Wales tours & vacations

EU citizens can travel to the UK without a visa for up to six months. Most other nationals will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a visa to travel to or transit through the UK.

Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information.

You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our visa and entry requirements page.

The best time to travel to Wales is between late spring and early autumn (May to September). You'll see more of the sun and get a little less rain which is ideal for enjoying the Pembrokeshire Coast or hitting the trails in Snowdonia National Park.

Wales is well connected to the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe via a number of handy options, including flights, ferries and public transport.

Tipping isn’t customary in Wales, but you’re welcome to round up the bill or leave some spare change if you’re happy with a service.

This is common in cafes, restaurants, bars and taxis. It's never usually more than 10% of the bill.

Some restaurants add a service charge of 10% or 12.5% to the bill, so there’s no need to tip in this case.

For taxis, it’s quite normal to round up the fare to the nearest pound.

• “Alright?” = Hello, how are you?

• “Cwtch” = a hug/cuddle 
• “Where you to?” = Where are you?
• “Lush” =  (from luscious) meaning very nice, amazing, gorgeous 
• “Tamping” = a term used to describe your anger or frustration at something 
• “Drive” = bus or taxi driver, e.g. when you get off the bus it’s common to say “Cheers, drive”
• “Chopsing” = arguing or getting mouthy 
• “What’s occurin’?” a term meaning “Hello, what’s happening?” that was popularised in BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey 
• “I’m not being funny” = a term used before someone says something serious and perhaps offensive

You’ll have reliable Wi-Fi and mobile data in Wales’ cities, towns and villages.

Internet access can be patchy in rural and remote areas such as Snowdonia National Park.

You’ll have mobile coverage across most of Wales, except for some rural and remote areas.

Remember to activate global roaming with your provider if you’re travelling from overseas and wish to use your mobile while travelling.

• Cup of coffee = £2.50
• Pint of beer = £3.50
• Glass of wine = £4.00
• Cafe or pub lunch = £10-12
• Dinner at a mid-range restaurant = £25-30

Major credit cards are widely accepted in shops and hotels in the UK.

Smaller shops may not accept credit cards and it’s never a bad idea to carry some cash for smaller purchases like a coffee or if you’re splitting bills with your group.

ATMs are called cash machines or cashpoints in the UK.

You’ll see plenty of them around on main streets and shopping centres.

You can use Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Plus, Amex and Cirrus at most Welsh cash machines, as well as international bank cash machines in big cities like Cardiff and Swansea.

Wales is an LGBTQIA+ friendly destination and there are many social meeting places for the LGBTQIA+ in major cities like Cardiff.

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex before you travel.

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. It's important to understand that each country you visit may have its own specific entry requirements, and some destinations mandate travel health insurance for all foreign travellers, regardless of their nationality.

Your leader will record your travel insurance details on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.

Read more about travel insurance

We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.

Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.