Add a twist to your journey tales with these all-new, out-there journeys and experiences.
Generally, there are bundles of thought and reasoning that go into selecting your subsequent journey. And typically, it’s so simple as asking ‘why not?’. I imply, why wouldn’t you wish to swim in a pink-coloured lake in Senegal? Or find out how locals make their yurts in rural Kyrgyzstan?
Going past the same old is the Intrepid means – so right here’s how you are able to do precisely that in 2025.
1. Uncover the sounds and sights of Senegal
What springs to thoughts if you consider West Africa? When you mentioned vigorous jazz bars and placing pink lakes, we’re on the identical web page – and you may expertise that pure magnificence and cultural richness for your self on the brand new 12-day Senegal & The Gambia Journey. Go to the aptly named Pink Lake, the place you’ll be able to select to take a dip within the brightly-coloured water, earlier than spending the night time in Saint Louis – a World Heritage web site the place jazz rhythms and melodies resonate via the vigorous streets.
2. Hop on over to the island of Hokkaido
Japan holds an enormous draw for a lot of travellers, however few select to move north. This all-new Northern Japan & Hokkaido Journey appears to be like to shed new gentle on the nation’s wealthy tapestry of tradition, historical past and pure magnificence. Expertise a slice of this throughout a go to to the Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Museum and be taught in regards to the wealthy tradition of Ainu individuals – an Indigenous group from the northern areas of Japan. After, get aware of Ainu meals throughout a cooking demonstration showcasing Ainu dumplings (after which pattern some for your self).
3. Take heed to myths beneath Greenland’s midnight solar
Often, exploring such a distant nook of Earth could be a narrative in and of itself – however not for travellers on the brand new Greenland Expedition. When you’ve gotten your bearings in Nuuk, you’ll get to meet a neighborhood monster hunter and storyteller. Settle in and listen to all about native legends and mythological creatures just like the Mom of the Sea, the Mountain Walker and lots of others, in addition to the place your storyteller’s curiosity in monsters started. Later, when you get into the uncooked and wild landscapes, the tales will all begin to make sense…
4. Acquire a brand new appreciation for the afterlife in Ghana
‘Going out in type’ is given a complete new which means on this new Benin, Togo & Ghana Journey. In Accra, you’ll get to meet the fantasy coffin makers who construct elaborate coffins to characterize the career, desires and even vices of the deceased. Ancestors are believed to wield nice energy, so honouring them with a grand coffin – referred to as okadi adekai within the native Ga dialect – is a solution to earn favour. Mix that with a Vodun ceremony, which showcases the standard religious practices taken to the Americas by enslaved Africans.
5. Meet the yurt craftsmen of Kyrgyzstan
Take your self off the standard vacationer monitor and weave your means alongside the Silk Street (with all of the added extras) on a brand new 9-day Premium Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan journey. As you go, you’ll get to satisfy native artisans maintaining conventional crafts alive. In Kyzyk Tuu village, for instance, yurt makers will present you the way they make these iconic constructions with out electrical instruments – then that night time, you’ll get to expertise their creations up shut as you keep in a snug yurt camp.
6. Discover the hidden gems of Georgia and Armenia
Georgia and Armenia hardly leap out as peoples’ first alternative as a vacation vacation spot. For others, although, that’s precisely the purpose. This new Georgia & Armenia Explorer journey will provide help to expertise the often-overlooked pure landscapes and welcoming, native individuals of those two neighbouring nations. A go to to the Arpa Protected Panorama will present you the most effective of each – on a guided hike, find out how the locals defend the wildlife, together with the uncommon Caucasian leopard, Armenian mouflon, European lynx, brown bears and bezoar goats.
7. Arrange camp (actually) in Alaska’s landscapes
Alaska’s residence to all types of adventures, and on this new eight-day Mountain climbing the Nice Land of Alaska journey, you will get even nearer to the motion. You’ll kayak alongside Homer’s spectacular coastal surroundings, keep proper in amongst all of it as you arrange camp every night time in Alaska’s various landscapes, and hike via forests of alder and cottonwoods to the Harding Icefield – seeing the ice stretch towards the horizon whereas listening to in regards to the impacts of local weather change within the area.
8. Hear the tales of Saudia Arabia’s intrepid ladies
Whereas the eagle-eyed amongst us would’ve noticed the brand new Saudi Arabia Girls’s Expedition going reside in 2024, 2025 marks its first full providing of exits. Designed with ladies throughout all parts of the journey, you’ll spend 12 days with a gaggle of like-minded ladies, led by a feminine native chief. You’ll meet a wide range of native ladies, every of whom provides you with an insider’s perspective on Saudi historical past and tradition whereas sharing their very own private tales. Different highlights embrace a dawn go to to Hegra, a Nabataean web site that serves as a lesser-known different to Petra.
9. Tuck into baursaki in Turkmenistan
Remoted geographically and lengthy secluded politically, there are few locations on Earth like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. However, with this new expertise on the Tashkent to Ashgabat journey, you’ll get an opportunity to find out about each day life straight from a neighborhood. Go to a horse breeder’s farm for a cooking demonstration of baursaki, then sit down together with your host to get pleasure from a few of the fried-dough treats as you find out about his household and his ardour for Akhal-Teke horses. This breed of horse is particular to the area and has a fame for its pace, endurance, intelligence and distinctive metallic sheen.
10. Go to villages and valleys in Vietnam
Vietnam may be one in all Intrepid’s most-loved and most-visited locations, however there’s all the time extra to discover. A brand new homestay on the Better of Vietnam journey proves this, as travellers will get to spend two nights within the stilted homes of Lam Thuong. By day there are probabilities to bike journey via the village and the valley, passing rice fields and studying in regards to the native’s day after day life, in addition to a go to a neighborhood handicraft workshop to find out about bamboo weaving, pure dyeing and the way the locals make Tay hats.
11. Get a firsthand account of El Salvador’s historical past
Suchitoto is extensively thought of El Salvador’s cultural capital, however its tranquil lakeside setting belies a formative chapter of its – and the nation’s – historical past. On Nicaragua & Past, you’ll get the prospect to find out about this on a newly included go to to the bordering Cinquera Forest. Meet a former guerilla fighter to be taught in regards to the forest’s significance throughout the Salvadoran Civil Conflict, see the previous camps and take a tour across the small mountain neighborhood. Dinner will spherical out the day of studying, with a hands-on cooking class of pupusas – a thick cake or flatbread made with cornmeal or rice flour.
Discover out what else is new for 2025 with The Items.