Maximise your free time on an Intrepid trip with these golden tips for balancing adventure and relaxation.
Goldilocks knew what was up when she said ‘umm’ to too much, ‘ahh’ to too little but ‘yes please!’ to just right. When you’re travelling, just like with everything in life, balance is key. Intrepid trips follow the same approach: There are included activities to help you see more of the places you visit, but also a decent amount of free time to let you do your own exploring.
To lend you a helping hand with that, we’ve collected our tips to make sure your free time spent is as good as gold.
Plan ahead
You’re always going to have an incredible time exploring somewhere new – but it does help to know what free time you have.
Have a thorough read of your trip’s itinerary. Scope out where and how much free time is built in – our Basix adventures tend to include the most, but every trip leaves room for you to a little exploring on your terms.
Vietnam Discovery, for example, has two full days for you to explore Hoi An at your leisure, while a trip like Premium Morocco in Depth fits free time around a whole bunch of included activities.
Once you’ve got the details down, it’s time to research. You could stay right here on The Good Times and read through travellers’ stories for some inspo (hit the search icon above). Searching for Intrepid Travel on your social channel of choice will also give you some great ideas. Or you could even check out other trips going to the same area, to see if they mention anything you might be interested in seeing.
Ask around
Intrepid travellers are a mixed bunch – some like to plan months ahead, while others are last-minute scramblers. No matter which group you fall in, word of mouth is an excellent way to get tried and true recommendations.
You can always ask family and friends, and they’re a great place to start. If you’re feeling creative and live in an area where you can connect with locals from the destination you’re visiting, you can gather some suggestions before you set off. Try going to meet up events or checking out local community centres and cultural institutes.
If you prefer to wait until you’re on the trip so you can get tips at the source, there’s no better person to ask than your leader. They have all the insider info you could possibly want.
Need a dinner recommendation while you’re in Cappadocia on Turkey Explorer? Consider it done. Embarking on a Central America Journey and not sure how to spend a day in Monteverde? Your leader’s got you covered. Want to know what’s good in Unawatuna on Simply Sri Lanka? You know where this is going – or at least, your leader will be able to tell you where to go.
Leave it open and keep it simple
It’s important to remember you’re on holiday. This might be your big chance to break away from the 9 to 5, to slow down, to relaaaax. Filling up every second of free time might not be the best idea.
There’s nothing wrong about your free time looking a little closer to down time or nap time. There are still ways to immerse yourself in a place without racing around town. Simply wandering the streets or supermarket aisles, watching the world go by from a local cafe or park bench or popping into shops, galleries or a museum or two are all guaranteed to help you absorb your surroundings.
In fact, leaving room for spontaneity was a top tip that came through from Intrepid leaders.
Or level things up
Imagine you’re feeling rested, recharged and absolutely ready to get out and about. At that point, the best way to spend your free time is to dive into your surroundings and make the most of every moment.
A good place to start is with your itinerary. Say you’re on Sabah Adventure. It’s the day before your hike up Mt Kinabalu, and you’ve got some time to spare in the national park. You could take a gentle stroll along a nearby nature trail through the lowland tropical forest or visit the Botanic Garden.
Or you might find yourself in Fes in the midst of a Morocco Real Food Adventure. After days of savouring local cuisine, you’ve just settled into your accommodation with a free afternoon ahead. Tomorrow, a tasting trail awaits, but today, why not mix it up in the Ain Nokbi district and see Fes’ talented potters in action?
The best way to spend a day
It depends on how long you have and where you are, but there could be an Urban Adventures tour with your name on it. These are Intrepid’s day tours with a difference, connecting you with passionate foodies, history buffs, active adventurers and more in cities around the world. You could fuel up before your Inca Trail trek with a home-cooking experience in Lima, learn about Gandi’s legacy in Delhi or visit Istanbul’s iconic UNESCO-listed spots..
Now that’s a good way to make that free time fulfilling.
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