OVERLAND(ING)
Vehicle-supported, self-reliant adventure travel, exploring remote locations and interacting with other cultures.
It’s all about the journey.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona

We usually avoid mass tourism but for natural wonders we sometimes make an exception. The Antelope Canyon in Arizona seemed impressive enough to bend our own rules a bit…

The town of Page has no shortage on god’s mercy.

Located near Page Arizona in Navajo country the Antelope Canyon is a spectacular display of eroded sand stone due to flooding. There are 2 different canyons to visit, Lower Antelope Canyon and Upper Antelope Canyon. We chose to visit the A-shaped LAC as it is the less visited one. The UAC is easier to acces and far more popular. Still, you”ll be far from alone.

Cattle being driven to the money pit

In 1997 flash floods in these canyons killed 11 tourists. Because of this incident, you are not allowed to visit without a guide. Too bad visiting the canyons has become tourist “business”. Be prepared to be treated like cattle with a wallet…

The fun starts when they charge you 20 $ to park your car, 8$ Navajo park entrance fee and 25$ admission fee for the actual visit. A tour starts every 20 minutes. There’s also a “special photographer’s tour” for 47$, this ticket buys you more time in the canyon. We opted for the normal tour, as a consequence we were pushed to complete the tour as quickly as possible.

Is it worth it? You should definitely visit but too bad it leaves you with a uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed like a lemon. Nonetheless, you”ll make great pictures. The guide will advice you where and how to take the best pictures. What setting -Chrome filter- your iPhone should be set at, where to take a picture with your loved one, etc…

antelope-canyon_8

On finishing the tour, I had a big argument with a Navajo tour guide. I was trying to take a picture of the exit of the Canyon without Japanese tourists on it. However, as our guide had already rushed out to drink his coffee, my lens was blocked by the hand of another guide. She did not let me take the picture as it appeared I was without a guide. Anyway, I still managed the take the shot.

Keep exploring!

x+

Aqua2go pro review

Running water is the ultimate luxury on any adventure trip. We have tried many different systems. First we tried US army 20 liter jerrycans: simple, very strong en reliable but far from practical. Expensive integrated water containers have the disadvantage of freezing in the winter rendering them absolutely useless. We tried water bags with & without built-in manual pumps, they seemed to be the perfect solution. But,… Read more

Waeco CFX 35 review vs Engel MT35F

BATTLE OF THE FRIDGES

Waeco CFX 35 vs Engel MT35F. Long term review

A portable cooler in your expedition vehicle makes life much more comfortable. Most important reason to get yourself a cooler must be cold beer off course. Read more

Fjällräven Duffel No 6 review

Fjällräven’s Duffel No 6 is part of the numbers collection which is the premium line. Well-thought-out functionality and the use of heavy duty eco-fabrics that should last you a lifetime. So, I hauled this 50 liter bag everywhere in the last year and gave it some dirt time. It travelled with me through deserts and jungles, hunting trips and work related city trips.

Fjallraven (1 of 3)

The shoulder straps can be stowed away. Read more

Oman, an off-road traveller’s dream destination!

So, you like wild camping, desert dune bashing, wildlife spotting, desolate white sandy beaches with pristine blue water and are put off by crowds of tourists? Then Oman should definitely be on your bucket list. We packed some basic camping equipment and booked a flight to Oman last November. Being one of the least populated countries in the world and a wild camping allowed policy, this looked like a very promising destination. Also, a 30° C average daytime temperature made the decision to go very easy.

Oman Wadi web res - 1

 Wadi Shab

Read more

Cooper Discoverer AT3 review. The ultimate all terrain tire for the real world?

One of the most asked questions about preparing a 4×4 vehicle for a trip is: “What tires do you recommend?” On any 4×4 forum a search about tires should keep you entertained for a few hours. So, when we took delivery of the new Explore More crew truck, a 2015 Toyota Hilux, we asked ourselves the exact same question. And hours were spent researching the internet for the holy grail tire.  I used to run BF Goodrich AT’s and Muds on most of my previous trucks. But the BFG AT seemes very old technology today  and the Cooper Discoverer AT3 was getting raving reviews from some very reputable sources.

Cooper Discoverer AT3 on rocks lr

The Cooper Discoverer AT3 tires left everybody speechless on our trip trough Croatia, they look good too!

The Toyota is our daily driver and is used to eat highway miles to haul photographic equipment around one day, carry dive gear for four people to the beach the next and leave for an overland adventure the day after that. So we were looking for a tire that stands out on the black stuff, but also performs on gravel, rocks, mud, sand and snow. It should also be comfortable, quiet , puncture proof and last forever. Does such a tire exist? Are we expecting too much? We will see, because the above is exactly what Coopertires promise about the Discoverer AT3.

Read more

Go prepared! Vehicle recovery gear.

If you venture of the beaten track with your 4×4 it is likely that you will get stuck at some point. The weather can turn perfectly groomed tracks into mud pits. Fallen trees or other obstackles can force you to find a detour and your vehicle can be stranded. With a few basic skills and the right tools that should be no reason for concern. Here is a summary of what we carry on our overland trips, why we take it and what we use it for. The interesting thing is that our vehicle recovery kit remains essentially unchanged no matter where we go. We use this kit in the desert, the snow, the rocks and in the mud.

recovery gear (1 of 4)

Read more

Bushcraft kit load out!

This is my basic equipment when I go walkabout, depending on the destination and purpose I will omit or add a few things. There’s no food or clothing here, we’ll talk about that in another article.

Read more

Croatia, the green heart of Europe.

Last autumn we met up with our Croatian friends to go for a scouting trip in the north & central part of Croatia. Most people heard about the beauty of Croatia’s mediteranian coast line, but when you venture inland, this country becomes even more amazing! The mountains are vast and desolate, and posess an unspoiled beauty that became hard to find in Europe. The landscape is extremely diverse and changes from one beautiful vista into another. This area is one of the last true wildernesses in middle & south Europe and fortunately big parts of it are conserved as National Parks now. To be able to get to the best spots you need to cover some distance and a 4×4 is the most practical way to do it. It gets you to all the cool hikes, camping spots and places to do some serious wildlife spotting.

Read more

Land Rover Defender 90 long term test.

11 months ago we took delivery of a brand new Defender 90. After 31.000km it has seen more terrain than most Defenders do in their lifetime. The little Defender spent more than 20.000km off tarmac. We zig zagged through Iceland for 3 months, explored the mountains in Croatia and went greenlaning all over Europe.

Here is our conclusion:

Read more