Intrepid Travel Reviews
The 118 Intrepid Travel reviews listed below are from past clients of Global Journeys that have travelled with Intrepid. Each review has been individually verified by our team.
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Had an amazing time, Brad our tour leader was fantastic we were fortunate to be with a group of like minded people both young and old which made this a wonderful mix. The first day turned out to be a bit of a surprise and poor Brad had to tell us the itinerary had changed, so we missed out on Mt Wellington and the Mona as well as a free dinner that ...read more night.
It would have been nice to have been sent the updated travel notes or itinerary, no complaints! It was what it was and I did read that there may be last minute changes. I think there were only 4 Original and the rest Basix so we did the Basix itinerary which suited me as there was more hiking.
Not sure even if Madeline knew about the changes? It is just that some people like to have an itinerary to follow so they can Google and find out about things of interest (for example what type of trees and plants to look for) before they get there. This is my first intrepid trip and I will defiantly be booking another one.
It would have been nice to have been sent the updated travel notes or itinerary, no complaints! It was what it was and I did read that there may be last minute changes. I think there were only 4 Original and the rest Basix so we did the Basix itinerary which suited me as there was more hiking.
Not sure even if Madeline knew about the changes? It is just that some people like to have an itinerary to follow so they can Google and find out about things of interest (for example what type of trees and plants to look for) before they get there. This is my first intrepid trip and I will defiantly be booking another one.
The second class sleeper train in Thailand broke down at 2am and we had to scramble down in a hurry (no platform) with our cases and backpacks, using our phones as torches, walk across the rail road tracks to another normal seating train, also no platform so I was pulled up into the train.
Most showers were cold to tepid, we slept on various old ...read more mattresses on the floor in the homestay and had to climb down stairs that were very deep to go to the bathroom at night making sure our ankles and shoulders were covered as it was a Muslim family (towels around shoulders and sarongs covering ankles. It's Thailand so you don't usually sleep in these things.)
One shower didn't work at all so 7 of us took turns with a shower. The towels in most hotels were threadbare and one wouldn't keep them for their dogs. In the last hotel in Singapore it was the smallest room we have ever stayed in (Italy, Greece, Spain, New Zealand, Europe, China etc) and we had no window anywhere so had to have aircon on all the time, ending up sneezing all the time with the dust.
I realize that this is an economical trip but backpacking would be cheaper and may have warm showers plus one expects to rough it. The only saving grace was the tour leader Nes was wonderful and our group was amazing.
Most showers were cold to tepid, we slept on various old ...read more mattresses on the floor in the homestay and had to climb down stairs that were very deep to go to the bathroom at night making sure our ankles and shoulders were covered as it was a Muslim family (towels around shoulders and sarongs covering ankles. It's Thailand so you don't usually sleep in these things.)
One shower didn't work at all so 7 of us took turns with a shower. The towels in most hotels were threadbare and one wouldn't keep them for their dogs. In the last hotel in Singapore it was the smallest room we have ever stayed in (Italy, Greece, Spain, New Zealand, Europe, China etc) and we had no window anywhere so had to have aircon on all the time, ending up sneezing all the time with the dust.
I realize that this is an economical trip but backpacking would be cheaper and may have warm showers plus one expects to rough it. The only saving grace was the tour leader Nes was wonderful and our group was amazing.
Did exciting things, had fun, ate and slept well ... all surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Southern Highlands of New Zealand. Recommended!
This was the best tour I could have asked for. A small group of 12 fellow travellers with the most considerate and knowledgeable tour guide/driver. Iceland was the most magical place I have ever visited. The range and variety of natural sights was breath taking. The passion of STEFAN, our guide, really shone through.
The tour was very good and our tour guide (Trent) was amazing. He knew everything and was really nice all throughout the trip! He did a great job! The tour was also well organized, only 2 hostels that I felt were not that good.
Trent was the quintessential guide/driver. He's friendly, knowledgeable and committed to providing for everyone's needs. He's also very calm under pressure.
There was confusion over the relationships between Under Down Under and Intrepid. When I went to board the Augusta II on Pieman River I was asked if I was with the Under Down Under tour. This ...read more had never been mentioned before and I said "No, I'm with the Intrepid Tour." Perhaps provide an explanation of this to tourists. (GJ: The cruise component of your trip must also be used in an itinerary by another Operator too. This is very common, unless the ship is charted exclusively for your journey).
The name "Taste of Tasmania" indicates a foodie tour, but food is only a very minor aspect of it. I suggest changing the name to reflect the true content; perhaps "A Lap of Tasmania."
Bronte Park was beautiful and a great nights accommodation. However, the tea and coffee provided was very old and undrinkable. Perhaps remind them to change these regularly. Our accommodation at Strahan left a bit to be desired. There were fleas in the carpet, the soap dispenser in the shower was broken, and we couldn't connect to the "free wifi."
We had been told we'd be picked up to go to a play that I was really looking forward to, about a convict escape from the area. But we weren't picked up because the driver had to take others or they would have been late. This was very disappointing as I had been greatly looking forward to this, being an historical fiction author and writing about convicts.
Our room at the pub in Waratah wasn't really what we were expecting. I knew Bronte Park was bathroom share, but we weren't expecting it at Waratah. Also we had 2 single beds instead of a double. Power cords in the room were piggybacked on piggybacks. I doubt this would comply with fire regulations.
I questioned the guide's judgement in leading the others on a long walk at Cradle Mountain in pouring rain, knowing there was flash flooding. However he knew the terrain better than me.
In Launceston we were dropped at our accommodation only to find 4 of us had no reservations and the hotel was fully booked. Trent and office staff eventually found us new accommodation. It seems the on call office staff member had left his computer at work so had to go and get it before he could assist us, lengthening the delay.
There was confusion over the relationships between Under Down Under and Intrepid. When I went to board the Augusta II on Pieman River I was asked if I was with the Under Down Under tour. This ...read more had never been mentioned before and I said "No, I'm with the Intrepid Tour." Perhaps provide an explanation of this to tourists. (GJ: The cruise component of your trip must also be used in an itinerary by another Operator too. This is very common, unless the ship is charted exclusively for your journey).
The name "Taste of Tasmania" indicates a foodie tour, but food is only a very minor aspect of it. I suggest changing the name to reflect the true content; perhaps "A Lap of Tasmania."
Bronte Park was beautiful and a great nights accommodation. However, the tea and coffee provided was very old and undrinkable. Perhaps remind them to change these regularly. Our accommodation at Strahan left a bit to be desired. There were fleas in the carpet, the soap dispenser in the shower was broken, and we couldn't connect to the "free wifi."
We had been told we'd be picked up to go to a play that I was really looking forward to, about a convict escape from the area. But we weren't picked up because the driver had to take others or they would have been late. This was very disappointing as I had been greatly looking forward to this, being an historical fiction author and writing about convicts.
Our room at the pub in Waratah wasn't really what we were expecting. I knew Bronte Park was bathroom share, but we weren't expecting it at Waratah. Also we had 2 single beds instead of a double. Power cords in the room were piggybacked on piggybacks. I doubt this would comply with fire regulations.
I questioned the guide's judgement in leading the others on a long walk at Cradle Mountain in pouring rain, knowing there was flash flooding. However he knew the terrain better than me.
In Launceston we were dropped at our accommodation only to find 4 of us had no reservations and the hotel was fully booked. Trent and office staff eventually found us new accommodation. It seems the on call office staff member had left his computer at work so had to go and get it before he could assist us, lengthening the delay.
Fantastic trip, accommodation was really good - small family operated hotel so got a real feel of staying local instead of big city hotel. The boat Daphne was excellent, best decision to go for a small number tour, other travel guests were great, easy going, and well matched age bracket. Food on board was beautiful if anything there was way too much. ...read more Cabin size yes they are small and a bit cosy but you are only in there to sleep. Boat was spotlessly clean, crew brilliant, helpful, funny, take pride in their work, and safety was always top priority.
Guide - Jose - this man was one of the best guides we have ever had in our travels. He was passionate about his islands and his knowledge on wildlife, history, and the environment was remarkable. Was never phased when asked one of those stupid questions that other travellers eye roll at. Great tour - highly recommend, but due to physical activity of shore landings, walking, it is not for elderly travellers.
Guide - Jose - this man was one of the best guides we have ever had in our travels. He was passionate about his islands and his knowledge on wildlife, history, and the environment was remarkable. Was never phased when asked one of those stupid questions that other travellers eye roll at. Great tour - highly recommend, but due to physical activity of shore landings, walking, it is not for elderly travellers.
An excellent tour that encompassed all of Morocco. The tour guide was wonderful and extremely thoughtful as we had dietary requirements to attend to. The hotels and places we stayed at were clean and comfortable. However, some of the initial days of the tour didn’t have hot water. Overall, a great experience.
From what we read on the trip to what was delivered, wasn't quite the same. The cycle route had been changed which added extra cycle distances and the route had more hills and was a tougher ride than outlined. The actual road conditions were quite ordinary, full of broken road surfaces and large pot-holes, which made riding each day quite a challenge. ...read more
The accommodation was extremely cold, some with electricity not always available and operators turning off their hot water, so it was either not available or just off cold. Most hotels were isolated and away from village or town areas, so no choice in dining was available. Most operators provided a "buffet" meal as it easier for them and had nothing to do with customer choices. Lunches on the road were available, so pre-boxed lunches from your accommodation were able to be ordered, but not good quality or suitable - you can only eat so many boiled eggs a day!
Overall holiday physical rating should have been 4/5, and comfort level 2/5. On-road cycle support was a bonus. The tour group was great company and we met some lovely people.
The accommodation was extremely cold, some with electricity not always available and operators turning off their hot water, so it was either not available or just off cold. Most hotels were isolated and away from village or town areas, so no choice in dining was available. Most operators provided a "buffet" meal as it easier for them and had nothing to do with customer choices. Lunches on the road were available, so pre-boxed lunches from your accommodation were able to be ordered, but not good quality or suitable - you can only eat so many boiled eggs a day!
Overall holiday physical rating should have been 4/5, and comfort level 2/5. On-road cycle support was a bonus. The tour group was great company and we met some lovely people.
It's hard to know where to start, but I guess I should start with our guide Matt. From the first day to the last his drive, energy and passion for Tasmania was unwavering. It's easy to see that he loves his job and loves the state of Tasmania. Always engaging and teaching us new facts about every place we visited, he became more of a friend than a tour ...read more guide.
I made some really good friends on this trip, we where a group of 20 people of different nationalities, with ages ranging from 20's to 70's and by the end of the week we where like a family. It's difficult to pick a favourite part of this trip because there where so many. For me the highlights where a grueling hike up the Marions Point lookout on Cradle Mountain, although some parts where extremely tough, you're rewarded with stunning 360° panoramic views of the mountain and perfect Tasmanian wilderness as far as the eye can see.
A chilled sunset on the pier in Strahan with a beer and new friends and a refreshing early morning plunge into Lake St. Clair to name but a few. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone thinking about It, I have memories and friends that will last a lifetime. My only complaint was that it wasn't a week longer.
I made some really good friends on this trip, we where a group of 20 people of different nationalities, with ages ranging from 20's to 70's and by the end of the week we where like a family. It's difficult to pick a favourite part of this trip because there where so many. For me the highlights where a grueling hike up the Marions Point lookout on Cradle Mountain, although some parts where extremely tough, you're rewarded with stunning 360° panoramic views of the mountain and perfect Tasmanian wilderness as far as the eye can see.
A chilled sunset on the pier in Strahan with a beer and new friends and a refreshing early morning plunge into Lake St. Clair to name but a few. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone thinking about It, I have memories and friends that will last a lifetime. My only complaint was that it wasn't a week longer.
This trip to Thailand exceeded expectations in every way! The variety of activities and sights - just amazing. We loved exploring Bangkok's waterways, swimming in beautiful plunge pools in a national park, seeing the famous bridge over the Kwai Rider, ruined temples, incredible buddhas, the elephant sanctuary..... yet there is so much more! This is ...read more truly an astounding experience. We highly recommend it!
The accommodation is a good standard. Easily 4* by Aussie standards. The overnight trains are modern, clean and comfortable. Bring an eye mask as the lights stay on all night for safety!
You'll be challenged but love the village home stay. Embrace it all - Thai people are very welcoming. We learnt to cook and rose early to give offerings to the local monk. Such special memories!
We were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed travelling with other families. We'd never done that before. We enjoyed having other adults to chat to and our kids made new friends (some from overseas).
The tour leader was an experienced local. She effortlessly held the group together. Her detailed knowledge of her country was appreciated. She helped all day and evening. "No problem" is her response to everything!
We stayed on for 2 more nights in Bangkok for shopping. Have a suit or coat made or wander around the malls. Bangkok is a vibrant modern city alongside crazy tuk tuks and enormous public posters of the King. You'll love it - just go!
The accommodation is a good standard. Easily 4* by Aussie standards. The overnight trains are modern, clean and comfortable. Bring an eye mask as the lights stay on all night for safety!
You'll be challenged but love the village home stay. Embrace it all - Thai people are very welcoming. We learnt to cook and rose early to give offerings to the local monk. Such special memories!
We were pleasantly surprised by how much we enjoyed travelling with other families. We'd never done that before. We enjoyed having other adults to chat to and our kids made new friends (some from overseas).
The tour leader was an experienced local. She effortlessly held the group together. Her detailed knowledge of her country was appreciated. She helped all day and evening. "No problem" is her response to everything!
We stayed on for 2 more nights in Bangkok for shopping. Have a suit or coat made or wander around the malls. Bangkok is a vibrant modern city alongside crazy tuk tuks and enormous public posters of the King. You'll love it - just go!
Had a fantastic trip (Scenic Vietnam). Good size tour group of 15 people which worked well in terms of travelling together. We all got on well and did activities together, even on our free days. Intrepid provided a hassle free tour that we would recommend to others. Great value for money. Good variety of activities.
Good introduction to cycle touring with the back-up of a guide a bus and a support truck. Some challenging days but fairly achievable for the regular rider. I'm a commuter rider(30kms per day) and add some longer rides in the weekend and completed this without additional training. So ok for average fitness level.
To be honest though it's really ...read more more a bus tour punctuated by rides, so if you are looking for massive kms and being on the bike more than the bus maybe look elsewhere.
Hotels were 2/3 star level, so ok but nothing memorable. We had a decent group so made the trip good, suspect you normally get fairly active people on this trip so no whingers and generally everyone just got on with it.
The guide was really good, but the second set of bikes had a few niggles, but nothing trip ruining. Overall a good experience and not expensive compared with other options.
To be honest though it's really ...read more more a bus tour punctuated by rides, so if you are looking for massive kms and being on the bike more than the bus maybe look elsewhere.
Hotels were 2/3 star level, so ok but nothing memorable. We had a decent group so made the trip good, suspect you normally get fairly active people on this trip so no whingers and generally everyone just got on with it.
The guide was really good, but the second set of bikes had a few niggles, but nothing trip ruining. Overall a good experience and not expensive compared with other options.
Global Journeys is my go to for my organised tours overseas. Very efficient and hassle-free to deal with!
Intrepid Travel is great value for money. Our Myanmar tour guide, Lin Oo Tet was very attentive, knowledgeable and went beyond his duties to ensure that we all had a marvelous time. It's no wonder he won Intrepid's Myanmar Tour Guide of the year!!
Our ...read more small group of 5 (surprisingly small!!) was a wonderful bunch of people! We all had a lovely time and were like family by the end of our 15-day tour. Special mention to my roomie, Antonia, who was a very considerate and fun roommate to have!
Intrepid Travel is great value for money. Our Myanmar tour guide, Lin Oo Tet was very attentive, knowledgeable and went beyond his duties to ensure that we all had a marvelous time. It's no wonder he won Intrepid's Myanmar Tour Guide of the year!!
Our ...read more small group of 5 (surprisingly small!!) was a wonderful bunch of people! We all had a lovely time and were like family by the end of our 15-day tour. Special mention to my roomie, Antonia, who was a very considerate and fun roommate to have!
It was an amazing trip. I particularly enjoyed the experience of sleeping under the stars. Outback camping was another unique experience as we slept in permanent tents, helped in the preparation of our meals, and most of the time had our meals in open areas.
The underground accommodation at Coober Pedy was an awesome experience. The highlight of ...read more this tour for me was the visit to Uluru. A very special spiritual feeling I had while visiting this place. I found all members of the group very friendly and by the end of the trip we were like a family.
Our Tour Guide was amazing and very knowledgeable and easy to approach too. It was also a good value taking this tour.
The underground accommodation at Coober Pedy was an awesome experience. The highlight of ...read more this tour for me was the visit to Uluru. A very special spiritual feeling I had while visiting this place. I found all members of the group very friendly and by the end of the trip we were like a family.
Our Tour Guide was amazing and very knowledgeable and easy to approach too. It was also a good value taking this tour.
After the initial shock of twenty in the all terrain vehicle - small group tours I thought meant between 6-12 people, not 20! I joined the group who were all known to each other as they had had 13 days together from Darwin to Broome. By my 3rd-5th day & their 16th-18th they were tour weary, whereas I was enjoying and making the most of every opportunity, ...read more like a solo traveller. Occasionally this put a damper on things and on the atmosphere when doing tasks & in the bus.
The driver was clear on his instructions, and time frames. However he was not open to having anyone elses' music being played on the vehicle. Thank you Luke, for providing us with such nourishing food for all our meals, and keeping your 'fun side' in the many interactions involved on such a trip. More time was needed at the Pinnacles stop, and it was available, due to the wet weather preventing the Sand Hills Slide. So glad i did the Broome to Perth trip with you all.
The driver was clear on his instructions, and time frames. However he was not open to having anyone elses' music being played on the vehicle. Thank you Luke, for providing us with such nourishing food for all our meals, and keeping your 'fun side' in the many interactions involved on such a trip. More time was needed at the Pinnacles stop, and it was available, due to the wet weather preventing the Sand Hills Slide. So glad i did the Broome to Perth trip with you all.
Overall, I enjoyed the Best of Cuba Tour! Accommodation - most of the casas were comfortable. however, hot water was a bit iffy in some places. I booked an extra night with Intrepid (for one night prior to the tour) expecting that I'd be in the same casa so I won't have to move and cart my luggage around but that wasn't the case. I shared a room with ...read more a nice lady from Ireland but we only ever got 1 set of keys. we weren't given a second set even when we requested. Breakfasts exceeded my expectation!
Tour guide - generally he was ok but did not really explain much of the optional tours to us (unless he was getting a commission I guess). Money - you can only pay cash everywhere but there are ATM machines in all places we visited. I used CBA Travel Card.
Internet- you can purchase Wifi cards and use this at hotels and plazas/parks with wifi access. May I suggest that as a welcome gift, Intrepid should provide clients with a 1-hr card so we're not scrambling to find these wifi cards to let family back home know that we're ok. Loved the classic cars! they're used mainly as taxis predominantly.
Food - very basic. You don't go to Cuba for the food. However, there are some restaurants that served tasty meals.
Health - a few of us got the tummy bug so be very careful with what you eat or drink. Avoid ice if you can. Very happy with Global Journeys!
Tour guide - generally he was ok but did not really explain much of the optional tours to us (unless he was getting a commission I guess). Money - you can only pay cash everywhere but there are ATM machines in all places we visited. I used CBA Travel Card.
Internet- you can purchase Wifi cards and use this at hotels and plazas/parks with wifi access. May I suggest that as a welcome gift, Intrepid should provide clients with a 1-hr card so we're not scrambling to find these wifi cards to let family back home know that we're ok. Loved the classic cars! they're used mainly as taxis predominantly.
Food - very basic. You don't go to Cuba for the food. However, there are some restaurants that served tasty meals.
Health - a few of us got the tummy bug so be very careful with what you eat or drink. Avoid ice if you can. Very happy with Global Journeys!
This was the most wonderful trip and I recommend it to anyone interested in discovering some of the not so well known parts of Italy. The trip was well organised, the tour leaders were excellent, and my fellow travellers (a maximum of 12 on any section) were great company. This is budget travel, but accommodation was good (the one exception wasn't bad, ...read more just cramped). Transport was all local buses, trains and private cars - no coaches! The highlights? ... too many to describe in detail. Venice, Assisi, Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi met expectations. Spello, Gubbio, Polignano, Lecce, Gallipoli, Otrano, Ostuni, Alberobello, Matera blew me away. Go there!
