Overland adventures are becoming more commonplace today, but most people do not know that Overlanding adventures have been undertaken since the 40s.
If you’re planning your own Overlanding adventure or are curious how your adventure stacks up against other Overlanders, what better way than to look at other adventures?
We’ve compiled a list of both past and present overland adventures that inspire us to help you gauge other Overland adventures.
Colonel LeBlanc Overland Adventure
What is considered as one of the first motorized Overlanding expeditions took place in 1949 when Colonol LeBlanc took his then brand new Land Rover Series I 80 inch from England to Abyssinia, which is now known as Ethiopia.
London to Singapore
Not long after Colonel LeBlanc completed his journey, Land Rover was the center of attention again for another daring journey about to get underway.
This time, a group of students convinced Land Rover to provide them with two brand new series I’s to travel almost 10 000 miles from the UK capital to Singapore.
GrizzlyNBear
A more modern take on Overlanding in a Land Rover Defender is being undertaken by Leigh and Steph in their Defender 130 on their journey to Overland the world.
The couple started their journey in their first Defender in France, which was sadly later written off in Portugal after being hit by a truck.
Luckily nobody was injured, and the daring couple soon found themselves behind the wheel of another 130 to continue their journey of Overlanding the world.
After taking their new Defender to the talented team at Newman 4×4 in France to make the vehicle Overland ready, they were soon on the road with quite the Overlanding adventure in front of them.
Their journey sees them cross many countries with breathtaking terrain with many ups and downs along the way.
Epic Family Road Trip
If you think Overlanding with your family is not possible, this family of 5 has been on an Overland adventure for over five years and even acquired a new family member in the form of a dog along the way.
Their two trusty Rubicons they like to call home for most of their time are affectionately known as Worsley and Vandi.
The family has traveled extensively through North America and appear to be particularly fond of British Columbia. Their well-equipped vehicles have taken them to some extremely remote areas and awe-inspiring scenery that not many people will ever see.
Living on the road for as long as this family has, comes with certain challenges, but always the optimists, this family used the road to their advantage and documented their journey.
Learning many skills along the way, from mechanical to video editing, it’s easy to see this crew doesn’t take anything half-hearted and gives everything 100%
To see the exceptional video quality and follow this family’s Overland adventure check them out on Youtube.
The Road Chose Me
The Road Chose Me is the name of Dan Grec’s Overlanding adventures that sees him traveling some of the more extreme places on this earth.
Dan’s first journey took him from Alaska down to the south of Argentina in nothing but a stock Jeep Wrangler.
After saving for a few years, Dan was at it again, except this time in a land less traveled by Overlanders, Africa.
For this Overland adventure that would circumnavigate Africa, a little more suitable vehicle was required. Dan purchased a Rubicon and added some extras to accommodate for a more comfortable journey.
The addition of a pop-top roof would make it easier to camp in unknown territory.
From watching Dan’s videos, it seems that this was quite a harrowing journey. From crossing fields with active mines to navigating corruption, it’s not a journey for the faint of heart.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Dan took it all in his stride and bonded quite well with the locals.
How to start your own Overland Adventure
If these stories have got you eager to take on your own Overland adventure, we’re here to tell you that you can do it.
Find the proper vehicle – There is no one vehicle suits all. There are many people Overlanding in many different vehicles, and sometimes it comes down to personal taste. Today I Overland in a Land Rover Defender, but I’ve previously traversed Canada in a Toyota 4Runner and a Dodge Ram 1500.
Plan the route –The second step is to plan the route. There are many apps available today to help you do this. You can use Gaia Gps or OnX maps to show you trails that you can travel. They are both fantastic GPS’s and which you choose is a personal preference.
Whichever you choose, you can use it in conjunction with iOverlander, where you can find great locations shared by other Overlanders. You can even find locations shared by the Epic Family Road Trip
Equip your vehicle – Now that you know where you are going to be traveling, you can equip your vehicle for that type of journey and terrain. Ask yourself questions like, do you need 4WD or will 2WD work, or will you need a locker?
If you are planning on Overlanding for weeks or months, you may need a fridge or solar power.
Recovery gear is always needed, and if you are planning on spending considerable time off-road or are alone, I recommend you equip your vehicle with a winch.
You are now ready to take your Overlanding adventure. Even if your first adventure is just a weekend away, it’s a step in the right direction. We all have our own ideas of the perfect Overland adventures.
Take inspiration from the adventures above and learn from the experts.
Get out there, enjoy it, and Tread Lightly.
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