With over 50 new trips ready to go and countless fresh experiences added to existing Intrepid favourites, 2025 is shaping up to be a good year for anyone in search of an adventure.
From eye-opening travels in West Africa to icy escapades in Northern Europe and more, here are some of the top new trips for the year ahead. But it’s worth exploring the full collection of everything new to find the right trip for you.
Wherever the year takes you, make it good.
Offbeat trips that take you beyond the norm
1. Step into a world of myths and monsters in Greenland
For many travellers, Greenland is something of a final frontier. While polar cruises are great for hopping along the island’s iceberg-littered coast, this new land-based Greenland Expedition gets you on the ground for longer, bringing more benefits for local communities while giving you extra time to tackle epic glacier hikes and be regaled by the tales of a local monster hunter.
2. Go further in Georgia and Armenia
Wander off the tourist trail on this new adventure through Georgia and Armenia. In between exploring the countries’ ancient monasteries and culture-soaked cities, you’ll see a Soviet ghost town in the midst of a revival in Georgia and take a hike with a local ranger to learn about how the community is protecting wildlife in south-central Armenia. You’ll also spend a night on the shores of Lake Sevan, staying at an NGO-run lodge that supports the local community and provides inclusive, accessible outdoor activities for people living with disabilities.
3. Snooze like a nomad in Kyrgyzstan
On the new Premium Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan trip you’ll meet an expert yurt maker who’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at how these iconic abodes are made – and possibly rope you into having a go yourself. With a new appreciation for the cultural significance of these cosy shelters, you’ll share dinner around a campfire and spend the night at a traditional camp.
Broaden your horizons with more new offbeat trips and experiences.
Fresh active adventures that fill your soul
4. Trek to Colombia’s Lost City
Kick off your trip in colourful Cartagena, before making a beeline for the mist-shrouded Sierra Nevada mountains to embark on a four-day trek to Teyuna, otherwise known as the Lost City. Along the way, you’ll meet elders from the Wiwa community – one of four Indigenous tribes living here – and learn about their traditional way of life.
5. Camp, hike and kayak in the wilds of Alaska
The outdoors doesn’t get much greater than this. From an eye-opening hike to Harding Icefield to a morning spent paddling the waters around Kachemak Bay State Park, the activities on this new Alaska trip put mother nature front and centre. And if that’s not enough fresh air for you – you’ll be pitching up your tents in some of the state’s most scenic campsites.
6. Realise lofty ambitions in the Indian Himalayas
Take your sense of adventure to new heights on the new India: Trekking in Ladakh trip. Designed for keen trekkers, this 14-day adventure involves long walks along high-altitude trails to reach remote mountain villages backdropped by Himalayan peaks. If the daily step count doesn’t leave you breathless, the sight of a crisp-white Buddhist monastery (or five) under bright blue skies just might.
7. Pursue your next thrill in Peru
Thinking about tackling the Inca Trail, but craving a little extra action? Step forward Peru: Hike, Bike, Raft & SUP, a new active trip that takes in the iconic ruins of Machu Picchu – but not before you’ve gone whitewater rafting in the Sacred Valley, hit mountain trails on two wheels to reach lesser-known Inca sites, and tried stand-up paddle boarding at 3720 metres (12,200 feet) above sea level.
Get your glow back with these new wellbeing-focused trips and experiences.
African escapes that spark the imagination
8. Meet fantasy coffin makers in Ghana
Trace voodoo back to its roots at Vodun ceremonies in Benin and Togo and contemplate how you’d like to be remembered when you depart this life with a visit to a fantasy coffin maker in Ghana. One of two new West Africa trips in 2025, the Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure delves into ancient cultures, emerging traditions and relics of recent history that will stop you in your tracks.
9. Senegal and The Gambia Adventure
Another new West Africa trip, Senegal & The Gambia Adventure will see you cruise through UNESCO-listed Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary on a pirogue (dugout canoe), go for a dip in a pink lake and take a sobering look at remnants of the transatlantic slave trade. You’ll also get a feel for some of the region’s coolest urban centres, from The Gambia’s island capital, Banjul, to Senegal’s jazz-loving city, Saint Louis.
10. Raise a glass in South Africa
Intrepid has upped the ante with its South Africa offering, launching a new Premium Cape Town and the Garden Route trip. As well as staying in a deliciously swanky spa hotel, sampling some of the region’s finest wines and sitting down to a well-posh six-course tasting menu (wine pairings included, if you’re still thirsty), you’ll visit the Amy Foundation to learn how they’re upskilling young people from underserved communities in Cape Town. Cheers to that.
11. See women’s empowerment in action in East Africa
Think Classic East Africa, think safari? This new Comfort-style trip undoubtedly delivers the ‘classic’ wildlife experiences you’d hope for, and then some. Between game drives looking for zebras, giraffes, elephants et al in the Maasai Mara and Amboseli and Serengeti National Parks, you’ll visit Intrepid Foundation partner Patinaai Osim to understand how the project is tackling gender inequality in Kenya before visiting the ‘mamas’ in Tanzania for a traditional cooking lesson.
Dig deeper into the full range of new trips and experiences in Africa.
Northbound journeys with Indigenous encounters
12. Share a meal with the Aeta community in northern Philippines
Trek to the crater lake of an active volcano and through the UNESCO-listed rice terraces of Banaue on this adventurous Northern Philippines Highlights trip. You’ll gain real insight into Filipino culture on a visit to the Hanging Coffins of Sagada and at a lunch hosted by a chieftain of the Indigenous Aeta community.
13. Get a taste of Ainu culture in Hokkaido, Japan
Make haste to Hokkaido on a zippy bullet train from Tokyo on the new Northern Japan & Hokkaido Adventure. While it’s known for its snow and ski scene, Hokkaido is a year-round treat. You’ll experience Ainu hospitality with a traditional dumpling tasting and learn more about the Indigenous group at the Ainu Museum.
14. Venture off the backpacker trail in Australia
Maybe you’ve seen the East Coast already, but did you make it as far north as the tip of Cape York? Camp your way up the coast on the new Cape York & Torres Strait Explorer trip, joining an Aboriginal guide on a bush food and medicine walk near Cooktown and hopping across the pond to Thursday Island for lunch and a cultural tour with a Torres Strait Islander.
Cool cultural getaways for 18 to 35s
15. Sidestep the crowds in Spain and Portugal
Another all-new addition to the 18 to 35s range, Essential Spain and Portugal will take you and your new besties from Lisbon to Barcelona with a local leader, who’ll show you the best churros and tapas in town and share insider tips on how to spend your free time on the road. In Madrid, you and your group will help spread the tourism load on a street art tour in a lesser-known neighbourhood with an organisation that supports local community projects.
16. Hang out on hidden beaches in Scandinavia
Travel overland (and sea) between three capital cities that ooze Scandi-cool on this new trip for 18 to 35s. Whether you’re exploring the energy plant that’s had an eco-glow up in Copenhagen, taking a dip in the Baltic Sea after a sauna sesh in Helsinki or living your best life on Donso Island’s hidden beaches, this one’s all about the group bond.
17. Hit the water on Australia’s East Coast
Combining two shorter itineraries (One Week from Sydney to Brisbane and Essential Brisbane to Cairns) into one all-encompassing East Coast adventure for 18 to 35s, the Real Australia trip is a surefire way to get a megadose of vitamin sea. Surf, swim and hike your way up the coast, stopping in Coffs Harbour for a stand-up paddleboarding tour with an Aboriginal guide and finding your sea legs on an overnight sailing adventure in the Whitsundays.
Find your people with these new trips and experiences for 18 to 35s.
Family holidays to inspire the next generation
18. See Southern Thailand with the kids
OK, so the Southern Thailand Family Holiday may not be the total laidback beach fest that you might have had pre-kids, but it can still include the odd Thai massage and cocktail in a coconut. And while the trip has plenty of beachy vibes for you and your water babies to enjoy, you’ll also go deeper, with a community homestay and a visit to a turtle conservation centre. The best bit? You’ll be travelling with other like-minded families, so the kids will have ready-made travel buddies around their own age.
19. Try arctic cocooning in Finland
If the thought of organising a family holiday makes you want to throw away your to-do list and curl up under a blanket, Intrepid’s new Finland Family Holiday has you covered – on both counts. Leave the logistics to your local leader and focus on making memories with the kids as you cross the Arctic Circle – keeping an eye out for the northern lights – and get snug in a forest hammock for a spot of arctic cocooning.
20. Let the good times flow in Iceland
Watch the little ones’ eyes light up at a real-life lava show on the new Iceland Family Holiday. No need to panic, parents – it’s entirely safe. The coolest geography lesson ever continues with visits to Silfra Fissure (hello tectonic plates in action!), geysers and waterfalls before winding up with a spot of quiet time at a local family home. Here the kids will make their own Skrimsli (Icelandic wool monsters) to take home.
Embrace multigenerational travel with these new trips and experiences for families.
Sailing trips that skip the cruise crowds
21. Glide through clear blue water in the Maldives
The Maldives isn’t just a dream destination for billionaires and luxury-seeking late-stage capitalists. It’s a diverse archipelago that’s home to playful spinner dolphins and whale sharks and cultural traditions that run deeper than its crystalline waters. See it all on the new Sail Maldives trip.
22. Beach hop along the south coast of Turkey
Sleep aboard a traditional gulet (boat) as you wind your way along the Turquoise Coast on the new Sail Turkey: Fethiye to Bodrum trip (or its reverse itinerary, Sail Turkey: Bodrum to Fethiye). Snorkel, swim and submerge yourself in a mud bath on this sun-seeker’s adventure.
Skip the big cruise ships in favour of these new ways to sail with Intrepid.
Rail adventures that celebrate slow travel
23. Meander from Paris to Rome by rail
Trundle from one cultural powerhouse of a capital to another on the shiny new Paris to Rome by Rail adventure, which swings by the Swiss cities of Lausanne and Lucerne for good measure. In Italy, you’ll visit Intrepid Foundation partner Cooperativa Coraggio to learn how sustainable agriculture is nourishing local communities in more ways than one.
24. Retrace the route of the Orient Express
Express to the Orient: Paris to Istanbul is a new whistle-stop tour across Europe that takes in some of the continent’s coolest cities. You’ll have plenty of free time to explore independently, but your guide will be on hand to keep you on track. In Paris, why not go for dinner at Le Reflet, an Intrepid Foundation partner that trains and employs people living with cognitive impairment and learning disabilities?
25. Traverse epic landscapes in Mongolia and China
Sit back and watch overstimulating cityscapes give way to endless rolling plains as you travel from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar on the new Trans-Mongolian Railway Adventure. Of course, you won’t just see it all from a train window. Among other outdoorsy delights, you’ll spend two nights at a traditional ger camp and share a home-cooked lunch with a local camel herder.
Get on the right track with these new ways to slow down and see more with Intrepid.
Find out what else is new for 2025 with The Goods.
