Asia is big. Like really big. If you include the ‘Stans and the Southern Siberian Steppe, you’re looking at about 17 million square miles of pure, blank travel canvas. How you colour it in is up to you.

You could start in Istanbul and work your way through Pakistan, Mongolia and China, following the old Silk Road. Or you could slow it right down and spend three months uncovering every inch of South East Asia – white beaches in Thailand, Angkor temples in Cambodia, pristine waterfalls in Laos…and more pad thai, jungle curry and fried crickets than you can eat. Long trips in Asia give you the chance to maximise your long haul flight, soak up each destination's spice and immerse yourself in a trip that savours every bite.

One month in Asia

Our longest trips in Asia

30 Days From 4579

Travel into the heart and soul of South East Asia on this tour of Thailand, Laos,...

24 Days From 10830

Take an epic adventure through Japan, visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Takayama, Nikko, Hakone,...

Tailor-Made trips

Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary

22 Days From 3255

Travel to Indonesia and visit Bali and Java. Explore the bustling city of Jakarta, the...

28 Days From 4641

Take an adventure from Thailand to Bali, capturing some of the region's best places –...

27 Days From 5125

Gear up for an energising and rewarding cycling tour that takes in the best of...

23 Days From 3415

Discover the best of Thailand’s west on a trip that takes you from the jungles of the...

Highlights of Asia

Hot air balloons flying above Bagan, Myanmar

Bagan, Myanmar

Even Marco Polo was impressed by Bagan (and that guy got around). He called it ‘one of the finest sites in the world’, and despite decades of looting, erosion and the occasional earthquake, he’s still as right as ever. In the lead up to a big Mongol invasion, the kings of Bagan commissioned 4,000 temples built over 26 square miles. It didn’t stop the Mongols (big surprise), but it will stop you in your tracks.

A section of the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall, China

Wiggling across the landscape like a giant stone worm, China’s Great Wall pretty much does what it says on the tin. It’s a wall. It’s pretty great. It runs for 13,000 miles, all the way from Liaoning province to the wind-scoured rubble of the Gobi Desert. Obviously it’s a big tourist site, but we know the sections where you’ll find fewer crowds (and get the best photos). It’s on many bucket lists for a reason, folks. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed.

A traveller marvelling at the Door to Hell in Turkmenistan

The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan

One of those ‘You’ve got to see it to believe it’ icons, the Door to Hell is an eternally burning gas pit in the Karakum Desert of Turkmenistan. A few Soviet scientists set fire to it decades ago, and it’s been burning ever since. If you like your landmarks with a touch of wacky irony, this will be right up your alley. Plus it’s a great reason to venture off the beaten track and check out Turkmenistan, possibly the only country in the world with an enormous revolving statue of gold.

Long trips by continent

Zebras eating grass in Samburu National Park

Africa

A wide photograph of the Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia

Asia

A wide view of Lisbon Castle and city

Europe

A traveller speaking with a local vendor in Lake Atitlán in Guatemala

Central America

A yellow tramcar going down the street in Rio, Brazil

South America

FAQs

Intrepid was founded on the premise of long travel when our two owners – Darrell and Manch – set off across Africa with a bunch of friends and no plans to come home anytime soon. It didn't take them long to discover that when you stay a little longer in a destination, you can make the most of every mile and really immerse yourself in the heart and soul of a place and its people.

With borders reopening around the world, Intrepid is celebrating by curating a new range of ‘long’ trips. These epic adventures span over three weeks, a smorgasbord of cities, regions, and countries, and encapsulate the essence of Intrepid travel. 

Long travel means a true break from your day-to-day, with time to properly wind down and disconnect. It gives you the chance to really get to know each destination better. Not just see a place, but really live it. You can slow things down. Dig a little deeper. Not just see the highlights but find those places and meet those people you might not have otherwise. Time to lose yourself on a real adventure.

And by skipping internal flights for public transport (think epic train trips across multiple countries), you'll find yourself with journeys that become trip highlights, and come with the added bonus of helping reduce your carbon footprint. Taking a long trip is easier than you think when you let us take care of all the planning and research, so find your next big adventure below. 

Learn more about the benefits of slow travel

Trading in your "real" life and routines to travel the world is one part exciting, one part scary, and two parts liberating. And while dreaming of what your next couple of months will hold is almost as good as actually going, the planning process can be trickier than cracking the fictitious Da Vinci Code. Let us help you. Here are our pro tips on how to make long trips a breeze.

  1. It's always a good idea to set and stick to a budget. Converting dollars to pesos, rupees, euros, riel, and a dozen other currencies makes it tricky to keep track of the dinero you've actually spent. We recommend setting budgets per country visited and keeping track of those pesky expenses.
  2. Choose your must-sees and you're nice-to-see's. Once you've mapped out the musts that you absolutely have to visit (as in, you refuse to go home until you do), you can start to connect the dots and find a logical and affordable travel route.
  3. Expect plans to change. Travel rarely goes 100% to plan, so expect and welcome the unexpected. Sometimes, the best experiences are the ones you never planned on having. 

Long travel is all in the planning. But strangely, it’s the opposite of what you think. Months on the road and you’re probably thinking ‘Dear God, I’ll need a suitcase just for the underwear!’ But really, when it comes to long vacations, less is more. Watch our ultimate packing guide on the right-hand link, or check out the tips below.

  1. Pack for one week at a time. You only ever need enough clothes to last you a week. Depending on where you are, by that time you’ll either a) have found a Laundromat, or b) be so far off the beaten track that no one will care if you smell. Either way, you save on trunk space.
  2. Roll, don’t fold. It’s counterintuitive, but you’ll actually fit more in if you roll your clothes, rather than folding them. Make sure to use up all available space too – that means squashing socks and underwear into empty shoes.
  3. Wear clothes that go together. Since you’re packing smarter, not harder, pick clothes you know will already match. A few t-shirts that go with your jeans, and a neutral pair of shorts that goes with anything. Shoes for all climates (or at least as many climates as possible) and a pair of flip-flops. That’s all you need.
  4. Pack for the climate. Long travel means you might pass through different climactic zones. And that means layers are your friend. Lightweight, breathable fleece or woolen layers will block out the cold but not take up too much space in your pack. Leave the three different jackets at home. One waterproof option should do it.
  5. Invest in a good suitcase, and stick to it. With long travel, you have to think ahead. You’ll be tempted to buy souvenirs and things everywhere you go, but if you don’t want to make your chiropractor rich, be ruthless. Don’t accumulate stuff as you go. And invest in a good quality, lightweight suitcase and a lock.

Learn more about Asia