Intrepid Travel today announced the full acquisition of French adventure travel company Altaï Group from the investment company of Julien Leclercq, Chairman of Decathlon, the global sporting goods retailer, and a key shareholder of Intrepid. This marks Intrepid’s largest acquisition ever and grows the company’s strategic footprint into France, one of the largest adventure travel markets in Europe, positioning it as the company’s fourth-largest market globally.
The deal is the latest move in Intrepid’s expansion into non-English speaking markets, and a clear signal of intent to grow its style of responsible small group travel in Europe, while also creating new opportunities for growth across the Americas and key outbound markets like the U.S. and Canada. This is Intrepid’s second major investment in Europe, following the acquisition of leading Dutch tour operator Sawadee Reizen in early 2025. The acquisition will add AU$100M+ in revenue and an additional 35,000 customers a year to Intrepid.
"The acquisition of Altaï Group is a significant step forward for Intrepid's global growth. It expands our distribution in Western Europe, strengthens our operations in Chile and Canada, and opens up new inbound demand from France,” said Leigh Barnes, President of the Americas, Intrepid. “As our business grows, so does our ability to create real economic opportunity for the communities and local partners at the heart of every Intrepid experience."
Headquartered in Lyon, the Altaï Group operates nature-based, active, small group and tailor-made travel experiences through several brands, including Atalante, Altaï Travel, Copines de Voyage, and Les Aventureurs. Like Intrepid, Altaï Group is a vertically integrated business operating most of its trips across the globe through its own network of Destination Management Companies (DMCs).
The acquisition unlocks new opportunities for Intrepid around the world, and specifically in the Americas region through:
- Expanded DMC capabilities in Chile and Canada, including an operational base in Montreal and access to wilderness and adventure-led experiences in Northern Canada.
- Better engagement of French-speaking travelers in Quebec with local language marketing and sales.
- Increased inbound travel demand from France to regional destinations like Canada, Peru, and Chile.
Julien Leclercq became a key shareholder and Board member of Intrepid in 2021 and the company has experienced significant growth since then, including record financial results each year since 2023.
Altaï Group will continue to be led by Managing Director Yann Wulser, who will report to Intrepid’s Managing Director EMEA, Zina Bencheikh. Altaï Group will remain based in France and will continue to operate with the existing names and brands for the short-term.
“We're delighted to welcome the Altaï Group to Intrepid. We see the French speaking market as a massive opportunity to further propel our growth,” said James Thornton, Intrepid CEO. “We believe the world needs more Intrepid people – and now we can add French-speaking customers to that ever-growing list of Intrepid people.”
“This is the ideal match for the Altaï Group, which will allow the business to expand further under Intrepid’s global footprint and expertise. It has been a pleasure working with the Intrepid team, since first becoming a key shareholder in 2021 and I’m looking forward to deepening my commitment in the years ahead,” added Julien Leclercq, Intrepid non-executive Board member.
Intrepid and Altaï Group both focus on nature-based adventures and trips that support local communities. Like Intrepid, Altaï Group is B Corp certified, which means it operates with the highest levels of environmental and social standards.
ABOUT INTREPID TRAVEL
Intrepid Travel has been a world leader in responsible travel for more than 35 years. The company’s mission is to create positive change through the joy of travel, which comes to life on more than 900 trips all designed to truly experience local culture. With its own network of offices in 33 countries, Intrepid has unique local expertise and perspectives. Globally recognised for their commitment to transparency and ethical travel, they became B-Corp certified in 2018, and their not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation, has disbursed more than $20 million to more than 160 partners. For more information, download the company’s 2025 Integrated Annual Report and follow Intrepid on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn.