Intrepid Travel
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Great experience (2 trips)
I just got back from a Morocco tour (Premium style/13 days) and it was wonderful. I also took a Scotland trip in 2022 (Original style/8 days) that was also a really great trip. So, it's surprising to see that Intrepid has so many negative reviews here. There were some negative reviews on the Intrepid site itself, but nothing I saw that would stop me in my tracks. I can only comment on my experience, so here goes ... Scotland trip: Quick trip, but packed with good things. It was listed as "8" days, but in reality, it was 6. It's important to note that when looking at ANY trip on the site, you should automatically subtract 2 days — on Day 1, you meet your group for intros at dinner time, then on the "last" day, the tour ends after breakfast. I kept that in mind for my second tour (Morocco) which is why I chose the 15-day trip. All the needed information is in the trip itinerary, so the key is to review it carefully. Scotland was "Original style" so that meant B&Bs, taking public transportation, and managing your luggage. Ended up with 2 guides on this trip; Guide 1 had to leave after 4 days to attend a friend's wedding. From the reviews (and my own experience) the "success" of a trip really can depend heavily on your guide. Guide 1 was incredible — so friendly, informative and obviously loved his country and was proud to share his knowledge. Guide 2 was perfectly nice, but if we had her the entire time, I'm not sure I would have the same opinion on the trip. She kept to herself when she wasn't actively guiding us somewhere, but she was helpful if we needed any info. Note: Original style trips mean you have a lot of free time on your own, so research and plan ahead (book tix, etc.) For example, on the Isle of Skye, we had only one day and it was basically a free day. I booked an island tour ahead of time, but my other tripmates weren't aware of the tour, so they ended up not seeing a lot of the island, which was the high point of the trip (for me!). So, bottom line — carefully check the itinerary and see what things are included and do your own research & planning for things you want to see that aren't included. Premium Morocco: This was an entirely different experience. The itinerary was planned down to the hour, all day. I didn't have to make any reservations or book ahead or even lift my luggage once the tour began. It was nice to have someone else organize everything. The guide was absolutely wonderful — he took care of us and helped us in so many ways. Everyone got sick on this trip — tummy issues, cold/flu, etc. — and somehow, he managed to make sure everyone had what they needed to be comfortable, took one woman to the hospital (!), but still managed to keep us on schedule. Some of the accommodations didn't seem "premium" -- but it's noted in the itinerary that what's "premium" in Morocco may not be the same as what Westerners are used to and to manage expectations. We stayed in several authentic riads; were they luxurious? Not necessarily, but seeing the original architecture and history of the building was worth 1 or 2 nights with a creaky bed and low water pressure. All in all, I've only had great experiences with Intrepid tours, but I'll definitely keep these other reviews in mind if/when I choose to travel with them again.