Home >
Compare Tour & Adventure Operators
> G Adventures vs Intrepid
G Adventures vs Intrepid
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of G Adventures and Intrepid.The Low Down
G Adventures have impressed us with their ethos, their range of unique itineraries and proven track record with over 100,000 past travellers. Their main competitor in the adventure touring space is Intrepid, with both Operators focused on authentic, affordable small group tours. With over 600 trips around the world and 50,000 departures, G have a stunning range of interesting unique itineraries to choose from, with a focus on South and Central America, Asia and Polar expedition cruising. G Adventures operate dynamic pricing so prices can change daily - upwards if the trip is filling up, and down if they need to fill some spaces. G have also recently incorporated Wellness trips, 18-to-Thirty Somethings adventures and National Georgraphic Signature luxury trips into their portfolio of trip styles.
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
1,067
No. of Departures
98,007
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$244
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable
No. of Trips
940
No. of Departures
47,466
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$308
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
G Adventures came from a desire to deliver authentic and responsible small group travel adventures that were equally life-changing for travellers and the communities they visit. And we’re been doing just that for almost 30 years. Our award-winning trips span seven continents and over 100 countries, giving you meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, as well as offering you the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own.
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
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
4.6
Make sure you can walk 0
Christmas in Central Europe, Berlin to Vienna
Mom and Daughter Trip, WA, United States, Nov 2025
We did a mother–daughter trip. We can both walk. Some in our group could not, and it really dragged us down. We also can follow simple travel instructions and pivot to make our own plans for side activities and meals; others could not. That said, we had a great time!
Our CEO, Jelena, was great. However, at times we felt that she could have used some read more office support that she could have contacted. We turned a corner to be at a Christmas market that wasn’t there in Berlin. She did a great job of pivoting, knowing some history to tell us, and found a cathedral for us to go in and tour for a moment. She also explained some other monuments that were in the plaza, which was an old site used for Christmas markets but not in 2025.
The small offers that the tour company provided, such as the currywurst, the glüevine, and lebkuchen, seemed to be more difficult with the budget allowed by the tour company than it really needed to be. For instance, people were given too many options: what was in the budget, or add more money, or pay for the deposit on the mugs and get it back if you want, or keep it if you want. It just seemed very confusing for so many people at once. It would have been nice if it had been arranged that we went to a specific booth for each of those items. Maybe G Adventures is able to look into contracting that in the future. Or making a specific reservation for the cakes and coffee in Vienna. Or working it out ahead of time with the restaurant on the meet-up day for a set meal that’s within the budget, so everybody can get a little bit without having to go over budget, get confused, and feel off-put on our first dinner together.
We loved the Christmas markets. We loved the time that we spent. We loved the bit of history that we learned through our CEO. We know that it was one of the first Christmas market tours of the year, and we definitely felt some hiccups, but we had a good group of people that really tried to make the best of it.
I would recommend this tour for anyone in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. My mom was fine in her 70s, but others younger were not. I don’t want to sound bad, but if you walk with a cane, a walking tour is probably not the tour group that’s best for you. That’s the experience that 17 people had to endure on our tour. They would have to be able to walk multiple miles and deal with their luggage themselves, because one slow person affects 17 other people, and that really isn’t fair for the 17.
We knew we were going to be staying at smaller places, and they were great and had different personalities. Although the one in Salzburg should probably be looked at for the smell in the restroom, on the flip side that smell made us get out of the room nice and early to find the Thursday market in Salzburg, which was an amazing find and one of the highlights of our trip.
The accommodations were okay. I would give them about two stars at best. Berlin was a little bit better. But for single women traveling, places with a whole lot of graffiti or a strip club across the street were not exactly the safest feeling, and I don’t know if that was actually planned. But it’s how it was, and we did try to travel in groups because of that. There were some very high points and some very “this could be done a little bit better with just a little bit of effort” points as well.
Our CEO, Jelena, was great. However, at times we felt that she could have used some read more office support that she could have contacted. We turned a corner to be at a Christmas market that wasn’t there in Berlin. She did a great job of pivoting, knowing some history to tell us, and found a cathedral for us to go in and tour for a moment. She also explained some other monuments that were in the plaza, which was an old site used for Christmas markets but not in 2025.
The small offers that the tour company provided, such as the currywurst, the glüevine, and lebkuchen, seemed to be more difficult with the budget allowed by the tour company than it really needed to be. For instance, people were given too many options: what was in the budget, or add more money, or pay for the deposit on the mugs and get it back if you want, or keep it if you want. It just seemed very confusing for so many people at once. It would have been nice if it had been arranged that we went to a specific booth for each of those items. Maybe G Adventures is able to look into contracting that in the future. Or making a specific reservation for the cakes and coffee in Vienna. Or working it out ahead of time with the restaurant on the meet-up day for a set meal that’s within the budget, so everybody can get a little bit without having to go over budget, get confused, and feel off-put on our first dinner together.
We loved the Christmas markets. We loved the time that we spent. We loved the bit of history that we learned through our CEO. We know that it was one of the first Christmas market tours of the year, and we definitely felt some hiccups, but we had a good group of people that really tried to make the best of it.
I would recommend this tour for anyone in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. My mom was fine in her 70s, but others younger were not. I don’t want to sound bad, but if you walk with a cane, a walking tour is probably not the tour group that’s best for you. That’s the experience that 17 people had to endure on our tour. They would have to be able to walk multiple miles and deal with their luggage themselves, because one slow person affects 17 other people, and that really isn’t fair for the 17.
We knew we were going to be staying at smaller places, and they were great and had different personalities. Although the one in Salzburg should probably be looked at for the smell in the restroom, on the flip side that smell made us get out of the room nice and early to find the Thursday market in Salzburg, which was an amazing find and one of the highlights of our trip.
The accommodations were okay. I would give them about two stars at best. Berlin was a little bit better. But for single women traveling, places with a whole lot of graffiti or a strip club across the street were not exactly the safest feeling, and I don’t know if that was actually planned. But it’s how it was, and we did try to travel in groups because of that. There were some very high points and some very “this could be done a little bit better with just a little bit of effort” points as well.
Wonderful tour. Japanese 'CEO' was so kind and well organized. She made sure we had a great variety of experiences in and outside of the cities. I loved every moment of my tour.
This was our 5th trip with G Adventures and it did not disappoint. The CEO, Toshio, was outstanding in his knowledge, organization, kindness and generosity. He even guided us around during free time ! I used Global Journeys to book the trip because they quoted a better price than GAdventures. Melissa made the booking easy and made sure I received read more my GAdventures credit and also that we could use our rail pass on the last day for our transfer to the airport. We used Zipair for our flight and had no problem using a no-frills company to save on our flight costs. Accomodation was as expected with only 2 nights with shared washrooms. Seniors might have difficulty with beds on the floor.
Time of year was perfect for us as we don’t like heat, Temperature ranged from 10-20 C with the cooler days being in the mountains. There was only 1 day of rain and it was light. We had a nice mix of fellow travellers from 4 different countries and an age range of 35- 80 yrs. A couple of people in the group brought way too much luggage and relied on others for help. We walked 17,000- 20,000 steps a day so you must be fit enough do this as well as carry your own luggage. The itinerary was ideal for first time visitors and we didn’t feel rushed.
Time of year was perfect for us as we don’t like heat, Temperature ranged from 10-20 C with the cooler days being in the mountains. There was only 1 day of rain and it was light. We had a nice mix of fellow travellers from 4 different countries and an age range of 35- 80 yrs. A couple of people in the group brought way too much luggage and relied on others for help. We walked 17,000- 20,000 steps a day so you must be fit enough do this as well as carry your own luggage. The itinerary was ideal for first time visitors and we didn’t feel rushed.
The soloish trip to Italy was the best trip I have taken. Having a group of solo travelers patriciate in a pasta making class the first night was an excellent bonding moment. I had such a good time, our CEO was outstanding and I have made lifelong friends. I will definitely travel with G adventures again.
The group was an excellent size, lovely guide and bus driver. Plenty of time at each stop, and Meghan our guide was very thorough in both informing us and setting us on our way for our free time slots. Hotels okay, but the Relais hotel in Parisshould not be allowed to let room 111. It is not up to standard. and actually, most depressing to be in. All in all a great trip.
Galapagos Adventure: Snorkelling & Sea Lions 1
Galápagos Adventure: Snorkelling & Sea Lions
David, NC, United States, Sep 2025
The tours and activities were great! Really enjoyed our leader. Felt like he was very knowledgeable and he was very personable. One complaint-breakfasts were way too small. Nina from Global Journeys was extremely helpful. Especially since I made arrangements kind of last minute.
4.4
Overall positive experience with destinations well chosen. Unfortunately bus & accommodation left a lot to be desired, with many of group becoming ill as bus ventilation was non-existent so viruses spread rapidly. Hotel beds were invariably hard & uncomfortable, while heating was usually non operational. Home cooked food was special as it gave authenticity read more to Moroccan experience. Sahara camel ride at dawn was highlight, though tent accommodation was freezing overnight.
Considering the distance from Istanbul to the Anzac sites (5 hours on a mini bus), it was absolutely fabulous. Pickup smooth, trip smooth, comfort stop half way, lunch plentiful, transition to guide smooth. 12 on our bus, Australian, Kiwi, Canadians. Our guide for the afternoon’s tour of WW1 sites was Burak, and he was pure gold. We stayed on for the read more second day (others headed straight back to Istanbul). Gorgeous half hour across the Dardanelles to the delightful surprise of Canakkale. Staff transitioning us across and to our hotel fantastic. We then bar hopped our night away and met the most wonderful Turkish people. Çanakkale was fantastic. Slow morning. Cafe hopped. Short (25 min) bus ride to the ruins of Troy - it was nice, but that’s all. Back across the Dardanelles and to our hotel in Istanbul by 9.30pm, which was ahead of schedule. If you must see Gallipoli, you also must have a night out in Canakkale. Glad we did it.
The trip was actually two combined. North Morroco then longer south and Central with different tour leader. First was the maximum of 16 people and no more joined for the second after seven lefy so nine people . I am so glad I did the entire tour as it include camping in the desert which was real highlight. Lots great experiences throughout.
Great trip, food, and people. Loved all the places we visited- could have spent longer in Guatemala! Personal preference I loved the city, food and people! Third leg - Antigua to Costa Rica- not too many included activities or meals. A couple of the cities our hotel was a couple km out of the city.
This was my 3rd Intrepid tour and 1st Intrepid Premium tour. 11 travellers from UK, USA, Canada and 2 other Australians. Very good tour leader who arranged restaurants every day for lunch and dinner as well as organising our travel by 2 excellent, modern hi-speed trains and a domestic flight. I really enjoyed staying in the old town areas of Bukhara read more (particularly the Jewish style house hotel) and Khiva. Stepping out from our hotels we were in the midst of the wonderful blue and green Islamic architecture. We even got to climb a minaret (for a fee)! Travelling by metro in Tashkent and visiting numerous wonderfully, individually decorated stations was another highlight. From what I have heard Uzbekistan is "the pick" of the 5 stans. This was my final tour of 3 tours in 6 weeks that I booked with the friendly and professional assistance of Georgie and Hannah.
A good introduction to Spain and Portugal 0
Classic Spain & Portugal
Peter, NSW, Australia, Oct 2025
Both Spain and Portugual have been on my to do list for quite some time! They did not disappoint! The 3 week trip with Intrepid, consisted of 2 smaller trips (8 days - Northern Spain) and 15 days (Classic Spain and Portugual), so our guide and group changed after the first week. In this first week, we caught public trains and buses which was generally read more good. However, when we arrived in a city/town like Palermo, we caught local buses to our hotel. These were often crowded and you got the distinct impression that the locals were not happy having 12 travellers with their luggage on board! This problem was solved in the next part of the tour, which used taxis/UBER to ferry us from a bus or train station to the hotel. This was far more confortable. I would also say that the hotels were only OK and generally not very centrally located (Granada, Lisbon and Porto were exceptions). Despite this, they had good access to public transport. Our local guides were excellent and had a good knowledge of food, culture and history. I would recommend this trip but make sure you know what you are getting for your money!
Popular Trips
8 Days Kota Kinabalu to Kota Kinabalu
Operator: G Adventures
From
1,369pp
Save
333pp
10 Days Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
Operator: G Adventures
From
959pp
Save
370pp
