Karakol is a convenient hub to explore the magical surroundings of its mountains and the immense Lake Issyk-Kul. It’s a great home base in Eastern Kyrgyzstan to stock up on food, water, and fuel; get your laundry done; take a rest (Riverside Guesthouse lets overlanders camp in the parking lot for a small fee); and…
Favorite Overland Journal Podcast Episodes of 2022
Whether folks were driving, pumping iron at the gym, scrubbing stubborn bathroom tiles, or taking Fido for a walk, an estimated 120 million listeners tuned in to an endless supply of podcasts in 2021. This figure will undoubtedly rise by the end of 2022 as podcast popularity continues to grow and the holiday season wraps…
Destinations :: Bunes Beach, Lofoten, Norway
Bunes Beach, or Bunesstranda, is located on the northern side of Moskenes (part of the Lofotodden National Park) and is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in Lofoten. They say that adventure is as much about the journey as the destination, which is certainly true of Bunes. A ferry that leaves from…
Destination: Laguna 69, Huascarán National Park, Perú
Photography by Richard Giordano Located within the central Peruvian Andes, UNESCO World Heritage Site Huascarán National Park is home to 27 peaks over 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) and the highest tropical mountain range in the world, the Cordillera Blanca. Hiking opportunities abound, but the most popular trek is to Laguna 69, a jewel-toned lake bordered…
Winter Solstice Road Trip :: Witnessing the Ancient Solar Event
North American adventurers will soon set their GPSs in the direction of New Mexico to watch the sun rise and set in the state’s barren desserts, endless landscapes offering ancient architecture aligned with the winter solstice. A little further south, there is a large labyrinth tucked into the hillside of New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains. The…
Destination of the Week :: Pamukkale, Turkiye
Turkiye is a beautiful country and a delight to visit, with diverse landscapes made up of gorgeous beaches, idyllic villages, ancient ruins, and impressive mountains. We also found the Turkish one of the most hospitable people we have met on our travels around the world. Pamukkale, home to the white terraced thermal pools and a…
Video Crossing the Devil :: The First EV Crossing of the Longest Trail in the USA
Destination :: Neist Point Lighthouse, Isle of Skye, Scotland
As an avid traveler, I’m fortunate to visit many beautiful locations, but with a world to see it takes a decidedly special destination to bring me back more than once. I have visited Neist Point Lighthouse at least five times and it never disappoints. Neist Point is located on the most westerly tip of Skye…
Destination: Gjógv, Faroe Islands
Photography by Richard Giordano If it’s quiet contemplation that you seek, the small Faroese coastal village of Gjógv might be exactly what you’re looking for. Ridiculously picturesque and boasting one hotel, restaurant, and coffee shop, Gjógv is a place to slow down, read a book, and enjoy the contented stillness of this hillside town. But…
Destination of the Week :: Smuggler’s Route, Andorra
I must be honest; I had never heard of Andorra before we started traveling in 2010 and, it appears, my ignorance was shared by many. I blame it on the fact that the country is only 181 square miles (about the same size as the metro center of Albuquerque in New Mexico), and the entire…
Destination of the Week :: Unspoilt Xcalak, Mexico
Xcalak pronounced “ish-ka-lak” is a town that sits about 40 miles south of Mahahaul beach, or a seven-hour drive from Cancun, and is thankfully mostly ignored by the hordes of tourists visiting the wild Caribbean coast of Quintana Roo in Mexico, due to the remoteness of the village. The MesoAmerican Barrier Reef is the second…
Destinations :: Khiva (Uzbekistan)
Khiva, also known as Itchan Kala, is a world of caravanserais, palaces, turquoise-tiled mosques, madrasas, and minarets that takes you into the heart of the ancient Silk Road. What you’ll find is a romanticized version: well-restored and maintained adobe buildings, clean alleys without open sewers, and only shadows of the slave market and public executions,…
Norway, the Country of No Rest
We quickly understood Norway was going to be the country for us. Once the capital, Oslo, passed, the road started winding through the mountains. There is no rest in this country. The roads go up and down at the rhythm of the valleys. Someone told us, “In Norway, the roads were built following the cows.”…
Destination :: Botallack Mine, Cornwall, England
On my recent trip to Cornwall I was determined to photograph some of the county’s most dramatic landscapes. I gravitate towards scenery that’s harsh and imposing and get especially excited if the location is also of historical significance (Tintagel Castle is a great example). One such destination that ticked all these boxes was the iconic…
Destinations :: Backland—Beyond Glamping
Located 20 minutes outside Williams, Arizona, Backland is an eco-resort nestled amid Kaibab National Forest. Consisting of 160 private acres of heaven on the old Moose homestead, large meadows and marshland are flanked by ponderosa pines, all under the protective eyes of the San Francisco Peaks. Driven by a vision to provide a lodging experience…
Destination of the Week :: The Trans Bhutan Trail, Bhutan
The Trans Bhutan Trail has recently been restored and is open to the public for the first time in more than 60 years. Historically the trail was used by messengers, traders and pilgrims as the trail was the only way in which to cross the country of Bhutan. If you’re wondering where exactly Bhutan is,…
The Great Gravel Boom :: 4,000 riders expected at Garmin UNBOUND Gravel 2023
unbound adjective un·bound | \ən-ˈbau̇nd\ 1: having no limit The gravel race that began with 34 participants in 2006 will boom through the scenic rolling hills of Kansas’ Tallgrass Prairie in 2023, with thousands of cyclists clamoring for a lottery ticket to ride. Although participants will hit blacktop roads in smaller sections, the vast…
Weekends with the Family :: How to successfully plan small vacations
I really have no quarrel with the way I live. I am a day-job dreamer and a weekender, meaning I define my relationship to travel and the outdoors by breaks in a five-day workweek and amid limited vacation time. I live for the weekend, you might say. It’s time spent with my wife in middle…
Destination :: Tintagel Castle, Cornwall, England
I spent much of my childhood visiting castles, ruins, and other areas of historical or mythical significance. Bedtime stories were often those of Greek mythology, and I’d lose myself in the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts, Odysseus, Hercules, and more. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, these experiences would sow the seeds…
Tips for Riding the Trans-America Trail (TAT)
Armed with a 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan, some YouTube videos, and a recent dirt bike safety training course, I took on the Trans-America Trail, a route crossing the United States on mostly unpaved roads and trails. While I had extensive road bike experience, this would be my first time riding off-road for any distance since…