Overlanding

Planning an overland trip

What this page covers

Overlanding means travelling long distances in your own vehicle and carrying what you need to live from it: a 4x4 with a rooftop tent, a converted truck, sometimes a well-prepared estate car. The stories collected here come from overland blogs and travel publishers, and cover routes, border crossings, vehicle builds and the realities of life on the road.

Paperwork comes before the route

The hardest part of an overland trip is usually not the driving. Taking a vehicle into another country can require a temporary import permit, and some countries ask for a Carnet de Passages en Douane, a document that guarantees the vehicle will leave again. Third-party insurance that is valid in each country you drive through is a separate requirement. Rules change and are enforced differently at different crossings, so check each border shortly before you reach it, and read recent trip reports from people who crossed it.

Build for reliability, not for photos

A vehicle that common local mechanics can fix is worth more than one with rare parts. Most experienced overlanders put their money into suspension, tyres, recovery gear, water storage and a dependable way to charge batteries, and keep the rest simple. Carry spares for the parts that are known to fail on your model, and learn to change them before you leave.

Pace and budget

Distances look shorter on a map than they drive. Fuel, ferries, visas, insurance and repairs make up most of the budget, and they vary widely between regions. Plan fewer kilometres per day than you think you need; the trips people remember are the ones with time to stop.

Crossing oceans

Moving a vehicle between continents usually means shipping it, in a container or on a roll-on/roll-off ship, and clearing customs at both ends. It takes time, paperwork and patience. Many travellers share a container to split the cost, and shipping agents at the port can handle the paperwork for a fee. Get quotes early, because schedules and prices change often.