So you've decided that overland travel sounds like your cup of tea. You enjoy road trips, camping, hiking, seeing new places, and meeting new people. Great! But where do you start?
Logically, one would say, "Get a vehicle". Personally I would caution against this. Yes, your vehicle is your main mode of transportation, so how could you start overlanding if you don't have the vehicle?
My suggestion is to find a friend who is willing to take you along.
One of the greatest parts about overland and adventure based travel is that it is not a solo activity. Whether you're bringing the whole family along, or just traveling with friends, half the experience is experiencing it with others.
Overland vehicles are no minor expense. These vehicles are built and prepped to handle nearly any situation, and thus so require extensive modification, time, and preparations to ensure they are ready for anything. Before you go taking out a second mortgage to build your dream overland vehicle, lets first make sure that this is something you will truly enjoy.
If you currently do not have any friends with overland / off-road vehicles, you could always ask around on some forums. Overlanders are generally a very friendly bunch and welcoming to anyone interested in the lifestyle.
My suggestion to you, whether you decide to go out with friends, make new ones, or dip into the savings to buy your own vehicle, is to start small. Take a small, easy trail, relatively close to home. Make it a weekend deal, where you head out on a Saturday, spend a night at an off the path campsite, and then head back home on Sunday.
For information on campsites, a good reference I have used is uscampgrounds.info. They have an interactive map with information on many camp sites across the country, what kind of utilities that have available (toilets, showers, etc), if any at all, and any fees and reservations required. You can also check the US National Forrest website and any local or state park websites as well.
Once you have completed your first night out in the wood and first successful trip, then you can start looking into vehicle options. Join us next week for information on selecting a vehicle.
For more information on overland travel and the equipment used, visit and follow us at Overland.Kinja.com (all photos credit public domain)