Uncover the unexpected on an overland adventure, suggests Katie McGonagle
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Bouncing along in the back of a Jeep might not be the most glamorous way to travel, but it’s arguably the most exciting.
In between each rut in a muddy road lie the unexpected joys of adventure – swapping anecdotes with fellow passengers, chatting to a local guide, or watching the landscape transform from one region to another.
If the alternative is passing through yet another airport and staring out of the window at nothing but clouds, it’s clear which mode of transport offers a better chance to get under the skin of a destination.
1 AFRICA: WILDLIFE AND WILDERNESS
Sweeping savannahs, thundering waterfalls, the world’s tallest sand dunes and second-largest canyon – exploring this continent means getting a feel for the land.
That’s why sub-Saharan Africa offers such choice of overland product, from just a week to longer backpacker-orientated durations, and differing levels of comfort depending on whether clients are happy to pitch their own tents and get hands-on with cooking, or prefer cooks and porters to handle the practicalities.
South Africa to Kenya is a well-trodden trail, with popular stops in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi, or shorter versions for those with less time. On The Go Tours’ most popular East African trip, Safari Safari, for example, visits the Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in just 11 days.
Sample tour: Explore’s 23-day Cape Town to Victoria Falls adventure costs from £3,247 including flights, four hotel nights and 18 nights’ camping, meals, guides and a cook. Stops include Etosha National Park, the Okavango Delta, Fish River Canyon, the Namib Desert, Damaraland and the Zambezi River.
explore.co.uk
0844 499 0901
Or try: A 16-day Malawi and South Luangwa tour with Exodus features stays in hotels, tented camps and a homestay, including camping on a deserted island in Lake Malawi, from £2,849 including flights.
exodus.co.uk
0845 863 9601
2 LATIN AMERICA: NATURAL HIGHS
Offering more fertile ground for adventure, South America is overland specialist Dragoman’s biggest seller. Given the relatively high price of flights to get there, travellers might be tempted to squeeze several countries into one trip, but remind them it’s about quality not quantity, and an overland adventure explores more than a whistle-stop tour.
That could include appreciating the vastness of Brazil on an expedition from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires to party capital Rio, via the tropical wetlands of the Pantanal and majestic Iguaçu Falls. Or exploring colourful Quito and the tropical Amazon jungle, then hugging the coast to bustling Lima; or finally, crossing the rugged Altiplano in Bolivia – a remote, high-altitude area inaccessible by public transport – from La Paz to Santiago.
Sample tour: Dragoman’s 17-day Cusco to Lima tour focuses on Peru, taking in Paracas National Park, the Nazca Lines, Colca Canyon, Arequipa and Machu Picchu, including its trademark Community Inca Trail; from £680 land-only plus $960 kitty.
dragoman.com
01728 862226
Or try: Tucan Travel has a 17-day Moreno Overland Tour in Patagonia from £1,959 land-only, visiting Perito Moreno Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park and Ushuaia.
tucantravel.com
0800 804 8435
3 ASIA: EASTERN ADVENTURE
Contrasts don’t get much starker than between Asia’s frenetic cities – think Bangkok, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur – and its remote rural areas or wildlife-filled jungles, so travelling through less-frequented areas shows the destination from a different angle.
Admittedly, the scale of some countries makes internal flights necessary – China being a prime example – but the likes of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos are far more manageable. Follow the meandering Mekong River, for example, to see colonial heritage, cathedral-sized caves and stunning mountain scenery on Inside Vietnam’s Laos Overland: Along the Mekong itinerary.
At the other end of the Silk Road, India and Nepal rank highly among overland options, from camping adventures in Nepal to higher-end trips on the subcontinent’s luxury trains. More comfortable options include the new deluxe version of Wendy Wu Tours’ Rajasthan Panorama.
Sample product: Cambodia Revealed, an 11-day tour from Insider Journeys, journeys from Phnom Penh via colonial town Kampot, secluded beaches in Sihanoukville, sunrise at Angkor Wat, finishing in Siem Reap. Prices from £1,795 based on Singapore Airlines flights departing May 27.
insiderjourneys.co.uk
01865 268944
Or try: Wendy Wu Tours offers an 18-day Vietnam Panorama trip with a cruise along the Mekong Delta from £2,290 including flights, meals and visas.
wendywutours.co.uk
0844 875 2436
4 THE US: LAND OF THE FREE
In a country famous for its road trips, going overland best captures that carefree spirit of adventure. The usual rules apply: advise clients about what’s achievable within their time frame (seeing all 48 contiguous states is possible by road, but not in two weeks), and if they’re not comfortable with camping, offer an upgraded version or private tour that includes home comforts.
Rail travel is an oft-overlooked alternative for those who don’t fancy spending so much time on the road, from far-reaching intercity network Amtrak to iconic options such as Canada’s famous Rocky Mountaineer, which now has routes from Seattle too.
Sample tour: Grand American Adventures’ 14-day Historic Route 66 visits eight states and includes the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas Strip and Santa Monica pier. With flights, prices start at £2,589.
grandamericanadventures.com
0333 999 7961
Or try: Great Rail Journeys’ best-selling American tour is USA Coast to Coast, from £3,458. The 21-day tour includes flights to New York returning from San Francisco, hotel accommodation, three overnight trains, and a mix of Amtrak and heritage railroad journeys.
greatrail.com
01904 521936
5 AUSTRALIA: GO WALKABOUT
The Aboriginal people once roamed and lived off this enormous continent. A four-wheel-drive trip isn’t as self sufficient but is still an exciting way to explore Australia.
True, travellers who want to tick off the classic Sydney, Rock and Reef in less than two weeks will have to fly. But if they’d rather get a feel for the vast expanse of the outback, surf at less-touristy beaches or chat to straight-talking locals in Australia’s small towns, overlanding is the way to go.
That could be by road, offering route flexibility and a small-group atmosphere, or by rail, using Great Southern Rail’s cross-continent trains The Ghan (Adelaide-Darwin) or Indian Pacific (Sydney-Perth).
Sample tour: Intrepid Travel’s 21-day Perth to Darwin stops at Ningaloo Reef, Monkey Mia, the Bungle Bungle Range and the Pinnacles. Prices start at £2,180 excluding flights.
intrepidtravel.com/agents
0808 274 5719
Or try: G Adventures has a nine-day Red Centre to Melbourne tour, including champagne sunset view of Uluru, from £899 land-only.
gadventures.com/agents
0844 272 0000
Overland tours: Pros and cons
PROS
- Get off the beaten track
- Good for limited budgets
- Get a feel for the land
- Meet fellow adventurers
CONS
- Be prepared to sacrifice home comforts
- Other tours can tick off more destinations
- Often include long drives
- Lack of privacy
OVERLAND APPEAL
Daniela Pontis, Explore: “Overlanding is as much about the journey as the highlights. It’s about the landscape, the villages you drive through, the campsites, your local crew, and the feeling of being on the road driving through the unknown.”
Lorna Archibald, Dragoman: “Often, it’s the shared group experience which travellers rate as their favourite aspect of the trips, sharing exceptional experiences with like-minded people across all age groups, and forging friendships that last a lifetime.”
Manda Churchill, Insider Journeys: “Overland travel, particularly in a small group, gives the flexibility to stop en route to take pictures or witness local life, including locals working the fields and cycling the back roads, as well as cultural festivities.”
Michael Edwards, Intrepid: “Overlanding is the best way to travel across tough terrain as trucks are purpose-built to tackle tricky landscapes and can get off the beaten track to find rougher, unexplored ground. It’s a style of travel that enables you to see things you never thought possible.”
