Home > Compare Tour & Adventure Operators > Explore vs Intrepid
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
440
No. of Departures
6,599
Avg. Trip Length
12 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$417
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
No. of Trips
1,088
No. of Departures
30,348
Avg. Trip Length
13 Days
Avg. Price Per Day
$382
Accommodation
Mixed
Budget
Affordable & Premium
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
This was actually two tours, Portugal and Spain with Felix and the Morocco with Boobker. Felix provided daily summaries of what we would be doing and when. Boobker provided limited and only verbal details. Tipping was an issue across the whole tour with some of the group using "optional" to mean they could contribute either nothing or very little. Boobker ...read more was left in the position where he had no tipping pool and one or two of us had to do all the tipping in Morocco.
We had great variety in fitness levels which slowed us down, especially in Lisbon and Porto - both very hilly! Felix was very knowledgeable and repeatedly went the extra mile to ensure we covered everything, even arranging an additional guide for the Cordoba Mosque/Cathedral. Because Morocco requires licensed guides in each city, Boobker had less opportunity to do this. All accommodation was at least 3 star and most were 4 star. All accommodation was either in the main tourist areas or just outside - very convenient.
We had great variety in fitness levels which slowed us down, especially in Lisbon and Porto - both very hilly! Felix was very knowledgeable and repeatedly went the extra mile to ensure we covered everything, even arranging an additional guide for the Cordoba Mosque/Cathedral. Because Morocco requires licensed guides in each city, Boobker had less opportunity to do this. All accommodation was at least 3 star and most were 4 star. All accommodation was either in the main tourist areas or just outside - very convenient.
I enjoyed learning the history of the three countries visited as well as the current politics and social environment. I liked the capital cities of Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan, as well as the Black Sea resort town of Batumi in Georgia. and many historic churches and monasteries in between. It's a pity though that the time in Tbilisi was rather limited. ...read more It's a city that deserves more sightseeing time. On the other hand, I think there was too much time spent on wineries and wine tastings.
Very good tour. A full tour - 16 people including 10 singles, people from all around the world which was great to see. This was my 3rd tour with Explore. This is graded as a "moderate" tour and was certainly a lot slower paced than my previous trip to Georgia & Armenia. Tour leader and driver were both North Macedonian. Tour leader had a great personality ...read more and was very professional and caring especially when 1 person had a fall and broke a bone in their foot on day 12 of the tour. We had great weather, sunny and warm with an enjoyable 3 night stay in Lake Ohrid and visit to Thassos island in northern Greece. Hotels were well located, being walking distance to town centres. Lots of monasteries and churches, especially compared to the number of ancient sites in northern Greece we visited. Booking with Georgie is always seamless, she provides very prompt, professional and friendly service.
As an introduction to the lakes area, Walk the Lake District was amazing! We had the best sunny weather ever which was unheard of for the entire week. The views were spectacular and the group of people we were with were friendly and fun to be with. The accommodation was first class and the food fantastic. Our walks guide was excellent in both gauging ...read more the fitness level of the group and history of the area. Would I recommend this to anyone? Yes, but be fit because to get the views you have to go up! Hannah was great with keeping me on track with paperwork, made it all very easy.
For me this trip was about getting out in nature. Loved the time spent in Triglav National Park, going for beautiful walks, staying in Bohinj. Fab location. Also Lake Bled. I could easily have spent more time in the mountains and forgone the towns and cities on this itinerary. Clare was a fantastic guide, giving up her two client-free days to take us ...read more on stunning walks etc. I do think the company should retain private driver/bus for the entire day when needed, especially when some public transport e.g. buses are known to be unreliable. Clare was even told by a public bus driver she shouldn’t be putting her people on public buses. Overall, I lived the trip 💚
All in all, this was an excellent trip. The guide provided by Explore was exceptional- could not recommend him more highly. The trip was all it said it would be, and more. We saw places and met people that most tourists never would experience. The cycling was challenging. We hadn’t properly understood that half the tour group would be on e-bikes. This ...read more took a bit of negotiation to keep the group together and not break the morale of the non motorised bike riders.
It became apparent that the group members had received differing information in the lead up to the trip mainly regarding bike specific info about clip in pedals, helmets etc. This was concerning as it did potentially negatively impact the trip. My one little criticism would be that others on the tour had received a ‘last minute’ email, gee-ing them up for the trip. I didn’t receive this and so flew from Australia not feeling 100% sure that the tour would happen. This was further exacerbated when we were met at the airport by a driver who didn’t speak English and holding a mis-spelt hand written sign with no mention of cycling. He also drove very fast and dangerously and was abrupt with some of the group members.
It became apparent that the group members had received differing information in the lead up to the trip mainly regarding bike specific info about clip in pedals, helmets etc. This was concerning as it did potentially negatively impact the trip. My one little criticism would be that others on the tour had received a ‘last minute’ email, gee-ing them up for the trip. I didn’t receive this and so flew from Australia not feeling 100% sure that the tour would happen. This was further exacerbated when we were met at the airport by a driver who didn’t speak English and holding a mis-spelt hand written sign with no mention of cycling. He also drove very fast and dangerously and was abrupt with some of the group members.
4.4
This tour was very interesting and another great Intrepid tour. The highlight was the Taj Mahal. We had a really good group of people on the tour and our guide Prahlad was very organised.
A good mix of travellers from Australia, New Zealand, England, Germany, Austria and Mongolia. Saw and learned a lot about Tasmania's beautiful scenery and wildlife. Accommodation is average with no wifi in the room. Food was average. It was a "one-man show" meaning the tour guide was also the driver, therefore, missed out on his scenic commentary as ...read more he was driving and we limit ourselves asking him questions so that he may concentrate on his driving. The van was old and broke down. Did not get a replacement van till 12pm which means half a day wasted! Intrepid was thoughtful to treat us an "apology meal".
I had a great time, although it was hard going at times. I booked the basic trip to North and South India so we travelled for much of the time with the locals! Most of the hotels were far better than I expected and the two Intrepid leaders were absolutely first class and very much on the ball with all details and support.
I would have no hesitation ...read more in recommending the 37 day Intrepid trip to people of all ages. I am 78, and I wondered if I would be able to keep up with all those 20 year olds. However, I need not have worried, as there were many older people as well, and we all managed the trip and survived! Global Journeys provided excellent service re the booking and my queries.
I would have no hesitation ...read more in recommending the 37 day Intrepid trip to people of all ages. I am 78, and I wondered if I would be able to keep up with all those 20 year olds. However, I need not have worried, as there were many older people as well, and we all managed the trip and survived! Global Journeys provided excellent service re the booking and my queries.
This tour covers the 2 things Cambodia is known for - Killing Fields in khmer Rouge period and Angkor wat. It does this well. Tour was well organised and our tour guide was great.
The Intrepid Portuguese Camiño trip was very enjoyable; a great bunch of fellow walkers, an outstanding tour leader, and well thought out itinerary. We would highly recommend it to anyone looking to do a Camino trip. The walking wasn’t difficult but we did have to walk approximately 20kms each day. Most of the accommodation was very good. Global Journeys ...read more made the booking very easy.
I booked an Intrepid tour of the Shetlands via Global Journeys. Sam at Global was excellent to deal with. There were a number of issues with Intrepid and Sam worked really hard to try to resolve them. The Shetland tour itself was excellent (although the fitness rating is way off, much higher level of fitness required than stated). The guide Doug, made ...read more the tour. I wouldn’t use Intrepid again because of the problems myself and others on the tour experienced, however I would definitely use Global Journeys again. Five stars for Global & three for Shetland tour (lost stars due to issues with Intrepid).
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