A Grand Tour

Exporting Data

Export your plans as GPX, PDF, or calendar feeds

Exporting Data

Planning your expedition in A Grand Tour is just the beginning. When it’s time to hit the road, you’ll want your plans in formats that work with GPS devices, navigation apps, calendar software, and offline reference. Our export system ensures your carefully planned route goes with you in whatever format you need.

GPX Export

GPX (GPS Exchange Format) is the universal standard for GPS data, supported by virtually every navigation app and GPS device.

What’s Included in GPX Exports

  • Waypoints: Every point of interest and stop in your itinerary
  • Routes: Your planned path with all waypoints in sequence
  • Tracks: Detailed route geometry for turn-by-turn navigation
  • Metadata: Names, descriptions, and timestamps for each element

Using GPX Files

Export your trip as GPX and import it into:

  • Gaia GPS: Premium offline mapping and navigation (popular with overlanders)
  • Maps.me: Completely free offline maps based on OpenStreetMap
  • OsmAnd: Feature-rich offline navigation with detailed POI data
  • Garmin devices: Import directly to handheld GPS units
  • Google Earth: Visualize your route in 3D
  • Komoot: For detailed hiking and biking route planning

How to Export GPX

  1. Navigate to your trip overview
  2. Click “Export” in the trip actions menu
  3. Select “Download GPX”
  4. Choose whether to include POIs, route only, or full itinerary
  5. Save the file and import it to your preferred app

PDF Export

Generate printable trip summaries perfect for offline reference and sharing with travel companions.

What’s Included in PDF Exports

  • Trip overview: Dates, summary statistics, and description
  • Route map: Static map showing your complete journey
  • Itinerary: Day-by-day breakdown with times, places, and notes
  • Points of interest: List of planned stops with descriptions
  • Country information: Visa requirements, safety notes, and driving regulations
  • Images: Photos from your itinerary items

Use Cases for PDF Exports

  • Border crossings: Some officials want to see your travel plan on paper
  • Offline reference: Print and keep in your vehicle
  • Trip companions: Share with friends or family who aren’t using the app
  • Insurance requirements: Some travel insurance requires trip documentation
  • Personal archive: Print and bind after your trip as a keepsake

Customizing PDF Exports

When generating a PDF, you can choose:

  • Include or exclude images (smaller file size without)
  • Level of detail for itinerary items
  • Whether to include reference data (country info, POI details)
  • Map style (satellite, streets, or topographic)

Calendar Exports (ICS)

Keep your trip dates synchronized with your calendar app and share schedules with travel companions.

Webcal Subscription URL

The most powerful option is a webcal subscription feed:

  1. Generate your unique webcal URL from the trip overview
  2. Add it to your calendar app (Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, etc.)
  3. Your trip dates automatically update in your calendar whenever you make changes in A Grand Tour
  4. Perfect for trips with flexible dates that might shift during planning

Individual ICS File Download

If you prefer a one-time import:

  1. Download the ICS file for your trip
  2. Open it with any calendar application
  3. Events are added to your calendar (but won’t auto-update if you change dates later)

What Appears in Your Calendar

Each itinerary item becomes a calendar event with:

  • Title: Location or activity name
  • Date and time: When you plan to be there
  • Location: Geographic coordinates and place name (clickable in most calendar apps)
  • Description: Your notes and plans for that item
  • Duration: Estimated time at each stop

Sharing with Travel Companions

Calendar subscriptions are especially useful for coordination:

  • Share the webcal URL with travel companions
  • Everyone sees the same schedule
  • Updates you make appear in their calendars automatically
  • Works even if they don’t have A Grand Tour accounts

GeoJSON Export

For advanced users and GIS analysis, export your data as GeoJSON.

What’s GeoJSON?

GeoJSON is the standard format for geographic data on the web. It’s human-readable JSON with geographic features.

Use Cases for GeoJSON

  • QGIS/ArcGIS: Analyze your route with professional GIS tools
  • Custom mapping: Build your own web map with Leaflet or Mapbox
  • Data analysis: Calculate statistics, find patterns, optimize routes
  • Integration: Feed your trip data into other applications
  • Backup: Archive your geographic data in an open, portable format

What’s Included

  • Complete route geometry with all segments
  • All waypoints with attributes (names, types, ratings)
  • Points of interest as feature collections
  • Metadata for each feature
  • Coordinate reference system (WGS84)

Export Tips

For Offline Navigation

  • Export GPX before you leave civilization
  • Test imported routes in your GPS app before departure
  • Keep a PDF backup in case electronics fail
  • Print critical sections (border crossings, complex city navigation)

For Sharing

  • PDFs work best for people unfamiliar with GPS apps
  • Calendar feeds are perfect for coordinating with travel companions
  • GPX files let other overlanders follow your route exactly

For Archival

  • Export all formats before starting your trip (backup your plans)
  • GeoJSON provides the most complete data export
  • PDF becomes a nice trip journal when printed after your journey

Data Privacy

All export URLs are:

  • Secure: HTTPS encryption for all downloads
  • Private: Unique tokens prevent unauthorized access
  • Revocable: Regenerate URLs if you suspect they’ve been shared
  • Time-limited: PDF and GPX download links expire after 24 hours (calendar feeds remain active)

Related articles:

Previous Images & Media
Next What is A Grand Tour?