Add a twist to your travel stories with these all-new, out-there trips and experiences.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Sometimes, there are bundles of thought and reasoning that go into choosing your next adventure. And sometimes, it\u2019s as simple as asking \u2018why not?\u2019. I mean, why wouldn\u2019t you want to swim in a pink-coloured lake in Senegal? Or learn how locals make their yurts in rural Kyrgyzstan?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Going beyond the usual is the Intrepid way \u2013 so here\u2019s how you can do exactly that in 2025.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n What springs to mind when you think of West Africa? If you said lively jazz bars and striking pink lakes, we\u2019re on the same page \u2013 and you can experience that natural beauty and cultural richness for yourself on the new 12-day Senegal & The Gambia Adventure<\/a>. Visit the aptly named Pink Lake, where you can choose to take a dip in the brightly-coloured water, before spending the night in Saint Louis \u2013 a World Heritage site where jazz rhythms and melodies resonate through the lively streets.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Japan holds a huge draw for many travellers, but few choose to head north. This all-new Northern Japan & Hokkaido Adventure<\/a> looks to shed new light on the country\u2019s rich tapestry of culture, history and natural beauty. Experience a slice of this during a visit to the Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Museum and learn about the rich culture of Ainu people \u2013 an Indigenous group from the northern regions of Japan. After, get familiar with Ainu food during a cooking demonstration showcasing Ainu dumplings (and then sample some for yourself).\u00a0<\/p>\n Usually, exploring such a remote corner of Earth would be a story in and of itself \u2013 but not for travellers on the new Greenland Expedition<\/a>. Once you\u2019ve gotten your bearings in Nuuk, you\u2019ll get to meet a local monster hunter and storyteller<\/a>. Settle in and hear all about local legends and mythological creatures like the Mother of the Sea, the Mountain Walker and many others, as well as where your storyteller\u2019s interest in monsters began. Later, once you get into the raw and wild landscapes, the stories will all start to make sense\u2026\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Going out in style\u2019 is given a whole new meaning on this new Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure<\/a>. In Accra, you\u2019ll get to meet the fantasy coffin makers<\/a> who build elaborate coffins to represent the profession, dreams or even vices of the deceased. Ancestors are believed to wield great power, so honouring them with a grand coffin \u2013 called okadi adekai in the local Ga dialect \u2013 is a way to earn favour. Combine that with a Vodun ceremony, which showcases the traditional spiritual practices taken to the Americas by enslaved Africans.\u00a0<\/p>\n Take yourself off the typical tourist track and weave your way along the Silk Road (with all the added extras) on a new 9-day Premium Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan<\/a> trip. As you go, you\u2019ll get to meet local artisans keeping traditional crafts alive. In Kyzyk Tuu village, for example, yurt makers will show you how they make these iconic structures without electrical tools \u2013 then that night, you\u2019ll get to experience their creations up close as you stay in a comfortable yurt camp.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Georgia and Armenia hardly leap out as peoples\u2019 first choice as a holiday destination. For others, though, that\u2019s exactly the point. This new Georgia & Armenia Explorer<\/a> trip will help you experience the often-overlooked natural landscapes and welcoming, local people of these two neighbouring nations. A visit to the Arpa Protected Landscape will show you the best of both \u2013 on a guided hike, learn how the locals protect the flora and fauna, including the rare Caucasian leopard, Armenian mouflon, European lynx, brown bears and bezoar goats.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alaska\u2019s home to all sorts of adventures, and on this new eight-day Hiking the Great Land of Alaska<\/a> trip, you can get even closer to the action. You\u2019ll kayak along Homer\u2019s impressive coastal scenery, stay right in among it all as you set up camp each night<\/a> in Alaska\u2019s varied landscapes, and hike through forests of alder and cottonwoods to the Harding Icefield \u2013 seeing the ice stretch toward the horizon while hearing about the impacts of climate change in the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the eagle-eyed among us would\u2019ve spotted the new Saudi Arabia Women\u2019s Expedition<\/a> going live in 2024, 2025 marks its first full offering of departures. Designed with women across all elements of the adventure, you\u2019ll spend 12 days with a group of like-minded women, led by a female local leader. You\u2019ll meet a variety of local women, each of whom will give you an insider\u2019s perspective on Saudi history and culture while sharing their own personal stories. Other highlights include a sunrise visit to Hegra, a Nabataean site<\/a> that serves as a lesser-known alternative to Petra.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Isolated geographically and long secluded politically, there are few places on Earth like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. But, with this new experience on the Tashkent to Ashgabat<\/a> trip, you\u2019ll get a chance to learn about daily life straight from a local. Visit a horse breeder\u2019s farm for a cooking demonstration of baursaki, then sit down with your host to enjoy some of the fried-dough treats as you learn about his family and his passion for Akhal-Teke horses. This breed of horse is specific to the region and has a reputation for its speed, endurance, intelligence and distinctive metallic sheen.<\/p>\n Vietnam might be one of Intrepid\u2019s most-loved and most-visited destinations, but there\u2019s always more to explore. A new homestay on the Best of Vietnam<\/a> trip proves this, as travellers will get to spend two nights in the stilted houses of Lam Thuong. By day there are chances to bike ride through the village and the valley, passing rice fields and learning about the local\u2019s day to day life, as well as a visit a local handicraft workshop to learn about bamboo weaving, natural dyeing and how the locals make Tay hats.\u00a0<\/p>\n Suchitoto is widely considered El Salvador\u2019s cultural capital, but its tranquil lakeside setting belies a formative chapter of its \u2013 and the country\u2019s \u2013 history. On Nicaragua & Beyond<\/a>, you\u2019ll get the chance to learn about this on a newly included visit to the bordering Cinquera Forest. Meet a former guerilla fighter to learn about the forest\u2019s significance during the Salvadoran Civil War, see the former camps and take a tour around the small mountain community. Dinner will round out the day of learning, with a hands-on cooking class of pupusas \u2013 a thick cake or flatbread made with cornmeal or rice flour.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n1. Uncover the sounds and sights of Senegal\u00a0<\/h2>\n
2. Hop on over to the island of Hokkaido\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n3. Listen to myths under Greenland\u2019s midnight sun\u00a0<\/h2>\n
4. Gain a new appreciation for the afterlife in Ghana\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n5. Meet the yurt craftsmen of Kyrgyzstan\u00a0<\/h2>\n
6. Find the hidden gems of Georgia and Armenia\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n7. Set up camp (literally) in Alaska\u2019s landscapes\u00a0<\/h2>\n
8. Hear the stories of Saudia Arabia\u2019s intrepid women\u00a0<\/h2>\n
9. Tuck into baursaki in Turkmenistan\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n10. Visit villages and valleys in Vietnam\u00a0<\/h2>\n
11. Get a firsthand account of El Salvador\u2019s history\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n