Intrepid Travel gives the lowdown on its new women-only expeditions to the Middle East

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Intrepid Travel launched a new range of women-only trips to the Middle East that product manager Jenny Gray believes will help “break down the cultural barriers of traditional tourism”.Gray, who created the range, says the idea was sparked by feedback from clients who had traveled to the Middle East with Intrepid The three Women’s Expeditions, which visit Morocco, Jordan, and Iran, allow female travelers an authentic glimpse into the countries while respecting cultural boundaries. “Each country has its own unique cultural and religious factors, which can mean that local interaction is challenging and complex for mixed-gender groups,” explains Gray when I ask why Intrepid chose these specific countries for its all-female adventures. She cites the example of desert camps in Jordan’s Wadi Rum, which are only operated by men. “In these close confines, it’s not socially acceptable for men to be alone with our female travelers, so the opportunities for interaction on mixed-group tours has been limited,” she says.