OverlandSphere
Overland Travel, Expedition & Adventure Information for 4x4, motorcycle and truck overlanders
We have to take time to thanks Franz at Gordigear for helping us with our Tent Room [http://www.gordigear.com/car_awnings/tent_walls.php?l=en] that provided us with so many great nights while heading south towards South Africa. The awning tent is so much lighter than the roof tents and very practical in the sense that you have so much space in the room and lots…
My Russian teachers Rukhshona 4 and Ezoza 6. Samarkand is a famous historical city and one with many of its great architectural buildings still in excellent condition. I’d heard a lot about it from other travellers so I was looking forward to the visit. It was also only a short 300km drive which made for a gentle and relaxing 4.5…
Just a two hour drive from the South Bay there is an incredibly fertile valley that produces some of the finest wines imaginable. Breathtaking views abound at every turn from tall mountains to rolling hills covered with vineyards year round. Wineries of every price point dot the landscape as far as you can see. In this valley you can go…
Gear review. Two blocks of wood. I clearly remember the weeks and months leading up to our A2A Expedition. Luisa and I would sit together after a days slog, have a glass of red, and discuss what needed to be done in final preparation for our departure. I, naturally, was in charge of getting the Landy ready and my budget…
When is a 6×6 Pinzgauer not cool? NEVER! More amazing overland rigs from Overland Expo 2013! There are so many cool rigs out there that people have modified for overland travel that don’t fit into the categories already talked about (Vans, Land Rovers, Toyotas, Jeeps & Big Rigs). This post is to highlight those other options that you might not…
What From planning a cruiser expedition to adventure photography, hone your skills or learn something new at one of our Land Cruiser skills classes. Visit the first ever Land Cruiser Heritage Museum – an extensive collection of iconic Land Cruisers. The Cruisers on display range from a 1959 FJ25 to a 2012 Toyota Land Cruiser VDJ78Rs being used for the…
A pair of Wolf Packs holds tools for a Defender 110 in Tanzania.I have yet to meet the perfect overlanding cargo box. Pelican cases are nearly perfect when contents absolutely, positively must be kept dry and dust-free, thus they are the box of choice for, say, photo and video equipment. But Pelican cases are quite heavy for their volume, and…
This was the year of the Mog at Expo for sure. The big rigs had a big presence at Overland Expo 2013 with the Unimogs taking center stage with a big display/gathering at the center of the vendor area. The big trucks dropped a lot of jaws with their sheer size, plethora of features, luxury amenities and price tags. It…
Today we are setting off again from Sweden, we are heading up to finland, the Arctic Circle and Lapland, then heading down to Russia. We enter Russia on Monday. Starting to get real now. Plus we have finished the Bed in the car; Memory Foam Matteress Then finish like a normal bed. …
The fabled badge known for quality & reliability world-wide. Toyota was out in force at Overland Expo 2013. I think almost every type of 4×4 Toyota was in attendance, except the venerable Hilux. The Tacoma and 80 Series Land Cruisers were for sure the most plentiful. From stock to heavily modified overland expedition rigs, they were all there. It is…
This article is part of a series titled Selecting the Perfect Overland Travel Vehicle. Overland travel, or overlanding, is not the same as a road trip. Although improved roads, highways, and [gasp!] interstates will undoubtedly be part of each of our travels at some time or another, so too will be some remote backcountry exploration. These parts of our trips…
Land Rover Las Vegas always has a big presence at Expo and their sweet Forward Control is always a crowd pleaser. I have a major soft spot for Land Rovers, and the drool factor at Overland Expo each year with the amazing examples always leaves me thirsty for more. I still think a Defender 130 station wagon with a manual…
A bit of info on shipping and a bit of info on air tickets…..AGAIN ! A bit more info on the menu of the day…I forgot to say it was soup, main course and drink all for the price. I know some of my family will now likely be booking a plane ticket here,,,,, to stay forever. If there’s ever…
This article is part of a series titled Selecting the Perfect Overland Travel Vehicle. So you’ve narrowed down the field to just a couple of options and now you’re ready to pull the trigger. Both of the vehicles you’re interested in meet all of your criteria down to the last bolt, and as far as heartstrings go, you could live…
Airing down in Egypt My early four-wheel-drive experience was strictly trial and error, heavy on the error. A friend owned a beat-up mid-60s FJ40 shod with skinny Armstrong True Tracs and equipped with a Ramsey winch wrapped with a rusty steel cable. We took that thing everywhere, including trails around southern Arizona that I’d later learn were rated 4+…
Today we loaded Matilda in a container. Many hours were wasted. We arrived at 9am at the terminal and didn’t leave till about 5pm. Two hours were taken for them to make a mess inspecting all our belongings. Only I (not Julie) was allowed into the port so our normal policy of one door open at a time was not…
This is the fourth article in a series titled Selecting the Perfect Overland Travel Vehicle. There is nothing quite like the simplicity of a traditional drivetrain and suspension. Solid axles, natural aspiration, and good ole’ leaf springs are time-tested and a breeze to fix and maintain. But, we also acknowledge that the times they are a’ changing, and there is…
Today we went to the shipping agent to complete some paperwork and pay some money. At the moment we aren’t filled with confidence that they are 100% used to shipping overlanders. They don’t speak a work of English but we are managing via Google translate. Luckily they have Wi-Fi on the office so we can have a limited conversation. Once…
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Here is part 2 of the introduction to Boris. Enjoy This short film was put together by Joby Newsom, my expedition film editor. You can follow him on twitter @Jnewson. Check it out in HD. Filed under: Central Asia, Filming, planning, Safety, Team Mates, Vehicle, Video Tagged: Boris, Overland, Poland…
Ready for the bio-apocalypse: a steel-framed handgun and the amazing Pocket Ref In the speculative-fiction novel Directive 51, author John Barnes postulates an alarmingly plausible near-future in which all plastics, synthetic rubbers, and oil-based fuels have been destroyed by maliciously created self-replicating nanobots and bioengineered microorganisms. All modern communication, transportation, and just about everything else is brought to a halt,…
We finally got started on the build of our truck. The first thing to do was to gain a little clearance for our new tires. We chose a small 4Crawler 1″ body lift to do the trick. The other thing I like about a body lift is the increased clearance between the drive train and body. Although the 4Crawler website…
The Dutch oven is a paragon of camp kitchen tools. It is loved by cooks for it durability and versatility, and can be used or boiling, baking, stews, frying, and roasting. It’s hard to use one and not feel a bit connected to the camp “cookies” of the frontier west wagon trains. But Dutch ovens have a history much longer…
Are you getting ready for you next big adventure behind the wheel but you’re not quite sure the best way to do some route planning? We’ve been big fans of Google spatial products for years. They somehow manage to cram seemingly endless amounts of what I’m sure is very complex information in to a super-simple and fun-to-use interface. We’ve used…
River Valley camping River valley tented camp Campsite Tan Swiss outside Mikumi National Park Dik Dik campsite view of the Serengeti Park. Hot air balloons often seen. These are our top campsites in Tanzania: After camping at these spots we are prepared to share the information to allow you to make informative decisions about your sleeping arrangements ahead of time.…
Mechanical parts for your vintage 60 Series Landcruiser are easy to come by, and there are an endless variety of aftermarket goodies to put your hands on. In our experience, though, folks often overlook a component of the build that’s just as critical to a good finish: the interior. I can’t tell you how many sweet, old 60s we’ve seen…
GSI Pinnacle griddle on the Snow Peak large Pack and Carry Fireplace with bridge attachment. Hickory-smoked bacon sizzles on a griddle. The fat pools, spreads, and infuses eggs scambling in butter nearby. Did your salivary glands just twitch? Of course they did. Any vegans reading this—you had the same reaction. Oh, you might suppress it, pretend it didn’t happen, but…
No two travelers are exactly alike. We all have individual needs and desires which have been shaped by our experiences on the road. Some of us might need room for a few kids when traveling; some travel solo. Some of us prefer to get deep into the backcountry and explore rugged terrain; some are just as happy on highways and…
While visas on the East coast of Africa are relatively easy, the West coast can be an absolute nightmare. We have made a list of where we applied for which visa, along with a number of other details (required documents, duration, cost etc.).Download the file here. Here are four valuable tips for visa applications: Things change, so always check in…
WE ARRIVED IN CANADA!! We crossed the border from the US to Canada. We went to the bordercrossing in Roosville. We crossed on a Sunday afternoon and it was all very quiet and easy-going. Officially Canada is not an exit country and with our 90 day visa we should have left Northern America within those 90 days. The Canadian border…