Vanuatu Expedition
Tour Operator:
Tour Code:
TESV
Start City:
Port Vila
End City:
Port Vila
Tour Style:
Tour Quality:
Budget
Tour Length:
8 days
Age Requirement:
15+ Years Old
Tour Capacity:
12
Physical Rating:
3 - Explorer
Dates & Prices
| Start Date | End Date | Offers | Brochure Land Price | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 11, 2024 | Saturday, May 18, 2024 | $2,644 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Jun 08, 2024 | Saturday, Jun 15, 2024 | $2,750 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Jul 06, 2024 | Saturday, Jul 13, 2024 | $2,750 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Aug 10, 2024 | Saturday, Aug 17, 2024 | $2,852 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Sep 07, 2024 | Saturday, Sep 14, 2024 | $2,852 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Sep 21, 2024 | Saturday, Sep 28, 2024 | $2,852 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Oct 05, 2024 | Saturday, Oct 12, 2024 | $2,750 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Nov 09, 2024 | Saturday, Nov 16, 2024 | $2,644 | Get Quote | |
| Saturday, Dec 14, 2024 | Saturday, Dec 21, 2024 | $2,644 | Get Quote |
Promotions
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Promotion Details
Offers apply to new bookings made and deposited between 12:01am EST November 20 2023 to 11:59pm PST December 04 2023, for select trips departing between December 1 2023 – December 14 2024, excluding travel between December 18 2023 – January 5 2024. The following exclusions apply:
i. Select Australia trips operated by KEW, ATA or JOOB: PKBB-B, PKBL-B, PKOL-B, PKOW-B, PKRB, PKFK, PKOB, PKOD, PKOR, PKOP, PKODC, PKOPC, PP10
ii. Polar trips in Antarctica and the Arctic, including the following trips operated by Adventure Canada: SBKG, SBKH, SBKO, SBKW
iii. Short-Break Adventures (excluding XMHA)
iv. Tailor-Made Experiences
v. Urban Adventures
All offers apply to the trip price only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Credit Holders can use any valid discounts or promotions, except where we are honoring their original price. For more information about how to redeem your credit visit our Credit Redemption page. All offers apply to land element of trip only and cannot be redeemed against flights, additional accommodation, transfers, travel insurance or local payments/kittys. These offers are only available to bookings made in USD or CAD. Trips are subject to availability and confirmation by Intrepid Travel at time of booking. If you wish to cancel and rebook your trip or change dates outside the promotional period, you will be required to pay the full cost towards the new trip. Except as set out expressly above, Intrepid Travel’s Booking Conditions apply. Travel documents & vaccination requirements are the responsibility of the individual traveler.
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Tour Itinerary
Encounter raw beauty and vibrant culture on the tiny islands of Vanuatu on this eight-day expedition. Leave the resorts of Port Vila behind and fly to rainforest-rich islands where you can meet locals, immerse yourself in nature and enjoy true adventure travel. Encounter communities where kastom - traditional culture and law - still rules, including the legendary John Frum 'cargo cult' villages. Snorkel among the gorgeous coral reef that is protected by law. Trek through towering greenery and learn about living among active volcanoes and tropical wilderness. Embrace a side of Vanuatu that few tourists seek out, but one that those who do will never forget.
Mt. Yasur , Nguna Island , Port Vila , Tanna
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Day 1
Port VilaWelcome to Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu! Your adventure begins today with a welcome meeting at 5 pm at your accommodation. There are no other activities planned for the day. If you arrive with time to spare before the welcome meeting, the heart of the city, Port Vila's produce market and the waterfront promenade are just a short walk away. There's also the option of hiring a sea kayak from our hotel and taking to the ocean for a true taste of the Pacific.
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Day 2
Port Vila – Rentapao RiverToday you will discover some of Efate’s best spots. A 25-minute scenic drive will take you to our exclusive kayak base on the Rentapao River. Experience Vanuatu’s rainforest and village life as you paddle its safe waters. After a French-style lunch at the river’s edge, transfer upstream to the river cascades, a great place to swim, relax, and shake off any jet lag. You will be back at your hotel by mid-afternoon, allowing ample time to discover more of Port Vila and choose a place for your optional dinner tonight.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 3
TannaIt is an early morning start today for our Air Vanuatu flight to the legendary southern island of Tanna. On arrival, it's a short transfer to your beachside bungalow, your home for tonight. After an included local lunch, begin the first of your amazing Tanna treks. High on a ridge overlooking the coast is the world’s largest banyan tree. Your path there and loops back through scattered villages, food gardens, and rainforest – a great opportunity to meet ‘the happiest people in the world’ going about their daily lives. Trekking time may be from 1.5 to 3 hours total depending on the route taken. Arriving back at your bungalow, enjoy the sunset and maybe a cool drink, and keep an eye out for whales that cruise along the coast from July onwards.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 4
Tanna – Mt YasurGet ready for a big day today! Start with an hour's drive across the spine of the island to our new accommodation and a John Frum village hidden in the rainforest at the foot of a smouldering volcano. Road conditions permitting, you will have a short dip in the Sulphur Bay hot springs, before travelling to Port Resolution, named after one of Captain Cook’s ships. After lunch, return to the foot of the volcano and hike along a rutted road to the rim of the volcano (a driving option to the crater carpark is also available for those who would prefer). Throughout the hike, you will feel the ground shaking and hear the volcano rumbling, and finally, as you arrive at the crater rim in the late afternoon, you will be amazed at the firework show that awaits. Return from the volcano in the evening for a late dinner at your beachside bungalow.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 5
Tanna – Port VilaThis morning you'll head into the jungle-clad hills to a ‘kastom’ village. The community here has long rejected modern life and conserve many aspects of traditional lifestyle. Learn about traditional rites of passage along with their proud links to Prince Phillip as your leader guides you around the village. While life around them is definitely changing fast, it's an interesting insight into a community that's at the cusp of making decisions about their future, and how tourism can help to conserve long held practices. Have lunch at a local cafe in town and a stop at a coffee shop brewing local beans before returning to the airport for an afternoon flight back to Port Vila.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 6
Pele & Nguna IslandsAfter the spectacular culture, rainforest, and volcano on Tanna, today you head to a pristine tropical island, renowned for its marine conservation area. It is a one-hour scenic drive via Efate’s west coast to the boat landing, stopping at coffee roaster along the way, followed by a half-hour boat ride to Pele island, arriving by mid morning. After a local lunch on the beach, choose to go snorkelling (weather permitting) in the marine conservation area. Expect lots of fish, maybe the occasional turtle, and plenty of hard corals and small canyons and crevasses to explore. Around sunset, take a boat over to neighbouring Nguna for a village walk before returning to Pele. Accommodation is at beachside bungalows on Pele hosted by the village women.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 7
Pele & Nguna Island – Port VilaThis morning there's the option for a round island walk on Pele or to head back to Nguna for a hike. The round island walk will take you along beaches and exposed reefs as well as through plantations and communities. The Nguna hike will reward you with spectacular views of the surrounding seascape. Return by boat back to Efate for lunch at a restaurant. Savour your memories as you take in the lovely views across to the islands on the drive back to Port Vila, but this time along the east coast road, meaning you also get to do a round-Efate tour. There are lots of roadside markets to explore and plenty of photo opportunities. Stop for a swim at the sublime Blue Lagoon. Arrive back at your Port Vila accommodation for your final night together in the late afternoon or early evening. Finish the trip with an optional farewell dinner, a fantastic way to finish your Vanuatu adventure.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 8
Port VilaYour Vanuatu adventure comes to an end this morning after breakfast. If you are staying longer, ask your tour leader about the optional Discovery Bushwalk tour to visit more villages and communities nearby. If you are travelling from May to June, this trip can be combined with our 5-day Vanuatu Expedition: Land Diving Festival trip - search code TESLC on our website and continue your exploration of Vanuatu for a little while longer!
Meals: Breakfast
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- Efate - River Kayaking
- Efate - Rarru Cascades
- Tanna - Rainforest hike
- Tanna - World's largest banyan tree
- Tanna - Kava Bar visit
- Tanna - Village & community visits
- Tanna - Mt Yasur volcano crater hike
- Tanna - Sulphur Bay Hot Springs
- Tanna - Port Resolution village visit
- Tanna - Village & community visits
- Pele - Snorkelling
- Efate - Coffee roaster visit
- Efate - Run & gin distillery visit
- Nguna - Village walk
Meals
7 Breakfast(s) Included
6 Lunch(es) Included
3 Dinner(s) Included
Style: Basix
Health and Safety Protocols for Intrepid Tours
Protection against COVID-19 as well as other transmissible diseases requires enhanced protocols in hygiene and sanitation. We will put in place additional measures, in line with government health advice and with global health authorities (including the WHO and CDC) to ensure that we maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
Hand Hygiene
Handwashing is one of the most important safety measures to prevent the spread of
disease. Intrepid will actively reinforce its importance by:
- Implementing a handwashing policy that dictates when, how often and for how long all staff, leaders and crew must wash their hands on-trip.
- Promote the importance of hand hygiene to customers through signage and online customer material.
- Contract suppliers that have hand hygiene protocols in place
- Contract suppliers that provide hand sanitizer in public places (where applicable)
- Educate staff, leaders, crew and suppliers on the importance of hand hygiene via training.
Respiratory Hygiene
Practicing good respiratory hygiene prevents the spread of disease by reducing the
number of droplets in the air when you sneeze or cough. Intrepid will:
- Actively reinforce its importance to customers through signage and online customer material.
- Educate staff, leaders, crew and suppliers on the importance of respiratory hygiene via training.
- Contract suppliers who have respiratory hygiene protocols in place.
Masks
In addition, in areas with high community transmission and/or places that are difficult
to maintain physical distancing, we recommend the the following at-risk people also
wear them. Intrepid follows the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that
masks should only be used as part of a comprehensive prevention strategy and that the
use of a mask alone is not sufficient to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Physical
distancing, hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene must also form part of the
strategy.
Medical/Surgical Masks
On our trips, regardless of destination, the following people must wear
medical/surgical masks:
- Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19 regardless of whether or not they have been tested yet.
- People caring for people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases (outside of hospitals/clinics).
In addition, in areas with high community transmission and/or places that are difficult to maintain physical distancing, we recommend the following at-risk people also wear them.
- People over 60
- People with underlying health conditions
- Provide medical/surgical masks as part of the First Aid Kits carried by leaders.
- Educate leaders, crew, staff and customers on the correct method to wear, handle and dispose of a mask.
- Require all customers, leaders and staff to comply with any local regulations or requirements that require the use of a mask in public or in certain places
Fabric Masks
Intrepid follows the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that it is not
necessary for the public to wear fabric masks generally.
However in certain circumstances, in places where community transmission of COVID-19 is high and/or physical distancing is not possible (e.g. on public transport, in shops or in other confined environments) then a fabric mask can be a useful barrier to prevent the spread of virus.
Fabric masks be purchased commercially or handmade and are generally not standardized like medical masks. Fabric masks should:
- Cover the nose, mouth, and chin
- Be secured with elastic loops or ties
- Include multiple layers
- Be washable and reusable.
Sanitation
Protection against COVID-19, as well as other transmissible diseases, requires enhanced sanitation processes. Intrepid will take the following measures:
- Require all suppliers to detail their cleaning and sanitation protocols
- Audit/monitor all suppliers on their cleanliness and sanitation.
- All cleaning and disinfecting products must be approved by health authorities (e.g. WHO).
- All rooms must be thoroughly cleaned between guests with all high touch surfaces in shared areas regularly cleaned and disinfected.
- Hand sanitizer should be available in public areas.
- There must be a process in place for customers to escalate any concerns regarding hygiene or sanitation.
- Staff must be trained and able to answer questions regarding safety protocols in place.
- All tents must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between use.
- If staying at a campground, ensure all bathrooms are well stocked with hand soap and paper towels. If the area is remote, with limited facilities and/or minimal staffing, then customers should be informed to bring their own hygiene equipment.
- All mini buses, transfers, charters, overland trucks must be thoroughly cleaned between guests with all high touch surfaces in shared areas regularly cleaned and disinfected.
- Hand sanitizer should be made available
- Close top bins with bin liners should be available on board and disposed of at every stop
- Must be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each day
- Tables and chairs must be disinfected after each guest use
- Avoid buffets where possible. If buffets are used, prevent customers from handling food and operating machines (e.g. self-serve coffee stations)
- Either disinfect shared use objects (e.g. table salt) between guest use. Where possible, Intrepid will try to source safe alternatives to single serve packaging.
- Staff must be trained and able to answer questions regarding safety protocols in place.
- Preferred: Provide hand sanitizer to guests at the door before entry
- All equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between guest us
- Staff must be trained and able to answer questions regarding safety protocols in place.
- Limiting the number of surfaces touched by large numbers of people helps prevent the spread of disease. Therefore, it is important to proactively move towards contactless or low touch solutions for travel. Intrepid will:
- Prioritise contactless/low touch as a key feature when sourcing new tech or solutions.
- Remove any paperwork required on the ground (e.g. signing forms, feedback cards)
- If details must be entered using a shared device (e.g. insurance details), then it must be disinfected between each customer. Preference is to move entirely to digital solutions.
- Accommodation should provide online check in (no paperwork)
- Contactless keys (e.g. QR codes)
- Contactless tech (e.g. lights)
- Online ticketing for attractions and transport
- Online payment
Physical Distancing
Physical distancing is important in preventing the spread of COVID-19 as it can be
transmitted via droplets sprayed when coughing, sneezing, singing, yelling
etc…
Intrepid will take the following measures:
- Require all suppliers to detail their physical distancing protocols
- Follow local regulations and advice on the need for physical distancing.
- Intrepid operates product that is based on twin share accommodation and allows single travellers the chance to share accommodation with a stranger.
- We will continue to offer this as an option. Single supplements are available for single travellers who do not wish to share a room. We will work closely with accommodation suppliers to ensure increased availability of single rooms.
- Consider whether it is appropriate to offer single tents for solo travellers as customers will be much closer together than in a traditional room.
- Consider whether staggering meal times may reduce the number of people sharing a dining tent.
- Intrepid will consider the following factors when designing or amending transport options on trips.
- Local laws or requirements regarding physical distancing on transport
- Hygiene protocols of the transport provider
- Level of active community transmission in the destination
- Using designated seating on transport. Customers have assigned seats throughout the trip.
- If trip is longer than 15 minutes and air conditioning is available, it must be set to external airflow rather than to recirculation or windows should be opened for the duration of the trip.
- Designing or amending itineraries to reduce the duration of travel.
- Increasing the size of the vehicle, using multiple vehicles.
- Educate all leaders, crew, staff and customers to maintain a 1.5m distance wherever practical in public (e.g. queueing at a museum).
- Proactively design product to avoid crowds by visiting attractions at off-peak times.
- Proactively design product to avoid crowds on public transport or at airports where practical.
- Follow local regulations on table spacing and guest seating in restaurants. Wherever possible, try to ensure groups are sitting at their own table without strangers in restaurants.
- Proactively design product that focuses on experiences that assist with physical distancing (e.g. picnics over crowded marketplaces) if relevant for that destination.
Screening for COVID-19 helps isolate anyone with COVID-19 symptoms and stops the spread of disease. It is likely to become more common for future travellers.
Pre-Departure (Brand Material)
Customers should be informed as part of ‘Essential Trip Information (ETIs) or other similar trip notes if their trip is likely to include any of the following:
- Testing for COVID-19 before being able to pass through immigration and/or board planes.
- Negative test results to be uploaded for visa purposes.
- Thermal temperature checks in airports, train or bus stations, major hotels or attractions.
Pre-departure, all customers are required to fill out an online questionnaire (“self- declaration/assessment” form) to identify any high-risk customers before travel.
Extra qualifiers will be included to address customers with symptoms that can be contributed to pre-existing conditions (e.g. breathlessness to asthma).
Customers answering YES to any question should be removed from the departure and appropriate arrangements made.
COVID-19 Testing
Intrepid will not require a negative COVID-19 test as proof of health from customers or leaders at this stage unless it is required by local law or regulations.
This is partially due to the lack of availability of testing for people with no symptoms in many parts of the world and may change in due course.
On Trip
- Ask customers, leaders, crew and staff to monitor their own health
- Display appropriate signage on COVID-19 symptoms
- Educate leaders, crew and staff on how to identify COVID-19 symptoms
- Describe COVID-19 symptoms in group meetings
If customers, leaders or crew show symptoms of COVID-19 and are either unable to or unwilling to be tested, Intrepid reserves the right to remove them from our trips to prevent any risk to others.
Flexible Booking Conditions
Customers will be supported by flexible booking conditions to stay home if unwell or displaying symptoms
Flexible Work Conditions
Intrepid will support leaders and crew to stay home rather than lead a trip if they are unwell or displaying symptoms. Schedules will need to be created with back up availability of leaders/crew.
Data Collection & Health Tracking
Intrepid will assist government health departments in tracking and tracing any customers, staff, leaders, crew or suppliers at risk of contracting COVID-19 via exposure to a known case and/or outbreak by providing relevant details in line with privacy laws and regulations.
COVID Tracking apps
Intrepid strongly recommends that customers and staff download COVID tracking apps (e.g. COVIDSafe in Australia, StayHomeSafe in Hong Kong) to assist in reducing the spread of disease within their communities.
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
Question: How many suitcases can I take with me on my trip?
Question: Is Airfare Included in the Price?
Our tour guide was wonderful. She was knowledgeable, fun, energetic, and made our week run very smoothly. The trip itself was fantastic! We saw a lot and the islands are absolutely beautiful. Great food, great new friends made on the tour, and would absolutely book with Intrepid again.
Intrepid tour is great company. Will use this company again.
The trip was both both educational and exciting. I very much enjoyed the sights and culture.
The itinerary was just as I expected! The guide was very good as were the accomodations
Intrepid did such a great job. I never had to worry about where I was supposed to be and it felt so good not to worry about a thing but just to enjoy myself. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about culture and history.
Taiwan people very friendly. Accommodation were centrally located and easily accessible. Did extra activities then in brochure which was greatly.
Larus our tour guide did an excellent job and was very attentive to our needs. He is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor.
Our guide Tarang chandola was exceptional. Courteous, knowledgeable, organized, polite, professional and went above and beyond taking care of our needs and requests offen anticipating what that might be. He made sure we all had the best possible time and offered suggestions to meet the needs of everyone on the tour. This made the trip even more enjoyable.
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Intrepid is awesome. Our guide was superb. Everything went smoothly!