Meet Calen Otto

We were lucky to catch up with Calen Otto recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Calen, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

In 2024 I launched Unruly Travel group trips to bring adventure-lovers together on meaningful trips across the globe. Through volunteer work and eco-minded tourism we dive deep into new ways of life, creating long-lasting relationships that transcend boarders. After visiting over 30 some countries myself on a small budget, I knew that making travel more accessible was important to me. We live in a world that can be very harsh, but travel opens us up to new ways of living, doing, and being. It nudges our hearts to expand a little more, the outcome being more understanding and compassion for ourselves and others. We need that right now!

With that in mind, I launched my first ‘Agua de Sapo’ scholarship in 2025, taking an LGBTQ+ traveler to Costa Rica with us, their basic trip fees covered. Traveling and experiencing new things allows us to reset our nervous system, relax the body, and be inspired once again. Everyone deserves this; not just people who can easily afford to travel for pleasure. LGBTQ+ and trans folks often face lower wages and more difficulty getting jobs, alongside higher rates of depression and mental illness. The mental illness isn’t from being LGBTQ+ or trans — it’s from the harsh reaction of the world to people living outside of social norms and pushing boundaries. In a world that that abuses our LGBTQ+ community, I see that they deserve to be celebrated. That’s why I’m going to give out an ‘Agua de Sapo’ scholarship each year, making travel more accessible in my own way.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Right now I’m most excited about the launch of these Unruly Group trips. They’re incredibly unique. I take travelers off the beaten path, creating a container for deeper connection, timely social change, and joyous play. The trips are queer and vegan-friendly , two things that are very important to me. By traveling vegan, we can lower our environmental impact in the communities we visit and the world at large. “A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use,” wrote Joseph Poore, a researcher at the University of Oxford. “It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car,” he said, as these only cut greenhouse gas emissions.”

With that in mind we only consume plant-based foods, and it’s fun to discover what vegan friendly-traditional foods locals or Indigenous cultures across the world have been embracing for decades. Additionally, we don’t participate in animal tourism that is harmful to animals such as zoos, rodeos, petting zoos, aquariums, camel rides, elephant rides, or horse rides. We instead visit sanctuaries that take in abused or neglected animals the idea of rehabilitating them and re-wilding them, if possible.

I also want to carve out a safe space for LGBTQ+ travelers. Like vegan food, queer people can be found in every community along the globe, even if it’s not obvious at first. On Unruly Travel group trips we support LGBTQ+ owned businesses when we can and take inspiration from queer culture in different countries.

As far as I know, we’re the only group trip company out there with these ethos! In a world that can be very challenging for vegans and queer people alike, I’m overjoyed that I get to carve out a space for us and start building the world we wish to see.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

My travels across the globe were most impactful on my journey to start this company. Since I live and travel alternatively, I was able to see what was out there in terms of travel activities I wanted to do, and since I had been traveling already for almost a decade, I knew that I had the skills it takes to organize group travel. I also know that travel can be incredibly challenging — things go wrong, you miss buses or fights, language barriers get in the way, and things don’t always go as planned. These are all things I have faced before as a solo traveler, so I now have the confidence to navigate them with a group in a professional setting.

How would you describe your ideal client?

I’d love for anyone to join these trips who has an open mind and heart, ready for a new adventure. Not too long ago I got back from the Amazon of Peru, and what an adventure it was! It’s not for the timid or the worry wart; you have to learn how to go with the flow and embrace the local customs, weather, and other way of living. My ideal client is someone who is excited about this is looking to reset their nervous system through play, activism, and outdoor activity.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Images by Calen Otto / Unruly Travel
Images by Amozonas

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