Afghanistan (Wakhan Corridor) · Morocco · Norway (Arctic Circle) · Turkey · Australia

Featured Vehicles

Black Sheep expedition vehicle (Switzerland to Dubai)
Matzker MG6-Commando

Events

Introducing the Overland Discovery Expo in Wales

Travel

Solving the 3,000-year-old mystery of the Oxus River (Lake Malang expedition)
Heading east across Eurasia in a Series 2 Land Rover
Waiting for the wind: travel, time, and patience
Morocco: the Chouara Tannery in Fez

Portfolio

Far Above the Arctic Circle

Overland Chef

Road Trip Snacks II

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Pakistan · Indonesia (Sumatra) · Australia · Nepal · Turkey

Field Test

UrQuelle Outdoor water purification system

Travel

Travel Is Fatal: Pakistan on an Enfield 500 Bullet
Sumatra: Whitewater rafting on the Asahan River
N.E.P.A.L: Never Ending Peace And Love
Australia: Tjuntjuntjara and the Spinifex People

Historic Overland

Magic Bus and the Hippie Trail

Portfolio

Australia’s Hidden Gems

Conservation

Fences, Fury & 4x4s

Overland Chef

Beef Kofta

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Italy · France · Scotland · Botswana · United States · Canada

Field Tests

NIKWAX Cotton Proof
Blundstone Lace Ups
BushPig BBQ & Fire Pit
Front Runner Wolf Pack or Wolf Pack Pro

Featured Vehicles

INEOS Grenadier Prototype

Travel

Italy: Across Old Roads and New Horizons
France: The Long Way South
Scotland: Into the Highlands
Botswana: Water, Wildlife and Wide Horizons

Portfolio

Latitude: North America

Skills

Expedition medicine: Airway

Overland Chef

Summer Flatbreads

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Among Japan’s plethora of myths and legends, a number are related to the country’s founding in what is now the town of Takachiho. Here the gods descended to earth, and Amaterasu hid in a cave near the present site of the Amano Iwato Shrine, causing darkness and disaster on Earth. Eight million of her children (deities) convened at the nearby Amanoyasugawara, luring Amaterasu from her hiding place with a trick, after which light and peace returned. Amaterasu is better known as the Sun Goddess, one of the main deities in Shinto, the prevailing religion in Japan. The emperors of Japan are considered to be her direct descendants.

Next to the pond, we gazed down the spectacular lava cliffs of the Takachiho Gorge. From lush vegetation sprang a 55-foot-high waterfall that plunged into the turquoise Gokase River. Takachiho breathed history and serenity.

We traveled through centuries of history on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, the others being Honshu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku. The Mongol invasions were repelled in the 13th century, and 300 years later Portugal brought visitors of a different sort: the first Jesuit missionaries and traders. Churches dotting the nearby Amakusa Islands are testimony to those days. During Japan’s 2 centuries of isolation, the Dutch were the only Westerners allowed to trade with the country from an enclave in what is currently Nagasaki. This is also the second city that was destroyed by an atomic bomb during WWII following Hiroshima, after which Japan surrendered on August 14, 1945. I was deeply touched by the empty yet solemn space of Ground Zero at Peace Park, which over the years has been expanded with shrines, statues, and monuments that pay tribute to the lives lost.

In Kagoshima, we wandered in and around a typical Edo Period garden with ponds, streams, bamboo, and manicured trees. It houses the Shuseikan Museum that details how Japan was catapulted into industrialization in the 19th century. The nearby Sakurajima Volcano belched, sprinkling the city with a thin layer of soft, gray ash. Floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions regularly devastate homes and livelihoods—yet, people have continued to live here. It is easy to see why: there is so much to fall in love with and enjoy. Thanks to all the subterranean activity, the country is dotted with onsens, and we regularly soaked our travel-weary bodies in the scalding-hot, mineral-rich waters. We were also able to fill our water tank from the many natural fountainheads. Narrow roads hugging mountain slopes covered in forests—many of them clusters of Japanese cedar for logging—took us to the massive caldera of the active Mount Aso volcano. With its flat plains enclosed by crags, this is arguably one of Kyushu’s most scenic regions.

Just north of Aso lies Beppu, famous for its jigoku (literally means hell), steaming red mud pools, cobalt blue ponds, and spouting geysers. With our feet in a hot foot bath, we savored jigoku mushi cuisine, sweet bread and eggs steamed in the ponds. Away from the crowds, we found peace and quiet in the old Kannawa neighborhood; within its winding alleys we were invited to a matinee. After taking off our shoes, we sat in a traditional home made of wood with shōji, sliding doors of wooden frames with translucent paper. The 2-hour narration of a story, of which we understood nothing, alternated with music played on a bamboo flute—its drawn-out sounds carried us back to Japan’s days of samurais and geishas. Kyushu captivated us with its charm, laid-back atmosphere, and the openness of its people.

If you are a museum or ancient temple buff and enjoy nightlife, you get the best and most varied selection in and around the main cities on Honshu: Tokyo, Nagoya (check out Toyota’s excellent Automobile Museum), Osaka, and of course, Kyoto, Japan’s previous centuries-long capital and cultural center. No matter how worthwhile the cities’ tourist attractions, our focus was elsewhere. We headed to Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido.

By then, winter had set in. With snow several feet deep and averages of 25°F during the day and 5°F at night, Hokkaido is for the brave. Farmers and fishermen had swapped their plows and fishing boats for snow-plowing machines that were on the road 24/7. Our goal was the famous snow festival in Sapporo, held for the 68th time. Locals contributed with dozens of snow sculptures, international artists competed for the most remarkable creation, and the Japanese military brought in heavy machinery and created a life-size Arc de Triomphe. The adjacent town of Otaru celebrated winter with the Snow Light Path Festival, and Asahikawa’s Winter Festival included brilliantly carved ice sculptures. The Japanese know how to occupy themselves during the long, dark, and cold winter months. We stumbled upon a dog-sled race in Wakkanai and a village competition of pulling tree trunks. If the outdoor activities don’t entice you, there are breweries and distilleries to visit throughout the island. Many factories of beer, whisky, and sake include a museum and offer an opportunity to sample the best they have.

During the late 19th century, Hokkaido became the last island to be incorporated into the Empire of Japan. It had been inhabited by Northern European peoples of whom only the Ainu remain. Japan colonized the island using prisoners who were set to work to fell the woods, build roads, and construct buildings. The infamous Abashiri Prison has been transformed into an informative, comprehensive museum. We took all morning to see where and how prisoners lived, bathed, and ate. Work conditions were primitive, but inmates were self-sufficient in growing their own food, producing their own miso and sake. While the majority of Japanese travelers come to Hokkaido to ski on the famous slopes of Niseko (used in the 1972 Winter Olympic Games), we headed for the remote eastern part of the island. The minor roads inland were closed until May due to snow, but the mountains must be stunning to hike in summer and early autumn. We followed the Sea of Okhotsk with ice drifting along the shore and spotted hundreds of deer and dozens of foxes—their reddish-brown fur was easy to see on the blanket of white snow—as well as elegant Japanese cranes, a symbol of happiness and long life.

From the far north we drove to the south, and from winter into summer. Shikoku—the most remote of the four islands—offered cool mountain air in Iya Valley and a breeze along the coast characterized by rocky and sandy bays. While Japan’s beaches won’t make any world top 10 lists, they are beautiful and many are blissfully empty, even in July and August. At free camps, offering views of beautiful sunrises over transparent blue waters, we absorbed nature’s splendor, emptying our minds of the intensive sightseeing we had done. No matter how long we stay in a country, there is always more to see and experience. Our 9 months in this fascinating place was not enough time to do everything justice. Whether it is following Basho’s pilgrimage to Dewa Sanzan (the holy trio mountains of Tōhoku), admiring Totorri’s sand sculptures, or exploring haikyo (abandoned places) in Kansai, there are plenty of reasons to return. One day, we will.

TRAVEL TIPS

To rent a car or campervan, bring your international driver’s permit and credit card.

Simply put, there are two ways to drive around Japan. Fast and expensive, using the double-lane toll roads called expressways, or slow and free, using the regular highways that may be one or two lanes, plus the narrow country roads. If you have little time, I suggest using the expressways to get around major cities (especially between the high-density areas of Hiroshima and Tokyo), and enjoy meandering the minor roads in the countryside.

Convenience stores are all over the place. Stop here for foods on the go such as onigiris and bentos and affordable, fresh coffee. You can get WiFi at Lawson and 7-Eleven stores, and we withdrew money at 7-Eleven ATMs. They are also the place to drop your garbage (in small amounts) as Japan has hardly any public bins.

Michi no Ekis are popular road stations (michi-no-eki.jp/stations/english) where travelers can spend the night in the parking lot. They have public toilets, a tourist information center/counter, and oftentimes a farmer’s market.

Don’t expect English to be spoken—bring a dictionary and install Google Translate on your smartphone.

Author: Karin-Marjke Vis

Photography: Coen Wubbels

This article first appeared in the 2018 Spring issues Overland Journal.

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Nepal’s exotic allure is irresistible. Sandwiched between Northern India and Tibet, it is home to an eclectic amalgamation of ethnicities, languages, and cultures blended together in varying degrees of amicable cohabitation. For centuries the fertile Kathmandu Valley, now home to over a million and a half inhabitants, served as vassal, kingdom, and land of conquest for foreign and domestic powers determined to rule it. Over time its borders expanded and contracted as neighboring influences struggled to overtake its domain. Each successive ruler and usurper, once eventually deposed and replaced by another, left behind indelible marks on the people and places of Nepal.

As one of an estimated 800,000 annual visitors, I had come to see the rich tapestry of natural and cultural treasures Nepal is known for. I had read about its many UNESCO World Heritage sites, and of course the splendor of its national parks. My love of history drew me to the ancient palaces, temples, and other vestiges of its storied past—a surprising number of them in pristine condition and seemingly immune to the passing of time. There are, however, several that have not fared as well. The devastating earthquake in April of 2015 reduced many structures to rubble, or left them in a perilous state of near collapse.

Like most who come to Nepal, I began my journey with an exploration of Kathmandu, the capital city. Tourism is such a critical component to the Nepalese economy that some taxi drivers, in an effort to earn a little extra money, serve as impromptu tour guides. Our first of many stops was to Swayambhunath, alternatively known as the Monkey Temple due to the hundreds of rhesus monkeys that have adopted the hilltop attraction as their own. Covered in colorful strings of Tibetan prayer flags and capped with ornate pagodas and stupas, it is one of the more popular attractions in the city. Tourists ambled about the grounds taking pictures and bartering with local vendors for trinkets and souvenirs, while patrons spun prayer wheels with devout intent.

Throughout the city the two most popular religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, are omnipresent. Kathmandu holds a panoply of reminders of the importance of these two belief systems—some little more than tiny carvings in doorways and windows, others towering shrines that dominate the skyline. I found some of the best examples of the city’s intricate woodwork not at a UNESCO cultural site, but of all places, my hotel.

Regarded by many as one of the finest in Central Asia, Dwarika’s Hotel is a family-owned complex of multiple brick buildings arranged around a palatial inner courtyard. Although the buildings themselves are not more than a few decades old, they were artfully constructed in the traditional Nepalese style using antique windows and doorways. All of them were reclaimed from derelict temples and buildings which during the 1960s and 1970s had collapsed or been raided for firewood. While being guided to my room, the bellman pointed to a carving above a door and casually said, “That one is 500 years old.”

The entire time I was in the city I periodically glanced northward to the edges of the horizon hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive Himalayas, their escarpments perpetually shrouded by the city’s thick haze. Of the 14 mountains in the world exceeding 26,000 feet, 8 of them are within Nepal’s borders. They are a star attraction and not to be missed. Many visitors to the country arrive during the months of April and May to catch the vibrant colors of spring. I had planned my October arrival with the onset of fall, a time when the monsoons have subsided, leaving behind ivory-white peaks framed by clear blue skies. This is said to be the best season to view the mountains, but you have to exit the city to do so.

The Himalayas span the entire length of the country and have several distinct destinations favored by first-time and veteran visitors alike. The Annapurna Circuit, a 25-day trekking loop, is considered by many as the most beautiful multi-day walk in the world. The Upper Mustang region protrudes slightly into neighboring Tibet and shares that country’s immense and austere landscapes with vast treeless valleys and barren mountains. My trip was destined for the Khumbu Valley, a route used by thousands of adventure seekers on their way to the foot, and for a determined few the summit, of Mount Everest.

On a crisp morning just after first light, I boarded a small plane bound for the village and infamous landing strip at Lukla. Some refer to it as an airport, but most pilots simply know it as the most dangerous runway in the world. Seemingly painted onto a mountainside, it has a cliff at one end and a rock wall at the other. Not only does it bisect the village of Lukla with buildings and houses flanking either side, it is built on an imposing slope. There are no second chances when landing in Lukla and every trip to and from its tiny patch of pavement represents a genuine feat of daring-do.

When asked to describe Nepal, I am always quick to convey the country’s paradox of character: it is either going full tilt, or in calm repose. Kathmandu is gritty, disordered, and an assault on the senses. It is as fascinating as it is exhausting. By contrast, the Himalayas are intoxicatingly tranquil. Stepping off the plane in Lukla I had but to take a few steps before I was immersed in one of the most serene, exquisitely pristine, and majestic landscapes I had ever experienced.

For the next several days my feet carried me through a roadless valley dotted with tiny hamlets, and temples draped with prayer flags fluttering on a gentle breeze. The smell of incense and rhododendrons filled the air. Periodically, the few clouds in the sky would part to unveil towering summits. I have been a lover of mountains all my life and their shapes were unmistakable. An infinitesimally small spec, I stood before Ama Dablam, Nuptse, and Everest—not just the tallest peaks in the world, but also the most picturesque.

For overlanders keen on exploring the country with their own set of wheels, Nepal presents a few logistical challenges. It is not possible to rent a vehicle without an included driver. The popular work-around is to hire a small motorcycle and travel as many of the locals do.

The most romantic mode of two-wheeled transportation is the iconic Royal Enfield motorcycle, although each one you see is piloted by a Western tourist. A more authentic steed would be any of the many small Japanese motorcycles used by thousands of Nepalese. For my next trip to the country I plan to travel into the more remote regions by mountain bike, which in recent years has become increasingly popular, although the altitude and rugged terrain demand extreme fitness.

Regardless of how you get there, or by whatever means you use to tour the country’s many attractions, few places on earth are as stunning and filled with so many interesting cultural treasures. If you plan to go once, resign yourself to the idea you will eventually return. One trip to this land enchanted never seems enough.

TRAVEL TIPS

Travel to Nepal is possible year round, but avoid the monsoon season which falls between the summer months of June and August.

Don’t plan to use your credit cards outside of major hotels and restaurants. Be prepared to exchange your Nepalese rupees back to your original currency before departure as it is illegal to remove their currency from the country.

Come prepared for the typical digestive challenges associated with travel to this part of the world. The food is exquisite, but most visitors will experience some traveler’s tummy.

Power outages in Kathmandu are a daily occurrence, so plan accordingly.

Visitor’s visas can be obtained at the airport on arrival. To simplify the process, bring two passport-sized photographs and if possible, change some money to Nepalese rupees to pay the nominal fee.

If driving your own mode of transportation, be aware that Nepal’s rules of the road are vague at best. Travel on their streets and highways can be very dangerous.

When visiting the country’s many temples and stupas, always walk around them in a clockwise direction.

This article was first published in the Gear Guide 2017 issue of Overland Journal. Text and photography: Christophe Noel.

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