Intrepid’s amped-up new trips and experiences mean there’s even more opportunity to champion women in 2026.
Veer off the usual tourist trail in 2026 – led by the incredible women who call these places home. From learning about a secret women’s language in China to visiting a women-led farm in Guatemala, these inspiring Intrepid trips aim to reveal more about women around the world by showcasing first-hand female stories in countries where cultural and religious factors, or perhaps the limitations of traditional tourism, have historically seen them overshadowed. And if you really want to go all in, our Women’s Expeditions are designed to smash barriers, celebrate trailblazers and let you travel with purpose. Because why just see the world, when you can change it, too?
1. Learn the secret language of women in China
Back in the day, when group chats weren’t a thing, the women of China’s rural Hunan Province found their own secret way to spill the tea – through Nushu: the world’s only writing system created by women, for women. Using elegant strokes and secret symbols, they embroidered intimate messages onto handkerchiefs, headscarves and fans, quietly defying the rules of their time. On the new Southern Highlights: Hong Kong to Shanghai trip, you’ll meet a Nushu expert in Hunan’s capital Changsha to learn the stories behind this remarkable language and even try writing your own hidden message – proof that women have always found a way to be heard.
2. Meet one of the few female sake brewers in Japan
While you’re making your way through Japan from Tokyo to Kyoto on the 12-day Japan: Land of Rising Sun trip, make a stop in Hagi to meet one of the very few female sake brewers in the entire country. This new experience will give you an inside look on how she took over the family business and is boldly breaking the industry’s centuries-old ‘men-only’ tradition. Visit her brewery, hear her stories and see how she’s shaking up the sake world.
Read more: Learn about China’s secret women’s language
3. Break bread with local women in Turkey
Take on Turkey from the busy streets of Istanbul to the coastal city of Antalya on the new Eastern Turkey Explorer trip. Along the way, stop in Sanliurfa – the City of Prophets – to meet the inspiring team at Nahil Guesthouse, a hub supporting local women’s livelihoods. Over a home-cooked lunch, hear how they’re championing women’s equality and leadership with the support of Intrepid Foundation partner, KEDV, a powerhouse supporting women-led cooperatives across the country.
4. Share stories around the campfire in Sierra Leone
Think Africa, and you might picture savannas or safari – but Sierra Leone may be one of the continent’s best-kept travel secrets. Go beyond the expected on Intrepid’s new Sierra Leone Adventure from the capital of Freetown to the country’s rainforest and the Banana Islands. In Boma Village, you’ll be greeted by one of the few female chiefs in the country, who will guide you through village life, rice fields and the magic of community. Roll up your sleeves to help in the fields, then kick back by the campfire to hear stories and watch traditional dances – all in a day’s adventure.
Read more: Meet Sierra Leone’s trailblazing female chief
5. Learn about Spain’s women-led seafood tradition
White wine and seafood in Spain? Yes, please. On the Northern Spain Real Food Adventure, there’s now the chance to head to the charming fishing village of Cambados. Here, you’ll visit a local factory and see how the women skillfully package the region’s famous fish preserves, try out some local produce and wine over a tasting and then stroll to the port to watch women repair fishing nets. If you’re feeling adventurous, slip on some boots and join the catch yourself.
6. Visit a women-led farm in Guatemala
Hiking up Acatenango Volcano (3766 m) is impressive on its own, but why stop at bragging rights? On the new Acatenango Volcano Hike and Antigua adventure, you’ll climb even higher – literally and culturally. Learn how to make tortillas at a culinary workshop, then wander through the forest to a women-led regenerative farm where they’re saving indigenous plants from extinction and creating opportunities for the community. This experience is all about learning, laughing and planting something with your own hands.
7. Weave with women in Botswana
Victoria Falls at sunrise, a cruise along the Okavango Delta and a Chobe game drive – that’s just the opening act on the new Botswana Family Safari Comfort trip. Afterwards, you’ll go beyond the wildlife with a visit to Shorobe Basket Co-operative, where you’ll learn the art of basket weaving. Each basket supports women-headed households, fostering jobs, self-reliance and community. A local artist will guide you from harvesting to dyeing, sharing stories behind each pattern while you connect with the local women. You’ll also get a taste of traditional Botswana cuisine with a charismatic host at Planet Culture Cafe.
8. Share a home-cooked family meal in Petra
On the Premium Jordan trip, you can explore Petra at your own pace, wander through the ancient Nabatean Siq entrance and sleep under the stars in a Bedouin-style camp in Wadi Rum. But, that’s pretty typical on a trip to Jordan. So, we’re breaking away from the traditional guidebooks with a new experience by stepping inside the home of a local family in Petra. Share a meal, hear the stories and connect with the incredible woman behind it all – the sister-in-law of Marguerite van Geldermalsen, author of Married to a Bedouin, and her sister – Petra’s very first female guide.
9. Meet the women of Greece’s Pomak communities
Travel from Athens to Istanbul through northern Greece’s mountain villages where cultures and histories intertwine on Intrepid’s new Greece & Turkey Adventure: Athens to Istanbul trip. Visit the women of Xanthi who knit and craft beautiful housewares in traditional styles, keeping their heritage alive with every stitch. Then explore the remote Pomakochoria region, home to the Muslim-minority Pomak people to share coffee and homemade pies with local women from the villages, learning about their lives, customs and the resilience of their mountain community.
Find out what else is new for 2026 with The Goods – a collection of new trips and experiences to inspire a year of adventure.
