The Experience

This exclusive journey – created just for your private party of eight guests – takes you around the world in unparalleled style, beginning in Japan and winding through China, Hong Kong, India and Turkey before ending with two glorious nights in Paris. Day 1: Osaka, Japan | The Journey Begins
Arrive in Japan and transfer to your hotel, The Ritz,“Carlton, Osaka, in the Umeda district. Relax after your international flight with dinner at one of its many superb restaurants.

Ritz-Carlton Osaka | Meals: D
Day 2: Kyoto | Geishas,Tea & Temples
Explore stunning Kyoto, visiting Toji Temple and its ornately muraled Five Storied Pagoda, normally inaccessible to the public. Sit down to a lavish kaiseki lunch (a series of artfully presented small dishes) in a private room at three Michelin,“starred Arashiyama Kitcho. Accompanying your lunch are a geiko (geisha) and maiko (apprentice), who entertain you with traditional dance, music and games. This afternoon, attend a Japanese tea ceremony, an iconic ritual of movement, gesture and incomparable hospitality. At the Kiyomizudera, you are met by a young monk in a special VIP room where the Dalai Lama was once greeted, followed by an exclusive temple tour and exploration of the Joju,“in Temple, a sub,“temple hidden from public view. End this enchanting day with dinner in the temple,™s scenic Moon Garden, overlooking a tranquil pond.

Ritz-Carlton Osaka | Meals: B L D
Days 3-5: Beijing, China | Modernity Meets History
Your private jet whisks you to the bustling Chinese capital of Beijing. After settling into your hotel, set out on an architectural walk with a local historian, visiting The National Center for the Performing Arts and several sites from the 2008 Olympic games. Stroll through a Ming-era hutong neighborhood, visit the home of a feng shui master and, finally, gather for cocktails and Peking duck. The following day, explore pivotal Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, strolling through its halls and galleries to see ancient treasures before proceeding to two halls normally closed to visitors. As your journey continues, discover China,™s contemporary art movement, the thriving city hub of Caochangdi once a former farming village and a local Beijing Opera school and training center. Begin your final day at the Temple of Heaven, partaking in a tai chi lesson with a resident master. Later, continue to the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall, one of the vast structure’s most scenic stretches, for a Champagne toast and white-cloth picnic lunch atop the wall itself.

The Peninsula Beijing | Meals: B L D
Days 6-7: Hong Kong | The Soaring City
Board your private Challenger 605 jet and jaunt to glittering Hong Kong, dazzling jewel of the Far East. Enter the grand, harborside Peninsula Hotel, Hong Kong. This afternoon, cruise above the city on a privately chartered Peak Tram, Hong Kong,™s oldest means of public transport. After absorbing the staggering views, continue to Central Pier, where you board elegant ,˜Aqua Luna,™ for a sunset sail on Victoria Harbour, followed by a dinner viewing of A Symphony of Lights, an astonishing sound and light show played out across the skyline.

The next day, experience the spiritual side of Hong Kong as you explore its Buddhist Chi Lin Nunnery, Daoist Nan Lian Gardens and the revered Man Mo Temple. After a traditional dim sum lunch at the city,™s only three-star Michelin restaurant, enjoy a restorative Zu Di An Muo (Chinese reflexology) treatment. Take some time to relax, and regroup over cocktails and a meal in the cozy library of the Bank of China Building.

The Peninsula Hong Kong | Meals: B L D
Days 8-9: Agra, India | Breathtaking Taj Mahal
Fly by private jet to Agra, where you receive a traditional Indian welcome and settle into your room at the Oberoi Amarvilas, the only property affording views of the romantic Taj Mahal. After a traditional Indian lunch, spend the afternoon at leisure. Then, gather for cocktails and canapés on the terrace facing the stunning Taj Mahal. As your first evening winds down, see an absorbing theatrical performance depicting India,™s medieval golden era. The following day, rise to see the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan,™s marble memorial to his wife, bathed in morning light.

Continue to Agra Fort, a walled city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and then ornate Itmad-Ud-Daulah, colloquially called the Baby Taj., Enjoy a lavish spread of kebabs during a tented lunch, followed by a second visit to the Taj Mahal, its marble skin now glowing in the colors of sunset. End your final night in Agra over a Mughal-themed dinner and traditional dance performance at your hotel.

The Oberoi Amarvilás | Meals: B L D
Days 10-11: Istanbul, Turkey | Crossroads of History
Board your private jet and fly to Istanbul, seeing its Old Town and impressive city walls. Enjoy a light lunch in this ancient heart of the city the oldest part of Istanbul followed by a private opening of the Hagia Sophia. Later, explore the Hippodrome, once a colossal Roman stadium for horseracing, followed by a private cruise on the Bosphorus, where Asia and Europe meet and mingle. Spend the remainder of your first day at your luxurious hotel, housed in a former Ottoman baroque palace, and enjoy dinner on the town or during a private meal at the Kaftan Hall at Çirisan Palace, with Ottoman court music performed by members of the State Conservatory.

Rise early the following morning for a private, before-hours viewing of the sixth-century Basilica Cistern, a former water reservoir for the Imperial Palace, continuing to a private opening of the Topkapi Palace Complex. Wander through the labyrinthine Grand Covered Bazaar and its dizzying array of shops. Explore the lively Mahmutpasa markets, and see Rustem Pasa Mosque and the Spice Bazaar. This evening, cross the upper Bosphorus to the Asian side, and see Whirling Dervishes perform. On your last night in Istanbul, enjoy dinner in the home of a member of Ottoman royalty, who joins you for your feast.

Ciragan Palace Kempinski | Meals: B L D
Days 12-14: Paris, France | City of Light
Before you depart for France, visit the schools at Suleymaniye Mosque Complex, and attend a private opening of Chora Church for a chance to view its rich Byzantine interior. Board your private jet to Paris, the City of Light, where you are whisked to the lovely Le Meurice, your hotel overlooking Tuileries Garden. Take time to explore your surroundings. Later, choose between a tasting menu with wine pairings at the hotel,™s Michelin three-starred restaurant, or indulge at Alain Ducasse,™s Jules Verne Restaurant in the iconic Eiffel Tower.

The following morning, take your pick of Paris’ incomparable offerings: choose a guided visit to one of the city’s world-renowned museums; a walking tour of its famous pedestrian districts; or a Parisian food walk with a local restaurant critic. Pause for lunch at an authentic brasserie along cobbled Rue des Petites Ecuries and, come evening, enjoy private, after-hours access to the permanent collections at the Louvre Museum and a private, luxury yacht dinner cruise on the Seine with wine pairings and glittering city views.

Hotel Le Meurice | Meals: B L D