Our expedition begins in Hammersmith, London, and after a short ferry crossing over the English Channel we are in France and on the European continent. Our first 2 days are spent driving through France, Belgium and Luxembourg before arriving in Germany where we visit the sobering WWII concentration camp of Dachau.

We continue on to Salzburg in Austria, birthplace of Mozart, where you have a day to explore this beautiful city or take a cable-car up a nearby mountain affording stunning views over the Austrian Alps.

In Hungary we start to notice a change as Western Europe begins to fade. A goulash in Budapest is a tasty treat on a day out exploring the city’s wonderful architecture and a boat trip on the Danube River is a great way to take it all in.

In Romania we visit Dracula’s Castle, perched high in the Transylvanian mountains before heading down to the capital Bucharest where you can visit the world’s second largest building – the Romanian Parliament House.

In Bulgaria we camp near the stunning town of Veliko Tarnovo where you can visit the impressive Tsaravets Fortress before we cross over the rolling green foothills of the Balkans heading for Turkey.

Istanbul, the city that separates Europe from Asia has it all, and you will revel in the history and culture it offers. Take a boat trip up the Bosphorus, marvel at the Aya Sofya and explore the opulent Topkapi Palace. At the end of the day soak your aches away in the Turkish baths and tantalise your taste buds with Turkish delights!

The battlefields of Gallipoli are our next destination where we pay tribute to the thousands of Aussies, Kiwis, Brits and Turks who lost their lives here in 1915. A truly moving experience.

Historic Troy is an interesting stop on our way down the Turquoise coast to the great Roman ruins of Ephesus. Here we camp on the beach and have a day to explore the ruins and enjoy the sunshine.

Pamukkale presents us with a dazzling white mountainside of natural terrace pools where we get to spend the afternoon soaking ourselves or exploring the ancient Byzantine city of Hierapolis.

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. Start your day with an amazing hot-air balloon ride and finish it off at a raucous night of belly dancing!

Close to the Black Sea we visit the awe-inspiring Sumela Monastery and marvel at the Byzantine frescoes in an amazing cliff-face setting before continuing along the coast towards Georgia.

Our first stop in Georgia is at the almost completely intact Roman fortress of Gonio with its 18 magnificent towers and ancient bath-house.

Kutaisi is Georgia’s second city and one of the world’s most ancient. Here you can explore the Bagrati Cathedral, the History Museum and the Old Jewish district.

Close by and well worth a few hours is Sataplia Nature Reserve, home to magnificent caves and the world’s largest collection of dinosaur tracks.

Vardzia is a beautiful cliff-side cave monastery site that we visit for a step back in time and a delicious trout lunch next to the river.

We now head for Armenia and their capital city Yerevan where you have a couple of days to explore the museums, churches, markets and restaurants that make Armenia such a delight.

On our journey towards the mountains dotted with ancient caravanserais we visit the monastery of Khor Virap with it’s wonderful location beneath Mt. Ararat before heading to the turquoise waters of Lake Sevan where we wild-camp on the lakeshore.

Winding our way north through the breathtaking Debed Gorge our last stop in Armenia is at the fabulously located Haghpat Monastery.

Back in Georgia we arrive at Tbilisi, the beating heart of the country where we have a day or two to wander the cobbled streets of the old town, visit the numerous historical churches, museums and fortresses and of course indulge in fine Georgian cuisine.

A trip to Georgia would not be complete without a trip up the Military Highway to the beautifully located town of Kazbegi situated within a stunning mountain range close to the Russian border. Hiking is the most popular activity here and the hour long trek up to the spectacular monastery is well worth the effort as too is the overnight trek to the glacier.

Our first stop is at Sheki, a lovely town nestled into a beautifully forested valley. The town was an important stop on the ancient Silk Route and is also home to the beautiful Khan Palace and a wonderful old caravanserai.

On the shores of the Caspian Sea, one of the world’s largest bodies of fresh-water, we visit bizarre mud volcanoes and the ancient Gobustan petroglyphs.

The cosmopolitan capital of Baku is an oil rich city and exploring the city’s old town filled with mosques, museums, galleries and palaces is a great day out.

From Baku we now take a ferry across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan. Please note that this ferry has no schedule so we can not fix dates for this journey, the ferry arrives when it arrives, usually every 3 or 4 days, so we may end up departing Baku earlier or later than originally planned.

From the port of Turkmenbashi we head east and spend our first night at Kow Ata where you can bathe in the warm waters of an underground lake.

Close by and worth a visit is Geok-Depe, site of the Turkmen’s last stand against the Russians, and today home to the futuristic Saparmurat Hajji Mosque which also contains the mausoleum of the eccentric ex-president Niyazov.

We continue to the capital city Ashgabat where it seems the current president is using the country’s wealth to build an entire city out of white marble – you have to see it to believe it! Bring your sunglasses as exploring the city’s monuments and palaces is a brilliant experience.

Heading north into the blistering heat of the Karakum (black sand) desert we camp in the dunes and have the opportunity to take a 2 hour walk to the unusual Darvaza Gas Craters. More commonly referred to as the ‘Gates of Hell’ this burning crater makes for a surreal desert experience and is best viewed at night.

Leaving the harsh desert behind our last stop is at Konye-Urgench, beautiful ancient ruins that were once the centre of the Islamic world.

The perfectly preserved world heritage town of Khiva is our first stop here where we have time to explore the blue-tiled Mosques, ancient mausoleums, glorious palaces, sky-high minarets and thriving bazaars that make this town a firm favourite.

We continue to Bukhara, Central Asia’s holiest city where it is possible to get a glimpse into the past by viewing the architectural preserve of the royal fortress and vast market complex.

Our journey now takes us through the Kyzylkum (red sand) desert where we have a chance of spotting the Uzbek nomads before arriving at the Silk Route city of Samarkand. This city of domes and minarets has some fantastic attractions including the beautiful Registan, Guri Amir Mausoleum and Bibi-Khanym Mosque.

Our first couple of days in this mountainous country are spent at the beautiful lake Iskandar Kul where you have the chance to enjoy some of Central Asia’s most beautiful scenery.

With a cool backdrop of mountains, lazy tree-lined avenues and pastel-hued neoclassical buildings, we move on to Dushanbe, Central Asia’s best-looking capital.

Our journey east now takes us to an area that has been off-limits to travellers until recently – the Pamir Highway. Regarded as one of the world’s most scenic drives we now wind our way along this extremely remote high-altitude road and take in the mountain scenery of a region populated by yurts and yaks and studded with deep-blue lakes. 

This is a land of magnificent mountains and ice-blue lakes and we spend our first couple of days making our way through fantastic scenery and camping in the valleys.

A winding dirt track takes us up to the alpine lake Song-Kol where we get our first experience of staying in a yurt with a nomadic tribe who set up camp here every summer on the green pastures surrounding the lake. Horse riding, hiking and fishing are popular activities in this remote area.

We now head for the beautiful lake Issyk-Kol, the world’s second largest alpine lake. Working our way around the lake we spend a couple of days at Jeti Oguz where you have the option of trekking into the lush surrounding mountains to explore the area’s natural beauty.

Bizarre Bishkek is the capital where you can sing Karaoke at a street stall, beat yourself with a birch branch at the local baths and do vodka shots at the expats bar.

Our first day here is spent visiting bronze-age petroglyphs in a lushly vegetated canyon at Tamgaly.

Our next stop is the economic hub of the country – Almaty, a modern city with great museums and wonderful restaurants, but should you wish to escape the rat-race then take the popular cable-car up to the top of a nearby hill for a fantastic view over the region.

The desert terrain of eastern Kazakhstan opens up into the beautiful fairy-tale rock formations of the Charyn Canyon National Park and it is here we spend our last day enjoying nature and taking advantage of the canyon hiking and rafting options on offer.

We enter China via a remote western border and spend our first few days camping on the fringes of the Taklamakan and Gobi Deserts studded with the odd emerald lake.

Officially the hottest place in China, the oasis town of Turpan is a welcome break where you have the chance to visit a traditional Uyghur Village as well as the crumbling remains of the ancient city Jiaohe.

In Dunhuang we find the amazing Buddhist caves of Mogao where a few hours can be enjoyed marveling at hundreds of giant statues of Buddha, vibrant murals and multi-tiered temples.

We continue into the Gobi Desert where you will have the option to visit the western end of the Great Wall in Jiayuguan as well as a few other natural sites such as the fabulous Rainbow Mountains.

At Bingling Si we discover a series of Buddhist sculptures carved into caves within a canyon along the Yellow River where a precarious wooden walkway allows you to get close to some of the hidden cliff-face caves and the giant Maitreya Buddha.

In Tianshui we visit the Maiji caves where thousands of statues and frescoes remain within the grotto.

Xian gives you the opportunity to visit the famous Terracotta Warriors and see the archaeologists at work uncovering new finds.

We continue to the well-preserved ancient walled city of Pingyao where we spend a day exploring the atmospheric cobbled streets of this typically Chinese town.

On our way to Beijing we visit the iconic Great Wall of China before spending a couple of days in the capital exploring Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the amazing museums.

Please note: from Beijing we say goodbye to our Madventure expedition vehicle and we will be continuing to Sydney via local trains, buses, boats and ferries.

The high speed bullet train now takes us on an 300 KPH journey south to the modern city of Shanghai where we spend a couple of days marvelling at this high-rise metropolis.

We continue to Chengdu where you have the opportunity to visit the Giant Panda Bear Breeding Research Center and get up close and personal with these adorable creatures.

In Kunming you have time to kick back and soak up the Chinese culture or visit nearby attractions such as the Petrified Stone Forest.

Crossing into Laos we visit the extremely relaxed town of Luang Namtha for our first taste of this beautiful country.

From Nong Khiaw you then have the option to take boat trip through spectacular mountain scenery down to Luang Prabang, an architectural wonder 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.

The capital of Vientiane is a pleasant destination where we have a couple of days to visit the country’s more modern side.

From the town of Savannahket we now take a bumpy bus ride through limestone mountains to reach Vietnam.

Our first stop in Vietnam is the old capital, Hue, home to the splendid tombs of the Nguyen Emporers as well as beautiful pagodas and the remains of the old citadel.

The picturesque river town of Hoi An is well worth exploring with it’s amazing Vietnamese architecture and nearby villages specialising in pottery and wood-carvings. The cuisine here is excellent.

Further south we encounter the emerald waters and unspoiled beaches around Nha Trang and Mui Ne, perfect for spending the days sunbathing and the evenings out partying!

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has many highlights but the War Remnants Museum is surely the most sobering. Get a guide and learn all about the atrocities committed during the futile Vietnam war. The Reunification Palace and Notre-Dame Cathedral are also worth a visit and the Mekong Delta day tour is highly recommended.

From HCMC it is also possible to take a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels, an area with an elaborate underground network that housed thousands during the war.

Phnom Penh is a compact little town spectacularly located on the confluence of three rivers. The Royal Palaces and Silver Pagoda are great day outings, and 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.

Next stop is one of the most inspiring sites in the world – Angkor Wat. These temples are monumental constructions, the largest religious buildings in the world. The intricacy of the carvings is incredible and the site is well worth 2 days exploration.

Bangkok has its fair share of Palaces and Pagodas but it is surely most infamous for its sex shows and lady-boys, so expect the unexpected! From Bangkok you also have the opportunity to visit the ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ on a day tour and get a good insight into what really happened here during the war.

Further south we catch a ferry over to the tropical 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 vibrant underwater paradise filled with exotic fish and coral gardens.

Georgetown has a rich history and is a great introduction to this wonderfully diverse country. Visit the Fatt Tze Mansion and Kapitan Keling Mosque, and then sample some of the unique Malaysian street food on offer.

Next we visit the futuristic city of Kuala Lumpur with the Islamic-style Petronas Towers dominating the city’s skyline. 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.

Further south we visit the port town of Melaka where we have the time to visit the maritime museums and discover what the place was like 400 years ago when it was an important stop on the spice route.

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 flying to Indonesia.

From Singapore you now fly to Yogyakarta. Flights are not included in the expedition price so budget approximately £60 for this flight.

We fly into Yogyakarta on the island of Java, an artistic town where you can explore the monument of Borobudur, a gem in this area.

An overnight bus and a short ferry ride sees us arrive in Bali, a small island famous for its beautiful beaches and bountiful nightlife, a wonderful last taste of Asia before we head to Australia.

From Bali you now fly to Darwin. Flights are not included in the expedition price so budget approximately £100 for this flight.

Darwin in the Northern Territory is a small town with some great pubs and is a good introduction to Australia before we head off to the outback.

Kakadu National Park is close by and is a marvel of wildlife and aboriginal rock art. The park is great for walking with a variety of landscapes and it is probably here that we get to see our first kangaroo. The jumping crocodile tour will get you up close and personal with some of Australia’s most feared residents – saltwater crocs!

Katherine gorge is also a beautiful sight where 13 gorges are separated by rapids offering great boat 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.

Our desert journey south is broken up by the Devils Marbles, huge boulders naturally formed and piled up in the middle of nowhere.

Basing ourselves in Alice Springs you now have the option to visit Australia’s icon – Uluru (Ayers Rock). As  the world’s biggest monolith, Uluru is an awesome spectacle, as are the nearby smaller collection of red rocks known as the Olgas.

Further south we visit the small opal mining town of Coober Pedy where a day’s outing will take you underground and show you the old prospectors way of life and a visit to the Kangaroo Rescue Sanctuary will ensure you get a feel for these amazing marsupials.

We continue into the Blue Mountains and camp near the quaint town of Katoomba where you get to explore the areas fantastic scenery by means of the world’s steepest railway, gondolas over gorges and bush-walks.

Arriving in Sydney the Opera House, Harbor Bridge and Bondi Beach make this a great end to an unforgettable expedition – LONDON TO SYDNEY OVERLAND!

How to Book

To make a booking please fill in our online booking form and then pay a £300 deposit by direct transfer or Paypal, or call us to pay using your credit or debit card over the phone. Once we receive your online booking form and deposit we will confirm your booking by email and send you all relevant information necessary for your expedition preparations.

Expedition Payment

The Expedition Payment of £6732 is the main bulk payment for your expedition and is payable in the U.K. in GBP (£ Sterling). In order to reserve a place on this expedition you must pay £300 as a deposit. Eight months prior to departure a further payment of £3000 must be paid to secure your booking. The final balance of your Expedition Payment £3432 must then be paid in full at least four months prior to the expedition start date. If you book between 4 to 8 months prior to the departure date a deposit of £3300 should be paid upon booking. If you book within 4 months of the departure date the full Expedition Payment of £6732 should be paid upon booking.

The Expedition Payment can be paid by direct bank transfer, Paypal or credit/debit card

Bank Details for Direct Transfers

NOTE: Please use your full name as a reference when paying by direct transfer.

Bank: HSBC

Account name: Madventure Ltd.

Sort code: 400810

Account number: 91618415

IBAN : GB14HBUK40081091618415

Swift/Bank BIC: HBUKGB4B

Branch BIC: HBUKGB4116A

Bank address: HSBC Bank, 6 High Street, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 5AZ, United Kingdom

Paypal

Paypal account name: info@madventure.co.uk

Local Payment

This is a cash payment of USD $3500 that must be paid to your expedition leader at the beginning of your trip and will be used to pay for all expenses while you are on the road.

Please bear in mind that this is not a kitty and is not refundable. The local payment is simply a way for us to get cash to the expedition leaders so they can run the trip.

Please bring your local payment in new unmarked $100 bills if possible.

Although all local payment amounts are advertised in USD you may be asked to bring the equivalent amount in either Euros or GBP.

We realise that not everyone is going to visit every site or partake in every activity along the way so we have left most of these activities as optional and therefore kept the expedition payment to a minimum.

Included

• Services of your expedition leader/driver
• Use of our own custom-built expedition vehicle and equipment
• Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to the vehicle
• Ferry tickets (when travelling as a group)
• An average of 2 meals a day while camping (usually breakfast and the evening meal)
• All accommodation costs (approx. 35% camping, 65% hotels/guest-houses/hostels)
• National Park entry fees when we enter as a group with our vehicle
• Local transportation costs from Beijing to Sydney

Not Included

• Personal travel insurance
• Personal spending money (£100 – £120 per week recommended)
• Visas & Letters of Invitation (approximately £1000 depending on nationality)
• Lunches
• Meals while staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels
• Accommodation upgrades
• Entrance fees to optional sites and parks
• Any optional activities
• Any flights (approximately £160 worth of flights expected)
• Tent, roll mat, sleeping bag & pillow

Below is a list of the most popular optional excursions along with the most recent prices. Prices can of course change and are not controlled in any way by Madventure so please use the list below as an approximate guide only.

Europe

Dachau concentration camp, Germany Free

Hangar 7 (Red Bull Museum), Salzburg Free

Mozart’s House, Salzburg £8

Hop-on-hop-off bus tour & Danube River cruise, Budapest £20

Dracula’s Castle, Transylvania £6

Bucharest walking tour Free

Tsarevets Fortress, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria £2

Turkey

Blue Mosque, Istanbul Free

3 day Istanbul Museums pass £20

Underground Cistern, Istanbul £5

Bosphorus boat cruise, Istanbul £12

Gallipoli museum £4

Gallipoli sites tour Free

Troy Ruins £5

Ephesus Ruins, Selcuk £8

Pamukkale calcium pools £6

Ilhara Valley Walk, Cappadocia £5

Ballooning, Cappadocia £100

Zelve open air museum, Goreme £5

Underground city, Cappadocia £5

Belly-dancing evening, Cappadocia £20

Sumela monastery, Black Sea Coast £5

Georgia

Gonio Fortress, Batumi £1

Sataplia National park £2

Bagrati Cathedral, Kutaisi Free

Vardzia cave Monastery complex £1

Narikala Fortress, Tbilisi Free

Ananuri Fortress Free

Kazbegi day hike Free

Armenia

Genocide Museum, Yerevan Free

Erebuni Fortress & Museum, Yerevan £2

Cascade Museum, Yerevan Free

Khor Virap Monastery, Mt. Ararat Free

Haghpat Monastery, Debed Canyon £2

Azerbaijan

Sheki Caravanserai Free

Khan’s Palace, Sheki £2

Palace of the Shiranshas, Baku £2

Carpet museum, Baku £3

Gobustan petroglyphs, Caspian Sea £3

Mud volcanoes, Caspian Sea Free

Turkmenistan

Saparmurat Hajji Mosque, Ashgabat Free

Hike to Darvaza Gas Crater Free

Jeep to Darvaza Gas Crater £10

Konye Urgench ruins £5

Uzbekistan

Khiva highlights pass £12

Bukhara walking tour Free

Registan, Samarkand £7

Tajikistan

Hike round lake Iskander Kul Free

Pamir Highway Free

Kyrgyzstan

Yurt stay, Lake Song Kol Free

Horse riding (per hour), Lake Song Kol £3

Jeti Oghuz hike Free

Kazakhstan

Tamgaly petroglyphs £10

Cable Car, Almaty £3

China

Uighur Old Village, Turpan £4

Jiaohe ruins, Turpan £4

Mogao caves, Dunhuang £25

Rainbow mountain day trip £20

West end of Great Wall, Jiayuguan   £6

Bingling Si caves   £5

Terracotta Warriors, Xian   £15

Pingyao city pass   £15

Forbidden City, Beijing   £6

Great Wall, Beijing   £5

Panda bear center, Chengdu £7

Kunming petrified stone forest £20

Laos

Slow boat to Luang Prabang £20

Royal Palace Museum, Luang Prabang £2

Tubing, Vang Vieng £10

Kong Lo Cave tour £7

Vietnam

Perfume River Boat Trip, Hue £2

Hue Ancient Citadel £3

Japanese Bridge, Hoi An Free

Vinpearl Island waterpark, Nha Trang £15

Booze cruise, Nha Trang £10

Mui Ne half day tour £6

Kitesurfing (per hour), Mui Ne £40

Mekong Delta day tour, Ho Chi Minh City £10

War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City £3

Cu Chi Tunnels excursion £15

Cambodia

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S21), Phnom Penh £3

Killing Fields, Phnom Penh £4

Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh £3

National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh £2

Angkor Wat (One Day/Three Day Pass), Siem Reap £15/40

Thailand

Grand Palace, Bangkok £5

National museum, Bangkok £3

Bridge On The River Kwai Day Tour £20

Boat dive, Ko Samui £50

Beach dive, Ko Samui £20

4 day PADI dive course, Ko Samui £200

Malaysia

Georgetown walking tour Free

KL viewing tower, Kuala Lumpur £10

Melaka duck tour £15

Singapore

Singapore Sling at Raffles £10

Singapore Zoo £15

Hop on hop off bus tour £15

Indonesia

Borobudur, Yogyakarta £10

1 day scooter hire, Bali £10

1 day island tour, Bali £20

Learn to surf half day, Bali £30

Australia

Jumping crocodiles, Kakadu £20

Katherine Gorge boat cruise £40

Uluru day tour £130

Coober Pedy opal mining tour £10

Katoomba day pass £30

Harbour Bridge climb, Sydney £130

We will be travelling in a purpose-built Madventure overland vehicle for approximately 50% of the time on this expedition. A standard bus simply wouldn’t be able to tackle many of the roads we travel on. For the other 50% of the time (from Beijing to Sydney) we will be travelling on local buses, boats, trains and ferries, as well as a private bus in Australia.

The overland vehicle we use is a custom-built expedition truck which can accommodate up to 36 people although most of our expeditions travel with approximately 25 people.

Comfort and safety is of course a big factor during expeditions of this length and nature so all our vehicles have high-backed coach seats with safety belts. The seating is on the upper level of the vehicle giving you an almost 360° view of the surrounding scenery.

Our vehicles are designed to allow sufficient luggage storage and are also equipped with lockers to keep all your gear safe.

Our long range diesel and water tanks ensure our self sufficiency in remote areas and the equipment we take with us is also of vital importance. In case of a breakdown we are equipped with a good selection of spare parts as well as a comprehensive tool kit to undertake any necessary repairs on our own as and when we need to.

There may also be times when we get stuck in the sand or mud when travelling off road so all necessary recovery equipment such as sand mats, cables, ropes, shovels and pickaxes are also on board.

We spend a lot of nights around the campfire so we take along good axes and saws for the times when we have to replenish our wood supply.

We usually carry 500 litres of treated drinking water and we are equipped with a good kitchen which includes all cutlery, plates, cups, pots and pans, utensils, gas cooker, BBQ grate, etc.

All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook groups food only. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.

Fold up chairs are provided for outdoor seating and we also have a large tarpaulin to keep us dry on those rainy days.

Our vehicles are equipped with USB charging points only so try and bring all of your important electronic devices such as telephone, tablet & head-torch to charge from a USB socket. We do not have a 120V or 240V power supply on the vehicle but you will have the opportunity to charge your 120/240V electronic equipment when we stay at campsites & hotels.

We carry solar showers and a toilet tent with us for those times when we are bush camping without amenities.

We carry a comprehensive first aid kit for emergencies but we do recommend you bring your own for general use.

Eating well is a very important factor on our expeditions and good food is vital for everyone’s health and well-being so we always strive to prepare healthy, wholesome and plentiful meals.

We will be cooking a lot of meals from our own kitchen on the truck. When we are camping we usually eat breakfast and the evening meal from the truck. For lunch we usually stop at a cheap local restaurant giving you a chance to taste the local fare too. Lunches are at your own expense. When we are staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels (usually in cities) it is often impractical to cook on the truck so we do not provide any meals at these times.

When it comes to shopping and cooking we will divide ourselves up into groups of 3 or 4 people (depending on group size) who will shop for and prepare the day’s meals and clean up at the end. This will work out that you roughly get to cook once a week (depending on numbers).

Fresh food is generally available daily so we try and eat meat and vegetables for every main evening meal. We do also cater for vegetarians but we cannot cater for fussiness. In these group situations everybody must appreciate we cannot cater for individual likes and dislikes.

Don’t worry if you are not a gourmet cook as your crew are also always there to give advice.

All our vehicles are equipped with a small fridge which is used for the cook groups food only. For personal food & drinks we have cooler boxes for everyone to use.

Cleanliness plays an important role throughout this expedition and your crew will make sure an acceptable level of general hygiene is maintained throughout your journey to ensure the wellbeing of the group.

You will spend 35% of your time on this expedition in your tent camping and 65% of your time staying in local hotels, guest houses and hostels.

Quite often we will camp by ourselves out in the bush or in the desert and other times we will use designated campsites with amenities. The majority of our bush camp locations are usually very scenic and we always strive to find the perfect spot on the banks of a river, overlooking a canyon, behind a dune in the desert, etc. but sometimes we just have to camp wherever we can find a spot.

From past experience on expeditions of this length and nature we have found that people prefer to supply their own tents as they are then not forced to share and they can pick a tent that suits their needs. As a general rule, try and choose a good quality lightweight and waterproof free-standing tent that is easy to erect, take down and carry.

When we are not camping (usually in cities) we always try to use decent, clean budget hotels, guest houses and hostels, however, taking into consideration the sometimes unpredictable nature of this expedition and the remoteness of some of the areas we visit, please be aware that in some circumstances we just have to take what we can get – good or bad. When staying in hotels/guest houses/hostels you can expect to share your room with other expedition members of both sexes.

In many of the places we stay there are upgrade options available so should you prefer not to camp or you just want some time alone you can often rent yourself a private room at your own expense.

There is no camping on the Beijing to Sydney section of this tour so you can send your tents home from Beijing if you like.

1. Your contract is with Madventure Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 6809461) whose office is at 10 Ablett Close, Oxford, OX4 1XH, United Kingdom.

2. A deposit of £300 is payable at the time of booking. The deposit is non-refundable unless Madventure is unable to offer you a place or you cancel within 14 days of the initial booking date. Madventure guarantees not to increase the tour price once the deposit has been received.

3. A booking is made in the name of the client and is not transferable to another person. You are only permitted to transfer your deposit once to a future tour, after that a further £300 non-refundable deposit will be required to book another tour. Please note that you will be affected if you have transferred and there is a price increase as you will have to pay the current tour price at the time that the tour balance payment is due.

4. Eight months prior to departure a further payment must be received to cover 50% of the total tour price in order to secure your booking. This payment is non-refundable unless we can not provide the tour. The final 50% balance of your tour payment must then be paid in full at least four months prior to the tour start date at which time the tour will be confirmed to run. Once the tour is confirmed to run you will not receive any refunds of any monies paid. If the full payment is not received 4 months prior to departure Madventure may deem the booking cancelled and all monies paid will be forfeited. If you book within the 4 to 8 month period prior to departure a non-refundable 50% deposit of the total tour price should be paid upon booking. If you book within the 4 month period prior to departure the full non-refundable 100% tour payment must be paid upon booking.

5.  Cancellation of a booking must be notified in writing and when received by Madventure any monies paid will be forfeited. You acknowledge that payment for the tour is an intrinsic part of the tour’s income and contributes towards the overall costs of equipment, vehicle running costs, staff administration, travel permits, etc. and Madventure will have incurred a large part of its costs before the actual departure date. You will not receive a refund of any amount after the tour has been confirmed to run (which will usually happen no later than 4 months prior to the tour departing). We therefore recommend you take out your travel insurance from the date you make your final tour balance payment, 4 months prior to departure, so you are insured if you have to withdraw off the tour. If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

6. It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your tour, but we do plan all tours many months in advance. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes will be minor and we will advise you of them at the earliest possible date. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your tour. For example, if the minimum number of clients required for a particular tour is not reached, we may have to cancel it. However, we will not cancel your tour less than 4 months before your departure date (except for reasons of Force Majeure). If we are unable to provide the tour for any reason you can either have a full refund of all monies paid within 14 working days of the tour being cancelled or accept an offer of an alternative tour of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value).  In the event of the tour being cancelled prior to departure, all monies paid by you towards the tour cost only will be refunded. In the event of a cancellation Madventure is not responsible for reimbursing equipment, flights, visa costs, vaccinations, medication, etc. purchased by yourself so we therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance to ensure these types of expenses are covered under the terms of your insurance policy as you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

7. In the unlikely event of a Force Majeure situation that forces us to cancel the tour within 4 months of the planned departure date because of unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, you can either have a full refund of all monies paid within 14 working days of the tour being cancelled or accept an offer of an alternative tour of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). In the unlikely event of a Force Majeure situation that forces us to cancel or change the tour while it is underway because of unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control we will not refund you or pay you compensation, so we therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance as if the reason for the tour cancellation while underway is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company. Force Majeure situations can include, for example, war, riot, industrial dispute, terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, epidemics, pandemics, health risks, closed or congested airports, ports or stations, poor local infrastructure, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of transport by the transport supplier such as flights by airlines or main charterer, the alteration of transport or transport types, adverse weather conditions (actual or threatened), avalanche and technical failure with transport, Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice changing and advising against travel to the tour destination.

8. If you choose to leave the tour for any reason on your own accord once the tour is underway you will not receive any compensation from Madventure including any refunds of the tour payment and/or the local payment. We therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance as if the reason for your departure is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

9. We reserve the right at any time prior to the departure date, without prior consultation with yourself, to merge your tour with one or more other tours travelling at the same time. This will not constitute a major change and would usually just mean swapping vehicles.

10. The tour payment and local payment cover transport, accommodation, some related ferry and train tickets, meals and national park entry fees as specified on the website, repair of our expedition vehicle as well as repair and replacement of camping equipment including stools, cooking equipment & utensils.

11. The tour leader has sole responsibility for the local payment. Any local payment monies or stock remaining at the tour end are non-refundable.

12. You undertake to comply with the laws and regulations, whether in respect of health, immigration, currency exchange control, dress or any other matter of all the countries visited during the tour.

13. You undertake to obtain a valid passport and have enough blank pages in the passport for the tour and your specific passport and visa requirements. Immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. We do not accept any responsibility and shall not be liable if you cannot travel or cannot participate in any part of the tour because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. You are responsible for obtaining and having available the necessary documents (including but not limited to full, current passport with enough blank pages to complete the trip and valid for at least 9 months from the last day of the tour and visas for all periods, countries and territories within the tour) enabling you to participate in the tour and shall comply with all local legislation and regulations of the countries in which the tour takes place (including immigration requirements, customs regulations and currency exchange). You shall indemnify us against any loss or expense that we may incur or suffer as a result of breach of this condition by you.  We cannot guarantee visa prices and availability of visas. Ultimately visas are your own responsibility to obtain.

14. Madventure reserves the right to deviate from the advertised tour route if in their reasonable opinion such deviation is necessary for the safety or well-being of any or any one of the members of the tour or for the satisfactory progress of the tour. In the event of it becoming necessary to fly over a country or countries in order to satisfactorily and safely continue the tour, all costs of your flights will be borne by yourself.

15. Madventure accepts no responsibility for matters arising out of political disputes, border closures, epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters, climate, armed robbery, terrorism, etc. Should it become necessary to abandon a tour because of such an event Madventure will be entitled to retain all monies paid. We therefore recommend you have suitable travel insurance as if the reason for cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy you may be able to reclaim these charges but it is your sole responsibility to do so and we accept no liability for any acts or omissions of your insurance company.

16. You accept that owing to the nature of countries visited, all tours involve an element of personal risk and are of a potentially hazardous and unpredictable nature. In many countries we visit, the basic infrastructure, such as roads, is very poor and therefore less safe than that familiar to people from many western countries. In particular, lack of road markings or warning signs, unmarked speed bumps, seasonal flooding of roads and bridges, local vehicles which are poorly maintained and driven and which are hazardous to other road users etc. are factors beyond the control of Madventure. You accept that in some areas we drive off-road and that this involves personal risk when the expedition vehicle can be negotiating rough terrain. Madventure owns and operates many of its own expedition vehicles and employs its own crew. Where stated, locally arranged transport and crew, including trains, ferries, buses or coaches are used. Where Madventure’s own vehicles and/or crew are not used for the above services, you agree that the obligation of Madventure to yourself is to select normally competent, independent subcontractors to provide the necessary services related to the tour and to exercise reasonable care in selecting such suppliers to provide these. You also accept that you undertake this tour at your own risk and your participation is your own decision and does not form any part of your contract with Madventure. Madventure does not take responsibility for cancellations, unreliability of services or safety of operators, agents or contractors.

17. You accept that local emergency facilities are usually of a very limited nature. Hospitals outside of large cities often have no accident and emergency facilities and emergency transport facilities can be non-existent.

18. If you have a problem during your trip please inform the tour leader immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally please follow this up by emailing or writing to our office giving all other relevant information and, where possible, evidence. We must receive any such complaint no later than 28 days from the date of completion of your tour in order to take appropriate action. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you.

19. We do not accept any liability or responsibility for any personal possessions (including but not limited to cameras, jewellery, valuables and money) which is carried on or in our vehicles, carried on public transport or transport supplied by independent subcontractors, left in accommodation provided by us or our suppliers during a trip or left in our care during a tour. Such items are carried and/or left at your own risk.

20. Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on our tour are not part of your tour arrangements provided by us. For any excursion or other tour that you book your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator. You accept that the prices quoted for optional activities are approximate as local prices can and do change. Any of the optional activities listed are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by Madventure. You also accept that you undertake any activity at your own risk and your participation is your own decision and does not form any part of your contract with Madventure. Madventure does not take responsibility for cancellations, unreliability of services or safety of operators, agents or contractors.

21. Whilst a tour is in progress you will at all times be expected to act in accordance with all reasonable instructions from us and/or the tour leader. We may exclude you from the tour or any part thereof at any time (including during the tour itself) if we are of the opinion that you are likely to prejudice the good order, discipline or safety of the tour, including as a result of failing to comply with the tour leader’s instructions, breaking any law or regulation of any country where the tour takes place or failing to adhere to the tour code of conduct, provided that we exercise our discretion reasonably in this regard. In such an event you shall reimburse to us any reasonable costs, losses or expenses which we incur or suffer as a result of our decision to exclude you from the tour, and Madventure shall cease to have any responsibility to/for you. No refund will be given for any unused services.

22. By completing the booking form you confirm that you appreciate the risks involved in the tour and that you do not suffer (or have ever suffered) from any pre-existing medical condition that may prevent you from actively participating in the tour other than those that have been declared to us. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are medically fit enough to undertake the tour and to ensure that you have received the necessary vaccinations and medications (and taken them as prescribed by your doctor) relevant to the destination country. Unless informed otherwise in writing we will assume that you are in good health and are not aware of any reason why you may be unsuitable to take part in the tour. We recommend that you consult your doctor before making a booking to ensure that you are medically fit and are fully aware regarding the immunizations and medical issues related to your destination countries. If you have any pre-existing medical condition, illness or disability, are undergoing medical treatment or, since entering into the contract, develop any medical condition, illness or disability or undergo any medical treatment; you will give us full particulars at the earliest opportunity and at the latest sixty (60) days before the departure date. If it is later discovered that a pre-existing condition was not declared within the specified time, and such condition would, if we had knowledge of it, have led to our refusal to accept or to cancel your booking, we reserve the right to withdraw you from the trip without any refund or recompense. In such an event, you shall reimburse to us any reasonable costs, losses or expenses which we incur or suffer as a result. In the event of you being withdrawn from a tour, no refunds will be given and we will not be responsible for (and you agree to indemnify us against) any costs, claims, losses and expenses arising including costs of repatriation, eg. flights and legal expenses. By agreeing to these conditions, you provide your consent to us and our insurers obtaining your medical records should we consider it necessary. You will be responsible for any charges for the provision of the information. We reserve the right to inspect your vaccination book at any time and to withdraw you from the tour in the event that you have not received and/or taken all the requisite inoculations and/or medication. If the information provided by you is incorrect and we discover that the correct information affects your suitability to take part in the tour, we may terminate the contract and withdraw you from the tour without refund or recompense, including during the trip. You agree and acknowledge that certain activities undertaken whilst you are on the tour may be inherently hazardous and have risks associated with them. You agree to abide by all instructions given to you whilst you are on the tour and you acknowledge that we cannot be held responsible for any injuries that may arise as a result of you failing to comply with such instructions.

23. You must be covered by personal travel insurance to undertake any Madventure tour. We recommend you take out a travel insurance policy that covers you fully against the cost of tour cancellation by you or by Force Majeure, medical care and repatriation should you become too ill to continue and above all covers you against the cost of air evacuation should sickness or injury necessitate such a course of action. You should also note that passenger liability insurance covering vehicles, particularly in third world countries, may be inadequate. It is therefore important that your travel insurance cover makes sufficient provision for your dependents in the event of an accident. Please note however that we have no control over the availability or standard of medical and repatriation services and facilities in the areas we visit and these do not form any part of our contract with you. Please remember that many of the areas we visit are not as developed as the UK and the availability and standard of such services may well be lower. Please read your travel insurance policy details carefully and take them with you when you travel. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. We do not check individual insurance policies for suitability.

24. It is understood that on the Madventure tours where we use our own expedition vehicles the sections of the tour that travel through Europe, USA, Canada and Mexico are provided to you free of charge. You will not have to pay any additional fee to travel through Europe, USA, Canada and Mexico with us but it is understood that we do not operate for hire and reward in these areas. We do this purely as a legality in order to operate our specialised overland vehicle in these areas legally.

25. Privacy & Data Protection – we shall ensure that appropriate security measures are in place to protect your personal data (as defined in the European GDPR act 2018 and the UK Data Protection Act 2018) and we do not store our customers financial details. When you make a booking, you do however consent to all the information you provide being passed on to our suppliers, agents, subcontractors, employees or volunteers whether based inside or outside of Europe for the purposes of us providing you with the tour.

26. By agreeing to these terms and conditions you consent (unless otherwise stated on your application form) to our staff taking photographs and or video footage of you during the tour and that these images may be used by us for publicity and training purposes including, but not limited to, brochures, websites, marketing material and in the media.

27. We shall be entitled to novate or assign the contract or any part of it to any third party. You shall not be entitled to assign the contract or any part of it. This contract is made on the terms of these conditions, which are governed by English law, and subject to the provisions of condition you agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. If any of these conditions is found by any court or other competent authority to be wholly or partly unfair or unenforceable the validity of the rest of the booking conditions and the rest of the condition in question shall not be affected and shall remain valid and enforceable to the extent permitted by law. A reference in these conditions to a statute, convention or regulation shall be as a reference to that statute convention or regulation as amended, re-enacted or extended at the relevant time. The headings in these conditions are for convenience only and shall not affect their interpretation. Where the context otherwise requires, words importing the singular meaning shall include the plural meaning and vice versa and words denoting the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders. Where the context so admits, words denoting persons shall include natural persons, companies, corporations, firms, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, joint trips, trusts, voluntary associations and other incorporated and/or unincorporated bodies or other entities (in each case, whether or not having separate legal personality) and all such words shall be construed interchangeably in that manner.

28. The information given on the website, on social media, in newsletters, in the brochure and other literature supplied is given in good faith but no warranty is given that it is correct.

29. No servant, agent or authorised representative of Madventure has authority to commit Madventure to any liability whatsoever and Madventure will not be bound by any statement or representation unless it is in writing and signed by one of the directors.

30. ABTA – We are members of ABTA, membership no. Y6801. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com

31. Financial Protection – In accordance with the UK Package Travel & Linked Travel Regulations 2018, Directive (EU) 2015/2302 or the local applicable law in the country of residence of the passenger(s) booking with Madventure Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies received by us, including repatriation costs and arrangements, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Madventure Ltd.

The respective laws according to the country of residence of the passenger(s) usually only requires us to provide cover for Package & Linked Travel Arrangements, there is no requirement for Financial Protection of day trips or single elements, and none is provided unless the local law requires such. If you have questions on this then please contact Madventure Ltd.

Madventure Ltd has taken out an insurance provided by International Passenger Protection Ltd (IPP) with Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE (LMIE) trading as Liberty Specialty Markets, a member of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. LMIE’s registered office: 5-7 rue Leon Laval, L-3372, Leudelange, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Registered Number B232280 (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés).  LMIE is a European public limited liability company and is supervised by the Commissariat aux Assurances and licensed by the Luxembourg Minister of Finance as an insurance and reinsurance company. This insurance is only valid for passengers who book and pay directly with/to Madventure Ltd.

In the event of our insolvency please make contact as soon as practically possible giving full details of what has happened quoting the name of your Travel Operator:

For UK & Worldwide excluding EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +44 (0) 345 266 1872

Email: Insolvency-claims@ipplondon.co.uk

or online at http://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

For EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +31 103120666

Email: ippclaims@nl.sedgwick.com

or online at https://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

Personal Budget

We recommend a budget of £100 – £120 per person per week to live comfortably during this expedition. This budget should cover day to day things like lunches, snacks, soft drinks, meals when not camping, the odd few beers, etc.

Budget approximately £1000 for your visas, security clearances and letters of invitation.

We also recommend you put aside £60 for your flight from Singapore to Yogyakarta and £100 for your flight from Bali to Darwin.

Souvenirs are something that can be very cheap or very expensive so if you are going to be buying things like Turkish carpets you should budget for it.

Please also have a look at our Optional Excursions list as you may want to budget for a few of those activities too.

Travel Money

We recommend you bring 1/3 of your money in cash US Dollars and the rest of your money on your Visa or Mastercard credit/debit card.

They generally accept all major currencies for exchange but US Dollars are accepted everywhere.

ATM’s are widely available for you to draw local currency using your Visa or Mastercard credit/debit card except in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan where it is recommended you have US Dollars available for exchange.

To keep your money/credit cards/ipod/camera/laptop safe we recommend you purchase a ‘Pacsafe Travelsafe’ product. They offer various size portable anti-theft bags that can be attached to the vehicle when travelling and also attached to the toilet/bed/closet in your hotel room when off the vehicle.

Below is general information and recommendations regarding visas and passports. Visas are ultimately your own responsibility to obtain and visa requirements may vary according to your nationality and place of application, so use the information below as a guide only. Madventure is in no way responsible for obtaining your visas or passports.

We recommend you obtain the following visas in your passport before departure – China.

We recommend you obtain the following visas online before departure or during the tour with the assistance of the tour leader – Turkey, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan (including GBAO permit).

All other visas can be obtained en-route.

You can either obtain visas yourself or use the services of a visa agency such as www.thevisamachine.com

Those who are travelling on non-European passports may require additional visas to travel through Europe and Central Asia so please check your requirements with the relevant embassies.

Most nationalities also require Letters of Invitation in order to apply for certain visas such as Turkmenistan and China. We can provide these for you for a fee.

Approximately 3 months prior to departure you will be sent the information required in order to complete your applications and apply for your visas (there are often time restrictions on visas so you can not apply earlier). We recommend that you make your passport available 2 months before departure in order to obtain your visas comfortably.

Budget approximately £1000 for all your visas and letters of invitation.

Please ensure you have 16 free pages in your passport in order to accommodate all the visas and ensure your passport is valid for at least 14 months after your departure date.

You will need approximately 4 passport photos for the duration of the expedition.

Vaccination requirements are constantly changing so we recommend you seek the latest professional medical advice at least 8 weeks before departure to ensure you allow yourself enough time to obtain all necessary vaccinations. Nomad Travel’s website has up-to-date information on vaccinations, malaria and other general medical advice for all the countries we will be visiting and they also administer vaccinations at their Travel Clinics in various locations within UK.

www.nomadtravel.co.uk

Alternatively speak with your local Health Professionals for current accurate information. You will need to make an appointment with your GP or Travel Clinic and take a list of the countries you are visiting and the approximate dates when you will be there.

Medically Fit & Able

You need to be in good general health for this expedition and be reasonably fit and able. The main concern is that everyone is able to pitch in equally and do their fair share when it comes to group activities like the communal cooking and cleaning up, packing gear in and out of the truck, erecting your own tent, etc. You do not need to be super-fit by any means and all ages are welcome. We always attract a very broad age range on these expeditions, from people in their 20’s through to people in their 70’s.

Please inform us of any medical conditions that you have before departure so that your crew know how to deal with a medical situation if it should arise. All information will be kept confidential unless you request us to inform your fellow travelers. For example, it may be wise to inform fellow travelers if you are allergic to something like bee-stings so they know what to do if you get stung.

First Aid Kit

We carry a comprehensive first aid kit aboard the vehicle but it is recommended that you bring your own basic first aid kit for general use.

It is compulsory that every person who travels with Madventure obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour.

You may be covered under your credit card’s travel insurance so it might be worth checking with your credit card provider first.

There are various travel insurance companies to choose from and a Google search will bring up a vast selection but for a comprehensive reliable policy that includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation we recommend a London based company named Campbell Irvine, Telephone: +44 20 7938 1734, https://microsite.campbellirvinedirect.com/madventure/. They are familiar with what we do so if you mention Madventure and the tour you are travelling on they should be able to provide excellent cover for you.

For people based in North America a company called Allianz offers good cover – Telephone: +1 866 884 3556, www.allianztravelinsurance.com

If you choose to obtain your travel insurance through another company please ensure you read the small-print and make sure your policy includes Covid Cover and Medical Repatriation.

Tent: A good quality lightweight and compact waterproof free standing tent is recommended for this expedition. A removable fly-sheet will help you stay cool on hot dry nights. If you are travelling on your own you are restricted to a 1-2 man sized tent. If you are sharing a tent, you are restricted to a 2-3 man sized tent.

Sleeping bag: Any good quality 2/3 season sleeping bag will be fine but one with a ‘Mummy Hood’ is a good idea for the times that it will be cold. Please make sure that your sleeping bag has a ‘crush bag’ so it can be compacted down.

Sleeping bag liner: A Thermal Fleece or Silk Liner will bring your sleeping bag up a season when it’s cold and they are good to use on their own when it’s too hot for your sleeping bag.

Roll Mat: A compact inflatable Thermarest roll mat is recommended. A non-compact mat will not be permitted as they take up too much room.

Pillow: If you do wish to take a pillow (although most just bring a pillow case and stuff their fleece in it at night) then Thermarest do a good stuff pillow that compacts down small.

Backpack/sports bag/suitcase: We recommend you carry your luggage in a backpack but irrespective if you prefer a sports bag or a suitcase you are restricted to a maximum 100 liter volume.

Day bag: You are also permitted to bring a day bag with a maximum 40 liter volume that you can carry in the overhead luggage rack on the back of the truck with you.

Pacsafe: in order to keep your valuables safe we recommend a Pacsafe product. They make a range of anti-theft bags which vary in sizes and can accommodate your money, credit cards, passport, camera, laptop, etc. They can be attached to the overhead luggage rack on the back of the vehicle when travelling and/or to a fixed item in your hotel.

Headtorch: an invaluable investment! Check out the Petzl range of USB rechargeable headlamps.

Water purifier – quite a handy thing to have to purify contaminated water and avoid ‘Delhi Belly’. Check out the range of Lifestraw products.

Kindle: optional but great to keep all your travel guides and books in 1 place.

Ipad/Tablet: not a necessity but many places have WiFi available these days so having your own Ipad or Tablet will save you hanging around internet cafes.

Smart phone – not a necessity but very convenient for emailing, taking photos, mapping, and calling home using local sim cards.

Camera: completely up to you but most people bring one.

Toiletries: available everywhere but start with some toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, deodorant, soap and shampoo.

Towel: a microfiber travel towel is a good option as it dries quickly and packs down small.

First aid kit: only a basic one is recommended but should include plasters, antiseptic cream, bandage, pain relief tablets, scissors and safety pins.

Passport photos: You will need approximately 4 passport photos for the duration of the expedition.

Passport: please ensure you have 16 blank pages in your passport to accommodate all the visas required on this tour.

Yellow Fever vaccination certificate: an up to date certificate is sometimes required to enter certain countries.

Clothes & shoes:

1 pair of flip flops

1 pair of walking shoes, trainers or boots

4 pairs of socks

4 pairs of undies

4 bras

4 t-shirts and/or vest tops

2 pairs of zip-off trousers which can be worn long or short

1 swimming trunks/bikini

1 lightweight long sleeve top

1 decent fleece top or fleece jacket

1 beanie/woolly hat for the cold days

1 wet weather jacket

1 light-weight dress/skirt for the ladies

1 collared shirt for the blokes

A pair of thermal gloves

As our expeditions are not your average run of the mill overland tours we would like to go through every aspect of the trip with you to ensure that you are as informed and prepared as possible. At Madventure we believe in giving you the nitty-gritty details as well as the obvious highlights, as in our opinion these are just as important and we want to explain the expedition in as much detail as possible so you can be sure you are suited and prepared for one of our overland adventures. If after reading this, you decide that this expedition is not for you then, as long as it is within 14 days of your initial booking, you can cancel off the expedition and receive a full refund of your deposit. 

The following may sound a little negative at times, but it’s just so we are secure in the knowledge that we have provided you with as much information as possible, the good and the bad, to ensure everybody is completely aware exactly what type of trips we run for the benefit of you, us and your fellow expedition members as there is nothing worse than getting someone booking on the trip when it is not what they actually wanted or expected as our expeditions are too long and too full on. You need to know what you are in for and be able to handle it!

At times you will be exposed to all the elements, from extreme cold to intense humid heat and high altitude. And, for example, as wonderful as places like Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan are, they do not have a western infrastructure and their acceptable level of hygiene standards are very different to ours.

Mucking In: This is a full participation expedition so you need to be able to participate fully in all aspects of the trip including cooking, cleaning, truck security, carrying water, collecting firewood, digging your vehicle out of bogs and clearing and rebuilding roads – sometimes for several days at a time! (It’s not ‘planned’ to happen but if it does then it’s all hands on deck).

We get everyone to agree that you are medically fit and able and can physically participate fully in all aspects required. Don’t worry, you don’t need any prior experience or knowledge or to be a fitness freak, just to be happy to do your share and have a willingness to get stuck in when necessary.

When things go wrong: The only thing we can guarantee is that at some point things will not go according to plan! We have to follow the legislation of each individual country and they may all have different regulations and attitudes towards us. Generally everyone is always friendly and it’s usually obstacles such as breakdowns, bad roads and natural disasters that have a bearing on the expedition. Everything changes from trip to trip depending on what the current situation or problem is, so it’s not ‘if’ something goes wrong, it’s ‘when’.

Please be prepared to expect the unexpected and accept that things will go wrong from time to time. These instances are usually the stories that remain with everyone so enjoy the experience. An easy-going approach will help the situation immensely. Moaning about every little thing that doesn’t go our way will not!

Attitude & Group Living: A good, easy-going attitude will help you get through this trip and ensure you are liked by your fellow travelers as well as the locals. The one thing that is extremely detrimental to an expedition such as this is your common ‘moaner’. It has nothing to do with age, sex or nationality, it just matters that although they signed up for this ‘in theory’ they can’t cope ‘in practice’ and it’s always got to be someone’s fault. It sounds a bit harsh but by weeding out any moaners early on we can have a chat with them and ensure your expedition is as good as it can be. It’s hard enough at the best of times without in-house problems so by ensuring everyone is on the same page from the get go will start us off in good stead.

We have no age restrictions and if there is one thing we have come to realize, through experience, is that it’s the mental attitude that counts the most and a broader age range is better on a long trip as it stops the stereotyping – the more in the mix the better.

There will be parties and there will be quiet nights. There are no set rules and it always sorts itself out depending on the individual personalities of who’s on board.

Laziness and selfishness will also be spotted early on so we advise everyone to pull their weight. We can guarantee that at some stage during the expedition you will have to just fit in and go with the flow when it’s not what you personally wanted to do. When situations arise where we can’t please everybody we always aim to please the ‘majority of the group’ not the individual.

Please be aware that if any particular person is constantly causing the rest of the group (or the crew) grief due to their behavior they will be warned and then asked to leave the expedition if nothing improves and no refund will be given. This is obviously the most extreme situation but we will not let one or two lazy or selfish individuals spoil it for everybody else. Everybody knows the score from the start and this is for everyone’s benefit. Usually everybody who does our trips has a relaxed approach and everybody gets on very well and any unsuitable people do not last long and leave on their own accord. 

This is a once in a lifetime experience so let’s all enjoy it!

Drive times, routes and proposed itineraries: We are driving half way around the world in a restricted time frame, so yes, there are going to a lot of drive days and some of them will be long. This is where you have to be able to take pleasure in the scenery or a good book from time to time.

As a general rule on a drive day we leave in the morning around 7-8am (after breakfast) and pull up just before dusk in order to set up camp in the daylight, but this really depends on the distance between destinations.

Sometimes it will be a full day’s drive between destinations and you’ll have the following day free. On rare occasions it will be a 3-4 day long drive where you’ll leave early, stop late and bush camp in-between, then have a few free days at your destination. Sometimes it’s only a few hours between locations. Driving is a huge part of the trip so be prepared for a lot of it and expect the odd long drive into the night.

Please note: At times we may placed under military or police escort when travelling through troubled areas. If this occurs then we are at their mercy and they make the decisions with regard to driving hours and routes. We do not argue with those who are trusted to ensure our safety so please be aware that sometimes the pace will be much faster than we would personally choose and the route they pick will be the one we follow, regardless of our proposed itinerary.

Delays: We always strive to arrive at our destinations on time but if we experience any delays we will adjust our itinerary accordingly. If we experience any major delays our end date can be extended to suit our needs.

Our one real exception to the rule is our date to enter China. We will make this date regardless of what we have to miss to get there. The Chinese government is not flexible so we must enter on time as our permits take months to arrange and are not easily changed.

The proposed itinerary is just that, ‘proposed’, and can and will change at the crew’s discretion if need be.

Drugs: In a lot of the countries we travel through drugs such as marijuana and hashish are in abundance and readily available. Please be aware that they are still illegal and some countries hold the Death Penalty as punishment for being caught in possession. Obviously you are free to do whatever you want to do in your own free time but there is NEVER to be any illegal drugs onboard the expedition vehicle at any time.

If you are caught with any kind of illegal drugs on the expedition vehicle, regardless of the amount, you will be asked to leave the expedition immediately and no refund will be given. This is a very serious rule as any inconsideration can lead to the vehicle being impounded, the expedition cancelled and other innocent party’s arrested. We will not hesitate to remove someone if we have to so please respect your other expedition members.

Your Crew: You will normally have a crew of 1 experienced person who fills the role of being the driver/expedition leader. Sometimes our crew prefer to work with a partner so there may occasionally be 2 crew who share the roles of driver and expedition leader. On some expeditions we may also have a cameraman who is there to help market our tours and update our social media accounts.

Your crew member will drive and maintain the vehicle as well as sort out all the accommodation, permits, border crossings and generally ensure the smooth running of the expedition. Your crew member is not a tour guide and will not be giving you the history and facts of every country you travel through. Apart from the odd optional extra that needs to be organized in advance, we leave most of that stuff to you guys, this way ensuring you get to do what you want, at the price you are happy to pay.

You do the reading up on the places we are going to in advance and decide how you want to spend your time and what activities you want to do. Apart from some basic truck rules this is not a trip where we hold your hand, it’s an expedition and we expect that you will want to be as independent as possible when it comes to your free time.

Your crew will be hand-picked and trained by Madventure and will have experience of overland travel but they may or may not have done this expedition before. They will however have detailed notes from previous expeditions and backup from the office in UK.

Tipping:  Tipping the crew at the end of your expedition is always appreciated. As this is a long expedition, but also a budget one, we recommend you tip your driver/expedition leader a minimum of £1 per day if you are happy with their service. Thank you.