What is overlanding? Wikipedia states, "Overlanding is self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically (but not exclusively), it is accomplished with mechanized off-road-capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping. It often lasts for extended periods of time (months to years) and spans international boundaries." Overlanding did not originate in America, and it is a little different here. You would be hard-pressed to find a bicycle out in the desert, and most people don’t stay out there quite that long. However, the spirit of the activity is the same. Do you want to give overlanding a try? Great! You will need some gear. In The Overlanding Vehicle Builder’s Guide, veteran racer, off-roader, and journalist Don Alexander provides a terrific overview of what to consider when building your overlanding rig. This includes the planned duration of the trip, the number of people in your party, how far off the beaten path you want to go, and the creature comforts you require. Understanding those wants and needs shapes what gear you need for the best experience. Covered are the strengths and weaknesses of the types of vehicles themselves, modifications to the vehicles to make them more capable, accessories (lighting, camping gear, food and water storage, etc.), and equipment for trail mishaps and recovery. Driving techniques and trail rules and etiquette are also included. If you are ready to build a rig or just want to know more about the hobby, this book is a great guide to help you get started.

If you have a passion for off-the-beaten-track adventure, being immersed in spectacular landscapes, witnessing exotic wildlife, and visiting diverse cultures - all at a pace set by you - an overland camper can turn your dreams into reality. This manual gives clear and helpful advice on how to establish the kind of overlanding vehicle most appropriate to your own particular needs and, with clear step-by-step guidance, will help you through the process of designing, building and fitting-out your own ultimate overlanding companion.

When Dan set out to drive his Jeep from the Northern tip of Alaska to Tierra del Fuego on the Southern tip of South America, he had no idea how much the adventure would change his life. Over the course of two years, Dan's expedition spanned forty thousand miles through sixteen countries. Now he will never be the same. After years of saving, dreaming and planning, Dan wanted to find out if an ordinary guy can achieve the extraordinary. With no sponsorship, a modest savings account and a willingness to learn Spanish, Dan threw himself in. Going solo, with no GPS and sleeping in a ground tent, Dan wanted to experience everything the Americas have to offer. From poking lava with a stick and hiking among world-famous mountains to corrupt military and camping with Ecuadorian locals - every day provided something new. With his eyes and ears open to the world around him, Dan met many interesting and thought-provoking characters. With their guidance and prodding, and by using their unique perspective, Dan was able to learn many valuable life lessons. Running to the beat of a different drum, Latin America was the perfect classroom for Dan to view our modern work-a-day world through an entirely new lens.

Why Not? After all, no-one had ever done it before. It would be one of the longest of all overland journeys – half way round the world, from the English Channel to Singapore. They knew that several expeditions had already tried it. Some had got as far as the desrts of Persia; a few had even reached the plains of India. But no one had managed to go on from there: over the jungle clad mountains of Assam and across northern Burma to Thailand and Malaya. Over the last 3,000 miles it seemed there were ‘just too many rivers and too few roads'. But no-one really knew … In fact, their problems began much earlier than that. As mere undergraduates, they had no money, no cars, nothing. But with a cool audacity, which was to become characteristic, they set to work – wheedling and cajoling. First, they coaxed the BBC to come up with some film for a possible TV series. They then gently persuaded the manufacturers to lend them two factory-fresh Land Rovers. A publisher was even sweet-talked into giving them an advance on a book. By the time they were ready to go, their sponsors (more than 80 of them) ranged from whiskey distillers to the makers of collapsible buckets. In late 1955, they set off. Seven months and 12,000 miles later, two very weary Land Rovers, escorted by police outriders, rolled into Singapore – to flash bulbs and champagne. Now, fifty years on, their book, ‘First Overland', is republished – with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough. After all, it was he who gave them that film.

Searching for even more wild places and new experiences, Dan became determined to explore 'off the map' in Africa. From the mighty Sahara Desert in the north to the dense equatorial jungles of the Congo and the open grasslands of Southern Africa, Dan turned his biggest dream into reality. Over the course of three years Dan's second major expedition spanned fifty-four thousand miles through thirty-five unique African countries. THE ADVENTURE WAS A THOUSAND TIMES BIGGER THAN HE DREAMED POSSIBLE. After exploring the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Argentina Dan became hooked on the freedom of global overland travel, and he only wanted more. New languages, exotic foods, stunning landscapes and local people with an entirely different outlook became Dan's everyday life. As the months turned into years, through highlights and despair Dan gained a new appreciation for what it truly means to be alive. Viewing our modern world through African eyes gave Dan a new perspective, and he was pulled in by the endless joy, laughter and kindness at every turn. While the landscapes and wildlife are undeniably breathtaking, it is the natural warmth of the African people that is truly unforgettable. All across the continent Dan was welcomed with love and generosity, and now he will never be the same.

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