I am a bit scared and excited at the same time, because my group of friends and me have planned an overlanding trip for at least three months, which is the longest time I have ever been on such an experience. I would really appreciate if you could provide me with some tips on how to survive (lol)
Currently planning on having a long time overlanding trip
- Thread starter Madison
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Just for those that are planning to do the same, I only have found this article How much food to take on a 6 month overlanding journey but this is only about food, so looking forward to having more tricks from experiences adventurers :D 
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It would help to know where you are going and what rig you will be driving.
We have gone on six week backcountry trips and longer trips visiting friends in Europe. A group of us also worked in China for ten weeks. One thing I have learned is to plan weekly rest days and also days away from the group. Rest days are critical to your physical health. Driving every day can wear you out both physically and mentally. Days away from the group are also important for your mental health and well being. What is a small irritation when you see some one occasionally can become a huge issue in the close confinement of a long trip.
We have gone on six week backcountry trips and longer trips visiting friends in Europe. A group of us also worked in China for ten weeks. One thing I have learned is to plan weekly rest days and also days away from the group. Rest days are critical to your physical health. Driving every day can wear you out both physically and mentally. Days away from the group are also important for your mental health and well being. What is a small irritation when you see some one occasionally can become a huge issue in the close confinement of a long trip.
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You can easily get buried in preparation and it might feel overwhelming to pack for a long trip like that.
What I like to start with is, "what is the most likely problem I'll run into here?" and the answer might be "I might get a flat tire before I even reach my destination." So I pack my tire changing tools and my spare.
What is the next most likely thing to happen?... and I just go from there. This site and members have a ton of knowledge to pass on, just ask!
The last thing I always tell myself as I walk out my front door to leave is, at least I have my credit card on me.
What I like to start with is, "what is the most likely problem I'll run into here?" and the answer might be "I might get a flat tire before I even reach my destination." So I pack my tire changing tools and my spare.
What is the next most likely thing to happen?... and I just go from there. This site and members have a ton of knowledge to pass on, just ask!
The last thing I always tell myself as I walk out my front door to leave is, at least I have my credit card on me.
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How many in your group, where are you going, what are you driving & how many people in each vehicle? There is a wealth of great advice & opinion on these forums, but we need just a bit of basic information in order to help. One thing- always be prepared for the worst case scenario. Which might be, your vehicle burning to the ground and you are hundreds of miles from any services.
Hey Madison - Congrats on your first adventure. Here is a quick broad list of items that can do a deep dive on for your personal, particular needs:
A decent tool selection - enough to get you out of s situation and back to "services" where the problem can be properly repaired
Jumpstart pack for sure - I like the Anti-Gravity XP-20. It has started my Duramax Diesel and a few airplanes over the years
Cell booster
Basic first aid and any personal medical needs
Im not sure what happened to my long list here but its 90% gone. I guess I got edited
A decent tool selection - enough to get you out of s situation and back to "services" where the problem can be properly repaired
Jumpstart pack for sure - I like the Anti-Gravity XP-20. It has started my Duramax Diesel and a few airplanes over the years
Cell booster
Basic first aid and any personal medical needs
Im not sure what happened to my long list here but its 90% gone. I guess I got edited
Last edited:
What is the longest trip you’ve done? Three months is NOT the same as two weeks; life on the road can be both stressful and expensive. Have you tested and fine tuned your equipment? What responsibilities do you have at home (bills, care of your home, etc.) and how will you handle them while traveling? What do you plan to do along the way? How reliable/prepared are your companions? I did three months this summer and that’s about my limit for continuous travel.
We scanned through that food article, it's ok. The bottom line is you'll be living out of a vehicle for three months so what you eat should be no different than living in a house. Sure, you can scale it down to one pot meals and use mostly rotisserie chicken(s) but what you are eating today is already what you like. Take what is necessary to make the meals you already enjoy, that is true for entertainment as well. If you like to read, take an eReader. If you like to watch movies, load a SanDisk iXpand with movies and play them on an iPad. Same can be done for television programs, documentaries, etc. Podcasts are a great way to unwind so download 10 or so from a couple channels and grab more as you hit service again.
Definitely build in zero days for R&R and schedule interesting stops for most driving days. You will spend some time each evening planning and refining the next few days so time in camp isn't just spent cooking and goofing off. If there is already a hard three month schedule, we wouldn't go. Flexibility is what makes a long trip fun. When you really like a place, shift the future plans and stay longer. If there is a predetermined end point, don't worry about it so much unless it's something you cannot miss. We prefer to get as far as we do over checking a box next to a supposed accomplishment. Seize each day and have a great run.
Definitely build in zero days for R&R and schedule interesting stops for most driving days. You will spend some time each evening planning and refining the next few days so time in camp isn't just spent cooking and goofing off. If there is already a hard three month schedule, we wouldn't go. Flexibility is what makes a long trip fun. When you really like a place, shift the future plans and stay longer. If there is a predetermined end point, don't worry about it so much unless it's something you cannot miss. We prefer to get as far as we do over checking a box next to a supposed accomplishment. Seize each day and have a great run.
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I also want to add a short story. A while ago I worked with a couple of guys that were new to the transport industry. They got their first job with a regional department store. Beemer & Mark enjoyed driving truck. They had also been best friends since grade school. They grew up together, they were each others best men, the families got together often for lots of weekends, parties & joint vacations. What could go wrong? Well, after 3 years of garnering enough driving experience they quit the dept store job and got a job with a major carrier as “ team drivers “ . It’s sad actually, within 6 weeks, Beemer came back to the original job, alone. I bumped into Beemer, decades later. Those two hadn't spoken in over 20 years. Be Careful who you travel with.
This summer I completed a 3month trip by myself, I had 6 destination locations that I wanted to reach but only got to complete 4 of them, now I have an excuse to go back to do the remaining 2, my point is don’t let the planning be the driving force to get to them. I met some people along the way that suggested I go here and there and I’m glad I took their advice and visited these unknown places to me. Always stop at visitor centers and small towns to get some info on what there is to do in the area. Don’t be in a hurry drive slow and smell the roses along the way, if you drive by a stream or waterfall stop and admire the scenery. Have a great trip
This is a very important point. There is a joke amongst Pan-Am couples…”it either ends in a baby or a divorce.” Many have divorced after their trip (some of those were honeymoons), we’ve also seen lifelong friendships end during the trip with one abandoning the other and flying home. Long trips come with intense highs and intense lows, all bound by stress. It isn’t for most people but there’s only one way to know. If at anytime one realizes it isn’t for them, go home…it’s a disservice to everyone to try and grind it out, it’s not that kind of thing.
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Yes & yes, personal stuff becomes common knowledge for everyone on the trip. It’s not like you can go home a little miffed,after a short visit with a good friend, cause they might have been having a bad day. Those kind of things are amplified on a road trip. My BIL can be a bit of a douche bag occasionally, but out on a tour, hundreds of miles from the nearest services? It became a whole lot more than “ a bit “. ( he’s family and we are all he has, so we acquiesced ; but will never travel with him again ) I’m waiting for conversation from the OP. Hey, when all is said and done, all the ts are crossed and the is are dotted, psychological preparedness is and should be, at the top of the list.
General advice - based on our experience:
You need to estimate how long you want to drive each day, and how much time you want to spend in each place. You can then determine whether you need intermediate stops and how many. Use multiple sources of information to estimate travel times: bus timetables, blogs, fora, etc. You should also establish some average speeds - e.g. you can travel long distances in Chile on Highway 5 at high speeds – 500 Km in a day is easy; conversely, in Colombia any east-west route takes a long time because of the mountains – you can easily spend 8 hours covering only 200 Km.
Make sure you make sensible estimates and have flexibility in your plan - you want to be able to stop and enjoy places you find on the way, and not be tied to a tight itinerary.
Prepare an assessment of safety and security – figure out where you are not prepared to go and what your safety rules are (e.g. never drive at night outside cities in some countries); always have time in your plan to get to the next destination in daylight; have contingency stops in case of delays. Include rest days
Once you have a base case, post questions on details for each country.
Give the vehicle a full check before you leave - tyres, lights, fluids levels, papers, jack etc.. Then check tyres visually every day, pressures weekly , and fluid levels daily.
Make sure your papers are in order for check stops – patience and diplomacy are key at police checks.
Make sure all of your vaccinations are up to date.
Decide what you want in terms of recovery kit.
Check things you must have in the car to meet regulations (e.g.):
Look at whether the the vehicle is sold everywhere (or most places) you plan to go. Don’t just look at whether the brand is represented, look at whether the vehicle is (or was) available.
Work out what spares you should carry, at a minimum you need drive belts, bulbs (remember that in many countries a dead light bulb is an offence), brake pads, tools.
Jump leads, tow cable, flashlight, gloves, duck tape, etc, etc.
Maps – you may find that maps a re difficult to find, some of the best maps are available from ITMB in Vancouver (they will mail)
GPS – use for calibration and general location rather than directions, however good GPS maps are available in many places. Even so we have found ourselves driving where the GPS says there is no road and unable to locate roads theoretically present.
Take a vehicle maintenance course for the vehicle you will use.
Verify insurance and customs requirements. Also requirements to take the vehicle through each country: you will find that many countries will issue a temporary import certificate, however you need to know. We use the “CdP” and consider this useful, however you will find many people who will say that it’s not needed. There are countries (e.g., RSA) where you must use a CdP for entry by sea.
Medical kit (not just one off the shelf – design it with the help of a professional. If not up to date on First Aid training, take a course.
Is your blood type unusual?
Figure out how to manage money
Think about how to manage photos (assuming you will take some). It is easy to take enough photos in a year to fill a 300 GB laptop. Think about how to protect the photos (e.g. cloud storage), you don’t want to lose the lot on day 364…
Communications, routine and in emergency. How will you manage these?
Make up “In Case of Emergency” cards with contact numbers, blood group etc.
Decide how to keeep your registration, annual safety check, and insurance current.
Vehicle suggestions – pick something with good ground clearance; also pick one which is easy to maintain.
Look at fuel availability – although diesel will give better mileage economy it may not be readily available everywhere so gasoline/petrol may be better.
Most importantly - Don't take things too seriously, and HAVE FUN!
You need to estimate how long you want to drive each day, and how much time you want to spend in each place. You can then determine whether you need intermediate stops and how many. Use multiple sources of information to estimate travel times: bus timetables, blogs, fora, etc. You should also establish some average speeds - e.g. you can travel long distances in Chile on Highway 5 at high speeds – 500 Km in a day is easy; conversely, in Colombia any east-west route takes a long time because of the mountains – you can easily spend 8 hours covering only 200 Km.
Make sure you make sensible estimates and have flexibility in your plan - you want to be able to stop and enjoy places you find on the way, and not be tied to a tight itinerary.
Prepare an assessment of safety and security – figure out where you are not prepared to go and what your safety rules are (e.g. never drive at night outside cities in some countries); always have time in your plan to get to the next destination in daylight; have contingency stops in case of delays. Include rest days
Once you have a base case, post questions on details for each country.
Give the vehicle a full check before you leave - tyres, lights, fluids levels, papers, jack etc.. Then check tyres visually every day, pressures weekly , and fluid levels daily.
Make sure your papers are in order for check stops – patience and diplomacy are key at police checks.
Make sure all of your vaccinations are up to date.
Decide what you want in terms of recovery kit.
Check things you must have in the car to meet regulations (e.g.):
- Flashlight,
- Medical kit – if you have any special requirements bring them with you.
- Fire extinguisher – make sure it’s in date
- Safety vest
- Wheel chocks
- Speedbrace
Look at whether the the vehicle is sold everywhere (or most places) you plan to go. Don’t just look at whether the brand is represented, look at whether the vehicle is (or was) available.
Work out what spares you should carry, at a minimum you need drive belts, bulbs (remember that in many countries a dead light bulb is an offence), brake pads, tools.
Jump leads, tow cable, flashlight, gloves, duck tape, etc, etc.
Maps – you may find that maps a re difficult to find, some of the best maps are available from ITMB in Vancouver (they will mail)
GPS – use for calibration and general location rather than directions, however good GPS maps are available in many places. Even so we have found ourselves driving where the GPS says there is no road and unable to locate roads theoretically present.
Take a vehicle maintenance course for the vehicle you will use.
Verify insurance and customs requirements. Also requirements to take the vehicle through each country: you will find that many countries will issue a temporary import certificate, however you need to know. We use the “CdP” and consider this useful, however you will find many people who will say that it’s not needed. There are countries (e.g., RSA) where you must use a CdP for entry by sea.
Medical kit (not just one off the shelf – design it with the help of a professional. If not up to date on First Aid training, take a course.
Is your blood type unusual?
Figure out how to manage money
Think about how to manage photos (assuming you will take some). It is easy to take enough photos in a year to fill a 300 GB laptop. Think about how to protect the photos (e.g. cloud storage), you don’t want to lose the lot on day 364…
Communications, routine and in emergency. How will you manage these?
Make up “In Case of Emergency” cards with contact numbers, blood group etc.
Decide how to keeep your registration, annual safety check, and insurance current.
Vehicle suggestions – pick something with good ground clearance; also pick one which is easy to maintain.
Look at fuel availability – although diesel will give better mileage economy it may not be readily available everywhere so gasoline/petrol may be better.
Most importantly - Don't take things too seriously, and HAVE FUN!
Oh, I totally get the mix of excitement and nerves, I've actually been on a three-month adventure myself, cruising through rugged terrains and camping under the stars in Chile, South America. My biggest tip for survival is to stay organized and prepared. Plan your route, stock up on essential supplies, and make sure your vehicle is in top shape. Embrace the unexpected, and don't forget to capture those epic moments along the way. Oh, and if you're also planning to consider visiting Chile, I have this article in Chile that might interest you: Tourism In Chile Statistics 2023 It's filled with valuable insights. Have an incredible trip, my friend! Safe travels and enjoy every minute of your overlanding experience!
Wowwww, this is soooo helpful, thank you soo much, I appreciate it!
