Primus circumdedisti me.
This inscription, which means ‘You were the first to encircle me,’ was emblazoned upon the shield presented to Basque explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano by King Charles I of Spain following the first successful circumnavigation of the Earth by the Magellan-Elcano Expedition in 1522. (Although Magellan got top billing, most historians will tell you he couldn’t have done it without Elcano – but that’s another story.) That arduous journey around the world took roughly three years to complete. But today, you can make the same trip in about three weeks, and enjoy far-from-arduous conditions aboard a spacious private jet. And while you may not have Magellan or Elcano as your guides, you will have the company of a team of National Geographic Explorers, Photographers, and Expedition Experts to share their knowledge as they show you the wonders of the world.
Currently, National Geographic Expeditions by Private Jet offers four different ways to achieve the feat of global circumnavigation. While each of these around-the-world expeditions take you on very different journeys, they all share one thing in common: the inclusion of both ‘bucket list’ destinations and lesser-known, but equally fascinating locations – places you never knew you needed to go to, until you’ve experienced them firsthand.
Choose Your Path and Follow Your Spirit of Discovery
If this is your first foray into global circumnavigation, you may want to begin with the appropriately named Around the World by Private Jet trip. As you make your way across the globe, you’ll experience iconic sights from Easter Island to the Taj Mahal to the Serengeti Plain, immersing yourself in the people and cultures of these fascinating destinations.
If you’re an avid photographer – or even just interested in snapping spectacular smartphone photos—another excellent introduction to around-the-world travel is the Photographing the World by Private Jet expedition. Accompanied by National Geographic Photographers, you’ll embark on an extraordinary odyssey to eight of the world’s most photogenic destinations. Along the way, you’ll get to know iconic sites – like Japan’s Kenroku-en Garden, Tiger’s Nest Temple nestled in Bhutan’s Himalayan mountains, and the colorful souks and medinas of Morocco.
If island-hopping is more your style, Oceans and Islands of the World by Private Jet should definitely top your list. As you take the ultimate tour of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, you’ll experience both land and sea as you partake in truly ‘immersive’ activities such as swimming among non-stinging jellyfish in Palau, snorkeling with manta rays, walking with Komodo dragons in Indonesia, marveling at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Oman, and trekking into Cleland Wildlife Park to observe native Australian wildlife.
It bears repeating that, along each step of the way on these amazing expeditions, travelers are accompanied by National Geographic Explorers, Photographers, and Expedition Experts, as well as local experts at various destinations, who are dedicated to taking you deeper in understanding and appreciating the places you visit. This is not simply a checklist of iconic sites, but an up-close and immersive experience that expands your perception of the world’s history, cultures, wildlife, and geography.
Why Just See the World When You Can Engage with It?
There is so much more to the world than meets the eye. And as we learned from the travels of Magellan and Elcano, to really immerse yourself in the rare and exciting adventure of circumnavigating the globe, you’ve got to do it with a seasoned crew who will make sure the experience is nothing short of epic. And that’s perhaps the best reason of all to trust your trip of a lifetime to National Geographic Expeditions. With a well-earned reputation for experience and expertise, National Geographic has been bringing the world closer to those who seek to know it better for more than a century. Inspired by this legacy, National Geographic Expeditions by Private Jet takes circling the globe to a higher plane of travel.
To learn more, visit NatGeoExpeditions.com/PrivateJet.
These trips will be operated by National Geographic Expeditions, on flights operated by Icelandair.
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