With festive season travel on the horizon, Intrepid Travel has a host of inspiring trips to tame the wanderlust this festive season, with Christmas and New Year departures in some of its bestselling destinations.
Whether seeking snowy explorations in the frozen north or craving winter sun in the southern hemisphere, Intrepid’s trips take in outdoor adventure, fascinating local culture and delicious food, wherever the location.
Christmas and New Year departures include:
- Winter Hiking & Showshoeing in Yellowstone (5 days departing 26th December, £2,735)
Take in the magic of one of the USA’s most famous national parks spotting wildlife including bison, elk, coyote and bighorn sheep as you snowshoe towards Tower Falls. Explore the park’s unique thermal features at Upper Geyser Basin and discover one of the most unique backcountry geysers in the park, Lone Star Geyser. See the Mammoth Hot Springs travertine terraces and create hot springs, before retiring to your hotel’s crackling log fire for dinner.
- Uluru and Kings Canyon Adventure – (4 days departing 22nd or 29th December, £900)
Marvel at the most spiritually gifted site in Australia as you view the incredible monolith both at sunrise and sunset. Travel to the edge of Watarrka National Park to meet with First Nations guides and learn about the food, art, medicine and languages of the Luritja and Pertame people. Embark on the Valley of the Winds walk, stopping off at lookout points to take in unforgettable views of Kata Tjuta, a towering collection of 36 domed rock formations. Venture to Kings Canyon, home to some of the country’s most magnificent scenery, where you’ll set off on a walk past soaring cliffs, sandstone domes and tranquil gardens.
- Beautiful Bali – (9 days, departing 19th, 21st, 26th or 31st December, from £795)
This epic Balinese adventure will immerse you in the Indonesian island’s culture, eating street food, meeting songket weavers, witnessing a traditional Kecak dance performance and visiting a Hindu-Buddhist island temple. A guided hike to the summit of Mt Batur will provide you with dazzling sunrise vistas that stretch across the Lombok Strait, all the way over to the peaks of Mt Rinjani, while a guided walk through Ubud will show you local village life. With plenty of hiking, cycling and snorkelling, this trip is an outdoor lover’s dream.
- Classic Costa Rica – (15 days, departing 24th, 26th or 29th December, from £1,510)
Swap the concrete jungle for real jungle on this trip into the rainforests, waterways, hot springs and palm-lined beaches of Costa Rica, beginning and ending in the capital San Jose. Spot the country’s unique wildlife, from long-nosed tapirs, white-faced capuchin monkeys and elegant ocelots to three-toed sloths. Go deeper than the average tourist with a homestay in a quiet agricultural community; the perfect opportunity to experience local life and practice your Spanish.Refresh after jungle hikes spotting endemic wildlife in the rejuvenating hot springs of volcanic La Fortuna.
Prices exclude international flights. For more information about Intrepid Travel, visit www.intrepidtravel.com.