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Intrepid vs Topdeck
Compare the travel styles, pricing, destinations and popularity of Intrepid and Topdeck.The Low Down
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.
Topdeck has undergone a complete brand refresh and their big bus tours are out. An all-new portfolio of small group tours for travellers aged 18 to 32 have been released. There's a maximum of 18 travellers on each trip along with a more targeted age range that has narrowed from 18-39 to 18-32.With a renewed focus on connection, Topdeck's small group trips prioritise authentic, genuine interactions with fellow travellers. Smaller groups allow for a more connected and personal exploration of each destination and a more inclusive and communal atmosphere.
While Europe makes up the backbone of Topdeck's range, they also run a series of tours through Asia, Egypt, Morocco and New Zealand. Topdeck's new trips take advantage of public transport where they can - like the use trains over coaches to allow more time in key cities and less time spent travelling.
Stats
No. of Trips
1,043
No. of Departures
57,504
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$306
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
No. of Trips
54
No. of Departures
177
Avg. Trip Length
15 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$188
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable
In Their Own Words We asked the travel companies themselves why you should travel with them
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.
Topdeck's origin story was small group touring. It was 14 absolute adventurers who were fun and spirited and ready to go out there and see everything. At the end of the 90's and into the 2000's, Topdeck moved to large coaches and now we're returning to or roots. Our travellers don’t see bigger groups as ‘more social’ -they want to connect quickly, with like-minded people, in a way that feels less overwhelming and less intrusive.
Small group touring unlocks up so many opportunities. We can now get into local tavernas or hole-in-the-wall restaurants, sit family-style, and build that cultural connection. We can run small optional expereinces and secure entry to highlights like the Alhambra much more easily than with a large coach. It makes each experience more immersive and flexible.
What’s changed is the trip itself: better choice of centrally located accommodation, richer in-destination experiences, and more inclusivity.
Recent Reviews
4.5
We absolutely loved our tour of Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The Guides we had were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. It was pretty full on for 69 & 77 year olds with a lot of walking in hot conditions but we managed to keep up most of the time. The highlight was the Sahara Desert and sleeping under the stars. There were a couple of accommodation ...read more venues that weren't great and maybe more suited to backpackers but overall the standard was acceptable. Lots of travel involved to get to destinations but when you're packing 3 countries into 4 weeks I guess there's no alternative. I would definitely recommend this tour but maybe not in the hotter months.
This was an 8 day/7 night guided, small group tour of the 3 Baltic States and it was great fun as well as being very interesting. There were 10 peeps plus a very informative and helpful tour leader with our ages varying from early 30s to one 70+ year old (me). The group melded well and we had a lot of laughs. Accommodation hotels were all good and ...read more a couple a bit quirky. Transport varied between dedicated comfortable van to public luxury coaches and ferries, all of which were excellent. Our leader was very informative and the 3 capital cities great destinations. Overall this was an excellent trip.
A well organised trip with careful planning for each of the days walks. Our guide, Joe, was exceptional. Would recommend if you like walking, but not carrying luggage.
Galapagos certainly didn’t disappoint with an abundance of marine life on the islands. The tour itself was OK, guide had little interest in the job and the guests. Probably best to just do 2 islands rather than 3, a few very early days to move around the islands.
We thoroughly enjoyed our explore Spain & Portugal tour with Intrepid Travel We saw so many beautiful cities & met some lovely people. Enjoyed getting around like a local using public transport & seeing so much history.
The tour was excellent! We were a group of 12 travelers from different countries and had a great time together. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. They showed us how people live in South East Asia and we participated in some activities that made us part of the experience. I hope to travel with Intrepid again in the future.
4.6
I have traveled a lot for school and work but this Euro trip was by far the best experience. I got to experience new cultures, try new foods, meet incredible people and have memories for a lifetime with new bonds I created. This is a VERY fast paced trip. It gives you teasers of each city. Be prepared to pack, tour and explore in a short period of time. ...read more It gave me a broad perspective of the cities I would like to visit again. Thank you for a great tour and a lifetime of memories Topdeck!
Fantastic trip, accommodation and travel were great and the team leader was amazing. Found it a great way to get an overview of Europe, though I think in retrospect more time in fewer places would have been better as at times it felt quite rushed. Ultimately though I was able to see and do what I wanted to do, though each day was fairly jam packed to ...read more do it all. Really enjoyed myself.
Bravo Italia was a fantastic tour that included 16 stops around Italy. This is not for someone looking for a leisurely holiday - every bus day had stops at towns with walking tours and then time for lunch along with a group dinner once you arrived in your location, and most free days had included walking tours or activities that took up most of the ...read more morning. If you are looking to see as much as you can in as little time as possible I would recommend this. Our trip leader was highly knowledgeable and always happy to help if you had a question about where to go, what to do, etc. The other people on the trip were mostly from Aus/NZ and were mostly age 25+, with a lot of couples. Booking through Global Journeys was easy and I would use them again.
This tour is great for someone who wants to get a taste of many different countries in Europe and plans on returning later for some more in-depth travel. The tour is very fast paced, as you are on the bus almost every day, but the trips go by quickly and before you know it you are in a new place. The accomodations were all of decent quality, the included ...read more meals were nice and there was a great mix of planned activities and free time. There was never any pressure to do any activities though, so you could always go off on your own accord if you wish. My tour leader Jass and driver Filipe made the trip fun and I will never forget this experience. If you are thinking about it and are not sure... just do it. It's the best thing I've ever done and as a solo traveller was a great way for me to make friends.
Juliet at Global Journeys was an excellent travel agent - she put through all my request efficiently and promptly and was happy to answer any questions. Would highly recommend booking through Global Journeys as they gave me the best price I could find on this trip.
Juliet at Global Journeys was an excellent travel agent - she put through all my request efficiently and promptly and was happy to answer any questions. Would highly recommend booking through Global Journeys as they gave me the best price I could find on this trip.
A very fast paced and exhausting tour but really worth it. I got to visit all of the places I only used to dream of visiting. The accommodation was lacking in some cities but generally pretty good. The Topdeck tour leader and coach driver were very professional and lovely people. Some of the optional excursions were disappointing but I'm glad that I ...read more got to experience them.
Booking through Global Journeys was a breeze and Juliet Scott was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this trip and booking through Global Journeys to friends and family.
Booking through Global Journeys was a breeze and Juliet Scott was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this trip and booking through Global Journeys to friends and family.
I really enjoyed the laid back pace of this tour. Unlike the usual Europe coach tours, this felt more relaxed, mostly as it was one county and main transport by ferry. The accommodation could be better, hotels usually not in central locations (apart from the really small islands we visited) and fairly dated/old. Also, a large chunk of the tour are very ...read more young, be prepared for lots of alcohol/late nights. I found the pairing of roommates quite odd (e.g I'm in my mid twenties and shared with an 18 year old, another was a 30 year old with a 20 year old). Otherwise the tour was very enjoyable and I really enjoyed the amount of free time. The optional tours were worth it as well.
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