The Joys of Overland Travel: How Journeying by Road Took Me to 85+ Countries

Some trips stay with you not because of the destination, but because of the journey that got you there. For me, overland travel has been the secret thread running through decades of exploration. It is the reason I’ve been able to visit more than 85 countries. It is also why I approach trip creation for Onx with a deep respect for the road, for slow movement, and for the kind of discovery you can only experience when you travel across a landscape rather than fly over it.

Overlanding is not a trend. It’s a mindset. It’s the art of moving through a country with intention, curiosity and openness. It’s feeling the terrain change beneath you, watching villages appear and disappear, meeting people whose stories shift your worldview, and taking in a continent one kilometre at a time.

Why Overlanding Changed Everything For Me

1. You Experience a Country, Not Just a City

Airports often give you a version of a country that is polished and curated. Overlanding gives you the unfiltered, real version.

I’ve crossed borders in East Africa where the landscape dramatically transforms in minutes. I’ve driven across mountain ranges where the air thins, and the colours stay burned into your memory. I’ve shared buses with families carrying everything from sacks of mangos to baby goats. These moments shape you in ways a quick flight never can.

2. You See Culture in Motion

Cities showcase culture, but roads reveal it.

From roadside barbecues in southern Africa to night markets in Asia, to coffee stands at remote border posts, overlanding allows you to witness daily life unfolding in real time. You begin to understand a country in layers: the music floating out of passing vans, the laughter between drivers at fuel stops, the pride in a local guide’s story as you drive through their village.

3. The Journey Becomes Part of the Adventure

Some of my favourite travel memories exist between destinations. Long drives turned into deep conversations. Roadside stops became spontaneous adventures. A simple viewpoint became a life moment that changed how I see the world.

Those in-between spaces are where the magic often happens.

4. You Build Connections, Not Itineraries

Overland routes create natural bonds — with locals, with landscapes, and with your fellow travellers.

When Onx travelled through Kenya and Tanzania, much of the group’s connection came from shared drives through national parks, stopping for wildlife sightings, and experiencing rural Africa in a way that can’t be replicated on a domestic flight. People start as strangers. They end the journey as a family.

How Overlanding Influenced Onx’s Africa Trips

When I curated the two Africa trips for Onx, I drew directly from my own overland experiences. I wanted our travellers to feel what I’ve always felt: the depth, the rhythm and the authenticity of moving across a country by road.

We intentionally included:

• Scenic transfers that reveal the true landscape.

• Stops in small towns where travellers could interact with local communities

• Time on the road for reflection and connection, not just rushing from activity to activity.

The feedback confirmed what I already knew: people crave meaningful travel. Overlanding delivers it effortlessly.

Why You Should Try Overlanding

If you’ve only ever flown between destinations, consider this your invitation to try a new way of travelling.

Overlanding is for you if you want to:

• See more of a country than the main tourist spots.

• Travel at a pace that feels purposeful and grounded.

• Create memories that go beyond hotel rooms and attractions.

• Connect with people in ways only possible on the road.

• Understand a country’s heartbeat, not just its highlights.

You don’t need to be adventurous. You just need to be open. And once you experience it, you’ll never forget the feeling.

The Future of Overland Travel with Onx

At Onx, we’re committed to curating travel that is rooted in culture, connection and experience. Overland routes will always play a role in that. Whether it’s Africa, Asia or South America, we want to take our travellers beyond airports and into the true soul of each destination.

As someone who has journeyed across 85+ countries, I can confidently say this: The most transformative parts of travel aren’t always the places you arrive at. They are often the moments you experience on the road getting there.

If you’re ready to see the world differently, overlanding might be your next great adventure.

 Denise Semple