Seeking equal opportunity and putting women in the spotlight is what these new Intrepid trips and experiences are all about.
If you’re planning your getaways for 2025, consider taking a women’s-only expedition or journey to South Africa with your family and get to know the Phiring community with a local mum. Maybe have a go at traditional weaving techniques in the Philippines or learn how your travel can give back to local communities in East Africa.
1. Take a women’s only expedition to Saudi Arabia
Launched in late 2024, the new Saudi Arabia Women’s Expedition is designed for women, by women. With women in mind at every step, this expedition aims to empower local female leaders, provide a safe space for travellers around the globe and highlight the many cultural benefits of women-led spaces. On this trip, you’ll pop into a women-only salon to learn how these businesses have created enterprise opportunities for local women. Take a cooking class with a female chef, enjoy a home-cooked meal with your hosts in Riyadh and visit a local pottery studio to get to know the artist and how she works with the Najdi and Aseeri styles.
2. Meet the women weavers of Northern Philippines
Get to the heart of the Philippines with a brand-new trip that will see you hiking UNESCO-listed rice terraces, trekking to Mt Pinatubo’s crater and learning about unique burial traditions. On the new nine-day Northern Philippines Highlights trip, dig deeper into the country’s culture and visit local art studios and galleries showcasing classic and contemporary pieces – including the Harvest Hub Studio. Learn about a foundation here that’s set up to support women weavers in the mountainous Cordillera Region through entrepreneurship training. These women work to scale their businesses and rely on the support of visitors. Wander the studio, meet local artists and learn about their craft.
3. Visit a project that supports Maasai women and girls
Among the vast savanna and dramatic skies of Classic East Africa, lies the opportunity to learn about the power of women. You can now take this 12-day safari in Intrepid’s Comfort style, mixing the wild experience of camping under the stars with eco-lodges to recharge in. The highlight for many on this journey is the visit to the Patinaai Osim project. Funded in part by The Intrepid Foundation, this project supports Indigenous Maasai women in creating sustainable livelihoods and rising above poverty and inequality. While you’re here, you’ll learn how they’re changing the narrative for girls and women and working to protect their fundamental human rights.
4. Spend your morning with an Indigenous community in Panama
Meet with the Ngabe-Bugle Indigenous community on the 12-day Costa Rica and Panama Discovery trip for a real, authentic opportunity to connect. This new experience on Isla Popa in Panama shines a light on local women and gives travellers the chance to learn about their lifestyle. This community tourism project is run by the women, seeking to ensure that Indigenous women have gender equality and equity within the community. You’ll go for a walk through the village, stop in at a school and visit a local home. Then, spend some time with a local family to really uncover what life is like here.
5. Learn how to advocate for women’s rights in Africa
Gliding through wetlands on a pirogue, surrounded by flamingos and pelicans. Finding a part of your soul in a Saint Louis jazz club. Looking for crocodiles in Abuko Nature Reserve and chilling out on the palm-fringed beaches of Cap Skirring. Intrepid’s brand-new Explore Senegal & The Gambia is one of two new trips in Western Africa. On this one, you’ll visit the Saint Joseph Adult Education and Skill Centre, where disadvantaged women gain skills in sewing, crafts and tie-dye so they can produce goods to earn an income. During your visit, learn about their efforts to enhance local knowledge and how they advocate for children’s and women’s rights.
6. Have a family lunch with the Andean community
On the Peru Family Holiday, a new experience will take you and the kids to the Andean community of Ocotuan. Learn about traditional textile techniques and how the local women here use them to support their families. The kids can also feed the llamas, alpacas and guinea pigs as the locals set up for lunch. Sit down with the community and share a traditional meal, taking the unique opportunity to connect with the people and the land.
7. Stay with a local mum in a South African village
Direct your teen’s coming-of-age story on the South Africa Family Safari with Teenagers. You’ll spend 12 days looking for wildlife, camping under the stars and digging deeper with a new homestay experience in Phiring Village. Meet a local mum, who will welcome you into her home and make you feel part of the family. You and the kids can take part in a range of traditional activities while you’re here, like floor-making, cooking, dancing or walking through the surrounding mountain area. Your stay will help to provide local women and youth with economic independence and social empowerment.
8. Tuck into an Indian feast at a women-led restaurant
There’s so much to uncover in India – the beauty of its changing landscapes, the rich culture of its people and the mouthwatering cuisine that keeps travellers coming back. Intrepid’s Classic South India trip shows a side of India just off the main tourist track and now includes a new experience that calls to all foodies. After a day on the shores of Vembanad Lake, watch the sunset, then head to a special group dinner at a restaurant that provides employment and training to local women. This women-led business showcases local dishes like fish curry, meen pollichathu and avial.
See more of what’s new for 2025 with The Goods.
