30 Overlanding Resources Newbies Will Love

Looking for online overlanding resources? You’ve come to the right place!

Listed below are 30 of the best overlanding resources in existence. I’ve shuffled through a metric ton of merely average sites, to personally curate this best-of-the-best list.

Let me know in the comments if there are any resources you think must be included in this overlanding resources list. I’d be happy to consider adding them in a future edit.

Overlanding Resources: Forums

These quality forums contain endless threads and information about all things overlanding. Dive deep into specific content and interact with others with similar passions and interests.

1/ Expedition Portal – The best forum about overlanding that currently exists. A phenomenal website and community of overland adventurers who travel the world primarily via motorized vehicles. You can get lost in this forum for weeks. The founders of Expedition Portal are also the publishers of Overland Journal, which is the must-read magazine on the subject of overlanding. If you are only going to be on one forum for overlanding, then this is it. You can find us on the Expedition Portal forums under the usernames Hourlesslife (for Eric) and BrittanyHighland.

2/ Overland Bound – This is a community of outdoor enthusiasts who can’t get enough when it comes to the overlanding lifestyle. The forums here are quite active and generally not as technical as are found at Expedition Portal. The focus on Overland Bound seems to be more about the community itself. There’s a map feature that allows you to see and interact with other overlanders in your immediate area. Even tools to create local meetups and adventures. We’ve joined officially and are Overland Bound member #14045. You can find us on the Overland Bound forums under the username Hourless Life.

Overlanding Resources: YouTube

We all know video is being consumed at an astronomical rate, but not all video channels are created equal. Every account listed below are doing it very well. Give them a thumbs up and subscribe to their channels.

3/ Expedition Overland – These folks are responsible for the first set of overlanding videos we personally got addicted to. Expedition Overland is a group based out of Bozeman, Montana, that has done extensive overland travel (mostly in Toyota vehicles) around the world. The videos of these journeys are extremely high quality. Watch them and you’ll be instantly hooked on the lifestyle.

4/ The Road Chose Me – Dan Grec is the real deal. He’s driven over 50,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina, and made numerous excursions off of the Pan-American Highway along the way. But wait, there’s more. Dan has also driven over 53,000 miles all over the African continent! He’s written books; has an informative website; and is on most social media channels. But his latest focus is the land of YouTube where he offers excellent, practical, and real-world advice about overlanding topics on a regular basis. If you really want to know what it is like out there internationally, then go visit Dan’s YouTube channel and subscribe. We never miss an episode.

5/ Dirt Sunrise – Tim and Kelsey have driven the entire Pan-American Highway and created YouTube videos all along the way. We really love how they keep it real. Their videos are not overproduced, but are rather a genuine look into full-time overlanding. We got to meet them in 2020 after their big trip, and they are really down-to-earth people who are willing to share from their wealth of experience.

6/ Lifestyle Overland – This family always makes me smile. The quality of their YouTube channel is top-notch as they travel with their precious daughter. They’re especially encouraging to my wife and me, as they too are overlanding with a little one. Two years into their channel and over 1.7 million views? Yes, go watch them now.

7/ Overland Bound – No, this isn’t deja vu. I listed Overland Bound under Forums, but the site also has a YouTube channel worth subscribing to. Michael and Corrie are fun and approachable in all they do. They’re an encouragement to anyone just getting started in the overlanding lifestyle and have built a massive community of like-minded enthusiasts.

8/ Trail Recon – A man and his son making epic videos out on the trails. What’s not to love? This channel was started in October 2015 and I’m absolutely addicted. Brad Kowitz does an excellent job with his channel. I only have one issue with this channel: they can’t produce content fast enough for me to devour it. A must-follow if you’re into overlanding or the Jeep life.

9/ 4xoverland – Andrew St Pierre White is the hero of pretty much every overlander. The Marlon Perkins of the overlanding world. If you didn’t catch that reference, then you aren’t as old as I am. Regardless of your age, go to Andrew’s channel right now and get lost in goodness. His demeanor, appreciation for overlanding, and humility will envelop you instantly.

10/ Ronny Dahl – Ronny Dahl has an awesome YouTube channel. Thanks to one of my readers for pointing me in his direction. Ronny has tons of videos up on his site. All are high-quality and interesting. I especially like his 4 Wheeling Family and Camping Edition two-part series. In this series, he’s out with his entire family doing amazing things. Shout out to Ronny, Steph, Hannah, and Sienna! Go check out his YouTube; you’ll be glad you did.

Overlanding Resources: Blogs

I’m glad you found our website and I genuinely hope you’ll join us on our journey by subscribing here as we launch our own global overland adventure. But there are others we personally admire who we highly suggest you follow as well:

11/ Landcruising.Adventure – Karin and Coen have been full-time overlanding around the world since 2003! She is a wonderful storyteller and he’s a gifted photographer. With 17 years and counting of full-time overland experience, why would you not subscribe to their blog? These two tell it like it is. They share the ups and downs, as well as the challenges and triumphs of their adventures. You could easily get lost in the content of their website and never resurface again.

12/ Overlanding Family – If it wasn’t for this family, I wouldn’t be writing this article. They’ve pretty much done it all where international family-based overland travel is concerned. Whenever I think of them, I think of using the hashtag #overlandinggoals. This is the family that inspired my wife Brittany to drive around the world. Definitely take a look at their blog and maybe you’ll be inspired, too.

13/ Bumfuzzle – They’ve been traveling the world for years using every mode of transportation possible. These folks are true global adventurers. Both my wife and I have an immense amount of respect for everything they’ve done. You know that urban slang YOLO (You Only Live Once)? Well, they should have a photo of Bumfuzzle next to that entry in the urban dictionary.

Overlanding Resources: Instagram

We want our Instagram feed to be filled with the highest quality of photos and information on the subject of overlanding. We hope you’ll give us a follow at @hourlesslife, but we also encourage you to check out the accounts we’ve listed below. So far, the following are our favorite instagram accounts to follow.

14/ @overlandjournal – Every overlander should be following this account. This is the official account of the Overland Journal magazine, “The publication for environmentally responsible, worldwide vehicle-supported expedition and adventure travel.” Seriously, add Overland Journal to your follow list.

15/ @expeditionportal – This is the online community from the team behind Overland Journal. They have actively been posting the best content on the overland lifestyle since 2005. Again, a must-follow for any overlander.

16/ @theroadchoseme – Dan Grec is not only a personal friend, but one of the people I most admire in the overlanding community. I have personally leaned on Dan for advice many times in our preparations for driving around the world, and he’s never let me down. Full of practical knowledge that comes from experience, and humble to boot, Dan’s Instagram should be on everyone’s follow list.

17/ @landcruising.adventure – Karin and Coen have been full-time overlanding since 2003. As of this writing, that is 17 years of travel around the globe. If you are even remotely interested in what full-time overlanding really looks like, these two do a masterful job of presenting the truth about their adventures and the beauty of our world.

18/ @alvetoexpedition – Aldo and Vera have been driving around the world since 2016. During that time, and as of this writing, they have explored five continents and 51 countries! And they have documented this journey on various platforms, including their Instagram. Our very own Brittany, here at Hourless Life, interviewed them for an Expedition Portal article entitled “4 Years Circumnavigating the Globe: An Interview with the Alveto Expedition,” which you can read by clicking here.

19/ @venture4wd – Chris Shontz is a photographic storyteller. All you need to do for overlanding inspiration is follow his Instagram feed. One of my readers turned me on to him and suggested I add him to the list. I’m hooked. His photos are crisp and active. The kind that make you want to drop everything and head out the door.

20/ @goosegear – We don’t have any of their gear yet, but we’re hoping to add some to our global overlanding build. Goose Gear’s craftsmanship is recognized throughout the overland industry. Even if you’re just dreaming of one of their build-outs, you should follow GooseGear and get to know them. A leading manufacturer of overlanding products and nobody has anything negative to say about them. Yeah, they’re that good.

21/ @dudelum – If you just want to be inspired by amazing photography about the overland lifestyle, inspiration doesn’t get much better than @dudelum. 79K followers and counting. Dan’s photos are breathtaking. Every.Single.One. Traveling in his Jeep with his family, this dad is Instagramming done right. Every post is worth a like. Don’t believe me? Take a look and be inspired.

22/ @epicfamilyroadtrip – Their motto is: Work, Play, Care. This family of five left everything behind to travel the globe together. Their hearts are incredible and their posts worth following. I’m always blessed and encouraged by each one of their posts. They’ve been all over. Oh, and now they’re building a cabin together. What? If you are an overlanding or adventure-loving family, then this is a family worth following.

Overlanding Resources: Podcasts

23/ Overland Journal Podcast – Once again, the best in the business when it comes to information about overlanding comes from the Overland Journal team, but this time in the form of a podcast. We never miss an episode. Hosts @Scott.A.Brady and @mattexplore (Matthew James Scott) share all about overlanding. There is a profundity to the way they share information and they often delve deeper into the philosophical aspect of overlanding. They consistently interject timely personal examples on whatever topic they are discussing, based on their vast, combined, real-world experience. A minute of time is never wasted when listening to the Overland Journal Podcast. If you are only going to listen to one podcast on overlanding, then this is the one to choose.

24/ The Overlanding Podcast – These podcasters are responsible for all of what you are reading. Brittany heard an episode where they were interviewing Overlanding Family and that was pretty much all it took to get us traveling the world. We talk about the spark that got us into overlanding in our “Overlanding to Mexico” article. I think the podcast may be done now, but the previous episodes are full of practical info and inspiration, and definitely worth a listen.

25/ GHT Overland Podcast – 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0…ignition…lift off! Chris and Lisa interview overland travelers and explorers from all over the globe. Grab your headphones and a cup of coffee, and pick any of their many episodes that pique your interest. The early episodes didn’t have the highest quality audio, but they’ve gotten better with each episode. This couple has been consistent and kind, and continually spreads the overlanding love.

➡️ Check out GHT Overland Podcast’s two-part interview with US, which aired April 2019!

Must-Attend Annual Overlanding Events

26/ Overland Expo – Historically, Overland Expo East is in Virginia in November; Overland Expo West is in Arizona in May; and Overland Expo Mountain West is in Colorado in August. (COVID-19 has caused significant changes to the schedules, so make sure you check the Overland Expo website for the latest details.) Regardless of when they happen, Overland Expo events are the premier overlanding expos in the United States, and arguably the world. If you can only make one Overland Expo, we recommend Overland Expo West, the granddaddy of them all.

27/ NW Overland Rally – Once a year in the summer, overlanders from across the world gather in the Pacific Northwest for a full weekend of overlanding goodness. Top-notch vendors, presenters, classes, and more. Their motto is simple: “Have fun, meet people, learn stuff!” Ray Hyland and his team also organize the BC Overland Rally (BCOR) and Rocky Mountain Overland Rally.

Mexico-specific Overlanding Resources

We have pages of resources here on our Hourless Life blog about overlanding in Mexico, but if you’d like to look through some of the sites that inspired us when we were first planning our Mexico trips, then take a look at these resources.

28/ liferemotely – They haven’t written on their blog since January 2015, but don’t let that stop you from checking out the Life Remotely blog if you’re headed south. They have a fantastic book entitled “Don’t Go There. It’s Not Safe. You’ll Die.” about traveling to Mexico. Best book title ever, and you can download it for free on their website.

29/ Nomad-ish travel blog – One of our favorite resources so far! This family has extensive information on overlanding to Mexico, and the rules and processes associated with it. Awesome folks, too.

30/ Baja Bound – A website that primarily focuses on Baja, but has extensive information on overlanding in Mexico in general.

What Have I Missed?

Don’t be shy. Comment below with any overlanding resources you consider “must-adds” to our evolving list of resources.

I’ll take a look at anything recommended. If I think it’s something I would’ve added to this list had I known about it before, then I’ll add it. If not, at least your comment will live on in infamy.

Share this article with anyone you know who is interested in the overlanding lifestyle. These are all great resources to have at your fingertips.

Until next time, keep it dirty and wheels side down.

~ Eric