What is Overlanding?

Overlanding is a popular phrase in the adventure travel industry, and special “overlanding modifications” are marketed for trucks, vans, and camper trailers.  What is overlanding, and how is it different from dry camping or boondocking?

The term “overlanding” originated in the Australian outback.  Before cars were invented, early overland routes connected intracontinental travel and trade.  During the earliest days, Australian farmers used the term to describe traveling over land with their cattle.  Later, these travelers used horseback, rail, and finally, automobiles and motorcycles.

Today, overlanding is a pursuit enjoyed by some of the most adventurous campers.  One standard definition is “vehicle-supported self-reliant adventure travel typically exploring remote locations and interacting with other cultures.”  What does this mean?

In general, overlanding is about enjoying the journey–not visiting a single destination.  It’s about traveling through a remote location and gaining knowledge from a culture’s people or natural surroundings.  Most of these journeys will take months or years to complete.  In other words, it is a lifestyle rather than an isolated activity.

While most overlanding experiences fail to meet all four of the following criteria, asking these questions will help you understand the difference between this type of adventure and a camping trip or vacation:

1. Is the travel truly remote?  One way to test this is to consider what would happen if the vehicle broke down.  If the traveler would be hindered for days or weeks due to a lack of cellular service or access to a nearby community, the criteria of “remote” is likely met.
2. Am I interacting with a unique culture from my own?  Many overlanding adventurers travel internationally, taking their vehicles to other countries or overseas.  For them, it is the ultimate way to experience the day-to-day reality of a different culture.
3. Are we visiting an under-documented region?  These travelers may not be visiting an entirely different culture but instead taking their equipment to an area of their home country that isn’t well mapped or defined.  These trips may involve academic research and documentation.
4. Is the trip extensive?  Overlanding isn’t about camping in a car for a few days or even a week.  Instead, overlanders immerse themselves in the journey by living on the land for months or years to take in a complete experience.

If you’re driving your car or truck out to a remote campsite without hookups or bathrooms, you may be dry camping, but you’re not getting the extensive experience of an overlanding adventure.  In the same vein, boondocking by parking an RV on an undeveloped piece of public land is a great vacation but does not meet these qualifications, either.

Because of the extreme sense of adventure and the learnings that come from these quests, overlanding lends itself to bloggers and social media influencers.  For example, check out this couple that travels internationally in their modified van they affectionately named “Custard.”  https://www.facebook.com/kingingit

What do you need for your overlanding experience?

First of all, you’ll need an extended leave of absence or retirement package to truly enjoy the amount of time you’ll be spending in extremely remote locations worldwide.

Next, there’s the vehicle.  There is no set standard of equipment or required type of truck, van, or trailer.  Each traveler will choose their own based on specific needs and the locations for the travel.  Sometimes the best solution is a four-wheel-drive truck with off-road vehicle gear and camping equipment, while other adventurers that stick to paved roads may choose modified vans with roof racks, generators, and sleeping quarters.  The most important thing to note is that equipment or options marketed as “overlanding modifications” do not make your travels overlanding experiences just by buying them. Nor are they appropriate for all types of overlanding experiences.

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