Intrepid Travel built its brand on the best travel experiences coming from something deeper than just visiting a destination – real, rare and remarkable experiences rooted in complete immersion into communities, culture and the stories that make these locations extraordinary.
Today, the world’s largest adventure company takes that idea to somewhere new, launching Stay Intrepid – a curated collection of Australian properties, each acquired for their deep community roots and the kind of local experience that has always defined Intrepid’s way of travel. Starting with five properties across Australia, with plans to grow the portfolio with multiple acquisitions each year, Stay Intrepid marks a significant new chapter for the business.
Stay Intrepid is built for the traveller who has always loved what Intrepid stands for – the local connections, the off-the-beaten-track experiences and its responsible travel ethos. These properties are bookable independently, with no tour required, and designed for those who want more from a stay than just a place to rest their heads.
The five new properties in Australia include:
• Daintree Ecolodge on Eastern Kuku Yalanji Country in Queensland’s ancient Daintree Rainforest
• Edge of the Bay on Palawa Country along Tasmania’s Freycinet coastline
• Arkaba Homestead on Adnyamathanha Country in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges
• Bamarru Plains Limilngan and neighbouring Aboriginal Lands, Northern Territory
• Ooraminna Homestead on Arrernte Country outside Alice Springs
Each operates under a ‘collection brand’ model, with its own distinct identity and story, held together by a shared set of Intrepid values and experience standards. Every property in the Stay Intrepid portfolio was handpicked for the story it already tells.
“There’s a moment on every great trip where a place stops you in your tracks – where you stop being a visitor and start feeling like you actually belong somewhere. That’s what these properties do, and it’s what drew us to them,” says Richmond Sear, General Manager of Accommodation, Australia at Intrepid Travel.
“When we acquired Wild Bush Luxury at the end of last year, places like Arkaba and Bamurru were already doing something most accommodation can only aspire to. We didn’t need to change them, we just needed to make sure more people could find them.”
Across all properties, the Intrepid imprint is felt in the details. Guests are welcomed with locally inspired arrival rituals rooted in community tradition. A dedicated Community Connector serves as a personalised concierge, helping guests plan and book local experiences and connecting them with the people, places and stories that make each destination extraordinary. Restaurant menus celebrate hyper-local and native ingredients, with curated works from local makers peppered throughout each space.
At Daintree Ecolodge, guests can experience the world’s oldest rainforest through the eyes of those who know it best – with on-site First Nations guided experiences, including cultural walks and basket weaving, offered through an affiliated First Nations operator. At Bamarru Plains, mesh-walled bungalows dissolve the boundary between room and wilderness, with the sounds of the Mary River floodplains beside Kakadu as a constant companion.
Further south, at Arkaba Homestead, just ten guests at a time are hosted within the vast Arkaba Conservancy, with immersive conservation experiences replacing the standard outback tour. At Ooraminna Homestead, rustic elevated accommodation is nestled amongst the red earth, complete with campfire dining and star-filled skies. And Edge of the Bay offers something increasingly rare: a stay that feels completely of its place.
Each Stay Intrepid property is connected to a locally rooted cause through The Intrepid Foundation, with donations supported through a range of activations and initiatives ensuring measurable community and environmental impact. With plans to acquire multiple properties each year as it builds its global portfolio, Intrepid is positioning Stay Intrepid as a significant new chapter for the business and a new benchmark for what responsible and experience-led accommodation can look like
