Intrepid Travel – the B Corp certified leader in responsible travel – is relaunching its range of Women's Expeditions with new and redesigned tours in time for International Women's Day.

The new Women's Expeditions are designed to support and empower communities in Peru, India, Iran, Morocco, and Jordan that have been deeply affected by the pandemic.

As reported by UNWTO, women in the global travel sector have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.  Since they tend to work in low-skilled or informal jobs, they have less access to government support and a reduced capacity to absorb the economic impact of the pandemic.

Guided by local female tour leaders, Women's Expeditions were created to offer travellers an insight into the daily lives and challenges of women in other countries. They offer experiences that wouldn't be possible with men in the group, such as visiting a beauty salon in Iran or travelling in a women-only train carriage.  The tours aim to challenge traditional gender boundaries in tourism and encourage female empowerment around the world.

After initially launching as a limited-edition range in 2018 with tours in Morocco, Jordan and Iran, the trips became some of the most popular in the company's 30+ year history, prompting Intrepid to add tours in Turkey, Kenya, India and Nepal in 2019. Having been on pause due to the pandemic since early 2020, Intrepid will now reintroduce them in countries that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Intrepid's newly reimagined Women's Expeditions will include:

• NEW: Peru Women's Expedition (8 days, from £1,110 per person)

Travellers will follow in the footsteps of the Incas as they spend four days trekking the iconic Inca trail, accompanied by female porters, a role traditionally held by men, to visit Machu Picchu, hearing how history unfolded here from a female perspective. They'll also take a walking tour of downtown Lima and visit a food stall, meeting the female owner to hear how the business has supported her children's education. Visitors will learn about traditional techniques and the importance of weaving to the women of the Umasbamba community in the Sacred Valley, and dine at Mama Seledonia's in Cusco, a restaurant that supports single mothers from underprivileged backgrounds by providing employment and culinary training.

• India Women's Expedition (12 days, from £845 per person)
  Visitors will travel by public transport in the female-only carriage of the Delhi Metro and explore the colorful bazaars and architectural delights of Old Delhi. They'll head out into the remote dunes of the Thar Desert to spend a night under the stars with traditional food and dance performances by the local women – while the men go off and cook dinner. They'll also jump on board the eye-catching pink rickshaws of Pink City Rickshaw Co, a non-profit, for a city tour. Not only did more women lose their jobs in India due to COVID-19 than men, but fewer are returning. Data shows there are 22% fewer women employed in India in 2021 than in 2019. The tourism industry in the country has long been male-dominated, and it is important to continue advocating for more opportunities for women in travel and tourism.

• Iran Women's Expedition (12 days, from £1,695 per person)

Travellers will step inside the hidden world of an Iranian beauty salon, wander through a women-only park, and travel by public transport in the women-only carriage of the metro, local buses and an overnight train. They'll experience rural nomadic life with Qashqai people, meet female entrepreneurs and learn secret recipes from those in the know. This trip will expose visitors to a range of fascinating local women – young and old, religious and secular, conservative and liberal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women in Iran, where women's economic participation has dropped 20%. This trip shows the power of tourism as a force for good and as an economic driver in Iran's recovery.

• Morocco Women's Expedition (8 days, from £830 per person)

On this trip, travellers will make their way through the ancient medina of Marrakech, through the labyrinth of pathways, shops and riads, until they arrive at Zineb's doorstep for a home-cooked meal. Before the pandemic, Zineb was using her hospitality and passion for food to achieve some financial independence and is now finally ready to welcome travellers into her home again to share a meal with her family. Travellers will also break bread with Berber families in private homes in remote areas, see how an artist co-op is empowering female rug-weavers in small villages, take in the verdant beauty of the far-flung M'goun Valley, and enjoy the singing and dancing of Moroccan women in cultural ceremonies in small villages.

• Jordan Women's Expedition (8 days, from £1,465 per person)
  Travellers will spend a night in Wadi Rum and learn the traditional art of henna with Bedouin women, and discover how kohl has been used for years not just as a beauty product but to protect the eyes from the harsh desert sands. They'll spend an afternoon at a local female-only beach, discover the Dead Sea, and visit stunning Petra. Visitors will also learn the art of Arabic cooking with their local host in her home and join a local female shepherd for a mezze breakfast where they'll learn about her life, what a day as a female Jordanian shepherd is like, and how it has changed over the centuries.

“Relaunching Women's Expeditions is a significant and exciting step forward for Intrepid Travel, enabling us to continue our support for some truly inspirational women who rely on tourism to support themselves, their families and their communities – many of whom suffered greatly because of the COVID-19 pandemic and are eager to welcome tourists back,” said Erica Kritikides, General Manager of Global Product at Intrepid Travel.

For more information on Intrepid Travel's Women's Expeditions, visit: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/womens-expeditions.

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ABOUT INTREPID TRAVEL   
Intrepid Travel is a world leader in sustainable experience-rich travel that has been taking travellers to discover the world's most amazing places for more than 30 years. The company's mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel. The company offers more than 1,150 trips on every continent and every is designed to truly experience local culture. With its own network of destination management companies in 23 countries, Intrepid has unique local expertise and perspectives. Globally renowned as a leader in responsible travel, in 2018 the carbon-neutral business became the world's largest travel company to be certified B-Corp. Intrepid Travel is the only global tour operator with verified science-based carbon reduction targets and its not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation, has raised more than $11 million for more than 130 charities around the world. For further information download the company's 2020 Integrated Annual Report and follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.