Frequently Asked Questions

"The Jeep came with the highest quality gear I have ever seen" - Palash N, San Francisco. "Get off the beaten path with these guys! We did!" - Steve L, Iceland "The GoFast Camper is the bomb, couldn't be simpler to use. The TRD Pro is easy to operate (on and off road), and we had a blast on our long weekend trip" - Jonathan H, San Francisco "Seriously, whatever you need for an epic and seamless weekend away, it's all packed and waiting for you with Cypress Overland" - Chris W, Pacifica

Once the trip is booked, we work with our customers to plan the road trip of their dreams. We are explorers ourselves and we are often away exploring places like Death Valley, High Sierras, Yosemite NP, Big Sur, Southern California etc. We are always on the mission to find awesome dispresed camp spots. So when the customer says "We want to see Yosemite, Death Valley and Big Sur in 8 days" - we work together to develop a day-by-day itinerary with GPS coordiantes for overnight stays. We also have sample itineraries - please head to www.cypressoverland.com/adventures

We love beginners! We were all beginners once and remember how intimidating this all seemed. Rest assured, you will feel ready to get on the road after going through the vehicle and gear orientation, which is mandatory when you pick-up the vehicle. No joke - we once hosted an expedition guide from Iceland and he still received orientation from us. To give you peace of mind, every vehicle comes with a satellite messenger - you can always reach us even in the most remote of places with no cell reception.

Email is great - (marie@cypressoverland.com). You can always text us or whatsapp call or message at +1(857)285-1738. All vehicles are equipped with Garmin satellite messenger so you can reach us or emergency services anytime

As per our insurance requirements, minimum driver's age is 25 years.

Same as for local drivers - everyone has to have a valid drivers' license to be eligible for the 4x4 vehicle insurance.

Depends. If it's a gravel road that will lead you to an awesome secluded camp spot - absolutely. If it's rock crawling on the iconic Rubicon trail - absolutely not. Our vehicles, while iconic for off-roading, are stock and do not handle extreme trails well.

If you are a local and have your own car insurance policy, check with the provider whether it provides RV insurance. Most insurance companies won't deal with vehicles that are equipped with camping equipments. Same with credit cards that provide insurance - those only cover insurance for traditional rental companies like Hertz. A $1000 deposit will be charged before departure and refunded upon return. There are 3 different types of insurance: Basic, Essential and Peace of Mind. All customers are required to purchase insurance.

We love animals but some of our customers are allergic to them so it requires a professional cleaning fee (150$).

We charge $1000-$1500 security deposit the day you depart and refund it upon your return. In an unlikely situation where something breaks or need repair, we hold the deposit until we sort the incident out with insurance.

Every vehicle comes with a 150 miles/day limit spread over the duration of the trip. If the trip is 6 days, your limit is 900 miles. If a customer goes over 150 miles/day limit, every additional mile will be charged at the rate of 55 cents/mile for the Jeep Wrangler and the Toyota Tacoma and 65 cents/mile for the Jeep Gladiator. Prepaid extra mileage packages are also available to purchase before departure (100 additional miles for $40).

In short, yes, you can camp anywhere, but only within the boundaries of national forests. Check out our blog article on dispersed camping here: https://www.cypressoverland.com/post/dispersed-camping-101

Absolutely! We have had multiple customers bring their kiddos. We don't provide child seats so plan to bring their own. The rooftop tent on our Jeep Wranglers are safe and suitable for 2 adults and one child (up to 6 years old). The rooftop tent on our Jeep Gladiator can sleep 2 adults and 2 kids.

Absolutely - we can arrange pick-up and drop-off to and from San Francisco Airport, Oakland Airport and San Jose Airport, as well as your hotel or airbnb, for an additional fee. SFO airport pick up and drop off is $195 USD.

Reason #1: we give you the tools to get off the beaten path and enjoy nature. It's in our DNA and the main reason we created Cypress Overland. It's simple: we are on a mission to reconnect people with nature. This modern world has made us more stressed than ever - we see the incredible transformation our customers experience when they spend time in nature, away from the stress of their everyday lives. Reason #2: Quality. We are very proud of the gear we provide. We only purchase high-end gear for our vehicles - but keep our prices on par with our competitiors and pass on all the savings we can find to you.

Yes! We love California because it lets us camp year-round. Summer months, between June-October, are perfect for exploring Sierras, Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. Pacific Coast Highway and Big Sur are beautiful any time of the year. Winter time is a great time for heading to places like Death Valley, Mojave Desert and Joshua Tree National Park. Too hot and dry in the summer, they are best expored between the months of October to May.

We will cover all the questions you have during orientation upon vehicle pick-up but in a nutshell, bears in California are rarely dangerous and if not provoked, will never attack you. However, there are rules for bear safety. Every vehicle comes with bug spray to protect you from mosquitoes, ticks and bees.

No walls! Head to https://www.cypressoverland.com/post/overlandingvsrv to read the rest.

Yes! We want more people to experience outdoors and come back calmer and more relaxed - so for all bookings over 8 days/7 nights, we provide a discount of 10%.

Absolutely! We offer an additional service of pick-up and/or drop-off anywhere in the country.

Yes! We love Canada. Please speak to us in advance about crossing the border.

Some of California's most beautiful and remote locations don't have cell reception. Should anything happen - we want you to have access to us and emergency services. Your safety and well-being is our main priority.

We love rooftop tents! Once you've tried them - it's hard to go back to traditional tents on the ground and RVs. Adventure travellers in Australia and Africa have been using rooftop tents for decades and the trend is finally arriving to North America. All our rooftop tents have mattresses and are super comfortable. You are guaranteed a great sleep under the Milky Way.

We realize that this type of travel may not be cheapest but when you think of how much gear and equipment you're getting - it's so worth it! Our 4x4 vehicles include: - A rooftop tent that comes with a mattress and set up in less than 1 minute - Full kitchen with the dual burner stove, pots, and pans, cups, plates, cutlery, dishwashing liquid and sponge - Propane tank for the kitchen - Engel fridge - 15 gallon/20 L water canisters (please plan to bring more drinking water, just in case) - 2/4 camping chairs & 1 camping table - First aid kit, recovery rope, battery start cables, hatchet, shovel, axe - 2 headlamps - Body wipes - Wood fire starters - Outdoor Portable solar shower

Always call us first or message us through the Satellite Messenger provided - +1(510)906-7446. All the bookings also come with Roadside Assistance for your peace of mind. If the vehicle becomes unoperable, we will do our best to get a replacement vehicle. In case a replacement vehicle is not available, the remainder of your trip change will be refunded promptly.

- You are required to use the correct fuel (all our vehicles use the standard 87 fuel except the White Wrangler 2022 - Diesel only) and return the vehicle with a full tank of gas. If returned not full, we will refuel at a standard rate and charge the security deposit. - Presentable condition - we require that all vehicles be returned in a clean and respectable state. A cleaning fee of $100 will be charged if the vehicle returned in a state that requires a long clean up. - Tires - we take great care of the tires and do regular maintenance and tire rotation. The customer is responsible for any tire damage while in their possession. Please use great caution when driving on gravel and unpaved roads. - Windshield damage - Paint - vehicle can be damaged when going through thick bush - please use a spotter when in doubt (spotter = a person who will lead you though a difficult road to make sure the vehicle doesn't get scratched). Wear and tear to the paint will result in the detailing fee.