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Ultimate South America 2023, a riders perspective…
Ultimate South America 2023, from the riders perspective… live vicariously through our guests Rex & Sally from Beyond Tassie on the Ultimate South America tour…
On The Road – True North Alaska (Pt. 4)
As we head south towards Chena Hot Springs crossing the mighty Yukon again and tackling the Atigun pass, this time through an Arctic storm, we gradually feel the Alaskan summer sun on our backs as it provides a much welcome relief to the harsher Arctic conditions we just experienced. In Chena we have the opportunity …
On The Road – True North Alaska (Pt. 3)
Now we head north to fulfil a bucket list achievement of many who go on this tour. We are heading as far north as you can go in the USA. The destination is Prudhoe Bay Dead Horse Alaska; high above the Arctic Circle, a place very few are ever likely to visit due to its …
On The Road – True North Alaska (Pt. 2)
After departing Anchorage with anticipation and excitement we headed south to a small shipping village called Homer where we stayed a couple of nights. The scenery along the way was spectacular with the shoreline of the Cook Inlet on one side and the 3,000 ft mountains of the Chugach State Park on the other. …
On The Road – True North Alaska (Pt. 1)
Not one, not two, but THREE of the core team from Compass HQ here in Melbourne Australia are currently out on the highways and byways of Alaska in the USA – and they’re having the absolute time of their lives. Ben (Compass Director) had this to report from the first few days: It’s been a …
Like a Phoenix from the ashes….
Finally – The news you have all been waiting for. On the 11th March 2020 the WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic and by June 23rd, we announced the closure of Compass Expeditions after 13 of the most incredible years. Compass Expeditions took the very early decision to fully refund all deposits for all future tours, …
The Ross McKeand Memorial ride and reunion event – Jindabyne – March 2020
By Duncan Bennett. Rydges Resort, scene of the 2020 Compass Expeditions Reunion. After an unpack, it was off to the bar to greet old mates and meet other Compass ride veterans. This event attracts people from far and wide so there are about as many boring moments as toilet paper rolls in the local Woollies. A …
Compass Expeditions – COVID-19 Update.
Dear Valued Customers, Whoever said it would be problematic to run an international tour company was spot on but who would have ever planned for something like COVID 19? These are clearly testing times for the global community, and especially so for small businesses with the travel industry being particularly hard hit. It was around …
Asian Overland 2020 Road Report – Week #5 – Back into Thailand
By Jerry Cook I don’t think anyone in the group really was ready to leave Myanmar. We were enjoying this country immensely. After 11 days, with the last few having been some of the best riding of the trip so far, it was time to cross the Mai Sai border and enter the infamous Golden Triangle region …
Asian Overland 2020 Road Report – Week #4 – More Myanmar
By Jerry Cook Prior to the expedition, nobody in the group really knew what to expect of Myanmar. It was a bit of an unknown. Tourism has only been encouraged by their government since 1992 and really hadn’t opened up to travellers until the general elections in 2010 when a civilian government was installed. It’s not a …
The Compass Expeditions 2020 Tour Catalogue
Where would you like to ride? For further information on all Compass Expeditions tours or Major Expeditions please visit us at: http://www.compassexpeditions.com/ Click below to view our catalogue of tours.
Asian Overland 2020 Road Report – Week #3 – Myanmar – “Mingalabar” (Hello)
By Jerry Cook Arriving at the Thailand / Myanmar border, I was excited to bring the group into the fourth country of the Asian Overland expedition. There is a tangible excitement to brining a motorcycle tour group into a new country and the unknown adventures that lay ahead. The border procedures were surprisingly efficient, thanks to the …
Asian Overland 2020 Road Report – Week #2 – Thailand
By Jerry Cook When I looked ahead at the tour itinerary and saw that my birthday was going to be in Krabi, Thailand I knew it was going to be a good one. I was right! I woke up in our beautiful hotel, the Anyavee Resort to many messages from friends and family all around the …
Asian Overland 2020 Road Report – Week #1
By Jerry Cook Singapore & Malaysia When I was growing up, I was fortunate to spend many a Christmas and school holiday in Singapore. Being only a relatively short flight from my hometown of Perth and with my relatives living there, it was the ideal family getaway. I have many fond memories of carefree teenage days …
Oktoberfest in November Sale
October is done and we have been too busy to fit in an Oktoberfest indulgence to celebrate our ongoing love affair with BMW motorcycles. German engineering at its best as far as we Compass expeditions are concerned! So, to celebrate, we purchased a couple of the new GS models, did the math, and realised that, …
Celebrating 100 BMWs
by Mick McDonald It’s been over a decade in the making however Compass Expeditions has just received the keys to its 100thBMW motorcycle, the vast majority purchased from BMW Southbank. Established in 2007, after a successful charity ride across Russia, the owners, Mick McDonald, Jerry “Truman” Cook, Ryan Heath & Brendan Barbetti have morphed what …
The Inaugural Spain Portugal and Morocco Tour 2019
By Jerry Cook Part #1 The Inaugural Spain Portugal and Morocco Tour 2019 The inaugural Compass Expeditions Spain, Portugal and Morocco tour commenced in the beautiful Portuguese capital of Lisbon. With over half of the group being previous Compass Expeditions tour participants, it is surely a testament to their enjoyment and success of their previous tours …
Strikes & Politics (a tour of South America)
Words and Images by Tony Collins Both of these words are guaranteed to strike fear into the most seasoned tour operator because all carefully made plans go out the window. Countrywide strikes blocking roads to major tourist destinations, and your guests’ accommodation Having a Government change the rules at the last minute so you cannot …
Under African skies – Cape Town to Victoria Falls Part 2
Words and Images by Mick McDonald We dragged ourselves away from the stunning Dead Valley Resort, scoffed home-made apple pies at Solitaire, crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, and reached the wild Atlantic coast by mid-afternoon, allowing us time to explore the “big smoke” again after so many nights of utter isolation. Riding further north, we …
Under African skies – Cape Town to Victoria Falls
Words and Images by Mick McDonald Finally, after too many hours on a plane we touched down in Cape Town, South Africa; those first steps down the ramp onto African soil are always ones filled with anticipation and excitement, more so as I knew exactly what we were in for, being my 3rdCharley Boorman ride …
Photo Bombe Alaska, Flogging It to Deadhorse and Dropping The Anchorage – The True North: Alaska tour by the Travelling Bennetts
Duncan and Cindy Bennett are regular riders with Compass Expeditions having ridden with us in Australia, South America and on the epic Cairo to Cape Town Expedition. Recently they partook in our inaugural True North: Alaska tour and have very generously allowed us to reproduce their musings from that tour from their fantastic Blog page …
The Asian Overland Research Trip – Week 11 – The Final Week
By Mick McDonald We started our final week off by visiting one of the world’s greatest archaeological discoveries, the Terracotta Warriors, it truly is an immense sight to be gazing over 1000s of warriors tasked with standing guard over Emperor Qin for eternity, from 2000 years ago. The site was only discovered in 1974 by …
Simon Pavey’s Off-Road Skills Adventure Maintenance Course – For when there is no recovery truck!
The Adventure Maintenance course is held on the Friday before the Simon Pavey, Off Road Skills training weekend – for dates and details visit the event webpage at: http://www.compassexpeditions.com/tours/simon-paveys-off-road-skills-course/ • Learn essential bike repair skills • Prepare your bike • Ideal for anyone planning a big adventure • Relevant to all makes of bike This …
The Asian Overland Research Trip – Week 10 – Almost Done
By Mick McDonald We woke to a virtual blizzard that only seemed to intensify as the day wore on, it was our last day in Tibet and we were descending nearly 2000mt from the, now snow covered, Tibetan Plateau to what is known as the Mongolian Prefecture, and the town of Golmud, however Tibet had …