Depending on the trip style you choose, our trips are organised on a twin, triple or multi-share basis. As our bookings are made well in advance, individual room requests can’t be guaranteed.

Many of our travellers join because they are travelling solo and want to meet and share experiences with like-minded people. We offer the “My Own Room” option on most of our tours, which guarantees you a room of your own for a modest additional fee. Cost and details of “My Own Room” vary according to the specific trip, so be sure to consult our trip summary pages for full details. On some tours, a single room may not be available at certain overnight stops, depending on the style of accommodation.

On some Tours, such as the Eastern Turkey Adventure, we are able to provide a full list of the hotels. On some of the other Tours, depending on the local tour operator, we might only be able to provide information on your joining and finish point accommodation, the details of which are listed in your Tour Notes. As Intrepid likes to support numerous local businesses, we often have a few places in each city that we can alternate our groups between. For this reason, we can’t give you a full list before you travel. At the welcome meeting on Day 1, your leader may be able to provide you with this so you can email friends and family back home with the details

The standard of accommodation depends on the Trip Style you have chosen

We want our passengers to be as comfortable as possible so when you are headed to a hot climate, it is likely that you will either have a fan or air-con. Of course, if you are staying in remote areas or at homestays, you will need to expect the facilities to be a little more basic.

Some trips have regular access to western toilets while others don't – it just depends on the areas you’re travelling in. As a general rule, the more remote the place the less likely you are to find western bathroom facilities.

Along the way there are usually chances to do laundry, either through your hotel or using local services. Your leader will be able to let you know once you are on the trip.

While we do include information in our Tour Notes about visa requirements, we always recommend that passengers check with the local embassy or Smartraveller as visa rules can change without warning. Embassy websites in the home country will always have information about requirements, visa costs and will provide access to the required forms.

As a general rule, MK1 Travel cannot assist with the actual visa application but can direct you to the relevant site. If you are experiencing any issues, please talk to us. In relation to the Eastern Turkey Tour, a Turkish e-Visa is included in the Tour Price for Australian Passport holders and will be applied for on your behalf.

It’s important that you always travel with your current passport, visas, travel insurance and other documentation. For more information see our Tour Notes.

The safety of our travellers, leaders and operators is a major priority for us. With this in mind, we monitor world events very closely and make operational decisions based on informed advice from a number of sources, in particular the level of the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT) travel advisory. If this advisory is at Level 4 'Do Not Travel' then we will either cancel the tour or make arrangements to reroute the itinerary to avoid the areas concerned.

While we take all the precautions we can to make sure your belongings are safe, we are travelling to some exciting destinations that are sometimes home to some pretty skilled operators. Being part of a small group helps as we are able to keep an eye on each other and each other’s belongings. This is one of the reasons travel insurance is a must and a lockable bag or money belt will always help too.

We recommend having access to money from a variety of sources – cash, credit cards and travel money cards are all commonly used. Check your Tour Notes for more country-specific information. Travellers’ cheques are not common practice anymore so it is a good idea to travel with a credit card and ATM card, or a bank issued ‘cash card’ specifically for travel. Having a couple of options will assure that you are covered if one doesn’t work. Please see our Tour Notes for more specific information.

Our Trip Notes include a section on ‘Spending money’. Please refer to this for an idea on budgets. In certain countries it comes down to potluck if you can withdraw money. One day it’ll work, the next it won’t, but it will work for your friend…Work that out! Also a good option to have both a Visa Card & MasterCard to broaden acceptance options. You do need to ensure that your Cards are “chipped” and you have a working PIN for them – signatures are generally no longer accepted.

We will try our very hardest to accommodate all dietary requirements but in some out-of-the-way places it can be very difficult to guarantee. We will let you know if there are places on your itinerary where this is the case. Please let us know at the time of booking of any food requirements or allergies and we’ll pass the information onto your leader. It is also a great idea to bring a card with your dietary requirements written in the local language for those times you are eating away from the group. We can help you with this.

Food is one of the most exciting parts of travel. There may be some familiar fare but often you’ll be confronted with the new, interesting and downright weird of the culinary world but we like to think of it as an adventure for all the senses. In addition to this, our flexible itineraries often allow you to eat with the group or branch out on your own - this means you can eat to suit any budget or desire.

In some destinations it may not be wise to drink the local water. Our Tour Notes will provide information in this regard. We do provide you with your own reusable water bottle and offer complementary daily refills.

Communication facilities are always improving globally. Many hotels and public places have Wi-Fi so it’s usually possible to keep in touch with home every couple of days, if you so desire. On some Tours, such as the Eastern Turkey Tour, a Wi-Fi hotspot is available for use whilst on Tour. Phone cards are often easy to get your hands on; although many countries are tightening their availability. The Tour Notes will advise of options but do make sure your phone is unlocked before you travel.

If family and friends are unable to contact you in an emergency through email or phone, they can contact us directly. Emergency contact details (for your destination) are listed in your Tour Notes

We can never guarantee your phone will work as desired, as many of our destinations are out of the way and you may have limited coverage. Chat to your phone provider before you leave about global roaming and the costs involved, and get their advice on the coverage you’ll receive in the places you’re travelling in. Alternatively, you can usually pick up a local sim card on the cheap (just make sure you phone is unlocked!).

Some places have Wi-Fi hot spots everywhere and other places will have no coverage at all. If you stumble into the latter, take the rare chance to just sit back and get to know your fellow travellers the old-fashioned way.

In most places you’ll be able to recharge your appliances at the hotel. We recommend you bring a travel adapter with you.

Enter your answer here

We use local tour operators who provide first class, air-conditioned mini-buses well suited to a small group travels. Public transport is often trains, buses or taxis. Options exist to upgrade to First Class train in Germany. The Tour Notes will provide information about the type of transport being used on your particular tour.

Yes, in most places tipping is expected. At your welcome meeting, ask your leader about the local custom and advice on how much is recommended at restaurants or with local guides. At the end of your trip, if you're happy with the service you received, providing a tip for the leader - though not compulsory - is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, it's of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels, inspires excellent service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many destinations.

We recommended a good level of fitness, by this, we mean that you should be able to walk for several hours over different terrain – think, cobble-stoned streets, paths, roadways etc. A comfortable pair of walking shoes is highly recommended. Overall, walking and activities are not going to be particularly strenuous but you may also be travelling for some hours each day. If you have any questions, please talk to us about the Itinerary and activities.

Of course! The beauty of travelling with MK1 Travel is that we encourage travellers to explore at their own pace. When you get to a destination, your leader will offer options on what you can do. Some of the group will do one activity, others will opt for something completely different while others may just choose to sit in a café and watch the world go past. Your Tour Notes will have more details on what your trip’s itinerary and timeframes permit.