Dream Vacations: Around the World on the Four Seasons Private Jet

The upcoming schedules cover some epic routes, with stops and activities that range from sushi-making in Tokyo to helicopter landings in the Dolomites to geothermal soaking in Iceland. If I had to choose one, I’d opt for “Uncharted Discovery.” It seems the most geographically dramatic of the set, offering a 21-day arc from Los Angeles to Antarctic and back. I certainly wouldn’t decline a trip like the “New World Icons” trip to Hong Kong, Venice, and Anguilla; or the “Grand Horizons” trip ranging from Napa Valley to Tokyo and Bangkok. But as a Scot, it’s the Uncharted Discovery trip that seems the most far-flung.

This whistle-stop tour of the Americas begins in Los Angeles before the group flies to Mexico’s Pacific coast and checks in at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo. The resort sits on a private reserve south of Puerto Vallarta that sees far fewer visitors than Mexico’s better-known Pacific corridors. From there, you’ll fly across the Andes. In Peru’s Sacred Valley, Four Seasons arranges access to Machu Picchu with local historians guiding the visit and handling the timed entry requirements that usually demand advance planning.

Buenos Aires is next and offers a switch back to city life. Staying at the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires places you within walking distance of charming cafés, bookstores, and music venues. The Antarctic segment is operated with polar specialists who manage the charter flights, safety briefings, and Zodiac landings used to reach penguin colonies, glaciers, and coastal ice fields on the peninsula. Then it’s on to Cartagena, the walled Caribbean city on Colombia’s coast, where Spanish fortifications, sea views, and maze-like streets provide a heavy dose of color and culture after the ice fields.

The price of this once-in-a-lifetime trip reflects how much is included and how little planning you need to do. Everything is want-for-nothing service: private jet flights between every destination, Four Seasons hotels with exceptional dining, guides, tickets, transfers, and a traveling support staff that handles everything from border formalities to medical concerns. You’ll be joined by a well-oiled team including chefs, guest services staff, and a traveling physician. In short, nearly every expense and detail — down to the luggage concierge who magically ensures your bags appear in your room at each destination — is taken care of, allowing you to focus on enjoying bucket-list experiences in the utmost comfort.

My Dream Around-the-World South America tour

• Day 1: Arrive at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California
• Day 2: Fly to Tamarindo, Mexico, check in at Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo
• Day 3: Snorkeling, boat tours, photography classes in Costa Rica
• Day 4: Snorkeling, boat tours, photography classes in Costa Rica<
• Day 5: Fly to Cusco, Peru, check in Palacio Nazarenas, A Belmond Hotel
• Day 6: Tours and activities around Machu Picchu
• Day 7: Tours and activities around Machu Picchu
• Day 8: Fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina, check in at Four Seasons Buenos Aires
• Day 9: Iguazu Falls, wine tasting, or tours in Buenos Aires
• Day 10: Iguazu Falls, wine tasting, or tours in Buenos Aires
• Day 11: Fly to Punta Arenas, Chile
• Days 12-15: Tour Antarctica via Quark Expeditions’ Ocean Explorer
• Day 16: Fly to Cartagena, Colombia, check into Four Seasons Cartagena
• Day 17: Full day in Cartagena
• Day 18: Full day in Cartagena
• Day 19: Fly to Papagayo, Costa Rica, check into Four Seasons Resort Peninsula Papagayo
• Day 20: Rum tour or wildlife watching around Papagayo
• Day 21: Depart for home