Imagine a globe-trotting expedition combining private flights with superyacht cruising, where the journey is as much of a highlight as the destinations themselves. Cruise aboard superyachts and stay at world-class properties, gaining insights into local cultures and even giving back a little along the way. Obviously, we all appreciate the natural world and want to explore its wonders, and equally, we all like a bit of culture, but perhaps not too relentlessly. The following itinerary strikes a balance in variety and interest from natural wonders to ancient civilizations, with a little bit of relaxation in between.
Your world tour is awaiting aboard the Bombardier Global 7500, NetJets’ newest and largest ultralong-range aircraft. It has a nautical mile range that brings most of the globe within reach, including nonstop capability from Jordan to New York.
Our adventure begins with the first night in one of two iconic American cities, meeting your team with a welcome dinner and a stay at either The Lowell (New York) or The Battery (San Francisco).
Fly to Cusco, the gateway to Peru’s Inca heritage, and hike the Inca Trail in style. Take a private train to Machu Picchu, accompanied by private guides, and explore this legendary Inca citadel. Stay at the Belmond Palacio Nazarenas hotel.
Fly to the fabled Easter Island, located 2,200 miles off the coast of Chile. Discover ancient ruins with resident archaeologists and delve into the theories surrounding the colossal stone statues left by the island’s ancient Polynesian societies. Explore volcanic calderas and windswept grasslands. Be sure to catch the sunrise over this enigmatic landscape. Stay at the Nayara Hangaroa.
After so much nature and culture, it’s time for a little relaxation. Embark aboard your luxury superyacht and explore the timeless beauty of the volcanic Society Islands, seemingly marooned in the South Pacific Ocean. From the cosmopolitan island of Tahiti, cruise to the densely vegetated mountainous island of Bora Bora. Pass through the Te Ava Nui Pass and Pai Pai Pass into the lagoon that surrounds the islands of Raiatea and Taha’a, and venture past the Motu Iriru to Huahine. Along the way, take the time to discover an underwater world home to one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems.
Continue across the Pacific, crossing the international date line as you fly from French Polynesia to Australia. Sitting roughly on the 180-degree line of longitude in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, everything to the west of the date line is one day ahead of everything to the east, so you will lose a day when flying.
From Cairns, it is a short transfer to Port Douglas and your superyacht waiting to explore the unparalleled marine ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef. One of the most biologically rich places on the planet, the UNESCO World Heritage site comprises more than 1,200 miles of islands, submerged reefs, and vast expanses of coral. Snorkel among rainbow-colored corals and schools of fish, and help with a sea turtle conservation program. Ashore, the Daintree Rainforest provides another staggering amount of biodiversity, estimated to be 180 million years old and the Earth’s oldest rainforest. Explore this World Heritage site with knowledgeable local guides.
Fly to the town of Siem Reap and discover the stunning Angkor Wat Temple complex spanning some 500 acres. One of ancient civilization’s greatest architectural achievements, the capital of the Khmer Empire with its ornate towers and courtyards is a reflection of the ambition and ingenuity of the Khmer dynasty in an age when the western world was still living in mud huts and ignorance. Stay at the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor for an extra dollop of post-colonial elegance.
Swap the hot and humid jungle for the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. Acclimatize to your new settings and a very different climate (Bhutan is 7,200 feet above sea level) as you explore Paro, perhaps joining locals for a cultural festival and meeting the resident monks at the Paro Dzong. After a peaceful night at the Zhiwa Ling hotel, take a vigorous hike up to the Temple Tiger’s Nest monastery. At 10,200 feet, this is Bhutan’s most famous pilgrimage site and well worth a visit.
Sill wearing your cultural hat, fly on to Agra and enjoy views of the iconic Taj Mahal from The Oberoi Amarvilas, your hotel for the night. Explore the sandstone Agra Fort with its maze of palaces and courtyards, and watch the sun set over its burnt red walls. Wake early for a guided tour of the Taj itself, capturing unforgettable images of the palace as the sun rises.
After a few fast-paced days, travel to a place where there is nothing to do except relax. From chilling on deck to sunbathing on the beach to the “strenuous” activities of diving, fishing and all manner of watersports, the Maldives lends itself to tuning out and relaxing. Step aboard your superyacht in the Port of Malé, cruise through the North Malé Atoll and then anchor off the boutique island resort of Baros. Around one in ten of the Maldives’ approximately 1,200 coral islands are inhabited by luxury resorts, and aboard a superyacht you can easily flit from resort to resort trying the best of them, exploring uninhabited islands, remote dive sites and fishing grounds that are inaccessible to all but the water traveler along the way.
Fly to Kilimanjaro and on to the Serengeti National Park, one of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations. Home to the legendary “big five,” head out on a game drive across the Serengeti Plain and discover rhinoceros, elephants, lions, leopards, and Africa’s greatest concentration of zebras and wildebeest. Stay at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti for a touch of luxury in the Savannah.
Having seen the best of natural history, travel on to Petra for some human history. Located in the hinterland between Arabia, Egypt and the Levant, Petra was once the thriving capital of the little-known Nabataean tribe. Abandoned by them in the seventh century AD, the half-built city was re-discovered in 1812 and has since become one of the world’s most famous ancient archaeological sites. Discover some of Petra’s most iconic sites, including the Treasury and royal tombs, and religious temples dating back some 2,000 years. While there, take the opportunity to encounter the Bedouin communities based nearby and learn about their traditions. Stay at the Mövenpick Resort Petra.
Fly from Jordan to the US (East Coast approx. 12 hours flight time, West Coast approx. 15 hours flight time) or, if you prefer, fly on to Europe for further adventures.
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