At Intrepid, the safety of our travellers, leaders and operators is a major priority. 

Since our very first days as a tour operator, travelling responsibly and safely has been at the heart of everything we do. With this in mind, we monitor world events very closely. Intrepid makes operational decisions based on informed advice from a number of sources. 

Read Intrepid’s Safety Policy

Current travel alerts

ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Due to ongoing safety concerns in the region, departures of the following trips have been cancelled commencing up to and including 31 August 2024:

ENSI Discover Israel & the Palestinian Territories

ENPI Premium Israel & the Palestinian Territories

ENYI Five Days in Israel & the Palestinian Territories

EUZF Real Food Adventure Israel & the Palestinian Territories

ENKI Classic Israel & the Palestinian Territories 

All affected customers will be contacted to discuss options and to assist with travel arrangements.

All Private Group departures commencing up to and including 31 August 2024 will also be cancelled.
 

TRAVEL IN EGYPT AND JORDAN 
There have been no changes to the overall travel advice levels for Egypt and Jordan. All Intrepid trips in Egypt & Jordan are running as scheduled. For trips covering Egypt, Jordan and Israel & Palestinian Territories, the Egypt and Jordan section of the itinerary will run as scheduled. All customers booked to travel before 31 August 2024 on combination trips in the region that include Israel & Palestinian Territories will be contacted regarding revised travel arrangements.

MACHU PICCHU
On 24 January 2024, a new ticketing system for entrance to Machu Picchu was introduced by the Peru government, triggering protests that resulted in the suspension of train services and closure of the Machu Picchu site. An agreement between protestors and local authorities has now been reached, with train services scheduled to resume from 1 February 2024 and access to Machu Picchu now reopened.

While the strike has ended and a truce is currently in place, the issue is still under discussion and there is the possibility of further disruptions without warning. We advise customers booked to travel to Peru in February to check the latest Travel Alerts before departure. For travellers already in country, your tour leader will be able to provide you with the most up to date information.

JORDAN
On 28 January 2024, three US military personnel were killed, and others were injured, in a drone attack against a US military location on the Jordan-Syria border. All Intrepid customers and staff are safe and accounted for and no Intrepid trips travel close to the Syrian border with Jordan. There is no change to the overall foreign travel advice for Jordan. All trips to Jordan continuing as scheduled. 

ETHIOPIA

The political and security situation in Ethiopia remains uncertain due to civil unrest, particularly in the Tigray and neighboring regions, unfortunately without signs that the situation will improve in the near future. Government travel advisories from our key source markets continue to advise against travel to many of the destinations on our itinerary, and an alternative itinerary would require substantial rerouting and safety auditing.

The safety of our travellers is of paramount importance. Based on this advice and consultation with our local on-ground team, we have decided to cancel all remaining departures to Ethiopia for 2024. Customers booked to travel to Ethiopia on affected departures have been notified. 

We will continue to monitor the situation in Ethiopia and hope to return to this fascinating part of the world in the future.

ECUADOR
A 60-day state of emergency was declared in Ecuador on 8 January 2024 following a series of prison riots. A daily curfew between 11pm and 5am has been imposed, with increased military and police presence around key public buildings, airports and some streets, particularly in Guayaquil and Quito. Exceptions to the curfew include passengers travelling to/from airports who will need to show their passports or ID and their relevant boarding pass or flight booking. All airports remain open and travellers should check with their airlines in case of any flight changes. 

Intrepid tours to Ecuador, including the Galapagos, are unaffected and proceeding as planned. We will continue to monitor the situation on the ground to ensure the safety of our groups by following the advice of local authorities and avoiding areas of increased security activity. 

Travellers currently in country requiring emergency assistance should contact our 24-hour emergency number: +593 9 94014877

Travel advisories

Intrepid follows government travel advisories from our key traveller markets when making decisions about operating trips in destinations. As the advice may differ depending on your location, it is important to consult your own local foreign travel advisory when considering if travel to a destination is permitted or appropriate for you.

Australia: Smartraveller
Canada: Travel Advice and Advisories
New Zealand: SafeTravel
United Kingdom: Foreign Travel Advice
United States: US Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs

Entry, health and visa requirements

Get the latest information on travel documents and visa requirements, plus local government COVID-19 vaccination and quarantine policies around the world.

Find out more

How we monitor safety on our trips

We constantly monitor global issues, ensuring we have an in-depth understanding of the areas we visit. With multiple operational offices around the world in a variety of destinations, Intrepid has access to real-time safety updates and information within the countries we travel to. These staff are available to provide support to travellers on the ground if required. 

Get in touch

If you have any concerns, you can contact our support team online or over the phone.

Contact us

Writing a story? Find official company statements on global incidents by visiting the Intrepid Newsroom. 

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Link to Safe travels hub

Safe travels

Everything you need to know about our safety guidelines, booking conditions and trip departures, so you can travel with confidence.

Safe travels hub