Salut les "américains", 🙂
Après avoir traversé le pays de l'Oregon à la Virginie, je regarde la faisabilité d'un nouveau coast to coast uniquement (ou majoritairement) par les pistes.
Sam Correro a "inventé" The Trans-America Trail mais à moto. Il m'assure que la presque totalité est faisable en 4x4 (au sens que la piste est toujours suffisamment large).
Quelqu'un a-t-il déjà suivi ces pistes?
http://www.transamtrail.com/
j'aurais presque envie de dire À quoi ça sert que Ducros se décarcasse
….à construire des routes
bon je plaisante car je comprends tout à fait la démarche🙂
j'ai donc ouvert le lien ...
et visionné l'itinéraire-pub des Land Rover avec le point fort des lacets du ''Black Bear pass'' au Colorado, certainement un des tronçons les plus spectaculaires de toute l'affaire...
ce qui m'a remis en mémoire une publicité (TV commercial) du milieu des années 70 censée avoir été tournée sur cette piste impressionnante déjà connue comme telle même si la vogue du ''jeeping'' était loin de ce qu'elle est maintenant
la photo choc (pour l'époque) de cette ancienne pub est réapparue sur le web il y a une dizaine d'années et a donné lieu à des échanges de curiosité sur le lieu véritable qui y est représenté ainsi que sur la question de l'artifice ou du montage utilisé(s)
on y voit une Jeep Wagoneer, reconnaissable à sa calandre typique en grille de rasoir électrique connue sous le nom de ''wagoneer razor grille'' ( d'une certaine habitude de désigner alors les calandres par des noms imagés)…..
dans une position périlleuse
et c'était une pub pour... une marque de treuils de voiture Warn Winches
avec la légende appropriée ''sortez vous de là sans sortir de la voiture''
à peu près l'équivalent de leur ''get out without getting out''
si le lieutenant Columbo était sur l'enquête... il nous dirait probablement que la photo est trafiquée.. qu'il y a un problème avec les ombres portées....comme dans l'affaire du pseudo alibi fournit par des photos prises par un contrôle de vitesse automatique de vitesse
ceci dit, Land Rover vient d'innover en tout terrain (et probablement tout bitume pour certains) avec son capot ''virtuellement transparent'' son landrover transparent bonnet
qui fonctionne en fait à l'aide de caméras sous la calandre
j'en veux un pour mes balades dans les Cévennes !
Suite des "Rencontres insolites avec des grizzlys, chercheurs d'or et autres dans l'Ouest Américain" (26 février 2009)
Merci pour toutes ces références... culturelles!😉
Celle aux épices Ducros est de circonstance, le pourquoi de ce projet est justement de mettre des épices dans le voyage!
On va dire que les 4x4 de l'époque étaient larges comme des camions, hein😇 (enfin, c'est ce que je vais tenter de vendre à ma navigatrice lorsqu'elle aura vu ta photo). Si je passe là et que je peux descendre de la voiture, j'en prendrai une.
Et tu es décidément perspicace: mon Defender est justement équipé d'un winch Warn. Signe du destin?
Mais pas question de faire ça avec un engin qui chauffe du bonnet, j'y arrive bien tout seul.🤪
Bonjour Louise,
La question du véhicule est en effet centrale.
Je ne me suis pas encore penché sur la question et les réponses reçues ici pourraient orienter le choix.
Ce ne serait vraisemblablement pas avec le Defender: il est bien en Afrique, nous aussi et surtout il est peu répandu aux Etats-Unis (pièces).
Sais-tu si on peut louer des Jeep Wrangler précisément, pas "catégorie similaire"?
Si je ne trouve pas en location la solution est d'acheter un Toyota d'une dizaine d'années genre 4Runner ou Tacoma... avec toute la complexité de l'opération.
Ce que je cherche à savoir ce n'est pas si elles sont facilement praticables mais si elles le sont tout court.😏
Comme la route aura traversé le Kentucky avant d'arriver là, je me demande si une rasade de bourbon aura le même effet d'élargissement... des pupilles.😉
Profite en bien ... j'aime autant que tu le saches avant de te lancer dans l'aventure : J'ai eu beau chercher les coins les plus extraordinaires, les plus reculés, hors du temps, hors des pistes, et même hors la loi, je n'y ai trouvé que de l'infâme Vodka ...
Bienvenu en Mongolie ! 😎
Qui boit l'eau d'une terre étrangère doit en suivre les coutumes (proverbe Mongol)
bien que ce soit plutôt un canyon qu'une piste en lacets à flancs de montagne
dont je neconnaissais pas l'existence d'ailleurs
a priori pour s'y aventurer en 4 roues après avoir lu les panneaux j'aurais dit qu'il faut avoir ''suffered some brain damage''
mais apparemment pas !
vu les mises en ligne de videos
là c'est plus , on dirait, par goût de la difficulté que pour admirer les panoramas
j'avoue que je n'ai jamais été un fan des pistes difficiles ...il m'est arrivé d'en faire bien sûr, mais c'était.... parce que je devais le faire , pour une raison précise
et pas pour le plaisir de voir si ''çà passe ou si çà casse'' , pour passer le dimanche ou pour mettre çà dans mon résumé
mais tous les goût sont dans la nature … et c'est mieux comme çà, 🙂
Suite des "Rencontres insolites avec des grizzlys, chercheurs d'or et autres dans l'Ouest Américain" (26 février 2009)
Pour le moment , pas possible de la faire cette piste car Schofield Pass est encore bien enneiger😎.....je compte aller a Schofield le week end prochain ( en raquettes sans doute , peut etre meme en ski de fond ) c est bien , il parait que l ete arrive 😛
Devil Punch Bowl est au Nord Ouest Crested-Butte bien apres Gothic et au dela de ....Paradise Divide ( dans le meme trail vous verrez donc le Diable et le Paradis !!! bien sur vous devrez bien faire votre priere avant de vous engager par la 😉) c est juste derriere le sommet au milieu de la photo ci dessous ; photo prise en Decembre dernier
J'aimais bien ton lapsus qui donnait une bonne idée du passage, on s'y voyait déjà.😉
Soyez bien certains que je ne prends pas les difficultés de cette traversée à la légère d'où ma recherche de personnes qui l'auraient effectuée intégralement.
enfin, c'est ce que je vais tenter de vendre à ma navigatrice lorsqu'elle aura vu ta photo
Te prends pas la tête ...😎
Ca me fait penser à la Carretera de la Muerte, l'ancienne, entre La Paz et Corioco.
Sauf qu'elle était parcourue par des cars bondés de voyageurs.
A presque tous les virages une des roues jumelées était dans le vide.
Il était recommandé aux âmes sensibles de s'installer côté vide, elle ne voyaient pas les grappes de croix tout le long du parcours.
Le but est de partager l’expérience vécue aux USA en juillet 2011 avec mes 4 enfants, Pierre (22 ans), Eve (21 ans), Alex (16 ans) et Sam (10 ans). 5 semaines…
Je vais traverser le désert Mojave fin mai pour me rendre de Yuka Valley à Death Valley. Pour cette traversée, je pense emprunter la piste entre les points 1…
Je viens de récupèrer ma voiture de location à San Francisco et c'est un Suv chevrolet Traverse. C'est un modèle AWD mais je trouve le pare-choc avant un peu…
Hi there,
We’ll be traveling in January 2027 in a 4x4 with a rooftop tent with our three kids, from Johannesburg to Cape Town. We’ve already booked several campsites in national parks (Golden Gate / Mountain Zebra / Addo Elephant / Garden Route).
We still need to reserve the stretch between De Hoop Nature Reserve and Cape Town. Any suggestions?
We’d love to stay around Cape Town for 5 days to explore the wine route, the peninsula, and do some hikes in Table Mountain.
Any camping recommendations? Or, on the contrary, places to avoid?
Also, we have 2 nights left near Wilderness National Park / Knysna. Any recommendations?
Thanks so much for your help!
For my 60th birthday (yes, I’m jumping the gun a bit!), I’m starting to plan a self-drive trip to Tanzania (in June).
I also considered Zimbabwe but I’m worried it might be a bit chilly at night in June.
I’ve revisited an itinerary I’d thought about before, tweaking it since I’ll have more days to dedicate to this trip. Still no big northern classics for the same reasons as before (too expensive, too crowded, too many tour operators).
Here’s what I’ve got so far:
(Arrival/departure from Kilimanjaro Airport)
Night 1: Arusha
Night 2: Arusha
Night 3: Lake Manyara
Night 4: On the way to Iringa (any ideas???)
Night 5: Iringa
Nights 6–8: Ruaha NP
Nights 9–10: Mikumi NP
Night 11: Bagamoyo
Nights 12–15: Beach
Nights 16–17: Lushoto
Nights 18–19: Mkomazi NP
Night 20: Toward Marangu – eastern Kilimanjaro
Night 21: Western Kilimanjaro
End of trip
All your ideas, tweaks, info, and suggestions on this route are welcome!
I could move one beach night somewhere else if needed.
Also, if you have a car rental company to recommend or thoughts on the bandas rented in the parks, I’m all ears!
Finally, what are the roads like in Ruaha in June? The rental company I’m looking at seems to allow this park with a small 4x4. (Off-limits: Serengeti and Natron)
We’re planning a long-term trip starting in April with our 4x4, beginning in the USA.
We’re still looking for car insurance that covers Canada and the USA.
We’ve read quite a few forums, but we’re hoping for some help (from fellow travelers).
Hi there,
I’m planning a trip to Russia and Mongolia, starting from France.
Crossing the border at Poland/Belarus or Georgia/Russia—other borders seem either closed or complicated.
Tourist visas for 3 months with multiple entries.
Do you have any info on Russian companies that cover a 4x4 vehicle for 3 months, and what prices in rubles or euros you’ve paid?
Which bank did you use for expenses? (EuroMastercard and Visa cards no longer work.)
Regarding Russian SIM cards, a new system called "Gosuslugi" has been introduced. How long did it take you to get one, and what steps did you follow?
Hi,
we’re planning to visit a park again.
Could you point us toward the camps in Gonarezhou Park?
>We’re traveling completely self-sufficiently.
We love wildlife.
Thanks for any tips you can share!
JP
Hi there, we’ll be in Mozambique in early December 2026 and we’d like to travel from Vilanculos to Beira by car or bus to reach Beira airport. After that, we’re planning to visit Gorongosa National Park before flying back to France from Beira. From what we’ve heard, the road to Beira is tricky, especially at this time of year (start of the rainy season). Could anyone share their thoughts or suggest a solution? Thanks so much for your help!
Anne
Hi there,
I’m heading to Lesotho in a few days and I’m struggling to find info on the best route between Katse Dam and Sehlathebe National Park. There’s a fairly "direct" route from Thaba Tseka, but the roads seem rough, and we’re not exactly 4x4 pros. Anyone have any tips to share? Thanks!
Hi everyone,
We’re heading to Mozambique in October and are looking for either a 4x4 or 4x2 rental in Maputo, or a driver transfer option to reach:
- Ponta Do Ouro
- Tofo
- Vilankulos
The idea is to be self-sufficient for sightseeing and stops while still being able to access certain lodges or beaches that require a 4x2.
Do you have any contacts, addresses, or ideas to share?
Thanks in advance,
Hello,
We're hitting the road again in 2027 to discover new countries and cultures.
Could anyone give me some tips on driving from Ulaanbaatar to Lake Baikal and the route to take?
Thanks, and safe travels to those who are setting off!
We’re planning a 4x4 trip from Belgium to Central Asia, passing through Georgia, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
For these countries, our national insurance obviously doesn’t cover the vehicle, so we’ll need to get local insurance.
Will it be a problem if the vehicle is registered under person A and the national insurance is under person B? Both A and B will be in the vehicle, and both will be listed as drivers on the insurance.
When we get the local insurance, if we again list A and B as drivers, does the order matter? Could we get stuck at the border for this reason?
Hi,
For those who’ve driven on Iceland’s gravel roads in their own or a rented Duster, could you tell me what tires were fitted on the vehicle?
Were they All Terrain tires or more "standard" ones like all-season tires, for example?
Follow-up question: if they were "standard" tires, did that cause any issues on the gravel roads and rough terrain?
Thanks so much for any info you can share.
Best,
Marc
Hi there,
I'm planning a 4x4 road trip from Darwin to Broome with a rooftop tent in July 2026.
I'd like to know if I need to book overnight stops in advance or if I can just wing it and stop wherever I feel like it?
Some evenings, we'd like to stop and make use of campsite facilities (restaurant, shop, showers, toilets).
What do you recommend?
Do I need a permit?
My rough itinerary looks like this:
Darwin - Kakadu
Kakadu - Nitmiluk
Nitmiluk - Kununurra
Kununurra - Purnululu
Purnululu - El Questro
El Questro - Mt Elizabeth - Bell Gorge - Broome
I’m planning a trip to Iceland for next July-August, with a car and tent, and I’m wondering about booking campsites.
From your experience, is it necessary or even essential to book campsites in advance, or do you always manage to find a spot to pitch your tent?
We’ll also have the option to sleep in the car without pitching the tent.
Does that give us the flexibility to stay outside a campsite for a night here and there?
Hi,
I’m planning a road trip in the Middle Atlas, starting and ending in Fez and heading down to the south of Midelt, the Assoul Massif.... We’ll be traveling with two small 4x4s.
I’m looking for detailed maps of this region that include small roads and tracks.
Last year, we had a fantastic road trip in the Anti-Atlas and High Atlas using Erfahren maps, but unfortunately, they don’t cover the area we’re interested in this year.
Thanks for your suggestions!
Dominique
We’re planning a 13-day family road trip in Morocco this July, with six people in a Toyota Prado 4x4 (renting in Marrakech).
We’ll alternate between bivouacking and small hotels/riads depending on the stops.
Here’s the planned route (in this order):
Marrakech
→ Ouarzazate
→ Draa Valley
→ Zagora
→ Erg Chegaga
→ Lake Iriki
→ Foum Zguid
→ Tata
→ Tafraoute
→ Aït Mansour
→ Tiznit
→ Mirleft
→ Taroudant
→ Back to Marrakech
Our goal:
Atlas Mountains + desert + dunes + plateaus + valleys + a bit of coastline.
We’ll cover about 1,700 km in total.
We’re planning:
Bivouacking in the Chegaga/Iriki area
Flexible for the rest (booking the day before or same day)
Sand gear: traction plates, compressor, tow strap, roof rack
Questions:
Is the Zagora → Chegaga → Iriki → Foum Zguid crossing in July doable on our own (single vehicle, no guide)?
Are there any truly technical or risky sections between Chegaga and Iriki?
Does the overall itinerary seem manageable in 13 days without rushing?
Any suggestions for great bivouac spots or particularly interesting stops along this route?
The points on the route are provisional overnight stops. Some spots will include two nights in the same area.
We’re used to off-road driving, but not yet in the Moroccan desert.
Thanks in advance for your feedback and tips! 😊
Good evening
I could use some advice 🙂
Our trip to Namibia is planned for June/July 2026.
We’re struggling a bit with timing and choosing activities for the part of the trip between Sesriem and Brandberg.
Day 1: Sesriem to Mirabib
Day 2: Mirabib to Swakopmund – visit Swakopmund, overnight in Swakopmund
Day 3: Sandwich Harbour – overnight in Swakopmund
Day 4: Kayaking with the seals + the living dunes – overnight in Swakopmund
Day 5: Moon Landscape, Henties Bay + Cape Cross – overnight at White Lady Lodge in Brandberg
Does this itinerary seem realistic to you? Is Cape Cross really worth the trip? If I had to choose between Cape Cross and kayaking with the seals, which would you recommend?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Hélix
My son and I are heading to Georgia this summer to explore the High Caucasus (Svaneti, Kazbek, and Tusheti regions). For this, we’re planning to rent a 4x4.
However, the rental agencies we’ve found prohibit driving on the tracks to Omalo (Tusheti) and/or Ushguli (Svaneti).
Do you know of any agencies in Tbilisi (local and reliable) that allow rented 4x4s to drive on these tracks? If so, which ones?
Hi everyone,
I’m starting to plan an itinerary for September 2027 focused on Zimbabwe and Zambia. I’d love to visit Gonarezhou National Park—I see there are two sectors: the Mwenezi Region in the south and the area around the Runde River in the north. Should I cover both sectors or just focus on the northern region?
For the parks along the Zambezi River, is it better to visit Mana Pools on the Zimbabwe side or Lower Zambezi on the Zambia side?
Thanks in advance for any tips on the parks in these two countries.
Have a great day, everyone.
We’re spending 18 days in New Zealand from 05/04 to 05/21, arriving in QUEENSTOWN and leaving from AUCKLAND.
Any ideas for a road trip that covers the highlights of both islands but only changes hotels every 3–4 nights?
Thanks.
For our trip to Georgia in July, I’d like to rent a 4x4 starting from Tbilisi.
Do you have any rental companies to recommend?
The traditional rentals like Hertz, Avis, etc. seem way overpriced compared to local companies—what do you think? Are they properly insured?
Has anyone here tried Geo Rent Car, Auto 4 Rental, or Sur Price?
Also, I’m looking for info on the condition of the Ushguli–Lentekhi track—is it passable?
Hi everyone,
A well-prepped 4x4, a travel plan across Africa in stages since I’ve got kids to see regularly and work to earn a living.
I’m leaving in November for about a month with the goal of reaching Senegal via Mauritania. I’d love to share this trip with someone who wants to discover Mauritania and a bit of Senegal... and also experience life on board a 4x4 in the desert or bush, sometimes sleeping in the vehicle or in hostels/small hotels for comfort. I want to share this rediscovery because two’s better than one!
Just traveling, exploring, and living! !
I’m planning to explore Argentine and Chilean Patagonia for a month in December 2019.
I’m looking for a rental company (or several) that offers single-cab 4x4 pick-ups with a fitted camper cell for two people. I’m specifically after a vehicle with an indoor shower for extra comfort ;)
So, no vans—at least not from the rental companies I’ve seen so far.
While browsing the forum, I came across the Chilean rental company Holiday Rent. But do you have any recommendations for Argentine rentals?
Because, if I can’t return the vehicle in the same city as pickup, I’d prefer—and it’d likely be cheaper—to at least return it in the same country.
I’m traveling through Argentina and Chile (as well as Paraguay and Uruguay) with a 2019 Toyota Hilux Euro 6. Could anyone tell me if the local diesel is suitable for its engine, or if I need to take any special precautions (like adding an additive, for example) for these countries?
I’d also like to know if driving at high altitudes is possible, and up to what elevation—or if I should worry about the vehicle going into limp mode?
If that happens, what should I do?
Hi there,
Can you tell me if the road between Zagora and M'Gouna is easy or difficult for a 4x4? How much time and how many kilometers should I plan for? I’m traveling in May.
Thanks!
Hi there,
My trip to South Africa is starting to take shape.
However, I'm struggling to figure out the route through Kruger Park. I can't seem to find the information I need about getting around.
Coming from the south, I plan to arrive on Day 1 in the early afternoon at Malelane or Crocodile Bridge.
Do some shopping in Malelane (or Crocodile Bridge main area) and stay overnight outside the park.
Leave on Day 2 at 5 AM for the park. Explore the southern part of the park.
Stay overnight around Skukuza or Lower Sabie. (We don’t want to stay in one of the park’s big camps. We’re looking for a lodge around 200 €.
Head out on Day 3 for a self-drive safari, maybe as far as Orpen.
We’d like to stay in a private reserve on nights 4 and 5.
We’re not sure which one or how to get into a private reserve. Do we need to exit Kruger Park?
On Day 5, we’d like to leave to visit Blyde Canyon (on Day 6).
I’m planning to leave Morocco for the summer but want to leave my 4x4 there to avoid exceeding the famous 6-month limit. I’d like to park it in one of the two Spanish enclaves (Ceuta or Melilla).
Does anyone know of people or companies that handle long-term parking (preferably secure) in either place?
Once the car is parked, what’s the best way to get back to France using public transport?
Is the nearest airport Tanger from Ceuta?...
How do I get there easily, etc. etc.
hello! I’d like to go to Kazakhstan and rent a fitted 4x4 locally so I can drive off-road trails and sleep inside the vehicle... could anyone share some local rental company addresses, please? Thanks! !
