Want to learn Cajun cuisine at a cooking school in New Orleans? Or explore Indigenous culture from a Navajo guide in Arizona? Intrepid has a range of USA trips that amplify and celebrate Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) perspectives in the United States.
Travel is about more than just the places we visit, it’s also about the people who shape these places and call them home. It’s about the people, stories and cultures that bring them alive. Our trips across the USA help to amplify BIPOC voices and connect travellers with the communities, traditions and experiences that deserve to be celebrated.
We’re all about using travel as a force for good, so if you’re curious about taking a trip that brings these perspectives to life, keep reading to learn more about our BIPOC-centric experiences that are helping travellers see the country through a more diverse and inclusive lens.
Learn to cook Cajun food at Deelightful Roux School of Cooking
There is exactly one cooking school in New Orleans owned by an African American woman, and it’s Deelightful Roux. When it comes to learning Cajun and Creole food, there’s no place better. Your host and guru is culinary star Dwynesha Lavigne, a New Orleans local and award-winning baker, who also hosts a weekly food segment on TV. Try your hand at jambalaya, smothered okra and tomatoes, Cajun gumbo and New Orleans’ famous banana foster.
Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center with a guide
Most travellers are drawn to Alaska for its rugged landscapes and incredible wildlife, which is why Intrepid will of course bring you on a glacier cruise through Kenai Fjords and to explore Denali National Park. But getting to know Alaska means looking beyond the scenery and that’s why we’ll bring you to the Alaska Native Heritage Center for a private visit with a local guide. Through traditional dwellings, dance, storytelling and engaging exhibits, you’ll learn about the Indigenous cultures that have shaped Alaska for generations.
Support the Navajo community in Arizona
Canyon de Chelly isn’t somewhere you can fully visit on your own, which makes for an exciting and uncommon experience. To explore the canyon floor, you have to be accompanied by a local Navajo guide to help ensure cultural preservation while supporting the Navajo community. You’ll venture into the red rock canyons of Arizona to hear traditional stories and see ancient Ancestral Puebloan ruins like the famous White House Ruins, while also gaining insight into contemporary Navajo life in the canyon.
Read more: Meet the Navajo guides of Canyon de Chelly
Explore West African history along the Gullah Geechee Corridor
The ancestors of the Gullah Geechee people were brought to Charleston, St. Helena Island, Beaufort and Savannah as slaves, and their descendants are still there, keeping West African culture alive. We’ll take you along the coastline of South Carolina, through the Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, a national heritage area that was established to recognise the unique culture of the Gullah Geechee people. You’ll get a first-hand introduction to Gullah Geechee creole language, food, family and music.
Read more: 5 ways Intrepid’s new Women’s Expeditions are making positive change
Connect with Utah’s Indigenous cultures
Hike through Utah’s red rock landscape in it’s Mighty 5 national parks, but veer off the main tourist track to explore places like Monument Valley and Bears Ears National Monument with Navajo guides. While you hike off the beaten path, they’ll share the Indigenous stories, histories and traditions that really bring these landscapes to life. You’ll learn about native plants and wildlife, check out ancient archaeological sites, and learn the history of the ancestral Puebloans and Navajo peoples for a truly special experience – connecting Utah’s wild beauty with the cultures and communities who have called this land home for generations.
Take a Black history tour in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston has a rich history, but most travellers only get one side of the story. Intrepid groups can explore the oral histories of South Carolina alongside a local guide to get a unique perspective on Charleston’s past, including local folktales, stories of the Reconstruction, and the heroes and heroines often missing from the history books.
Ready to hit the road? Explore Intrepid’s trips in the USA
