Crooked Compass

23/06/2026

18/06/2026

People often ask why certain journeys take years to create.

The answer is simple. In many places, meaningful access cannot be bought or rushed. It has to be earned.

One of our most requested journeys required more than 18 months of preparation before travellers could set foot there. Not because it was difficult to reach, but because entering respectfully mattered more than moving quickly.

In Bougainville, I worked closely with local communities, including the Upeii tribe, navigating cultural sensitivities and post civil war realities that extended far beyond tourism logistics. Those conversations became just as important as the destination itself.

What travellers experience in those 12 days is only possible because of the years of groundwork behind it.

For me, the red tape has never been the obstacle. In many parts of the world, it is what protects cultural integrity and preserves the authenticity travellers are searching for in the first place.

That is why authentic cultural travel will always be shaped through patience, trust, mutual respect, and genuine local connection formed over time.

-Lisa Pagotto

Explore journeys shaped through deeper cultural access here: https://www.crooked-compass.com/

16/06/2026

An island where 80% of the wildlife exists nowhere else on Earth.

A huge thank you to Quentin Long from The Australian Traveller, for highlighting our Socotra Island Private Tour on last week!

It is a rare privilege to explore a place so few people even know how to reach. If you are seeking a genuinely surreal, off-grid experience, this is it.

Discover the lost island:
https://www.crooked-compass.com/tour/socotra-the-lost-island/

12/06/2026

Thoughtful feedback like this means a great deal to us.

We are grateful to receive this warm message from Geoff Johnson, who travelled with Crooked Compass through Kyrgyzstan. His reflections speak to the level of detail and care that shape each journey, from seamless logistics and attentive on the ground support to the depth of cultural insight shared along the way.

Thank you, Geoff, for taking the time to share your experience in Kyrgyzstan.

"Every aspect of the entire process with Crooked Compass was excellent. Their expertise in creating a personalised itinerary for me in Kyrgyzstan to accommodate my needs was evident from the start. My arrival in Bishkek was seamless thanks to my driver Timur. My guide Natalya was an absolute delight, and gave me an invaluable insight into the people, history and culture. And Madina went above and beyond in helping me amend my travel plans after I had a flight cancelled due to the Dubai floods. The personal follow up from Lisa exemplified the professionalism of the company.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Crooked Compass as an outstanding niche travel provider."

— Geoff Johnson
🌍 Kyrgyzstan

Discover more about travelling through Kyrgyzstan here: https://www.crooked-compass.com/travel-blog/5-reasons-why-you-should-visit-kyrgyzstan/

10/06/2026

When Lisa Pagotto founded Crooked Compass in 2014, she did so to reject the predictable. We do not sell mass tourism; we build curated programmes born from deep, uncompromised cultural context.

Winning Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017 and 2025 was never about corporate performance. It was validation of a travel philosophy grounded in genuine curiosity, deep understanding, and absolute respect for the communities we enter.

Today, we have grown to 300+ itineraries across 70 countries. Yet, we refuse to chase volume. We still operate precisely where geography meets culture, prioritising stories over spectacles and depth over scale.

This has always been at the heart of every journey designed.

See how we design journeys that change perspectives. Full story here: https://www.crooked-compass.com/travel-blog/lisa-pagotto-creating-authentic-travel-experiences/

04/06/2026

Where will your travels take you next? 🌍

To the ancient Silk Road cities of Central Asia?
The wild frontiers of Mongolia?
The mountain monasteries of The Caucasus?
The historic North African medinas of the Maghreb?
Or the contrasting worlds of Bangladesh and Bhutan?

Each journey reveals something entirely different:
• Silk Road cities shaped by centuries of cultural exchange.
• Eagle hunters gathering beneath the Altai Mountains.
• Ancient traditions still woven through mountain life across The Caucasus.
• North African medinas rich with ancient structures, history and colour.
• Himalayan valleys, floating markets, and sacred festivals that invite travellers into worlds far beyond tourist trails.

Our journeys are designed for travellers who seek depth, greater cultural meaning and access to routes less discovered.

Your 2026/27 and 2028 discovery map is ready. 🧭

Explore our tours here: https://www.crooked-compass.com/

30/05/2026

A collision of Silk Road fables and Soviet grit. The cobalt domes of Uzbekistan meet the high altitude silence of the Kyrgyz jailoos.

This is Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

The Blue Cities: Uzbekistan is a tangle of history. Cyans and sapphire mosaics. We uncover the sites hidden from the typical map, moving through the steps of Persian empires and the weight of the Soviet era.

The Wild Pastures: In Kyrgyzstan, stone turns to craggy ridges and rolling summer pastures. You will soak in mountain scapes that are joyously unspoilt, moving alongside semi-nomadic shepherds who still call the yurts home. We veer off the path to villages where the only traffic is a flock of sheep and witness a spectacular eagle hunting display. Meet these magnificent creatures and the eagle training families.

This is a journey to enrich the soul.
2026 and 2027 tours available.

See the full itinerary for this tour: https://www.crooked-compass.com/tour/uzbekistan-kyrgyzstan/

29/05/2026

Exchange the finished maps of the modern world for the visceral reality of the Silk Road.

Here are 6 reasons to follow the original footsteps of Marco Polo.

1. The Living Ruins: You will walk through Jiaohe Ancient City. It is not a reconstructed site. It is a perfect ruin of earth buildings from thousands of years ago.

2. The Uighur Table: You will sit for a traditional dinner in a local home, sharing stories and flavours that have been passed down through generations of Uighur families.

3. The Unrestored Wall: We trek on sections of the Great Wall that remain unrestored. It is just you, the stone, and the sheer scale of human ambition.

4. The Cave of Scriptures: The Mogao Grottoes are not just art. They are a library of the soul. With 50,000 scriptures and priceless sculptures, to this day, it is one of the most significant cultural discoveries on earth.

5. The Desert Oasis: Crescent Lake sits in the middle of shifting dunes, a defiant sliver of blue in a world of gold. It is an outstanding sight that has sustained travellers for centuries.

6. The Hutong Soul: We take a deep dive into the local life of Beijing with a foodie walk through the hutongs. Enjoy traditional local dishes from other parts of China.

A journey to awaken your senses. Limited 2026 availability. 2027 availability now open.

Follow Marco Polo footsteps, click below.
https://www.crooked-compass.com/tour/following-marco-polo/

27/05/2026

Michele Garner recently returned from the stillness of Nepal with a story that settled into her for good. It is a rare privilege to witness a destination move from a place on a map to a part of a soul.

Thank you, Michele, for your recount.

"I have just returned from a Crooked Compass tour of Nepal. I cannot give enough praise and thanks for the experience. It was THE BEST travelling experience I have ever had. From a welcome letter from Lisa, to the most beautiful, friendly, caring, flexible, knowledgeable and kind tour guide, Hari Sitaula, the other Crooked Compass staff that looked after us, and I could not have planned a better tour of Nepal - so many places, transfers so well organised and accommodation 5 star all the way!!!
THANK-YOU, Dhan ya bhad and Namaste."

— Michele Garner
🌍 Nepal

Explore the full details of this Nepal tour here: https://www.crooked-compass.com/tour/soul-nepal/