Ready for your round-the-world adventure, or a long overland journey? Going on an ADV or dual sport bike, and hope to ride some kickass off-road trails? Sounds like you‘re in for an adventure of a lifetime. But how do you actually know where to find those trails?

Every continent and country has different rules for off-road riding: some, like in Western Europe, are incredibly strict and some, like in Peru, are non-existent. In some places, off road riding is an unadulterated bliss while in others, it can be tricky to navigate – or downright dangerous.

So here is how to find off road tracks abroad.

• Almighty Google

Gone are the days of paper maps and natural navigation: most of us, willingly or not, are relying on the technology more and more. And that‘s no bad thing. “Twelve, fifteen years ago, the best way to find out-of-the-way routes were to actually get to a place and talk to people. Only, people in rural outback areas rarely had up to date information on road conditions. There were Michelin maps and word of mouth, and not much else.

To this day, there are so many remote dirt tracks being used in many countries that it will take ages to explore them all. Places like Namibia or Guatemala have, on average, 80% dirt roads. When we started riding Namibia in 1994, we used contoured maps, road maps and local people’s knowledge for our trip.

Today we have all this incredible tech stuff to help find those out-of-the-way roads. Our current modus operandi is to use Google Maps and Google Earth to do preliminary research: using Google Street View, you can zoom in real close to see whether the road is paved or not and what the conditions are like.

Google alone isn’t enough though. We also use MAPS.ME as back up - they sometimes have tracks and roads mapped that do not show up on Google. MAPS.ME is supported by Open Source Maps which makes a big difference”, - said Michnus Olivier, a veteran South African adventure rider.

Use Google Maps to get a rough picture of the area or country you’re planning to ride through. Zoom in using the street view to see where the pavement ends, then double-check on Maps.Me for more precise planning.

• GPX Downloads

If you want to make your life easier, see if you can download pre-made GPX files straight to your GPS unit. As adventure riding is taking the world by storm, more and more riders record their routes – and upload them for everyone to share.

"I‘m starting to use the GPX file downloads more and more now, and try to record my own routes“, - Hannes Tiedens, a German adventure rider, explained.
Not all countries and regions around the world will have GPX files for off road tracks, but some of the largest track sharing websites can be a great resource.

Wikiloc is one of the more poplar GPX sharing websites. If you want more detailed route info, often accompanied by a short ride report, photos, and videos, be sure to check out ADV Tracks.

• Apps and Websites

In addition to Google, Maps.Me and GPX sharing, new apps and websites aimed at overland travelers are cropping up every year. “Dangerous Roads offers some great options to explore with detailed information. In Africa, we used Tracks Africa which covers the entire African continent with some of the best routes available”, - Michnus shared.

Another great resource for finding off-road tracks abroad is iOverlander, an app that has been invaluable in my own travels. iOverlander covers not just routes and route information but also waypoints for motorcycle and 4x4-friendly hotels with secure parking, campsites, mechanics, and other useful information for travelers including accurate, up-to date reviews. Tidbits like “broken bridge, reroute”, “nice hotel but no parking for bikes”, “great wild camping spot” can make a huge difference, especially when you’re riding off-road.

iOverlander can be used with your phone or GPS unit.

In North America, the Trans America Trail, Back Country Discovery Routes and the Trans Canada Trail can be great resources for off road riding. In Europe, where the rules concerning off road exploits are extremely rigid, the Trans Europe Trail is your best bet to find routes – and ride them legally.

• Local Knowledge

All the amazing technology aside, local knowledge is often still the best way to go when you’re looking for off-road tracks in a foreign country.

“What works great for me is talking to local people. As a solo rider, I am more approachable, and locals often strike up conversations with me along the way. I always use this opportunity to ask about off-road tracks nearby. I pay attention if they say my planned route is dodgy or difficult and take notes of key points like names of villages to look them up on my maps later and to plan the ride better. People hardly see any foreigners on those more remote tracks or backroads so usually, they get super excited to see a rider on an adventure bike and are always up for a talk and can give you some good advice”, - Hannes said.

Oftentimes, the notion of “off-road” can vary greatly from country to country. In the Bolivian Andes or Central Asia, almost every road count as “off-road”, so you need to be more specific and ask people whether the track is sand, gravel, or some infernal mixture of both. Be aware that off-road riding for sport, fun, or adventure may be an alien concept in some regions where poverty is more prevalent, and people may not understand why you want to drag a perfectly good motorcycle through mud if there is a well-paved road nearby. Using social media and online forums, see if you can connect with local adventure riders who will get your passion for routes off the beaten path.

“One of the best ways to find off-road tracks abroad is to hook up with local riders - they actually know their stuff! In Colombia, we met Andres, a local adventure riding addict with a wealth of information, tips and tracks. In Ecuador, we chanced upon a local motorcycle tour group in a remote area of the Amazon. Davo was kind enough to share some of the best routes in and around Ecuador with us”, - Michnus said.

ADV Rider and Horizons Unlimited are great platforms to connect with local riders in the countries you’re planning to ride. In addition to forums, you can always scan social media groups and accounts for contacts, or simply post a question about a specific country and see who has the best information.

What are your tips and tricks to find off-road tracks abroad? Let me know in the comments below!