I was on the ground for the first-ever REI x Intrepid Alaska Hike and Kayak trip in July 2026, and I’ve got thoughts. Some of them are “book this now.” One of them isn’t.
Let’s start with what this partnership actually is, because the “why” matters more than the marketing copy suggests.
Why REI and Intrepid, and why now
REI shut down its own guided travel arm, REI Experiences, in January 2025. The reason was blunt: it never turned a profit, not even in 2019, its best year. But when REI surveyed its members over the following summer, the appetite for guided trips hadn’t gone anywhere. So instead of rebuilding the whole operation in-house, REI did something smarter. It partnered with Intrepid Travel, the company that’s been running small-group trips in over a hundred countries since 1989, and let Intrepid handle the trip from start to finish.
But the more compelling story behind the brand match is the alignment of two companies who have similar audiences and aligned goals. (At least on paper. We’ll dig into more of that later.)
REI brings 25 million co-op members who already trust its gear recommendations and a built-in packing-list ecosystem. Intrepid brings the actual operational muscle, the guides, the logistics, the on-the-ground relationships, plus a B Corp status and a sustainability track record REI’s own brand depends on. REI’s chief new ventures officer, Susan Viscon, called it a way to give members “meaningful connections with new cultures and landscapes.” Intrepid’s Leigh Barnes framed it as combining “REI’s deep outdoor expertise with Intrepid’s recognized approach to responsible and locally-led tourism.” Both companies get something they couldn’t build alone, and REI gets a nice side effect too: everyone booking a trip walks away with a curated gear list, and non-Exclusive bookings even come with a coupon for future REI purchases. It’s a smart, values-aligned deal, and I don’t say that about most travel partnerships.
The lineup for the partnership offically launched in January 2026 with more than 75 itineraries split into two tiers: REI Exclusive trips built specifically for the REI community, and REI Recommended trips, which are existing Intrepid itineraries REI’s team has vetted and endorsed.
Worth noting that I do think that REI could increase the conversions by adding a few pieces of gear, that is useful for particular trips booked, as an incentive to buy. Consumers are more motivated to buy with “free gift with purchase” versus arbitrary 10 or 15% off discounts. And from working with REI in the past, I can assure you that unloading a few pieces of gear is not an issue.
The four tiers, and where this trip actually sits
Before you look at the price tag, it helps to know that every Intrepid trip is sorted into one of four style tiers, and the tier changes what you’re actually paying for, not just how nice the hotel is.
Basic is the budget tier: hostels and guesthouses, public transport, fewer extras, built for travelers who want the most authentic, least-cushioned version of a destination.
Original is Intrepid’s core product, the one most of their trips fall into. Tourist-class hotels, a solid mix of included meals and activities, small groups, experienced local leaders, and real free time built in.
Comfort steps it up: upgraded hotels chosen for location and character, mostly private transport, and more included meals and activities than Basic or Original, so you’re spending less out of pocket once you’re there.
Premium is the top of the range: handpicked accommodation, the most experienced leaders, arrival transfers included, and a more relaxed pace with longer stays built in.
The trip I took, Alaska Hike and Kayak, is an Original trip. That’s the second tier from the bottom, not the top, and it’s worth knowing that going in. You’re not paying for a premium slow-travel experience here, you’re paying for a well-run, small-group, active itinerary with real inclusions. For what this trip actually delivers, that’s the right tier for the price. Just don’t expect Premium-level hand-holding or a Comfort-tier hotel upgrade. But, to my surprise and delight, all the hotel stays and experiences felt very comfortable. Nothing felt like camping or rugged. Nothing felt bare bones. It’s actually hard to imagine what the upgraded experiences would be like because we were very comfortable.
The real math on this specific trip
If you’re chasing accessible luxury instead of manufactured markup: this is a 7-day, 6-night trip starting and ending in Anchorage, and it runs from $4,395 for REI members, $5,170 for non-members. That’s the 15% member discount. If you’re not already an REI co-op member, then you’ll see joining before you book is definitely worth it.
What’s actually included for that price: six breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner, six nights of hotel accommodation, and a week’s worth of the kind of access that’s genuinely hard to arrange solo. You’re hiking Denali National Park’s Triple Lakes Trail, walking the ancient ice of the Matanuska Glacier with crampons and a helmet provided, kayaking Resurrection Bay, and closing the trip at Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. Group size stays small, four to eleven people, which is exactly the kind of ratio that makes a trip feel curated instead of herded. It really does feel like a luxe experience. Nothing feels compromised or striped down.
A few things worth knowing before you book: the trip needs a minimum of four confirmed travelers to run, and if that number isn’t hit, you’ll know at least 60 days out with a full refund, not a last-minute scramble. A single supplement is available if you don’t want to share a room. (I really wish companies would abandon this penalty tax for solo travelers. The numbers prove year after year that solo travel, in particular for woman, is a real and dedicated demographic that actually spends on trips multiple times a year! If companies really understood this, they would make a killing hyper focussing to the needs of this demo.)
To learn about my experience, the nuanced details, the feelings, and more, from this trip to Alaska, read the post linked below.
Where the real work happened, and where it didn’t
Now, the part I actually came here to tell you.
REI’s own listing for this trip includes “locally based leaders” as one of its core selling points, word for word: “Leaders don’t just show off a destination, they’re the heart and soul of our trips.” And to be fair, that promise did show up. Our guide was a veteran who loved his job and it showed. He was well read, well prepared, and really invested in our journey through Alaska.
But the trip’s dedicated Indigenous cultural touchpoint is a single stop: a visit to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, built into day one, where you learn about the Dena’ina and Yup’ik peoples whose land you’re about to travel through. One stop. A few hours. Out of seven days. And that was the only time it came up.
It is truly a missed opportunity for companies who say they are invested in responsible and ethical travel to not make continual threads to the Dena’ina or Sugpiaq communities whose homeland you’re hiking, paddling, and camping on for the other six days.
This is the exact standard I hold every trip to on my responsible travel checklist: local and Indigenous voices can’t be a single scheduled stop you can lose to a flight delay. They need to be woven through the week, the way the glacier guide was woven through Matanuska. REI and Intrepid got that part right once. I’d love to see them build it into the rest of the itinerary too, not just the one day it’s easiest to check off.
Responsible Travel 101
Looking for a comprehensive understanding of this topic? Our white paper is meant to answer your top questions on this subject.
Should you book it
Yes, with one specific move. Book it, use your co-op membership for the discount, and before you go, research how you can include more direct experiences with the very visible and willing-to-share Alaska native community during your time in Anchorage. You likely will not have time during the travel days of the tour. But you will have free time in Anchorage, at the start or end of your experience.
