Don’t feel bad if you haven’t heard of Bucketlist Xperiences—while you’ll find them if you Google, the truth is, you won’t find anything approaching mass tourism or even your usual VIP groups. What you will find are extraordinary offerings available only to a select and highly vetted coterie. Recommend recently chatted with Jordan Kaplan, President of Bucketlist Xperiences, and Lisa Vogt, Head of Sales & Partnerships for the company, to share its unparalleled take on touring the world.
The genesis of Bucketlist Xperiences, shared Kaplan, began with his family’s involvement with the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the uber-luxe cycling trips its members took with tour operator DuVine some 20 years ago. These eventually became multi-sport trips; then, in 2017, they began planning an even higher-end experience on their own—think black private jet-style—which turned into more and eventually, Kaplan stepped in to help operate the trip.
“When I was talking to the members on that trip, those YPOers, who had been on other jet trips, I was trying to really understand why they specifically loved the trips that my family was putting together so much and how that was different from what they had experienced before,” he said.
It was this that helped them hone in on their offer and their target market.
“And that really came down to two different things,” said Kaplan. “Number one is the experiences themselves, and number two is the age group and audience that this was tailored to. So, it was very focused on those elements, and they both affect one another. Our audience is, on average, in their late 50s, ranging between 35 to 70 on the high side.
“So, anybody that’s in their late 60s, who think they’re a 38-year-old. Anybody in that mindset. They’re pre-retirees, still potentially working, still actively involved and engaged in other aspects of life.
“That created a really interesting community, especially with the vast majority of them being CEOs and presidents of different global companies, some of the largest in the world. That also translated into the activities that we were doing. So we’re much more multi-sport and actively focused because of what we’re focused on.
“I know that our market, what they care about at this stage in life is two or three things. They care about their health, they care about their family, and experiences. Those are pretty much the three things that our member demographic actually cares about.”
Kaplan adds the company hits all three touchpoints in its experiences, but because of his background in health and wellness, he leans heavily into that aspect. “Our experiences are active, their educational. [For example,] we go to Rwanda, we meet with President Kagame and then take his fleet of military helicopters into the jungle to go hiking with the gorillas. Or, we’ll be in Egypt with the Minister of Antiquities, and we go down into a tomb that was just discovered two weeks before we got there, with a rope and a basket like Indiana Jones. [They’re] really immersive types of experiences. And luxury and service are really table stakes. Of course, that’s part of everything that we do, but it’s table stakes.”
The Bucketlist Xperiences’ Offer in 2025/26
Kaplan says Bucketlist Xperiences will operate two trips this year, one in July and one in November (July is already sold out). “And then, going forward, until we hit a certain threshold that we feel that that is the threshold of potentially where quality might be minimized—and absolute non-starter for us. That’s why we’re only doing two trips this year, and for the following year, we want to ensure that we’re offering the same, if not better, quality on every single trip that we operate.”
Curious about how to book your clients? The way Bucketlist Xperiences works with travel advisors so far, Kalpan notes, has been organic.
“In order to actually sign up for a bucketlist experience,” he adds, “you need to sign up and become a Bucketlist Xperiences member first. And the reason why is that we want to ensure we have that right, curated, like-minded individual coming with us on those jet experiences. In other words, you can’t just go to bucketlistxperiences.com and sign up for a trip. Our itineraries are not really posted publicly or shared publicly.” He notes there is currently no membership fee, just one that ensures a curated audience. “With travel advisors, we’re happy to work with almost anybody who understands our demographic, who understands the profile of the individual we’re focused on, and [we can] incorporate them and work with them to help mutually grow each other’s business.”
However, that’s evolving.
“We’ve started to reach out and work with boutique luxury advisors in the past few weeks,” adds Vogt. “So, once we’re connected, they obviously have the trip information and work with and partner with us to find those individuals. And, there’s a commission opportunity for [the advisors] as well, meaning the trips are a commission opportunity for advisors that are onboarding with us and reaching out to find the individuals that would be a great fit to the Bucketlist Xperiences community.”
Vogt points out that the first trip, in July, is a 20-day trip that spans eight countries, starting in Montreal and finishing in Belgium. The group will visit Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Iceland and Ireland. The second trip of 2025 is in November. The itinerary spans six destinations: Dubai, Masai Mara, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea, Giza and Milan.
Average group size? “It depends on the itinerary,” says Kaplan. July will have a group of 50, and November will be limited to 34. “Part of what we look to also is to try to buy out the properties wherever we go around the world to have that highest level of service and an exclusive experience.”
“We have a few seats left for this upcoming November,” adds Kaplan. “I’m not sure how long those will be available, but we can start engaging with anybody. As for 2026, we can ensure that those people are well prepared in advance to provide this to their top clients and individuals they work with as soon as that [trip is] ready.”
Kaplan adds that they have an 80 percent repeat rate and a 100 percent Net Promoter Score (NPS), “which is kind of unheard of in the industry.”
Keep in mind, he says the trips sell out rather quickly and they do have long lead times. “We bring a huge team with us … our normal expedition team is already six people—our three expedition team members, a photographer and two physicians with us as well.”
The November journey is priced at $129,500 per person (based on double occupancy). It includes accommodation, meals, selected wines and spirits, activities and travel on a custom business airliner with only 34 VIP seats. An on-board physician, professional photographer and dedicated luggage concierge enhance the experience.
Travelers will experience VIP treatment throughout, including private customs and immigration services, and stays at world-class properties such as One & Only Gorilla’s Nest in Rwanda and the newly opened Shebara Resort in Saudi Arabia.
The upcoming itinerary offers travel advisors a unique blend of exclusive experiences across Africa and the Middle East. During a closed-door session on Dubai’s 2033 Economic Vision, participants will gain insider knowledge, providing valuable insights into the emirate’s future plans. In Kenya’s Masai Mara, advisors will embark on a thrilling Big Five safari and enjoy a scenic hot air balloon ride over the savanna. The journey continues to Rwanda, where guests accompanied by conservation experts will have the rare opportunity to trek and observe gorillas in their natural habitat. The itinerary also includes exclusive access to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 projects, offering a firsthand look at the kingdom’s ambitious development plans. The experience concludes in Egypt with private tours of the iconic Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, allowing guests to explore these ancient wonders without the usual crowds.
Bucketlist Xperiences emphasizes personalized service, and all journeys include an experienced leader, an operations leader and even the company’s CEO to ensure flawless execution.
For more information, visit bucketlistxperiences.com.
