On the Road
AROUND THE WORLD BY CAR
Over landing is usually the cheapest way to travel. And anything can happen... and usually does!
Road travel has a seductive appeal: get on the road and you can go anywhere. Travel by road is surely the best way to feel free! And with offline maps on a phone, it's much easier to find your way on foreign roads than it was when this page was first written.
In case it's your first time driving on the other side of the road, don't get overconfident: don't do it alone, don't do it at night, don't start in a city.
If you stay for long in the same country (like crossing Australia for 2 months), it can be a solution to buy a car or a van, and sell it at the end of your journey.
The papers you need
An international driving permit translates your licence, and many countries ask for one. There are three kinds, from the 1926, 1949 and 1968 road traffic conventions, and the one you need depends on the country. Crossing several countries can mean carrying more than one. In the US, the AAA issues them for $20 plus a photo fee. In the UK you get one in person at shops with PayPoint, for £5.50.
Taking your own vehicle across borders is a bigger job. Many countries want a Carnet de Passages en Douane, a customs document that lets you bring a vehicle in temporarily without leaving a cash deposit at each border. It is a guarantee that you'll pay the import duties if the car doesn't leave again, so you have to back it with a bond or insurance. The FIA runs the system through national motoring clubs. Egypt, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Japan, Australia and New Zealand are among the countries that require one.
The classic overland routes in 2026
In 2010 this page suggested six classic routes. Three still work as they always did:
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Los Angeles to New York
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London to Palermo
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Darwin to Sydney
The other three are closed to most travellers for now. Istanbul to Kathmandu runs through Iran, Cairo to Cape Town usually runs through Sudan, and Istanbul to Cairo by road means crossing Syria. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran, Sudan and Syria. Check your own government's advice before planning any of them.
If you'd rather someone else did the driving, see bicycles, buses and hitchhiking or travelling around the world by train.
Tags: Around the World by Car, rtw by car, travel by car, travel on the road
Planning a round-the-world trip? AirTreks has built multi-stop itineraries since 1987. See sample routes or ask a specialist.