Intrepid Travel

It is very hard to hear a Canadian Company treating people so harshly. Endangering travellers life and taking no accountability. The responses the management have given are dismissive they messed up and to claim. Not our responsibility and no refunds yet you endangered a life. Not cool.

After three trips with this company that weren’t the best this last one takes the cake, the leader was heavily drinking, super unprofessional she wasn’t including me in any of the additional activities then I told her I was upset and that I didn’t feel she was professional she freaked out on me and didn’t invite me to the nights activities again. Then she had her manager call me screaming and yelling at me threatening me and insulting me, When I got upset they tried to have me put in the hospital against my own will and they were going to kick me off the trip and leave me behind in a foreign country in a hospital no one speak English. Absolute worse experience ever.

I booked 2 trips over christmas holidays, one to Machu Pichu and Galapolas. I bought the hype that these places are high demand so better make sure that I get a booking. What a mistake! You get mediocre services and places to stay. While the former was good, the latter felt like a rip off as cuts were constantly made increase the profits from providers. Eg a lack of hot water, instant cheap coffee, skimping here and there, too much free time so you have to buy the extras. Even though intrepid states it consciously books and hires locally, this is to preserve their profit margins rather than an ethical concern. If i would have booked locally, which i usually do, i would have paid a third of the price. What a mistake to book from them. The group was interesting and we made the most of it, but most constantly complained and had the feeling we were being ripped off, leavinga bad taste.

Completed Vietnam and Cambodia trip and plan to do four more in the new year (Sri Lanka, Japan, Central Asia and Central Europe)! I guess I spoke in haste. They are now penalizing me by withholding 15% of $1900 of three pre-paid trips that were cancelled due to COVID-19. I feel this is financially heavy-handed and have suggested that they withhold 5% or $500 of the $12,500 I paid in November 2019. We have been back and forthing since March 2020 - wish me luck.

We booked with Intrepid to Patagonia W-Trekking. We then received a travel tips saying 4-wheel luggage is good for the trip. This is a very bad advice as we need to board the catamaran and we must carry our own luggage. It is down right dangerous to walk the narrow plank with 15 kg luggage. Even the ship operator was cursing the luggage. Neither was it mentioned that we must carry our own luggage everywhere we go, including the half-mile walk from Puerto Natales bus station to the lodge, and 500 meter walk from the dock to bus drop-off on gavel/mud road. Not fun at all. Backpacks should had been recommended. The information also said ground mattress is provided, but it failed to mention we had to carry them from camp to camp, on top of our own stuff. 9 out of 12 people in our group got food poisoning on the third day and there is no medical assistance at the camp ground, neither there was any with Intrepid. The lunch provided by Intrepid is of poor quality: everyday is ham and cheese with avocado, no variation. And the sandwiches were carried in local guide backpack for 4 hours in the sun and body temperature. Some of us opted out the lunch altogether. Only salvation was that our group lead Carla who made her best effort to make the trip a little more enjoyable. The hostel used by Intrepid are best described as adequate. In one of the hostels, some member got bedbug bites. Not good. Overall: Intrepid booked hostel, bus ticket, internal flights, reserved the tents at Torres Del Paine camp ground and 2 trips on private van. Everything else is DIY. The service level is below expectation. I do not recommended Intrepid for Patagonia Trekking.

I traveled with Intrepid to Morocco for 3 weeks in 2018. The style of travel is perfect for me, with many authentic local and cultural experiences, that I would not be able to do if traveling on my own (such as village homestays, or being the only tourists at the small local bathhouse). The group atmosphere is great to meet like minded travel companions and is welcoming to solo travelers and people traveling together. I have many more trips with them in mind for when we can travel again.

Traveled to Turkey with Intrepid in June 2019 and had the most incredible time of my life! We rode hot air balloons in Cappadocia, relaxed on a boat with local skippers in Kekova and ate incredible food.

I placed one pre-night hotel in March 2022 for the Premium Turkey in Depth (May). Not until five weeks later, Intrepid told me that the room I booked was unavailable. Intrepid should advise me earlier, shouldn't it? And it took eight weeks to get a refund. Fortunately, I got a room from Expedia instantly! Expedia has rooms, but Intrepid has no room for their travellers!