MARK AND CHRIS HAVE CREATED A PHENOMENAL COMPANY AND WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE EXPERTISE THAT MAKES UP UNTOLD STORY.
BRIAN & ANNE LYNN, MARYLAND
OUR STORY
CHRIS: CO-FOUNDER
Chris has travelled extensively throughout Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe and as such brings deep knowledge and understanding of luxury travel in remote and exotic destinations. He leads product development and trip planning at Untold Story, as well as being heavily involved in brand development and Operations. With a background in expedition planning and UHNW private travel, Chris offers strong logistical expertise and creativity when curating client journeys. His recent travels have taken him to Rwanda to trek with Mountain Gorillas, remote Indonesian Islands, the Utah Desert and also north of the Arctic Circle in Finland.
MELANIE: HEAD OF CORPORATE
With 25 years of success in event management, Melanie has worked with some of the world’s most prestigious brands, including Bentley Motors, Porsche Cars GB, BMW, Aston Martin, Deutsche Bank, LK Bennett, and Graff. Melanie has worked with c-suite executives for over 20 years. She has assisted with various briefs: from sourcing off-the-radar properties and venues, to organising more complex corporate off-site retreats, and senior leadership and board meetings. Her passion for travel since an early age has seen Melanie living for four years in Alaska and the Caribbean working for luxury yacht companies.
MARK: CO-FOUNDER
Mark has held senior marketing roles over the last 25 years in the luxury hotel and travel sectors, gaining valuable insight into the expectations of UHNW’s. His career includes One & Only Resorts, The Rocco Forte Collection and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. Having lived in Singapore, India, Indonesia, Vancouver and London he has travelled extensively across the globe. He now enjoys sharing his global experiences, hidden gems and contacts with his clients through the creation of unique, life-enhancing travel itineraries.
EMILY: HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Emily joined us in 2023 having graduated from the University of Cambridge. Her studies allowed her to travel widely, representing the University in skiing competitions across Europe and spending ten weeks in Kenya on international development projects. She graduated with the highest mark in her year and went on to achieve a Master’s degree. As Head of Operation her meticulous attention to detail ensures that every trip runs seamlessly.
OUR APPROACH
Driven by the belief that luxury travel is defined as much by the people you meet and the experiences you have as by the destinations themselves, Chris and Mark founded Untold Story in 2018.
Their vision was to go beyond offering ‘just a holiday’ and instead curate life-enhancing, sometimes even lifechanging, journeys.
With an ever-growing black book of connectors and influencers around the world, Chris and Mark saw the opportunity to bring the inaccessible within reach.
Through the art of storytelling, they opened doors to unique people and places, fostering deeper connections for their clients.
UNTOLD STORY IS LIKE AMERICAN EXPRESS, NEVER LEAVE HOME WITH OUT THEM
DAVID, LONDON
WHY PARTNER WITH US
• 24/7 access to a local contact while travelling, as well as our operations team in London
• Complimentary VIP/Fast Track Airport service where available
• Local emergency assistance during travel
• Access to our tried and tested network of storytellers from a diverse range of backgrounds
• Pre-trip concierge service for elements such as restaurant reservations
• Access to our direct hotel contacts to ensure VIP treatment and amenities
• Flexible and preferred hotel rates
• Post-trip welcome home gift/amenity
• Highly qualified, fluent English-speaking drivers, guides and experts
• Hands on involvement by co-founders
• Accredited by Conde Nast Traveler, Ultra Lux Magazine and Travel + Leisure
JASNEET, LOS ANGELES
OUR VALUES
CRAFTING A STORY
Each of our travel programmes is bespoke. The journey starts with a consultation with you so that we can ascertain what you truly want from each trip and craft an experience that is utterly unique.
EXPERT STORYTELLERS
Our storytellers play an integral role in each trip. Pioneers and leaders in a diverse range of fields, storytellers add greater depth to the experience. Whether we open a museum or palace after public hours just for you, show you somewhere in the world few have seen or immerse you in an incredible experience such as a private swim with whales, taking part in the Rio Carnival or enjoying a private roof top dinner in Paris overlooking the Eiffel Tower, nothing is out of reach.
SEAMLESS DELIVERY
We pride ourselves on meticulous attention to detail from enquiry to execution. From the warm welcome and transfers upon arrival at an airport through to departure: we are there at every step of the journey to ensure a completely seamless and stress-free travel experience. From the time you arrive in a destination to the time you leave you will have 24/7 communication (usually via WhatsApp) with our team in-country and the team in London. From changing a restaurant reservation, to assisting with an emergency, we are there to assist you throughout your journey.
POSITIVE IMPACT
Untold Story are proud members of the Conscious Travel Foundation.
In the face of a global climate and biodiversity crisis, the aim of The Conscious Travel Foundation is to collaborate, educate and advocate for a more meaningful, sustainable tourism industry - protecting the planet and spreading the narrative around sustainable travel to our peers and the publics.
All our trips are tailored and bespoke but here are a few examples:
UNMASKING JAPAN
• Privileged access to a Sumo stable
• Sunrise sky-high Kenjutsu practice
• Samurai sword lesson with a legend
• Canoe adventure with former Olympic athlete
• Rare opportunity to meet with a survivor at Hiroshima
• Spend the night in your own 16th century Edo-period castle
• Learn the true concept and essence of Zen Buddhism during a private Zazen meditation session
• Private sushi masterclass with a Michelin starred chef
• Private tea ceremony with a renowned tea master
THE LAND OF FIRE & ICE
• Private Northern Lights safari accompanied by your own personal guide and expert astronomer
• Embark upon a thrilling snowmobile ride across the Eyjafjallajokull ice cap
• Recharge in the pools of a secret thermal lagoon as the Aurora Borealis dance above you
• Race ATVs along Southern Iceland’s black-sand beaches
• Descend into a lava tunnel for lunch and explore the otherworldly geology beneath the surface
• Snorkel between the Tectonic Plates in the crystal clear waterof the Silfra Lagoon
IN SEARCH OF PURA VIDA
• Join researchers to monitor wildlife camera traps in Corcovado National Park
• Soar in a helicopter above a smoking volcano with an expert volcanologist
• Rappel down a 200ft waterfall and swim in the pool beneath it
• Surf in Manuel Antonio with a former champion
• Enter sloth territory and traverse the hanging bridges of the Monteverde Cloud Forest
• Embark on a thrilling heli-rafting expedition on the Pacuare River
• Swim with a spinner dolphin mega pod in the Pacific Ocean
• Participate in pioneering conservation projects, from tagging baby hammerhead sharks to mass turtle hatching events
THE KEYS TO THE VATICAN
• Attend a private Holy Mass inside The Vatican Grottoes, delivered by a high ranking Cardinal
• Get within touching distance of His Holiness The Pope during the Papal Audience, with access to VIP seating
• Enjoy privileged out of hours access to the Vatican Library and Secret Archives
• Private visit to off-limits sections of the Vatican Museums
• Private access to the exquisite Villa Borghese
• Embark on a foodie visit of Rome with a charismatic local chef by Vespa!
THE BEST OF BORDEAUX
• Discover exclusive vineyards and cellars of a privately owned wine estate in the heart of Margaux
• Savour the renowned grape-based treatments of the Vinothérapie Spa
• Indulge in private tastings and share lunch with the estate’s master sommelier
• Hop aboard a private Riva to explore the idyllic Arcachon Bay
• Meet an oyster farmer and taste the famous oysters of Arcachon Bay
• Private visit to the stunning Monolithic Church of St Emilion
GREEK ODYSSEY
• Explore Athens, the ancient capital of the world, where you will uncover millennia of history with an expert archaeologist
• Join a local spear fisherman and feast on freshlycaught seafood on a secluded beach at sunset
• Visit some of the under-the-radar islands of the Greek Archipelago from the comfort of your private yacht
• Unleash your competitive spirit during an Ionian Olympiad contested by friends and family
• Experience the famous Greek hospitality and feast on homecooked specialities over dinner with like-minded locals
• Meet a marine biologist and learn how the underwater ecosystem is being protected and conserved
THE SPIRIT OF PATAGONIA
• Traverse northern Patagonia on horse-back led by legendary guide Jakob von Plessen Become part of the gaucho family as you learn their customs and way of life, riding through the Patagonian wilds
• Become acquainted with the social ceremony of mate drinking
• Rest your head in luxury pop-up camps in the foothills of the Andes Mountains
• Heli-hike in pristine wilderness areas, completely untouched by human activity
• Track wild Pumas with conservationists across the border in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park
• Go ice-hiking on some of the most pristine glaciers in the world
• Feast on asado, at the Argentinian barbecue that has become an institution
• Visit the distinctly different barrios of Buenos Aires in a vintage Hupmobile
• Discover Buenos Aires’ legendary nightlife as you hop between hidden Speakeasy bars with a legendary local mixologist
• Dance the tango with the locals in Buenos Aires’ sultry milongas
