What’s in a name? Well, when it’s Premium, it conjures visions of something more.
Imagine the best nights’ sleep in some unforgettable stays, beautiful landscapes framed by the window of private transport and experiences you won’t find anywhere else. It’s that little extra beyond Basix, Original and Comfort.
If you see yourself as someone with a taste for the exceptional – like stargazing in a Moroccan desert with a local astronomer or spending a night in a yurt in Kazakhstan – Intrepid’s nine new Premium trips and experiences will surely pique your interest. The only downside? You might struggle to go back to how you travelled before.
1. Explore the best of southern South Africa
With a cooking class led by a world-renowned private chef, a home-cooked meal on a local farm and a perfectly wine-paired six-course dinner, you can expect to eat and drink well on the Premium Cape Town and the Garden Route trip. But to really appreciate South African culture, understanding its sobering history is crucial, including the apartheid era and the struggles for freedom. Learn all about this as you explore significant slavery sites with an expert local guide. You’ll also get a chance to engage with initiatives helping communities today, like the Amy Foundation, which prepares young adults from vulnerable communities for employment.
2. Sleep in a Kyrgyz yurt after a campfire dinner
Central Asia doesn’t get as many tourists – or airtime – as its southern neighbours. So, what can you do there? On Intrepid’s new Premium Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan trip, you’ll visit a family-run winery, picnic at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tamgaly-Tas petroglyph site and learn the art of yurt making, a cherished Kyrgyz tradition. A craftsman will showcase how yurts are built with no electrical tools. You’ll even get to test the architecture firsthand, spending the night in a yurt after a campfire dinner, before being welcomed into the home of a Dungan family for a masterclass on local cuisine.
3. Try on traditional Paloc attire in Holloko, Hungary
While you’ll still visit many European hotspots on the new Premium Central Europe trip, this itinerary takes you to places off the usual tourist track. Before Budapest, stop at Holloko – a village so well preserved since its 13th-century origins that it’s now a UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ll tour the village of 67 protected houses and a castle, guided by a local who’ll share stories of the Paloc people and their distinctive traditions and crafts, like pottery and weaving. You’ll even get the chance to try on some traditional clothing. Then, visit the Serbian city of Subotica to sample local wines at the renowned Zvonko Bogdan Winery. It’s all about balancing the landmarks with the lesser-known locales.
4. Stargaze in the desert alongside a local astronomer in Morocco
Can’t tell your Big Dipper from your Orion’s Belt? No worries, as you’ll be able to learn all about it during a new guided stargazing excursion on Premium Morocco Highlights. Peer up at planets and constellations through a high-powered telescope and take in the night skies far from light pollution. The best bit? It all goes down at your boutique Agafay desert camp, where you’ll stay for the night – just one of many new camping experiences on offer in 2025.
5. Experience Kist culture over lunch in Pankisi Valley
The Caucasus might not top everyone’s travel list – which is precisely why it should top yours. During the Premium Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia trip, you’ll now visit Pankisi Valley with a Kist guide from PVTDA, a cultural preservation NGO. Deep in Georgia’s northeastern reaches, wander around old settlements and ancient places of worship while learning about life in this remote region. Top off the day with some traditional Kist dishes (think delicious dumpling-style food) in a local family’s home – a window into their renowned hospitality.
6. See Venice from above
Italy has a way of combining all the finer things in life, like good food, incredible landscapes and, of course, wine! You’ll get all of it on Premium Tuscany, and a new experience at the end will take you to a panoramic view of Venice atop an 18th-century palace that’s home to the Venice Conservatory of Music. Explore Palazzo Pisani while humming along to classical Italian music as you wander through frescoed halls and past Baroque art.
7. Chill out in a hot tub after wine tasting in New Zealand
Premium New Zealand South Island is getting even better starting in May 2025, with the addition of a new Feature Stay at a working vineyard in Gibbston Valley, just outside Queenstown. After a wine-tasting session, you can chill out in a hot tub with views of the surrounding vineyard and mountains. The revamped itinerary also includes a cruise along Lake Whatkatipu in a century-old steamship to a lakeside farm, where you’ll enjoy a leisurely tour and a barbeque dinner featuring produce from the farm.
8. Learn about island life from locals in the Greek Isles
Everyone knows Greece on the surface but how many can truly say they understand the rhythms of daily life there? Premium Greece Cyclades Islands is introducing another prime example of what Intrepid does best – guiding you through a beautiful country while immersing you in local life there. Starting in 2025, travellers will visit the village of Marpissa on the island of Paros. You’ll stop by the Folklore Museum, founded by the Marpissa Women’s Association, which works to preserve local culture and foster community in the town. Later, you’ll visit the home of Marigoula, who will share some sweet treats and demonstrate how she weaves on her grandmother’s 19th-century loom to create traditional bags and rugs.
9. Make ruou can in Vietnam’s Mai Chau Valley
On Premium Vietnam in Depth, you’ll head to Hanoi, Hue, Halong Bay and Ho Chi Minh City, while also spending time in the more low-profile Mai Chau. Here, you’ll visit Vun Art – a social enterprise that employs people with disabilities to make art with recycled silk. Then, you too will get hands-on as you learn how to make ruou can, a traditional fermented rice wine. The only other Intrepid Vietnam trips that include a visit to Mai Chau are active adventures by bike, so consider this your chance to experience the peaceful valley without breaking a sweat*.
*sweat from tropical heat may still apply!
Learn more about Premium trips and find out what else is new in 2025 with The Goods.
