But for those who are ready to leave the familiar behind,
88 days on the road could become a journey of a lifetime
“This expedition is not for everyone.”
Thomas Foo says it almost as a warning.
But there is a glimmer in the veteran adventurer’s eyes when he talks about his
next journey — Trans-Scandinavia 2, an 88-day, 25,441-kilometre overland
expedition from Kuala Lumpur to Lisbon, crossing 18 countries from April 18 to
July 14, 2027.
Perhaps it is because Thomas has just returned from what he describes as his
best expedition yet.
After more than four decades of crossing continents by road, he has now
completed 47 trans-continental expeditions.
And still, he is looking forward to the next one.
That may be the curious thing about exploration. The further you travel, the
more there seems to be left to discover.
When the journey becomes the destination
The latest Trans-Siberia expedition was a rugged 69-day journey through
Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China, Mongolia and Russia, ending at the legendary
Pacific port city of Vladivostok in late July.
It covered 18,951 kilometres.
There were 14 vehicles, 52 participants and 12 crew members, including a
mechanic, doctor, chef and mobile kitchen team.
There were also the inevitable challenges that come with travelling thousands
of kilometres across remote terrain.
Yet something unusual happened.
Almost everyone came back smiling.
“In every expedition that I have gone, there would always be one or two
people or couples who would have something to complain,” Thomas recalls.
“In the recent Trans-Siberia, everyone was walking around with a big smile.
“Of course, with this kind of lengthy expedition and having to go off-road, one
must expect some hiccups. But you could see that the participants really
enjoyed it.”
For Thomas, that is the point.
These are not conventional holidays where the journey is simply a means of
getting from one attraction to another.
“We don’t take them to tourist traps,” he says.
“We take them across many countries where they get to really taste, feel and
experience the people they meet, the landscapes, food and architecture.”
It is travel at a different pace — where a mountain road, a remote village, a
roadside meal or an unexpected encounter can become more memorable than
any landmark on a sightseeing itinerary.
“That’s why such expeditions are not for everyone,” Thomas says.
“But if you feel that it is time to have a big life review and to come back with
memories and friendships that last a lifetime, one must make time for such
journeys.”
Trans-Scandinavia 2: One expedition, Four journeys
For the growing community of travellers who understand that philosophy, the
next journey has already begun.
More than 150 people gathered at Ben’s Asia School of Business Campus in
Jalan Dato Onn, Kuala Lumpur, on September 12 for the official launch of
Trans-Scandinavia 2.
The route is ambitious.
From Kuala Lumpur, the expedition heads north through Southeast Asia and
China before entering Central Asia, crossing Russia and moving into
Scandinavia. From there, it continues through Western Europe before finally
reaching Lisbon.
For hop-in participants, the ground cost is US$34,800 per pax. For own vehicle
participants, the ground cost is US$30,450 per pax besides other costs for
shipping vehicle from Lisbon to Port Klang.
The 18 countries covered are Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Denmark,
Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain and Portugal.
But there is a practical problem with an adventure of this scale.
Not everyone can disappear from everyday life for 88 days.
So, the organisers have designed: One expedition. Four complete journeys.
Each sector lasts roughly three to four weeks and has its own character,
experiences and natural finishing point.
Travellers can therefore join a single sector — or remain for the entire 88-day
journey from Kuala Lumpur to Lisbon.
Sector 1 — The Grand Asian Crossing
April 18 – May 12 | 25 days / 24 nights |
The first sector is an introduction to the sheer scale and diversity of Asia.
The journey moves through China, from the tropical landscapes of Yunnan and
Sichuan to the Tibetan Plateau and onward to Xinjiang.
For first-time transcontinental adventurers, it offers an opportunity to
experience how dramatically landscapes, cultures, food and communities can
change without ever leaving the road.
Sector 2 — The Pamir & Silk Road Expedition
May 10 – June 4 | 26 days / 25 nights |
This is the high-altitude chapter.
The route enters Central Asia, taking in the legendary Pamir Highway and
remote mountain communities before continuing through historic Silk Road
cities such as Samarkand and Bukhara.
The long road eventually leads towards Moscow and the vastness of Russia.
For serious overlanders, this is where the journey takes on a distinctly
expeditionary character.
Sector 3 — The Arctic & Midnight Sun Journey
June 2 – June 24 | 23 days / 22 nights |
The landscape changes again.
Russia gives way to the northern reaches of Europe, with the journey heading
towards Norway, Nordkapp and the Lofoten Islands.
Travellers encounter Finnish Lapland, Baltic capitals and Norway's dramatic
fjord country — while experiencing one of the north's most extraordinary
natural phenomena: the midnight sun, when daylight stretches deep into the
night.
Sector 4 — The European Grand Finale
June 22 – July 14 | 23 days / 22 nights |
The final sector brings the expedition into Western Europe.
From Norway, the route continues through Denmark, Germany and
Switzerland before crossing into France, Spain and finally Portugal.
Norwegian fjords, the North Sea coast, the Alps, southern France, Green Spain
and Portugal's Atlantic cities provide a remarkable final chapter before the
expedition reaches Lisbon.
The people between the places
Yet the real measure of an expedition may have little to do with the number of
countries crossed.
Dr Wong Pak Seng knows this well.
The gynaecologist, who specialises in IVF, has served as team doctor on four
Overland Explorer expeditions — the whole 2023 Trans-Euro Asia, two sectors
of the 2024 Trans-Africa, the whole 2025 Trans-South America and three
sectors of the 2026 Trans-Siberia.
Dr Wong says the journeys have broadened his perspective on life.
More importantly, they have shown him how quickly strangers can become a
community.
“The people who came for such expeditions came from all walks of life,” Dr
Wong says.
“So, you have to deal with them in different ways.”
Living and travelling together for weeks, sometimes under demanding
circumstances, inevitably reveals differences in personality, expectations and
temperament.
But somewhere along the road, those differences can become less important.
“At the end of the expedition, you feel really happy to see the brotherhood
that had been forged among all of them,” he says.
“It’s something to be experienced.”
And perhaps that is what Thomas means when he says the expedition is not for
everyone.
It is not simply about driving across 18 countries.
It is about stepping away from the comfortable rhythm of ordinary life and
allowing the road to change the way you see places — and perhaps yourself.
Because sometimes, the journey that takes you furthest from home is the one
that brings you closest to yourself.
For more information
Overland Explorer Centre
242-C Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Enquiries: Thomas Foo 019-329 8883 | Jecy Liong 012-970 8707 | Dennis Sea
012-635 2705 | Ames Tan 019-623 0442 |
Website: https://www.overlandexplorer.net/about-us
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