Lifesaver Jerrycan or Bottle

We start with a brand that we absolutely love: Lifesaver. Lifesaver makes and sells water purification systems, small and large, for everyone needing clean and safe water. Have you ever traveled to a place with bad-tasting water, or only unclean water sources? As overlanders that happens all the time, especially when you travel through remote regions in Africa. But also as an avid outdoorsman, you will not be able to carry 5 liters of water on your back, and so you might have to rely on streams or lakes in nature. In all those cases, Lifesaver has a solution. For car-based travel, Lifesaver’s jerrycan is the perfect outcome. An 18-liter jerrycan is enough for two people for a full day including cooking, washing, etc. You’ll stretch it to two days in colder environments. Their Liberty and Bottle (both handheld bottles) are great for any traveler. Additionally, we have been using the Wayfarer on backpacking trips in nature. The great thing about these devices is that these cartridges are renewable, which means you can use them endlessly!

Rover & Soul 2025 Calendar

Besides everyone’s ‘best intentions’ for the year, it’s important to stay motivated throughout the year! And if you’re thinking of overlanding in North America, we have the perfect gift for you: Rover & Soul’s 2025 calendar! Tim and Bianca from Rover & Soul have been traveling the US and Canada for nearly two years and have visited the most epic places. Twelve of their most beautiful images (we can imagine choosing these was the hardest thing ever!) have made it to their 2025 calendar. Twelve months, filled with adventure. With this calendar, you’ll stay motivated throughout the year to also chase wild, pristine, and remote places and if you ask us, it’s also the perfect gift for under the tree!

Handheld vacuum cleaner

This is not a sexy gift, but if you ask us, it will definitely make the receiver happy! I (Manon) can’t recount when I took our vacuum cleaner through the bed, the car, over the seat, or Nimba’s bench. There is just so much sand, dust, and hair collected everywhere. It isn’t any different than living in a house, where you would also clean and vacuum once in a while. The only difference is the fact that overlanders drive through, and park in, conditions that are all but clean. But hey, that’s why we put this gift on the list!

Stanley Perfect-Brew Pour-Over

Are there any coffee lovers in the house? Great! We have a gift for any coffee lover, on the road or at home. Tobias loves his coffee in the morning too, and likes to switch things up once in a while. So besides our handheld espresso machine, we also have a French press and since recently, a pour-over! Now this pour-over might not sound like the gift you would think of, but we love it! No more filters needed, no more waste, and a deliciously big mug of coffee as a result. The Stanley Perfect-Brew Pour-Over is made with a fine and removable metal filter, which you only have to rinse after each use. You can add store-bought coffee grounds, or grind some yourself. In any case, you’ll be able to enjoy the sunrise and your breakfast with a cup of coffee in no time!

Inspirational t-shirt or tote bag

Most things on this list have been practical, and we understand if those gifts are not your thing. So how about we talk about some inspirational presents instead? How lovely is it to gift someone something that they can wear or use daily, that reminds them of their adventures time after time? For those people, we have created our merchandise line with T-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, mugs, and more! There are currently three designs to choose from (with more to come soon!), based on our adventures of the past decade.

A book

If you’re buying gifts for a bookworm traveler or overlander, then we have some recommendations for you! Does he/she likes informational books, then we would like to point you toward Bradt Guides. We swear by these guides above any other, as they are fun to read, beautifully made, and with great information on any destination. Information that you will actually use. They also have some novels included in their shop, so if you’re not seeking a destination-based book, you can still take a look! Another great book I (Manon) read recently, is ‘Adventure Mind’ from Belinda Kirk. In this book, Belinda dives deep into what adventure means, and how it can change a person’s life. I found this book to be extremely moving and thought-provoking, and a must-read for anyone who loves adventures. Of course, there are many more books out there that cover the topics of travel/overlanding/adventure, so we’re sure you can find something that fits!

Lightweight hammock

Last September, we finally received our long-awaited hammock and we couldn’t be more excited about it! In the past 2,5 years, we have spent countless hours at camp. Most times in our ARB OME-51 chairs, sometimes on the floor, and during rainy times also hidden in our rooftop tent. But what we missed was a place to relax, especially since we travel slowly and work so much, our camping chairs are often designated ‘work chairs’ rather than ‘relax chairs’. With the arrival of our hammock, we have now found the perfect addition to our camp! So if you want to gift a fellow overlander/traveler something he/she will most definitely use now and in the far-flung future, this is your gift.

Silky BigBoy folding saw

For the tough men and women out there who love to go into the woods, and sometimes have to carve their own path (literally, in this case), a high-quality saw is of the essence. We have worked with countless average garden or camping store saws, but these just don’t really cut it (pun intended). If you want a gift that is durable, and will be used for many years to come, we advise one that can be used professionally, such as the Silky BigBoy 2000. And the great thing is, that this gift can be used while on the road, but just as easily at home in your garden!

A game

At the beginning of our Africa journey, our ‘quality time’ consisted of either brainstorming with each other about future projects or plans or watching a movie or series. Luckily, that changed when we were gifted a game by Manon’s brother and sister-in-law, who thought we might enjoy playing Yahtzee together. At first, it stayed put for multiple months, tucked away in a small pocket somewhere in the car. The reason for that? We don’t know, to be honest! When we finally started playing though, we were hooked! Many games later (not just Yahtzee, but also others that our family sent us along the way), we have now integrated playing games into our daily lives. When we arrive at camp before 5 PM, we play a game to settle down for a bit. And when we have a long work day, we break it up by playing a game around lunchtime. So, if you’re looking for a smaller gift that nearly anyone will enjoy, a game is always a great idea!

We hope these ideas have given you some inspiration for this Christmas! If you are looking for something else, unique or useful that is not on this list, send us a message on Instagram and we’re happy to help brainstorm about the perfect gift!

Additionally, did you see our list of 10 tiny hacks you need when overlanding? There might be a few fun presents in there as well, especially if you are doing a gift exchange game (White Elephant, Yankee Swap, or Dirty Santa). Enjoy the time together and have fun.

Happy Holidays from Tanzania!