As a former president of the Southern California Land Rover club, Black Rhino Expeditions founder Frank Buddenbrock has extensive background with four-wheel-drive vehicles, on and off-road, in all types of terrain and conditions. To ensure his vehicle could handle most any challenge, he designed and installed the suspension for his Range Rover for dependability and easy, if necessary, repair.

Frank is a licensed ham radio operator, an avid mountain biker, hiker, bicycle mechanic (helpful for breakdowns that happen in the outback), and enjoys exploring the desert on his 4-stroke Yamaha dirt bike.

Frank is continually enhancing his knowledge of desert survival techniques and has an uncanny knack for navigation. It’s been said that you could drop him off in the middle of nowhere, with no map, no compass, and you’d see him later that day enjoying an iced Venti coffee at Starbucks.

Recognizing the importance of communication on an expedition, Frank is a licensed ham radio operator because he feels ham radio offers the best opportunity to communicate while out on the trail. Communication is paramount on any adventure.

Frank’s wanderlust knows no bounds- you’re the beneficiary of his desire to see and experience all that life has to offer. He savors the opportunity to share the raw beauty of the outdoors with those who are going back, and with those who have never been.

Black Rhino Expeditions offers four-wheel drive guided expeditions (overlanding) which often include four-wheel drive and survival training. Instruction is always provided in a friendly and casual atmosphere.

Picking the right Expedition Leader is vitally important. You want them to be intelligent,  trustworthy, knowledgeable and easy to be around because for the duration of your adventure, they are the one you’ll be depending on.

(From Expedition Portal) Overlanding is about exploration and adventure travel. While the roads and trails we travel might be rough or technically challenging, they are the means to an end, not the goal itself.

The pursuit is to see and learn about our world, whether on a weekend trip 100 miles from home or a 10,000-mile expedition across another continent.

The vehicle and equipment can be simple or extravagant – they, too, are simply means to an end. History, wildlife, culture, scenery, self-sufficiency – these are the rewards of overlanding.