You’ve booked your grand adventure, but here’s how to elevate it by adding on a next-level experience to help you explore Tokyo after dark, spirituality in Nepal or street food in Hanoi.
On my last big trip – six weeks around Thailand and Cambodia back in 2024 – I had it all mapped out: I knew exactly where my boyfriend and I were going, when we’d go and how we’d get there. But, assuming we’d feel jet lagged, I hadn’t accounted for those first few days in Bangkok.
We were wide awake (jet lag works in mysterious ways) with nowhere to be and no idea what to do. So, over coffee, we scrolled through Urban Adventures – Intrepid’s city-centred day tours – and booked a short and sweet four-hour experience with a local guide in a part of the city we wouldn’t have found on our own. In that time, we discovered tiny backstreets, stopped for coffee and ate from three different food stalls. By the end, Bangkok felt a whole lot less intimidating.
If you too find yourself with a few uncharted hours to fill on your travels, rather than idling around in an unfamiliar place at the start or end of your trip, here are some of the best Urban Adventures to help you get your bearings, connect you with locals and introduce you to new friends.
Sample street food in Hanoi
It’s totally normal to feel a little intimidated by Hanoi’s street-food stalls, which line street after street in the Vietnamese capital. How could you possibly know which ones to go to? That’s what makes Hanoi Street Food Experience such a good intro to Vietnam’s food scene. You’ll sample a bunch of local specialties – like banh mi and bun cha – from stalls your guide genuinely loves and recommends, all eaten from a tiny plastic chair with a local beer in hand. Consider yourself initiated.
Unlock Delhi’s hidden gems
Over 22 million people call Delhi home – so who better to show you around than someone who lives there? The Private Hidden Gems of Delhi experience is a great way to unearth the surprising sides of India’s largest city. Sip coffee in an artistic alleyway, walk around an open-air art district with over 50 large-scale murals and find a little quiet in its heritage gardens.
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Navigate Marrakech’s Medina
If you’ve been to Marrakech before, you’ll know it’s a buzzy city. In the city’s main square, Djemaa el Fnaa, and in the Medina’s maze of souks, there are hundreds of vendors vying for your attention, selling food, drink, jewellery, spices and so much more. To make sense of it, join a Private Marrakech Medina & Palaces Discovery Tour so you don’t need to figure out where to go or how much to haggle. You’ll even step into the calm of Medersa Ben Youssef – a tranquil Islamic school with soothing architecture – before heading back into the thick of it.
Sip the good stuff in Seattle
Seattle and coffee go hand in hand, but there’s more to the city’s coffee culture than grabbing a cup to go. On the Seattle Coffee Culture day trip, you’ll meet the people behind the brews, learn how the city’s famous coffee culture came to be and, of course, taste a few cups along the way. Sip mushroom coffee or a coffee cocktail while listening to your guide’s takes on the biggest coffee trends brewing in Seattle right now.
Witness Kathmandu’s spiritual side
In Kathmandu, there’s plenty to explore before you grab your poles and put your heavy hiking boots on. The four-hour Kathmandu Spiritual Nepal experience takes you on a journey through the city’s Buddhist and Hindu traditions, from spinning prayer wheels at gilded Boudhanath stupa to seeing sadhus at tiered Pashupatinath temple. You’ll also witness cremations along the Bagmati River and take part in an evening Arati ritual – an offering of lights.
Navigate Istanbul in style
Istanbul is huge, so seeing the highlights can feel like a logistical nightmare. That is, unless, you hop on the Istanbul Uncovered adventure, which takes the guesswork out of it, bringing together some of the city’s big sights with places you might otherwise walk straight past. You’ll see the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar, then discover the Pudding Shop – once a famous meeting point for travellers heading along the Hippie Trail.
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Make like a Mexico City local
Want to know what’s on everyone’s shopping list in Mexico City? The Mexico City Market Secrets & Salsa Making excursion takes you to two local markets, where you’ll browse stalls, pick up ingredients and discover everything from fresh produce to love potions (yes, really). From there, stop for tacos and tamales, before making your own salsa from scratch. A good crash course in everyday Mexico City life.
Focus in on Nairobi’s highlights
For many travellers, Nairobi is where the safari starts. But there’s plenty happening in the city itself, something that’s all too easily overlooked in popular hubs such as this. A local guide can show you what you’re missing on the half-day Nairobi Experience before you head out into the wild. Walk through monument-dotted Uhuru Park, hear the stories behind landmarks like the National Archives and August 7th Memorial Park, and finish it all off with an authentic local lunch.
Explore Tokyo after dark
Solo travelling at night is a whole different ball game. But the Tokyo After 5 tour makes it accessible to all. It’s a great (and safe) way to experience the city after dark, without having to figure it all out on your own. Follow your guide into Tokyo’s lively evening scene, stopping for sake and nibbles, getting a taste of the city once the sun goes down. It’s a side of Tokyo that can feel a little intimidating to navigate solo, but much easier with someone who knows where to go and a group to share the good times with.
See more of San Jose
For many, San Jose is often a quick stop before exploring the rest of Costa Rica, but there’s plenty to get stuck into if you slow down for a few hours on the Private San Jose Sights and Bites Tour. Walk around the city’s markets with someone who lives there, where you’ll find everything from herbal remedies to handmade crafts. Next, taste seasonal treats, get to know Costa Rica’s more unusual fruits and vegetables and, of course, drink some very good coffee along the way.
Read more: What could you possibly learn from a day tour in your own city?
Discover Venice’s quiet corners
Venice gets a lot of visitors – something that’s hard to ignore in the busiest parts. However, the Uncommon Venice experience offers a different way to see the Lagoon City, taking you beyond the crowded canals and into the neighbourhoods where real Venetians live and work. Chat with the owners of family-run ateliers, visit artisanal workshops and learn how Venice became a major trading hub. Then, raise a glass of prosecco on a 15th-century palace rooftop, with the Grand Canal in view – but the crowds far below.
Got a big trip planned? Add an Urban Adventures experience to help you acclimatise.
