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Explore vs Intrepid
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of Explore and Intrepid.The Low Down
Explore Worldwide is a UK adventure travel company that has been around since 1981. They run over 500 small group tours in more than 100 countries around the world with an average of 12 guests. Accommodation is often family run lodgings and guides are passionate locals. Itineraries are a mix of must-sees and who-knews, and guests can choose from different trip styles to suit their interests.Explore recognises that adventure is different for everyone, and their trips range from classic discovery group tours to active adventures such as hiking and cycling. They also have dedicated family trips, themed journeys such as those that focus on wildlife or their limited edition Explore Beyond collection which showcases rare one-off events. Explore have an impressive track record with 96% of past travellers saying they would travel with them again.
Intrepid specialise in small group adventure tours, and feature trips around the globe. With over 700 tours and 50,000 departures, Intrepid's itineraries are designed for the budget conscious adventurer, families and even adventures for those that prefer a bit of comfort at the end of each day. Like G Adventures, Intrepid also have a myriad of trips through South and Central America & Asia and operate dynamic pricing so prices can change daily - upwards if the trip is filling up, and down if they need to fill some spaces.Recommending the best Operator for small group adventures is a tough one. It's very subjective and we think a lot depends on the region, the itinerary and the trip leader you get. This will have a huge sway on whether your trip is good, great or average. Our advice is to choose the Operator which has the itinerary and departures dates that suit you best. Look at things like inclusions, group size and other details to help make your decision.
Stats
No. of Trips
402
No. of Departures
3,742
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$400
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
No. of Trips
1,050
No. of Departures
45,627
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$441
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium & Luxury
In Their Own Words
We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
Explore has been taking small groups on adventure holidays all over the world for almost 40 years. The expert team, at home and overseas, works together to create itineraries that leave you feeling that you’ve really explored a destination rather than just visited. You’ll see the highlights, the must-sees, of course. But you’ll also get away from the beaten track, and get a different perspective on your destination. You’ll get closer to a place, its people and cultures.
Our small groups are typically 12 people – small enough to get right into the heart of your destination, but big enough to find like-minded people to share your experiences with. And the glue that holds these groups together is our local tour leaders, who are uniquely placed to add individual and spontaneous moments to each trips – moments that stay with you long after you return home. All sorts of people travel with Explore – our groups are usually a mix of solos, couples and friends. What unites them is their adventurous spirit and thirst for real travel experiences.
We provide authentic small-group travel, designed by experts and led by experts, with sustainability at its heart and a common desire for unforgettable experiences. Whether you’re on a cultural tour of Lebanon, cycling in Vietnam, walking in Italy or exploring Costa Rica with your family, when you’re travelling with Explore you know that you’re in good hands.
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 30 years. Every trip is designed to truly experience local culture - to meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation. Led by a local leader, our small group tours offer a sustainable way to travel off the beaten track, while giving back to the places and people that travellers visit.
Recent Reviews
4.7
I did enjoy this tour as a solo traveller. It was a very small group of both British and Australian people. There wasn’t a lot of extensive bus travel which we all appreciated. However there was a lot of free time and apart from breakfast there are no meals annd few excursions included. You can expect to spend at least $50 on a meal and one drink. read more I did expect these countries to be a cheaper but they were not. The hotels are typical tourist hotels, but they were always in close proximity to the highlights. Breakfast was always excellent. The rooms were small and basic. Many of the participants on this tour, had done several trips with this company.
Better than the Rocky Mountaineer! 0
Canadian Rockies & Pacific Coast
Robert and Marlene, VIC, Australia, May 2026
We decided to do the road trip instead of the train, and it was terrific. Great tour guide, good hotels and going to great lakes with snow most of the way! The train would have not gotten to the places we saw - lakes, snow, great hotels & restaurants too.
Tracey was fantastic in handling the booking, the tour was fantastic, mainly due to Peter the tour leader in Greece. He is a gem, couldn't do enough for us two in particular because we had a few issues of our own. Those islands are incredible , we had never been to the mediterranean before , so it was all mind blowing and we kept on running out of phonebattery read more taking so many pictures. The only negative comment and it's only related to us personally, was that being over 80 and not used to walking 5 miles over goat tracks and up and down mountains, we may have chosen a less strenuous holiday. 10 out of 10.
The highlights of Japan trip was a great one led by our fantastic tour guide, Donni. We got to walk around Tokyo, Nagano, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, and Kyoto. Got > 5000 steps in each day. Cherry blossoms were blooming and we were welcomed kindly by everyone we met. Thank you.
We had a great time. We loved having a small group. Everyone got along great. We had a young guide. He was great. The accommodations were so nice. We experienced the true Japanese culture, plus a lot of Western culture. Japan is a lot different from America.
We enjoyed the places we went. The history was so interesting. The sights were beautiful. read more The Cherry blossoms were in bloom!! They are beautiful! The food was amazing. We really enjoyed the tea ceremony. I will say we did not need to see all the temples and shrines. We went to too many. I am sure there was something else we could have gone to. Otherwise, we had a great experience..
We enjoyed the places we went. The history was so interesting. The sights were beautiful. read more The Cherry blossoms were in bloom!! They are beautiful! The food was amazing. We really enjoyed the tea ceremony. I will say we did not need to see all the temples and shrines. We went to too many. I am sure there was something else we could have gone to. Otherwise, we had a great experience..
4.4
Intrepid - Gorillas, Game parks and Beaches 0
Gorillas, Game Parks & Beaches
Ron and Jenny, VIC, Australia, Jul 2026
What a fantastic trip. This has it all, from trekking through the Jungle to visit the Gorillas, Camping in the Serengeti where the animals roam free, Game drives to see the Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhinoceros) and relaxing on Zanzibar's Northern Beaches truly is amazing. There are also plenty of other animals to see - Zebra, Hyena, read more Antelope, Elan, Cheaters, Jackles, Hippopotamus and many more. There are also lots of birds including Vultures. Watching the Vultures clean up a Cheater Kill was something to see.
This trip is actually a combination of 3 tours, 2 camping where one puts up and packs up a tent and 1 where you get to stay in hotel luxury. There are a lot of long driving days on this trip but you do get to appreciate just how the people live there lives and the challenges they have. An African Safari should be on everyone's bucket list and this one will take some beating.
This trip is actually a combination of 3 tours, 2 camping where one puts up and packs up a tent and 1 where you get to stay in hotel luxury. There are a lot of long driving days on this trip but you do get to appreciate just how the people live there lives and the challenges they have. An African Safari should be on everyone's bucket list and this one will take some beating.
I had a wonderful two weeks and ticked off so many sights that had been on my bucket list. I was also fortunate to be travelling with a fantastic group of people, which created a great atmosphere throughout the trip. A helpful tip for future travellers: because I was travelling with a group from Egypt to Jordan, I was exempt from Jordan’s 40 JOD visa read more fee. We were met by a guide on arrival and escorted through the process, making entry quick and easy.
We have had a great time, covering a big distance from Mexico city to Playa Del Carmen. We have has a deep dive into mexoamerican culture, which was amazing. We also enjoyed their arts and crafts. Local food is so delicious! There were several long days, and windy road didn’t make it easy, especially in a 12 seater van. But our fellow travellers companionship read more did make our trip much more enjoyable.
Biking Beside & Over The Danube Through 3 Countries 0
Cycle the Danube
Louise and Michael, ON, Canada, Apr 2026
This was our first guided bike tour and certainly won't be our last. There was a minor blip at the beginning when the airline change our flight to the next day and we could not get a refund for our missed hotel reservation. Other than that, things went smoothly. Our guide Gabor and support vehicle driver Zoran were excellent. The cycle tour was challenging read more with the length of time in the saddle, but beautiful scenery and an opportunity to explore the cities where we stayed made the trip memorable. Our accommodations were excellent. We highly recommend the adventure.
North Island New Zealand (North to South) 0
New Zealand Northern Trail (Southbound)
Peter and Janette, VIC, Australia, Mar 2026
The tour was well organised and the tour leader/driver Taylor was exceptional both in knowledge and inclusiveness of the group.
Popular Trips
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Operator: Explore
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