$1.5m holiday the most expensive ever?

Rock Islands, Palau. Picture: Asimulator/Flickr

Petra, Jordan is also on the itinerary. Picture: Eric Borda/Flickr

IT will take two years and cost a staggering $1.5 million, but one lucky traveller is about to embark on a very memorable trip.

When luxury site VeryFirstTo.com launched a jaw-dropping luxury holiday offering last month they didn't actually expect anyone to take them up on the offer. But it wasn't long before a rich Chinese traveller put his hand up for the trip.

"When we launched it, we didn't know if it would sell. Not all of our products do," company founder Marcel Knobil said.

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The man, whose name has been withheld, will leave next year to visit the world's 962 Unesco world heritage sites including Petra, Jordan; Cambodia's exotic Angkor temple and Peru's famous Machu Picchu – so long as they are "safe and practical" to get to at the time (travellers are currently advised to avoid some world heritage sites including Aleppo and Leptis Magna in Libya).

Other locations on the list include Orkney, Scotland and Rock Islands, Palau.

So it's clear there won't be much time for him to sit back and put his feet up – the itinerary dictates he visit more than one site every day of the trip.

He'll be flying business or first class and staying in luxury hotels including the Hotel George V in Paris, the Plaza in New York, Cipriani in Venice and the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai.

He will fly business or first class. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

"He will be indulged from start to finish. We even have on offer: night time gondola in Venice accompanied by music played by personal musician, whilst sipping crystal champagne from Murano glass champagne flutes; and a personal chef, stone therapy, aromatherapy, and massage post Machu Picchu," Knobil said.

It’s not known if the man will travel alone – the fee allows him to bring a partner.

Knobil said an Italian industrialist is also very close to signing up for the trip and there have been 15 other enquiries.

Luxury travel company Hurlingham Travel will be orchestrating the holiday. Andrew Barker, Managing Director, says of the sale: “We are thrilled that the Chinese gentleman is going to live the adventure that many have been dreaming of.

"We have also had enquiries from people who can't commit to a two year holiday but really want to sample the holiday. So, in response, we are offering the opportunity to visit every world heritage site on any continent."

Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel in Mumbai, India. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

 

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