Field dispatches from 41 countries and counting Currently packing for: Somewhere new
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Every route we have mapped

All Destinations

Sixteen routes across five continents, each one a full field guide - costs, seasons, transit notes, and the mistakes we made so you do not have to.

16
Full routes below
41
Countries logged total
6
Continents, 1 to go
18K
Readers on the route
How we pick a route

Every trip on this page
has been walked once

We don't publish a destination until we've done the route ourselves, start to finish, with a real budget and a real bag. That's why some obvious places aren't here yet - we'd rather say nothing than guess.

Below, routes are grouped by continent. Each one links out to a full field guide with day-by-day costs, transit notes, and what we'd skip next time.

Planning a route with a map and notebook
Europe
PT · ATLANTIC COAST
Western Europe

Portugal, Slowly

Tiled stairwells, cliffside trains, and the cheapest good wine in Europe.

14 daysRead the guide
IS · RING ROAD
Nordics

Iceland's Ring Road

A full loop on a budget campervan - glaciers, waterfalls, and the lights.

8 daysRead the guide
HR · DALMATIA
Adriatic Coast

Croatia's Island Hop

Ferry-hopping the Dalmatian coast without the cruise-ship crowds.

10 daysRead the guide
GE · CAUCASUS
Caucasus

Georgia, Off the Map

Tbilisi's old town, Kazbegi's peaks, and wine country most people skip.

9 daysRead the guide
CH · ALPS
Central Europe

Switzerland by Scenic Rail

Glacier Express views without the glacier-sized budget, if you time it right.

7 daysRead the guide
Asia
JP · HONSHU
East Asia

Japan by Rail Pass

A no-waste JR Pass itinerary from Tokyo to the Seto coastline.

12 daysRead the guide
VN · NORTH TO SOUTH
Southeast Asia

Vietnam, Coast to Coast

Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the Reunification Express sleeper train.

16 daysRead the guide
TH · ANDAMAN
Southeast Asia

Thailand, Two Coasts

Bangkok street food to the Andaman islands, minus the party-hostel circuit.

11 daysRead the guide
LK · HILL COUNTRY
South Asia

Sri Lanka's Hill Country

The Kandy-Ella train, tea plantations, and a coastline most flights skip.

9 daysRead the guide
NP · HIMALAYA
South Asia

Nepal, On Foot

Kathmandu's alleys to a teahouse trek, with an altitude plan that works.

13 daysRead the guide
Americas
PE · ANDES
South America

Peru Above the Clouds

An altitude-smart route through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu.

10 daysRead the guide
CO · CARIBBEAN
South America

Colombia, Coast to Capital

Cartagena's old walls to Bogota's altitude, and where to slow down.

12 daysRead the guide
MX · OAXACA
North America

Mexico's Colonial Circuit

Oaxaca's markets to Mexico City's museums, skipping the resort strip.

11 daysRead the guide
Africa & Middle East
MA · SAHARA
North Africa

Morocco, Off the Riad

From the Marrakech medina to a real desert camp, off the tourist trail.

9 daysRead the guide
JO · WADI RUM
Middle East

Jordan's Desert Highway

Petra at sunrise, Wadi Rum by night, and the Dead Sea in between.

7 daysRead the guide
EG · NILE VALLEY
North Africa

Egypt Down the Nile

Cairo's chaos to a slow Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan's temples.

10 daysRead the guide
Timing it right

Best Time to Go,
Three Ways

Weather windows we plan around for three of the routes above.

Spring Pick

Japan, Timed for Bloom

Late March to early April, before the cherry blossom crowds peak - book trains earlier than you think you need to.

Summer Pick

Iceland's Midnight Sun

June through August gives 20+ hours of daylight for the Ring Road - pack for four seasons in one afternoon.

Winter Pick

Morocco's Desert Nights

November to February trades brutal Sahara heat for cold, star-heavy nights at camp - worth the trade.

The cheat sheet

All 16 Routes,
One Table

Every destination above, side by side, so you can compare before clicking through.

DestinationRegionDurationBest SeasonBudget
Portugal, SlowlyWestern Europe14 daysApr - Jun$$
Iceland's Ring RoadNordics8 daysJun - Aug$$$
Croatia's Island HopAdriatic Coast10 daysMay, Sep$$
Georgia, Off the MapCaucasus9 daysMay - Sep$
Switzerland by Scenic RailCentral Europe7 daysJun - Sep$$$
Japan by Rail PassEast Asia12 daysMar, Oct$$$
Vietnam, Coast to CoastSoutheast Asia16 daysFeb - Apr$
Thailand, Two CoastsSoutheast Asia11 daysNov - Feb$
Sri Lanka's Hill CountrySouth Asia9 daysDec - Mar$
Nepal, On FootSouth Asia13 daysOct - Nov$
Peru Above the CloudsSouth America10 daysMay - Sep$$
Colombia, Coast to CapitalSouth America12 daysDec - Mar$
Mexico's Colonial CircuitNorth America11 daysOct - Apr$
Morocco, Off the RiadNorth Africa9 daysMar, Oct$$
Jordan's Desert HighwayMiddle East7 daysMar, Oct$$
Egypt Down the NileNorth Africa10 daysOct - Apr$$
From the road

What readers say
after they book

★★★★★

"Used the Peru guide almost verbatim - the altitude notes alone saved our trip."

- Priya, first-time solo traveler
★★★★★

"Booked the Iceland campervan route exactly as written. Every stop was worth it."

- Elena, family of four
★★★★★

"The Jordan route timing saved us from doing Wadi Rum in the worst heat of the year."

- Marcus, remote worker on the road
Before you ask

Destination FAQ

How do you decide which destinations to publish?

We only publish a route after walking it ourselves, start to finish, with a real budget and a real bag.

Are these guides good for solo travelers?

Yes - most were originally written and tested solo. Family-friendly notes are called out where relevant.

How often is the destination list updated?

A handful of new routes are added most years, usually alongside a dedicated field guide for that place.

Do you cover destinations outside these five continents?

Not yet. Australia and most of Central Africa aren't covered - we'd rather leave a place out than guess at it.

Can I suggest a destination?

Yes, through the contact page. We keep a running list of reader requests and work through it seasonally.

Are the routes fixed itineraries or flexible?

Flexible skeletons - swap stops in and out as you like, the budget and timing notes still mostly hold.

Wish you were here

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