Yet even with UNESCO’s imprimatur on sites big and small, natural biospheres and even intangible culture, the same famous mega-monuments always seem to get the lion’s share of travel love. Lesser-known but equally worthy sites still fall to the wayside as travellers rush for the obligatory photos of world icons and check off another legendary site on the do-before-I-die lists.

UNESCO recognition through its World Heritage List and time in the subsequent travel spotlight can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand, a new site gets a big status boost and protection under the UNESCO umbrella. On the other hand, an influx of tourists adds pressures and more need for protection.

One way to curb this effect is for travellers to visit alternative heritage destinations where high tourism congestion isn’t causing problems. In that spirit, below is our list of seven UNESCO World Heritage all-stars plus just-as-incredible alternatives. Why not avoid the heavy traffic and step lightly while doing your own thing? That way, the all-stars won’t get loved to death and more places will have a chance to benefit. The photos will be just as cool.

The All-star: Chichén Itzá in Cancun, Mexico. Photo courtesy of flickr/Dtraveller

1. The All-Star: Chichén Itzá in Yucatan, Mexico

The iconic Mayan pyramid of Chichén Itzá was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988. Then, in 2007, it was nominated for the New Seven Wonders of the World. Now that it has officially been identified as one of the honoured seven, some predict tourist visits will double within five years. As a convenient day trip from the mass-tourism destination of Cancun, Chichén Itzá, given its amazing story and stunning coastal location, is the second-most-visited ruins site in Mexico. Authorities have gradually needed to close parts of the monument to the public, no longer allowing visitors to enter interior chambers.

The Alternative: Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico. Photo courtesy of flickr/Ivanka Majic

The Alternative: Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico

Deep in the jungle of Chiapas in southern Mexico are the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Palenque, which was inscribed as an official UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. While it doesn’t attract the kind of mass tourism that Chichén Itzá does, thousands visit it each year. Guided tours fascinate with stories about the buildings’ precise astronomical alignment and visitors can still go into some of the ancient passages and chambers.

The All-star: The Great Wall of China. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Jakub Halun

2. The All-Star: Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is one of the best-known world monuments of all time, but added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1987. The Badaling section of the wall, near Beijing, attracts around 10 million visitors per year. Sadly, as a result, Geography in the News points out that “There is little concern over protection and conservation. Instead, exploitation of the site has culminated in an almost Disneyland type scene.” Booming tourism, development and inadequate protection are eating away at the Great Wall, of which as much as two-thirds are in a state of collapse.

The Alternative: Wall of Ston, Croatia. Photo courtesy of flickr/Poo-tee-weet?

The Alternative: Walls of Ston in Croatia

While nothing can really compare with the magnitude and might of the Great Wall of China, it is definitely not the only great wall in the world. In the historical city of Dubrovnik on the Adriatic coast of Croatia, for example, are the Walls of Ston, known as the “European Wall of China.” It dates back to the 15th century and its 5.5 kilometres of length form an irregular pentangle.

The All-star: The Parthenon, Athens, Greece. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Steve Swayne

3. The All-Star: Parthenon in Athens, Greece

Lit up and glowing over Athens, Greece at night, the Parthenon is the jewel of the Acropolis, the ancient city on a hill. As the grandest remains of Greek Antiquity, the Acropolis was deemed an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Greece is a world tourism powerhouse, welcoming more than 17.5 million visitors each year. In 2005, Athens alone received 6,088,287 tourists (each of them wanting a photo of the Parthenon without any other tourists in it).

The Alternative: Temple of Bacchus, Baalbek, Lebanon. Photo courtesy of flickr/Ben Piven

The Alternative: Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek, Lebanon

One of five of Lebanon‘s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Baalbek demonstrates that Greece is definitely not the only Mediterranean country with amazing ancient ruins. As UNESCO states about the ancient imperial city, “The archaeological site of Baalbek represents a religious complex of outstanding artistic value and its majestic monumental ensemble, with its exquisitely detailed stonework, is a unique artistic creation which reflects the amalgamation of Phoenician beliefs with the gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon through an amazing stylistic metamorphosis.”

The All-star: Medina of Fes, Morocco. Photo courtesy of wikimedia/Pawel Ryszawa

4. The All-Star: Medina of Fes, Morocco

Compared to Marrakech (one of Morocco‘s most famous destinations), the city of Fes is a modest place. Yet every visitor to inland Fes is bound to wander through its medina, the walled city centre that dates back to the 8th century. By some measures, it’s the largest car-free area in the world.

The Medina of Fes has been on the official UNESCO World Heritage roster since 1981, but may soon also be added to the list of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO cites two major threats: uncontrolled urban development due to overpopulation, and deterioration of the buildings. The governmental plan to address these issues is to safeguard everything, intervene where houses are collapsing and increase sustainable tourism.

The Alternative: Medina of Tétouan, Morocco. Photo courtesy of flickr/luisgosalbez

The Alternative: Medina of Tétouan, Morocco

In the smaller and less-touristed city of Tétouan in northern Morocco, another medina has gained World Heritage status. Full of mosques, madrassas and markets, Tétouan’s ancient city centre exhibits the same definitive Moroccan culture and tradition as its better-known counterparts in Fes and other cities. While also in need of protection and conservation, Téotuan is less overwhelmed than the Medina of Fes and in a better position to absorb increasing tourism traffic.

The All-star: Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Photo courtesy of flickr/daveperkes

5. The All-Star: Angkor Wat, Cambodia

A spectacular temple complex from the 12th century, Angkor Wat has been a power player for tourism in Cambodia since before its 1992 inauguration as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thomas Holdo Hansen of AngkorHotels.org, the whl.travel local connection in Cambodia, comments that “Angkor would without doubt be on my personal Top 10 World Heritage Sites list. It’s not without good reason that this important archaeological site is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and comes high up on many people’s must-see lists. The flip side of the coin is that the recent increase in tourism potentially can bring about many negative impacts if not managed properly.”

The Alternative: Preah Vihear, Cambodia. Photo courtesy of flickr/theonlymikey

The Alternative: Preah Vihear, Cambodia

Compared to Angkor Wat, Preah Vihear is a minor temple complex. It’s a less-likely tourism destination because of political strife. “Preah Vihear is more controversial but still a stunning archaeological site,” says Hansen. “It is situated right on the top edge of a steep cliff bordering the Sisaket Province in Thailand. After its inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, Preah Vihear has been the centre stage for some border conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia and, thus, many travellers have been discouraged from visiting.”

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The All-star: Machu Picchu, Peru. Photo courtesy of flickr/[togr

6. The All-Star: Machu Picchu, Peru

The year 2011was special for South America’s favourite pre-Colombian archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It marked 100 years since Hiram Bingham, a Yale University historian, arrived at the majestic high-elevation Incan citadel and announced its existence to the rest of the world. Machu Picchu was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since then, UNESCO has had to fight many battles to protect it from private interests and overdevelopment, including the implementation of a daily visitor limit. Still, safe-keepers fear irreparable damage if poor administration continues in the face of surging tourism.

The Alternative: Wiñay Wayna, Peru. Photo courtesy of flickr/Greg Headley

The Alternative: Wiñay Wayna, Peru

Also along the Inca Trail in the Sacred Valley of Peru where Machu Picchu is found, Wiñay Wayna is a minor Incan ruins site that is often considered a mere “stop in the road” on the way to Machu Picchu. While it’s true that it can’t match Machu Picchu’s scale and grandeur, Wiñay Wayna charms and impresses. With staircases and fountain structures connecting the layers of terrace, it is a perfect example of the hillside architecture traditional to the Incas.

The All-star: The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt. Photo courtesy of Bruno Girin

7. The All-Star: Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The Pyramids of Giza were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. They are, of course, Egypt‘s most visited attraction. In 1999, the largest of the three pyramids was reopened after a year of restoration work. The project’s goal was to undo some of the damage caused by long-term exposure to mass tourism. According to the BBC, “humidity levels in the tunnels and chambers inside had reached 80 percent because of the sheer volume of people going in,” which caused condensation and a build-up of salt. Since then, a cap of 300 visitors per day has been set on pyramid access.

The Alternative: The Pyramids of Gebel Barkal, Sudan. Photo courtesy of flickr/shovelingtom

The Alternative: Pyramids of Gebel Barkal, Sudan

The Pyramids of Gebel Barkal are part of the larger Gebel Barkal mountain site, which was approved as a UNESCO cultural World Heritage Site in 2003. It is one of only two in the country of Sudan. The Kushitic pyramids themselves were built as a royal cemetery in the 3rd century, which makes them only half as old as and very modest in size compared to the likes of the Great Pyramids of neighbouring Egypt. Travel to Sudan is complicated at the moment, but pieces of cultural heritage like this already under UNESCO protection hold promise for a tourism future.

There can be so much stress wrapped up in the simple act of catching a taxi. Book ahead with Green Path Transfers and you have peace of mind, in part because your travel is 100% carbon offset. This taxi waits near the Greek Parliament in Syntagma Square, Athens, Greece. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Salonica84

Triptrotting is all about connecting travellers with locals and then providing both with authentic experiences and opportunities to make new friends. I was the lucky gal chosen from among 300 others as the Ultimate Triptrotter and spent several weeks in Europe putting the Triptrotting network of travellers and hosts to the test.

Well, my Ultimate Triptrotting Adventures featured a lot of hopping from city to city, which meant a lot of time spent on planes and in airports. And I mean a lot of time: the start of my journey featured a period in which, thanks to Mother Nature (snow is nice, but not when it traps you in New Zealand), I barely set foot outside of an airport for five days.

Luckily for me, the WHL Group, with a little help from The Travel Word, stepped in and offered me the use of their innovative service known as Green Path Transfers, a global network of local eco-friendly airport transfer partners and ground transportation operators that transformed airport-city travel into something I anticipated rather than dreaded.

With ground transportation no longer a worry, in Istanbul, Yolanda met up with Salih, her Urban Adventures guide eager to share his love of his city and knowledge about Turkish life, including his his favourite Baklava cafe. Photo courtesy of Triptrotting

Much More Than a Transfer

Green Path Transfers was so much more than an airport transfer to me. As a traveller on a budget, I am used to taking the cheapest option to get into the city. This usually means one of three things:

1) scamming a friend into picking me up and hoping that they’ll still be there even if my flight is delayed
2) waiting around for a shuttle that will eventually take me to some inconvenient part of the city, or
3) scouring the airport for some form of public transportation, which then loops around and around suburbs for ages before ending up anywhere remotely close to civilization.

‘Splurging’ means getting a taxi, and it is only done as a last resort in the wee hours of the morning or when no other public transportation is available. Even that is usually not all that pleasant of an experience, as I can’t help wondering if the cab is actually a real cab, and if the driver is taking advantage of my clear unfamiliarity with the city by driving me around in circles.

A Taste of Something Different

Green Path Transfers was different: a global network of door-to-door ground transportation operators that provide a friendly face and reliable service at competitive costs, all while being green (using low-emissions vehicles and/or 100% carbon offsets).

Is the journey the way there or the destination? It's both, especially when the transport is simplified by Green Path Transfers and the goal is Athens, Greece, site of the world-famous Parthenon, sitting atop the Acropolis. Photo courtesy of Triptrotting

I was amazed at the ease with which I could get from the airport to my Triptrotting hosts! There was unfailingly someone at the airport to greet me, grab my bags and offer up both big smiles and lots of tips for ways to enjoy their cities. The drivers took great pride not only in their jobs, their cities and in maintaining high standards of service, but, as an added bonus, in knowing that they were doing right by the planet.

Especially to those of us concerned about how much carbon gets pumped into the atmosphere as a result of flights, Green Path Transfers promises some peace of mind. After all, Green Path Transfers is not just ‘green’ in name only. It aims to work with operators who use vehicles that are hybrids, run off biofuel, or whatever it takes to ensure reduced carbon emissions. As a further guarantee that the transfer is completely carbon neutral, Green Path Transfers offsets on any unavoidable emissions.

Now that I have had the good fortune of Green Path Transfer in Istanbul and in Athens, I can never go back to my old ways of long hours hauling luggage around on outdated and sketchy public transportation. Here’s to Green Path Transfers, where the grass truly is greener on the other side!

Monastirkai Square is at the intersection of three neighbourhoods: the Plaka area, the Psiri area and Monastiraki market. These three districts reflect three different cultures and three historical periods. Plaka and the Acropolis, which rises on the hill at the back of the scene, show the western classical influence. Monastiraki has oriental elements, while Psiri is more modern, cosmopolitan and international. These three aspects are present today in the everyday lives of Greek citizens and Monastiraki Square is a hub for their expression and fusion.

You can reach the square by metro, pick a direction and take a cultural to tour through it before returning to choose another. The prefect accompaniment is Greek pita souvlaki, available from several outlets in the square itself.

Since this photo was taken the square has been renovated and resurfaced. Click here to see how it looks today.

This Christmas tree is the Tree of Athens found on the city's Syntagma Square

As far as holiday pastimes are concerned, families looking for snow this unseasonably warm year (2010) should head to the mountains and well-known villages like Kalavryta in the Peloponnese or Arachova near Delphi, both approximately two hours from Athens by car. In Athens itself, there are free street concerts and fireworks.

Local Christmas Traditions

Greeks enjoy telling a Christmas myth about children who have not behaved. They talk about kalikantzari, little dark spirits resembling ugly elves that appear for 12 days (December 25 to January 5) to bring trouble to mortals. In some villages, local residents believe they can protect themselves from kalikantzari using herbs, asparagus and basil. On the island of Skyros, locals even hold special dance celebrations to make the kalikantzari disappear. Inside their houses, women sprinkle holy water in every corner with a cross and basil, and dried pomegranate is said to bring good luck. The kalikantzari are believed to vanish starting on January 6, an event known as Ton Foton, meaning ‘day light,’ when levity returns to the house and the spirit. Ton Foton is also the most common name day in Greece, celebrated on the feast day of St. John the Baptist (in Greece, Orthodox feast names are more important than birthdays).

On January 6, the day of the Epiphany (aka Theophany in Greece), a priest throws a cross into the cold waters of the local port, where swimmers dive and attempt to retrieve it. Photo courtesy of Flickr/RobW_

January 6, the Epiphany, is also known as Theophany, one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. On this day, to prove their faith and courage, young people jump into the cold waters of the sea to recover a holy cross and return it to a priest. The first one to find the cross is blessed for a year, as is the local water and/or sailing port. Throwing the cross into the water symbolises the passage of Jesus’ life from his birth to his baptism or the passage of his spirit to a new person. Theophany is commonly celebrated in Cyprus, but also in many other Greek communities around the world. After the Theophany, a priest visits local homes to pray and bless each house.

Amidst all these serious undertakings, on the mornings of Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and the Epiphany, local children often gather before different homes and sing kalanda (carols) in exchange for cookies or some coins. The kalanda have existed since pagan times and recount the story of Christmas; they have been a part of Christian Christmas custom since the early days of the Byzantine Empire.

Christmas Cooking

Fewer and fewer believers still fast during the 40 days preceding Christmas, but the break-fast meal remains an opportunity for all to roll up their sleeves and show their skill with traditional foods.

Melomakarona are just one of several kinds of sweets enjoyed in Greece during the Christmas season. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Sotomi

Many meals begin with a soup eaten on the night of Christmas itself. It’s a simple dish made with chicken, rice and avgolemono sauce, which is composed of lemon and eggs. It is accompanied by chrystopsomo, which means ‘Christ’s bread,’ a rounded loaf of village bread. The choice of ingredients for chrystopsomo differs from house to house, but popular ones include olive oil, red wine, orange juice, dry grapes and walnuts. Following this is a traditional plate of meat, typically lemon pork with vegetables, although turkey is now also sometimes served.

Holiday desserts in Greece are abundant and also extremely sweet! Kouriambedies are typical Christmas cookies dusted with white sugar to remind one of small flakes of fresh snow. These shortbread cookies are very sweet and may include almonds or nuts in a circle or crescent shape.

In Greece, Vassilopita is a traditional Christmas cake in which is hidden a lucky coin or medaillon. Photo courtesy of Flickr/Vassilis Online

Melomakarona is another delightful pastry that combines the Greek word meli, meaning honey, with the Italian word for macaroon. These sweet treats are made of nuts, olive oil, honey syrup, cinnamon, orange and clover. They are rounded or oval-shaped and often topped with nuts or sesame seeds.

Finally there is vassilopita, a type of cake bread sprinkled with powdered sugar that is often eaten on the New Year. Vassilopita means ‘cake of Saint Basil, Vassilis,’ the Greek Santa Klaus. The special and entertaining custom of cutting this cake is as follows: the firsts slices – made for the Holy Trinity and Holy Virgin – are typically eaten last; the next piece goes to the father or head of the family, followed by the wife, the kids (from oldest to youngest) and other family members and guests. Hidden inside the cake is a coin or medallion and the one who finds it will be lucky for a year.

That said, it’s hard to find a subject that stirs as much pride, interest, passion and debate as a discussion of cuisine. Getting to grips with the local grub is as much a part of the travel experience as immersing oneself in the local culture, engaging with local people and learning the local lingo; it is definitely one of the highlights of any trip.

Thanks to the efforts of our whl.travel and Urban Adventures local partners around the globe, we’ve managed to assemble a pretty extensive selection of typical local appetisers, soups and stews, main dishes, vegetarian dishes, desserts, drinks and snacks and street foods, many even with recipes, but all recommended by inside local experts.

So start by using our photo gallery below, limber up your jaw and start munching!

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Appetisers

Soups & Stews

Main Dishes

Vegetarian Dishes

Desserts

Drinks

Snacks & Street Food

The Café Literario Balmaceda in the Providencia district of Santiago, Chile, is one of the most popular literary cafés in the city. It has an excellent selection of coffees and, even more importantly, a collection of more than 30,000 books.

A Fine South American Literary Vintage

One part of South America’s Pacific flank, Chile has produced some prodigious literary talent, earning it the nickname the Land of Poets. This talent even includes two Nobel laureates, Gabriela Mistral (who was the first Latin American to receive this accolade back in 1945) and the world-renowned poet Pablo Neruda (nom de plume of Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, who took the name in honour of the Czech writer, Jan Neruda).

The country’s best-known novelist, however, is probably Isabel Allende (who was born in Lima, Peru, and is first cousin once removed of the former Chilean president Salvador Allende), who penned the bestseller La casa de los espíritus (House of the Spirits). Her style of magical realism has drawn comparisons with another South American heavyweight, writer and Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel García Márquez, who hails from Colombia.

Chileans are understandably proud of their literary heritage and of their status as one of South America’s biggest producers of books. The Chilean capital, Santiago, is brimming with literary cafés buzzing with locals putting the world to rights or just looking to get away from it all and enjoy a coffee in peace and bookish solitude. Some cafés house a dizzying array of literature, including the autographed works of famous authors.

The African Queen of Sleuthing

Up until quite recently, the landlocked southern African nation of Botswana would have been noted more for its diamonds and desert; however, the vastly popular novels by Alexander McCall Smith detailing the exploits of Mma Precious Ramotswe, Africa’s very own Miss Marple, and her No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, have put the country firmly on the literary map.

These baobab trees in the Kalahari Desert have long been great symbols of Botswana. The publication of Alexander McCall Smith's series of books featuring the super sleuth, Mma Precious Ramotswe, has provided yet another as a great boon for the local tourist industry.

Born in Zimbabwe, but having lived for several years in Botswana, McCall Smith used his novels to paint an accurate and affectionate portrait of the country and of African life, a refreshing and welcome counterpoint to the many negative depictions of the continent. In fact, such has been the books’ appeal that they have been published in over 40 countries and even found their way onto the small screen as a series directed by the late Oscar-winner Anthony Minghella.

This has of course meant great things for the Botswanan tourist industry. Plenty of visitors now flock to the capital city of Gabarone to enjoy a cup of red bush tea, the favoured beverage of McCall Smith’s portly heroine, who is now also the subject of tours.

Hellenic Histories

The ancient nation of Greece packs a serious literary punch. From Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey to the famed works of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, the three great tragedians of classical Athens, Greece’s influence as the birthplace of Western culture is undisputed. The Greek islands too, with their stunning natural landscapes, have proved an effective muse for many a writer.

Lying just off the southern coast of Albania, the Ionian island of Corfu was also nicknamed Durrell’s Island in recognition of its most famous literary residents, the cosmopolitan novelist Lawrence Durrell and his brother, Gerald, a naturalist and writer. The Emerald Isle, as it’s also known, features heavily in both of their works although Gerald’s novels My Family and Other Animals and Birds, Beasts and Relatives are a decidedly more irreverent and light-hearted look at their time on an island known for its commitment to nature and tradition.

Myrtos Beach on the Greek island of Kefalonia is famed for its crystal-clear turquoise water and has been voted Greece's best beach 12 times. It was one of the locations used during the filming of the 2001 movie 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' – aficionados may remember the bomb scene was filmed here!

The volcanic isle of Santorini is lauded as one of the most beautiful spots in the Aegean and is believed by many to be the lost island of Atlantis. It is dominated by a huge caldera, whose beauty has spurred many a poet and novelist into fits of creativity and unbridled exaltation, including an homage by the Nobel winner Odysseas Elytis. The French existentialist philosopher and writer, Jean-Paul Sartre, even set his play Les Mouches (The Flies) in the village of Emporio, having visited the area with his partner and fellow intellectual, Simone de Beauvoir.

Forever immortalised in the Louis de Bernières bestseller and subsequent Hollywood blockbuster movie, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the Ionian island of Kefalonia has done well out of its 15 minutes of fame, offering a number of tours that take in locations used during the making of the movie. Luckily Kefalonia is still far from becoming a Captain Corelli theme park and with its exquisite beaches, lush interior and secret finds, it is not hard to see what is still its real allure.

The third largest of the Greek islands, Lesvos is often referred to as the Island of Poets. Largely unspoiled, Lesvos is famed as the birthplace of the ancient lyric poetess, Sappho, who hailed from the small village of Eresos, now a major tourist hotspot.

A Polynesian Treasure Island

When Robert Louis Stevenson, of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Kidnapped fame, first visited the South Pacific island kingdom of Samoa, he was so taken with the archipelago that he made it his home, settling on the island of Upolu. By far the most famous palagi (white man) to ever make it to these shores, he was quickly taken in by the Samoans and became a valued member of the community, even adopting the native name Tusitala, meaning ‘Storyteller’ in Samoan.

The second largest Samoan island, Upolu, is famed not only for its natural beauty and romantic charm, but for its most renowned resident, the 19th century Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson's former home on the island has been turned into a museum in his honour and his tomb lies next to his wife’s on the summit of nearby Mount Vaea.

Stevenson’s sudden death in 1894 shook the locals greatly. He was buried atop Mount Vaea, where his tomb remains, engraved with an epitaph he penned himself, and which was translated into a Samoan song of grief:

Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie:
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be:
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.

Urban Adventures range from two-hour to one-day adventures and uncover back streets, hidden gems and fascinating sights. While these adventures may be short in duration, they’re long on real-life experiences. Step into the lives of the locals, find out what makes the city tick and get acquainted with the local food, culture and traditions, all in the company of an expert local guide. See more than just the usual sights on an Urban Adventure.

The Urban Adventures business is a unique and exciting new concept developed by leading adventure travel operator Intrepid Travel and WHL Group, the biggest local travel company in the world. Urban Adventures relies on a combination of Intrepid Travel’s experience in designing and running the world’s best experiential trips; plus WHL Group’s whl.travel network of local operators and the technology to sell these trips at low cost. Intrepid and WHL Group share a commitment to sustainable travel and minimising impact on the environment and on communities.

Anchored at launch in approximately 20 cities, Urban Adventures will be available in 65 cities with over 200 trips within six months. Departures are daily and prices start from US$15.

whl.travel is particularly proud of its partners in the following destinations who have been selected as Urban Adventures Partners and are or will soon be offering tours that bring their cities to life: Athens, Boracay, Brunei, Cappadocia, Dominica, Foz do Iguassu, Jamaica, Livingstone, Madeira, Riga, Rio, Samoa, St Lucia, and Thessaloniki. More will be added in the weeks and months ahead.

Urban Adventures drop the barriers between visitors and hosts, bringing you in direct contact with the people who give a place its character. Kids in Cambodia are especially expert at making you feel right at home.

So whether you’re after an evening of home cooking and hanging locally in Istanbul, a full-day exploration of the magnificent temples of the Angkor complex in Cambodia, visiting the history and people of Johannesburg by bicycle or sampling Los Angeles, from Hollywood glitz to the quirkiness of Venice Beach, Urban Adventures really connect with the destination.

Become a Free Urban Adventures Tester

To celebrate the launch of Urban Adventures, Intrepid Travel and WHL Group are offering travellers (and locals) the opportunity to tour for FREE.

Travellers can register to become an Urban Adventures tester. By doing so they will be notified of free spots on Urban Adventures around the world that will be allocated on a first-in-best-dressed basis. The first trips will be made available on 21 October. In return for a free adventure, testers write trip reviews and take photos for the Urban Adventures website. In addition, travellers who submit feedback could win a monthly Urban Adventures prize pack.

Being an Urban Adventure tester suits everyone from round-the-world backpackers to business people and travellers who enjoy discovering what makes cities tick. The program is ongoing so people can register whenever they go on holiday.