Intrepid has cancelled the May 14 2026 departure of this trip due to insufficient bookings.
If you were booked on this departure, Intrepid will be in touch directly with rebooking options. The next available departure is June 11 2026.
If you marked yourself as interested or going for May 2026 on Wannago, you may want to update your departure status.
I just got back from the Classic Inca Trail with Intrepid Travel and wanted to share what really helped me deal with altitude sickness, since I was pretty worried about it beforehand.
Before the trek:
Arrived in Cusco 3 days early to acclimatize (this was crucial!)
Took it super easy the first 2 days - just walked around slowly, no strenuous activities
Drank coca tea at the hotel every morning and evening
Stayed really hydrated - like 4-5 liters of water per day
What I packed:
Diamox (altitude sickness medication) - got it prescribed before I left
Ibuprofen for headaches
Electrolyte tablets for my water bottle
Coca leaves (bought in Cusco - way cheaper than at home)
During the trek:
Started taking Diamox 2 days before we began hiking
Our guide was amazing at setting a "pole pole" (slowly slowly) pace
Forced myself to drink water even when I wasn't thirsty
The coca leaves actually did help with the headaches
What surprised me:
Day 2 (Dead Woman's Pass at 4,215m) was tough but manageable with proper pacing
Sleeping at altitude was harder than hiking - bring earplugs!
The guides carry oxygen tanks just in case (never needed it but good to know)
My advice:
Don't skip the acclimatization days in Cusco - I saw people who flew in the day before really struggling
Listen to your body - there's no shame in taking breaks
The porters and guides know their stuff - trust them when they tell you to slow down
Anyone else doing this trek soon? Happy to answer questions! The whole experience was incredible and totally worth the preparation.
The G Adventures listing says "moderate" physical grade for the Iceland Waterfalls and Hot Springs trip but I've found that can mean very different things depending on the trip.
I'm reasonably fit but not a hardcore hiker, I do weekend walks, nothing technical. Are we talking proper mountain terrain with altitude gain or more like scenic strolls between waterfalls?
Also curious if anyone has done this in late September, is the weather still manageable or does it start getting genuinely grim?
Planning this trip for May and pretty close to booking. Have read through the experiences here which helped a lot, thank you everyone.
One thing I can't figure out: the itinerary doesn't spend much time in Tokyo and also ends before you get deep into Kyoto. We can add about 3 extra days but can't do both ends because of flights.
For people who added days — did you get more value from arriving early in Tokyo or staying on after for Kyoto and Osaka? Trying to pick the more useful end.
Considering the Winter in Iceland trip mainly for the northern lights. But I've heard enough stories of people going specifically for them and coming back disappointed that I want a realistic picture before booking.
What's the actual probability on a 7 day trip in January or February? Is there a night specifically dedicated to lights hunting or is it more opportunistic? And if cloud cover kills it the whole week, is the trip still worth doing without them?
The Local Living Italy Sorrento trip interests me because I'm burned out on the rush-everywhere style of group travel. But trying to understand what "local living" actually means in practice vs just being a marketing phrase.
Like, are you genuinely based in one place for the week with day trips? How does the cooking class work, is it a proper hands-on thing or watching a chef demonstrate? And is the group generally older and more mellow or is it the same mix as standard G Adventures tours?
Booked the Colombia Andean Vistas trip for later this year and pretty nervous about the language barrier tbh. My Spanish is basically zero, can say please, thank you, and order a beer.
The itinerary hits Medellin, Guatape and the Caribbean coast. Is the CEO good at translating during activities or are you kind of on your own during free time? And in Cartagena specifically, is English widely spoken enough to get by in restaurants and shops?
Not looking for someone to hold my hand, just want to know if I should be cramming Duolingo for the next 3 months.
Looking at Highlights of Italy and trying to figure out how much breathing room there is. The itinerary lists Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre and Venice but I can't tell from the description whether it's a rush-through or whether you actually get time to sit in a piazza and do nothing for an hour.
I've been to Rome before so less worried about missing the big sights, more curious if there's time to just wander, get lost, find a good lunch on my own.
Also is Cinque Terre an overnight or just a day visit? The listing isn't clear on this.
