I draped myself in an alpaca-lined blanket and wedged my feet into plush slippers. The plane door closed, and I said farewell to Bolivia’s ethereal Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat.
Our next destination, just a few hours away, was Bogotá, Colombia. It would be the final stop of a 13-day expedition through South America. Just a week earlier, I had been trekking among the rugged peaks of Torres del Paine National Park, in Chilean Patagonia. A few days before that, I had rubbed elbows with gauchos in the wine country of Argentina. Two days prior, I had crouched beside hundred-year-old Galápagos tortoises in the hills of Ecuador’s Santa Cruz Island.
Courtesy of TCS World Travel
It was, to say the least, no ordinary trip. This full-tilt immersion in some of South America’s most coveted destinations was the work of TCS World Travel, an operator that specializes in expeditions by private jet. TCS is something of a pioneer in the field — one of the few travel companies that can pull off these logistically complex itineraries. Since operating its first trip in 1995, TCS has arranged more than 300 private expeditions, including many round-the-world trips; most are about three weeks long.
Courtesy of TCS World Travel
My own, last October, was shorter, if more focused. Along with 37 other passengers, the vast majority of whom had traveled with TCS before, I took off from Miami in a custom-designed Airbus A321neo. A typical commercial version of this jet might have a crew of seven and 196 passengers. Ours had just 52 seats and an 18-person crew: pilots, flight attendants, a chef, expedition leaders, lecturers, cameramen, and a doctor. The interior was arranged in business-class style, with two-by-two Italian leather seats that can lie fully flat. The multicourse meals were a particular highlight, with menus tailored to each country we were visiting: flaky Colombian empanadas, butter-poached Ecuadoran lobster, beers and wines sourced from destinations we passed through.
Upon arrival, we were often met by an escort, who helped us bypass any lines. Wherever possible, the necessary paperwork — immigration forms and the like — was handled on our behalf.
It’s little wonder travelers are embracing these journeys, says John Clifford, the founder of International Travel Management, a luxury travel agency. “High-net-worth clients value time — an unrenewable resource — and there’s the exclusivity of having a select group of guests join them,” Clifford says.
Courtesy of TCS World Travel
Exclusivity was one motivation; access was another, as I learned while striking up a conversation with Lynda Riesbeck, who, along with her husband, Bob, was traveling with TCS for the first time. “The experience provided the opportunity to step outside of our comfort zone and explore parts of the world we may not consider traveling to by ourselves,” she told me.
In addition to the VIP treatment, we had accommodations at high-end hotels, such as the Vines Resort & Spa, in Mendoza, Argentina, and the Singular Patagonia, in southern Chile, both of which rate highly on the T+L World’s Best Awards survey. TCS also organizes activities at every stop. One night in Mendoza, for example, a team of chefs prepped an asado in the middle of a vineyard while tango performers put on a show.
The company’s experience really came to the fore when things went sideways. Just hours into our journey, the crew learned that a permit allowing our jet to land in the Galápagos Islands had been revoked. The TCS ground staff, led by veteran expedition leader Eszter Foldvary, pivoted and arranged tickets to the islands for the entire traveling party on scheduled commercial flights from Guayaquil, Ecuador. “We always remind guests that these are true ‘expeditions,’ where flexibility is key,” says Shelley Cline, president of TCS.
Courtesy of TCS World Travel
By the time we landed in Bolivia, everything was running seamlessly. From our hotel, Los Tajibos, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, we were taken by plane and then a caravan of SUVs deep into the Salar. Soon enough, we arrived at Portal, a monumental sculpture built from 5,000 salt bricks. The ephemeral work is the brainchild of the late Bolivian artist Gastón Ugalde, and TCS had arranged for it to be re-created for our visit under the auspices of the Gastón Ugalde Foundation. Also joining us were the artist’s adult children, Mariano and Canela Ugalde, who are the director and president, respectively, of the foundation that carries on the artist’s legacy.
“Sharing Bolivia with travelers from around the world is deeply personal,” Mariano told me later. “It’s a chance to showcase the country’s incredible diversity, from its landscapes to its culture and art — and with TCS, we’re able to craft moments that leave lasting impressions.” As far as I’m concerned, they most certainly succeeded.
FOUR MORE OPTIONS FOR ULTRA-LUXE FLIGHTS
For Asia Aficionados
Remote Lands, which specializes in travel to Asia, has teamed up with Aman for its private “fly-tineraries,” like the 15-day trip slated for October 2025 that will touch down in Nepal, Bhutan, India, and Sri Lanka.
For Luxury Lovers
One of several Private Jet Experiences from Four Seasons, which operates in partnership with TCS, is a 24-day trip from Seattle to St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France, that visits evocative destinations including Japan, Vietnam, the Maldives, Tanzania, and Turkey.
For Adventurers
Storied operator Abercrombie & Kent coordinates a select few Private Jet Journeys every year. One option for 2025 will be a wildlife-focused, round-the-world odyssey that stops in Palau, Nepal, Seychelles, Namibia, Brazil, and Panama over 24 days.
For Landmark Chasers
Paris-based Safrans du Monde offers a choice of two travel classes — Club and Première — on its private-jet itineraries. The company’s Grands Classiques trips span 25 days and hit iconic sites such as Angkor Wat, Easter Island, and the Taj Mahal.
A version of this story first appeared in the February 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “Right This Way.”
