Each trip will take 20 passengers from Delhi to London in the comfort of a luxury coach. The long-distance bus route was inspired by the Hippie Trail buses that traveled around the world in the 1950s and 1960s, Adventures Overland co-founders Sanjay Madan and Tushar Agarwal said.
The bus will travel through 18 countries, including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France over 70 days. Passengers can get off the bus to admire ancient pagodas in Myanmar, visit pandas in Chengdu, hike the Great Wall of China, drive along the Caspian Sea route and wander through historic cities such as Moscow, Vilnius, Prague, Brussels and Frankfurt.
Adventures Overland buses are fully equipped with luxury amenities.
Tushar Agarwal said the idea was inspired by his solo drive from London to Delhi in 2010.
Since its inception, the company has organized three caravan trips from Delhi to London, with people travelling in groups but in their own vehicles. “There are a lot of people who want to experience these cross-country journeys but don’t want to drive. So we came up with the idea of putting everyone on a comfortable, long-distance bus. That’s how the Delhi to London route was born.”
The ideal time to make the trip is between April and June, Agarwal said, because that is when the weather is favorable to start the journey from India through Myanmar, crossing the high mountains of China and Kyrgyzstan.
The bus route will travel more than 20,000 km through 18 countries in 70 days.
The trip isn’t cheap either – around $20,000 – but passengers can choose to take just one part of the journey, which is divided into four legs: 12 days in Southeast Asia, 16 days in China, 22 days in Central Asia, and 16 days in Europe. Alternatively, you can choose to start the journey in India or the UK. At the end of the journey, passengers return home by air, and the bus continues to serve the next group of passengers.
Tourists who can join this "tour" include children from 5 years old to adults 75 years old.
Agarwal said the trip was tried and tested and safe, adding that as the group crossed each country’s borders, local guides would be assigned to help with logistics.
This long-distance bus route was inspired by the Hippie Trail buses that traveled around the world in the 1950s and 1960s.
Since announcing the idea, Agarwal and the team have received a flood of messages from travelers from all over the world – around 40,000 people have registered their interest in the trip so far.
Agarwal advises anyone who has ever dreamed of a “hippie” trip to take this “tour” and bring an open mind and heart. “It’s a life-changing journey – one you will remember and cherish forever.”
