Intrepid Travel Reviews 

I have just had an amazing trip with Intrepid across Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. The diversity of nationalities.(12 people from six different countries.) and age range.(from early twenties to 75 which was me.) made the trip so different to anything I have ever done before. The friendliness of the group and the competence and patience of our guide together with the obvious shared love of animals made us extremely close. There was perhaps a little more travelling than I had realised but it was 10 days of my life that I will never forget.!

Intrepid made our trip to Costa Rica. It was simply the best holiday/break/trek/trip I’ve ever been on. Our guide, Pedro was filled with incredible knowledge of the various areas and the wildlife. His keen eye ensured we all had many memories to take home. This was my first time holidaying with a group. Although we spent most days and evenings together, there was time for me partner and I to be on our own and/or choose which of our new friends we’d spent time with. All in all, I’d highly recommend Intrepid: we had a wonderful time.

A fantastic 2 week trip around the Galapagos archipelago. Wonderful wildlife both above and beliw the water. Most days there were two walks accompanied by the guide.
I took some amazing photos, mainly of the birdlife, but the giant tortoises were also great subjects for photography, both still and movie.
I thoroughly recommend this trip.

We booked three back to back Intrepid tours, starting in Egypt, Jordan then Spain, Portugal, Morocco and finally Turkey. It was the holiday of a lifetime and we loved every minute of it!

Amazing trip. We saw and did so much. Our guide was so helpful and 100% cared for us.

I am so bitterly disappointed with Intrepid after booking an expensive but once in a lifetime tour with mates from Lima to La Paz. During the tour we were advised that due to a road blockage between Puno and La Paz we'd have to fly instead. I understand the need to adapt itineraries for local circumstances but was shocked that Intrepid demanded we pay the additional cost of the flight or we'd be dumped in Peru. This tour wasn't cheap and Intrepid are clearly making a good margin on it, to not have contingency to absorb costs for itinerary changes is unforgivable.

I've travelled with other tour operators previously who have needed to adapt itineraries and have always felt well looked after. I expected Intrepid to fulfil their promise of getting us to the end point of the tour without threatening to leave us stranded. It shows that they are just interested in protecting their bottom line rather than delivering on their experience promises and fulfilling their duty of care to travellers.

Be cautious of trusting this company, they have you over a barrel to pay additional costs after departure.

April 2026, enjoyed small group travel on New Zealand South island Adventure with very competent driver/ caring knowlegeable guide.
Accomodation and transport were of a standard expected on this trip.
Organised guide and earlier starts kept us ahead of the busy main tourist groups.

Avoid Intrepid. My Senegal trip was one of the worst organized and worst value-for-money travel experiences I have ever had.

We paid around EUR 400 per day in a relatively affordable country, yet almost every part of the trip felt like a budget operation designed to cut costs while pushing discomfort, wasted time, and extra charges onto travellers. What we received was endless time trapped in a minibus, awful accommodation, weak activities, poor communication, and very little meaningful cultural experience. It felt like paying a premium price for the cheapest possible version of a tour.

Several days were dominated by transfers rather than actual travel experiences. One day involved around 12 hours on the road, even though a flight option was available. Instead of saving guests an entire wasted day, we were kept sitting in a minibus for hours. At around EUR 400 per day, this felt like a cost-saving choice made at the expense of the customer experience. It is indefensible.

The accommodation was unacceptable. Many hotels felt dirty, uncomfortable, and poorly maintained, with rooms smelling of mould. In several locations, there appeared to be better options nearby, yet we were put in properties that felt like the cheapest acceptable option. In Senegal, at around EUR 400 per day, that standard is impossible to justify. The overall impression was that every possible corner had been cut while guests were still charged a premium price.

The same applied to border payments. We were asked to pay extra “passage fees” at the border, apparently because otherwise the trip could not continue. This was extremely uncomfortable. There was no clear official explanation, no transparent documentation, and no reason why travellers paying around EUR 400 per day should be asked for additional cash payments in order for the trip to proceed. Whether this was poor planning, lack of transparency, or something worse, it should never happen on a professional organized tour.

The organization was poor from the very beginning. After arrival, we were given no proper information about the following morning, no clear meeting time, no written plan, and no useful briefing. We were lucky to be awake and able to figure things out ourselves. Otherwise, what would have happened? Being left without basic next-day information on a paid organized tour is completely unacceptable.

This lack of communication continued throughout the trip. We repeatedly had to chase basic details such as departure times and the plan for the following day. The trip materials were also not detailed enough, with underestimated travel times, little useful information about the hotels, and limited practical detail. Since the leader was not communicating effectively, the written materials should have been reliable. They were not.

The leader added almost no value to the experience. On good guided trips, even when the itinerary is imperfect, guides bring local insight, enthusiasm, personal perspective, and energy. Here, it felt like the bare minimum was being done to move the group from one place to the next. There was no real attempt to elevate the trip or make it special.

Even worse, the tour leader left the day before the trip ended. At that point, I genuinely wondered what we had paid for. On a professionally organized group tour, the leader should stay until the end to make sure the trip is properly concluded, guests are informed, and everything is sorted out. Leaving before the end only reinforced the impression that customer care and basic organization were not priorities.

The so-called “free time” was also misleading. In several places, there was effectively nothing to do, so it was not real free time. It was just idle time in poor accommodation. If I wanted to sit in a hotel room doing nothing, I would not book an organized tour.

I have travelled to more than 50 countries, including over 15 in Africa, across both emerging and developed destinations. I am not comparing this trip to luxury travel or unrealistic standards. I am comparing it to basic competent organization, decent accommodation, honest itinerary planning, transparent pricing, and reasonable value for money. Intrepid failed badly on all of these.

I also previously submitted a negative public review on their website. I have screenshots showing it was visible, and it is now no longer there. I cannot know exactly why it disappeared, but it seriously undermines my trust in the public ratings. If negative reviews are not visible, future travellers cannot make an informed decision.

This was my first Intrepid trip, and it will absolutely be my last. I regret booking it, and I would strongly warn others not to make the same mistake.

Intrepid Andorra

This was a group, multi-activity holiday with other families, and quite simply, everything was wonderful. It has left us with abiding happy memories from what had otherwise been a difficult year.

The stay formed the centrepiece of our Summer ’25 holiday, complemented by more traditional activities elsewhere. This was our “leap of faith”—the part we were most excited about—and it delivered in every respect.

From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed and completely at ease. Our family connected effortlessly with the others, and those relationships grew naturally throughout the week.

The hosts and staff were exceptional—professional, warm, and genuinely attentive. There was a strong culture of care and safety underpinning everything, without ever feeling intrusive.

The balance of activities was expertly judged. We could push ourselves and embrace new challenges, or take things at a gentler pace without any pressure. In fact, the experience has inspired us to buy new bikes since returning.

The accommodation, food, and evening entertainment were all excellent—there is genuinely nothing we could fault.

I’m only just getting around to framing photos from the trip, and I’m spoiled for choice. Perhaps the fact that these memories have stayed so vivid for so many months is the strongest testament to how special this experience was.

Thank you, Intrepid Andorra—it was truly unforgettable.

The premium highlights of South America trip combines 3 shorter trips. It has a fairly hefty price tag for what turned out to be a trip of a number of notable highlights interspersed with extensive avoidable drawbacks.
I’d say you could probably get a higher standard of trip for the same cost from other suppliers.
The demographics of the group are not aligned to an adventure trip.

Highlights:
Peru undoubtedly the best part of the trip
Machu Picchu
Cusco
Ollantaytambo
Wine tasting en route to Valparaiso
Mendoza wine tasting
Iguazu Falls
Rio tour.
Drawbacks -
1. demographics of the group. These trips are marketed as a good option for older people with limitations. intrepid do not health screen very old people & that was problematic. One participant had life threatening altitude sickness in Cusco. She needed oxygen for 4 days. Another who was 84 needed wheelchair assistance in airports; a problem for other passengers as not all flights were accompanied by a tour guide. He also seemed confused, needed a chaperone and couldn’t participate in lots of the activities. Specifically he couldn’t tolerate a lot of foods and no alcohol. This tour featured meals and wine tasting.
Overall this was a major deterrent to us booking again because we worked in healthcare. I felt ethically conflicted as we didn’t think these people were safe on this trip.
2. This trip involved multiple internal flights which were often on substandard budget airlines at terrible times. Sometimes we were allocated solo middle seats and were separated at the back of the plane. On Easter Sunday it took us over half an hour to get off the plane because there wasn’t an air bridge. This caused problems for the passenger who was in a wheelchair.
3. Mixed accommodation. Tours are pretty much always allocated the worst rooms in the hotel near elevators on low floors with noise issues. Sometimes intrepid also used dreadful hotels. We had to move hotels after the Machu Picchu day walk because our sheets and bed was wet at 10pm. We were utterly exhausted and it was pouring down.
4. Mixed tour guide experience. In Peru the guide couldn’t have been nicer; I’d say the guide in Argentina and Brazil was burnt out as it was the end of the season. Both tour guides however gave inaccurate advice on risks of altitude sickness and risks of mosquito borne infection. They obviously aren’t doctors and probably shouldn’t give medical advice at all if they don’t know.
5. Overcrowding on minibuses caused some anxious participants to feel claustrophobic or have panic attacks.

I fed all of this back to intrepid who gave us a small refund.

As stated previously this was 3 intrepid premium trips tagged together; that didn’t work particularly well. Duplicated activities and wasted days.

In my opinion if you want a premium experience book elsewhere.

The tour 'softened' my first time in India. Having travelled all over the world, mostly overland, India was one country I had not ventured into. To be honest I tried not to have expectations. The way I described it in the first few days was 'Calm in Chaos.' And really, that feeling stayed with me the entire trip. I loved the people, I learned alot through having a great guide, Pradeep. I have guided many overland cultural camping trips in Mongolia and a few in Morocco and I know that it is a difficult job. The way I can describe Pradeeps guiding was; 'super experienced, human, knowledgeable, professional, inspiring and he assisted in the groups, 'bonding', which is a rare quality. He took the 'high road' anytime there was a hiccup.
I personally struggled with the unbelievable pollution particularly in Delhi. I got very sick on the 2nd day (in Delhi) with a severe throat infection and then it went into my lungs. I resorted immediately to antibiotics as I knew it would escalate. And it did. I was sick for about 10 days. But I coped. I had to, as nothing was going to spoil this trip which I had saved for, for six months and waited till I was almost 70 to do. :) I was blessed to have travelled with a wonderful group of humans. We were very 'family' by the time it ended.
My only big suggestion to Intrepid is alert travellers of the intense pollution and total lack of air quality in Delhi. And to suggest strongly to their travellers that they may want to consider bringing a mask.
If I had known how bad the pollution was, I would have worn a mask and I know that I would not have become sick. That's hindsight for you. Knowledge is Power. For me it would have made a huge difference.
I am blessed to live in Australia with clean air, clean water and blue skies and am always grateful for that.
As a sums up- I loved India, super happy with Intrepid and the balance between capturing the essence of India, some adventure, some history, architecture, art and downtime to relax in resplendent luxury.
It was my first ever 'holiday' trip. One I will remember with humility. Namaste

We booked this as a “family tour” and it was anything but.

From start to finish, this trip was poorly planned, badly executed, and at times genuinely unsafe — particularly for the children in our group. Despite raising detailed concerns with customer relations, after multiple rounds of back and forth we do not feel listened to or taken seriously. The response has been dismissive, and the compensation offered does not reflect the severity of what we experienced.

The most concerning aspect was safety. At the Terracotta Warriors, we were taken into dangerously overcrowded conditions with zero crowd control. Children were crying, people were being crushed, and several of us felt at real risk of injury. This should never have gone ahead, especially on known peak festival dates.

There were also multiple activities that were completely unsuitable for children, despite the tour being marketed for ages 5+. These included unsafe cycling routes on busy roads, high-risk cooking classes involving open flames and large cleavers, and relentless, exhausting schedules with no downtime. The children were not engaged at all — no effort was made to tailor experiences to them, and they were largely expected to endure adult-focused tours.

Equally concerning was the lack of inclusivity. A member of our group who was physically unable to cycle was effectively excluded from part of the itinerary unless she paid extra, which is completely unacceptable on a pre-paid “inclusive” tour. There was little to no flexibility shown for elderly travellers or those with mobility or health conditions.

Logistics throughout were chaotic — rushed train connections, no time to eat properly, long days with no breaks, and accommodation that was often unsuitable for families (including issues with cleanliness, facilities, and basic comfort).

We spent a significant amount of money on what was supposed to be a well-organised, family-friendly experience. Instead, it was stressful, exhausting, and at times frightening — particularly as a parent.

What is most disappointing is not just the experience itself, but the lack of accountability afterwards. Despite detailed feedback from multiple families, we have not been met with a response that reflects the seriousness of these issues.

If our concerns are not taken seriously and resolved appropriately within the next 7 days, I will be escalating this matter formally via ABTA and the Advertising Standards Authority.

I would strongly caution anyone considering this “family tour” — it is not designed with children, safety, or accessibility in mind.

I just recently came back from Explore Egypt trip.
First off, hats off to our tour leader. He took the grunt of the trip from the local people. He collected money from us on the first night and he dealt with the tipping culture in the Egypt.
I must say- this trip went much better than I expected. I signed up because it was a friend's dream trip and she cancelled last minute. I could not get a refund on my flights so I had to go, nor change my annual leave dates last minute.
The trip is like 13 days. We had too much free time in my opinion. It was the opinion of other people in the group. If you can- go for a more packed 9-10 days programme. What we did in those 13 days could easily fit in 9-10 days. I just checked another tour company programme which covered the same stuff (and more ) in 10 days, offering better accommodation etc for similar price to what we paid. You may argue we stayed 13 days, not 10, but some were wasted days on a boat and overnight sleeper train which I am sure did not cost that much. We had 2 days which we felt were complete waste of our time and we did not do much apart from float on the Nile.
Our trip leader was good. He arranged a lot of things for us. However, it felt we were rushed in some places to spend time and then had a free days from 12pm onwards which felt counter active.
If you decide to go on this trip- book your Abu Simbel and Hot Air Balloon independently. We paid double( tripple) the price to Intrepid and I think we got less time in both Abu Simbel and on the hot air balloon. Mind you I do not believe Intrepid telling me they will pay 500 dollars for a minivan for 10 hours for the day to the driver, and our guide gave this guy additional money from the money he collected for tips!
We spent a night on a felluca where the toilet got broken in the afternoon, no flashing water. We were told not to swim in the Nile, but the boy washed the dishes we ate in the river Nile and then we ate from them later on. I ended up with some allergic reaction and rash on my face which I got on this boat and no allergy pills helped for 5-6 days. I
Overall, good trip, but my bar for this trip was close to the floor so anything would be an improvement from what I expected. The tour leader kept us safe and was good, but knowing what I know now- I would chose a different company for less days!

EDIT: I have a thing which appeared on my neck in Egypt. It has been over a month and not going away. Quick google search says it is a viral bacterial infection which I may be more prone to as I have añready sensitive skin so thinner barrier. So yeah..between all things that happened- Do NOT Recommend EGYPT. I had also a diarrhea for a week after I came back which could also be flight coffee, could also not be. At this point- u are warned!

Afraid my experience was some aweful flaws from day 1 of booking. Structural process weaknesses and an extremely weak local guide in China - a group view, so not just me. Took time to give feedback after 4 months reflection time (and wasn't asking for anything/compensation) but I received a very narrow/superficial reply. I really don't believe they have listened and will learn anything, or make any changes for future customer experiences for that trip. Sorry, intrepid, you had a chance to partly redeem but I will not be using you ever again. Beware folks!

Great experience with this tour operator. Tours are perfectly organized with small groups e customer support is efficient and responsive.

I participated in the Morroco Encompassed tour from March 28 to April 14, 2026. Overall, it was a great experience. The experiences provided were very interesting and fun. I also enjoyed the small group size. One piece of advice I would offer to anyone else going to Morroco at this time of year is to make sure you pack warm clothes and a windbreaker. It got quite cold at night and in the shade even on a sunny day at this time of year. It caught me offguard as I expected it to be warmer. The mountain areas are particularly chilly!

The Classic Vietnam tour itself was very good but the customer service if something goes wrong is appalling. My flight which was cancelled by the airline on arrival at Heathrow airport so I had to buy an alterative flight on the spot. I am legally entitled to a refund of my flight and compensation but over 3 months later I have had no refunds or update. I also asked Intrepid to be sure that my return flight was not cancelled by the airline as this can happen if an airline cancels the outbound. They assured me it would not be cancelled but on arrival at Hanoi airport I found that it had. I am around £1000 out of pocket so would never recommend travelling with Intrepid. I have travelled with Exodus in the past who offer excellent service. If I get a refund I'll revise this post or write a new review to say so. UPDATE. It is now 26 May and here is the update on progress. Intrepid told me on 22 April that they had recd my refund so would send it to me however 5 weeks have gone by with 3 chasers for the payment but still nothing received and with no explanation. The last message said the account dept would be chased daily for payment...

You ask me to review my trip in India. This wasn’t a trip. It was an adventure and an experience that I will forever remember. The accommodation was 5 star. The bus was very comfortable. Our driver, an absolute gentleman. Abhi, our guide was awesome. I left India feeling I had experienced its history , its food , its celebrations and its essence. Dhanyavaad and Namaste 🙏🏼

the location--the wildlife, the fish--was great. The CEO was extremely knowledgeable and always upbeat. The crew were friendly and very good. The boat met all our needs. And our fellow passengers were very interesting and fun.

We had an amazing time in Costa Rica , the tour guide couldn't do enough for the group and we could not fault her , the trips and travel were all organised very well and went without a hitch and were very informative and enjoyable,the accommodation was comfortable and had everything we needed ,if you would prefer more luxurious rooms there are other options for Costa Rica but the classic was everything we needed.