20 Days Around the World Private Jet Journey with Constellation Journeys

Seoul – South Korea

Monday 30 September

And so the adventure begins. Join fellow travellers and your Journey Leaders at Sydney’s International Airport before an afternoon flight to Seoul. This evening dinner is served at altitude – and with onboard chefs, it’s sure to be a notch above your regular inflight meal.

Tuesday 1 October

Seoul is throwing off its industrial reputation, asking the world to take notice. And that is what you shall do today as you explore the highlights of the city including the 14th century Gyeongbokgung Palace. A walk through the city’s most popular market will whet your appetite for a traditional Korean lunch.

A La Carte options feature throughout your journey, get your first taste of them this afternoon.

Choose from:

• No matter an individual Korean’s religious persuasion, the spirituality of Buddhism binds all. Learn about this unique culture while visiting the city’s temples.
• Forget about the Karate Kid, Korea is for Taekwondo. Channel the martial arts within for a demonstration and lesson.
• Reinvigorate yourself with a visit to a traditional Korean bath house.
• Visit the fascinating War Memorial of Korea.

Gala dinners and highlight events are a hallmark of your Constellation Journey. Come together for a special welcome dinner on a man made floating island in Seoul tonight.

Wednesday 2 October

When in the modern metropolis of Seoul it’s easy to forget the history behind this divided country. After the Korean War the country split into two. Separating the North from the South is a two kilometre border, known as the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ). Make your way to the DMZ today, one of the last relics of the Cold War and one of the most bizarre areas in the world. Returning to Seoul for dinner this evening it’s A La Carte time again, literally! Choose from restaurants both inside and nearby your hotel.

Jerusalem – Israel

Thursday 3 October

Welcome aboard your flying home – you’re on our way to Jerusalem. Relax with a fine drink, expertly prepared cuisine and the company of new friends aboard your private jet. Visitors and pilgrims have flocked to Israel and the Holy Lands since the 4th millennium BC. Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world – the spiritual and religious centre for Christianity, Judaism and Islam. This evening we touch down in Tel Aviv before driving to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Friday 4 October

The Old City of Jerusalem packs the sights in tight. Waste no time getting out to explore, starting with Temple Mount, a most holy site for followers of Judaism and Islam. Then it’s on to the Western Wall, the number one place of pilgrimage for Jewish people. Explore the maze of tunnels beneath the Western Wall before rising to ground level near the Bethesda pools, of Old and New Testament fame. Following Via Dolorosa through the colourful Shuk (Muslim Market) we reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Your walk continues to the Jewish Quarter to step upon Cardo, the main street dating back to the times of Romans. Then it’s over to the Armenian Quarter, arguably the most intriguing, peaceful and picturesque area of Jerusalem. After lunch at a restaurant within the Old Town, embark on an adventure through time, visiting the original City of David and the beginnings of Jerusalem.

This evening you are invited into family homes in Jerusalem to share in the traditional and ceremony of Shabbat.

Saturday 5 October

Choose from A La Carte options today:

• Descend to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea Basin, and continue to Masada, the last stronghold of the Jewish people in the Great Revolt against the Romans. The trail of ancient history leads you on to the discovery site of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
• Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus. Visit Shepherds’ field and walk through Manger Square to visit the remarkable Church of the Nativity.
• You know the saying “It’s just like riding a bike”? It’s true – but test out the theory for yourself with a gentle bike riding tour of Tel Aviv. With bike paths and a seaside promenade Tel Aviv is perfectly laid out for exploring by bike.

Dine at a selection of restaurants this evening.

Valletta – Malta

Sunday 6 October

Go in style from the Middle East to the heart of the Mediterranean. Aboard the Qantas 747, with your friendly crew, travelling companions, top notch food and quality drinks, it’s more of a party in the sky than a way of getting from A to B. Descending into the jewel of the Mediterranean you will land at the tiny Maltese capital, Valletta. Check in to your elegant hotel and enjoy a relaxing afternoon, basking in the glow of the Mediterranean. When in the Mediterranean surely one must take to the water? Joining a traditional sailing vessel you will cruise around Valletta’s magnificent harbours, allowing the magical history of the city to unfold. The fortifications, walls and buildings built by the Knights of St. John, Rhodes and Malta upon their arrival in 1530 form a perfect backdrop for an unforgettable harbour cruise.

Monday 7 October

Today the choices abound. Which will you select?

This morning you will get to know Valletta better. Visit the Grand Master’s Palace and its armoury plus St John’s Cathedral and Casa Rocca Piccola. Share a traditional Maltese lunch before diverging down your chosen path:

• Uncover the intriguing mysteries of Malta’s former capital, Mdina. The narrow streets of this city are as enchanting as they are historic. On your way back to Malta you will visit Mosta, with its impressive dome.
• Get out of town and head south to the Tarxien Temples, the magical Blue Grotto and the irresistible fishing village of Marsaxlokk.
• Strap on your comfortable shoes and walk the Three Cities of Malta’s inception – Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. The Three Cities have provided a home, harbour and fortress to citizens since Phoenician times.
• Or perhaps you’d rather spend the day further afield? As the morning sun dances its reflections across the sea you will step aboard a boat and sail the stunning Mediterranean archipelago to Gozo, the second largest island in Malta. Valletta may have the glitz and glam but Gozo excels in natural beauty. After a traditional Maltese lunch and time at the fascinating Gozo360 display you’ll discover the 300 year old salt pan area along the coast.

Come together tonight for a magical night to remember in Valletta, experience local Maltese specialities in a location that is sure to amaze!

Barcelona – Spain

Tuesday 8 October

You will leave Malta but you’re not yet ready to leave behind the charms of the Mediterranean. French Champagne in hand, we fly across the sea to Barcelona. The mild days of October are perfect for exploring, with the city still optimistically clinging to the scent of summer. After touching down in the heart of Catalunya you will make the most of your afternoon, taking the panoramic route to Montjuic Hill for a view over Barcelona. As you ascend you’ll pass by some of the city’s iconic sights including La Sagrada Familia.

Wednesday 9 October & Thursday 10 October

It’s time to delve deep into Barcelona, and with A La Carte options offered over two days, you’ll be able to enjoy the city on your own terms:

• Wine connoisseurs might be tempted with a full day visit to the fascinating wine region of Priorat, where the land varies from kilometre to kilometre. There’s extreme variation in the soil, enormous contrast in the slopes and hills – even the amount of rain each area receives is unpredictable. But with 600 growers and 99 wineries, one thing is for certain, this a land for wine!
• Drive into the countryside to the Benedictine Monk retreat at Montserrat. Enter the cliffside monastery and enjoy this serenely stunning location amidst the Catalan mountains. Enjoy lunch at a quaint local restaurant.
• A fantastic way to get to know a place and its people is through food. And to get to the heart of Barcelona you must first go through its belly. Join a colourful morning walking tour through the markets and cafés of Barcelona.
• Barcelona is a cultural and architectural wonderland – due in no small part to Gaudi. Join a morning discovery of the Gaudi icons, concluding with a visit inside La Sagrada Familia.

On both afternoons there will be shuttle buses running from your hotel to Las Ramblas, enabling you time to explore this marvellous city independently.

On Wednesday evening there is a special dinner planned just for you. On Thursday it’s dinner A La Carte style – where you choose from a selection of restaurants.

Cartagena – Colombia

Friday 11 October

Adios Barcelona and Hola Cartagena – you’re moving continents but the language remains unchanged. Back onboard you’re welcomed with top tier service, complimentary French Champagne and fine Australian wines. There will be plenty of time for socialising and perhaps even a siesta. Life aboard your private jet is a very different experience to a regular flight! Arriving into Cartagena you will be driven directly to your hotel.

Saturday 12 October

Brush aside all preconceptions you have about both the Caribbean coast and Colombia. Cartagena is one of the most surprising cities you’ll come across. It’s also one the most superbly preserved colonial cities of the Spanish Empire. This morning you will enter into the old town, surrounded by a 13km circumference stone wall. Ensconced within the walls is a living open air museum of wooden houses, pastel facades and cobbled streets. Cartagena breathes history, beauty and culture in a way that only a Latin city could. How you discover the old town is up to you – by foot or by wheels (of the pushbike variety)! With a relaxing lunch back at your hotel, the afternoon is free to enjoy. By the pool with cocktail in hand perhaps? Or for more adventures join one of the shuttle buses, taking you back to the old town for independent exploration.

There are plans afoot this evening, rather than spoil the surprise, let’s just say a “special” dinner is planned.

Sunday 13 October

A La Carte options spread out before you today:

• Cartagena’s old town is filled with architectural treasures. Join a walking tour this morning with an architect and decipher some of the mysteries.
• Colombia, home of rum and coffee. This morning you may like to tickle your tastebuds with a tasting. Rest assured, in Colombia it’s never too early for rum or too late for coffee!
• Escape the city for the day and head to Rosario Islands. Idyllically located on an archipelago, this is the Caribbean of your dreams – azure blue waters, white sands and palm trees.

This evening the A La Carte options continue with a choice of dining venues.

Cusco – Peru

Monday 14 October

From one colonial city to the next – but that’s where the similarities end. We take off from the Caribbean coast and, after changing aircraft in Lima, land high in the Andes. (Our Qantas 747 is too large to operate to Cusco.) Upon arriving in Cusco you are transferred directly to your hotel and prepare for tomorrow, your journey to Machu Picchu.

Tuesday 15 October

A journey to Machu Picchu is the pinnacle for many travellers but the rail journey itself is a highlight, with its zig zags down the mountains and its picturesque route following the Urubamba River. But of course it’s the abandoned Incan citadel of Machu Picchu that you’re really here for. And it delivers in spades. It’s hard to imagine what the Incas were thinking when they deemed this remote mountain ridge as the site of their 15th century citadel. It’s even more difficult to envisage how the city was built – and just why it was abandoned 100 years later. But rather than speculate and reason, sometimes it’s better to let the magic take over. Machu Picchu is one of those times.

Wednesday 16 October

A La Carte options are yours to select:

The Incas were industrious people – from mountaintop citadels to ancient irrigation systems, salt mines, stone villages and sacrificial sites. Travellers might flock to Cusco for Machu Picchu but there’s so much more here to discover. You will spend the day exploring the Ancient Valley of the Incas from your Cusco base with a variety of half and full day alternatives offering cultural, shopping and scenic highlights.

Low Altitude Option –
Cusco is located at an altitude of 3,400m. If you are concerned about travelling to this altitude you’ll be pleased to know that an alternative low altitude option is offered, visiting the fascinating Peruvian city of Chiclayo, discovering its archaeological and colonial treasures. Please enquire for a detailed itinerary.

Easter Island – Chile

Thursday 17 October

Fly to Lima to rejoin the ‘Queen of the Sky’, bound for Easter Island. One of the most remote, confounding and mystical places on earth. Arriving after lunch you’re straight out to explore, starting with the ancient abandoned village of Orongo and the volcanic crater lake of Rano Kau. Easter Island was formed 750,000 years ago after a series of volcanic eruptions and is one of the most remote inhabited places in the world.

Friday 18 October

A tiny island, lying 3700km off the coast of its nation and filled with more than 600 giant moai statues – Easter Island is unlike anywhere on earth. Feel the magic and intrigue of this incredible place as you make your way around Easter Island today. Witness the inexplicable moai statues, standing with their backs to the sea, and walk through the quarry where they were made thousands of years ago. Stand and wonder at how primitive man achieved such startling perfection, taking 90 tonne monoliths from the sides of volcanoes to create a spell binding archaeological puzzle. You will continue around the island to Anakena beach, more like Tahiti than Chile. There will be one more chance to photograph the extraordinary moai before local performers treat us to a show. Soon the call of home sounds out and you’re boarding your private flying kangaroo one more time for the flight home to Sydney.

Saturday 19 October

Celebrate the journey of a lifetime and farewell newfound friends with a glass of Champagne or fine Australian wine as you fly towards home. Whilst you will arrive in Sydney with time to connect to most other cities today, it may take a week or so to adjust back to regular life!