London to Sydney
THE ULTIMATE IN-DEPTH OVERLAND ADVENTURE COVERING THE HIGHLIGHTS AND NATURAL WONDERS OF 3 CONTINENTS AND 20 COUNTRIES!
32 WEEKS = £3995 + £995 local payment
London to Sydney expedition start and end dates
(All expeditions departing London in April include Anzac
Day at Gallipoli)
- Depart London 06 April 2009
Arrive Sydney 16 November 2009 (This Expedition Includes Anzac Day At Gallipoli) - Depart London 02 August 2009
Arrive Sydney 13 March 2010 - Depart London 06 April 2010
Arrive Sydney 16 November 2010 (This Expedition Includes Anzac Day At Gallipoli) - Depart London 01 August 2010
Arrive Sydney 12 March 2011
Overview
GERMANY - CZECH REPUBLIC - AUSTRIA - HUNGARY - ROMANIA
- BULGARIA - TURKEY - IRAN - PAKISTAN - INDIA - NEPAL - TIBET - CHINA
- LAOS – CAMBODIA – THAILAND - MALAYSIA
- SINGAPORE – INDONESIA – AUSTRALIA
Become one of the few people to successfully complete this epic journey as we travel overland from London to Sydney in our purpose built expedition vehicle!
This is the ultimate once in
a lifetime trip!
All you need do is look at the world map to realise the diversity this
trip offers. From the azure waters of the Turkish coastline to the
windswept plateaus of Tibet, from the hustle and hassle of the New
Delhi markets to the tranquility of the Malaysian Islands, and from
tiger spotting in Nepal to the loneliness of the road to Ayers Rock,
on this trip you will see half the world!
Click here to see a detailed route map with highlights
You can also download this map as a PDF
Highlights
- Prague
- Transylvania
- Istanbul
- Gallipoli
- Ephesus
- Turquoise Coast
- Cappadocia
- Esfehan
- Persepolis
- Karakoram Highway
- Golden Temple
- Taj Mahal
- Kathmandu
- Mt. Everest
- Lhasa
- Terracotta Warriors
- Beijing And The Great Wall
- Tiger Leaping Gorge
- Plain Of Jars
- Angkor Wat
- Bangkok
- Thai Islands
- Malaysian Islands
- Kuala Lumpur
- Singapore
- Bali
- Kakadu N.P.
- Ayers Rock
What's Included (and What's Not)
We of course realise that not everyone is going to visit every ruin, raft every river and hike every trail along the way so we have left most of these activities as optional and therefore kept the payment to a minimum.
Included
- Services of your leader/driver
- Use of our own expedition vehicle and equipment
- Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to our
truck
- Ferry tickets (when travelling as a group)
- An average of 2 meals a day while camping (usually breakfast and
the evening meal)
- All camping and hotel costs
- National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle
Not Included
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal spending money
- Visas
- Border taxes
- Lunch
- Meals while staying in hotels
- Entrance fees to optional sites and parks
- Any optional activities
- Any unforseen contingency route expenses
- Any flights
- Tents
Proposed Itinerary
Our proposed itinerary is here to give you a rough idea of where
we will be going and what we will be doing during our expedition.
This itinerary is the ideal route we would like to take providing
all political and environmental situations are acceptable during
the time of our travels. Obviously things can change so we have
provided you with an alternative route which we would follow in
the event of any problems. Either way it is gonna be fun!
Week 1 & 2 - Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Romania & Bulgaria
Usually
everyone heading east just transits straight through europe in a mad
rush to reach istanbul and enter asia. We however think there are quite
a few worthwhile stops along the way and in order to really soak up
the changes each new country offers us we stop off in a few of the
more interesting european locations.
Germany offers us a chance to familiarize ourselves with our truck
before we reach prague in the czech republic and lose ourselves amongst
the stone palaces and cobbled streets.
Austria's capital vienna is a great day out before we reach hungary
and start to notice a change as western europe begins to fade.
A goulash in budapest is a tasty treat before following the danube
river through to romania where we visit dracula's castle, perched high
in the transylvanian mountains.
Brasov and bucharest are also worthwhile stops before we enter bulgaria
and visit the stunning town of veliko turnovo and camp with the monks
at bacho kiro caves. Crossing over the rolling green foothills of the
balkans we now head for turkey.
WEEK 3, 4 & 5: TURKEY
Istanbul,
the city that separates europe from asia has it all, and you will revel
in the history and culture it offers. Turkish baths and turkish delights
are the order of the day!
The battlefields of gallipoli are our next stop where we pay tribute
to the thousands of aussies, kiwis, brits and turks who lost their
lives here in 1915. A truly moving experience (our april departure
expedition includes dawn service on anzac day).
Historic troy, the great ruins of ephesus and the roman baths at pammukale
are real highlights on the journey down to the magnificent turquoise
coast. Here we camp on the beautiful lagoon of oludeniz where greek
ghost towns and overgrown roman amphitheaters hide in the surrounding
forests which are best explored on foot. Saklikent gorge is only a
moped ride away and skydiving and mountain biking are popular activities
here for those who enjoy adrenalin!
Further down the coast we find olympos with it's eternal flames glowing
amidst the pine-clad mountainsides that sweep down to its fine beaches.
Inland on the plateau we reach the fairy-tale wonderland of cappadocia
with spectacular canyons, ancient caves and underground cities carved
into the geologically diverse land. Belly dancing is a big affair up
here and so is the local drink 'raki', be warned!
Further south we visit roman bridges and desolate castles where you
have the option of climbing up mount nemrut dagi to marvel at the huge
stone heads that have lay there motionless for thousands of years!
Skirting lake van we head for the border town of dogubeyazit (more
affectionately known as 'doggy biscuit'). Here in the shadow of mt
ararat we camp beneath the fabulous ishak pasha palace. We have a good
excuse to have a party as alcohol is prohibited for the next two weeks
once we enter iran.
Please note. Due to lack of western infrastructure from eastern turkey and throughout iran and pakistan, the expedition becomes more challenging - at times it will be hot, humid and our living conditions very basic - this is actually one of the highlights to most as it takes a bit of an effort to get through and the sense of 'real travelling' as opposed to 'being on holiday' is at it's peak! With the right attitude these countries, along with being the most challenging, are always ultimately the most interesting and often will make up the majority of your travelling tales when the expedition is completed. They truly are a unique and fascinating experience but not for the faint hearted!
Week 6 & 7 - Iran
It is unlikely we will encounter a friendlier, more welcoming race
of people on our entire journey so enjoy the iranian hospitality!
Our first taste of iran is the fantastic pizza parlours in the lively
town of tabriz. Also famous for it's famous blue mosque this town is
rich in history too.
We continue on into the countryside where and reach babak castle where
it is possible to hike up to the impressive ancient fortress.
Our journey now takes us on to one of the world's largest bodies of
fresh-water, the caspian sea, famous for it's sought-after caviar and
(unbelievably) it's long grain rice growing in the surrounding paddy
fields.
Further south we climb into verdant green mountains and spend a couple
of days in the quaint town of masuleh, from where it is possible to
explore the areas natural beauty on foot.
Back on the iranian plateau we head for esfahan, iran's masterpiece.
The impressive city square is full of intricately decorated mosaic
mosques, leisurely tea-shops and lavish carpet emporiums. Plenty of
bargains can be found in the myriad of bazaars that lead off from the
square and the city's gorgeous bridges deserve all the time you can
spare.
The zagros mountains provide a stunning backdrop on our trip to the
intriguing ruins of persepolis. Once the summer capital of the persian
empire, this is the site where alexander the great famously conquered
the persian armies stronghold.
We continue on to the small town of yazd with its famous wind-towers
before heading east and desert camping our way towards the pakistan
border.
Week 8, 9 & 10 - Pakistan
Well worth exploring and richly rewarding we enter the fabulous land
of pakistan! This is a country of huge contrasts and our first two
days will be enjoyed passing through the balochistan desert and its
barren magnificence. Two lane highways are a thing of the past and
the main roads are now ever deteriorating single-track corrugations.
The first town we reach is quetta, a splendid melting pot of different
cultures, a frontier town with vibrant markets and fantastic restaurants!
A good place to re-charge as cold beer is again available.
A couple of days north we find the 'wild-west' town of peshawar where
the unique public markets offer a vast selection of guns and hash!
This is also the place (circumstances permitting) we undertake a journey
up to the afghan border via the khyber pass.
From here we now undertake a journey that few travellers ever manage.
We head north to the karakoram highway and the beginning of an epic
journey you will never forget!
This road is truly a great feat of engineering and as we drive up we
have a chance to marvel at the villages clinging to the sheer mountainsides
as the indus river snakes it's way along the valley floor.
In the famed hunza valley we base ourselves in the small town of karimabad.
Famous for it's succulent apricots and stunning hiking trails we are
now amongst some of the highest peaks in the world.
From here you have the option of taking an interesting excursion up
to the chinese border before continuing back down the kkh.
The return route offers us an amazing view of snow-capped nanga parbat
(8125m) and the villages of besham and chilas are welcome stops as
we descend.
The
bustling metropolis' of islamabad and lahore offer us a peek into pakistani
big city life and you have a chance to explore the museums, mosques,
restaurants and nightclubs before leaving this amazing country.
Week 11 & 12 - India
Every day at the close of the india pakistan border the guards from both sides put on an amazing show as they parade up and down kicking their legs unbelievably high into the air and face off against each other in a mark of independence and honour. This will be our first taste of india!
Close by is amritsar, home of the sikh religion with their spectacular
golden temple as the centrepiece.
A days drive away we reach dharamsala, exile home of the dalai lama.
Amongst the cobbled streets filled with the chants of buddhist monks
are wonderful art galleries and a sobering museum dedicated to the
plight of the tibetans after the invasion by china.
Delhi is a city that you have to see for yourself in order to believe
that such a place can exist. The streets are a slow moving mass of
every conceivable mode of transport, with the sacred cows having right
of way over everyone! Delhi is the ultimate in hustle and bustle and
facing the unrelenting throng of people is an experience you won't
forget in a hurry! Braving this city does have it's rewards with great
textile markets, wonderful monuments and amazing temples.
Moving south we reach the 'pink city', jaipur. With a magnificent red
castle as it's focal point this beautiful town exudes an energy all
it's own. Camels and rickshaws weave their way through the narrow streets
of the old city and an array of spicy smells attack your senses as
you wander the back streets in search of that perfect curry.
Our next stop is a definate highlight, agra and the taj mahal. This
monument to love is spectacular and will keep your camera clicking
all day.
Heading east we reach varanasi on the banks of the ganges river where
you have the option of an early morning boat trip that will definately
open your eyes. Dead bodies float by as the multitudes flock down to
this holy river to wash away their sins each morning. On shore the
funeral pyres known as 'ghats' burn away as stray dogs fight over any
piece of meat that comes their way. An unbelievable sight!
Week 13 & 14 - Nepal
Nepal is a breath of fresh air with a lot less people and a lot more
open spaces. You have the option of exploring royal chitwan national
park on elephant back allowing you to get up close to the rhinos, sloth
bears and tigers that inhabit the park.
Heading north we reach pokhara at the foothills of the himalayas. This
mellow little town is situated around a beautiful sheltered lake and
surrounded by snow capped mountains. A great place to relax and/or
gear up for a trek into the stunning annapurna range.
The tourist mecca of kathmandu is our next stop. Travellers swap stories
in the lively bars and the everest steak house serves up delicious
fillets of beef which are a welcome change from the buffalo steaks
we have endured throughout india!
The old town is steeped in history
and the smell of incense wafts through the air as you marvel at the
pagodas and temples adorning the squares.
Our last stop in nepal is the aptly named 'last resort' where you have
a chance to brave a bungy jump from a suspension bridge far above a
raging river!
A rough road now leads us to tibet.
Week 15,16, 17, 18, 19 & 20 - Tibet And China
After a laborious permit war with chinese customs & immigration
we now enter the fabulous land of tibet. Our first stop is definitely
our 'biggest' reason to stop, mt everest! A snaking rough track makes
it possible for us to drive up to base camp and the tibetan side offers
us a stunning view of the north face. You can also send a letter from
the world's highest post box and visit the world's highest buddhist
monastery, rongphu.
Joining back up with the friendship highway we continue on to shigatse
where you have the chance to visit the marvelous tashilhunpo monastery.
From shigatse we travel along one of the world's most spectacular roads
visiting the distinctly tibetan town of gyantse where the pelkhor chode
monastery houses tibet's largest stupa, kumbum chorten, with 9 tiers,
108 chapels and excellent murals. The beautiful yamdrok-tso lake is
a fantastic sight en-route to lhasa.
As we enter the spiritual home of tibet, lhasa, we are filled with
a sense of awe as this holy city rises out of a barren wilderness of
stone and sand to be crowned by the potala palace, home of the dalai
lamas. Tibet's holiest shrine, the golden roofed jokhang temple, is
also a spectacular sight in the town. Norbulingka, the former summer
palace of the dalai lama and drepung monastery are also great places
to visit.
We now head north and spend a night camping near the tashi dor monastery on the edge of the breathtaking nam-tso lake, a sacred turquoise-blue lake bordered by snow-capped mountain ranges.
Crossing over the tanggu-la pass (5231m) we now enter china's qinghai province and the barren tibetan plateau affords us some great bush camping. Passing by remote outposts we drop down into the qaidam depression and skirt china's largest salt lake, qinghai hu. This area is also home to the headwaters of 3 of the asia's greatest rivers - the yellow, yangzi and mekong.
In gansu province we visit the leading tibetan monastery town of xiahe, where you can walk the labyrinth of labrang monastery amongst prostrating pilgrims and robe-clad monks. Close by the distinctly muslim town of linxia is also worth a visit for their bustling markets and numerous mosques.
Lanzhou is the regions capital with plenty of museums, temples and yellow river beer to keep you occupied for a day or two but perhaps the best excursion to undertake from here is a boat trip on the yellow river to the bingling si buddhist grottoes where 183 niches and sculptures have been carved into a sheer cliff face over the past 1600 years.
Our next stop is xian. Surrounded by ancient city walls this historic town is most famous for the life-size terracotta warriors discovered here in 1974 after being buried for over 2000 years. In fact, the whole area is steeped in history and other attractions include the numerous temples, mosques, tombs, towers, pagodas and markets that can be visited on day tours. From xian we now take an overnight train to beijing.
Bustling beijing is alive with culture and cuisine, history and hi-tech! A few days here gives you the opportunity to visit tiananmen square, the forbidden city, the temple of heaven and of course the only man-made structure visible from space - the great wall of china. Shoppers and gastronomes will revel in the city's markets!
Another train now takes us back to xian where we meet our truck again and you can catch up on anything you missed the first time round.
We continue south into sichuan province and the alpine forests around chengdu which are home to the famous giant panda. The town itself has some fantastic attractions in the form of wenshu temple and wang jian's tomb but the most incredible experience is a visit to the giant panda breeding research station where you can get up close and personal with these lovable creatures.
Close by we also visit the world's largest buddha statue in leshan. At over 70m tall the grand buddha is an awesome sight!
As we enter yunnan province the alpine scenery becomes particularly
stunning and the12km long mingyong glacier is an attractive stop before
reaching the tiger leaping gorge where you have the option of taking
a two day walk through one of the world's deepest gorges.
Further south the town of lijiang lies in a beautiful valley, luring
us in with it's cobbled streets and chinese lanterns. The nearby villages
and temples can be explored by bicycle.
Next we visit the laid back town of dali which is situated on the lovely lake erhai hu and is a good place to relax with good restaurants and cheap chinese beer.
Vast tracts of jungle, tropical vegetation and thickly forested mountains
- home to elephants, bears, snakes, cats, rare birds and even tigers
- now lead us south as we explore this last stretch of china.
WEEK 21: LAOS
We now enter an enchanted land where you have the option of boarding
a boat at nong khiaw which takes you through spectacular mountain scenery
down to our first stop, luang prabang. This architectural wonder is
a must see, full of temples and tradition as well as wonderful markets.
Vang vieng is our next stop and is a vibey little town set amongst
awesome natural beauty. Outdoor activities abound with caving, climbing,
kayaking and tubing being popular outings.
We continue into central laos and visit the enigmatic plain of jars.
This area is home to huge jars of unknown origin carved out of stone
and weighing up to 1 tonne.
The large market at tha khaek is an interesting stop on our journey
south where you can buy everything from live frogs to dried beetles!
In southern laos we visit the ruins of wat phu and also visit one of
the 4000 islands that are dotted in the mekong river before crossing
into cambodia.
Week 22 - Cambodia
Having only recently opened it's borders to tourism, cambodia is fresh
and exciting. Our first stop is phnom penh, a compact little town spectacularly
located on the confluence of three rivers. Riverside restaurants serve
up steamy dishes and the royal palaces and silver pagoda are great
day outings. The sobering 'killing fields' and tuol sleng museum are
a stark reminder of this country's recent history under the brutal
regime of pol pot.
Leaving the capital we travel through lush jungle vegetation to reach
one of the most inspiring sites in the world, angkor wat. These temples
are monumental constructions with angkor wat being the largest religious
building in the world. The intricacy of the carvings is incredible
and the site is well worth 2 days exploration. Truly amazing!
WEEK 23 & 24: THAILAND
Our first stop here is bangkok, a modern metropolis with a deservedly
infamous reputation. Noisy, polluted, hot and humid with a booming
sex industry that puts amsterdam to shame, this city is a must see!
Close by we can visit the actual site of the 'bridge on the river kwai'
and get a good insight into what really happened here during the war.
Heading south we hug the coast on the sliver of land called the isthmus
of kra before catching a ferry across to the stunning island of ko
samui. Here you can either put your feet up for a few days or you have
the option of easily visiting the smaller islands of ko pha-ngan and
ko tao. The islands have some of the world's finest beaches and the
numerous great dive spots will take you into a techni-coloured underwater
world filled with exotic fish and coral gardens.
Week 25 & 26 - Malaysia And Singapore
Sticking to the western part of the malaysian peninsula our first
visit is to pulau langkawi, a group of 104 islands, where we can once
again soak up the sun on the pristine beaches.
Next, the futuristic city of kuala lumpur offers us an amazing skyline
with the islamic-style petronas towers dominating the view. The city's
chinatown market is a remnant of the past and contrasts the initial
feel of the place. You will even find a british colonial atmosphere
lingering amongst some of the architecture and some interesting museums
hold the city's history within their doors.
Our last stop in malaysia is at johor bahru where a distinct 'border
town' vibrancy is ever present. Singaporeans flock here to enjoy the
cheap beer and festive atmosphere before returning to their squeaky
clean island across the waterway.
Singapore is our last stop on the asian continent and is a distinctly
clean and modern island. With an abundance of fine dining options and
shopping malls this is the place to treat yourself before catching
the ferry over to indonesia. It is also here that you will say goodbye
to your asian expedition vehicle as we will be using local transport
in indonesia.
Week 27 & 28 - Indonesia
After a couple of days ferry ride where you have the option of obtaining
your own private cabin or roughing it with the rest of the passengers
the ferry drops us off in jakarta on the island of java where all the
good and bad of indonesia is on display in this capital city as migrants
from all the areas islands flock here seeking their fortunes.
Moving out of the bustle we head for the beautiful pancuk pass with
it's fresh air and green tea plantations.
Yogyakarta is an artistic town where we can put our feet up for a while
and explore the monument of borobudur, a gem in this area ranking along
with the likes of angkor wat.
Our next stop is the active volcano of gunung bromo, one of indonesia's
most impressive sights, where walking through this other-worldly landscape
will leave you inspired. The road east is littered with ruins and history
and takes us to the town of surabaya, a port town where we catch our
next ferry to bali.
This small island is famous for it's beautiful beaches and bountiful
nightlife. The west is a stunning area of extinct volcanos, craters
and lakes. We base ourselves in the south on a fantastic beach from
where the whole island can be explored by motorbike.
From bali we now fly to darwin.
Week 29, 30, 31 & 32 - Australia
We meet our australian expedition vehicle in darwin in the northern
territory. This surprisingly modern town has some great pubs and the
area offers good wreck diving and superb fishing trips.
Kakadu national park is close by and is a marvel of wildlife and aboriginal
rock art. The park is great for trekking with a variety of landscapes
and is probably here that we get to see our first kangaroo and a boat
trip down the yellow river will get you up close to the infamous saltwater
crocodiles.
Katherine gorge is also a beautiful sight where 13 gorges are separated
by rapids offering great boat and canoe trips through fantastic scenery.
On our route south we have a chance to wet our whistles at nt's oldest
bar, the daly waters pub. This is a real aussie outback hangout where
you are bound to bump into a character or two.
Joining up with the stuart highway again we now head south into a barren
red desert, the real outback, where camping is fantastic.
Our desert journey is broken up by the devils marbles, huge boulders
in piles out in the middle of nowhere, and alice springs, bang in the
centre of oz, is a good place to replenish stocks and visit some of
the town's sights which give us a much better understanding of the
remoteness of this outpost. There is actually a radio station that
broadcasts school lessons so children in remote areas can learn.
After obtaining a permit to travel through aboriginal lands we now
take to some desert tracks and head west following the macdonnell mountain
ranges. The land is teeming with wild camels, donkeys, horses, dingo's
and of course kangaroos. A series of remote valleys, canyons and swimming
holes ultimately leads us to the amazing kings canyon which offers
spectacular walks.
We now continue on to australia's icon, the uluru - kata tjuta national
park, better known as ayers rock and the olgas. The world's biggest
monolith, ayers rock is an awesome spectacle, as are the smaller collection
of red rocks known as the olgas.
Moving on we enter south australia and take to the oodnadatta track,
passing through oz's smallest town, william creek, a pub and a store.
Ultimately the track brings us to the magnificent flinders ranges,
the most spectacular sight in this region.
On the south coast we visit adelaide from where you can choose to visit
oz's premier wine making area, the barossa valley.
Further east we visit the turquoise crater lakes at mt gambier before
entering victoria and joining the great ocean road, one of the world's
best coastal drives.
The road takes us to oz's cultural capital, melbourne. This vibrant
city is obsessed with the arts, sport and good food.
Heading east we enter gippsland with some of oz's most remote and
spectacular national parks. Wilson's promontory is one of these offering
abundant wildlife, great treks and stunning beaches.
New south wales brings us to the sapphire coast where we drive through
wonderful forests and past undeveloped coastline to reach our final
destination, sydney. The opera house, harbour, bridge and bondi beach
make this a great end to an unforgettable expedition, london to sydney!
Alternative Route
If there are any political problems during our expedition they are
most likely to occur in the iran/pakistan area. If problems do arise
we will take a more northerly route through georgia, azerbaijan, turkmenistan,
uzbekistan and kyrgyzstan to reach china. We will then continue with
our expedition as normal.
There are always alternatives along the route we travel and we will
make it one way or another!
