Starting January 2026, REI Co-op members can once again book travel packages through the outdoor retailer — if not quite the way they used to.
REI members had long booked outdoor trips through the company’s Experiences program, which offered both international travel and day tours hosted by full-time employees or local, part-time guides. Many longtime customers were surprised when REI ended that program in January after offering it for 40 years, laying off hundreds of workers in the process.
“It was a beloved part of our business,” Megan Behrbaum, manager of REI communications, told GearJunkie. “But running those type of operations was expensive and unsustainable. That said, when we made that exit, we made a promise to really look at what adventure travel could look like for our members in the future.”
This summer, REI conducted a survey of members, who said they were still interested in booking such trips through the retailer. That apparently led to today’s announcement: REI will once again sell “adventure travel” trips. But now they’ll be offered through a partnership with Intrepid Travel, a tour operator focused on small group trips with a focus on connecting to local communities.
REI members will receive discounts on the travel packages, as well as recommended gear lists to get prepared. The partnership debuts in January with about 75 options, most of which focus on “bucket list” destinations in the U.S. and abroad.
REI x Intrepid Travel: How It Works
REI members can book these discounted trips through REI.com/travel, though it’s currently just a landing page with a video and some highlighted trips.
By January, members will be able to peruse two “collections” of adventure travel trips. The first is called REI Exclusive, and includes trips that weren’t previously available through Intrepid, but are designed to appeal to REI members.
At the moment, this collection includes 25 trips ranging from 3 to 14 days. They’ll take travelers to Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Tanzania, and “iconic natural places in the United States,” REI said.
“Each adventure — from alpine hikes and multi-sport adventures to women-led expeditions and wildlife encounters — is guided by Intrepid’s local experts,” the retailer said in a press release.
The second collection is called REI Recommended. These are trips that were already available through Intrepid, but handpicked by REI leaders looking for options that would “resonate with members,” Behrbaum said. Members will find about 50 of these trips, spanning 32 countries on six continents.
It’s worth noting that these trips will be sold entirely online — not in stores, as was possible through the Experiences program. All of the actual trips are led by Intrepid Travel employees and guides.
No Local Trips, So Far
One of the main benefits of the Experiences program was connecting REI members to local outdoor destinations. The trips didn’t just take members to popular destinations like Yosemite National Park, but also to nearby opportunities for hiking, rafting, or climbing.
That isn’t the case with the new partnership — at least not yet.
“There’s nothing to announce yet with regard to local programs,” Behrbaum said. “We will continue to listen to members to understand where they want to go.”
Although anyone will be able to book Intrepid Travel trips through REI starting in January, only members will receive discounts. That includes a 15% discount on the Exclusive trips. Members who buy one of the Recommended trips will receive a 20% off coupon to use toward a future REI gear and apparel purchase.
REI also hopes that customers purchasing the trips will buy their gear through the retailer. The travel itineraries will include curated packing lists informed by REI’s experts, and the co-op will also sell Intrepid travel books to help guests learn about destinations around the world.
This partnership will create a handful of new corporate jobs at REI headquarters, but REI stores won’t likely see new positions through this partnership. The first trips scheduled through REI will depart in June and July of next year.
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