• New 'bikepacking' style tours inspired by Rio Olympics
• New solo tours as survey results show demand for experiential solo travel
• Iran and Oman become more accessible

Intrepid Travel, which has a wide range of off the beaten track tours in more than 100 countries, has revealed its top travel trends and new tours for 2017. These range from a new foodie tour in South Korea to meet the growing appetite for Korean cuisine to new cycling trips as Brits look to stay active on holiday.  The full range of Intrepid Travel tours can be seen at: www.intrepidtravel.com  

Solo travel is on the up

According to a recent survey for Intrepid Travel, 40% of people have no reservations about travelling alone and two thirds of people believe it is more acceptable to travel alone now than it was a decade ago. However, 30% of respondents were worried they would get bored travelling by themselves. To target this market and combat the qualms of travelling alone, Intrepid Travel has introduced three dedicated solo-only trips having seen a 38% increase over the last five years in travellers deciding to go it alone on group tours. An example of one of the solo tours is the nine day Café Colombia tour. Highlights of this trip include a tour of a working coffee plantation, exploring the charming Salento and enjoying the coastal splendors. The tour finishes with time to relax in Cartagena; a historic town with cobblestone streets and 16th century squares.  The trip costs from £992 per person including accommodation, most meals and all activities. The trip departs on 11 March 2017.

Korean food comes to the forefront of the culinary agenda

Korean restaurants are fast popping up all over the UK and the cuisine is popular for those wanting something less greasy than Chinese, less spicy than Thai and lighter than Indian. Intrepid Travel has just launched an eight day Real Food Adventure in South Korea designed by a Korean food blogger to take visitors to the heart and soul of Korean food. The tour will discover the real KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) in Seoul, learn how to make bibimbap in Jeonju, tuck into Buddhist fare on an overnight monastery stay in Gyeongju and gobble up street food in Busan. There will also be a taste of Korea's emerging craft beer scene at one of Busan's top breweries. The trip costs from £1,258 per person including accommodation, most meals and all activities. There are six departures between April and October 2017. 

Olympics inspires new generation of cycling enthusiasts

Riding on the success of the Rio Olympics, Intrepid Travel has launched a new range of Real Cycling Adventures that combine leisure activities with grassroots experiences that are only accessible on two-wheels. Tying in with the new 'bikepacking' trend, the Real Cycling Adventures, which are offered in 17 destinations, are not just for the 'lycra-army' and welcome all physical abilities; from veteran cyclists to people who just like to take it easy on two- wheels. One of the new cycling tours is a 13 day Maasai guided ride into the heartlands of Tanzania. Travellers will be among the world's first tour group to cycle in Tanzania's Arusha National Park. The group will cover a total distance of 112km on their bikes whilst pedaling from the park gate to Momella, Masai village and Karatu. The tour costs from £1,940 per person including all meals, accommodation and domestic travel. There are eight departure dates in 2017.

South America opens up with British Airways' lengthiest route

From January, British Airways will fly straight from London Heathrow to Santiago in Chile.  With a flight time of 14 hours 40 minutes, Santiago will become British Airways' lengthiest route and will open the gateway to those wanting to travel quickly to South America's western countries.  Intrepid Travel offers a three day Bitesize Break Santiago where visitors can discover cool local bars, try their hand at salsa, see the historic sights and head out into the stunning Chilean countryside to rustle up some South American specialties with a local family. The tour costs from £425 per person including domestic transport, activities and accommodation.  Those looking to explore more of South America can trave;  from Santiago across the Andes to Buenos Aires. Starting in Santiago, this 8-day tour travels through the Mendoza wine region for numerous tastings, visits a traditional Argentinian estancia to see the daily routines and duties of a gaucho and experiences the culture and nightlife of cosmopolitan Buenos Aires. The tour costs from £1,570 per person including accommodation, most meals and activities. 

A resilient market for Iran

Iran became more accessible to UK consumers this year with the re-introduction of British Airways' flight to Tehran in September 2016 after a four year absence. Most itineraries explore the country's main tourist highlights but Intrepid offers a more unusual eight day Northern Iran Explorer. This travels to the unusual dome-roofed bazaar in Tabriz, which is also the longest bazaar in the world; meets Sufis in the tomb of Sufi master Sheikh Safi, sees the scenic mix of forests, mountains and water on a cruise alongside the Caspian Sea and visits the world heritage churches in Jolfa and the volcanic rock houses of Kandovan. The tour costs from £1,585 including accommodation, domestic transport and some meals.  Departures are on 15th April and 16th September. 

Oman becomes more accessible

Oman is emerging as one of the most attractive tourism destinations on the Arabian Peninsula, particularly with British Airways launching a direct flight to Muscat and Oman Air introducing a daily direct flight from Manchester in April 2017. The country separates itself from the type of tourism offered by Dubai which mainly focuses on sun, sea, sand and shopping by welcoming visitors to explore its fascinating history and beautiful landscapes. Intrepid offers a new eight day Discover Oman tour travelling from portside Muscat and Muttrah into the heart of Oman's richly coloured past. Discover the awesome Islamic forts, age-old mud-brick houses, and silver and spice filled souqs that makes this Middle Eastern jewel such a feast for the senses. There is also a visit to the remote landscapes of Wahiba Sands for a desert getaway with the Bedouins and a look at the breathtaking canyon views at Jebel Shams. The trip costs from £1,535 per person including accommodation, most meals and all activities. Regular departures from February to October.

Wellness and adrenaline come hand in hand

Wellness travel initially focused around stress reducing spa, yoga and meditation. Wellness is now paired with more high-adrenaline travel activities such as surfing. According to Spafinder Wellness, the top wellness trends include being immersed in more local, indigenous cultural experiences and seeking exotic, off-the-beaten path destinations. Intrepid Travel offers a 12 day Yoga and Bollywood trip to India, combining the iconic sites of the Golden Triangle with a taste of Bollywood and a chance to practice yoga in a spectacular setting.  The tour will join in the colour and fun of a Bollywood dance class with a local instructor in Delhi and visit a local cinema in Jaipur to watch a Bollywood film. Nicknamed the Yoga Capital of the World, Rishikech in the stunning footballs of the Himalaya is the perfect place to seek a little enlightenment.  During the three days here, guests will practice yoga on the banks of the sacred Ganges and go on walks through the jungle to nearby waterfalls and caves. The trip costs from £795 per person including accommodation, activities and some meals. Eight departures available in 2017. 

Join A list actors in Iceland

Iceland has been the backdrop for many films throughout the year from Walter Mitty to Star Wars.  In 2017 the popular Fortitude TV series comes back to the screens as well as the release of set-to-be-blockbuster, Justice League with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, both of which have been filmed in Iceland. 

Icelandic scenes can be seen on Intrepid's new five day Iceland Express tour including fjords, glaciers, volcanoes, black sands and thermal springs. Highlights will include seeing the gap between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, hiking to Europe's biggest glacier, gazing at blue-white icebergs at the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and the incredible waterfall of Svartifoss in Skaftafell National Park. The tour costs from £755 including accommodation, most meals and domestic transport.  Departures available in June, July and August 2017.

Sailing adventures become more affordable with new Intrepid trips

Intrepid has just launched a series of new sailing trips offering an affordable way to see far-flung and exclusive destinations in a more authentic manner. The seven night Zanzibar Spice Islands Sailing Adventure costs just over £1,000 and travels through the Zanzibar archipelago with a dazzling array of coral reefs to snorkel, rainforests to explore and fishing villages to visit. Highlights include a stop for a hike through the Ngezi Rainforest, a visit to a local fishing village for some cultural interaction and a BBQ dinner of freshly caught fish while watching a stunning sunset. There is also a new seven night Gili Islands Sailing Adventure for £1,100 per person and a nine day Burma Sailing Experience for £1,470 per person. Tours include transport, most meals and on boat accommodation.

Great Wall of China to be centre stage of new blockbuster

2017 will see the release of The Great Wall, a set-to-be-blockbuster starring Matt Daemon and focused on the construction of the Great Wall of China. Those inspired to see this New Wonder of The World can join Intrepid's Great Wall Marathon expedition trip in April, offering a Great Wall experience like no other.  The nine day trip gives visitors the chance to run along 10km on the wall with the choice of a 10km, half or full marathon. Other highlights include a night in a family-run guesthouse in the countryside near the Great Wall, seeing the Terracotta Warriors, experiencing Beijing's Forbidden City, a bike ride around the ancient city walls of Silk-Road era Xi'an and a post marathon traditional reflexology foot massage. The tour costs from £1,020 per person including accommodation, domestic transport and activities.  Tour departs on 14th April.  

For more information about Intrepid Travel visit www.intrepidtravel.com/uk 

- Ends -

Media Enquiries:

The Brighter Group intrepid@brightergroup.com 

Intrepid Travel team: Arwen Sellick, Amelia Williams, Fiona Watson and Amy Skelding 020 7326 9880

About Intrepid Travel:

Intrepid Travel has been taking people off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 27 years. The Melbourne-based adventure travel company is part of the Intrepid Group, the world's largest provider of adventure travel experiences. Intrepid offers more than 1,500 trips in more than 100 countries and on every continent. Trips are designed to truly explore local culture, meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation. Award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and lots of included activities means travellers are able to have a sustainable local experience that is great value for money.