Photo by Brendon Schmidt. Used with permission.
This article was last updated on May 2, 2024.
It’s a new year, a new you, and now it’s time to take the necessary steps to take that overlanding trip you’ve been lusting after for so long.
No more excuses – there has never been a better time to hook up an adventure trailer to your vehicle and hit the road for a few days (or weeks, or months?!) to enjoy the spoils of the world around us. You can work remotely (with a service like Starlink), buy a trailer without breaking the bank (with a trailer like the Beaver Built Mahkesis), and see beautiful sights by day and enjoy a well-appointed campsite at night. What’s not to like?
So, to get you pumped up and ready for your 2023 overlanding trip, let’s look at a few things you can do to make that trip a reality.
Table of Contents
- What is Overlanding?
- How to Work Remotely While on Your Overlanding Trip
- An Ideal Trailer for Your Overlanding Trip
- Final Thoughts
- Recommended Overlanding Trip Gear
What is Overlanding?
Photo by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
The most basic definition of overlanding is to explore unknown areas by traveling long distances over land.
As I discuss in this detailed article about overlanding, its origins were in work. Australian cowboys coined the term “overlanding” to describe their long treks to move cattle. Before that, humans engaged in overlanding for millennia – before mechanized transport, walking overland was the only way our ancestors could get around.
But your 2023 overlanding trip doesn’t have to be long or laborious, nor do you have to walk! You can overland in a truck or a camper, your daily driver or a motorcycle, or a bicycle, if you want.
Photo by the Buist Family. Used with permission.
And just like there are many possibilities regarding the vehicle you use for your overlanding trip, there are also loads of possibilities for where you go. You can hit up your favorite camping spots, plan a trip to meet friends in a new spot, or explore territory you’ve never seen before on a solo trip.
Whatever you do and wherever you go, your overlanding trip can be as long as you want, as short as you want, and you can more easily work while you’re doing it than ever before. Let’s see how that’s possible!
How to Work Remotely While on Your Overlanding Trip
Photo by gorodenkoff via iStock
If you’re like me, you need a constant, reliable internet connection so you can get work done, even when you’re way out in the middle of nowhere.
For me, that meant investing in Starlink internet.
I’ve used Starlink here at home in Southern California, in the middle of the desert in Eastern California, in the mountains of Arizona, and many points in between. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the speed and the reliability of the service.
As I discuss in my Starlink review video above, setup is simple, taking just a few minutes to get online. The same is true of packing everything up and hitting the road – just a few minutes to gather up all the hardware, and you’re ready to head out to your next destination.
I’ll be the first to admit that Starlink isn’t cheap – it’s $135.00 per month to access active service as you travel, plus a one-time fee of $599.00 for portable gear. If you want service that works as you’re driving down the road, the one-time fee jumps to $2,500.00 for in-motion hardware.
Despite the hefty cost, Starlink is absolutely worth the price of admission. I mean, if I have to work, I’d rather do it sitting by a campfire in the woods than in my home office! If 2023 is when your overlanding trip finally happens, it’ll likely happen in large part to your ability to work remotely. Starlink allows you to do just that.
An Ideal Trailer for Your Overlanding Trip
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
Of course, you need way more gear for an overlanding trip than reliable internet service. In fact, there’s so much stuff you might need or want that it would take me all day to try to list it all. So, instead, I’ll focus on perhaps the most important element of your overlanding gear – a trailer that’s purpose-built for your adventure.
To give you an idea of what a trailer can do for your ability to take an overlanding trip, I’d like to use the Beaver Built Makhesis as a prime example.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
For starters, this trailer is just 1,500 pounds dry, so it’s easily towable by a variety of vehicles, including two-door Jeep Wranglers, Subarus, and other small-yet-capable off-roaders. Heck, you could probably tow it with your UTV if you wanted!
This trailer is built for overlanding, but it can also handle rough trails thanks to its galvanized steel frame, 33-inch Yokohama X/AT tires wrapped around 17-inch Vision wheels, and a Cruisemaster CRS² 1.60T Dual Shock Suspension. The frame has a 10-year warranty for peace of mind, and there’s a one-year warranty on the trailer. Nice!
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
And despite this trailer’s compact size and light weight, it has room for all your overlanding gear. For example, there’s more than 58 cubic feet of enclosed storage space plus a roof rack where you can store more gear, or alternatively, put your rooftop tent.
Likewise, there’s a galley with a kitchen management system and a kitchen drawer pullout that gives you a place to get your meals prepped, cooked, and ready to eat.
You can also add a custom electrical system to power lights, charge your gadgets, and run your Starlink internet.
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
So, we’ve taken care of most of your overlanding trip necessities with the Beaver Built Mahkesis. You have a place to store gear, a place to keep and make food, and a place to sleep.
And as your needs change over the years, you can add various bolt-on options that expand the functionality of your trailer. For example, you can add a front storage box to expand the trailer’s storage capacity. You can also add an extended roof rack, a rear drawer with dividers and a storage shelf, and a 2” hitch receiver so you can add a cargo rack or bike rack for your adventures. All this starting at $15,999.00!
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
Part of the trouble with taking an overlanding trip is simply having a comfortable basecamp that allows you to do things like eat, sleep, and work without it being cumbersome or expensive. The Beaver Built Mahkesis manages to be the ideal blend of everything you need, nothing you don’t, easy maneuverability, and affordability.
Like I said earlier, if 2023 is the year you finally take an overlanding trip, you need an ideal trailer, and the Beaver Built Mahkesis is it!
Final Thoughts
Photo by Vill Van Der Merwe #geoscoutadventures
I love it when the calendar flips to the new year because it’s a fresh start. We can outline new goals, set our sights on exploring new territory, and there’s tons of possibilities for making the year one of the best of our lives.
For me, overlanding is much more than camping. It’s an opportunity to explore, to see and experience new places, and to connect with friends and family.
I know that overlanding requires a lot of time, planning, preparation, and gear, but all that effort is worth it when you get to experience the freedom of being on the open road. So, if an overlanding trip is on your bucket list, start planning today, invest in the right tools for the job, and get out there and explore!
Recommended Overlanding Trip Gear