old compass tours

Old Compass Travel - Our tours

Motorbikes and a deco apartment block - Saigon

Saigon shapes - pre 1975 offices of Shell Petroleum.

Nhi and Duong - our guides

Welcome to Old Compass Travel ! 

We're a boutique travel company - but we’re definitely not new to travel. Founded by Mark Bowyer from Rusty Compass, we run heritage tours of Saigon focused on history, architecture, religion and the emerging contemporary life of the city. We also run an alternative look at the Viet Cong tunnel complex at Cu Chi. Check out our Saigon tours here.

If you're coming to Saigon, spend some time with us. You can also visit us at The Old Compass Cafe hidden away downtown.

Vietnam by the Book is a unique 16 day tour from Hanoi to Saigon that operates each October led by Mark Bowyer. Three books provide shared understanding and a backdrop for our exploration of Hanoi, Dien Bien Phu, Sapa, Hue, Hoi An and Saigon.

We love to dig deeper and do things differently. We care about history, art, culture, food, architecture, photography and the amazing contemporary life of the places we visit. Explore Saigon on our unique tours, or spend 2 weeks with us on Vietnam by the Book.

We also run walks in Sydney, Australia, our other home. Have a look at our Sydney walks and experiences here.  

Saigon - Tales of the City

Saigon - Tales of the City, is a half day heritage walking tour that tells the incredible story of Saigon through its bustling streets, and its most evocative historical sights. It's a unique Saigon experience of history, architecture, food and contemporary life. We've created an experience for travellers wanting to dig deeper than a standard city tour. Groups are small and personalised. Duong and Nhi are insightful guides for your walk.

Pagodas, temples and churches - the religious architecture of Saigon

Saigon has always been a city of immigrants. And immigrants brought with them cultures and beliefs that have shaped the modern city. This tour explores Saigon’s history through its religious architecture – the  temples, pagodas, churches and mosques that represent the traders, refugees and invaders who made the city their home over the centuries. The tour will take us into areas of the city that see few visitors.

Cu Chi Tunnels - the alternative tour

Our tour of the Vietnam War era Cu Chi tunnels 70kms from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) focuses on the history and solemnity of the site.  Most tours treat the tunnels complex like a theme park. We’ve created a tour that looks at the events that occurred and the remarkable achievement of determination that the tunnels represent. For that experience, we start early. We leave Saigon at 6.30AM !

We have some old ideas about what makes great travel experiences. We’re interested in history, architecture, art, food – the stories – and the incredible changes sweeping our region. And we’d much rather be on the streets than sitting in a coach.

We’re a boutique company in every sense – offering an in-depth walking tour of Saigon, special interest tours and customised travel advice.

Our tours are designed by our founder, Mark Bowyer. Mark first set foot in Vietnam in 1990 when the country was opening its doors to the world. He’s been hooked ever since. Mark leads our “Vietnam by the book” Old Compass Travel Book Club tours which run a few times each year. They’re unique itineraries enhanced by Mark’s unique experience and interest in Vietnam.

Mark publishes the travel website www.rustycompass.com . He’s been photographing, filming and writing about travel in Vietnam for decades.  He’s fascinated by Vietnam’s incredible history, culture, language, architecture and the country’s economic development. Mark’s love of Vietnam imbues the tours he designs.

Vietnam is a visual feast for travellers. All the photos on this website and on Rusty Compass were shot by Mark.

Read more about Mark in this New York Times profile .

Duong, leads our Saigon – Tales of the City tour and  was born in the central province of Nghe An. Nghe An is one of Vietnam’s poorest provinces – but it’s also the proud home of Ho Chi Minh. She moved to Saigon as a child. Duong loves art, design and her country’s incredible history. She has worked in furniture design and production, architecture and in art galleries. Duong loves to share her stories, and the stories of her city. She co-owns Old Compass Travel and The Old Compass Cafe.

How to book

Email us at [email protected]

Give us a call at +84 903 900 841

or visit us at The Old Compass Cafe - 3rd Floor, 63/11 Pasteur St., D1, HCMC

For more, check out www.oldcompasstravel.com

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Old Compass Travel Guide - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Old Compass Travel

With expert leaders and small groups, Old Compass Travel tells big Sydney stories, visiting stunning Sydney places.

Sydney - Tales of the City is a unique experience of the city's political history on two feet. An alternative tour of The Rocks digs into the big stories of the place where colonisation and dispossession began and where a convict colony was transformed into a booming commercial centre. Sydney's fascinating architectural heritage is a feature of all our walks.

Old Compass Travel walks operate with a maximum of eight travellers providing intimacy and flexibility.

Special discounts apply to private tours of more than five.

Sydney - Tales of the City

It's time to feel new.

Pure joy as you wake to the sunrise. Awe as you make it to the snowy peak. A sense of adventure as you motor across red plains. The relief of rejuvenation as you wade into an alpine stream. Connection as you taste native, fragrant leaves. A sense of belonging as you return to your favourite holiday house. Freedom as you dash into the waves. Discover the endless feelings a visit to NSW can inspire.

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Sydney.com is the official tourism site for Destination NSW. © Copyright 2024 Destination NSW. All rights reserved

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Old Compass Travel - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Oldfarm Video Tour

Acadia National Park

Ranger Recommendations:

This pleasant stroll explores the story of Acadia's early history. It's roughly a mile roundtrip on level, non-maintained trails, and can be considered an easy walk that can be completed in less than an hour by families with children, and pets on leash. Additional exploration of granite formations at Dorr Point along the coastline may require a bit of recreational scrambling. A small, unmarked parking lot is located just north of the intersection of Route 3 and Schooner Road about a mile from downtown Bar Harbor.

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• compass harbor trail
• george dorr
• mount desert island
• virtual tour
• cultural history

Early Inspiration for Acadia

George B. Dorr worked tirelessly through the early 1900s to found what we know today as Acadia National Park. His former family estate, known as Oldfarm, is situated along the Compass Harbor Trail , less than a mile from downtown Bar Harbor on Route 3. The short walk beneath forest canopies leads to foundation remnants of his former cottage, demolished in 1949, and ends at Dorr Point with views of Compass Harbor and the Porcupine Islands. While there is one introductory wayside at the parking area on Route 3, no other permanent interpretation is available at Oldfarm. This virtual tour, produced in collaboration with Northern Arizona University , offers visitors an opportunity to explore the site further through a sequence of 11 online videos. ( An original version of the Oldfarm tour for iOS devices is also available for free download through iTunes. ) Learn lots more in a Cultural Landscape Inventory and Assessment for Oldfarm (159 pages, 112 MB PDF), 2016.

Oldfarm: Station One

Station One of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Two

Station Two of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Three

Station Three of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Four

Station Four of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Five

Station Five of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Six

Station Six of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Seven

Station Seven of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Eight

Station Eight of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Nine

Station Nine of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Ten

Station Ten of the Oldfarm Video Tour

Oldfarm: Station Eleven

Station Eleven of the Old Farm Video Tour

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Last updated: July 17, 2023

Our office will be closed from 9/25 – 10/23. Any orders placed during this time will be shipped upon return by 11/1/23.

Grand Canyon & Grand Staircase 2024

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Grand Canyon & Grand Staircase

June 12-16 - SOLD OUT

June 19-23 - SOLD OUT

June 26-30 - 12 spots available

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The Grand Canyon is America’s most recognized landmark. But was it carved out over millions of years or in a few days? Join us for a great long-weekend of learning AND VIEWING scientific facts from a young earth view that will embolden your faith!

— Bill Perkins

Learn Scientific Facts Supporting Noah’s Flood!

When you finish these three full teaching days you'll be able to scripturally and scientifically defend the Bible's account of Noah's Flood and the 6-Day Creation. You'll learn great truths from your host and teacher, Creationist Russ Miller, at Grand Canyon's North Rim, Bryce Canyon, and Zion Canyon—the mind-blowing Grand Staircase which is a dagger in the heart of evolutionary teaching!

Youth and Adults Welcome!

Whether you’re young or old, this is a great, succinct and laid-back trip of the Grand Canyon & Grand Staircase from a Biblical perspective. Come as a couple, a family, an individual or youth group and you’ll be armored with science and knowledge to defend the Biblical account of Noah and the worldwide flood… critical for our youth today and exciting for Believers of all ages.

You'll arrive on Wednesday for an overnight in Las Vegas and end your trip back in Las Vegas to spend Saturday night so you can travel home on Sunday—a great long-weekend trip.

The tour package includes four hotel nights, three lunches, four breakfasts and two dinners—including dinner at the famous Ebenezer's Barn and Grill Cowboy Show!

So talk to your family and friends and put this trip on the calendar! It will be a great weekend of knock-your-socks-off scenery, incredible teaching, and lots of fun.

Trip Map & Itinerary

Grand Canyon/Grand Staircase 2024

• Arrive Las Vegas, NV
• Harry Reid In'tl Airport (LAS) if flying
• Overnight at Hilton Garden Inn—free hotel shuttle
• 5:00 - 5:30 PM – Welcome Orientation
• Dinner on your own.
• Breakfast at hotel; travel to Bryce Canyon, UT
• Lunch at Ruby's Inn
• Teachings on the rim at Inspiration Point & above the pink hoodoos
• Dinner & Show Ebenezer's Barn & Grill
• Overnight at Bryce Grand Hotel
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Travel to the stunning North Rim of Grand Canyon, AZ
• Lunch in the Lodge overlooking the Canyon, see creation rock & judgment layers, with on-the-rim teaching
• View the entire Grand Staircase with teaching
• Dinner and overnight in Kanab, UT
• Breakfast at hotel
• Travel to gorgeous Zion National Park, UT
• See the Sinawava slot canyon, Virgin River, Weeping Rock and more!
• Lunch at Zion National Park
• Dinner on your own in Las Vegas, NV
• Overnight in Las Vegas
• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel to end the tour
• Travel home or extend your stay
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Per-person pricing starting at:

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• Itinerary & Map

Questions? Let Compass Assist You!

• Compass International, Inc P.O. Box 3747 Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83816
• Toll-Free: 800.977.2177
• Fax: 208.762.3363

The trip of a lifetime!

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Grand Canyon Tour

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• P.O. Box 3747, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 83816
• Coeur d'Alene: 208.762.7777
• Mon–Thurs: 9:00 am–4:00 pm
• Fri: CLOSED–

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Yellowstone Geysers Tour

Old faithful winter tour.

Destination

Enjoy a catered experience of Yellowstone National Park’s interior, where incredible volcanic features such as geysers and hot springs create a mystical world amidst the backdrop of winter’s beauty.

• Old Faithful
• Snowcoach Excursion to Yellowstone’s Interior
• Winter Landscapes & Geothermal Wonders

Yellowstone is unique year-round, but perhaps most notably in the wintertime. This high-elevation volcanic plateau experiences deep cold and heavy snowfall, but simultaneously exhibits some of the most visible volcanic features on the planet. Hot water rises from geysers, springs, vents and gurgling pots creating tornadoes of steam and a sense of surrealism. Eighty percent of Yellowstone is closed to the public in winter, and this tour allows us to visit these remote regions on specialized vehicles that roll over the snow.

*Tour availability is based on snowcoach availability with our partner. We will verify availability before confirming the tour.

Our full-day tour (accessing the interior of Yellowstone National Park from the north entrance or the west entrance) is led by our naturalist guides according to guest abilities and interests. Our guide will escort you in a Yellowstone Safari Co vehicle from your lodging to either Gardiner or West Yellowstone where we will join our group headed towards Old Faithful, by snowcoach. Our guide will provide educated and passionate interpretation of everything you encounter throughout the day including walks around several geyser basins, wildlife sightings, historic buildings and geologic features.  As our guest, you will be provided healthy and hearty snacks, a full picnic lunch, as well as the ultimate decadence of a steaming hot cocoa or coffee when you need it the most. Whether this is your first or tenth time to Yellowstone National Park, visiting in the winter will undoubtedly be an enjoyable and memorable experience.

On your journey to the park entrance and throughout the day, you may see some of North America’s largest mammals exhibiting some fascinating behaviors as they attempt to survive the harsh winter. Herbivores such as bison, elk, deer, moose and sheep, range openly throughout valleys, gorges and cliff-sides. Many raptors such as bald and golden eagles, falcons and hawks perch on trees or circle the skies searching for their next meal. Predators like wolves, coyotes and foxes are especially active in winter when their prey are at their weakest. Our guides will provide binoculars for you to use throughout your day in order to appreciate the beauty of these wild creatures safely from a distance.  

What's Included

• Hotel pickup
• Professional naturalist guide
• Private wildlife safari
• Public snowcoach tour
• Catered picnic lunch
• Assorted snack basket
• Non-alcoholic beverages (hot and cold)
• Use of UHD binoculars and spotting scopes
• Guide gratuities
• National Park entrance fees

Snowcoach Tour

Pickup information.

For private tours , all our guests are picked up (and dropped off) at their lodging location.  We pick up in Bozeman and Big Sky .  When you reserve, we’ll confirm your exact pickup time, based on the season, as well as your exact pickup location.

Please allow your guide an additional 5-10 minutes before and after the scheduled pickup time in case of weather delays or traffic conditions.

Approximate pickup times include:

West Entrance Tours

• 6:00AM Bozeman
• 6:30AM Big Sky

Yellowstone Safari Company is incredible. They are extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, the ecosystem and everything in-between. I had been to Yellowstone a dozen times with friends and family before going on a safari with them, and their trips are next level. You see things that you've never noticed before and are way more likely to see wildlife since they are in the park everyday and know the animals patterns. I can't recommend them enough!

Safari Tour Gallery

All photography has been shot by our talented tour guides .

Will we be in a group with other people?

You’ll have a private tour from your pickup location to the snowcoach departure site at either the north or west entrance.  Then, your group and your Yellowstone Safari Company guide will join others on the snowcoach, which seat groups of up to 20 people. Your guide will offer you a personalized experience with information throughout the day, as well as transport to and from the snowcoach departure site.  

How cold will it be in Yellowstone National Park in winter?

Yellowstone in winter can be very cold. We recommend wearing synthetic layers, including a very warm insulating layer and a waterproof/repellent wind layer, as well as warm wool hats and gloves. We will provide hand and foot warmers for you as well as hot drinks and food to keep you warm throughout the day.

Will we see Old Faithful erupt on this tour?

Yes, every trip includes an eruption of Old Faithful, which happens every 90 minutes or so. We will plan lunch around watching it erupt!

Will we see other geysers and hot springs on this tour?

Yes, you will have the opportunity to walk around several geyser basins to see these features up close.  We are able to observe many of these geothermal features in one area, and we will take time to explore and educate as we walk around, but we will not touch or enter any springs – it’s illegal to do so in the park!

Guides and Staff

Local, experienced naturalist guides.

Ash Tallmadge

Naturalist guide / manager.

Grant Johnson

Naturalist guide.

Gary Vodehnal

Garry Edson

Rae Rediske

Further reading, why you should book a winter wildlife safari, feb 22, 2021.

One of the most common responses that I hear when I tell my summer-time clients about our winter wildlife safaris is: I didn’t even know that Yellowstone was open in the winter!  Not only is Yellowstone open, but winter is arguably one of the most spectacular times to visit!

Yellowstone in Winter

Feb 27, 2023.

As November approaches, a dramatic transformation occurs- the days shorten, the temperatures drop, the chance of snow escalates, and eventually, over 200 miles of roadway in the park will close to regular vehicle traffic.  Fortunately, this does not mean the entire park is inaccessible.

More Adventures

Keep exploring.

Snowshoe Safari

2 Day Winter Wolves and Wildlife Safari

3 Day Winter Wolves and Wildlife Safari