Expedition Overland

Only 8 months from their return from the Nordic series the XOVERLAND trucks are stuck in port in South Africa. The team must work through the critical delays of the expedition. In addition, the entire Croft family is on the full, two-month expedition. The seasoned 9 member team is the biggest and best yet, and that's exactly what's needed to get through this incredible 10 part journey. The Crofts (Clay, Rachelle, Cyrus -17, Ryder -15, and Eli -13) join Dr. Jon, Richard Giordano, Ashley Giordano (Desk to Glory), and Peter Jr. VanStralen (Epic Family Road Trip) on the ground. Local South African Christoff Eilard (Get Out Go), takes the XO team in and shows them the ropes. The three vehicles, Orion the 22' Toyota Tundra, Simba the 23' Toyota Sequoia, and Raven the 20' Toyota Tacoma are on the ground, stuck in port jail.

With the trucks released, the convoy is rolling in Botswana. The environment and pace are an obvious challenge compared to other continents, and the team is dealing with the chaos of a hectic departure. The terrain is insane and the dangers of the African wild become clear. It's evident that Africa sets the pace, not the team. They just don't know it yet.

Time is running out for Dr. Jon in Botswana. The team makes every effort to maximize his time left before his departure back to the ER in the States. Reality sets in on the dangers of the Okavango Delta, making going to the bathroom an adventure. Namibia looms ahead and the expedition picks up a new guest. So far the Tacoma, Sequoia, and the Tundra are holding together better than the team’s schedule.

Namibia exposes the overland vehicle build weaknesses and stalls the team's progress, but the biggest problem is not mechanical. A new approach to Africa is critical but the team must decide to concede to the environment vs trying to control it. The mechanical problems are teaching the team new things every day. The Tundra, Sequoia, and the Tacoma all have separate issues to address, but the show must go on. After all, the obstacle is the way and someone is about to celebrate a very important birthday. With XO embarking on their longest, remote, section they have ever attempted, travel, logistics and fuel become everything and the smallest details must be calculated.

No fuel, no food, no help. The team has begun one of Namibia’s longest and most remote offroad routes. 800 km of 4x4, unsupported, rocky wilderness in the far north. Problem-solving is the name of the game, 1 km at a time, and the team must work together to make it out.

Van Zyl’s Pass in Namibia! A mistake here has major consequences. It’s time to descend. This is the team's most remote, off-road 4x4 route of the trip, located in the vast, untouched wilderness of Namibia. Dr. Jon is unexpectedly called for a medical issue, and the roads of Namibia strike again.

The team camps near the Skeleton Coast and continues their offroad journey to Windhoek, Namibia. An ongoing tire issue is rearing its head, and the punishing roads are taking their toll on the trucks, and the team. Fuel, food, and water are quickly depleting. The search continues in the vast Namibian wilderness for the Lone Men of the Kaokoland, and the team bids farewell to their new friend.

The team welcomes a guest from the past who wastes no time in diving into the long list of vehicle maintenance after the 842 km off-road journey. Traveling and overlanding through Namibia hits a new stride and the journey continues to surprise the team as they are welcomed into a special event by the locals.

The team fulfills a dream while on the expedition, a day of driving in the dunes of the Skeleton Coast. Due to the fast moving tides of Sandwich Harbor, the team must make a quick exit to avoid being trapped in the dunes. Where to next?

Our trip through Southern Africa has been a trip of a lifetime, and it’s not over yet. We have over 1,000km to go before the end of the expedition, most of it on dirt. The team begins their push through South Africa to explore local 4x4 trails and campsites. A local ECO Trail system is calling our name, but can the trucks and team make it through this remote part of the country? This is just the beginning of our time in Africa.