How to plan and visualize your RTW Route

4x4tripping

Adventurer
As i plan my Transafrica Trip I spent hours in Google Maps for planning the rough route. Spent hours for adding things to see to Excel. Spent hours to discuss some details of the route in webcommunites.
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Today I want to show you an alternative to google maps, how you can save a lot of time, how you can use one Tool for the most named above.
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This tool is not for navigation itself, it is for planning your journey. But for shure you can download a kml file too for your navigation unit.
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worldtrip_planning_adding_waypoints-workflow.JPG

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How you can create a route with unlimited waypoints, how you can add private and public notes to any waypoint. And how you can get help and suggestions through the included comment-function. How you can visualize your trip.
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For shure this is handy too for shorter trips :)
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Article and tutorial in english language:
4x4tripping: Make your worldtrip route planning easy
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Article in german language:
4x4tripping: Die Weltreise-Routenplanung einfach gemacht
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And here a sample trip I did use in my tutorial:
Sample-Route on Tripline
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With tripline I would have saved many hours for my transafrica, if I had know that tool before. This have nothing to do with overplanning - if you try to write down some points who are worth to visit for each country.
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This way you can decide if you want to view them during your journey, because you know where this points are.
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With the iOS App or as offline Webpage you can carry your route and resarched waypoints with you, for using it offline during your journey. More than just an alternative for Google Maps and Google Earth, if you ask me. Specially that you can work online with others on the route, discuss each waypoints seperatly - is a very good solution :coffee: A smart workflow for any route planning.
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4x4tripping
 
Last edited:

robgendreau

Explorer
Thanks for sharing; pretty cool.

If you like that, there's a Mac OS application called Road Trip Planner that has some similar features. It works especially well with the Ultimate Public Campground Project application and/or iOS app, at least in the US. It's got a built-in database of virtually every campground in the US, and even many dispersed camping areas. It uses Apple Maps, which is kind of limiting in some ways, but still super helpful.
 

DiploStrat

Expedition Leader
Cool Application

But, if you will permit an observation, born out of decades in Africa, none of this planning matters one whit when you reach Africa. I wouldn't waste too much energy on it. Roads that are on maps aren't there, are impassible, have bandits, etc. Routes that you have never heard of are dead easy.

As the old Michelin map says, "En Afrique, les distances ne peut avoir q'un valeur relative." (In Africa, distances are only relative.)

The best source of information will be other travelers and truck/bus/taxi drivers. You will find your route changing every week.

That said, you are going to have a wonderful journey!
 

R Thomas

Observer
Thank you for the post. We are using it as an additional aid for our Great Divide Mountain Bike Route planning. We plan to closely follow the route in our vehicles.
 

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