Latest news with #Intrepid
Buzz Feed
6 days ago
- Buzz Feed
Seven Things To Do In Ghana Outside Of Partying
I visited Elimina Castle, one of the oldest castles that held enslaved people. I tasted local food. And I also partied like it was 1999. It's a trip I'll never forget, but I left not knowing much about Ghana or its people. So, when the opportunity to revisit Ghana with Intrepid (specifically cities outside of Accra) came up, I jumped at the chance. Traveling to Ghana during December has become increasingly popular among the Black diaspora in recent years, thanks to the "Year of Return" initiative—the year marking 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in the Americas. In 2019, the Ghanaian government created The Year of Return as a way to encourage the Black diaspora to visit Ghana. If you're thinking about visiting Ghana, here are seven things you can do outside of going to the club. Visit Volta Region/Tagbo Falls Lodge Five hours away from Accra lies the Volta region, near the border of Togo. Though the journey was long, it allowed me to see how beautiful Ghana is. Eventually, we made our way to our home for the next two days: Tagbo Falls Lodge, also labelled as 'home away from home.' I wouldn't describe myself as someone who loves nature, but this trip, especially my time at Tagbo Falls Lodge, made me fall in love with it. Tagbo Falls Lodge is situated in the small village of Liati Wot, which is home to approximately 600 residents. It's perfect for those who want to take a hike, visit a mountain, or see the infamous waterfall. Visit Tagbo Falls Hailed as one of the tallest waterfalls in West Africa, Tagbo Falls. If you're not a fan of bats, this one isn't for you because there are plenty of them here. It's a 45-minute walk to get to the waterfall, but once you're there, you'll be mesmerized by the scenery. With stunning views, breathtaking greenery, and the sound of water running over the rocks, it's a great way to unwind and forget about the world's worries. Go to Elmina Castle We're all aware of the transatlantic slave trade, but how many of us actually know what happened during that time? As I mentioned, I visited Elmina Castle during my trip to Ghana in 2018. I remember it being such a heavy visit. I thought going to the castle for the second time around would be easier, but the horrors of the slave trade really sank in during this visit. During the tour, a tour guide will show you through the castle and provide a brief history of the transatlantic slave trade. 'The door of no return' was the most chilling part of the tour for me, as it was the last thing Africans would see before they were shipped to the Americas. It is not an easy visit by any means, but it is one that everyone should make once in their lifetime. Go to see a fantasy coffin maker After spending a few days in Ghana, you'll notice something: Ghanaians love funerals. I lost count of the number of signs I saw highlighting the anniversary of someone's death or funeral. It's an odd concept to wrap your head around if you live in the West. Part of making sure you're ready for your funeral is making sure you have the swankiest coffin you can buy. We then visited Eric Kpakpo Adotey at Fantasy Coffin, where he showcased some of the extravagant coffins he had created. It's refreshing to see that, although death is a sad occasion, Ghanaians make sure to go out in style. Maybe, if you're lucky enough, Eric would design a coffin for you. Go to an art musuem Everyone has different priorities when it comes to holidays. Some people want to relax, others want to party, and I can't go abroad without visiting an exhibition or museum. So I was excited to visit the Artists Alliance Gallery to see the art created by Ghanaians. The gallery showcases paintings, fine pottery, sculptures, wall hangings, Kente cloth, masks, beads, and a diverse range of textiles. We were shown around by the gallery curator, who provided the historical context of the paintings and sculptures we saw. If you're into art, this one is for you. Visit Osu Night Market As a Londoner, the concept of going to a market at night doesn't make sense to me. However, after visiting Osu Night Market, I'm now petitioning for all markets to be open at night. Think of Osu night market as a 24/7 food hall. It's open all day and runs until the early hours of the morning. It's so popular that that some people visit the market for food after a night tasted fresh food, visited a bar, and spoke to the locals. It's a great way to spend your evening after a long day. Take a cooking class One of the highlights of my trip, hands down, was the food. Being Congolese, most sub-Saharan African foods share similarities, so I wasn't a stranger to eating fufu or tilapia. As we walked through Jamestown, we picked up ingredients to make Kenkey and were taught how to prepare it. It wasn't easy, but the outcome was delicious. Start planning your adventure to Ghana with Intrepid Travel here!
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Popular Ted Lasso character admits they don't know if they'll be in new series
Ted Lasso was confirmed to be returning for a fourth season in March this year, but will Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor be reprising her role of Sassy alongside Jason Sudeikis? Actress and comedian Ellie Taylor has revealed whether or not she will be returning for the new series of Ted Lasso. The Strictly Come Dancing star appeared alongside Jason Sudeikis in all three seasons of the popular Apple TV series. Ted Lasso wrapped things up, seemingly for good, in May 2023, but it was announced in March that the Emmy award-winning series will be returning for a fourth series, with executive producer Jason set to reprise his titular role of the American AFC Richmond coach. Announcing the surprise series, Jason, 49, said: "As we all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to 'look before we leap', in season four the folks at AFC Richmond learn to leap before they look, discovering that wherever they land, it's exactly where they're meant to be." Among the other stars of Ted Lasso are comedian Nick Mohammed, Juno Temple, Phil Dunster and Game Of Thrones star Hannah Waddingham. Ellie - who is working with Intrepid Travel to campaign for more female-fronted travel shows - played the supporting role of Flo 'Sassy' Collins, best friend of Hannah's character Rebecca Welton. Hannah has revealed she is reprising her role as the owner of AFC Richmond when the fourth series begins shooting in July, but will Sassy be by Rebecca's side once again? Ellie isn't sure. "Oh, I have no idea," Ellie admitted earlier this week when asked if she was returning to the hit Apple TV series. "I mean, I know as much as you do about Ted Lasso. I'm delighted that it's coming back and I'll be avidly watching for sure." "I can't imagine anyone who was involved with the original series would not want to go back," Ellie mused when quizzed on if she wants to play Sassy one more time. "It was a joy to be a part of. I feel really lucky to have been part of such a show that is so well regarded and mean so much to so many people." Ellie may not be filming (yet) but she's keeping busy with a mammoth task - trying to shake up the male, pale and stale world of travel TV. The comedian has teamed up with Intrepid Travel to back a campaign for more women fronting travel shows. According to Intrepid Travel, less than a quarter (23%) of travel programmes commissioned last year were hosted solely by female presenters, despite almost half of women wanting to have some representation on screen to highlight the unique issues female travellers can experience. "I've spent my career challenging outdated attitudes, and travel TV is long overdue for a shake-up. It's wild that last year in 2024 only 23% of travel shows were hosted by women, despite the fact that so many women are passionate about travel, exploration, and storytelling. Intrepid found 48% of people consider travel to be a male-dominated industry, but it shouldn't be!" Ellie said of her new gig. "I'm thrilled to be partnering with Intrepid Travel to shine a light on this issue – and to do it in a way that makes people laugh while still making a serious point. We're not just calling out the disparity, we're also starting a conversation about what needs to change, and hopefully, inspiring networks to rethink who they put in the spotlight." In a bid to inspire commissioners to cater to the real interests of audiences, Intrepid Travel has teamed up with TV producer Nicola Hebden (known for Travel Man and Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father) to devise a proposal for an innovative new travel series - Travel Ann. The programme will follow Ellie as she encounters remarkable women across the globe who have committed their lives to effecting significant change in their local communities. These are women who are pushing boundaries and redefining leadership within the realms of travel and conservation. In one suggested episode, Ellie spends time with The Black Mambas – the world's first and only all-female, unarmed anti-poaching unit – who are safeguarding endangered wildlife and inspiring a new wave of female conservationists. Travel Ann is in the process of being pitched to major UK TV networks for a 6 episode run. Further information on the TV series can be found here.
Time Out
12-06-2025
- Time Out
Forget Spain – I went to Sweden and found the ideal summer holiday destination
'I've never considered taking a summer holiday in Spain or Greece – I'd regret, too much, missing out on a perfect Swedish summer day,' Hårken tells me. We're standing by a lighthouse on Valö, a rocky speck of an island in the Gothenburg archipelago, and the sky is a cloudless colouring-book blue. Hårken's family has lived and worked on the island of Vrångö in West Sweden's Gothenburg archipelago for centuries. He points to a tiny maroon hut on the island's highest point. 'That's the pilot house. My father and grandfather and his father before him would guide ships safely to the harbour from here.' Nowadays, however, he owns and runs Kajkanten, harbourside self-catering accommodation where I spent a few idyllic summer days. He offers kayaking trips around the island and boat trips to neighbouring islands, like Valö. I saw plenty of ingredients for a perfect summer holiday on the boat tour: inviting sandy beaches, wooden jetties with swimming steps leading to glistening, calm waters, and colourful clapboard summerhouses replete with reclining chairs on verandahs. 'There's not really anything to do here – and that's precisely the point' After mooring on a tiny stone jetty on Välo, Hårken guides us down a narrow path, flanked with an abundance of red campions, cowslips and speedwell. It swiftly takes us from one side of the island to the other. There's not really anything to do here, except perhaps loll in the rocky coves, listen to the waves lapping at the shoreline and eat a picnic. And that's precisely the point. I meander among fields of fluffy white cow parsley and let the fresh, warm air unwind my mind and body. The rise of the 'coolcation' 'Fifteen to twenty years ago, the sea would freeze and you could ski to the mainland,' Hårken tells me. 'Winters simply aren't that cold anymore.' He's borne witness to the growing 'coolcations' trend – where travellers seek out cooler climes in the blazing summer months – and nowadays welcomes more visitors than ever from across Europe and the US, many of whom admit they're avoiding the heatwaves and unpredictable weather patterns in more traditional summer holiday hotspots. This year, Intrepid (with whom I'm discovering Sweden) has seen a 50 percent increase in UK customers booking Scandinavian trips in peak summer season (June-August) compared to 2024, and a decrease in bookings for hotter destinations like Italy (-72 percent) and Croatia (-19 percent) in peak summer season compared to last year. According to research conducted by 42 percent of travellers prefer to holiday in cooler locations, and Expedia's analysis on search trends from found that interest in cooler countries is on the rise. Notably, searches for Norway (+24 percent), Switzerland (+20 percent), and Sweden (+3 percent) have increased compared to last year. Warm summer nights, Sweden-style While daytime temperatures reach a pleasant 20-22C during July and August, it's true that evenings can still be pretty chilly. But you're in one of the world's sauna capitals, and no matter the time of year, indulging in Swedish sauna culture is a must. Hårken has built a little floating sauna on the other side of the harbour, and alternating between the sauna, cool sea dips and the bubbling outdoor jacuzzi is a pure delight. The food: sustainable, sea-foraged meals (and, of course, fika) There's no shortage of locally sourced, fresh and seasonal ingredients on the islands and an evening with expert forager and sustainability ambassador Karolina Martinson was a revelatory introduction to nature's vitamin- and mineral-rich undersea pantry. Sugar kelp, sea lettuce, Irish moss, mermaid's necklace and bladderwrack are all on her menu, along with shoreline flowers like sea campion. Back in the kitchen we get to work turning it all into dinner: sugar kelp is softened in apple cider vinegar, shredded and added to salad of carrot, chili, rape seeds and coriander; halloumi wrapped in sea lettuce is deep fried; flatbreads are toasted on hot plate on an open fire and dessert is dulse de leche. The next day we sampled a delicious classic Swedish seafood dinner at harbourside Hamnkrogen Lotsen, thanks to owners Andreas Wijk & Jennie Wijk; crayfish cooked with lemon, dill and beer, smoked blue mussels, smoked shrimp eaten traditionally with white bread and aioli, mayonnaise and a mango, honey and chilli dip. And, of course, no visit to Sweden is complete without indulging in fika. It's essentially a 15-minute coffee, cake and chat break, yet taken with religious fervour around 10.45am and mid-afternoon every day. Whether you're at home, work or in a café, as we learned on a guided tour around the town of Alingsås, the self-styled capital of fika, it's time to down tools and socialise. If you're a cake fan, the tour is not to be missed – it provided an excellent introduction to the cakes of Sweden; from cinnamon or cardamon buns (my favourite) from Nolbygårds Bakery to Silvia (vanilla syrup soaked into soft sponge, topped in coconut) at Café Viola and celebratory Princess cake – a creamy, spongy sugar explosion covered in green marzipan – at the Grand Hotel. The European summer holiday, reimagined Until very recently, the Nordics haven't been top of mind for international travellers seeking a summer break; many associate this region of Europe with winter activities like snowshoeing and chasing the Nothern Lights. But Sweden alone has over 200,000 islands – more than any other country in the world – and the region's near-deserted sandy beaches, paired with manageable summertime temperatures, present an ideal alternative to the heat and crowds of the Med. Fresh air, outdoor adventures and fantastic food: the Nordics are fast becoming the new face of the European summer holiday. Diana Jarvis travelled to Sweden with Intrepid. You can visit Sweden on Intrepid's Taste of Scandinavia (from £1,564pp) or Scandinavia Explorer (from £3,650pp) which includes accommodation, some meals and activities, services of a local guide and ground transport while on the tour.
Canberra Times
12-06-2025
- Canberra Times
Sleep under stars, swim with crocs - welcome to the wild Kimberley
Getting there: Qantas and Virgin fly direct to Broome from Melbourne and Sydney. Touring there: Intrepid's 11-day Wild Kimberley Overland tour runs from May to September. From $4220 per person. Camping upgrades available some nights. Explore more:
West Australian
11-06-2025
- West Australian
Intrepid Travel launches new Active-ism trips to support US national parks
Intrepid Travel has launched two limited edition 'Active-ism' trips in US national parks in response to a series of executive actions from the Trump administration that resulted in the dismissal of more than 1500 National Park Service staff and proposed $1 billion cut to the service's budget. Leigh Barnes, president of the Americas for Intrepid Travel says the company recognises the role tourism can play in supporting both people and protected areas. With the new Active-ism trips, Intrepid hopes to raise awareness and foster discussion around the challenges facing US national parks. 'Whether you travel with Intrepid or not, the most important thing is that you go,' he says. 'And if you can't visit a park, you can support them by learning, sharing, advocating, volunteering or even donating to your local national park.' Each Active-ism trip will be led by a local Intrepid guide and hosted by a guest activist, who will provide travellers with unique insights into the challenges facing national parks and guide conversations on how people can advocate for their protection. From Zion and the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone National Park, the trips will visit some of the world's best-known landmarks and the country's best hiking trails. With a maximum group size of only 11 people, Intrepid aims to create a more intimate and supportive travel environment to help travellers foster deeper connections. The tours are part of the company's wider initiative that includes a commitment to donate $US50,000 ($77,395) on behalf of its travellers to non-government organisations protecting US national parks. On this trip travellers will experience the region's diverse landscapes, hiking Zion's canyons, touring Monument Valley with an Indigenous guide, and walking along the Grand Canyon's rim. They'll learn about the history of Northwestern Arizona, gaining insight into today's challenges and how we can help preserve the park for future generations. There are two departures: November 1, 2025 and April 14, 2026 — and prices starts from $2234. Yellowstone is the oldest national park in the US, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. On this trip travellers will spend three days exploring Yellowstone's northern and southern loops, including a wolf-tracking adventure led by a naturalist wildlife guide — and discover Grand Teton National Park's alpine landscapes, pristine lakes, and wildlife like moose and grizzly bears. There are two departures: June 7, 2026, and June 14, 2026 — and prices starts from $3185. To learn more and book an Intrepid Active-ism trip, visit
