4.9
Excellent# of trips
115
Type
Global operator
Service level
budget
Travelers age
18 — 35
Trip prices
$332 — 7,500
Tour languages
English
Overview
Tour Types
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Play the gameGeckos Adventures Reviews & Ratings
Editoral Review of Geckos Adventures
Geckos, a sister company of Intrepid Travel, focuses on the “young, adventurous, and penniless.” They say they do the “hard haggling” for you so you can save money and enjoy yourself more on your trip.
What Makes Them Stand Out?
Geckos is adventure travel for the young, budget-minded traveler, with an eye toward responsible travel. This means traveling in small groups, mostly averaging 9 passengers, and never over 15. With Geckos Adventures, you can really ‘run wild’ as you explore a destination in a small group environment.
Who Travels With Them?
Most of Geckos’ small-group trips are now strictly for 18-29 year olds who are willing to step outside their comfort zones. Namely, they’re happy to ride public transport, bed down in family-run places, and want plenty of free time. Geckos stresses that their trips are for “travelers, not tourists.” Some “All Age” trips are offered for those who are “young at heart” but over 40. Groups are somewhat geographically diverse, but the majority of travelers hail from Australia and New Zealand.
Where Do They Operate?
Geckos offers a huge variety of exciting global destinations, with 200+ trips across all seven continents. The company is perhaps best known for its South-east Asia trips to places like Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.
How Does it Work?
Geckos aims to keep its prices on the lower side, but this doesn’t mean skimping on experience. Accommodations are all locally owned and can range from shared guesthouses, to homestays, to an overnight train. As Geckos says, its hotels are always “cheap and cheerful” and “clean, comfortable, and centrally located.” Prices include some meals and some activities, a knowledgeable local guide, and all forms of transport (usually local, and anything from buses to bikes, trains to ferries, cable cars to camels).
Why Travel With Them?
Geckos is a good choice if you’re between the ages of 18-39 and looking for a fun, cheap, no-frills, and authentic adventure. Geckos itineraries provide plenty of free time and flexibility, plus the ability to budget more on the ground instead of paying for activities ahead of time. Additionally, Geckos will arrange a private tour geared to your own interests. Repeat customers get discounts on subsequent trips – and if you turn 40 in the meantime, and are no longer eligible for Geckos, you can apply the discount to an Intrepid trip.
More Details
Solo friendly
Activities
About the company
At Geckos we’ve taken the dorkiness out of group travel. You’ll snack on the tastiest grub, hang out with people your own age (18-29) and clamber aboard public transport, sleep in family run places, see stuff other tourists never knew existed and have plenty of free time along the way.
We tread lightly, think local and make sure our trips are helping not hindering the places we visit. Plus, our local leaders are rad humans.
If you’ve got an open mind, a sense of adventure and are willing to step outside your comfort zone then you’ll fit right in. We’re for travellers who aren’t afraid to order off the local menu, jump in a tuk-tuk or take a punt on a new friend.
We reckon everyone should be able to see this great world, so we make sure our trips don’t cost the earth (literally and metaphorically). We make sure you see more awesome stuff, stay in more awesome places and eat more awesome things for your hard earned dollar.
We’ve done all the hard haggling for you, and because you’re travelling with a gang of friends, the cost is shared. We love you and we want to take you on the trip of a lifetime, whatever your budget.
When you’re travelling with a small group, you’ll get to know your gang of fellow travellers pretty well. Which means you’ll head home with a whole lot of new BFFs, rather than a hundred strange Facebook friend requests.
That’s why we based our Geckos symbol on the Native American crossed arrows. It means friendship. And we are totally down for making new friends.
Our guides are locals and our lodgings are locally owned, keeping profits and skills in the communities. We offset our carbon emissions; we don’t shirk the responsibility by passing the buck to our travellers. And we’ve set up a bunch of community and climate projects, which anyone can get involved in.
Geckos Adventures is committed to investing in the local communities we visit. To ensure we are offering adequate support to a variety of projects, Geckos has partnered with The Intrepid Foundation. Through this partnership, we can offer our travellers a more substantial base for donation and a greater selection of projects to support.
Geckos Adventures Trips & Specials
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FAQ
Do I need Travel Insurance?
Travel insurance is compulsory for all Intrepid travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it.
What is the Average Group Size?
What is the age range?
Is there a Single Supplement for Solo Travelers?