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Before you depart
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.
We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, but minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number, and these details will be recorded on the first day of your trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.
For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or the USA, the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However, the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form, recognising personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise.
You can find information on visa and entry requirements in the visa section of your Essential Trip Information.
Countries can change their requirements and advice at short notice, so check the latest information and travel advice. As stated in our booking conditions, it’s your responsibility to make sure you have everything you need to travel to and from your destination.
You should also check:
Our Safe Travel Hub to find out how you can travel safely and with ease.
The Essential Trip Information for your trip to find other important details such as travel insurance, accommodation, joining point instructions and what to pack.
Yes, we can assist with letters of invitation and support documentation if you're travelling to a destination where this is required to apply for a visa.
Check the visa section of your Essential Trip Information to find information about what you need to send to us, such as scanned passports or employment letters.
The safety of our travellers, leaders and on-ground operators is a major priority for Intrepid. With this in mind, we monitor world events very closely and make operational decisions based on informed advice from a number of sources, in particular the level of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) travel advisory.
See our Travel Alerts page for the most up-to-date information.
While we take all the precautions we can to make sure your belongings are safe, you'll want to make sure you're aware of your surroundings and keep an eye on your things. Travel insurance is a must, and a lockable bag or money belt will always help.
We recommend having access to money from various sources—cash, cards and travel money cards are all commonly used. Check your Essential Trip Information and the relevant destination page for more country-specific information.
Refrigeration availability cannot be guaranteed. As a general rule, many of our city hotels provide access to small fridges; however, outside this, especially when trekking or in homestay environments, you cannot rely on access to refrigeration. Please be sure to let us know in advance if you are travelling with medication that requires refrigeration.
Vaccination and general medical requirements differ from country to country.
Please see your local GP or travel doctor for details and advice about current vaccination requirements.
Our local leaders are trained to deal with these situations, and we will get you help as quickly as possible. If you must leave the trip early due to illness, our local offices will help you find appropriate medical care and will do whatever we can to get you home or to your next destination.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips and should cover any costs incurred if illness occurs.
Please refer to the Money Matters section of your Essential Trip Information for an idea of how to budget for your trip.
Travellers’ cheques are not common practice anymore, so it is a good idea to travel with a credit card and ATM card or a bank-issued ‘cash card’ specifically for travel. Having a couple of options will ensure that you are covered if one doesn’t work.
On most Intrepid trips, you will be required to carry your own luggage, sometimes up and down stairs and on and off transport. We recommend you travel with a backpack. For a full list of what to take on your adventure, see our Ultimate Packing List.
Most starting point hotels can store your excess luggage for you; however, this is at your own risk. Often, a nominal fee is charged for this service. Of course, this is only an advantage if your trip is circular (i.e. returning to the same starting point).
We only have a handful of itineraries where sleeping bags are required and these are generally trips that involve camping.
When we use homestays, blankets are provided, but some travellers feel more comfortable with their own sleeping bags or sleep sheets. If you are unsure whether a sleeping bag is required, refer to your Essential Trip Information.
Hiking boots are definitely recommended for walking, trekking, and hiking trips. If the physical rating is under 3, sneakers/runners will be adequate.
Many Intrepid treks involve hiking in near-freezing environments, so please be sure to research the climate and weather conditions at the time of year you will be trekking and pack accordingly. There is also a packing 'checklist' in your Essential Trip Information.
It’s important to always travel with your current passport, visas, travel insurance and Intrepid trip documents. For more information, see our Ultimate Packing List.