Planning a new adventure is half of the fun. With most of us still in lockdown and facing travel restrictions, at this point there’s no other option than to dream away at other people their travels. 

That’s why we present to you five inspirational bikepacking adventures across the globe on komoot. Let us know in the comments below which one of these routes wound up on your bucket list!

Joey Schusler — The Colorado Trail

Joey Schusler is a well know figure in the world of mountain biking. What you might not know is that he also does some hardcore bikepacking trips, like this one in Peru and the Colorado Trail in the US.

”The Colorado Trail is perhaps the premier MTB bikepacking route in all of North America — it’s a 534 mile (860 km) ride with a vast majority of that being high alpine single track, stringing together some of the absolute best trails and mountain ranges across the state. We opted to ride north to south, starting in Denver and finishing in Durango.”

Photo credit: Joey

“I had done the Colorado Trail in it’s entirety in 2016, so it was great to get back out there and get on it again. I forgot how challenging it is and how mega some of the days were! A true backcountry epic, right in our backyard here in Colorado. Take a look at our route and enjoy the images.”

Erwin Sikkens — Black Forest & Alsace

Erwin Sikkens is all about gravel riding near his local outdoor playground the Veluwe (Netherlands). But he’s not averse to adventures beyond the Dutch landborders either, even during the pandemic. Check out the route he created in Germany alongside some great photos.  

“How do you scratch a big bikepacking itch in a year where travelling is a huge issue? I found myself looking at maps for the best places to go but with the Corona virus still at large, I didn’t want to travel too far. Soon my eyes were opened to places I had previously overlooked. Instead of traveling to Spain or the Alps, or taking a plane to a distant place, I decided I was going to visit the Black Forest, just a short drive from where I am based in the Netherlands, with my good friend Bas a.k.a. mr. Detour Studio.”

Photo credit: erwinsikkens_com

“Party pace wins the race’ was our motto for this trip, and not every day brought us loads of kilometers. It did however bring us a great 11 days worth of adventure and beautiful scenery… now shared with you in this bikepacking Collection.”

Tobias Woggon — Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands aren’t the first destination that comes to mind thinking about a place to ride your bike. Probably not even second or third. But Tobias Woggon shows you why you should consider traveling to the small archipelago between somewhere roughly located between Iceland and Norway.

“My friend and photographer Philip was in the Faroe Islands in 2015 because he wanted to observe the eclipse there – the Faroe Islands were one of the few places in the world that were in the total eclipse zone at that time. When he came back, he was thrilled and just said to me: “You really have to go there to cycle! He said the islands were incredibly beautiful, with picturesque villages and steep, green cliffs rising from the dark North Atlantic. I immediately started researching and was thrilled with what I found. Quickly the plan was made to cross the islands from east to west by gravel bike.”

Photo credit: Tobias Woggon

“The islands are incredibly beautiful, rough and pristine and I can recommend it to everyone to come here once in their life. Anyone who has ever been to the Faroe Islands will understand why there is a certain, charming but undeniable, roughness to the people and culture: The weather up here is simply in a class of its own.”

Farawayistan — Trans Netherlands MTB Route

Here’s our very own bikepacking route leading you through the entire length of The Netherlands. The route runs 360 miles (580 km) from the North cape in Groningen to the corner where the Netherlands meets Belgium and Germany in South Limburg. Who thought there’s no gravel in The Netherlands is wrong. Around 65% of the route is along unpaved terrain.

“The route takes you through a great diversity of natural beauty, from vast heathlands to dense coniferous forests as you ride through several national parks. To begin, you enjoy views of the Wadden region before riding south towards the Salland Hills and the Maasduinen National Park. Each area has its own unique characteristics and natural charm.”

Photo credit: Robin Patijn – Farawayistan

“With bikepacking everything revolves around the adventure in the open air. This brings with it a number of responsibilities to keep the impact on the environment and nature as small as possible. Large parts of the route take you along narrow country roads and towpaths. Therefore, do not start with large groups. Be prepared for other (road) users and recreational users. Keep your rubbish with you, of course, until you find a bin.”

Manivelle — Georgia, mountains to coast

The Republic of Georgia is a special place for us. It was the start point of our year-long cycling trip from Europe to Asia. The accompanying photos with route created by Manivelle beautifully show the charms of this undiscovered bikepacking gem.

“Born from a longing for the mountains but from a desire on the other hand, from an acquaintance, Tamara, music teacher, pianist, Georgian, in love with her country who one day told us, if you’re curious, you have to “discover Georgia”.

So in the company of Alain Puiseux for edition 19 of the magazine ‘200’, we took a flight to Tbilisi and then crossed Georgia to Batumi, by land and on the most beautiful, high roads – some of them felt like they’ve never been ridden before.”

Photo credit: Manivelle

From small roads winding around summits softened by the winds, to gravel paths straddling the valleys, this trip will remain engraved in my mind as one of the most wonderful that I have been able to achieve, defined both by the immensity of its nature and by the kindness of the people there.

In this Collection you’ll find the complete route and notes, so now it is your turn to discover this region at the crossroads of all civilisations.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.