Air Cruise : Grand Tour of Asia 2020
The captain has charted his flight plan, the private plane is all set and comfortable, a well-appointed and immaculately dressed crew has welcomed you aboard — find your reserved seat, and get ready for unforgettable discoveries.
This unique voyage, featuring the epitome of an air cruise and the quintessence of Asia, brings 9 magical destinations together to offer you an incredibly diverse panorama of an entire continent’s landscapes, cultures and savors.
In the comfort of your private jet, you will visit Kyoto and plunge into its contrasts of history, modernity and new horizons. A quick flight will then transport you from the land of the Rising Sun to the land of the Great Wall. You are now in Xi’an, in the heart of the Qin dynasty, already experiencing its opulence and contrasts! Dive into the wild world of Macao gambling, then relax in the Buddhist serenity of Laos before feeling the emotion of the Khmer Empire and the temples of Angkor. Then comes the splendor of Jaipur, in the land of the Maharajas. Still in Asia, your next stop is the desert of Oman, with its incredible oases and the legendary hospitality of the Bedouin people. And you arrive in Central Asia to follow the Silk Road to Samarkand, a discovery that will perfectly top off this Tour of Wonders.
Sumptuous and fascinating, moving and sophisticated: this Air Cruise will become one of your most memorable voyages. Let yourself be transported!
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ITINERARY
Samarkand
Following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great and Tamerlane, our plane next takes us to Samarkand, a timeless city found at the intersection of ancient cultures. Caravansaries, mosques and mausoleums covered with mosaics of earthenware tiles, in shades of true blue that are masterful examples of Umayyad creativity. In addition to its fabulous architecture, which is classed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, Samarkand offers you the opportunity to experience the perfumes and spices of its bazaars, which have inherited the Silk Road traditions treasured by Marco Polo. |
Day 13 : Mascat - Samarkand (Flight time 4h30)
We head north this morning. A few hours on our private jet and we touch down gently in Samarkand for an orientation tour, a dinner and your first night in Central Asia.
Day 14 : Samarkand
A day filled with discovery: Registan square, Ulugh Beg and Sher-Dor Madrasahs, the Tilya-Kori mosque, the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and the Siyob Bazaar. Your dinner will be a celebration of music and dancing.
12th May : Samarkand - Paris (Flight time 6h30)
A late-morning flight to Paris CDG airport, where you will land, at the end of the evening, at the final terminus of this exceptional voyage.
Xi'an
A quick flight takes us to the Eastern terminus of the Silk Road in the former capital of imperial China, the city of Xi’an. We will discover the walls built during the Ming Dynasty, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the Stele Forest and the Great Mosque of Xi’an. Your exploration of Xi’an will culminate in a visit to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, with its world-renowned terracotta army composed of 6,000 life-size figures of warriors and horses. Although the site is over 2,000 years old, it was only discovered in 1974 by local peasants who were digging a well. To highlight your stay in China, we’ve reserved a magical setting, filled a magnificent banquet table with refined and sophisticated Chinese dishes served only on special occasions, and included other delightful surprises. |
Day 4 : Nara and flight Osaka - Xi’an (Flight time 4h10)
Discover Nara: the deer park, the Tōdai-ji Temple and its five-story pagoda, home to the giant Buddha Daibutsu, the Kasuga Shinto shrine with its thousands of lanterns, and the Kōfuku-ji pagoda.
Late afternoon departure for Xi’an.
Day 5 : Xi'an
Visit to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the modern district and the Muslim neighborhood with its incredible Chinese-style mosque. The afternoon will be devoted to visiting the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and its terracotta army. Gala dinner with entertainment.
Kyoto
Our private jet takes off for Kyoto, the former imperial capital of Japan. In its historic city center, the maze of streets dating from the Middle Ages will carry us back to the time of the Samurai. It’s not unusual to see Japanese people out for a walk, wearing kimonos and carrying oil-paper umbrellas. Then a stroll through the haven of greenery around Kinkaku-ji, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, to see its reflection illuminate the surrounding lake. A moment of meditation in the famous dry garden of the Ryōan-ji Zen temple, a pause to sample the delicacies of Japanese cuisine — Kyoto offers you a wealth of experiences. From one imperial capital to another: you will visit Nara and see the majestic Tōdai-ji temple, featuring an immense Buddha with an uncanny expression and deer roaming freely throughout the grounds. You will also tour the architectural complex of Kōfuku-ji, a family temple dating from 669. Japan has what it takes to charm you! |
Day 1 : Paris - Osaka (Flight Time 12h00)
Afternoon departure. Night flight.
Day 2 : Kyoto
Midday arrival in Osaka. Continuing on to Kyoto. Hotel check-in and orientation tour in the historic Gion district, followed by a traditional Japanese dinner.
Day 3 : Kyoto
A day in Kyoto, including visits to the Temples of the Golden and the Silver Pavilions and to Ryōan-ji.
Macau
While you are still dazzled by the splendors of China, our airplane will continue its flight across the ancient Asian continent to our next destination, Macao. A former dependency at the edge of the Portuguese empire, Macao was returned to China in 1999, after 400 years of Western colonization. A place of contrasts, with the businesslike atmosphere of a Chinese city and the nonchalance of a Mediterranean town, Macao never fails to make an impression. You will stroll through the old city filled with houses decorated with Portuguese painted tiles and iron grilles on their windows. You will also see the ultramodern television tower and the reclaimed coastline with its huge casino resort hotels. Bustling with activity at all hours of the day and night, Macao is a city where a church sits next door to a Chinese temple — all forms of divine grace are welcome. Yet Macao has also been called a “Gambling Hell” in films and novels. Your private jet will make a stop in this sultry city. |
Day 6 : Xi'an - Macau (Flight time 3h00)
Morning departure for Macao. An afternoon of discovery in the old Portuguese district of the city. Dinner and a show.
Luang Prabang
A short morning flight of less than two hours will take you to the place where the Nam Khan river flows into the languid Mekong: the location of the sleepy hamlet of Luang Prabang. Here, the pace of life is set by the prayers of the city’s many Buddhist temples. The devotion of the residents has endured through the country’s recent upheavals. From the Wat Xieng Thong temple to the former royal palace, which is now a museum, Luang Prabang offers you lasting memories of an enchanted interlude on the way to Cambodia. |
Day 7 : Macau - Luang Prabang - Siem Reap (Flight time 2h15 + 1h40)
A morning flight of barely two hours lets you discover the most important sites in the city and sample traditional Laotian cuisine. At the end of the afternoon, a quick flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia.
Angkor
Here you will discover one of the world’s most beautiful architectural sites… Angkor Wat. The ruins of more than 300 temples await you, strewn throughout the heart of the jungle of giant kapok trees. Following in the footsteps of the French explorers Pierre Loti and Henri Mouhot, and, more recently, the novelist André Malraux, we will visit the site’s main temples: Ta Prohm and its trees whose giant snake-like roots grip its ancient stones, Bayon with its enigmatic carved faces, and Angkor Wat, its perfect lines a testimony to the skill of the twelfth-century Khmers who built it. After the sumptuous surroundings of these sacred spaces, you will have a chance to experience yet another new celebration: the dance of the Apsaras. |
Day 8 : Angkor
A full day to visit the most important temples, including Bayon and Ta Phrom. In the evening, a dinner show featuring Apsara dancing in a magical setting.
Jaipur
Your jet now heads west. You will alight in Rajasthan, to admire the traces of the Mongols and enjoy an evening filled with incredible wonders. The “Pink City of India” is filled with beauty, with the cornices of the impressive Amer Fort overlooking its palaces and market stalls. Atop the fort’s ramparts, you will see the lake, with its bathing elephants, the city of Amer with its magnificent Hindu temple, and then the great city on the horizon. You will have the chance to take a stroll and, when evening comes, you will experience the perfection of a splendid welcome filled with the invaluable moments that royal families still know how to create! |
Day 9 : Angkor - Jaipur (Flight time 3h40)
A morning flight to Jaipur and an afternoon of discovery, with visits to the observatory and the Hawa Mahalor “Palace of Winds.”
Day 10 : Jaipur
A day devoted to exploring Jaipur and its treasures, the Amer Fort and a very exclusive gala evening.
Muscat
There has been just enough time to appreciate the lovely images of Southeast Asia. Your private plane lands next in one of the most beautiful locations of the Persian Gulf and Asia Minor: the Sultanate of Oman. A desert of dunes in a thousand golden hues. A sea of deep sapphire blue, reminiscent of jewels once ferried by dhows, along with spices and other treasures. White cities beaten by the rays of the sun. Fragile mountains with jagged peaks…. All this in a land that has preserved the traditions of Bedouin hospitality. In the historic city district, we will explore bazaars filled with the perfumes of frankincense and myrrh, passages packed with shops overflowing with surprising goods. You will see the amazing mansions of the rich shopkeepers of Muscat, who made their fortunes trading spices and precious metals with Zanzibar and the Indies. It is another completely different and absorbing experience. The sense of hospitality runs deep, nature is powerful, colors are dazzling. Your voyage to Asia will reveal so many unexpected contrasts. |
Day 11 : Jaipur - Muscat (Flight time 3h30)
After a three-and-a-half-hour morning flight, the magic of time zones allows a beautiful day to see Muscat: from the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, with its exquisite wealth of artistry and precious metalwork, to a stroll through the winding passages of the traditional Muttrah bazaar.
Day 12 : A crazy day
Our itinerary includes: The Grand Mosque, a desert, lunar landscapes, luxurious vegetation, volcanic canyons, a crater, crystalline waters and an evening worthy of the legendary hospitality of the Bedouin people.
You have just experienced the most amazing trip through time, civilisations and the wonders of Asia.
YOUR HOTELS
Kyoto :
Espace and Club Safrans : Kyoto Hotel Okura
La Première Classe : The Ritz Carlton Kyoto
Xi'an :
Espace and Club Safrans : Sofitel Xian On Renmin Square
La Première Classe : Sofitel Legend Peoples Grand Hotel Xian
Macau :
Espace and Club Safrans : The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel
La Première Classe : Wynn Macao
Angkor :
Espace and Club Safrans : Hotel Sofitel Angkor
La Première Classe : Belmond La Residence d’Angkor
Jaipur :
Espace and Club Safrans : The Raj Palace
La Première Classe : Taj Rambagh Palace
Muscat :
Espace and Club Safrans : Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa
La Première Classe : Ritz Carlton Hotel Al Bustan
Samarkand :
Espace and Club Safrans : Registan Plaza Hotel
La Première Classe : Emirkhan Hotel
PRICE & CONDITIONS
Price per person :
17 500 €* Espace Safrans / 24 900 €* Club Safrans / 35 900 €* Première Classe