What Is Overlanding?

Overlanding is simply travelling through a region without flying. The means of transportation - driving, motorcycling, bicycling, camel trekking, walking or some combination of the above - lets the traveler experience the local landscape and the local culture. The motivations - adventure, education, tourism, self-exploration or some combination of the above - are unique to each expedition and indeed each traveler.

Backpacking (travelling through a region using only public transportation) can be considered a form of overlanding, too. But the term overlanding has the connotation of making a trip in a vehicle.

We've done a lot of backpacking in the past in many parts of the world, but our venture into Africa is our first vehicle dependent expedition. For us, this new way of experiencing the world carries risks - our relative inexperience with things mechanical and a worry that the vehicle could be a barrier to interaction with the local population. But it also offers opportunities - to learn new skills and to explore areas inaccessible to public transportation.

History

Certainly, tourism must be as old as curiosity itself. Since man has first wondered what lies behind the next mountain or over the next hill, he has traveled to see what can be seen. But overlanding in the modern sense developed in earnest only after the Second World War. The end of the war brought economic prosperity to many western economies, which allowed some of which were used for tourism. More important were the technical innovations to vehicles for the war effort.

American Bantam Company designed a prototype for the US Army's requirement for a light four wheel drive "General Purpose" vehicle. Known by it's initials "G.P." or Jeep, it proved remarkably versatile in adverse driving conditions, once it was brought into production by another US company called Willys. Land Rover copied the basic structural elements of the Willys Jeep into what became its Series I vehicle. Around the same time, Toyota upped the ante by developing its first Land Cruiser, adding a large 3386cc engine.

In 1949, the Automobile Association of Great Britain published a compendium of maps called the Trans-African Highways book. In 1953, a family from Bath, England used this book for a journey to Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. An interesting description of their journey can be found here (mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/The_Great_1953_Trek).

Overlanding continues to develop today. Improvements in vehicles, their engines and drive systems help of course. But today, many overlanders are aided by the technology of the Global Positioning System and Satellite Phone.

Who Goes Overlanding?

Overlanders come from many different backgrounds. Some are young people on a gap year setting out to see the world. Some are families with children taking some time off from school. Others are retirees seeing the world now that the kids are on their own. Still others are like us - young professionals taking a break in mid-career to gain a different perspective.

Overlanders come from all over the world, but some regions have a stronger overlanding tradition than others. Europeans - especially the British, French and Germans - make up a sizable proportion. Antipodeans - Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans - also commonly feature. North American overlanders are a less common tribe, but we're growing in number as the popularity of overseas backpacking grows back home.

Despite this diversity, we all share some common bonds. We're open to new experiences. We invest a lot of time and effort in pursuing our passion. We're of course willing to tolerate some discomforts - and we have a burning desire to explore new lands and seek new adventures.