Japan’s Hidden Gems

This once-in-a-lifetime trip is the perfect way to spend quality time with your partner or to treat yourself to an adventure you’ll never forget. Adults of all ages take our trips, sometimes with a companion and sometimes by themselves. You will meet fellow guests with a curiosity about the world and come away with unforgettable memories and special friendships. It can also help you memorably mark a special occasion, whether it’s an anniversary, birthday, retirement, honeymoon or other milestone.

The minimum age to take our expeditions is 12, but we will consider younger guests on a case-by-case basis.

Shortly after booking, your guest services manager will email you more details about your trip. This dedicated professional will be your main point of contact. He or she will provide you additional information leading up to your departure and is available to answer any questions via phone or email.

Prior to departure, you will receive a set of amenities for your trip. These may include a wheeled bag, a backpack, packing cubes and other useful travel items.

Our trips are a unique opportunity for like-minded travelers who are interested in learning and exploring to come together. The strong friendships forged on our trips continue long after guests return home and open the door to more travel adventures.

On expeditions with 48 or more travelers, daily activities will be divided into intimate groups of 6 to 12, so you never feel like you’re part of a crowd. On all trips, we offer numerous activity options at each destination such as: guided small-group sightseeing, curated shopping, and exclusive visits to museums and landmarks. Other examples include more active options like hikes or snorkeling, as well as unforgettable moments like an intimate guided exploration of Angkor Wat and our hot-air balloon ride over the Serengeti. 

TCS World Travel is committed to maintaining the quality and safety of the expedition for all participants, as you travel from city to city, country to country and continent to continent. This allows you peace of mind and to be able to enjoy all of the wonderful experiences safe in the knowledge that our expeditions meet our high safety standards and protocols. As you would expect from a Private Jet Operator, we take the health and safety of everyone on our expeditions very seriously and we listen to customer feedback and use it to continually maintain and improve safety standards.

What to Expect During Your Journey:

• Uneven ground/frequent walking up to one mile at any given time
• Climbing stairs to board the jet, as many foreign airports do not have jetways
• Trip pace—one to three nights in each stop, including some late-night activities and early-morning departures
• Adjusting to time zone changes
• High altitude (depending on the expedition)
• Changes from your “normal” routine: unique local cuisine, frequent packing/unpacking

Of course, travel is not without some inherent risks. The information below is designed to help ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience:

Excursions & Activities

Overall, our expeditions give you the freedom to set your own pace. Each destination on every itinerary offers a variety of options with different activity levels. In some, you may only be walking for short periods of time and have more downtime between excursions, while in others, you may spend the entire day touring or walking over uneven terrain. You may, of course, choose to have a day off and relax at any location. Our excursions and activities are graded internally based on established criteria and control measures.

Slips, trips and falls can occur at any time and we ask that you stay alert, be aware of your surroundings, wear appropriate footwear, choose routes that are well lit and avoid shortcuts.

Animal Welfare

Wildlife viewing, use of working animals and animal attractions have the potential to offer customers memorable and authentic experiences on their holidays, and they can play a vital role in education and conservation, as well as providing job opportunities and supporting the economy. However, these attractions require careful management to ensure animal safeguarding, and the physical and mental state of the animal is prioritized. TCS believes that none of the trips offered across its portfolio of brands should negatively impact the welfare of animals. We are committed to continuously assessing any animal interactions that take place on our trips, to ensure that animal welfare is prioritized, and not exploited. Therefore, TCS does not offer:

• Performances involving wild animals that require them to elicit unnatural behaviors, or where the training involves punishment or food deprivation and causes animal fear, injury or distress
• Physical interaction with wild animals such as holding, petting or taking photos where the animal does not have the choice of moving away or where there is no care requirement for the animal
• This includes, but is not limited to, the following activities which we do not condone any participation in:
  • Elephant shows or rides for tourists
  • Experiences involving captive whales, dolphins or porpoises
  • Tourist contact or feeding of wild cats, crocodiles, great apes or bears
  • “Walking with” wild cats, such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, etc.
  • Ostrich riding
  • Animals being used for fighting, such as bull fighting, cockfighting, dog fighting, etc. 
  • Drugging of animals to subdue them 
  • Rodeo events that conduct calf-roping, team-roping, steer wrangling and other activities that are detrimental to the animals’ wellbeing
  • Hunting of any kind

Vehicle Standards

Standards can vary from country to country and seatbelts may not be provided on every seat, as it is not always a legislative requirement in that country. Seatbelts should be utilized where available, such as airport and activity transfers, Jeep safaris and game safaris.

Road Safety

The rules of the road can be very different to those we are used to; please be vigilant at all times and familiarize yourself with the direction of traffic and look both ways before crossing the road. In some countries traffic is not required to stop at pedestrian crossings.

On-Trip Safety

Before TCS travels to any destination, we vet it for safety. We and our consultant medical advisors, Dr. Thomas Burke and the BostonMD team, closely monitor all health situations. We monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), the US Department of State, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other third-party destination experts, and are consulting with our trusted local suppliers to evaluate travel to all locations featured on our expeditions. 

The beauty of private jet travel is the ease of pivoting. If we need to change an itinerary for any reason, we can use our contacts in countries worldwide to assist us with making alternate arrangements for our group. These changes could be made well in advance of arrival or even while we are in the air en route to a given location.

On-Trip Resources

On many expeditions, a trip physician will be available to consult with you at your request about general medical health issues such as upper-respiratory infections or gastrointestinal upsets, which are not uncommon on this type of trip. Should you become seriously ill en route, the trip physician will be able to liaise with local physicians at your request and, if necessary, your medical providers back home, to assist in determining what further care you may require.

On-Trip Activity Level

We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate participants with special needs; however, we cannot accommodate wheelchairs or walkers. If you require a slower pace, extra assistance, or the use of a cane or walking stick, arrangements can be made for private touring at each destination. Any extra cost for such arrangements will be the responsibility of the participant.

As part of our commitment to climate and nature action, we’ve joined our sister companies across the Travelopia Group* to partner with Blue Marine Foundation.

Our objective is to help conserve the stunning coastlines and marine life that enrich your travel experiences and help restore ocean ecosystems that are vital in tackling climate change. Together with our sister travel companies, we aim to support the conservation and restoration of 7,000 hectares of vital marine ecosystems through seven global projects.

*TCS World Travel is a member of the Travelopia group of travel companies which has come together to partner with Blue Marine Foundation.

Our luggage allowances are based on the type of aircraft on which the expedition is offered. On the custom Airbus A321, luggage typically is limited to two checked bags: the wheeled bag we mail you and one additional large suitcase of your own. On expeditions on smaller aircraft like the Fokker 70, guests are allowed the wheeled bag we mail you and one additional smaller bag due to weight restrictions. Bags will be stored in the hold of the jet during our flights, but you will be allowed to take your backpack and another small personal item, such as purse or camera bag, along with you in the cabin.

On many trips, a dedicated expedition staff member handles your luggage throughout the journey. In many destinations, our staff will transfer your luggage directly from the plane to your hotel room. In others, you may be required to walk your bags through customs before handing them over to our staff, but we take over from there. Secure vehicles accompanied by a dedicated expedition staff member are used to transfer luggage between the airport and the hotel on arrival and departure. Often times, your bag is in your room by the time you’re checked into the hotel.

We suggest you bring comfortable clothing that can be layered. One of your most important items is a pair of comfortable shoes for walking. Our guests generally dress up a little for the welcome and farewell dinners, but this is their choice and is certainly not required. Also, you will find slightly more formal dining options at many of the hotels where we stay. For this reason, you may want to bring a few nicer outfits. A more detailed packing list with specific clothing recommendations will be sent to you closer to the departure date. While you’re packing, please keep in mind that laundry services are available at most of our hotels. We also recommend you leave extra space in your suitcase to bring home souvenirs of your journey. 

TCS World Travel is committed to safeguarding the security of its guests on every expedition. The company has implemented a set of security processes throughout the journey from before guests depart to when they touch down in a destination. These processes have been fine-tuned over two decades and more than 300 private jet expeditions and thousands of custom trips to help ensure peace of mind for everyone involved.

All guests must have valid passports to participate in this program. Passports must be valid at least 6 months beyond the end date of your expedition. If visas are required for the expedition, a visa kit will be sent to you approximately between 6 and 3 months prior to departure depending on destination requirements. We work with an expediting service that helps make getting your required visas easier. Although you’re still required to fill out your visa forms and cover the application costs, they will review the application to make sure it’s complete and liaise with the necessary consulates and embassies to process your visas.

We pre-fill your customs and immigrations forms at every stop—all you have to do is sign. Where possible, our guests enjoy special privileges, such as expedited customs and immigration formalities. We may have a dedicated customs counter for our group and are occasionally allowed to go through without individual clearance.

The price of your expedition incorporates large items like the jet, hotels, transportation and meals, but it also includes many other things, such as activities, top-of-the-line guides, private dinners in restaurants, beverages and every single tip (guides, restaurants, hotel staff, drivers, etc.). In addition, we give you some “walking around money” in the local currency at each stop. We also supply you with all the bottled water you can drink all day every day. We even provide you with postcards that we mail for you—all you have to do is write.

Your expedition includes:

• Travel on a privately chartered jet
• First-class accommodations
• Ground transportation
• All meals and beverages, including select beer, wine and spirits aboard the jet and group lunches and dinners
• All sightseeing activities, from guided small-group excursions and private shopping to more active options such as snorkeling and hikes
• Special events and private access
• Top local guides and/or on-trip experts
• A veteran expedition team who handles all logistics
• On some itineraries, a trip physician who accompanies you throughout your journey
• All gratuities
• Luggage handling

Your expedition does not include:

• Commercial airfare between your home city and departure/arrival destination
• Optional and additional accident/baggage/cancellation insurance
• Passport and visa fees
• Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone and fax fees
• All beverages not mentioned above as included
• Hotel minibar charges
• Meals not scheduled by TCS World Travel
• Inoculation and medication costs of any kind

*Aircraft operated by Titan Airways Limited.

Reservation Process

To reserve your place on the Tour, you must complete and sign the Reservation Form and pay your deposit. The deposit can be made by wire transfer or by a major credit card such as American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover Card. To cover the cost of processing a credit or charge card transaction, and pursuant to applicable state regulations (including, with respect to Colorado, section 5-2-212, Colorado Revised Statutes), TCS charges a surcharge of 3.0% for credit card payments. This surcharge is not greater than our merchant discount rate for credit card transactions and does not apply to payment via debit card, ACH or check or redemption of a gift card or to credit card payments with a billing address in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or Puerto Rico. Your place on the Tour is not reserved until the deposit and signed reservation form are both received.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel your reservation or change your plans, your right to receive a refund is limited, as set forth in the trip payment schedule. All cancellations will become effective as of the date of the postmark or email receipt. All requests for refunds must be sent to TCS World Travel in writing via mail, fax or email.

If you are traveling solo and prefer the privacy of your own room, you will be charged a solo traveler supplement. This ensures that individual travelers will get the same type and size rooms as our double occupancy travelers.

The Jet tour is operated by TCS World Travel, dedicated to delivering immersive, worry-free travel experiences for the globally curious and modern luxury traveler. The aircraft is operated by Titan Airways, an IOSA-certified airlines with over 30 years of experience in bespoke air charter travel.

We strongly recommend purchasing insurance to protect your travel investment. We offer a best-in-class trip insurance program available exclusively to guests on our group jet expeditions. Our program provides unique benefits that you won’t find anywhere else in the insurance market, including:

• Insurance for your entire trip cost in a single streamlined plan
• The ability to purchase the plan and waive pre-existing conditions any time up until final payment
• COVID-19 coverage, with the option to cancel before your trip departs
• Flexibility to pay in installments and insure your trip as you go

Our insurance program also includes these additional benefits for your peace of mind:

• No-risk guarantee allowing you to cancel your plan within 10 days and receive a full refund
• Coverage for trip cancellation/interruption, baggage loss, emergency dental and more
• Option to add on Cancel For Any Reason (“CFAR”) coverage for up to 75 percent of your trip cost

If you would like a personalized quote, or have any questions about our insurance program, please contact our Guest Relations team at 800.454.4149.

Global health institutions like the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now categorizing COVID-19 as an endemic disease, similar to other infectious diseases we live with daily. In response to this changing global scenario, most countries have now relaxed or dropped their COVID-19 vaccine and testing regulations TCS has adapted our policy as well. 

• While we highly recommend that guests be vaccinated, we are no longer requiring vaccines for guests to travel on a TCS group jet expedition, unless it is required by one of the destinations on the program. 
• There will no longer be required testing for COVID-19 either prior to trip start, at trip start or during your journey, unless it is required by one of the destinations on the program or recommended by the trip physician for treatment support. 
• We will ask any guests who are exhibiting symptoms of illnesses (such as colds or flu) to mask when they are around other guests, helping to reduce transmission and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. We look forward to embarking on an extraordinary journey together as travel gradually returns to normal. Please reach out if you have any questions.