Intrepid Travel proves sisters are doing it for themselves

In light of the female-led movements popping up across the globe over the past year, it seems fairly on point that a tour company would begin offering women’s tours about women, for women, with women.
Oh, and did we mention what’s on tomorrow? That’s right folks, it’s International Women’s Day.
So who are the trailblazing company offering these incredible tours? Intrepid Travel of course.
Intrepid has developed a new line of women-only expeditions in Morocco, Iran and Jordan, encouraging female empowerment and showcasing the traditions and routines of local women in each destination.
The limited-edition tours will be available to book from March 8, 2018, recognised globally as International Women’s Day.
The itineraries, each guided by female tour leaders, will break the barriers of traditional tourism in these locales, offering a deeper understanding of female culture in each Middle Eastern nation.
The trips will expose female travellers to a range of fascinating local women – young, old, religious, conservative, rural, modern and liberal – while respecting traditional cultural values.
“With all the hallmarks of a classic Intrepid Travel adventure – local leadership, local transport, real life experiences – and an added focus on female travel and female empowerment, this new line of Women’s Expeditions offers a unique opportunity,” said Jenny Gray, regional product manager for the Middle East and Africa.
“Female travellers from around the world [can] connect with each other and learn more about Middle Eastern women and their day-to-day lives.”
“While Intrepid Travel believes in inclusiveness at all levels of our company, these female-led, women-only expeditions offer a socially responsible and culturally sensitive way for travellers to access female-only establishments, experiences and customs in these traditionally conservative countries.”
The Women’s Expeditions include:
During this unforgettable journey to the remote and less-travelled reaches of Morocco, travellers will visit the bustling city of Marrakech before breaking bread with Berber families in their private homes, seeing how an artist co-op is empowering female rug-weavers in small villages, witnessing the verdant beauty of the far-flung Bougmez Valley, and experiencing a traditional hammam with local women. Prices start at $1,090.
On this eight-day adventure, travellers will spend a night in Wadi Rum to learn the ancient art of Henna with traditional Bedouin Ladies, discover how Kohl has been used for years – not just as a beauty product – but to protect the eyes from the harsh desert sands, enjoy an afternoon at a local ladies-only beach at the Dead Sea, learn the art of Arabic cooking in a local home with a female host, enjoy afternoon tea with local women, and spend time with a female shepherd. Prices start at $2,125
Travellers will step inside the hidden world of an Iranian beauty salon, wander through a female-only park, take a yoga class with local women, travel by public transport in the female-only carriage of the metro, local buses and an overnight train, immerse themselves in rural nomadic life with a female host in a remote homestay with the Qashqai people, meet young female entrepreneurs, and shop, cook and learn secret recipes. Prices start at $3,495
Intrepid Travel’s commitment to women’s equality extends beyond the new line of Women’s Expeditions; the company is committed to diversity and inclusion at all levels of the business, with the ultimate goal of doubling its number of female tour leaders globally by 2020.
“While this may not be a difficult target in many countries, in traditional societies recruiting women is a much greater challenge,” said Gray.
The company has already made great progress, for the first time ever achieving a 50/50 gender split in the intake of new leaders hired in India, made possible by proactively advertising for female applicants, creating targeted social campaigns, and educating women’s families on the importance and positive attributes of female employment.
As a result of these efforts, Intrepid now employs a passionate group of 11 female tour leaders in the country who are eager to pave the way towards gender equality in Indian tourism.
“We recognise that these progressive movements don’t happen overnight. There’s still a long way to go, but through our ongoing efforts and by launching these new expeditions, we’re making encouraging progress in promoting women’s independence and boosting female employment around the world.
“It’s a core value of Intrepid and something that we are constantly working to improve.”
While the Women’s Expeditions are currently only open to female travellers due to certain cultural restrictions and societal norms, those who are interested in travelling to these destinations on a similar itinerary are encouraged to explore Intrepid Travel’s full range of tours in Morocco, Jordan and Iran at www.intrepidtravel.com.
For more information about the Women’s Expeditions, or to book, visit:
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/womens-expeditions.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
female intrepid intrepid travel iran morocco travel womenLatest News

Sydney Airport welcomes daily flights from Hong Kong Airlines
To top it all off, it looks like the representatives scored a cracker of a day for the celebratory photo!

Collette’s Karen Deveson on what Aussies really want from luxury
For Aussies, we're a little bit more laid back when it comes to luxury. No gold-plated cars for us, thanks!

Intrepid Travel partners with Helloworld Travel for exclusive food tour with Luke Nguyen
Vietnamese is one of our favourite cuisines, so we're headed to the Bánh mì shop for lunch in celebration.

Quark Expeditions opens its Antarctic 2026/27 season
You'd have to be Quarking mad to not have a trip like this on your bucket list.

Federal government to purchase REX Airlines if no buyers arise, Albanese says
News that is sure to ruffle some feathers in the offices of competing airlines this morning, but we're all for it!

Topdeck discounts select 2025-26 trips with up to $1,000 off
Knowing my Gen Z sister, that $1,000 saved would be headed straight to the shopping fund.

Windstar Cruises unveils ‘Basil + Bamboo’ on Star Seeker yacht
Don't worry, we're talking about a restaurant here, not the materials used to build the stunning yacht.

Club Med announces Manveer Ramdhian as new MICE manager in Pacific
With so much on offer at a Club Med resort, Manveer's biggest task might be getting delegates to sessions on time.

Captain Cook Cruises celebrates 55 years of excellence on the water in the habour city
With a view like Sydney Harbour as your office this would be a hard job to leave.

TravelManagers’ Michael Gazal: ‘Agents are spending a lot of time on bespoke trips’
If you haven't already thrown out your cookie cutter mentality, please do so now.

JP Morgan Chase grows travel offering with tech partnership
Our inner bohemian spirit strongly objects to buying travel from an investment bank. #sorrynotsorry

Helloworld celebrates Valentines Day with Air Ticket sale
Nothing gets travel agents' hearts fluttering more than discounted air fares. It is a love language.

Agents return from Sno’n’Ski Whistler and Vancouver famil
If you want to be really jealous this lunchtime, check out what these four agents got up to in Vancouver.

2025 Taipei Lantern Festival lights up Ximending
We hope our boss currently on the ground is as impressed with the snake lantern in person as we are behind the screen.

Numbers reveal how hard it REALLY is to become ATIA accredited
If you have ever failed to be accredited by ATIA then this article will make you feel better. Dust off that form!

Travel agent STILL waiting on $15k Bamboo Airways refund 16 MONTHS after carrier left Australia
This has motivated us to stop complaining about the time we got one less chicken nugget than expected.

AIME 2025 is underway!
If you're headed down to AIME we hope you brought your networking shoes because it's going to be big!

dnata spends $17m on inflight catering centre at Western Sydney Airport
Airline food has come a long was from the days you would be given a dry roll and a long strip of cheese. Time for lunch?

AYANA Bali invites guests to experience the Sacred Day of Silence
When our Balinese taxi driver informed us that it was 'time to be silent', we just assumed we were talking too much.

Brand USA launches inaugural ‘Ambassador Panel’ for ANZ agents
Interested agents need to send in a video of them singing 'Born in the USA'. Okay we made that up...

Experience Co. calls on marketing expertise of Unique Tourism Collection for Wild Bush Luxury
You no longer need to choose between experiencing bush or experiencing luxury. You can do both!

Deserts, dates and doors: Inside the secret Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
For a trip that talks the talk, we can assure you, it certainly walks the walk!

Paw-Patrol returns to Reflections Bermagui as groups boasts $3.5m economic boost
Be careful where you leave your lunch around this holiday park, there will be plenty of noses paying attention.

IAAPA Expo Asia 2025 opens exhibitor registration
The IAAPA Expo Asia, the premier amusement industry trade show in the Asia-Pacific, has opened exhibitor registrations for its 2025 event on 30 June to 3 July in Shanghai. This international extravaganza showcases the newest technological advancements and innovative solutions in the attractions industry from more than 300 exhibitors, with over 10,000 attendees expected to […]

Aussies lead the way as Singapore announces record-breaking tourism spend
As an Aussie that visited Marina Bay Sands in 2024, we like to think we did our bit.

Club Med launches second opening of its Early Bird Sale 2026
Proof that the early bird does come around twice if you hang about long enough.

Artyzen Hospitality Group announces plans for first luxury lifestyle property in Xi’an, China
Having tried Singapore, we're now all the more interested in Xi'an, China!

Cathay Pacific partners with Mott 32 for fine dining at Hong Kong Airport
It certainly beats waiting for our flight at the airport's Burger King.

Japan National Tourism Organization hosts agency events in Perth and Sydney
Trust us, Aussies don't need even more reasons to visit Japan. We're already sold!

Riverside Luxury Cruises names Susie Coughlin as ANZ sales and marketing lead
We wonder if Susie ever imagined how big the river cruise market would get when she started out in the industry.

Cathay Pacific offers rugby fans the chance to fly to Hong Kong
Non rugby fans are also open to being flown to Hong Kong. Just putting it out there...

Ski expert Gary Clark on the real reason everybody is obsessed with ice baths
We all know that the real reason is that it looks good on Instagram.

Marriott International grows Asia Pacific portfolio by 12% with focus on midscale and luxury
The APAC luxury market shows no sign of slowing down.

APT unveils brand-new tour including a visit to remote British island
Forget Big Ben, be the envy of your pals with a trip to places they certainly wouldn't have been.

Air New Zealand addresses engine shortage concerns with aircraft leasing plan
If you're looking for stocks to invest in, aircraft manufacturing looks like a good bet.

Ibis partners with Globetrender to reveal 25 ways Gen Y and Z will travel in 2025
If you can complete the list you'll be going at a rate of one trip every two weeks, and we'd be pretty envious!