Leading sustainable tour operator Intrepid Travel has introduced a new range of tours called Intrepid Premium. The collection of over 70 tours and trips is designed to appeal to discerning travellers, featuring hand-picked accommodations, private transportation, train journeys and an array of signature experiences exclusively available on Premium tours. The first departures are scheduled for January 2022. The Intrepid Premium range spans across over 40 countries. Every itinerary includes a feature stay and signature experience that will not be available on any other Intrepid trips.
Examples of a feature stay may include the Orient Star, a former madrasah in Khiva, Uzbekistan; Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, an eco-friendly jungle hideaway with views over Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest; and Splendid Cave Hotel, where guests have a front row seat to view hot air balloons rising over Cappadocia.
Signature experiences include a sand dune dinner under the stars in Pushkar, India and a community stay in Peru that includes a visit with the Ese Eja people, an indigenous community considered the stewards of the Peruvian rainforest. The Premium tours will also be led by Intrepid’s most experienced leaders and destination experts.
As the world’s largest travel B Corp, and the only tour operator in the world with verified science-based climate targets, responsible travel will be a core focus of Intrepid Premium trips. Most accommodations are locally owned and many of the properties use renewable and alternative energy sources. A selection of trips will also visit social enterprise projects that are working to promote gender equality, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic empowerment. As with all Intrepid Travel tours, the Premium range is 100 per cent carbon offset and designed to have a low environmental footprint and a positive impact on local communities.
“With our aim to become a world leader in sustainable, experience-rich travel, we identified that many of our customers were seeking a higher-end product with purpose,” says James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel. “As we continue to prepare for a gradual and sustainable recovery, we saw Premium as an opportunity to build a new style of tour that ensures local communities truly benefit from high-value tourism. We wanted to show that a premium product can also deliver on a premium purpose,” he adds.
Highlighting the Intrepid Premium tours include these featured itineraries:
- PREMIUM VIETNAM & CAMBODIA (13 days, from EUR 3,000 per person)
Travel from Hanoi to Siem Reap on a premium adventure throughout Southeast Asia. Signature experiences include a photography coach at Angkor Wat and a candlelit dinner on deck on Ha Long Bay. Travellers will also dine at three incredible hospitality training restaurants (including Friends-International and KOTO), which support marginalised youth to build a better future.
- PREMIUM PERU (9 days, from EUR 2870 per person)
A memorable trip for far more than Machu Picchu. Travel deep into the Amazon jungle to a lodge where you’ll meet the Ese Eja people during a community stay. Travellers will learn about traditional life in the Peruvian Amazon while contributing directly to local employment. Travellers will also experience the vibrancy of Lima, indulging in an amazing culinary experience at one of the best rated restaurants in Peru.
- PREMIUM MOROCCO IN DEPTH (15 Days, EUR 2835 per person)
Energetic cities give way to wild deserts and soaring peaks on this Premium adventure through Morocco. Get to know the Moroccan way of life as you travel with a local leader and expert guides, visit a local home for dinner in Fes, enjoy tea with an Amazigh (Berber) family in the Dades Valley and meet the women of the Tawesna social enterprise in Ait Benhaddou.
The Premium product range has been developed over the past six months as Intrepid continues to reimagine its business for a post-pandemic world. The premium product strongly aligns with Intrepid’s focus on rebuilding responsibly, as many global travellers who are searching for a more comfortable adventure travel experience now have the choice of a more sustainable option.
