Private-jet expeditions are the latest watchword among travelers who want to see it all.
T+L aviation expert Chris Dong hitched a ride with the in-crowd.
Courtesy of TCS World Travel
I draped myself in an alpaca-lined blanket and wedged my feet into plush slippers.
From left: TCS World Travel operates jet expeditions with just a few dozen guests; service on board.Credit:Courtesy of TCS World Travel
Our next destination, just a few hours away, was Bogota, Colombia.
It would be the final stop of a 13-day expedition through South America.
A few days before that, I had rubbed elbows with gauchos in the wine country of Argentina.
The experience on board is akin to business class, with lie-flat Italian leather seats.Courtesy of TCS World Travel
Two days prior, I had crouched beside hundred-year-old Galapagos tortoises in the hills of Ecuadors Santa Cruz Island.
It was, to say the least, no ordinary trip.
My own, last October, was shorter, if more focused.
Contemporary sculptures in Salar de Uyuni.Courtesy of TCS World Travel
A typical commercial version of this jet might have a crew of seven and 196 passengers.
The interior was arranged in business-class style, with two-by-two Italian leather seats that can lie fully flat.
Upon arrival, we were often met by an escort, who helped us bypass any lines.
Local fauna in Mendoza, Argentina.Courtesy of TCS World Travel
Wherever possible, the necessary paperwork immigration forms and the like was handled on our behalf.
TCS also organizes activities at every stop.
The companys experience really came to the fore when things went sideways.
Crossing the Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia.Courtesy of TCS World Travel
By the time we landed in Bolivia, everything was running seamlessly.
Soon enough, we arrived atPortal,a monumental sculpture built from 5,000 salt bricks.
Sharing Bolivia with travelers from around the world is deeply personal, Mariano told me later.
As far as Im concerned, they most certainly succeeded.
For Adventurers
Storied operatorAbercrombie & Kentcoordinates a select few Private Jet Journeys every year.
For Landmark Chasers
Paris-basedSafrans du Mondeoffers a choice of two travel classes Club and Premiere on its private-jet itineraries.
