I joined the expedition to Eritrea in November 2024. I was quite nervous before the trip as this was my first time in an "adventurous" country. But luckily, I felt safe and well cared for with Oriol and the rest of the group and the trip turned out to be fantastic and beyond my expectations :). The organization and logistics were professional, too! ~Photo from the lovely capital Asmara~

I did the trip to Turkmenistan with ATC for yet another once in a lifetime experience in March 2025. All the tour members were repeat ATC travellers - that says something about ATC and the people behind it led by Joan. Oriol was our guide again and the tour was very well organised with the right balance between travelling and sightseeing. I am now joining the tour to North Mongolia in June - a tour very few can claim to have done. Previous reviews: An update that I am due to visit Turkmenistan between March 16 & 23 on the tour led by Oriol. This is a testament to Joan's and the ATC team's love for running the perfect tour!! I made some fantastic friends in the Mauritania expedition and can't wait to land in Ashgabat to make more friends and meet Oriol again. I rate this trip the perfect 10. Riding the iron ore train for 14 hours with great night skies and a bright half moon; climbing Mauritania’s tallest dune; driving mostly off road for over 3500 kms; sleeping in a tent under crystal clear skies with stars bright and white; eating at pristine beaches overlooking the North Atlantic Ocean; interacting with school children; meeting girl children at school and in the places we visited showing the fairer sex making progress; braving Nouakchott’s famous fish market and its olfactory inconveniences; visiting a camel fair where the dromedaries, demure and domineering, captivate you; and visiting Chinguetti, Islam’s 6th holiest site are some reasons for my rating this trip a 5. The other 5 is for Against The Compass led by Oriol. The tour was planned very well and the result is a group of very satisfied adventurers and repeat customers for sure. Thanks again Oriol, Joan, Erika and the rest of the team for a once in a lifetime adventure and one very few people can take credit for. I look forward to my next trip with ATC.

A large dose of adrenaline after boarding the iron ore train in Mauritania (January 2026) !!!!...

I travelled with ATC to Mauritania over the Christmas period of 2025 and it was hands down one the best travel experiences that I had in my life. I usually travel solo as it allows me to freedom to decide what pace I want to go at and if I want to do an unexpected detour on the spot. However, I decided to sign up for a group tour for Mauritania given the logistics involved, and that turned out to me the best decision that I made. Our tour leader, Leti our tour leader was absolutely amazing. I really appreciated how she encouraged and inspired the tour group to fully embrace what Mauritania could offer and to open ourselves to the experience that we would get above and beyond the iron ore train. She was great in helping us set expectations and as a result, I found myself making the fullest out of the landscape, heritage and culture that Mauritania had to offer and opportunity to disconnect from my usual routine and to connect with the other travellers which led to a lot of conversations and interactions that I hold close to me. All in all, I would recommend ATC as a travel agency and would also highly recommend Mauritania as a travel destination with them as it was the perfect combination of bringing together like-minded travellers with a group of professional local team, and a team lead who is on the ball all the time, which would allow you to get the most out of the trip.

One of the best adventure in my life so far. I went to Mauritania because of the iron train but then I realized that there are more in that country not just the iron train. The Landscapes , the local people , the food..... every day you are falling in love with the country. Our leader Leti has been amazing in everything taking care of us 24h and trying Her best to make us to enjoy of this trip and unforgettable thanks to Her. I would recommend againstthecompass agency without doubt 🫂.

20-26 Nov 2025. A fascinating tour of the Hadramut province of Yemen, starting with our arrival at Seiyun International Airport and ending when we crossed the land border into Oman and reached Salalah. Our Yemeni guides were first-rate – experienced, warm and helpful. We developed a very good rapport with them. The scenery was for the most part spectacular. The food was good. Women have to wear the traditional garb, all black, in public places — being an abaya (full-length dress) and a hijab (head covering). Best is to buy these things beforehand in your own country, with enough time to get the abaya shortened if necessary. We didn’t have to wear a niqab (face covering) anywhere. (We even wore the garb on the plane flying to Yemen.) IMPORTANT POINT: If you travel to Yemen, you'll no longer be eligible to get an ESTA for the USA. That's because the USA regards Yemen as one of its "sensitive" countries. So in future, instead of the quick-and-easy ESTA, you'd have to apply for a traditional visa in person at your US consulate. You'd be very likely to get it and it's very likely valid for 10 years. So no problem. (The "sensitive" countries are Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, according to the list appearing under "Eligibility questions" on the USA’s ESTA website, last checked on 5 Dec 2025.)

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I cannot recommend Against the Compass enough. The logistics that go into their trips is incredible and they are so accommodating to your needs. I've just finished the Mauritania trip with them and am already looking at booking the Mongolia one. Don't miss out on an amazing experience and book with them now.

I joined ATC’s Eritrea expedition in November and it was one of those rare trips that balances adventure with real insight. Eritrea isn’t a place you can just show up and wing it…the complexities and nuances are real and ATC communicated well throughout the journey. Our main guide, Leti, along with the local team (Thomas, Sami, Omar) were incredibly knowledgeable and patient, and the group itself was a mix of thoughtful, curious travelers who were genuinely there to learn. Eritrea is the kind of destination that attracts people who want to step outside what’s familiar and I appreciated that energy throughout the trip. ATC made it possible to experience a country that’s rarely explored but deeply human and I’m grateful for how they facilitated it from start to finish.