About Crooked Compass
Crooked Compass delivers immersive journeys creating emotion through powerful storytelling and transforming travellers lives. Strategically and sensitively integrating with local communities and their values, whilst protecting the authenticity of their culture, Crooked Compass uses exquisite aesthetics and creative ingenuity offering new perspectives, showcasing the richness of your locality.
Reasons to tour with Crooked Compass
Small group tours (max 12 travellers)
Explores emerging destinations - areas not too touched by tourism
Deep and meaningful encounters and connections with local communities
Expert local guides
Connect with some of the world's most remote cultures
Educational and perspective shifting experiences
Boutique accommodation
Sustainable tourism practices
Cultural Preservation
Cultural integration - Crooked Compass strategically and sensitively integrates the local community, aligning itself with the values of the inhabitants and protecting the authenticity of their culture, while enriching the experience of our travellers.
Awards
Lisa Pagotto (Director of Crooked Compass) Winner of Entrepreneur of the Year, 2017 Australia Women In Travel Awards
Covid Policies
Although we consider the current risk to travel with us as very low, we do take health and well-being seriously, and are taking all appropriate measures to deliver a safe and enjoyable experience. Crooked Compass is a COVID Safe Tour Operator operating under guidelines issued by the World Travel & ....more
Social Responsibility
We always use local guides and drivers. This not only provides crucial employment and income for the local community, but also increases the authenticity of the client’s trip.
We are able to recommend a variety of homestays in many different countries for clients who are interested. The money from homestays directly ....more
Environmental Sustainability
We take our commitment to the environment seriously. This is why we have partnered with Greenfleet, Australia’s most trusted source of biodiverse carbon offsets, to offset part of our travellers’ carbon footprint when booking their tour. Through their booking, our travellers can donate AUD4 to Greenfleet to help plant native ....more
Accreditations and Associations
Crooked Compass is a member of CATO, Council of Australian Tour Operators.
CATO Registered Operator No: 48335343
CATO
Economic Impact
We prefer, where possible, to use smaller, locally owned ground agents. Not only does this ensure that it is the host community who are managing and benefiting from the local tourist industry, but we also believe that our clients will have a better trip as local agents have a much ....more
Our Story
About the founder - Crooked Compass Founder, Lisa Pagotto’s efforts in the experiential travel space, have directly influenced the development of the experiential travel movement – a true maverick whose commitment, curiosity and daring sets new standards for the industry at large.
Lisa has created an eco-system for travellers to have ....more
Responsible Tourism
Crooked Compass is firmly committed to the principles of ethical travel. Our comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Practices policy summarises our commitments and actions.
Although the very basis of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of sustainable tourism, this policy re-iterates our commitment to:
- Use locally owned hotels
- Use locally owned ....more
What We Offer
Crooked Compass offers an exclusive range of small group tours (min 2, max 12 travellers).
Crooked Compass delivers immersive, perspective-shifting itineraries that challenge and inspire the sophisticated traveller on a deeply personal level, creating emotion through the powerful medium of storytelling and transforming their lives for the better.
Crooked Compass strategically and ....more
Crooked Compass Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes. Focusing on providing authentic experiences where ever you are in the world, Crooked Compass has access to a vast array of accommodation styles. From boutique properties in larger cities to local guest houses and home stays within small villages. Crooked Compass ensures that local authenticity flows through your accommodation throughout your tour without compromising standard.
What sort of transportation is used for your tours?
Transportation utilised on a Crooked Compass escorted small group tour is a combination of a private air conditioned vehicle and local transport where appropriate. This may include a local bus ride, use of the cities metro system, a domestic flight to another city or overnight train ride.
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Crooked Compass strives to be a leader in sustainable tourism. Crooked Compass is firmly committed to the principles of ethical travel. Our comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Practices policy summarises our commitments and actions. Although the very basis of our ground operations lends itself to the ethos of sustainable tourism, this policy re-iterates our commitment to: Use locally owned hotels Use locally owned ground agents Use local guides and drivers Promote community tourism projects from homestays to craft shops Support charities that work within the destinations that we travel to Carbon offset our travels
Who runs your tours and are they experts in their fields?
Crooked Compass works with the worlds best operators who are specialists in their country, region and cities providing you with in depth local knowledge. We use local guides who live and breathe the areas they work in, making sure you experience their region, their way. We believe it is far better to have a local guide who knows a lot about a little than a text book trained Western tour guide who knows a little about a lot. Using local guides also ensures that money stays within local communities and supports the regions we visit.
What can I expect from a Crooked Compass tour that I wouldn't get from travelling with an alternative company?
Crooked Compass provides a sensory way to understand the world – we help you live like a local, eat like a local, do what the locals do and seek the faces behind the places whilst discovering untouched lands and natural beauty. Crooked Compass tours delve deep into the heart and soul of a destination ensuring you get out of your journey all you intended and much, much more. Our intriguing itineraries have been created by travellers for travellers. Steering travellers to follow a different path, Crooked Compass’ itineraries allow you to experience the world’s most fascinating destinations in ways you never dreamed possible. It brings to life those ‘bucket list’ experiences you have yearned to do and separates the travellers from the tourists. Crooked Compass tours are culturally rich, reward travellers with unexpected encounters and uncommon rendezvous, creating truly unique, authentic travel experiences.
Who do your tours cater for?
Crooked Compass escorted small group tours cater for those who are well travelled seeking the what’s next and what’s new. Our travellers are curious minded soft adventurers who want to uncover something more than the mainstream tourist trail. Crooked Compass tours draw travellers with an interest in sustainable tourism and conservation for the areas they visit. A Crooked Compass traveller is someone who is seeking something fresh and unique, who has a yearning for authenticity and discovery, with an appreciation for cultures, tradition and the natural world. We call them Cultural Purists.
I am concerned about my impact on travelling through untouched regions. Can I offset?
Yes. All travellers on Crooked Compass tours have the option to offset their part of their tour’s carbon footprint by donating $4AUD (tax-deductible) at time of booking. 100% of these funds are donated to Greenfleet, an environmental non-profit organisation dedicated to protecting our climate by restoring our forests. By partnering with Greenfleet, we are confident that our carbon offset program provides genuine and lasting environmental benefits. Your offset donation funds plant trees and restore permanent native forests in Australia and New Zealand. As they grow, these forests provide many community and environmental benefits by absorbing carbon emissions, protecting our unique biodiversity, restoring habitat for native wildlife, preventing soil salinity and erosion, improving water quality and much more. If you’d like to find out more and offset the rest of your carbon emissions, visit www.greenfleet.org.au
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