Our leaders
We believe the best folk to show you the heart of a destination are the ones that live there
That’s why we work exclusively with locally-based leaders.
Our leaders aren’t just travel experts, they’re your teacher, travel guru and enthusiastic purveyor of grassroots experiences. They’ll just as easily steer you through the laneways of Marrakech in Morocco as help you strike up a conversation with the locals – and all with a smile.
Why travel with a locally-based leader
Our leaders have friends all over the place. So, whether it’s dropping in on the village baker in Assisi for a chat, or meeting an Amazigh nomad in Morocco, our leaders are the bridge between you and the local people in the places you visit.
Our leaders are true locals. So, they know the urban legends behind every town square, the handy shortcuts down timeworn alleys and the traditional dishes you won’t find on the tourist menu – and they’ll take you there.
From tango classes in Buenos Aires to watching a sumo match in Osaka, our leaders can suggest the best ways to fill in your free time at each destination – and even help arrange it for you. We don’t call them local legends for nothing.
Our leaders make your trip as seamless as possible – they’ll guide you from one destination to the next, make restaurant reservations, organise museum passes and sort the technical details so you don’t have to.
Hear from our leaders
‘I get my groups to interact with local people. I have a lot of friends so sometimes I arrange for them to meet my friends - or we go to my house and see my mother. I once had a girl who wanted to try homemade food so she went to my mother’s house and they made it together.’
‘Many people think you put 10 people on a bus and show them some Wikipedia. In reality, we go together to local areas. We take our travellers to home stays and they have home cooked meals. We give them a local insight and it is honest.’
‘Most people that travel with us expect to get the true local Vietnam experiences - not only the itinerary but the local customs, local habits in each region, local food. We give them the chance to practice daily Vietnamese life. They can even learn to make rice paper rolls and candy.’
How we’re making a difference
When you think about it, working together with local people makes a lot of sense. It creates jobs within communities and supports local economies while giving our travellers the opportunity to learn about culture from the ones who know it best. Tourism is a large source of income in many countries – and we strive to help locals make the most of that.
While working with local leaders is a major cornerstone of our business, we believe there’s always more we can do. That’s why we established The Intrepid Foundation. The foundation supports initiatives across four key focus areas: protecting the environment, taking a stand for wildlife, addressing inequality and empowering communities.
Meet the leaders blazing a trail for women
We know women lead great adventures – whether they’re driving groups overland through East Africa, taking travellers into the Sahara to camp overnight or keeping spirits high on a hike in the Himalayas.
We’re committed to increasing employment opportunities for women globally. In parts of the world where societal norms mean tourism is mostly male-dominated, we’ve doubled the number of women leading our trips in recent years. Plus, we’ve introduced Women’s Expeditions that create immersive local experiences for women.
‘There are fewer opportunities for women in Nepal. People say women can’t do it, because they’re too weak or have too many problems. But when they see us out on the trail, carrying the bags and working hard, their minds change. That makes me feel so proud of what we’re doing.’
‘Travellers on my tours are very positive about my gender, they give me the motivation to work harder. I give travellers lots of cultural experiences. I show them where young people hang out in cafes, where older people hang out in parks. I encourage them to chat with the locals.’
‘I love my job because it allows me to use my skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on the tourism world. I am happy to be an Intrepid leader and share south India’s culture and heritage. I also enjoy the challenge of learning new things and the satisfaction of hard work.’