The hippie trail is a term used to describe the journeys taken by hippies in the 1960s and '70s from Europe, overland to and from eastern Asia. One of the key facts of the hippie trail was the desire to travel as cheaply as possible, thus usually the journeys were carried out by thumbing (hitchhiking). A number of cheap private buses also traveled the route, picking up and dropping off people en route. There were also trains that traveled part of the way, particularly across Eastern Europe, through Turkey and to central Iran, where public or private transportation could be obtained. Flower Power Bus Hippie (also hippy) is a term originally used to describe some of the rebellious youth of the 1960s and 1970s. ... The 1960s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... The 1970s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1970 and 1979. ... A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... World map showing Asia (geographically) Asia is the central and eastern part of Eurasia, and the worlds largest continent. ... See also Hitch hike for other meanings Hitchhiker in Luxemburg (1977) Hitchhiking (also called lifting, thumbing or hitching, Thumb up a ride) is a form of transport, in which the traveller tries to get a lift (ride) from another traveller, usually a car or truck driver. ... TheBus, established by Mayor Frank Fasi, is Honolulus only public transit system. ... There are various types of trains designed for particular purposes, see rail transport operations. ...

Such journeys would typically start from various countries in Europe or, for those from America taking Icelandic Airlines, Luxembourg, and pass through 'key' spots such as Istanbul, Tehran, and Kabul, with Goa or Kathmandu the usual destinations. Kathmandu still has a road nicknamed Freak Street in memory of the many thousands of hippies who passed (and occasionally still pass) through. An alternative route was from Turkey via Syria, Jordan, and Iraq to Iran and then east. Further travel to southern India, Sri Lanka, or points east was also done. A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... ... Shows the Location of the Province Ä°stanbul Istanbul (Turkish: Ä°stanbul; a contraction of Greek εις την πολιν into the city, the former Constantinople, Κωνσταντινούπολις) is the largest city in Turkey, and arguably the most important. ... Tehran is a metropolis of 14 million situated at the foot of the towering Alborz range. ... Kabul Kabul (34°32′ N 69°10′ E, Kâbl, in Persian کابل) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan with a population variously estimated at 2 to 4 million. ... Two letter code GA Country India Capital — Administrative — Judicial1   — Panaji — Mumbai Location — Latitude — Longitude   — 15° N — 73° E Governor SC Jamir Chief Minister Prataph Sing Rane State language Konkani Liberation Day December 19, 1961 Statehood Day May 30, 1987 Population 1. ... This article is about the city. ...

Many on the hippie trail were driven by the ideals of 'finding yourself' and 'communicating with other peoples' that often underlay the hippie movement. Western Europeans, North Americans, Australians, and Japanese composed bulk of the travelers. Ideas and experiences were exchanged in well known hostels and hotels along the way. Many carried backpacks and, while the majority were young, older people and families occasionally appeared. A number drove the entire distance. Flower Power Bus Hippie (also hippy) is a term originally used to describe some of the rebellious youth of the 1960s and 1970s. ...

The overland trail came to an abrupt halt with the political changes at the end of the 1970's. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and the Shah was deposed by an Islamic revolution in Iran. These events made it impossible for travellers to cross by the ancient Silk Route any longer. The King of Kings or Shah (in Persian: شاه), from the Old Persian or Indo-European word khshathra-pava (king), and popularly referred to as satrap by the Greeks, is the term for a Persian monarch and was used by the former rulers of Persia and the Persian Empire. ... The Silk Road (Traditional Chinese: 絲綢之路; Simplified Chinese: 丝绸之路; pinyin: sī chóu zhī lù) was an interconnected series of routes through Southern Asia traversed by caravan and ocean vessel, and connecting Changan, China with Antioch, Syria, as well as other points. ...

With a loosening of immigration in Iran the route has again become somewhat feasible, although ongoing conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan and some parts of Pakistan has made this part of the route difficult to negotiate.

See also

• Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet Publications (usually known as Lonely Planet or LP for short), claims to be the largest independently-owned travel guidebook publisher in the world. ...

External links

• Steve Abrams on the Hippie Trail An account of hitchhiking across the overland trail in the old days
• Steve Abrams' Diary (includes downloadable PDF file of entire diary)
• hitchhiking to india - a modern day account of hitchhiking from England to India with no money
• Road to Kathmandu - a page dedicated to the old Road to Kathmandu and those who traveled on it