of bison; your private park biologist guide illuminates the complex interplay of these and other species in the park ecosystem. Pause for a gourmet picnic lunch. This evening, celebrate your journey with cocktails on a terrace overlooking the Teton Range, followed by a gala farewell dinner at Amangani.

Transfer to Driggs Airport to board your private air charter to Salt Lake City to connect with your homebound flights.