Trip planning tools
Trip-Planning Tools for Adventurers
| # | Tool | Description | URL | Cost | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | **Gaia GPS** | A powerful mapping and navigation tool for backcountry and overland travel, with topo, satellite, and land-ownership overlays, plus offline map support. | https://www.gaiagps.com/ | Free tier + **Premium** (~US$59.99/year) :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} | * Rich map layer options * Offline downloads * Route recording & GPX export * Cross-platform (mobile + web) * Strong community & frequent updates |
* High subscription cost * Many features can overwhelm new users * GPS + offline maps drain battery * Overkill for very casual planning * Some map layers limited in free tier |
| 2 | **onX Offroad** | A mapping app tailored for off-road / 4×4 / overland travel, with trail data, land-ownership overlays, offline maps, and turn-by-turn navigation. | https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/ | Premium: US$34.99/yr; Elite: US$99.99/yr | * Specialized off-road trail data * Unlimited offline maps on paid tier * Land-ownership boundaries (Elite) * Cell-coverage overlay * Turn-by-turn nav & CarPlay support |
* Elite is expensive * Free version is quite limited * Learning curve with many map layers * Must pre-download maps for offline use * Less robust international coverage (primarily U.S.) |
| 3 | **iOverlander** | A community-driven directory of overland-relevant POIs: campsites, water sources, mechanics, dumps, fuel, etc., with offline functionality and GPX/KML export. | https://ioverlander.com/ | Free + **Pro** (US$59.99/yr) + **Unlimited** (US$99.99/yr) :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} | * Very strong user-contributed data set * Offline maps and POIs with paid plan * Exportable data (GPX, KML, CSV) * Filters for specific resources (water, fuel, camp) * Great for real-world, on-the-ground planning |
* Free tier has limited offline downloads * UI/app stability issues reported * Subscription seems steep for a database * Offline map sets limited by “set” concept * Dependent on community contributions — not all places verified |
| 4 | **Roadtrippers** | A road-trip planner (web + mobile) to map routes, discover interesting POIs, estimate cost/time, and share itineraries. | https://roadtrippers.com/ | Free + **Premium** (approx US$29.99/yr) | * Excellent for discovering roadside attractions * Cost and fuel estimation * Collaboraive planning with friends * Offline navigation in Premium * Easy, intuitive map-based planning UI |
* Premium required for many features * POI database is U.S./Canada-centric * Not focused on remote off-road trail data * Offline maps can use a lot of storage * Limited for very technical overland routes |
| 5 | **Komoot** | Outdoor route planning for hiking, biking, and overland travel using OpenStreetMap data; supports offline maps and surface breakdown. | https://komoot.com/ | Free base + one-time map purchases (e.g., Single Region: £3.99, Region Bundle: £8.99, World Pack: £29.99) :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7} Plus also has **Komoot Premium** (annual pass) for advanced features. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8} |
* Multi-modal route planning * Offline map purchases * Route surface & elevation profiles * Turn-by-turn voice nav * Community “Highlights” for inspiration |
* Region-based pricing can add up * Less specialized for vehicle/off-road trails * Offline map size can be large * Must pre-download maps * POI data may not deeply reflect overlanding resources |
| 6 | **AllTrails** | Trail database and planning tool for hiking, running, mountain biking — very useful for side-trips alongside overland journeys. | https://www.alltrails.com/ | Free + **Plus** (US$35.99/yr) + **Peak** (US$79.99/yr) :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9} | * Massive trail database with reviews & photos * Offline maps (Plus and above) * GPX export * Route recording & tracking * Safety features (location sharing) |
* Offline maps behind paywall * Not built for vehicle navigation / overlanding * Map coverage may be thin in remote off-road areas * No land-ownership mapping * Subscription cost may not feel justified if used only for planning |
| 7 | **Overland Bound** | Community + mapping platform specifically for overlanders: GPX tracks, forums, offline layers, trail networks, and trip sharing. | https://www.overlandbound.com/ | Free account + **Premium** membership (check site for current price) :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10} | * Overlanding-specific community * Offline maps with premium * GPX import/export * Organize trips, meetups, events * Very relevant trail & dispersed camping data |
* Most good features require Premium * Data depends on community contributions * UI is less polished than consumer trip planners * Not ideal for non-overlanding (tourist) trips * Some duplication if using other GPS tools |
| 8 | **Wanderlog** | A collaborative trip planner (web + mobile) for building itineraries, importing reservations, managing checklists, and organizing overland trip logistics. | https://wanderlog.com/ | Free (core planning) :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11} | * Real-time collaborative planning * Import flight, hotel, reservation info * Checklists (packing, tasks) * Expense tracking and splitting * Offline capability in the app |
* Not focused on trail/off-road mapping * Offline map support limited compared to GPS-first apps * Route snapping may not follow remote tracks accurately * Requires manual POI pinning for detailed trip planning * Lacks land-ownership / trail-difficulty layers |
| 9 | **Mapy.com (formerly Mapy.cz)** | A global mapping portal/app (OSM-based) with detailed topo, road, and hiking maps; supports offline maps and rich POI data. | https://mapy.com/ | Free app; paid “unlimited offline maps” or advanced features (depends on region) :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12} | * Very detailed worldwide maps * Offline map support * POIs, Wikipedia integration * Multi-language support * Good for driving + hiking route planning |
* Offline map size can be large * Some advanced offline features may require payment * Not overland-trail specialized (just roads & tracks) * UI is map-centric, not trip itinerary-centric * Less overlanding-specific community content |
| 10 | **WilderTrips** | Road-trip / overland-style planner focused on adventure travel: supports multi-day itineraries, driving cost/time, global routing, and sharing. | https://wildertrips.com/ | Free plan + **Premium** plan (unlimited stops, cost/time calc, PDF export) :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13} | * Specifically built for road / overland trip planning :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14} * Supports up to 200 stops (Premium) :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15} * Calculate driving time, distance, and fuel cost :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16} * Global routing + works in any country :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17} * Easy sharing (PDF, GPX, web links) :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18} |
* Free tier is quite limited (max 10 stops) :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19} * No deep off-road trail database * Lacks detailed land-ownership overlays * Requires internet for planning (offline export only) * Less community-generated POI data than specialized overlanding apps |