Last year, 73 million U.S. tourists traveled abroad, a record number, federal data show. Europe and the Caribbean remain popular destinations, but there was a notable uptick in the number of Americans traveling to Asia and Oceania in the South Pacific, compared with a year earlier. But what if you want to hit more than one continent in a single trip? For those who can afford to spend six figures per person, there are companies that specialize in group tours that crisscross the globe via private jet. They also throw in gourmet meals, pit stops at luxury hotels and spas, and in-flight lectures from experts. Just reading the tour descriptions is its own form of escape. Here are some itineraries to contemplate while you’re riding the Metro.
A reveler dressed up as a devil runs holding a torch with firecrackers while taking part in a 'Correfoc' or 'Fire-runs' during the Sant Antoni neighborhood celebrations in Barcelona. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
This trip, offered by TCS World Travel, a 26-year-old company that specializes in private-jet tours, starts on a SeaDream Yacht Club vessel before switching to aircraft. Fifty-two guests will stop at Mediterranean ports, then fly to Africa. It sets sail May 5 and returns May 24.
Cost: $107,000 per person for double occupancy.
Days 1-2: Barcelona
Day 3: Roses and Costa Brava, Spain
Day 4: Sete and Carcassonne, France
Day 5: Cassis and Provence, France
Day 6: Portofino, Italy
Day 7: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Day 8: Cannes, France
Days 9-11: Kigali and Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Days 12-14: Okavango Delta or Kalahari Desert, Botswana
Days 15-16: Cape Town, South Africa
Days 17-18: Marrakesh, Morocco
Days 19-20: London
Abercrombie & Kent, a global luxury travel firm that has been around since 1962, prides itself on offering travelers unique experiences. On this 26-day adventure that departs May 1, 50 guests will get to “enjoy a cocktail atop a dormant volcano, attend a private exhibition of the Naadam Games in Mongolia and enjoy an open-air bazaar reserved exclusively for you.”
Cost: $129,000 per person for double occupancy.
Day 1: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Days 2-4: Colombia
Day 5: Easter Island
Days 6-9: French Polynesia
Day 10: Solomon Islands
Days 11-13:Philippines
Days 14-16: Mongolia
Days 17-19: Uzbekistan
Days 20-22: Russia
Days 23-26: Iceland
Smithsonian Journeys, founded in 1970, is the cultural travel program of the Smithsonian Institution. Once a year, it sends travelers on a Boeing 757 for a 24-day tour of “legendary sites up close.” This year’s outing takes off Sept. 27.
Cost: from $79,950 per person.
Day 1: Orlando
Days 2-4: Cuzco and Machu Picchu or north coast of Peru
Days 5-6: Easter Island
Days 7-8: Apia, Samoa
Days 9-10: Great Barrier Reef or Daintree, Australia
Days 11-13: Angkor or Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Days 14-15: Taj Mahal in Agra, India
Days 16-18: Serengeti Plain or Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Days 19-20: Petra and Wadi Rum, Jordan
Days 21-22: Marrakesh, Morocco
Days 23-24: Orlando