Our Story
Overlanding West Africa was founded in 2010 by David Oades (Dave The Hat) & Jimmy Corrigan. After a hugely successful 2012 season, including being the first overland truck based company to ever run trips through Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone, Al Goodridge joined Overlanding West Africa as Director.
David Oades (Hatter) previously worked as a trip leader/driver/ mechanic for Dragoman for best part of 7 years, running trips throughout South America, Africa, The Middle East and Asia.
“In all those years, nowhere captured my imagination the way West Africa did…it is by far my favourite region in the world… from the music, to the culture, to the dramatic landscapes, to the larger than life characters, to the chaos of the big cities – West Africa has it all.
I remember watching Sahara with Michael Palin and becoming totally mesmerised by the region back in 2002. I then went on a trip from London to Accra as a passenger with Dragoman in 2003, and had such a great time I knew I had to go back there one day. In 2007 to 2008, I led the trip from London to Douala and back with Ben Butler, and then with James Appleby, and though it was seriously challenging, had a wonderful time full of happy memories.
Fast forward to April 2009, and I was driving a Dragoman truck with Jamie Kay from the UK to Helsinki to begin a trip through Russia and Mongolia. Jay asked me if I had thought about buying and building a truck and setting up a company focusing on the region. From that moment on the idea was firmly placed in my mind, and the long thought process began on how to set up Overlanding West Africa”
Through independent travel and working for Dragoman, Dave has spent nearly two years in West and Central Africa and has a true passion for the region.
Jimmy (Co-Driver/Right-Hand-Man) has been involved in the overland industry since 2004, working his way up from Tea Boy to Assistant Ops Manager at Dragoman HQ and leading trips between Cairo and Cape Town for 2 years. He has also taken off on a few solo trips without the aid of a truck, taking part in the gruelling Marathon Des Sables in The Sahara and Gobi March in the remote Xinjiang region of China but, for the time being at least, is sticking to helping out with the logistics of these events in the UK and overseas – rather than racing. He has a nose for adventure and when the opportunity came up to work with Hatter running Overlanding West Africa it was a no-brainer.
In early 2013, Al Goodridge agreed to come on board as a director of Overlanding West Africa. We are both very pleased to be working with Al, a fellow West Africa lover and a man experienced in running overland expeditions through challenging parts of the world.
Al previously worked for 3 years with Dragoman Overland as a tour leader, driver and mechanic throughout Africa and Asia. He has had a varied and adventurous career, including working as an outdoor instructor, leading overseas expeditions and working on Australian cattle stations. He can rarely resist an adventure, from alpine climbing, to cycle touring across South America.
“I keep finding myself drawn back to West Africa, more than all the other places I have worked and travelled. The vibrant colours, the warmth and exuberant friendliness of the people, the energetic nightlife and music, the comic encounters with curious police, the madness and chaos all around; a truly off the beaten track destination that has so much to offer the adventurous traveller. I have greatly enjoyed leading previous overland trips in West Africa, challenging trips which have been hugely rewarding.
I’m delighted to be joining Overlanding West Africa and delivering trips that really do justice to my favourite part of the world.”‘
Between us we have the knowledge, expertise and passion to run some truly exciting and unique overland expeditions.
