Hi Norbert! I personally travels with Gap or G Adventures to Peru and my experience couldnt have been any better! The trip continued on its own nightmare course, with everyone on the trip grossly displeased, as the guides were useless, left the group to fend for themselves for Christmas lunch and dinner. I have travelled mostly on my own with friends & my daughter (My husband vacations but doesnt travel). Im airing feedback here as G Adventures doesnt have a Trip Advisor page and while they responded to my concerns in detail and offered a $200 credit, they didnt confirm what, if anything, would be done to prevent the problems I experienced from reoccurring. Not only that, but Gap has a good reputation there and they have good grounds with the amount of groups they lead there and their resources. I guess my question is if you have heard anything about both companies long tours. As a very broad guide, our Comfort style trips tend to appeal to more mature travellers, while Basix attract younger travellers due to the greater free time and lower price, and Intrepid Original falls in between, often with a great range of ages and nationalities. Bottom line, in my case, for less than the price of the tour, I could have had private rooms in hostels or budget hotels in each destination and travelled by train and could have used various social media and my own social skills to meet fellow travellers without the tour company. I am happy for it to be used in the promotion of Intrepid as it was taken on one of their trips. Our leaders know the areas of town to avoid after dark. For sure they will want to go out and drink, but remember, youre not forced to do so if you dont want to. Im taking a small sized group, around 6 7 of us and originally wanted to plan the trip ourselves, but since none of us have ever done extensive trips like this I figure an adventure group would be best for the Inca Trail portion. Our tour leader told us that the hotel we were meant to stay in was 90 reais a night, whereas our camping was only 15. But I have read a lot of negative reviews about their customer service and tour leaders, where as I havent found much regarding Intrepid. There is no excuse for a guide having that type of behavior and you did right in informing it to Gap. Has anyone done G adventures tour in India? The guide and itinerary were okay I guess but if I had known beforehand the makeup of the group and knowing what I know now Im not sure if I would do it again. If it puts a check mark on everything youre interested in doing, by all means, Id say to go! We strive to provide our travellers with a positive and rewarding travel experience and we sincerely regret to learn that we failed to meet expectations. We strive to use travel as a force for good. Youre really a globetrekker! Your summery reviewing the two travel agencies is to the point. I am a single woman planning a trip potentially in India I personally recommended G Adventures for Peru since I have first hand experience with them over there and they were excellent. Would you still recommend g adventures? If you want to relax your planning, then probably a tour will help, but if you like the freedom of deciding where to go and when, then probably a solo trip will be better for your and your friend. Does anyone have any experience with them? Leave the blingy jewelry, wedding rings, and designer clothes at home, and aim to dress as the locals do hit up the local markets if you havent packed the right outfits. Ive been doing a lot of research but still have a few of questions I hope you could help me with (Im a 26 year old girl by the way), Im thinking of doing one of the G Adventure trips from Costa Rica to Guatemala on my own (I chose G simply because they run their trips in the northerly direction which suits me better in this instance), but Im unsure which trip style to choose there is a Classic trip and a YOLO trip that I am interested in. Which Tour Company is the Best for Single and Solo Travelers? Vaccination requirements differ depending on the destination, and as were not medical practitioners, unfortunately we can't advise on this issue. These are travelers whove already been to many of the typical destinations and are now looking to explore beyond popular destinations. Make sure you get a cab from the airport/station taxi rank if youre not sure where to go, just head to the information desk for help. then took a 5 yr gap and this year went to myanmar. In both cases our buses were delayed, took twice as long as a train and I arrived twice as worn out and tired. . I personally havent done a long trip with either company, but Im met many travelers who have done it. Ill be glad to help! Social media may be the doom of mankind and rational thought as we know it, but it can be useful, even as a safety tool. From . I am considering a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia for 3-4 weeks. In some places where the language and culture is very different from what I am used to, these kinds of tours really help ease you into it. Lots of our travelers choose to travel on their own, so its common for people to want different things from their experience. They also lost my booking and I had already booked my flight and hotels. Thanks! This is true, they do not care about using the best local company. Any info is welcome! In Bolivia on a long journey we were once given a packed lunch, this would have been a satisfactory solution in Brazil also, however the guide said that there simply was not a budget for a packed lunch in Brazil. I appreciated your blog post. Its good to have both perspectives in order to make better informed decisions. Diamond awarded senior bus tour groups for senior and solo senior travelers near me. I must confess up front to being biased, since Ive been working and travelling with Intrepid for over 12 years, but I thought there might be a couple of other points to note: Like you mentioned, both companies are great, and from your own experience, you can say that the guides can make or break the travel experience. 40% Off Intrepid Travel Coupons & Promo Codes - July 2023 - Goodshop 1000+ Global itineraries in 2022 Intrepid Themes Intrepid Travel offers a broad breadth of special interest ranges, to cater to all travellers' passions and preferred travel styles. View Trip Turkey Uncovered 14 Days From $1,454 Discover the best of Turkey on a 14-day trip exploring Istanbul, Gallipoli, Fethiye,. Its hard to say which company is better I think the pros and cons youve described are pretty accurate. I had paid extra to have my own tent as I thought I wanted this little bit of privacy, but regretted it a little when we were camping in Serengeti NP the animals including Zebras and hyenas were walking straight through our camp at night, water buffalos were very close and you could hear the lions. And G Adventures, he said, was already beginning to make Good to know. I found absolutely no stress with the travel, i just winged it the whole way you can just go to any travel agent at any time to book onto your next bus, the locals pretty much all speak English and are extremely friendly. Hope this helps! We did Intrepid thru Jordan and Egypt and had a fabulous time. Our driver, Stefan, was also fantastic. $2,270. Youd be surprised once you see everyone interacting without minding any age gap. Using public transportation allows immersion into the culture and leaves no carbon footprint. Plus, Europe itself is not the cheapest traveling on you own or with a tour, but on your own you can have a better control of spendings and possibly travel cheaper.. Travel with other 50 plus and 50 years old while exploring places like Athens and Delphi. Trying to narrow it down to a couple if trips to make my decision. Its hard to hate on one when they are both trying really hard to provide great experiences. I am a 32-year-old woman with some solo travelling experience (in Europe back in college, and the Dominican Republic) and other travel experience with people (but still including time alone), in Thailand and India. G has great knowledge and a great team of locals on the Inca Trail, so they have a good grip on that area. but my last group was with 7 or 8 different nationalities and it really improved the experience! I travelled with Gap to India last summer and had an amazing time. A bit scary if you dont know what is roaming around your tent and you are ALL ALONE Check around "Black Friday" - Thanksgiving weekend, or the start of the New Year. inroads to older travelers with river cruises and expeditions to the Galapagos. Just last week I finished an Intrepid Indochina Loop. You mentioned Intrepid is better in Africa yet you went with G Adventures.any reason for your choice?? I will surely check both of them but I am leaning towards Interpid as my first choice. Thanks for the advice Norbert! If there's one thing we humans love more than beauty, it's trivial arguments. Thats one place where you will want to have free time to relax. Every other gap tour group we met had been given a different story as to why an overland truck was not available and the reason we were given that the truck could not get a permit to leave peru is not believable, as if this is the case why advertise this form of transport? There you can also have the chance to meet before hand other travelers that are going to be on your tour. Youll have a bunch of new friends to watch your back (and your stuff). In the 21 days we spent in Western India we saw more than I think I could have seen on my own. We were on a tight budget and were made to feel like scroungers for complaining that the indivated m,eals were not included, and the hotels changed to camping. I hope this doesnt prevent you from taking other tours in the future, whether with Gap, Intrepid, or any other tour company. Share them below and see what others have said so far There are several G Adventures reviews and Intrepid Travel reviews left by other travelers that could help you too. They also increased their group size on YOLO tours to 18 pax. In the post, I recommend Gap for Peru because of the Inca Trail. Its great to hear that youre planning a Thailand trip certainly a country thats very close to Intrepids heart, since our first trip there was 25 years ago, plus its a fantastic destination for sailing. You sure do. Would you recommend we did this independently instead of with Intrepid/G? Short answer, both are neck to neck. Hi! The actual number comes out to how many people really understand the concept and are willing to contribute with the environment. The tour leaders are pretty good, at least the mayority of them, it is quite difficult to take and manage a big group through long distances and sometimes mediocre services, as simply not everything is up to the standard to like when traveling for instance in Europe. If anyone has done a similar trip to this, please let me know how it was, and from what company. frankly in myanmar, idve thought it was a comfort tour. With an average group size of 10 people, our groups are big enough to create a good vibe, but small enough to blend in with the locals. . From my experience, traveling with both companies, I dont think youll get as much independent time as it seems you will like. I honestly dont know if thats the one you took (with a different name) or not, but it looks like the experience you had and described in your letter to Gap (in terms of destinations, accommodation, transportation, and included meals) is similar to what they are advertising on their site. Intrepid Travel - Senior Travel Forum - Tripadvisor The Lares Trek is beautiful compared to Inca Trail (my two cents worth comment). Even as much as I did not like my tour guide in Japan, for instance, I would have been worried about trying to go to Japan on my own. ", Instead, the trips focus on bringing people to some of the . Several people got sick on the trip and he got a doctor when they needed one. Hi Linda Ive gone on similar tours with people of all ages. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ Ill honestly say that I had a great experience with them and personally, one of the best things I got from the tour, besides visiting beautiful beaches and islands, was making very good friends out of some of the other travelers. They do give you some free time, but it is mostly a morning, an afternoon, or a day in between in a place or two. Ill be waiting for you here, in my beloved Peru. I would recommend you take the tour that takes you to the Gorillas and or take you to other places that do require a guide, like Kilimanjaro and Serengeti, and do the rest on your own. We're on a mission to create positive change through the joy of travel. In those instances, it will clearly be stated in our Essential Trip Information prior to booking and traveling. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully. Having said that, Ive never been on a 16 person group with either company. Im sure youre going to have an awesome time, as Gap has a very strong stand in Peru, and this is one of the most recommended Gap tours. I havent traveled with Geckos, but Ive heard they cater mostly to young/college-like travelers. Traveller feedback allows us to get better at what we do and that is positive energy that is created by something like this. There was a nice mix of ages, from 19 to me. Your email address will not be published. She answered all of our questions, no matter how many times we asked. On days when we were busy on activities, he took our washing to be done and paid for it himself so everyone knew the exact price charged to then pay him back. You think youre too old. In this case, which one offers the best departure date for your trip? Tour leaders are very influential in the experience you have at your destination. Thats right Jim, The Watering Hole Forum is another pro for Gap Adventures. If it feels wrong, it probably is. Oh wow, sorry that you had the tour with David. South america is so enjoyable, though it was a huge relief to get to the end of the trip an spend a few weekss in brazil without our tour guide!. Search. They really take you off the beaten path. Really great article, because Im sure youre answering many questions that travellers have when trying to choose between Intrepid and GAP. It was a great trip! Check ADO buses in Mexico, they are good and affordable. Given also that the suspension on this 44 went halfway through the trip, it was terribly uncomfortable. Ive traveled with Intrepid on my tour of Europe a few months ago. Here are some of the best senior travel tours in 2022: Best for International Tours of Various Activity Levels: Insight Vacations Trips are arranged according to activity level Tours include a Well-Being Director and Travel Director 100+ unique Insight Experiences across their various destinations it reamins to be seen. These include wellness, marine tours, active tours, family tours, local living, private tours, and more. Good views, good friends and good times on over 1000 trips in more than 100 countries Ways to travel Walking & Trekking tours Cycling tours Family tours Polar tours Food tours Adventure Cruising tours Active Adventures tours Hi Renee, Take a tour if you want to do and see things you know will be difficult as a solo traveler. I want to have a safe trip with good experience as well. After several trips spent navigating Asia's foreign customs, I have transitioned Is Egypt on your travel wish list? Trying to decide between intrepid and gap for Thailand including Sally. We pair up solo travelers with another traveler of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. It was chaotic, loud and probably one of the best nights of my life. While traveling in my twenties, I made outrageous, spontaneous decisions. Im currently looking to book one of the tours for the hike, and then spend a week or so exploring Peru ourselves. Intrepid said its comfort tours, which saw bookings grow 34% The overland truck was pretty sweet, though spartan. ), Hi Alison! I posted in Tripadvisor to get some advice but got zero responses. When you get to the cab rank, ask the driver to use the meter or request a cost estimatebeforeyou hop in the car if its way higher than it should be, pick another vehicle. My wife and I just finished a G Adventures (formerly Gap Adventures) 9-day tour from Johannesburg, South Africa to Victoria Falls, Zambia. Based on quality:Both companies are on the same quality level at the moment. Whether you agree with it or not, its respectful (and smart) to follow the local style. Learn more about entry and health requirements for the destination(s) youll be visiting. Most hotels, cafes and bars have Wi-Fi, especially in big cities and towns. So far Ive had the luck of having good companions on my tours. Previously Intrepid did not allow any of their tour leaders to take commissions. The only bad part of the tour, really, was our horrible tour leader. Its a tough decision to make. Not all tour leaders are like David. I booked a few trips with Intrepid during a 6 month travel adventure across north and south america. Thanks for sharing Dave! Weve got expert local leaders who can't waitto show you around,ready-madefriends who are itching to explore (just like you), and optional single supplements if you want a room all to yourself. Read the itinerary carefully. That's up about 25% over last year, I did a G tour in Costa Rica and had to choose classic style as I took my mother (50). I actually found the buses the best place to meet people especially after a long overnight journey, everyone wants some company to groggily find a hostel! Intrepid is having a 2-for-1 special so Ive been leaning that way. Emily. Hi Norbert, thanks for your reply, I do see what you are saying, and with all of my complaints this was still an amazing and enjoyable trip because of the location and the friends we made. On Nepal, unfortunately I cant say anything about G Adventures contracting Intrepid for their tours. We thank you for taking the time to inform us of his concerns and allowing us the opportunity to improve our services for future travellers. Price wise the differences are marginal. Im narrowing down the tours from both companies to choose the best itinerary I guess. This was my first solo travel experience and I absolutely loved it! Ill update the info to show a correct comparison. GAdventures offers quite an extensive option with their Patagonia Dreaming active tour. I thought Id live forever if I thought about it at all. They knew, or imparted, little about the region.They left a site without counting the number of clients in the van, and only realized there was someone missing an hour later, and didnt know where the missing person was. I would think twice before travelling with Gap again, because of this experience. View Trip Ages 18 to 29 Essential Japan 10 Days From $2,740 Take Tokyo shopping, add Kanazawa samurais, Hiroshima history, Kyoto temples, Osaka. So much passion and took us places that were not in any guidebook. I am looking at doing my first major group trip (excluding top deck Croatia) to either Peru (and maybe surrounding countries) or to Africa. Im interested in taking an Intrepid Vietnam tour this summer. I like both companies, but its the mix of fellow travelers which makes me choose G Adventures. I am considering a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia for 3-4 weeks. In the end they are in it for the profit, which means that even day tours/excursions will not be booked at the most experienced or best local agency, even when they are cheaper. 15,353. I didnt even know that gap has trips in north america. For example one dinner in Chochis was a plate of horsemeat to be passed around and eaten, the next night a plate of beef. I do not recommend booking with this company. Personally, I found the level of service better with Intrepid than I did with Gap and I liked the idea of small groups purely from a practical perspective herding a big group day in, day out would seem like time wasted to me! Here are a few quick points on why both are great: Honestly, both are equally good for singles and solo travelers. I visited Thailand for the first time doing their island hopping tour, and I fell in love with the country thanks to my experience there. I have been planning to do a trip in the US for ages now, and I am leaning towards G adventures. Im also extremely impressed with the staff of G theyre extremely prompt and on the ball with answering any queries. Their long trips are based on a combination of subsequent short trips, so your group of travelers will change every one or two weeks, unless the trip is originally scheduled and a whole from beginning to end. In the case that your gender identity differs from what is indicated on your passport, pleasecontact usso that we can discuss rooming options with you. G Adventures is winning because of the fact that one of their tours is ideal for my time off work. But, should you choose between either company, Im sure youll be in good hands and will most probably have a great trip and a great time. READ MORE: 7 GREAT DESTINATIONS FOR SOLO TRAVELLERS OVER 50. Fantastic trips all round though brilliant guides and great travel companions the small group thing is really a great way to travel! You have the full right to eat wherever you want. . Great to read all these reviews, but unfortunately it still hasnt helped me to decide whether to use G Adventures or Intrepid for a trip to East Africa. ), but in the meantime I recommend you check either G Adventures Watering Hole (forum) to see if people have posted there their experience on this tour, or go to Intrepids site and look for the tour of your interest to read the feedback they display there. It is true that American and European countries will tolerate less when it comes to bad guides, but it still happens in those countries, none the less. But i do have one question, do either of them include accommodation and/or food? Just wondering if you think we might be out of place age wise? This is a personal opinion, though Vietnam is easy to backpack, so I believe most young backpackers will take the independent road to save money. Then, after nearly 6 years, time and age caught up with us. It pays to learn a little bit of the local language wherever you go andyou should always consider the countrys dress code when picking out what to wear. I started off in Thailand then Cambodia and Laos, but actually found Vietnam to be the easiest to get around out of all these countries! And as the tour continued I got fitter and fitter because I was walking everyday. We spent at least another $1000 per person after carefully and frugally picking activities. Just use your common sense; half of travel safety is simply being aware of your surroundings. I do recommend both. I really enjoyed the Intrepid trip. View Trip Ages 18 to 29 Real Central America 16 Days From $1,760 Mexico, Belize and Guatemala - meet these three amigos on this Central American. My wife and I have traveled with G adventures to Cuba, Peru and Tanzania. I would fork out more money for a better experience. Is this true? I am going to be investing a lot of time into this trip so I want it to be a good one. I can hardly believe it. We still haven't given up. If you have any other question, let me know. Our trips include loads of big-ticket attractions, as well as plenty of unique and unexpected experiences that you can only have with a local guide. Discover picturesque Greek islands on a sailing boat and party the night away in the Mediterranean, marvel at incredible historic . Your safety is our top priority. There youll see the accommodation options per day in the itinerary. How exciting that youre planning a trip to Vietnam. We wanted to feel safe in Egypt so joined Intrepids Egypt Experience tour, which is still one of the highlights of all our travels. None of the trips were absolutely perfect, but I had a fantastic time each trip and have recommended them to many friends. It was amazing. Best wishes, Even in his home town, he provided very few details on what as good to do, then disappeared. Get ready for a behind-the-scenes tour where well visit hole-in-the-wall restaurants and find the best picarones (Andean doughnuts) *chefs kiss. Intrepid Travel Holiday Tours & Packages | Flight Centre NZ We still havent given up. But the Intrepid one looked awfully good as well. Whats the standard of accommodation on an 18 to 29s trip? For the first time in our lives we went ice trekking, scuba diving, and climbing a volcano in the dark. That was the main reason why I went with them.