Intrepid Travel Reviews 

2,418
TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.3

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Considering 193 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company, often praising the well-organized holidays and smooth user experience. Customers frequently highlight the exceptional staff and guides, who are described as knowledgeable, friendly, and dedicated to ensuring a memorable trip. Many appreciate the thoughtful planning that goes into the itineraries, offering a balance of activities, cultural immersion, and opportunities for personal exploration. However, some customers also noted issues with certain locations being more remote or having limited activities than expected, and occasional problems with communication or organization. A few other people also felt that the service could be inconsistent, with some experiences falling short of expectations due to poor planning or a lack of flexibility, particularly concerning unexpected changes or health issues.

What people talk about most

Staff

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of staff, consistently praising guides and drivers for their... See more

Holidays

Customers consistently note positive experiences with holidays, often describing them as well-organized,... See more

Location

Consumers find location to be ambiguous, with some reviewers appreciating the variety of places visited,... See more

Service

Clients share ambiguous opinions on service, with many reviewers praising the excellent drivers, well-planned... See more

User experience

Reviewers mention positive feedback about user experience, with many describing it as fantastic, wonderful,... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The trip is amazing in many respects, the star that is missing is due to the road system in Zimbabwe and because of that, couple of days were spent on long bumpy drives with very limited activities. B... See more

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Rated 4 out of 5 stars

The trip was very well organized and fun, our guide was friendly and knowledgeable. I meet some lovely people in our group, which made travelling solo enjoyable.

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

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, ma... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The whole itinerary was well planned. Or cycle guides made sure that we had frequent stops to rehydrate, sometimes with cool ginger beer and odd ice cream. Loved the encounters with local families... See more

Company replied


Company details

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  2. Travel Agency

Written by the company

Intrepid has been taking travellers around the globe since 1989. That's over 30 years of changing the way people see the world on small group trips with like-minded explorers. But to us, it’s about more than just seeing the world – it’s about experiencing it. To be Intrepid is far more than a lust for travel; we're an antidote to loneliness. We connect people to the heartbeat of adventure and the soul of the planet. We have more than 1000 immersive trips in over 100 countries on all seven continents. With locally-based leaders out front of every adventure, we’ll take you beyond the everyday sights and introduce you to the culture. We’ll have your back at any moment, without holding your hand at every step of the journey.


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4.3

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

2K reviews

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4.3

All reviews

(2,418)

182 reviews in the last 12 months

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We did the China trip for 12 days.it…

We did the China trip for 12 days.it was jam packed with lots of options.our guide Doris was just perfect,she would change things around for the weather,made sure we were all well informed about the history and culture,she met all our different needs.she had great insight about her country which she shared freely.she was very well organised.arranging the flight and changing our holiday was easy with Intrepid’s.i would definitely recommend this trip especially so if little Doris big voice is your guide as we called her

April 12, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

What an endearing nickname for Doris- thank you for sharing that with us, Julia!
We are elated to know how well you were looked after, as well as how much you enjoyed the busy tour. It is always a bonus when an itinerary is able to be carried out with a bit of flexibility.
We are grateful for your feedback and will pass your kind words along to Doris and her managers. Have a lovely weekend!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Vietnam on Bikes

A fantastic family trip with excellent adventures and destinations. Our leader was professional, knowledgeable and encouraged the group to bond together. Highlights of the trip were the opportunities to see Hanoi and the countryside on bikes. Hotels were all clean, comfortable and amazing locations. Great mixture of biking, coach travel and opportunities to see sights on foot. Definitely recommend this trip for families.

April 8, 2026
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

We are delighted to read your review, and to receive your recommendation, Mrs. Lockley!
Your recounting of your tour reads magically- especially with the bonding, biking and family time all recognized.
It is wonderful to know that you got time in busy cities as well as pleasant country sides with your Local Leader. Thank you again for sharing a bit about your experience, and have a lovely weekend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Cycling in a sauna

I echo what most others have said, the tour took good care of us regarding food and housing accomodations. The guides were helpful and the plotted courses were safe and smooth cycling. The food was good in all countries but Thailand was the best. To be fair Thailand also had the biggest support staff. I did the tourr mostly so II can now say that Ihave cycled on 6 of the 7 continents, your goals will likely diiffer. I would definitely say that the experience of heat and humidity was off the chart and something to consider as part of the challenge if you want it. I went in April, and one day began at 36 C and ended at 44C. I drank a minimum of 4 litres an hour and didnt need to pee because that all went straight to sweat. November through February is less severe.

April 15, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

That is QUITE the accomplishment, David! Well done! We are excited to know that we have been part of your (perhaps) bucket list.
We appreciate your feedback for our various teams, and your comments/advice for the time of year in which one visits is a fine suggestion- as with any destination.
Thank you for thinking of us for this segment of cycling, and we do hope to see you again when the time comes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great adventure

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to India. We chose to go premium for the visit as India can be overwhelming. Our tour guide was brilliant and attentive to our needs, he managed the tour to allow us to get the best of India and it's people whilst managing the hassle of the tourist can find in India. The tour included great heritage hotels and well organized tours of the sites.

April 3, 2026
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

What a lovely recapturing of your travels with us, Chris!
We are always appreciative of our excellent leaders, and so happy you are too.
The potential difficulties that any tourist can encounter in a foreign city- while understandably varied- is a great bit of detail and we thank you for highlighting this for those thinking to travel abroad.
We hope to see you again on another trip, and your insights are well received, and with thanks.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Relaxing

This was a very nice relaxing way to finish my very busy trip of Morocco
The only thing I would have liked would have been a hotel closer to the old city . The hotel we were in was very nice and had every thing we needed but too far away

April 5, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Hi there! We are happy to learn that your felt your time with us to be relaxing- and we hope a little bit exciting too!
Thank you for your feedback around the hotel location - if you would think to email us some of your details privately, we would love to use your insights for trip improvements. Of course there is no pressure, but we do use feedback to make our tours better with each departure. Customercare@intrepidtravel.com would be the best contact to use, should you be willing to. Stay well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Intrepid is my go-to place for adventure holidays

Intrepid is my go-to place for adventure holidays. The itineraries are well thought out, the staff are great, and you get to meet a lot of wonderful and interesting people along the way!

April 11, 2026
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

What a fantastic vote of confidence, Daniel! We appreciate your brand loyalty, and the recognition of our staff as well as your fellow travellers. It is always nice to read such positive comments and we look forward to welcoming you back for your next adventure!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The trip through Vietnam was extremely…

The trip through Vietnam was extremely well organised with many interesting and exciting activities throughout. The hotels were fabulous, transport fabulous and exciting. Highly recommend!

April 19, 2026
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

We are sincerely happy to know that the 'express' part of your tour was well received, Michelle! It is wonderful to know that everything met your expectations, and we appreciate your positive recommendations. Have a fantastic weekend!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The Classic Rajasthan trip was amazing

The Classic Rajasthan trip was amazing. We loved everything - the destinations, people, food and cultural experiences. Our guide (Jitu) was excellent! He was helpful, considerate, knowledgeable and well organised. He communicated well and was always calm and reassuring. We greatly appreciated his efforts!!
A 'shout out' too, to our guide for the Street Food Tour of Delhi, Neha, for a truly exceptional night of delicious food. Also to Deepika in Udaipur, for her Indian Cooking Class - great for those who like to cook and/or just eat!
We would strongly recommend this trip to everybody and anybody! Thank you Intrepid! Thank you India!

April 3, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

What an excellent overview, Robert! It is wonderful to read that the sights, sounds, and tastes of India captured you as they have.
Your kind comments for your various leaders will all be sent to their managers and we love the vibrancy of your post. We hope to see you again for another adventure, and we wish you a fantastic weekend! Stay well.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

I have just had an amazing trip with… African adventure

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.!

April 19, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Hello, L. Thank you for sharing a bit about your group and your incredible adventure! We are always genuinely delighted to know when a group of varying backgrounds and demographics travels so well together. A great starting block for relationship building is in the interest of the destinations themselves- kudos!
A very busy trip, but we are so happy that you will never forget it! With many thanks for a lovely post.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Intrepid made our trip to Costa Rica

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.

April 11, 2026
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

We are thrilled to have had you and your partner along for such a memorable time in Costa Rica, JHW!
It is always nice to have time with a group as well as private time, while exploring new countries.
Pedro's managers will be flagged for this review- thank you for your kind words, and we look forward to seeing you again!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A fantastic 2 week Galapagos trip

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.

March 18, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

What an inspiring review, William! Thank you for taking the time to share a bit about your time with us. The wildlife in the Galapagos is truly remarkable and we are delighted to have had the chance to host you!
The expectation of guided walks about twice a day is a great of detail for curious travellers. Thank you for your post, and we hope to see you again when the time comes. Have an excellent weekend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Trip of a lifetime ! We booked three back to back Intrepid…

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!

February 2, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Wow!! What an amazing opportunity to take some time to explore with us. Thank you for trusting us with your trip bookings, and we are delighted to know you had a great time, Petra and Chris!
We hope to see you again when the time comes and hope you are relaxing and reflecting back at home in the meantime. With thanks.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Amazing trip

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

April 5, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Hi Linley, thank you for letting us know that your adventure with us- and your guide- was an enjoyable time for you!
We appreciate your post and hope to see you along again in the future. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

So disappointed that Intrepid came asking for more money during the tour or to leave us stranded

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.

May 12, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Hi Neil, we are sorry to hear how this flight situation has left you feeling, especially during such an important trip.
In cases like road blockages- which lie outside of our control- our teams work to adapt plans to ensure travellers can safely continue their journey. Where alternative arrangements are required additional costs may apply (outlined in our Essential Trip Information under money matters) to adequately prepare our travellers for these unexpected costs.
That said, we recognize this did not feel supportive in the moment, and we are sorry for the impact this had on your experience. Your feedback is truly appreciated and will be shared internally to help us improve how we manage and communicate during disruptions.
If you have not yet been issued an insurance document- which you are able to claim your emergency flight cost on, should you have the required coverage- please let us know and we can provide one for you. Please reach out to our Customer Care team if we can help in this regard, and we hope that aside from this required contingency, you enjoyed your time in South America.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Reliable and enjoyable small group travel.

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.

April 19, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Thank you for your review, Alastair. It is lovely to know that you felt well taken care of and 'timed' during your adventures. We are pleased that your accommodation and transportation reflected the selected trip style.
We are happy that you enjoyed your time with us and we are hopeful that we will see you again. Stay well in the meantime.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

Avoid Intrepid: overpriced, poorly run, constant cost-cutting, and my negative review disappeared

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.

April 8, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear how disappointed you were with your Senegal & The Gambia Adventure trip and that it didn’t meet expectations around organisation, accommodation, communication, and value for money.
We appreciate you taking the time to outline your concerns, as feedback like this is important in helping us review how our trips are presented and where expectations may not have been met. Your experience is important to us, and a member of our Customer Care team will be in touch with you directly to better understand and address your experience.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Intrepid Andorra

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.

August 10, 2025
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re so pleased to hear that your time in Andorra was such a special highlight and left you with such lasting, happy memories.
It’s wonderful to know your family felt welcomed, connected so well with the group, and enjoyed the balance of activities, accommodation, and care from the team.
Thank you for travelling with us , we’d love to welcome you on another adventure in the future.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Neither intrepid, nor premium

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.

March 23, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback, Wendy. We’re sorry to hear that this trip didn’t meet your expectations.
We’re glad you enjoyed many of the destinations themselves, however, we recognise your concerns around group suitability, health and accessibility challenges, internal flight arrangements, accommodation consistency, overcrowding, and aspects of leader guidance. These are all important factors, and we take your comments seriously.
We can see our Customer Care team have been in contact with you regarding this experience and have already provided a goodwill refund.
Thank you again for taking the time to provide such honest feedback. We’re sorry your trip fell short and wish you all the best in your future travels.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

India- Calm in Chaos.

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

April 10, 2026
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Thank you so much for sharing such a thoughtful and heartfelt review, Rensina. We absolutely loved reading about your experience and the way you described finding “calm in chaos” really captures something quite special about travelling to India.

It’s wonderful to hear how much of an impact Pradeep had on your journey. Your words about his professionalism, humanity, and ability to bring a group together are incredibly meaningful, especially coming from someone with your own guiding experience.

At the same time, we’re very sorry to hear how unwell you became during your trip, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts around the pollution and air quality in Delhi. While we do include information within our Essential Trip Information advising that pollution levels in parts of India can become hazardous, particularly during the winter months, we recognise that experiencing this firsthand can feel quite different to reading about it ahead of travel. Your suggestion around more strongly encouraging travellers to consider bringing reusable face masks is valuable feedback, and we’ll ensure this is shared with the relevant teams.

We’re so pleased that despite these challenges, India left such a lasting impression on you, from the people and history to the architecture, adventure, and the connections formed within your group. Hearing that this was your first ever “holiday” style trip and one you’ll remember with humility is incredibly special to read.

Thank you again for travelling with us and for sharing your experience so openly. Namaste.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

China “family” tour

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.

April 19, 2026
Unprompted review
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Reply from Intrepid Travel

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, Catrina. We’re sorry to learn how this trip felt for you and your family, particularly the concerns you’ve raised around safety, suitability for children, and the overall pace of the itinerary.

The safety and wellbeing of our travellers is always our highest priority, and we recognise the importance of this on our Family themed trips, where experiences should feel appropriate, inclusive, and enjoyable for both children and adults. We’re sorry to hear you felt that aspects of the trip did not meet these expectations, and the impact this had on your overall enjoyment.

We’re also disappointed to hear that you feel your concerns haven’t been taken seriously. This is certainly not the experience we aim to provide when handling feedback, especially when it has been shared in such detail. We understand you’re currently in contact with our Customer Care team, and we’ve made sure your review here has been shared with them so it can be considered as part of the ongoing discussions. They will continue working with you directly to review your concerns in full.

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