From this years Hurricanes, with Haiti and Cuba badly damaged over the past few days. Hurricane Ike is due to sweep through the area and cause more devastation.

Travellers have been urged not to travel to Thailand after prime minister Samak Sundaravej declared a state of emergency in Bangkok amid pro- and anti-government protests that have left at least one person dead. The rest of the country is reported to be quiet, we have had no reports of this affecting any overlanding tour.

After days of high rains water from the Redlands Dam spilled into a side canyon which contained the Supai village causing extensive flooding. Although the majority have been accounted for, the search remains in effect for a number of missing people.
Flash flood warnings remained in place with more rain forecast.

Check out our overlanding discounts page, we have a list of late running discounts from various overlanding companies. A whole set of new brochures will be avialable from September so you may be able to take advantage now!

Over the past week there have been several attacks around Istanbul. on the 27 July, there were two bomb attacks in a residential neighbourhoods on the European side of Istanbul which resulted in several deaths and injuries. Whilst today a mortar shell attack on a military building injured three people.
Generally speaking these are not areas which tourist frequent and we have had no reports of any overland tour being affected.
Kumuka update on Turkey attacks.

Well it looks like Dragoman is diversifying into other areas as it will soon provide non-truck based small group adventures to places such as Thailand, Vietnam and Costa Rica. Scheduled for their new brochure out in September which will also include shorter Adventure trips between 2-3 weeks.

Many overland companies offer add on packages to the antarctic, but these too have been hit hard by fuel prices. Tucan have recently added US$600 due to their supplier Antarpply Expeditions adding a fuel surcharge. Read more

Dragoman and Wanderlust have joined forces to offer a 3 day camping ’safari’ in one of the Drago trucks in East Anglia UK from the 29th to the 31st August. Primarily designed as a taster for an overland tour it seams in principle a good idea if you are unsure of what overlanding offers (bear in mind you wont be travelling many hours in the truck). On the saturday the camp will relocate to the Maverick Festival for an added bonus.

Although the price seems a little steep for what is essentially a camping weekend at £255, or £205 for Wanderlust subscribers, you will be able to reclaim this amount against any Dragoman trip booked before the end of the year so the carrot has been provided.

The eight new natural sites added this year include:

Joggins Fossil Cliffs (Canada)
Mount Sanqingshan National Park (China)
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems (France)
Surtsey (Iceland)
Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan)
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Mexico)
Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona (Switzerland)
Socotra Archipelago (Yemen)

With the new additions, the World Heritage List now has 878 sites (679 cultural, 174 natural and 25 mixed) in 145 countries.

Mining strikes in the south have blocked roads and led to an increased police presence, in particular around the Moquegua Region. Reports of demonstrations by labor unions and nationalist firebrand Ollanta Humalas political party have made overland travel difficult recently however the situation should now have returned to normal.

If you are travelling on your own there has been an increased amount of attempted robberies on night buses, reports that Cruz del Sur seems to have been particularly affected, although no lines are immune.