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Intrepid Travel has released a mystery trip, inviting travellers to join a 14-day ‘Uncharted’ Expedition.
Starting in Harare, Zimbabwe and ending in Ile de Mozambique, travellers will have no knowledge of the journey they are about to embark on, encouraging them to embrace the unknown and relish in unexpected experiences along the way.
The Uncharted Expedition will be hosted by one of Intrepid’s most experienced leaders, and travellers can anticipate an immersive adventure where the journey is just as memorable as the destination. Travelling primarily by overland truck and staying in everything from tents to locally-owned hotels, travellers will swim in waterfalls, hike up mountains and connect with local people as they discover the region’s diverse culture, history and cuisine on the trip of a lifetime.
This mystery expedition comes off the back of new research from Intrepid that signals increasing demand for this type of travel.
When it comes to trip preparation, 87 per cent of people plan flights and accommodation in advance, followed by transport (60 per cent) and tourist attractions (48 per cent). Fewer prioritise food spots (26 per cent) or a daily itinerary (30 per cent), and 21 per cent plan a travel agent or tour, while 4 per cent don’t plan at all.
Online reviews play a significant role in decision-making, with 26 per cent always reading them before booking and 40 per cent doing so most of the time. Google Maps (54 per cent) and TripAdvisor or reviews (42 per cent) are the most relied upon tools while travelling, followed by social media (34 per cent), word of mouth from locals (34 per cent), and travel blogs (19 per cent).
Despite this tendency to plan, many travellers value spontaneity. While only 28 per cent identify as spontaneous travellers, 46 per cent say they’ve discovered something amazing on holiday by accident such as moments that ‘made the trip.’
However, barriers to spontaneous travel persist with 61 per cent saying they like being organised, 64 per cent cite budget concerns, 36 per cent point to life schedules, and 32 per cent experience anxiety about things going wrong. Still, 44 per cent say they wish they could travel more spontaneously in the future.
Planning clearly has its upsides, with 77 per cent saying their best-ever travel experience was planned well in advance, but the abundance of options can be overwhelming. In fact, 22 per cent say this stress made the planning process difficult, and 15 per cent said it even delayed or prevented them from booking. Nonetheless, 38 per cent enjoy having lots of options, and 19 per cent typically know exactly what they want.
In a world where all the information is at our fingertips, travellers are seeking to venture into the unknown in search of new and surprising experiences.
“We run trips in more than 120 countries and know our travellers always look to us to uncover new and exciting places to travel,” says Intrepid Travel general manager of experiences Erica Kritikides.
“This itinerary is intrepid in every sense of the word and I am confident that this will be our best mystery trip yet.”
This is the second ‘Uncharted’ expedition that Intrepid has run, having taken thirty-four travellers from around the world on two mystery trip departures from Kazakhstan to Mongolia in 2018, through the Altai region of Russia.
The trip was a huge success, with more than 1000 applications in 10 days and the first departure booking out in 16 hours.
The Uncharted concept is inspired by the same spirit that Intrepid was built on more than 35 years ago, when its co-founders would put classified ads in the newspaper looking for intrepid people to join them on ‘research trips’ to less-visited destinations.
“This mystery trip taps into the nostalgia of our earliest Intrepid trips, where every journey held an element of surprise and the unknown. It appeals to the most intrepid travellers – those with a sense of adventure who are prepared to take a leap of faith and go well beyond the beaten path,” Erica says.
The Uncharted Expedition will be available to book from June 25, with just two departures scheduled for July 29, 2026, and August 12, 2026.
There’s a different booking process for this trip – travellers must first register their interest through the booking form and they will be selected through a random draw, with 21 travelers per trip. The expedition costs $7,740 NZD and a good level of fitness is required.
The first ‘Uncharted’ departure on July 29, will be reserved exclusively for past Intrepid travellers who will receive early booking access.