Some of my most memorable off-roading days have been spent behind the wheel of a Land Rover. While I admire Jeep vehicles, and have a long-term love affair with the Toyota 4Runner, I have no doubt that Land Rover makes the most capable off-road vehicles on the market today. Not only that, driving a Land Rover elevates off-roading from a rugged day on the trail to a memorable luxury experience.
Land Rover knows that getting drivers and their families into their vehicles will drive sales, so they have established several programs designed to do just that. And once a family buys a Land Rover, they’ll want to continue to drive off-road, so they’ve got programs for owners, too.
There are three Land Rover Experience centers in the United States: Carmel-By-The-Sea, California; Asheville, North Carolina; and Manchester, Vermont. Each location has hundreds of acres of wooded trails and spectacular natural scenery.
Experience Drives start at $275 per vehicle (with up to three passengers), and are undertaken in new Land Rover vehicles. You get instruction and guidance from a Land Rover expert. You’ll explore trails and courses designed to show off the Land Rover’s capabilities, challenge and develop off-road driving skills, and see beautiful scenery.
Heritage Experiences start at $1,200, and highlight the evolution of Land Rover. You’ll get to drive and explore all the Land Rover families including the Land Rover Defender 90, modern Range Rover and Discovery off-road trails with an expert instructor while navigating obstacles and varying terrain.
The Teen Driving Experience starts at $275. Teens aged 14 and older (minimum height 4’8”) can drive with a Land Rover instructor, no previous experience necessary. I wish my parents had done this for me when I was 14 – what an amazing opportunity!
The Family Experience starts at $475, and allows up to three family members aged 14 and older to share driving duties, exploring off-road trails with a Land Rover instructor. A tremendous experience and bonding opportunity for families.
Once you’ve caught the bug, Land Rover also offers Advance Driving Experiences with more challenging obstacles and one-on-one instruction. There are also programs for owners to bring their own Land Rover vehicles to Land Rover Experience centers for instruction and exploration.
If all that wasn’t enough, how about a true off-road expedition with Land Rover? Programs include rock-crawling in Moab, a safari in Namibia, and Ice Academy in Sweden.
Check out the Land Rover Experience website for details, schedules and up-to-the-minute pricing.