Navigation apps and GPX files

Phone signal drops away exactly where you need maps most. Offline maps, a saved route and a backup turn a lost afternoon into a minor detour.

These notes are for Jimny trips in India. Apps and their features change, so treat the names here as examples and check what each can do offline. A map is a guide, not a guarantee that the road exists.

By Gypsy Overlanding Family ®

1Downloadmaps offline2Planroute and GPX3Sharewith thegroup4Verifyagainst theroad
Four steps: download the maps, plan the route, share it, and check it against what you see.

The short answer

Download offline maps before you leave, plan the route in advance and save it as a GPX file if you can, keep a second navigation source as a backup, and treat the track as a guide. If the map and the road disagree, trust what you see, and stop if it looks unsafe.

Do

  • Download offline maps at home
  • Use two apps or a map plus a paper backup
  • Share the GPX file with the group
  • Keep the phone charged and mounted
  • Check the route against the weather and permits

Do not

  • Rely on live maps with no signal
  • Follow a track blindly onto a bad road
  • Trust a single phone
  • Drive while fiddling with the screen
  • Assume an old track is still passable

Maps, routes and GPX

Terms you will meet
TermMeaning
Offline mapA map downloaded to the phone so it works with no signal.
RouteA planned line from A to B, often recalculated by the app.
TrackA recorded line of where someone actually drove.
WaypointA saved point such as a fuel stop, camp or hazard.
GPX fileA common file format that stores routes, tracks and waypoints, so you can move them between apps and share them.

A track recorded by another driver shows a road that was passable on that day. It may be washed out now, so use it as a guide, not as proof.

Apps and offline use

Several apps can work offline, and features vary, so check them before you rely on one. Examples include Google Maps with downloaded offline areas, Organic Maps, which uses OpenStreetMap data and works offline, Mappls, and trip-planning apps that support GPX. Try each at home with the phone in flight mode.

  • Download the whole area you might use, not just the route
  • Test the apps with the signal off before you leave
  • Keep the app and its maps updated
  • Carry a power bank and a car charger, and a good phone mount
  • Keep a paper map or a second device as a backup

Using GPX with a group

  • Plan the route at home and save it as a GPX file
  • Share the file with everyone before you set off, so each car has it
  • Add waypoints for fuel, water, camps and hazards
  • Agree what to do if the group splits, such as meeting at the next waypoint
  • Record your own track to improve the route for next time

When the map and the road disagree

Maps can be wrong, old or missing a washout. If the road in front of you looks worse than the map suggests, stop and think. Trust what you see, not the screen, and be willing to turn back. A route that was possible in another season may not be now. See route planning.

Pick the job

Tap a job to see how to handle it.

Tap a job (6 to try)

Approach for Plan a route at home

Approach
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Details
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Common mistakes

  • Relying on live maps. Signal drops where you need it most.
  • Trusting one phone. Carry a backup.
  • Following a track blindly. Roads wash out.
  • Not testing offline mode. Test at home.
  • Navigating on a dying battery. Charge before you start.
  • Fiddling with the screen while driving. Pull over to change the route.
A final word. Maps and tracks can be wrong, out of date or missing hazards. This guide is general information. Trust what you see on the ground, have a backup, and never take a risk because a screen says the road is there.