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Char Is Far

Overlanding & 4×4 Travel

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    • Europe
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  • Croatia sunset Dubrovnik
    Austria,  Croatia,  Destinations,  Europe,  Expedition Overland,  Germany,  Slovenia,  The Netherlands

    Overland Journal Day 1-10: Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia & Croatia

    April 5, 2024 / 2 Comments

    Ten days ago we departed from our rainy hometown, Utrecht in the Netherlands. So far we have driven 2243 kilometers. Via the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Slovenia we currently find ourselves in Croatia. And most importantly: we also found the sun here! What did we see and do during the trip until now? Read all about our first ten days here. Overlanding Germany: Autobahn and Neuschwanstein Castle On…

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  • Toyota 4Runner overland
    Austria,  Destinations,  Europe,  Expedition Overland,  Germany,  Slovenia,  The Netherlands

    The Start Of Our Overland Adventure

    March 28, 2024 / 6 Comments

    We finally hit the road: we’re 4 days, 1400 kilometers and 4 countries in. We crossed The Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. In this blog you read more about the highs and lows and the life lessons we learned so far. Ultimate freedom We were so busy preparing for the trip the last few weeks that we didn’t really have time to think about what we were going…

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  • Destinations,  Europe,  The Netherlands

    Top 10 Things To See And Do In Utrecht During Summer

    June 17, 2020 / 2 Comments

    Utrecht, my hometown, is a great place to visit in The Netherlands. In this blog I share with you my top 10 things to see and do in Utrecht during summer. Climb the Dom tower The most iconic symbol of Utrecht is the historic Dom tower. It’s almost 113 meters in height and the tallest church tower in The Netherlands. Climb the 465 steps to enjoy marvelous views…

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Char Is Far

We’re Charelle and Marcel, living for off-road adventures and sharing the freedom that comes with it. Char Is Far is your invitation to break free, chase dreams, and explore the unknown. In 2024 we drove from The Netherlands to Singapore in our 4x4 with rooftop tent, and the road ahead is calling again. Ready to leave your comfort zone and see what's out there?

Travel with us



Popular posts

Overland Itinerary: Driving From The Netherlands to Singapore

The Ultimate Guide On Riding The Ha Giang Loop In Vietnam (4 Days)

Overland Journal Day 26-40: Türkiye

Kyrgyzstan Travel: Everything You Need To Know

Kyrgyzstan 2-Week Itinerary: Epic Self Drive With 4×4 and Rooftop Tent

The Start Of Our Overland Adventure

Overland Journal Day 41-52: Iran

Overland Journal Day 72-81: Tajikistan (Panjakent and Dushanbe)

Overland Journal Day 53-56: Turkmenistan

Overland Journal Day 117: Border Crossing Into China

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Charelle Kooy | Overlanding & 4x4 Travel

char.is.far

Follow us on Instagram for real-time updates of the expedition

After 423 days we parked our car in front of our h After 423 days we parked our car in front of our house in The Netherlands again! 🥹 Back where it all started.

It's been the BEST time of our lives, driving 50.000 kilometers around the world. Overlanding from The Netherlands to Singapore, to the UAE and ending our trip in South Africa. 13 months crossing 25 countries. UNREAL!!!

We will work on the car to get her fixed. If you haven't been following, our car got contaminated during shipment and is not safe to drive for longer periods of time at the moment. We already found a lab in The Netherlands that will run some tests on the car, so let's go! Will keep you guys up to date 🚀

Onto the next one 🫡

Got any questions about our overland expedition? Let us know in the comments 👇 we're happy to help!

#wereldreis #triparoundtheworld #overlandjournal #overlandinglife #overlanders #dutchvanlife #vanlifenl #overlandtravel #roadtripadventures
Take a walk on the wild side 🌊 That’s exactl Take a walk on the wild side 🌊

That’s exactly what we’re doing here @ South Africa’s Wild Coast 🇿🇦

Endless green hills roll into the ocean. Cows roam the beaches (which we found very surprising, I mean have you ever seen cows chilling on the beach?!). Huge waves crash into the cliffs. Xhosa villages dot the hills and the kids wave as you walk by.

Add in a multi-day power outage, a raging storm, nights lit only by headlamp and a cabin filled with massive rain spiders.. We got a bit of adventure. 🕷️ Especially Charelle is not a big fan of spiders, but luckily Marcel stayed up all night to clear the room 😂

It’s the kind of place where nature rules and you learn to roll with it. And the hiking here is absolutely next level. Trails wind along dramatic coastlines and wild ocean views. 

Luckily on our last day here we got a bit of sunshine (photo 5) ☀️

Would you go here? What's the wildest place you've ever been?

#southafrica🇿🇦 #visitsouthafrica #southafricatravel #travelsouthafrica #wildcoast #meetsouthafrica
Sehlabathebe National Park, deep in the mountains Sehlabathebe National Park, deep in the mountains of Lesotho. What. A. Spot. 🫶

We arrived here the morning after tackling the wildest road of our entire 50.000+ km overland trip. Absolute mud-fest. Still drying our socks.

We had no idea what to expect, but this park blew us away. It’s stunning. Empty. Peaceful. Not a soul in sight. We hiked to ancient bushman paintings, cruised the off-road trails, and had lunch surrounded by nothing but mountain silence. Unreal. 🔥

Fun fact: the Chinese recently tarred the road in, so it’s way easier to get here now. No excuses. Add this to your Lesotho list!

Ever gotten your rig this muddy? Tell us where it happened! 👇

#dirtroads #4x4adventure #lesotho🇱🇸 #lesotho #visitlesotho #overlandlife #overlandtravel #overlandbound #4x4ing #toyota4x4
This is Lesotho 🇱🇸 country no. 25 and the la This is Lesotho 🇱🇸 country no. 25 and the last one of our overland expedition.

One of the most beautiful, raw, and unforgettable places we’ve ever set foot in. No doubt, top 3 of the countries we've ever visited in our entire lives 🔥

A remote mountain kingdom, where life still follows the rhythm of tradition. Where small villages cling to the hillsides. Where people wave as you pass, wrapped in thick, colorful blankets against the cold wind or sun ☀️

The landscapes here are something else. Vast, rugged, endless. It reminded us of our favorite country in the world: Kyrgyzstan 🫶

We saw the impressive 192-meter Maletsunyane Falls and explored the Sehlabathebe National Park, where we were the only visitors of the day.

And you know what's strange? It's super easy to get to and most of the roads are impeccable (thanks to the Chinese). No excuse not to go here, really! But there are hardly any tourists to be found.

Luckily there are plenty of epic off-road trails too. We even encountered the most difficult track of the entire expedition, battling thick mud, heavy rain and sheer cliffs to reach a remote mountain lodge.

But man... every struggle was worth it.

Would you go here? Tag your travel buddy you'd want to go with 🤗

#lesotho #lesotho🇱🇸 #overlandtravel #africaoverland #overlandafrica #visitsouthafrica #overlandbound #visitlesotho #roadtripadventures
📍 Made it to the Roof of Africa, the legendary 📍 Made it to the Roof of Africa, the legendary Sani Pass from South Africa into Lesotho

This mountain pass is basically the reason we booked our South Africa trip, no joke 😂

This iconic 4x4 trail winds its way up from SA into the mountain kingdom of Lesotho. It's the highest pass in South Africa at 2876 meters in altitude, and aptly nicknamed "the roof of Africa".

You clear South African immigration before the climb, but the Lesotho border post is right at the summit. And at the top you'll also find the highest pub in Africa 🍻 

You'll definitely want to add this to your SA trip 🫡

#sanipass #4x4southafrica #southafricatravel #lesotho #overlandbound #overlandtravel #africaoverland #overlanding4x4 #meetsouthafrica
Wow. Seeing these animals up close is unreal. 🦁 Wow. Seeing these animals up close is unreal. 🦁

We’ve spent a week in Kruger National Park, driving from north (Punda Maria) to south (Pretorius).

Everyone told us we wouldn’t see much in the north, but they were so wrong. Endless gravel roads with no one around for hours. Just us and the wildlife.

Highly recommend venturing north in Kruger! It's totally worth it and way less crowded.

We also slept in fenced camps within Kruger every night, such an epic experience. You can enter the park at 5:30 AM and need to be back in a camp by 6 PM. So early mornings, early evenings it is 🌅

What's the most unforgettable safari experience you've had? 🌍

#southafricatravel #krugernationalpark #kruger #krugersafari #safariafrica #africaoverland
1 year on the road, and what a ride it has been! 🚙

We drove our own car from The Netherlands to Singapore in 8 months, unexpectedly lived in Dubai for 3 months trying to solve the contamination of our car, and are wrapping up our journey with an epic overland adventure in Africa now.

🗺️ 25 countries
🛣️ 50.000 kilometers
🛞 0 flat tires (still can’t believe that one, thanks @bfgoodrichtires) 
👮‍♀️ 1 fine in Dubai

But above all, we lived so many experiences, it feels like five years packed into one. Our top 3:

🇹🇯 1. Driving the Pamir Highway (Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan): A legendary high-altitude road through desolate landscapes and mind-blowing mountain scenery. We took every detour possible, including Bartang and Wakhan Valley. Wild, remote, and unforgettable.

🇨🇳 2. Crossing China in a convoy: 7000 km in 27 days, endless surprises, and the best food. One moment we’re driving through nothingness, the next we stumble upon 80.000 people riding camels up a sand dune, ending the day with a sunset concert and a drone show. China is completely mad… in the best way possible.

🇮🇷 3. Experiencing Iranian hospitality: There's nothing like it. Imagine walking through your hometown, seeing two foreign travelers, inviting them for dinner, preparing a feast and insisting they stay the night. Without accepting anything in return. "You are our guest." Pure kindness, no strings attached.

It’s impossible to sum up a year like this in just three moments, but we tried. ♥️

So tell us, what’s one of your most special travel memories? 👇

#wereldreis #overlandinglife #overlanders #pamirhighway #traveliran #visitchina #triparoundtheworld #vanlifenl #dutchvanlife
Yessssss!!! Finally on the road again! 🥹 That Yessssss!!! Finally on the road again! 🥹

That feeling of ultimate freedom? We missed it more than words can say. Soaking up every moment as we dive into the last leg of this expedition.

First glimpses of South Africa: from Johannesburg to driving the Panorama Route. Nature here is next level! 🌿✨

Swipe for a photodump of our first few days!

1️⃣ Driving the gravel roads around the Panorama Route
2️⃣ Bicycle tour in Soweto, Joburg (really recommend)
3️⃣ Finally got our rental car, so happy 😍
4️⃣ Lone Creek Falls (70 meters)
5️⃣ Bourke's Luck Potholes
6️⃣ First time camping again, how we missed this!
7️⃣ Falls at Bourke's Luck Potholes
8️⃣ Blyde River Canyon, one of the largest and greenest canyons on earth 🌍
9️⃣ Our first braai
1️⃣0️⃣ Zebra in our garden 🦓
1️⃣1️⃣ Boat safari at the Blyde River Dam
1️⃣2️⃣ Hippos 🦛
1️⃣3️⃣ And crocs 🐊 wouldn't go for a swim here

#overlandbound #africaoverland #southafricatravel #overlanders #panoramaroute #blyderivercanyon #visitsouthafrica #overlandafrica #overlandtravel
Hello, South Africa! 🇿🇦 After shipping our Hello, South Africa! 🇿🇦

After shipping our car from Abu Dhabi back home, we booked a flight to South Africa the very next day. Zero plans, just pure adventure.

We picked up a 4x4 with a rooftop tent and hit the gravel roads, with over a month to explore this epic country before our car arrives in The Netherlands.

The final stop of our expedition… for now. Never in a million years did we think we’d wrap things up in Africa, but here we are! 😂

Let’s gooo! 🔥

#southafricatravel #blyderivercanyon #wereldreis #overlandbound #overlandtravel #overlandafrica #discoversouthafrica  #visitsouthafrica
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