Intrepid Travel is expanding its global menu to now offer food adventures in more than 25 countries including two new foodie tours in the Middle East in 2018.
The new Real Food Adventures brochure, out today, offers travellers the chance to savour authentic, local food experiences across Europe, Asia, the Americas, the subcontinent and the Middle East with more than 30 mouth-watering itineraries available to taste.
With Iran and Jordan continuing to grow in popularity with adventurous travellers, in 2018 Intrepid will operate its first dedicated Real Food Adventures in each country.
Priced from $3995* per person twin share, the 10-day Iran itinerary runs roundtrip from Tehran to Shiraz, Esfahan and Yazd from May to November 2018.
Travellers will taste their way through the ancient cuisine from succulent street kebabs and saffron shops to chewy baqlava and a meal of spiced meat, stew and biryani shared with a local in their home.
The new six-day Jordan Real Food Adventure runs from March to November 2018 and visits Amman, the Dead Sea, Petra and Wadi Rum.
Priced from $1595* per person twin share, the tour highlights Amman’s world-leading felafels, a traditional Bedouin feast cooked beneath the ground, a hearty outdoor breakfast of Galayah Bandoora cooked over an open fire by a shepherd, a Levantine-themed picnic on the banks of the Dead Sea and a family feast of maqluba, one of Jordan’s signature dishes.
In the ultimate Middle East feast, Intrepid has combined the Jordan tour with an Israel & the Palestinian Territories itinerary for a 14-day Levantine cuisine tasting trail from Tel Aviv to Amman via Nazareth, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Negev Desert, Amana, Petra and Wadi Rum. It’s priced from $5795* per person twin share and runs from March to November 2018.
Other food trips on offer in 2018 include a second serve of Intrepid’s popular South Korea Real Food Adventure, a spicy sojourn in southern India, an adventure in Japan to sample the best sashimi the country has to offer and visits to far-flung coffee plantations in Peru.
Brett Mitchell, Intrepid Travel’s Regional Director, said the popularity of Intrepid’s Real Food Adventures, which all include immersive experiences such as cooking traditional food in a local’s home, continued to grow with travellers’ increased appetite for authentic experiences.
In the first half of 2017, food-themed itineraries experienced record sales – up 20 per cent on the same time last year.
“While the Middle East is often celebrated for its historical significance and astounding ancient monuments, we are keen to show travellers why they should have Iran, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories on their radar as emerging foodie hotspots with impressive culinary traditions that span thousands of years,”
Brett said.
“There’s something great about discovering a culture through its local cuisine, whether that might be eating a felafel on the streets of Amman or learning how to use the desert of Wadi Rum to roast Bedouin feasts underground. Something as simple as sharing a meal can really bring people together and create lifelong memories.”
“As the world’s largest adventure travel company, it’s important to give back to the places we visit and the locals we meet. By eating in local restaurants, purchasing goods from street-side sellers and using local guides, our trips help support local economies and many of our itineraries incorporate visits to local’s homes and community projects,” Brett said.
As part of its commitment to responsible and sustainable travel, Intrepid carbon offsets travel for its guests.
For more information or to book visit: www.intrepidtravel.com.au
*Subject to availability, conditions apply