Contiki or Intrepid? We compare two major travel companies to determine which is a better fit for you.
Both Contiki and Intrepid offer world-class tours with unique travel style options. Contiki mostly attracts young adults while Intrepid provides tours for all adults. There are several differences between the companies that may play a crucial role in your decision-making.
Go through our clear and detailed comparison guide for useful insights that will help you pick the right one for you.
Contiki vs Intrepid
| Feature | Contiki | Intrepid | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| What tours are available? |
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| Intrepid offers tours worldwide while Contiki doesn’t operate in Central America, Africa, the Middle East and polar regions. |
| Do tours include flights? | Flights to and from the start/end point not included | Flights to and from the start/end point not included | Neither include flights |
| Can I price match? | No | No | Neither provide price matching |
| Are lay-by or payment plans available? | A booking deposit of $255 per person is required to book your spot. The remaining amount needs to be paid 45 days from the start of the tour. | A deposit of $400 is required to confirm your place. The full payment is due 56 days prior to departure. | Intrepid requires a higher deposit amount and allows less time to make the full payment. |
| Are there booking/charge fees? | No | No | Neither charge booking fees. |
| Is there online chat? | No | No | Neither offer live chat. |
| Is there a loyalty scheme? | 5% off on subsequent trips with Contiki or its sister groups – Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Uniworld River Cruises, Intrepid, Haggis Adventure, Shamrocker Adventures, Lion World Travel, African Travel, Brendan Vacations and AAT Kings. Valid only if the previous trip is 7+ days long. | $2,200 travel credit after nine trips with Intrepid or its sister brands – Geckos Adventures, Peregrine, The Family Adventure Company and Adventure Tours Australia. | Loyalty discount on Contiki can be redeemed from the second trip onwards. |
| What ages is it for? | Only for 18-35 year olds. | Available for all travellers above 15 years of age. Minors need to be accompanied by adults. | Intrepid offers tours to a wider age group. |
| Is there a single supplement? | Yes, at an additional cost. | Yes, at an additional cost. | Both offer an optional single supplement. |
| What are my payment options? |
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| Contiki has an additional payment option through American Express. |
Who offers the best price?
We researched several tours with comparable itineraries on Contiki and Intrepid, and found that Intrepid tours are costlier than Contiki’s. For example, at the time of writing an 11-day tour from Los Angeles to San Francisco starts from $1,988 on Contiki, while a tour with similar itinerary costs $2,450 on Intrepid.
The verdict: Contiki offers cheaper tours due to larger group sizes than Intrepid.
Which offers a wider range of tours?
At the time of writing, Contiki is offering 335 tours while Intrepid has 800+ tours as it accepts a wider age group and has multiple travel themes.
The verdict: Intrepid offers more tours.
Any other differences worth noting?
Cancellation policy: Contiki has a more relaxed cancellation policy than Intrepid.
The latest you can cancel your trip with only losing the deposit is 45 days with Contiki and 56 days with Intrepid. If you cancel the tour one month prior to departure, you can get up to 75% of the trip cost with Contiki but Intrepid offers zero refunds.
Percentage cancellation fee with Contiki
| Days cancelled prior to departure | Cancellation fee based on your purchase price |
|---|---|
| 45+ days | Deposit only |
| 45-22 days | 25% |
| 21-8 days | 50% |
| 7-1 days | 75% |
Percentage cancellation fee with Intrepid
| Days cancelled prior to departure | Cancellation fee based on your purchase price |
|---|---|
| 56+ days | Deposit only |
| 55-31 days | 50% |
| 30-0 days | 100% |
What are the deals like?
Contiki offers a variety of discounts including 5% early payment discount, last-minute deals, a 5% past passenger deduction, discount for booking with friends and multiple-trip price cuts. Last minute deals on Contiki vary from 10% to 30% on some tours like London, Paris and Amsterdam.
Intrepid only offers last-minute deals and loyalty discounts. Deals range from 15-40% off depending on the tour and timing..
The verdict: Contiki has a wider variety of deals but the discount on tours is comparable on both sites.
Top Contiki and Intrepid deals
| Up to $550 off Australia tours | Valid on select 2018 departures. Destinations include Darwin, Alice Springs, Sydney, Cairns, Whitsundays and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| 10% off Australia sun seeker tour |
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Enjoy a 10-day package tour travelling from Cairns to Brisbane with Contiki. Includes accommodation, transportation and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| Up to $156 off New Zealand tour |
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Valid for travel on select dates. Includes accommodation, transportation, meals and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| Up to 15% off USA and Canada tours |
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Valid on 2019 departures. Destinations include New York City, Texas, Florida, San Francisco and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| Up to 30% off last-minute Asia tours | Valid on select tours departing until 26 December, including Asian Adventure and Eternal India. |
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| Up to 30% off last-minute Europe tours | Book a range of last-minute Contiki tours, from week long jaunts to month long journeys, to destinations like Italy, France, Germany, Greece and more for up to 30% off. |
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| Up to $360 off Europe Winter trips |
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Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include United Kingdom, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| Up to 20% off Greek island hopping tours | Valid for travel on select 2018 dates. Includes meals, accommodation, transport and more. Destinations include Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| Up to $909 off Latin America tours | Valid for travel on select 2018 dates. Destinations include Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Costa Rica and more. T&Cs apply. |
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| 10% off select New Zealand tours |
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Valid for travel until October 2018. Minimum of 7 days. Destinations include Auckland, Christchurch, Queenstown and more. T&C's apply. |
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| 5% off your next trip | Travel again with Contiki to receive 5% off your next trip. |
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| Up to 10% off all Asia trips | Book a Contiki Asia trip for up to 10% off the regular price. Destinations include Bali, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. |
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| Up to 50% off Bali tours and activities |
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Sample discounts include 50% off white water rafting, 35% off Nusa Dua Theater, 25% off a snorkelling tour to Nusa Lembongan. Select deals valid on public holidays. |
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| Up to 30% off last-minute Europe tours | Book a range of last-minute Contiki tours, from week long jaunts to month long journeys, to destinations like Italy, France, Germany, Greece and more for up to 30% off. |
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