I enjoy traveling, but I don’t always enjoy planning every detail of a trip. Although learning about a new destination is exciting, choosing a restaurant for every meal, picking hotels, and figuring out how to get from place to place can be trying. As a busy working Mom, I just don’t have the time. To ensure my family had a great trip to my dream destination of Jordan without spending weeks planning, I booked a small group family tour.
Why Intrepid?
Here’s why I chose Intrepid Travel:
- Family-Focused Tours: They offer tours specifically designed for families.
- Small Group Sizes: Intrepid runs all small group trips, usually with no more than 15 people. This was important to me because I wanted to get personalized attention from our guide
- Local Guides: Because Intrepid uses local guides, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about language barriers or difficulty navigating a different culture.
- Experience: They’ve been in business for 35 years, so I figured they must be doing something right!
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The Booking Process
Booking the trip was super easy! The only thing I was on my own for was packing!
Here’s how it went:
- Almost everything was handled: Intrepid took care of nearly every detail.
- Bucket list destinations secured: All plans to see my bucket list destinations, including Petra, the Dead Sea, the Red Sea, and Wadi Rum were all taken care of for me.
- Pre-tour arrangements made: Intrepid booked a hotel room for the night before the tour and even a taxi from the airport.
- Flights were my choice: I booked my own flights using miles, but Intrepid could have helped if I’d wanted them to.
How Our Tour Guide Helped Us Get to Know Our Fellow Travelers
Our guide, Mohammad, was fantastic at making everything smooth!
- Quick Introductions: He made sure all the families on the tour got to know each other right away.
- Family Meeting Kick-off: He kicked off our tour with a family meeting, where we introduced ourselves, reviewed the week’s itinerary, and answered questions.
- Cultural Immersion and Bonding: After the meeting, we enjoyed a traditional Jordanian meal, learning about the local food, culture, and customs, which also helped the kids and adults get to know each other better.
- Putting Everyone at Ease: Although I was initially uneasy about spending a week with complete strangers, Mohammad did a great job of putting everyone at ease right away.
Why the Activity Mix Worked
My tour was perfectly planned for families!
- Diverse Activities: There was a great mix of historical sites, outdoor adventures, and hands-on cultural events.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: My kids especially loved all the hikes and sliding down sand dunes.
- Balanced Days: Intrepid did a fantastic job ensuring both kids and adults had a blast without over-scheduling our days. This was super important for my family since my kids needed some unscheduled downtime every day.
- Comfortable Travel: We used a comfortable mini-bus and never drove more than a few hours at a time, which was great.
How the Tour Provided Flexibility
When I travel, I like to explore and change plans spur of the moment. I was worried that a planned tour wouldn’t offer enough time for spontaneity, but Intrepid proved me wrong!
- Ample Free Time: There was plenty of flexibility built into the tour.
- Time for What You Want: While one family opted for card games during unscheduled times, my family used it to find even more activities.
- Unexpected Adventures: We managed to squeeze in a sunrise camel ride in the Wadi Rum desert and snorkeled in the Red Sea, even though these weren’t on the original itinerary.
- Guide’s Support: Our guide was a huge help, assisting us every step of the way with our last-minute additions!
Why Traveling with Other Families Was Good
When the trip started, I wasn’t sure what it would be like to travel with other families. However, the other families wound up being a highlight of our trip.
- Help with Childcare: Once, when I wanted to go on a long hike, my daughter was able to stay behind with another family.
- Adult Company: Although I love my family, I appreciated having other adults to talk to. My kids also liked having other kids to play with.
- Kid Connections: My kids loved having other children to play with, too!
- Respect for Space: Sometimes, my family wanted to be on our own. When that happened, no one was offended, and the other families gave us space.
Was Using Intrepid Worth It?
Absolutely! While the group tour wasn’t exactly what I’d have planned myself, the trade-offs were well worth it.
- Comprehensive Coverage with Flexibility: Intrepid ensured my family covered all the significant sites in Jordan while leaving us with enough flexibility to book other activities that weren’t included in the tour.
- Invaluable Guide: Having a guide who was super knowledgeable and always available, and who took care of every single detail, was invaluable.
- Deeper Experience: Our guide really added so much depth to our experience. He allowed us to see and learn more than we could have on our own.
- Repeat Customer: I had such a great time that I planned another Intrepid family tour – to Japan!
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