Spice Route Journey

On this luxurious 16-night luxury touring holiday, you’ll be whisked away on a privately chartered jet for a grand and unique journey from Aqaba to Venice! 

Inspired by the fabled Spice Route; Titan’s latest private jet tour follows in the footsteps of ancient traders who brought exotic, highly sought-after spices like pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom to the western world. 

It will be an aromatic, delicious journey; brought to life with behind-the-scenes tours on spice farms and plantations, visits to lively souks and fragrant spice markets, and exclusively chartered cruises on Kerala houseboats and Omani dhows.

There’ll be four-wheeled-drive tours over sand dunes and the chance to see Petra’s cinematic Treasury, creative workshops and art-themed walks in Venice, and banquets inspired by heritage recipes from the spice trade. 

A marque of all private jet tours; Titan have selected exquisite hotels and the most elegant and exclusive restaurants as you explore the world’s greatest spice kingdoms in ultimate style.

Day 1 – London to Aqaba - Kempinski Hotel Aqaba

Your private jet tour begins when a chauffeur arrives to drive you from your home to the private jet terminal at Stansted Airport. Here you’ll be greeted by your dedicated tour managers, operations director, and cabin crew who’ll look after you throughout your tour. You'll fly first to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, where spices were offloaded in Aqaba to continue their journey overland to the Mediterranean coast. Landing this evening, you’ll head straight to your hotel on the shores of the Red Sea, where there’s time to freshen up before you gather for your first dinner with your fellow travellers.

Day 2 – Aqaba - Kempinski Hotel Aqaba

Waking to panoramic views over the glittering Red Sea, you might be tempted to stay all day at this beautiful hotel with its luxurious spa and private sandy beach. But there are adventures to be had on today’s choice of included tours that offer a glimpse into the lives and achievements of the ancient Nabateans. The spice trade brought immense wealth to this nomadic tribe who charged taxes to the travelling caravans bringing spices from Asia to the Mediterranean coast. You can rise early for a visit to Wadi Rum, where you’ll jump into 4WD vehicles to drive through the red sands and chiselled canyons and enjoy lunch in this otherworldly desert landscape. Or take the desert highway to the Nabateans’ own Rose Red City of Petra and relive the stories behind its palaces, temples, and tombs on a guided walking tour. Two unforgettable excursions to kick off your spice route tour in style.

Day 3: Aqaba to Zanzibar - Melia Zanzibar

For your next stop, you'll visit Zanzibar, the fabled ‘Spice Island’. Touching down in the late afternoon, you’ll head to the coast where your deluxe hotel is surrounded by white-sand beaches and coral-rich seas. After time to settle in, you’ll enjoy dinner in the hotel’s restaurant which specialises in ethnic Swahili dishes rich with exotic spices and local ingredients like coconut and plantain.

Day 4: Zanzibar - Melia Zanzibar

The spices traded in Zanzibar came from all over Asia, bringing Oriental and Indian influences you can still see today. This morning’s visit to Stone Town reveals a city infused with stories and echoes from Zanzibar’s colourful past. At Darajani Market you’ll hear buyers and traders haggling as they have for centuries, as you weave your way past stalls piled high with fragrant spices. Returning to the hotel, this afternoon is all yours - relax on the palm-fringed beach, splash out on a spa treatment, or laze beside one of several ocean-view infinity pools.

Day 5: Zanzibar - Melia Zanzibar

This morning you’ll take a closer look at Zanzibar’s spice trade. First, you’ll meet the CEO and founder of a Fairtrade spice company, then you’ll head out into the fields to talk to the farmers who work with them to plant and grow authentic, organically produced spices to meet a growing global demand. This fascinating tour gives you a unique insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by local farmers and businesses, and shines a light on Zanzibar’s spice trade throughout history up to the present day. After a free afternoon, a memorable last night in Zanzibar has been organised as you gather on the beach for a private, specially prepared dinner served under the stars accompanied by local music and dancing.

Day 6: Zanzibar to Antananarivo - Hotel Carlton Madagascar, Antananarivo

Today you’ll swap palm-fringed Zanzibar for the rainforests and baobab trees of Madagascar, where 80% of the world’s vanilla is produced. You’ll board your private jet late morning, and if there’s time after arrival this afternoon, there's an arranged visit to Lemurs' Park for those who wish to go. Most of the lemurs at this private reserve were pets or rescued from the wild, and they all roam freely in the five-hectare park. After meeting and observing these characterful creatures close up, you’ll return to the hotel in time to freshen up before dinner.

Day 7: Madagascar - Hotel Carlton Madagascar, Antananarivo

Ships laden with spices once passed by the island of Madagascar. But when the world got a taste for Madagascan vanilla, everything changed. Today you’ll explore the story of vanilla on Madagascar; taking an early domestic flight to the north-east of the island to visit a vanilla plantation and see the painstaking method of hand pollination and harvesting which makes it the second most expensive spice in the world. After a day on the plantation, with time to taste and buy the vanilla if you wish, you’ll take a domestic flight back to Antananarivo, arriving in time for dinner at the hotel.

Day 8: Antananarivo to Kochi - Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

Back on the private jet this morning you'll fly to Kerala on India’s Malabar Coast. This region changed the spice route forever when Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed at Kochi in 1498. Until then, spices had been transported from Asia to Europe by land; but his arrival opened up a new, direct trading route by sea. It was a seismic change: empires fell, colonisation followed, and doors were opened to the New World. Landing in the early evening, you’ll head to your waterfront hotel where there’s time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Day 9: Kochi - Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

This morning you’ll learn more about Kochi and its place in spice history on a tour of Fort Cochin, the oldest part of the city. With its ancient mosques and synagogues and European colonial architecture, you’ll see how centuries of traders and explorers left their mark. On the north shore you’ll stop to see the iconic giant, spider-like Chinese fishing nets and you’ll visit St Francis Church, original resting place of Vasco da Gama, who died here in 1524. Later this afternoon, something very special has been arranged: a snake boat regatta, staged exclusively for the group. You’ll take your seat and soak up the passion and excitement as these long war canoes are powered through the water by teams of rowers spurred on by rhythmic drumming and traditional boat songs. Exhilarated by the spectacle, you’ll return to your hotel for dinner.

Day 10: Kochi - Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty

Spices like nutmeg and allspice are grown all across Kerala, so you’ll start today with a visit to a local farm. After a private tour, you’ll head out to Kerala’s famous backwaters, whose tranquil waterways feel a million miles from the rest of India. Here you’ll spend a gentle afternoon on a traditional coir houseboat, sailing slowly past lush forests and paddy fields fringed by tall palm trees. Returning to Kochi in the late afternoon, there’s time to relax before you celebrate your last evening in India in traditional style. After a specially prepared dinner of delicious heritage dishes; you’ll watch a performance of Kathakali, a centuries-old art form where dancers in elaborate make-up and costumes act out myths and spiritual stories.

Day 11: Kochi to Muscat - Kempinski Hotel Muscat

Leaving Asia, you'll board the private jet and fly to the Sultanate of Oman on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Oman linked northeast Africa and India on the old Spice Route, bringing flavours like ground cumin and coriander to the western world. Arriving in the afternoon, you’ll be whisked to your modern, upscale hotel which has views across the Gulf of Oman from its serene infinity pools and private sandy beach.

Day 12: Muscat - Kempinski Hotel Muscat

Today you'll get your first taste of the scale and beauty of Oman, passing desert landscapes and green oases en route to Nizwa, the ‘Pearl of Islam’. You’ll tour curved, crenelated Nizwa Fort with a local guide, and then head to UNESCO-listed Bahla Fort and finely sculpted Jabrin Fort, perhaps the most beautiful of them all. After lunch in a local hotel restaurant; you’ll head into the foothills of the Jebel Akhdar or Green Mountains, to walk through the atmospheric ruins of ancient Birkat Al Mauz village and take a shaded stroll under the trees in the surrounding date palm plantations.

Day 13: Muscat - Kempinski Hotel Muscat

Staying in Muscat today, you’ll turn your focus to the architecture, history, and flavours of Oman. Starting with the gleaming, marble-clad Grand Mosque; you’ll continue for a privately guided visit to the Royal Opera House, a beacon of modern architecture whose bright white arches, towers, and colonnades reflect a distinct Omani style. You’ll return to the hotel via the Bateel date store where you can buy everything from date-filled biscuits and sparkling date fizz to premium, gourmet dates packaged in hand-painted boxes. After a free afternoon, you’ll head to the marina this evening and board a privately chartered wooden dhow to cruise along the coast at sunset. After watching the sun sink into the Arabian Sea, with the twinkling lights of Muscat reflected on the water, you’ll share your last dinner in Oman at one of Muscat’s finest restaurants.

Day 14: Muscat to Venice - Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

Today you'll fly to Europe to complete your Spice Route Journey in one of the world’s most romantic cities: Venice. Landing this afternoon, you’ll board a private water-taxi and cross to your hotel on the banks of Giudecca Island. This grand old Venetian building was once a flourmill and offers breath-taking views across the famous lagoon.

Day 15: Venice - Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

In the 15th century all spice routes led to Venice, and spice still plays a major part in the city’s cuisine. This morning you’ll learn about Venice’s centuries-old gastronomic traditions, in particular street food, on a walking tour with a local food expert. This afternoon you can choose from several included excursions. The first is a walking tour of St Mark’s Square and Basilica, an iconic Venice experience. There's also a visit to a gondola workshop to learn how these unique boats are made, after which you can take a Venetian-style rowing lesson or join a gentle walk through the Dorsoduro neighbourhood with its picturesque palazzi and quieter canals. Another walking tour traces the history of fine art in Venice, or why not get creative and make your own souvenir at a Carnival Mask workshop?

Day 16: Venice - Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

This morning you'll board a water taxi and cross to the island of Murano, where fine artisan glass has been produced since the 13th century. During your private tour of one of the best factories on the island, you’ll watch master craftsmen shape the molten glass and learn why Murano glass is still prized, collected, and passed down through generations today. After free time for lunch in Murano; you’ll head back to your hotel for a leisurely afternoon. Tonight the group will gather for its final - and perhaps most memorable - gala meal. A fitting finale, you’ll take your seats for a farewell banquet in one of Venice’s finest palazzos.

Day 17: Venice to London

Your spice route tour comes to an end this morning, as you board a private water taxi and head back to the airport where your jet will be waiting to fly you to the UK. Arriving at London Stansted, your private VIP vehicle will be waiting for the journey home. Jordan, Zanzibar, Madagascar, India, Oman, and Venice by private jet - what an adventure!