Downshift

Interesting

Category: Overland (Page 3 of 15)

Video » Dangerous roads of Tajikistan

2021-03-31 /

Note: Clicking the above image will load and play the video from YouTube.

via YouTube »

The land locked nation of Tajikistan is the poorest country in central Asia. The mountainous landscape is unforgiving and temperatures extreme. Here desperate truck drivers can wait for days to get assigned a load to transport across the treacherous terrain.

Working in old and battered trucks on bone-shaking routes, dodging falling rocks and landslides, and being forced to wake up every two hours during the night to start their engines so they don’t freeze up and leave them stranded; these men are severely tested.

They do it all for the love of their families who wait for weeks at a time, hoping that their husbands and fathers will return safe. A look at both sides of the lives of Tajik long distance drivers.

Video » Leh-Manali Highway in India » One of the world’s most dangerous roads

2021-03-30 /

2010 documentary.


Note: Clicking the above image will load and play the video from YouTube.

via YouTube »

It is a road of mountain passes and India’s access to the roof of the world – the Himalayas. This 475-kilometre long route at the northernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent connects the cities of Manali and Leh at the heart of the Ladakh region.

The term “highway” applies quite literally, since the route traverses five of the highest drivable mountain passes in the world – among these the Lohtang La at 3,978 metres above sea level, the Lachulung La at 5,059 metres and the Tanglang La at 5,325 metres.

Crossing these passes is a challenge for both vehicle and man. The mountain peaks, still snow-capped even in the depths of summer, wide variety of vegetation and the fantastic and craggy landscape turn any journey into a captivating adventure.

 

Documentary » On Chile’s National Route 7, the Carretera Austral, into the heart of Patagonia

2021-03-30 /

Note: Clicking the above image will load and play the video from YouTube.

Deutsche Welle (DW) Documentary via YouTube »

A trip along Chile’s National Route 7, the Carretera Austral, takes us into the stunning wilderness of Patagonia – a place that many German emigrants chose as their new home almost a century ago.

The Carretera Austral is straddled by mountain ranges, primeval forests, fjords, volcanoes and a huge ice field. It has taken decades to carve its way through the almost impassable terrain – even now a lot of traffic is forced to take a detour across the border into Argentina. The military dictator Augusto Pinochet made the construction of the road a national priority in the 1970s, sending thousands of soldiers to the region to work under the most adverse conditions. One of the last surviving members of Pinochet’s junta, former military police chief Rodolfo Stange, talks about the road’s strategic importance for the regime.

German marine biologist Vreni Häussermann tells us about a catastrophe in one of the Patagonian fjords – an event that underlines how economic expansion along the route has adversely affected the natural environment in southern Chile. On our journey we meet descendants of German emigrants who found a new home in Patagonia’s remote vastness after the First World War. An insight into the past and present of this unique region.

Inspiring 60-year-young solo female Dot Bekker overlands the African western route in a two-wheel drive Sprinter van from Europe to Zimbabwe

2021-03-16 /

Note: Clicking the above image will load and play the video from YouTube.

Dot answers a lot of questions about travelling overland solo through Africa in a 2WD van. She offers proof that it can be done.

Dot Bekker tells of her adventures returning home to Zimbabwe after a failed 22 year marriage in Europe. She paid £1,700 for her old two-wheel drive Sprinter, built the interior herself for less than €2,000, using many reclaimed materials, and set about on her inspiring adventure. Dot drove over 20,000 km through more than 20 countries and is now helping educate and inspire young women in Zimbabwe.

Marion et Anatole, the young couple who did the interview, set off from France to explore Africa in 2018. Their YouTube channel is well worth following if you understand French. They offer lots of useful, practical information about overlanding in Africa, all based on their experiences.

 

Lonely Planet’s 7 most scenic routes in the Americas

2020-09-21 /
Snow tires are mandatory from November 1 to April 1.

Snow tires are mandatory from November 1 to April 1.

According to Allegra Zagami, writer for Lonely Planet, on a drive along the Pan American Highway in 2019 »

» 1. Icefields Parkway, Alberta, Canada

The Icefields Parkway, or Canada’s Highway 93, is one of the most scenic drives in the world with over 144 miles (232km) of adventure and overwhelming natural beauty between Banff and Jasper National Parks.

Resources » Parks Canada, Icefields Parkway Continue reading

Sam Manicom » Traveller, author, and RTW motorcycle adventure rider

2020-08-27 /

BMW Motorad’s Ride and Talk podcast » #22 Sam Manicom and his spirit of adventure!

Within three months of throwing his leg over a bike for the first time, Sam Manicom set off on an R 80 GS to travel the length of Africa. But when he got to the Cape, he didn’t want the trip to end, so he just kept going. His planned one-year trip turned into an eight-year, 200,000-miles overlanding odyssey across 55 countries.

The four motorcycle travel books that came out of that trip are inspirational; his talks and presentations are truly memorable and his main ambition in life now is to encourage others to explore and learn about the world and themselves. Listen to @sammanicom.author in this podcast and be inspired!

Sam Manicom, Under the Visor Interview (2015)


Note: Clicking the above image will load and play the video from YouTube.

Sam Manicom discusses his book Into Africa (2013)


Note: Clicking the above image will load and play the video from YouTube.

 

5 road trip adventures in Costa Rica

2020-08-11 /

Ashley Harrell » Lonely Planet »

Some of the most interesting, little-explored destinations are only accessible by car, and for the adventurous traveler, there’s simply no substitute for freedom.

In some cases, the drive itself – and all the striking scenery along the way – becomes a highlight of the trip. For those with the desire and the 4×4 (almost certainly necessary if you are planning to drive off the highway), here are the country’s top five nerve-shredding road trips.

…

The roads in some areas are poorly marked, curvy, pothole-ridden, flooded and occasionally non-existent; do your research and check road conditions before setting out.

1. Cerro Chirripó in Parque Nacional Chirripó

2. The Monkey Trail – A shortcut between Playa del Coco and Playa Flamingo

3. San Gerardo de Dota – a charming town set in a high-altitude cloud forest where one of Central America’s rarest and most beloved birds – the quetzal.

4. The drive to Drake Bay.

5. Rio Celeste – The forest surrounding the river is lush and wild, providing a home to an abundance of Costa Rican fauna, including the iconic jaguar.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Be.

Do interesting things. Be bold. Respect. Adventure. Explore. Question. Listen. Learn. Try. Fail. Try better. Your mileage may vary. You are unique. Be yourself. Appreciate. Be kind. To others, with an equal measure to yourself. Do good. Do what’s right. It’s a one way ticket. Enjoy the ride. You are limited to one.

Note

Downshift.ca is not responsible for the content of other sites.

Made in Canada 🇨🇦 Yeah!

© 2024 Downshift

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑