Mystic Kingdoms of Asia

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 mail 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 50 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. Overall, our trips 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 down time 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.

On all our expeditions, you can expect the following:

• Uneven ground/frequent walking up to one mile at any given time
• Walking up the steps to the jet, as many foreign airports do not have jetways
• Trip pace—only one or two, or three nights in each stop with some late night activities and early morning departures
• Time zone changes
• High altitude (some expeditions)
• Changes to your ‘normal’ routine: unique cuisine, frequent packing/unpacking

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.

Trip Pace Definitions

These icons refer to the overall pace of the trip and not to specific activities at each destination. For example, an expedition classified as moderate or relaxed in overall pace can still offer active options such as hiking or snorkeling.

• Active Pace: Almost every day fully scheduled, and/or longer flight durations; expedition crosses multiple time zones
• Moderate Pace: Down time opportunities every three or four days, and/or shorter flight durations; crosses fewer time zones
• Relaxed Pace: Many opportunities for relaxation, and/or three-night minimum stays in most destinations

This is an active program which requires a serious health assessment. There will be walking excursions at nearly every location, and you will need to climb stairs at some of the sites, as well as when you board and disembark the aircraft. There are some airports where you will be responsible for transporting your small wheeled overnight bag. We will have some early-morning departures and late-night activities, and may travel through multiple time zones.

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 gastro-intestinal 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.

Our luggage allowances are based on the type of aircraft on which the expedition is offered. On our custom Boeing 757, luggage typically is limited to two checked bags: the wheeled bag we mail you and one additional large suitcase of your own. Both of these bags will be stored in the hold of the jet during our flights, but you will be allowed to take your backpack and other small personal items, such as purses and camera bags, along with you in the cabin.

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. 

Having our own private jet means we set our own high security standards with established processes that have been fine-tuned over 20 years. The doors to the jet will never be opened except in the presence of the flight crew, and we keep close tabs on all luggage stored in the jet, using secure vehicles for transport and a secure check-in system to ensure nothing is missed. We also have the flexibility to make decisions up to the last minute to reroute the trip. The bottom line: we worry about it, so you don’t have to. 

All guests must have valid passports to participate in this program. Passports must be valid at least six months beyond the end date of your expedition. If visas are required for the expedition, a visa kit will be sent to you approximately five months before departure. We work with an expediting service that helps makes 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 our privately chartered jet
• First-class accommodations
• Ground transportation
• All meals and beverages, including select beer and wine
• 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
• Bottled water

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

Reservation Process

To reserve your place on the expedition, complete and sign a reservation form and return it with your deposit. The deposit can be made by check, wire transfer, or by a major credit card such as American Express, Visa and MasterCard. If you pay your initial deposit by credit card, it is fully refundable until you sign the reservation form. Subsequent payments are payable by American Express, check or wire transfer, made out to the secure escrow account for each expedition.

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.

As we have seen the unexpected happen with previous guests, we strongly encourage you to protect your investment by purchasing trip cancellation insurance.

We are pleased to be able to offer Cavalry Elite Travel Insurance, an optional trip cancellation/interruption insurance plan through our preferred partner, Redpoint.

The Cavalry Elite Travel Insurance plan includes: 

• Purchase within 14-days of placing your initial deposit to be eligible for the following early purchase benefits:
  • Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver
  • Cancel for any reason upgrade
• High limit for trip cancellation/interruption, baggage loss, emergency dental, AD & D coverage
• $100,000 primary medical coverage
• $750,000 limit for medical evacuation to your home hospital of choice. (Please note: TCS provides all travelers with basic emergency evacuation coverage up to $100,000. This coverage is subject to limitations and does not cover pre-existing conditions)
• Pay-as-you go installments for ease of payments
• No limits to coverage amounts toward trip cost

To purchase, please call 415-481-0720 or visit Cavalry Elite Travel Insurance.

Please note: Medicare alone does not cover payment of medical services obtained outside the US. If you have supplemental health coverage, review your policy to be sure your are covered outside the country.

All travelers automatically receive basic emergency evacuation coverage up to $100,000. This coverage is subject to limitations and does not cover pre-existing conditions.