Montanus
The Wild Side
CLICK TO DRILL DOWN BY COUNTRY/PROVINCE
*CURRENTLY FOR ROUTES ONLY (MORE SOON)
We have nearly 500 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning 70+ countries.
Start at our sortable worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography.
The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the world—by locals, in their own backyards.
The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. Find details on the three most recent issues below, join the Bikepacking Collective to get it in the mail (anywhere in the world), or click here to find a collection of selected stories in digital format.
Giorgio Frattale and Francesco D’Alessio are two old friends and wilderness and bicycle enthusiasts. In 2013 they conceived Montanus (from Montane in classical Latin), an all-seasons bikepacking project, based in Abruzzo, the Italian region where the mountain chain Gran Sasso d’Italia shows its majesty.
Montanus is an attitude, an intimate journey. Montanus is the call of the wild of Buck, the dog in the novel of Jack London. Montanus is the smell of moss on your gloves, the dry red mud on your bike, the frost on your sleeping bag. Montanus is the life outside the ‘comfort zone', it is an inspiration for those who want to experience nature. Montanus is about enjoying the slow ride, perceiving the smells and taking in the colors.
You can follow Montanus adventures at montanuswild.com, on Facebook and Istagram @montanus_thewildside.
Montanus retraced the 400km Wolf’s Lair bikepacking route to film the experience and showcase the hidden beauty that fascinated them during their initial exploration three years ago. Watch it here, along with details about their bikes and the revised route map…
The Montanus duo have made another dazzling film. This time, the two rode from their home in L’Aquila, Italy and set off into the magnificent Apennine Mountains. Watch Home Wild Home here, find a beautiful set of stills from the trip, and see the new Corvid Corax, the bike they used on the trip…
Iceland Divide is a new short film from Montanus that chronicles their recent bikepacking trip across Iceland, straight through the country’s notoriously unforgiving and desolate interior. Watch the full film here, along with behind the scenes photos and notes on the bikes and gear used for the trip…
The idea for this journey was gleaned from the pages of an old book, one in which Walter Bonatti, Italian alpinist and explorer, describes the exploration of a remote and wild land. Once inhabited by monsters and giants, today its name still evokes adventure and exploration. Patagonia. Driven by his story, we found ourselves flying over the Atlantic Ocean to discover it for ourselves.
Patagón, a new film by Montanus, recounts their bike and packraft exploration into a remote corner of southern Patagonia. There, between the Austral Andes and huge glacial lakes, the traditional Argentine culture of the gaucho survives. Watch the film and learn about the gear they brought along…
Tramontana is the latest short film by Montanus, a bikepacking project out of Abruzzo, Italy. The film is one-half expedition and one-half introspective dreamscape. Feel the cold darkness, hear the crackle of the fire, and then learn how they made the film as well as the DIY portable woodstove that takes center stage.
You need to be logged in to use these features. Click here to login, or start an account if you’re not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective…
















