5 things luxury travellers would kill for

Frontal view of young multiracial friends jumping from wooden sailing boat on sea trip - Rich happy guys and girls having fun in summer party day - Exclusive vacation concept - Warm vintage filter
By Hannah Edensor


There’s luxury, and then there’s luxury. When looking at the very top tier of travel, there are out of this world experiences available that go well beyond a five-star hotel.

1. Private jets

There are some days when flying first class on a commercial airline just won’t cut it. Private jets are setting the new standard for luxury travellers, allowing them to create bespoke journeys that aren’t constrained by airline schedules or the location of major airports.

Many private jet tours are able to skip the hassles of major airports all together – no lining up to pass through customs and security, no waiting for your bags and no lengthy transfers. They can arrive directly at their destination, utilising smaller private airports not open to the general public.

2. Specialist guides

A good tour guide can make or break a journey. For luxury travellers, they go above and beyond with professional photographers, celebrity adventurers or industry experts accompanying the group and imparting their wisdom.

Award-winning photographer Palani Mohan escorts small groups with Abercrombie & Kent, taking them to the remote peaks of Ladakh and helping them capture breathtaking images.

Onboard Regent Seven Seas’ ships, political diplomats, documentary filmmakers and history academics present lectures that give priceless insights into the ports visited. It’s the kind of experience that you can’t put a price on.

Richard Branson's private island in the British Virgin Islands

Richard Branson’s private island in the British Virgin Islands

3. Undiscovered destinations

Luxury travellers love to be the first to discover something new. They want to get off the beaten track and explore untouched destinations – without sacrificing on comfort. High-end operators are constantly on the look out for the next big thing so they can attract visitors to a new corner of the globe.

Ethiopia is one of the oldest nations on earth, but has been largely forgotten by tourism. Kibran Tours hosts exclusive journeys through this fascinating region, travelling by private plane or helicopter and staying in unique luxury lodges or camps.

Bolivia is often overlooked in favour of its more famous South American neighbours. Crillon Tours specialises in Bolivia, giving luxury travellers a first look at an enticing new destination.

4. Private islands

Things don’t come much more luxurious than your own private luxury island. With just a handful of rooms (or villas) reserved exclusively for your group, everything is just as you want it – private chefs, special parties, organised activities or nothing at all.

Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the Caribbean is arguably the most famous private island in the world and gives 34 guests the chance to live like the world’s most gregarious billionaire.

necker-island-beach-house-aerial

5. ‘Money can’t buy’ access

As the saying goes, it’s not what you know it’s who you know. If you want to dine at Noma, the best restaurant in the world for three years running, when it reopens in mid 2017, the $600+ price tag isn’t what holds you back. It’s getting a table at all.

But with a specialist travel agent or well-connected concierge at your disposal, a reservation is just a phone call away. Luxury travellers know that it is worth paying a premium for these kinds of services as the access they can give them goes beyond money itself.

Building a priceless network of connections opens the door to a world of experiences beyond the reach of your typical travellers. The sky really is the limit.

Luxperience is an invitation-only business forum encouraging connections between highly sought-after luxury experiences and agents who influence the travel decision of the world’s elite travellers. Registrations now open for qualified travel specialists

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