Overland travel guide

2 min summary Our top 10 tours Cairo to Cape Town Cape Town to Vic Falls Central America Indochina Silk Road South America Trans Siberian Overland truck tours Tips & advice All our overland guides

Overland travel guide

The quintessential form of ‘road trip’, an overland tour offers you a chance to explore multiple countries across a continent or region in one epic itinerary. Overlanding can use rail, bike or public transport, but in many cases it involves travelling in a durable but very comfortable and well kitted out truck, one that has been purpose built to deal with all manner of road conditions and cover very long distances.

Routes, duration and modes of transport may differ but one thing all overland tours have in common is that adventure comes as standard.

With this guide to overland tours we’ll take a closer look at some of the iconic routes such as the Silk Road and Cairo to Cape Town, as well as several others across Asia, Europe, South America and Africa that are growing in popularity among travellers with adventurous spirits.

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What does overland travel entail?

Overland tours are popular for many reasons, not least they are the perfect way to explore very different, but equally remarkable countries that can be quite simple to combine. Organised travel by road or railway is a chance to cross borders and boundaries, and really get a thorough immersion in the landscapes and civilisations that most independent trips miss.

An overland tour will usually take in at least two countries, over at least two weeks and in some cases several months. Naturally the very long trips can be quite arduous, especially in regions where the terrain is challenging. With some you have the option to upgrade to more luxurious accommodations, or fly between destinations, which lets you cover more ground.

Some overland tours follow classic journeys, such as the Trans Siberian or Cape Town to Victoria Falls.There are also routes through continents such as Indochina or Central America that are not so established but can yield an even greater sense of discovery. Trip packages can feature a full roster of activities, or be stripped to the bone, with optional activities at each stop available for a supplement.

Group Sizes

While there are tailor made options, the great majority of overland tours are made up of small groups. Typical group sizes range from four to 20 people. Anyone that has taken this kind of holiday will know that people of all ages and backgrounds tend to form strong bonds very quickly, which greatly adds to your enjoyment. It’s worth noting that some longer overland tours can be broken up into stages, so the make-up of the group often fluctuates as people join and depart along the way.

Family trips

The barriers to taking an overland trip are very low. Pretty much anyone with a case of wanderlust and prepared to cope with life on the road for a while can find a tour right for them. Some operators offer trips that are specifically designed for families (Africa is very good for this) with a minimum age of seven – daily driving times are reduced, with regular stops and activities. It’s a great opportunity not only for quality family time, but for kids to make new friends and learn in a unique environment.

Transport

Most overland tours use a spacious, self sufficient expedition truck, purpose built to carry everything you need and be really comfortable, too. Typical on board equipment will include water tanks, cooking equipment and fridge-freezers, with space to stow luggage. Reclining seats are set high to allow for great views, with plenty of leg room.

You won’t be on the move all day every day, but on travel days you will usually be in the vehicle for between four and ten hours. Other trips use public transport, including local buses or ferries, and even the odd flight to cut down on some of the longer driving stints. And of course there are some superb rail routes too which don’t use overland vehicles at all.

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Accommodations

Overland tours are all about getting into the thick of the action, so you may find yourself camping out in the wild across Africa or South America, or staying in a combination of locally owned hotels, wilderness lodges and dormitories. The Trans Siberian route usually involves disembarking from the train at various locations and staying with local people, sometimes in traditional yurts, as well as nights in your sleeper carriage.

Some trips are more participatory – with travellers taking it in turns to cook and shop for provisions – while others let you flop while the crew takes care of your meals and the washing up. A huge emphasis on any overland holiday is to do as the locals do, so the ingredients used and the dishes will vary from country to country, something which is particularly noticeable on trips which border-hop frequently.

Tour leaders & guides

Most trips are run by a minimum of two professional and passionate tour leaders, who ensure every aspect of the trip runs as smoothly as possible. In addition, local guides will join you at sites of interest en route. When you’re travelling Cape Town to Cairo, for instance, your itinerary is going to feature major highlights – national parks, the Great Pyramids and so on. But very often travellers find that the real magic is found in the gaps between these places, and that’s where local guides add so much value. By working with them, holiday companies also inject money directly into the economy, and help deter educated people from leaving rural communities.

Patience

On trips of three weeks and upwards, covering a lot of distance over varying terrain, the first thing on your packing list should be patience. Schedules can be unpredictable – the truck might need maintenance, or the train wheels may need to be adjusted at a border crossing – of course, it’s just as likely that nothing will happen and your itinerary will run like clockwork. But the nature of overland travel dictates that not everything can be planned and mapped out by the minute.