We keep one book, a few trips at a time

My name is Tommy and I had an incredibly boring day job…

Back in 2009 after graduating university into a global financial meltdown, I unsurprisingly found myself at a bit of a loss, so took my hard-earned savings from working late nights at Blockbuster video and decided to try my luck waiting it out, travelling around south east Asia. One month turned into a couple of years and next thing I knew I was running tours all over the sub-continent. Ever since then I’ve had one foot in adventure tourism and the other in a horrible London-based corporate job. Fortunately, this has taken me all over the world and allowed me to undertake some amazing experiences that have truly changed the way I see the world, which is why I want to share them with you!

We’ve all been there, sat at work, spinning on your chair, scrolling away, wishing you were somewhere else. Another all-inclusive in the Algarve? Peppa Pig world with the kids? Yuk…

What about somewhere truly off the grid, a chance to reset, challenge yourself, get away from the relentless emails and messages, and truly disconnect from the modern, tech-addled world?

After exploring the world to do exactly that, I now know how gratifying and enriching it is to escape for a while and take stock of what is truly important.

To try and share that I now specialise in finding what I believe are the best-in-class expeditions across the world. From Kayaking the deltas of Botswana to Freeriding the Kyrgyzstani mountains, these aren’t always the easiest, or the most comfortable experiences, but I can guarantee you that you’ll be outside your comfort zone, enrich yourself, and grow as a result.

Core Pillars

Remote by Design, I make sure that all my expeditions provide a true disconnection from modern life.

These are all in small groups, giving you room to be present and make real connections.

Type-Two Fun, Lasting Memories, you might not always have a fluffy pillow under your head, but you’ll come back from these trips with memories and experiences that will last forever.

I’ve been on every one of these trips that has run before, and I’ll be joining any that are running for the first time — so I know what you are getting.

Is this for me?

This is for you if you enjoy pushing yourself and challenging your boundaries. You find meaning in difficulty and truly being outside of your comfort zone and jumping in head first!

This is not for you if you prefer the comfort of a 5* hotel over a yurt in the Kyrgyzstani mountains, a feather pillow instead of a pile of straw harvested from the African Savanna or a private airport transfer over a 50cc moped on a dirt road in The Gambia.

What you need

Fitness and mental resilience. Some of these trips are more challenging than others but some require a certain level of fitness and tolerance for discomfort but who doesn’t like a challenge, that’s probably why you’re here! Naturally this can be a little worrying but I can discuss all of this with you before booking.

Tolerance for ambiguity. Plans will change, food might not be tasty, and beds might be uncomfortable, and sometimes the weather decides to act up… You need to be okay with plans altering and a small amount of chaos ☺

What We Take Care Of

Risk is part of these trips, so I want you to know exactly what is in place before you book. The detail changes by trip: the experience of the team on the ground, the briefing and equipment, how they communicate, what happens if plans change and what insurance you need. Those arrangements do not make remote travel risk-free, but they let you decide with the facts in front of you.

How It Works

Booking is via a deposit which can vary for each trip, custom one-off trips often require a 50% deposit whilst others can be as low as 10–25%. I will discuss the best option for you at the time of booking.

Tommy — founder, Atlas51.