Inside the $74,999 Silk Road design tour: Private Jet, artisans and iconic architecture

For design enthusiasts wanting to stroll through centuries-old bazaars, watch silk being woven and other artisanal activities, a luxury tour set for next October will shepherd attendees through the historic places of the Silk Road, the iconic trading route that connected the East with the West.  

Organized by Orbridge, the 17-day trip starts in London and includes stops in five countries by privately chartered jet. It features a visit to the former Venetian home and studio of textile designer Mariano Fortuny, a sommelier-led wine tasting in Georgia’s trading hub Tbilisi Caravanserai, lessons in silk papermaking and silk carpet weaving; and watching falconry in Kazakhstan.  

Orbridge, the tour operator, has been contemplating a Silk Road experience for more than a decade, said President Jim Staples. “Our vision was to minimize time spent in transit and maximize moments spent exploring these iconic destinations. Traveling by private jet allows us to visit all the sites we wanted to see in a relatively reasonable period of time.” 

The trip includes visits to such iconic architecture as the Basilica di San Marco in Venice, Samarkand’s majestic Registan Square and Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia, but “what makes our itinerary so distinctive are the opportunities to step behind the scenes and see how modern artisans are continuing medieval-era design traditions — experiences that bring Silk Road history to life,” Staples said.  

The price per person is $74,999.