Southwest USA Tours & Holidays

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid’s COVID-19 policy

The Southwestern states can have stinking hot summers and cold winters. When to visit depends on what you're into, but the shoulder months of April/May and September/October are considered to be the best. During these months, it's not too hot or cold and crowds are relatively thin. The summer (June-August) is a good time to visit if you don't mind the heat and larger crowds.

Summer in the Southwest can be extremely hot and stuffy, while winters are cold with snowy, icy conditions across much of Colorado and higher elevations. For summer, we recommend loose layers and a light jacket for the evening. Folks in the Southwest typically dress casually during the day, but you may want to bring one or two smart casual outfits for when you head out for dinner or drinks. For winter trips, bring warm layers including a heavy jacket, gloves and beanie.

If you're heading to one of the region's national parks or plan on hiking in the mountains, you'll need proper walking shoes, adequate layers and a waterproof jacket. It can be quite a bit cooler (especially at night) at higher elevations.

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

The United States is mostly a safe destination for LGBTQIA+ travellers. Same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, and there are some anti-discrimination laws to protect sexual orientation and gender identity. In more rural areas and smaller towns (which tend to be more conservative), overt displays of affection can attract negative responses. 

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

If you're travelling solo on an Intrepid trip, you'll share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at the time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travellers who do not wish to share a room.

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveler. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. 

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.

Find out more or make a donation