What\u2019s in a name? Well, when it\u2019s <\/strong>Premium<\/strong><\/a>, it conjures visions of something more<\/em>.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n Imagine the best nights\u2019 sleep in some unforgettable stays, beautiful landscapes framed by the window of private transport and experiences you won\u2019t find anywhere else. It\u2019s that little extra beyond Basix<\/a>, Original<\/a> and Comfort<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n If you see yourself as someone with a taste for the exceptional \u2013 like stargazing in a Moroccan desert with a local astronomer or spending a night in a yurt in Kazakhstan \u2013 Intrepid\u2019s nine new Premium trips and experiences will surely pique your interest. The only downside? You might struggle to go back to how you travelled before.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n With a cooking class led by a world-renowned private chef, a home-cooked meal on a local farm and a perfectly wine-paired six-course dinner, you can expect to eat and drink well on the Premium Cape Town and the Garden Route<\/a> trip. But to really appreciate South African culture, understanding its sobering history is crucial, including the apartheid era and the struggles for freedom. Learn all about this as you explore significant slavery sites with an expert local guide. You\u2019ll also get a chance to engage with initiatives helping communities today, like the Amy Foundation, which prepares young adults from vulnerable communities for employment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Central Asia doesn\u2019t get as many tourists \u2013 or airtime \u2013 as its southern neighbours. So, what can you do there? On Intrepid\u2019s new Premium Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan<\/a> trip, you\u2019ll visit a family-run winery, picnic at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tamgaly-Tas petroglyph site and learn the art of yurt making, a cherished Kyrgyz tradition. A craftsman will showcase how yurts are built with no electrical tools. You\u2019ll even get to test the architecture firsthand, spending the night in a yurt after a campfire dinner, before being welcomed into the home of a Dungan family for a masterclass on local cuisine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n While you\u2019ll still visit many European hotspots on the new Premium Central Eu<\/a>rope<\/a> trip, this itinerary takes you to places off the usual tourist track. Before Budapest, stop at Holloko \u2013 a village so well preserved since its 13th<\/sup>-century origins that it\u2019s now a UNESCO World Heritage site. You\u2019ll tour the village of 67 protected houses and a castle, guided by a local who\u2019ll share stories of the Paloc people and their distinctive traditions and crafts, like pottery and weaving. You\u2019ll even get the chance to try on some traditional clothing. Then, visit the Serbian city of Subotica to sample local wines at the renowned Zvonko Bogdan Winery. It\u2019s all about balancing the landmarks with the lesser-known locales.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Can\u2019t tell your Big Dipper from your Orion\u2019s Belt? No worries, as you\u2019ll be able to learn all about it during a new guided stargazing excursion on Premium Morocco Highlights<\/a>. Peer up at planets and constellations through a high-powered telescope and take in the night skies far from light pollution. The best bit? It all goes down at your boutique Agafay desert camp, where you\u2019ll stay for the night \u2013 just one of many new camping experiences on offer in 2025.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The Caucasus might not top everyone\u2019s travel list \u2013 which is precisely why it should top yours. During the Premium Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia<\/a> trip, you\u2019ll now visit Pankisi Valley with a Kist guide from PVTDA, a cultural preservation NGO. Deep in Georgia\u2019s northeastern reaches, wander around old settlements and ancient places of worship while learning about life in this remote region. Top off the day with some traditional Kist dishes (think delicious dumpling-style food) in a local family\u2019s home \u2013 a window into their renowned hospitality.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Italy has a way of combining all the finer things in life, like good food, incredible landscapes and, of course, wine! You\u2019ll get all of it on Premium Tuscany<\/a>, and a new experience at the end will take you to a panoramic view of Venice atop an 18th-century palace that\u2019s home to the Venice Conservatory of Music. Explore Palazzo Pisani while humming along to classical Italian music as you wander through frescoed halls and past Baroque art.\u00a0<\/p>\n Premium New Zealand South Island<\/a> is getting even better starting in May 2025, with the addition of a new Feature Stay at a working vineyard in Gibbston Valley, just outside Queenstown. After a wine-tasting session, you can chill out in a hot tub with views of the surrounding vineyard and mountains. The revamped itinerary also includes a cruise along Lake Whatkatipu in a century-old steamship to a lakeside farm, where you\u2019ll enjoy a leisurely tour and a barbeque dinner featuring produce from the farm.\u00a0<\/p>\n Everyone knows Greece on the surface but how many can truly say they understand the rhythms of daily life there? Premium Greece Cyclades Islands<\/a> is introducing another prime example of what Intrepid does best \u2013 guiding you through a beautiful country while immersing you in local life there. Starting in 2025, travellers will visit the village of Marpissa on the island of Paros. You\u2019ll stop by the Folklore Museum, founded by the Marpissa Women\u2019s Association, which works to preserve local culture and foster community in the town. Later, you\u2019ll visit the home of Marigoula, who will share some sweet treats and demonstrate how she weaves on her grandmother\u2019s 19th-century loom to create traditional bags and rugs.\u00a0<\/p>\n On Premium Vietnam in Depth<\/a>, you\u2019ll head to Hanoi, Hue, Halong Bay and Ho Chi Minh City, while also spending time in the more low-profile Mai Chau. Here, you\u2019ll visit Vun Art<\/a> \u2013 a social enterprise that employs people with disabilities to make art with recycled silk. Then, you too will get hands-on as you learn how to make ruou can, a traditional fermented rice wine. The only other Intrepid Vietnam<\/a> trips that include a visit to Mai Chau<\/a> are active adventures by bike, so consider this your chance to experience the peaceful valley without breaking a sweat*.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n *sweat from tropical heat may still apply!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Learn more about Premium<\/a> trips and find out what else is new in 2025 with The Goods<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What\u2019s in a name? Well, when it\u2019s Premium, it conjures visions of something more.\u00a0\u00a0 Imagine the best nights\u2019 sleep in some unforgettable stays, beautiful landscapes framed by the window of private transport and experiences you won\u2019t find anywhere else. It\u2019s that little extra beyond Basix, Original and Comfort.\u00a0\u00a0 If you see yourself as someone with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":130666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11760],"tags":[13433,565,17852],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-130665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adventure","tag-experiences","tag-premium","tag-trips"],"yoast_head":"\n1. Explore the best of southern South Africa<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
2. Sleep in a Kyrgyz yurt after a campfire dinner\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
3. Try on traditional Paloc attire in Holloko, Hungary<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-Morocco-Agafay-desert-camp-glamping-interior-tent-shutterstock-1394864552-1080.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n4. Stargaze in the desert alongside a local astronomer in Morocco<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
5.<\/strong> Experience Kist culture over lunch in Pankisi Valley<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
6. See Venice from above<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Intrepid-Travel-New-Zealand-South-Island-Kinross-Winery-Cellar-Door-4-1080.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n7. Chill out in a hot tub after wine tasting in New Zealand<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
8.<\/strong> Learn about island life from locals in the Greek Isles<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
9.<\/strong> Make ruou can in Vietnam\u2019s Mai Chau Valley<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n