What You Need to Know About Overland Truck Holidays
International tourist arrivals grew by a remarkable 7% in 2017 to reach a total of 1.322 million, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. As more and more people across the world continue to engage in this form of adventure, they’re also looking for more unique ways to immerse themselves in different cultures and experience new places by land. From camping under the stars to traversing multiple countries in the span of a few days, overland truck tours offer you the ability to experience a country like never before. Here’s what you’ll need to know and consider before planning any overland truck holidays.
Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan
Decide on the Perfect Overland Trip
Making the most of your time includes ensuring you’ve planned out the perfect trip for the amount of time you have. Since you know you’ll be traveling by land and likely understand the amount of time it will take to get from place to place, you can effectively plan around the amount of vacation time you have. However, you’ll need to decide on how many travel days you want, as you won’t be traveling every single day. Some days, depending on your destination, you’ll be hopping on and off local boats and trains and maybe even taking short flights. Many guided overland trips exist based on your adventure level and interests. Does driving the Nile route between Cairo and Cape Town sound fun? Or, maybe you’re more interested in an all-American adventure all the way from that Alaskan fjords to Cusco. Shorter tours, like a week-long truck trip through Kenya, also exist. Factor in the amount of time you have, figure out what trips are possible within that time frame, and then choose the one that suits you best.
What You Need to Know About the Trucks & Insurance
Overland trucks are generally designed for their respective continents. In Africa, for example, they are usually open-sided to allow for maximum viewing and feature a waterproof canopy in case of bad weather. In South America, due to comfort and safety reasons, the trucks tend to be more heavy duty and fully enclosed. Some trucks feature personal, private lockers while others only have a group safe. When deciding on an overland truck holiday, it will be important to ask about the style, safety and quality of the truck itself. It will also be important to ask about insurance, as even the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. It’s recommended to get insurance for whatever vehicle you’re driving abroad as well as to look into travel insurance that covers you in the case of an emergency. Along with insurance, you’ll want to make sure you understand the laws of the road in the countries you’ll be visiting as well as budget enough for any visa fees you might encounter.
Remember to Enjoy the Trip
Try not to get too caught up in covering the most ground possible. Instead, focus on enjoying the things you really want to see and the experience of traveling in a converted truck with a handful other adventurous explorers like yourself. Traveling by land allows you to form lasting friendships as well as see different parts of the countries you’ll be traveling through. So you’ll want to be sure to enjoy as much of the experience as you can. – Travel Feeder
About The Author
Cecil Lee
The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.
