Some people spend their lives dreaming of escape. Maé and Oré, simply packed up and left. Through a combination of grit and guts, they've made a decision to live life on their terms and in a tent. One tank of fuel at a time. Read on to discover how overlanding Africa with the Travel Burners might just change your life, too.

Long before they became the Travel Burners, Maé and Oré found their lives quietly orbiting around adventure. Oré had spent a year-long backpacking odyssey through Asia, followed by six months exploring Southern Africa in a rented 4x4. And Maé celebrated her architecture degree with a four-month South American adventure, then embraced the art of micro-adventures conquering Iceland’s ring road in a Renault Kangoo, weaving through Iberia in a Nissan Micra and island-hopping Greece in a Ford Focus. For the Travel Burners, travel was never a hobby; it's always been a part of who they are.

Fire Starter

The couple’s moniker traces back to Afrikaburn, the African iteration of Nevada’s iconic Burning Man festival.

“We met at an Afrikaburn event in Paris in 2019,” they recall. “Six months later, we were living together in Geneva, plotting a drive to the South African desert for the next Burn.”

A pandemic delayed their plans but couldn’t extinguish them. By 2022, they’d transformed an old Defender into a mobile home and set off with a simple motto: “Wherever the road takes us.”

A Life Lived Different

When they met three and a half years ago, the French couple traded their careers (architecture and aerospace engineering) for a 1996 Land Rover Defender and an open-ended overland journey from France to Cape Town.

From the very beginning, they were able to use our respective skills to turn their Defender into a real all-terrain house on wheels. Maé was in charge of all the interior design (space layout, choice of materials, decoration). As for Oré, he took care of (and still takes care of) all the mechanical restoration, off-road equipment and carpentry.

The couple christened their vehicle, Luniel, using part of each of their grandfathers' names – Lucien and Daniel – and have since covered 110,000 kilometers across 30 countries.

”All our travels have shaped who we are today. Moreover, this long adventure in Africa has above all given us access to a feeling which for us today is priceless: freedom!"

The Machine That Made It Possible

Luniel wasn’t love at first sight. Their first overlanding vehicle, a Toyota HDJ105, suffered a catastrophic turbo failure hours after purchase. Having been burnt so badly, purchasing the Defender was a leap of faith.

“We knew nothing about Land Rovers,” they admit. “But YouTube tutorials and stubbornness go a long way.”

Today, Oré handles all mechanical work and considers the Defender’s quirks part of the charm.

“It can’t go fast,” they laugh, “but it can go everywhere.”

Africa’s Untamed Classroom

There have been plenty of lessons from life on the road, and the couple is richer for all of their experiences. Even when things don't quite go as expected, they feel as if it's all part of the journey and a good story to tell.

The Highs

The Lows

Through it all, their Icarus rooftop conversion became their refuge, where after days on punishing tracks, the comfort and security that it offers is everything.

The Rise of the Travel Burners

When Maé and Oré started their journey, they never anticipated building such a devoted online following. "We just wanted to show people that chasing dreams is possible." Their approach changed when an Instagram Reel showing their morning routine in Cameroon went viral, amassing 1.2 million views and catapulting them into the spotlight. "We are very grateful to have a wonderful community that is interested in and inspired by our journey. This is also what motivates us to keep sharing."

For these digital nomads, authenticity always trumps content quotas. "From day one, we vowed never to sacrifice living in the moment for the perfect shot." Their philosophy is refreshingly simple: experience first, document second. Whether it's pausing to film a sunset or stashing the camera to fully immerse in a gorilla encounter, they've mastered the art of balancing wanderlust with storytelling – all while preserving the spontaneous spirit that makes their adventures so compelling.

Fitting Two in 3 Square Meters

How does a couple survive years in such a small space without it starting to feel like a prison cell?

“We did lockdown together after six months of dating,” they grin. “This is just lockdown with better views.”

Conflicts? Anger in 3m² is comically impractical. "Sometimes when we're tired of the road or in a stressful situation, we can get angry, but it never lasts very long because being angry and not talking to each other is just too complicated."

And while their home on wheels may be small, the whole world is their backyard...

The Road Ahead

Now nearing the end of their transcontinental loop, the couple plans no triumphant return to conventional life. And just because they're coming to the end of their long expedition doesn't mean that the adventure is over. 

"On the contrary, our adventure will continue but in a different way. We don't want to reveal the details of our next project just yet..."

At time of interview, it’s been exactly three years and three months that the Travel Burners have been forging a path through Africa and the Middle East.

Homesick? No way!

"We are not looking forward to being back in Europe. As soon as we’re back home we’ll leave!"

Their advice for anyone considering living a similar life is this: if you want to do it, then do it. "Life is made of choices, so make the choices that seem best for you. Just follow your dreams. We only have one life so we have to live it the way we want to. Stop dreaming your life, and start living your dreams."

Follow their adventures, here: @travelburners