Considering booking your dream tour but having trouble deciding between Intrepid and Peregrine? We’ve got you covered! Read on to contrast and compare both operators, and get a better idea of which one is best suited to you.
Group size, age requirements and travel styles
Both Intrepid and Peregrine operate under Intrepid Group, but Peregrine is a more upscale operator with a focus on premium and luxurious experiences.
Intrepid allows a wide range of travellers on their tours, including those who are under the age of 18. They also offer Family Adventure styles of travel that have a range of minimum ages depending on the destination and level of difficulty.
While most trips are available to travellers 15-years-old and up, all travellers under the age of 18 must have an adult accompany them.
Intrepid does have a youth-orientated travel brand called Geckos, with tours that are available only to 18 to 35-year-olds and are budget-friendly. Other than Geckos trips, there is no maximum age limit on most tours.
The average Intrepid tour has 10 travellers but allows up to 16 on overland trips, though most max out at 12 people. They do also have some trips that allow up to 24 travellers.
Peregrine is for travellers who aren’t restricted by a budget. The operator has no formal age restrictions but considering that it is a premium brand, most travellers are between ages 40 to 60. The group sizes are quite small, with the average group being about 10 people, and never more than 16.
The smaller group sizes allow for personal experiences and quicker travel between destinations, as well as access to destinations where larger groups may be turned away. Travel styles vary from gourmet, polar, walking and trekking and wildlife themed tours. Both operators use local guides and accommodations when possible.
Physical requirements
Intrepid has Cycling and Walking & Trekking tours that require you to be in good physical shape. You can expect to be working your muscles every day on one of these tours!
While Intrepid’s Overland trips don’t focus as heavily on constant physical activity, they do recommend that you are reasonably fit in order to fully participate in this trip style.
Peregrine has similar travel styles as most of Intrepid’s general tours but for the most part, nearly all their tours require an average level of fitness. They have a physical rating system from 1 to 5 with 5 requiring travellers to be seriously fit in order to enjoy the tour comfortably and safely.
Accommodation
The standard of accommodation will vary with Intrepid’s general tours, depending on the type of trip you decide to take. For example, nearly all tours will include air-conditioning and heating but if you’re travelling to a rural destination or a homestay you should adjust your expectations for the facilities.
Something worth noting is that Intrepid never charges mandatory single supplements for individual travellers. You will be paired with a traveller of the same gender to share a room with, otherwise, if you would like to request a room to yourself, you may be able to at an extra cost (dependant on availability).
Peregrine boasts hand-picked accommodations where amenities and location are given top priorities. They look for key things like private bathrooms, air-conditioning, and, of course, convenient locations. They want to ensure you don’t spend a lot of time commuting so they’ll always find quality hotels brimming with character. If you’re travelling alone and want a separate room, you will have to pay a single supplement.
Transportation
Intrepid uses a combination of private buses and public transit to get you where you need to go. Most of Intrepid’s Overland trips have vehicles that come with their own power supply so you’re able to to recharge your devices on board.
Peregrine stresses elegance and comfort when it comes to their transportation styles. Most transportation will be private on air-conditioned minibuses with modern safety features. They will take you on unique local transport from time to time, such as a catamaran in the Galapagos.
Destinations
Both Intrepid and Peregrine have tours to North America, Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa, South America and Central America and the Middle East.
Intrepid does have a slightly broader selection of tours available.
Cost
Intrepid is slightly more affordable for budget travellers with their average price per day costing approximately USD $242. The accommodations are rated anywhere between 2.5 to 3.5 stars, but you’ll likely find cheaper rates for tours with Intrepid’s Southeast Asia trips.
Peregrine is a luxury brand, and their average price per day is roughly USD $662. The reasons for the higher price are many, but in short: accommodations are a minimum of 4 stars, your transportation is always private and there are many premium inclusions.
Looking for more info? Find reviews for Intrepid Travel here and reviews for Peregrine here.
