Intrepid Travel Reviews

I went on the Intrepid Egypt Experience tour in July and it was quite frankly all I could ever want in a trip. First and foremost, our Egypt tour guide - Mohamed - was AMAZING. He was a walking Encyclopedia of Egyptian history, culture, and society, and he took care of my group from literally the minute he was introduced to us. We visited all the Egyptian sites that end up on bucket lists around the world while still taking days to rest and relax. The transit was safe and secure and the itinerary was - as the youths say - "fire." Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Aswan, Luxor, Abu Simbel, and the Nile itself. This was one of the most unique travel experiences I have ever had and I will 100% be booking with Intrepid again.

We are loyal customers of Intrepid having taken over 5 trips with them in the last 5 years we liked their philosophy of trying to support small local hotels accepting that these were often basic with no hot water but this was part of the fun! However there was no recognition of customer loyalty when we had a problem and we will never travel with them again. We were booked on the central american journey when 4 weeks before our trip we were informed that the Honduran government were introducing visas for British tourists. Whilst we accept visas are our responsiblity it proved impossible to get a visa. We had absolutely no help withy the situation their whole attitude was tough if you don't travel you will loose your booking and we were not allowed to transfer to another trip, the reason being that everything was booked and paid for but we discovered later that they had cancelled our hotel bookings on the part of the trip we couldn't take and presumably got a refund. We had no alternative with no help to have to fly to Nicaragua thus missing over half the trip. We offered no help whatsoever in overcoming the problem of not being able to enter Honduras. Other travel companies we have subsequently discovered made alternative arrangements for their clients and from my next point below this was not difficult to faciltate. Indeed the other British tourist on our tour met several other British tourists on the ferry to Nicaragua from El Salvador and their alternative travel arrangements had been facilitated by their tour company. We discovered that when we finally joned the tour Ma Yara who was an absolutely excellent guide, that the local tour guide had put together an alternative itinerary that avoided Honduras including direct transportation into El Salvador as well as travelling from El Salvador to Nicaragua by ferry rather than overland through Honduras. They asked if this could be forwarded to us. This advice not passed onto us, or at the very least us being told that the local guide would be able to help us make alternative arrangements (accepting that these would have been at an additional cost)? The other British tourist on this tour decided to travel to Guatemala and followed this alternative plan very successfully with the help of the local guide, indeed she actually arrived in Leon several hours before the main tour group who travelled via Honduras. Furthermore if they had given us the local guides contact details BEFORE we had travelled we would have been able to liaise with them over alternative travel arrangements avoiding Honduras. Our tour guide and other guest were told that Intrepid were 'doing everything to help us' totall;y untrue. We booked the whole tour through Dialaflight who we have used on many occasions and who were very supportive but when they rang Intrepid the response was to them that if we couldn't travel to Honduras we would only be taken back to the starting point if we chose to travel, no alternative was offered to us help us with this situation. This left us with no alternative but to fly directly to Nicaragua thus missing out on a substantial portion of the tour unnecessarily. Extremely dissappointing service particularly as we have been very loyal customers as I said we won't be using them again. We have complained to customer services but they have yet to respond!

I was a bit apprehensive to join a group of unknown people and to cycle on my own. However, this turned out to be one of the best trips of my life. Not only was I lucky to have a small group of 5, we all got on, and we all had similar or close bike proficiency. Our two guides were simply amazing, made sure we were all ok and they managed to introduce the country (Japan) at its natural best. I will join them on more trips in the future!!!

We did our 2nd Intrepid tour to Classic Rajhastan in August 24 with the wonderful guide Anil . Once again every detail of the trip was perfect, various forms of transport , great hotels and fantastic itinerary. Highly recommended

I've always wanted to go to Mongolia for the vast landscape, animals and people and I wasn't disappointed. Knowledgable, friendly local guides and drivers are used. If you want to step off the beaten track (literally!), Wild Mongolia is definitely worth it. Happy travels!

Fabulous tour. 15 days From North to South Vietnam. Tour guide Trung was absolutely perfect for our group of 12. Best holiday ever. Saw and experienced so many things. Very active tour, good fitness level required. Lots of experiences from mountain villages, cultural sites, hiking, motorbiking, street food, cycling, kayaking, beaches, Mekong delta, homestays and really lovely boutique accomodation. A lot of gorgeous meals included in the tour. Love it so much and will be back to Vietnam soon. Thanks so much.

Fantastic trip start to finish, meeting us inside the airport and help with navigating through customs, then transport to the airport on arrival and departure very helpful. The accommodation was all nice, clean and accommodating. Transportation throughout the trip was comfortable and all air conditioned. The boat down the Nile fabulous. Food and entertainment along the way first class. Intrepid’s values of using local and being environmentally accountable, and their awareness to animal exploitation, commendable 👍 We had the amazing Walid as our tour guide his knowledge and enthusiasm, and his passion to share was outstanding. He treated us like family and did his best to accommodate all tour members. He succeeded in making lifetime friends, as he was just an all round nice guy. We don’t hesitate in endorsing this trip and will definitely be using Intrepid again.

Wilson is kind, knowledgeable ,interesting, helpful and fun tour leader amongst other qualities which really enhanced our experience of the Inca trail

This was our 7th trip with Intrepid. We come back time and again with our family because of the well chosen itineraries, variety of activities, the brilliant local tour leaders and the responsible approach Intrepid takes to tourism, supporting local communities and the environment. This trip took us to Thailand (3 day Intrepid trip), Siem Riep in Cambodia (3 day Intrepid trip) and finally Vietnam Express Southbound (10 day Intrepid trip) the latter as a private group of 8. As usual with Intrepid, with great tour leaders, we experienced the main tourist attractions and various forms of transport but also the lesser known attractions and insights into local life and history. Probably the most memorable experiences were kayaking in Halong Bay and pillion motorbike tour in Hue - fantastic! This was another terrific experience for all of us on this holiday. Thank you Intrepid!

I have used Intrepid 7 times now. I choose Basix or original trips and expect the trips to be at those levels. Each trip is dufferent, with different experiences, accommodations, group members and the leader. M9st recent trip was cafe colombia. Was an amazing trip, great group and very organized leader, who was very caring and well-planned. There were no problems at all during the trip.

Only travel Intrepid and have for 30 odd years Great itineraries Great guides Fantastic food Highly recommend to all age groups Hubby and I are now in our mid Seventies and intend to keep travelling with them until they stop us

I have been on about 25 intrepid tours, they are a fantastic company. The tours are always, ethical, well organised giving you amazing local experiences. I always pick intrepid first

Just another money hungry company that claims to care about their customers but when push comes to shove they will not hesitate to rinse you for every dollar you’re worth. 46 days before tour start date: booked and paid in full 44 days before start date: had my passport stolen 40 days before start date: I asked intrepid to provide a credit so I could rebook at a later date, giving me time to get a new passport. No compassion, no assistance, no customer service. The only option provided was to cancel my tour with a 30% cancellation fee. Needless to say I won’t be using intrepid again.

The flight centre is atrocious. Poor comms and lie about what ba have said and willing to do. Only interested in their commission. We stayed at airport all day waiting calls back and didn't happen. Just kept chasing them. I would never use intrepid again. Really don't care about anyone apart from themselves. Ruined our honeymoon. Off to vegas now with a reputable provider!

Unforgettable experience. I am going to start by saying- if you are considering booking the Okavango Experience, stop thinking and just book! It is an exceptional holiday! Right from the very beginning, we knew that this was the right trip for us. Our crew were three incredible humans, who, day in and day out, did everything in their power to ensure the trip was excellent. Colly, our guide, from the first night briefing until the moment we waved farewell from our airport transfer, ensured we had all the information we needed about the day ahead. He shared information about the areas of Africa we drove through, some key phrases, and EXCEPTIONAL stories around the campfire. Moses, our pilot, our navigator, and absolute vibe bringer, Moses brought energy and fun to the group. He not only got us from place to place safely and on time, he was just genuinely a fun guy to be around! The one and only Somkhele, Chef Extroidanire, and camp Mum, is an absolute wizard on the camp stove. She ensured that breakfast, lunch and dinner were exceptional. There was a great balance between the more familiar foods- think the most moist meatballs with spaghetti, grilled chicken wraps and BBQ steak and salad, and African delights- such a dish described as stew, which was the MOST tender, flavoursome beef I have eaten, Somkhele works tirelessly every day. Once you get over how great the crew are, you will have you mind BLOWN every day with the beautiful sights of Southern Africa, Elephants on the side of the road playing in water, and experiencing life on the Delta after a tour in a macoro - the trip delivers exceptional experiences the whole time. The trip includes a lot of driving, but the drives are interesting, so don't let that put you off! The only downside is the truck can get pretty warm with no aircon- but there are plenty of large windows to keep the air flowing. Camp is comfortable, with nice tents and comfortable sleeping mats provided- and everyone helps everyone set up camp and have a great experience.

Our 9 day trip of the sights of Egypt was sensational. Our guide, Mohammed was amazing, he had such great knowledge of Egypt and was very attentive, ensuring that the whole group was catered for and looked after. We opted for a small group tour (up to 12 people) Mohammed ensured that, in addition to providing facts and information about our destinations, we also had the opportunity to explore at our own pace. I'd recommend Intrepid to anyone considering this tour. all the 'must-see' sights were included and the additional tour options were excellent too (we added on Abu-Simbal and the hot air balloon ride, both early starts but I would recommend both). Intrepid adopts a responsible travel ethos that I found refreshing, even opting to miss one temple on the grounds of animal welfare. All accommodation was first rate and Intrepid Travel's local links meant that the 3 included local dinners were both fun and informative. The Nile cruise was excellent - somewhat low on guests during our stay, but that did not affect the attentiveness of the staff on-board at all. There are some early starts, and I would definitely recommend careful consideration of the time of year you visit, as it was very hot when we were there in June, which was somewhat prohibitive.

I would like to cancel or reschedule my booking because of my sister's wedding. I contacted them three weeks ago and they said their sales team will consider my request and give me a reply as soon as possible on the refund of the voucher that I have used. It has been three weeks already and I have also contacted them for two more times but still I haven't got any replies. I mean if you are not happy with my refund request you can just say no we can't give you any refund, but to ignore one's request for three weeks is unacceptable.

I travelled with Jonathan on the Costa Rica and Panama discovery trip with Intrepid in August 24. I really enjoyed the trip and the destinations we visited. It was a great mix of wildlife, rainforest, beach areas and city life for us to experience different cultures. Some of my highlights included Boca Del Toros and the boat trips and being able to spend time relaxing on lovely beaches and enjoy warm seas. The local cooking experience and stop in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca was also great fun.I also enjoyed the visit to the Panama Canal which was really interesting. Jonathan was super organised and helpful to the whole group, was happy to be flexible and change daily itineraries to give us more (or less ) time at places depending on what the group wanted and could not have done more to help the group have an awesome experience. Thank you Jonathan for looking after us and helping us all have such a great time 👍🏻 definitely a 10/10 from me and highly recommend the tour to others wanting a taste of Central America!

Intrepid - Eastern European Express The positives, excellent guide, Bulgaria and Romania definitively worth visiting. The negatives, cost cutting and time wasting, not value for money. An example of wasted time, day 1, Bucharest, start at 10:00am, hang round after breakfast, walk to railway station, hang round station for nearly an hour, get on train for six hours, wait for bus, get bus, finally at hotel about 9 hours after we started. We could have done the entire trip by road in 3 hours and used the spare time to have a guided tour of Bucharest. We had three days of late starts and the entire day spent on grindingly slow public transport, arriving at our destination in the early evening. Accommodation, a one-star hotel with no breakfast, not really value for money, is it? The use of public transport is just green washing to cut costs. Don’t waste your guest’s time. I have had some excellent tours with Intrepid but at the moment GAdventures and Explore! offer a much better holiday.

I had planned to take my third trip with Intrepid this year. However, based on my overall experiences with Intrepid, they have definitely lost a customer now, and I cannot recommend them to anyone looking for a reliable travel company, especially when traveling alone to a foreign country. 1. First trip: The first time I booked with Intrepid was a trip to Madagascar. Since it’s a distant destination, most people need to leave their home country 1-2 days before the tour starts. On the very day I began my journey to this beautiful place, I received information that Intrepid had completely changed the itinerary – the tour now ended on the opposite side of the country. This was a disaster because I had already arranged further travel plans after the Intrepid tour. While on my way to the airport, I had to book an additional flight at my own expense, and since domestic flights in Madagascar are not available daily, I lost two days of my onward trip. Fortunately, the local Malagasy tour operator with whom I had organized the onward trip was flexible, adjusted the itinerary, and didn’t even charge for the lost days. Intrepid, on the other hand, did not even apologize for the last-minute change, claiming it was within their rights and covered by their terms & conditions. Additionally, I had paid over €3,000 for the 15-days Intrepid tour. With 10 participants on the tour, that amounts to €30,000 in revenue. Generally, this wouldn't be an issue, but considering the very basic accommodations offered – some with room prices as low as $8-$10 per night – and the low cost of living in Madagascar, I don’t believe the tour was worth the price, and I felt ripped off. I doubt they pay their guides and drivers enough to justify these prices. Nevertheless, Madagascar itself and its people are incredibly beautiful, and the local guide was fantastic. 2. Second Trip: Since the local guide in Madagascar was excellent and since things can always go wrong, I decided to give Intrepid a second chance and booked a 10-day trip to Bolivia. The only negative aspect was that our guide didn’t have a seat in our car as the tour was fully booked and had to ride in other vehicles from non-Intrepid tours. An additional car wasn’t provided. Apart from that I enjoyed the trip a lot. 3. Third Trip: As the Bolivia trip went smoothly without any major issues, I decided to book a camping trip to Western Canada with Intrepid this year. Due to the long journey to North America and because I wanted to explore Vancouver before, I arrived three days before the tour started. I enjoyed the first few days and was looking forward to the beginning of the tour. But just 1.5 days before the tour began, I received an email informing me that the tour was canceled due to wildfires. Although I completly understand the reason for the cancellation and the fact that the situation was out of their control - I was deeply disappointed by the way it was handled and the lack of support or assistance from such a large company as Intrepid. All I got was a “We’re sorry.” I believe the Intrepid staff I contacted via chat were personally sympathetic and genuinely sorry, but there was nothing helpful from the organization itself. They offered no alternatives or local support. As one night in Vancouver was part of the tour, they didn’t even consider offering me this one night as emergency accommodation as I had already arrived and was at risk of being left without a place to stay. When I asked them to share my contact information with other tour participants so we could connect and possibly organize an alternative trip together, they refused as well. At least I got a refund for the tour price. When I desperately tried to arrange an alternative myself at short notice during peak season, I found out that other travel agencies had adjusted their itineraries or offered their guests some local assistance. I have traveled a lot in my life, been to all continents, and visited many fascinating countries. Almost all of them are exciting, beautiful, and most local guides are very dedicated -and usually there is always something that doesn't go as intented or planned - this is part of the adventure. Regarding traveling with Intrepid, I would say that, aside from the below-standard accommodations, the company has great guides and performs well when everything goes smoothly. However, the real test comes when things go wrong. It’s precisely when you need a reliable tour company the most that you find yourself left completely on your own with Intrepid. On 2 out of 3 tours booked with Intrepid, I experienced a lot of stress, had to organize alternatives at the very last minute, lost valuable vacation days and a lot of money. Therefore, I will not give Intrepid another chance and definitely cannot recommend them to anyone.