what is overlanding?
Overlanding is exactly what it sounds like: travel over land. It has been a primary mode of transportation for hundreds of years. The earliest humans traveled over-land primarily by foot, eventually taking to the backs of horses, camels, donkeys, and other four-legged friends amenable to carrying humans and their gear across vast landscapes. While the concept of “overlanding” has been around since the dawn of mankind, the actual term first surfaced in Australia. The term was used to reference the driving of livestock across the vast lands of the outback. Pioneers of “overlanding” cut tracks across the outback, opening new territory and routes for driving sheep, cattle, and other livestock to market. These original routes are still used by overlanders today.
Many peoples and cultures around the world still “overland” as they have for hundreds of years, driving their herds with the seasons in search of better climes, abundant food, water sources, and markets.
And, while overlanding is still alive and well in this sense, today the term “overlanding” is much broader. The term is often used to describe travel overland via a mechanized vehicle – from bicycles to cars, trucks, and Jeeps – with off-road or all-terrain capabilities, where the travelers typically camp each night along their journey. Web searches for “overlanding” will yield results of vehicles kitted out for life on the road for short trips to full-time living on-the-go.
While most looking for an overland experience today may not need to push new territorial boundaries or find new fields to graze our sheep or cattle, the route in adventure remains the same. Today, we overland to experience life differently, living in the present moment and enjoying the journey as much – if not more – than the destination. Often, there is no destination. The goal is open exploration, wanderlust, and often a desire to reconnect to the simplicity experienced by the original nomads, explorers, and adventurers. To get back to nature.
Today, people embark on overlanding expeditions for anywhere from a long weekend to a multi-year trip. In a ruggedly outdoors province like Nova Scotia, where new adventures can be found around every turn, there is no trip that is too short or too long to have a grand adventure.
In today’s market, Overlanding is generally understood as vehicle-supported, self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations, where the journey is the primary goal. Your vehicle is the primary mode of transportation and living, and all gear and supplies that you need are carried with you.
Overland vehicles are typically built out to accommodate living from the vehicle, a set-up that usually is not compatible with extreme off-roading, four-wheeling, and rock-crawling due to balance and weight loads.
