Pocket Guide: 8 More Dream Destinations for the Bikepacking Bucket List

We're back in the saddle with our good friends at Sisters In The Wild - THE group in the know when it comes to bikepacking and gravel riding. Last year, director Charlotte and her crew shared 11 of their dream bikepacking bucket list destinations, and we're stoked to share 8 more must-ride spots for 2026 and beyond.

Since we published our first bikepacking destinations bucket list, our community has been out riding and researching new routes, discovering hidden gems closer to home, and being introduced to places we'd never considered. Turns out the world is even bigger and more brilliant than we thought.

We're constantly inspired by the places our community wants to explore, the routes that pop up on our feeds, and the conversations we have with locals when we're out riding. The world feels limitless when you're traveling at 15-20 kilometers per hour, and each trip we run teaches us something new about what makes a destination truly special for bikepacking and exploration.

Every country reveals layers that you'd miss from a car window or plane seat. You notice the way morning light hits rice terraces, the genuine surprise on people's faces when you roll into their village on two wheels, the specific ache in your legs after a mountain pass that makes the descent feel earned.

So here's round two: eight more bikepacking destinations that have worked their way into our dreams and onto our calendars. Some are on our doorstep in the UK, others require a bit more planning. All of them promise a great adventure on two wheels. 

Sometimes the most magical adventures are hiding in plain sight. Our home of the Lake District has been right here on our doorstep all along, quietly offering some of the UK's finest gravel riding. Don't get us wrong, we love warm, dry, sunny places too, but there's something deeply satisfying about discovering world-class riding without needing a passport.

The Lake District packs more variety per square mile than almost anywhere we've ridden. Smooth gravel tracks weaving between mirror-like tarns, rocky bridleways that'll test your bike handling, forest doubletrack where you can let the speed build, and those iconic Lakeland passes that have humbled cyclists since the 1930s. Plus, wild swimming opportunities and proper village pubs at literally every turn.

Youth hostels dotted throughout the national park mean you can travel light if you want or choose to go full camping mode with plenty of campgrounds around. The riding is accessible enough for newer bikepackers but challenging enough to keep experienced riders grinning (or grimacing—often both).

Routes on our radar:

• Lakes Loop Overnighter by SITW guide Em Wormald - Windermere gravel and ferry crossings.

• Lakes & Dales Loop - A 196 mile circular tarmac route in Cumbria, through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales & Eden Valley.

SITW version: Intro to Bikepacking - Lake District - Perfect for first-timers wanting to give bikepacking a go, or our big annual community Summer Gathering.

On our list to…

EAT - Gingerbread freshly baked in Grasmere, proper Cumberland sausage, Kendal mint cake for emergency fuel.
DO - Sleep outdoors at one of the many campsites, summit a Wainwright, master the art of the mid-ride lake dip, catch sunrise over Windermere.

If the Lake District continually reminds us how good it is, Vietnam absolutely blew our minds. This is a country that moves at two speeds: the chaotic, horn-honking, scooter-weaving energy of the cities, and the timeless rhythm of rural life where water buffalo still work the rice paddies and grandmothers sell bánh mì from roadside stalls.

Bikepacking through Vietnam isn't just about the riding (though the riding is spectacular; mountain passes that make your legs burn and your heart sing, coastal roads that disappear into the horizon, terraced rice fields precariously sculpted into steep hills). It's about the food. Oh, the glorious food. Phở bò for breakfast, bánh mì for lunch, fresh spring rolls for snacks, and Vietnamese coffee so strong it'll power you over any pass.

The cultural immersion is next-level. You're moving slow enough that locals wave, smile, sometimes invite you in for tea. You experience the genuine hospitality of people who are genuinely curious about why a bunch of foreigners are cycling through their village. The language barrier becomes part of the adventure with lots of pointing, laughing, and somehow always finding exactly what you need.

Routes on our radar:

• Project Vietnam - bikepacking the length of Vietnam, north to south.

SITW version: New for 2026 - Vietnam: Cycling The Red River Delta.

On our list to…

EAT - Phở at dawn, bánh mì from street vendors, bún chả in Hanoi, cơm chiên when you need fuel, Vietnamese coffee strong enough to power mountain passes.
DO - Navigate the organized chaos of Vietnamese traffic, cross the Mã Pí Lèng Pass ("Sky Road"), visit floating markets, learn to order food by pointing at signs, wild camp in mountain forests.

Here's a destination that doesn't show up on many bikepacking lists, which is precisely why it should be on yours. Bosnia & Herzegovina sits at the crossroads of East and West, where Ottoman minarets share skylines with Austro-Hungarian architecture, where the scent of ćevapi mingles with fresh mountain air, and where tourism is still finding its feet, meaning you get to experience something raw and real.

The landscape is properly dramatic. The Dinaric Alps carve through the country in waves of limestone peaks and deep valleys, connected by roads that were built for adventure (even if that wasn't their original purpose). You'll ride through forests, pop out onto high plateaus with views that make you stop mid-pedal, then descend into valleys where turquoise rivers cut through rock that's been there for millions of years.

What really makes Bosnia special is the people. This is a country with a complex history, and that complexity has created a culture of hospitality that feels genuine rather than performative. Stop for coffee in a village and you'll end up in conversation (even if neither of you speaks the other's language). Ask for water and you'll probably be offered lunch. The warmth is real, and it makes every ride feel more like a journey than just a route.

Routes on our radar:

• Bosnian Highline - 400km of deep woods, mountain plateaus, and welcoming villages.

• Ćiro Trail - 150km rail-trail from Mostar to Dubrovnik.

• Trans Dinarica - Bosnia Section - Connecting the Balkans by bike.

SITW version: Bosnia Bikepacking WILDER - Remote mountain loop from the vibrant capital Sarajevo. 

On our list to…

EAT - Ćevapi in Sarajevo, fresh trout from mountain streams, burek for breakfast, Bosnian coffee served with Turkish delight.
DO - Cross the iconic Stari Most bridge in Mostar, drink from mountain fountains (cleanest water in the world, locals claim), ride through old railway tunnels, huts on high plateaus.

Finland keeps popping up in conversations with a certain glint in people's eyes. And after digging into what Finnish bikepacking offers, we get it. This is a country that takes the concept of "room to breathe" and multiplies it by about a thousand.

Picture this: endless forests broken only by crystal-clear lakes (there are 188,000 of them), gravel roads that see maybe three cars a day, and the kind of silence that makes you realize how much noise you're usually swimming through. Finland's "everyman's right" (jokamiehenoikeus) means you can wild camp almost anywhere, pick berries, swim in lakes and basically treat the entire country like your personal adventure playground, as long as you respect the land.

Summer in Finland is peak riding season, when the midnight sun means you can keep pedaling well into what should be night. The light becomes this golden, glorious, endless thing. Winter bikepacking is possible too for the properly committed. Think fat bikes, northern lights, and the kind of cold that makes you feel incredibly alive.

Routes on our radar:

• South By Cycle Bikepacking Route: The Kouvola–Hanko section offers a 550-kilometre and 8-10 day gravel rich tour in the lush, versatile terrain of Southern Finland.

• Arctic Post Road: Explore the Arctic Circle by bike.

SITW Version:

• Gravel Biking & Sea Kayaking the Finnish Archipelago, on our 2027 daydream list!

On our list to…

EAT - Freshly caught fish cooked over campfire, wild berries picked roadside, karjalanpiirakka (Karelian pasties), endless coffee breaks.

DO - Experience the midnight sun, take a Finnish sauna then jump in a freezing lake, spot reindeer in Lapland, navigate using lake-to-forest-to-lake as your only landmarks.

Kyrgyzstan is one of our favorite places in the world for a bikepacking adventure. This is Central Asia at its most spectacular—a country that's 90% mountains, where nomadic culture is still very much alive, and where adventure feels properly earned.

The riding here is next-level remote. We're talking high-altitude passes above 3,000 meters, valleys so vast you can see weather systems moving across them, and yurts where you can stay with families who still practice traditional horse culture. The Silk Road ran through here for centuries, and you can still feel that sense of being on a trade route that connected worlds.

What makes Kyrgyzstan special for bikepacking is the infrastructure-meets-wilderness balance. There are enough villages and yurt stays that you're never truly alone, but remote enough that you'll go hours between seeing other humans. 

Routes on our radar:

• Silk Road Mountain Route - The legendary 1,700km unsupported race, with its annually changing route.

• Tian Shan Traverse - Mountain adventures in the "Celestial Mountains."

SITW version: Kyrgyzstan WILDER Bikepacking: 10 days riding through glacial valleys, over high mountain passes, and around the incredible alpine lake of Song-Köl, sitting above 3,000 meters. 

On our list to…

EAT - Beshbarmak (national dish of meat and noodles), fresh bread from roadside ovens, kumis (fermented mare's milk) for the brave, endless cups of salty tea.
 DO - Stay in a traditional yurt, summit a 3,000m+ pass, witness eagle hunting traditions, experience genuine nomadic hospitality, see the Milky Way like never before.

If Kyrgyzstan is remote, Mongolia is on a different level entirely. This is a country where population density is measured in "people per square kilometer," and the answer is often "basically zero." Where the horizon stretches so far and where camping isn't a choice. It's just what you do because there's literally nothing else around for 50 kilometers.

The Mongol Steppe is one of the world's last great wildernesses, and seeing it by bike puts you in perfect sync with the landscape. You're moving fast enough to cover ground, slow enough to notice the movement of massive thunderstorms across the plains, the way horses graze in perfect herds, the intricate beauty of wildflowers that survive in this harsh climate.

Mongolia demands respect. This isn't a beginner bikepacking destination. Weather can shift violently, navigation requires serious skills, and self-sufficiency isn't optional. But for experienced bikepackers ready for a proper expedition, Mongolia offers something increasingly rare: genuine wilderness adventure in a modern world.

Routes on our radar:

• Mongolian Divide - Epic cross-country traverse.

• The Altai Traverse: A remote high-altitude journey.

SITW version: Bikepacking the Mongolian Steppe in 2027.

On our list to…

EAT - Mutton everything (get comfortable with this), aaruul (dried cheese curds for the road), fresh dairy from nomadic families, buuz (steamed dumplings).
DO - Sleep under the biggest sky you've ever seen, navigate using the sun and landmarks, experience Naadam Festival if timing's right, stay with nomadic families in gers, test your bike (and yourself) against proper remoteness.

Back to the UK, because sometimes the best adventures don't require a long-haul flight. Yorkshire has been quietly cultivating a reputation as one of Britain's finest gravel riding destinations, and the recently launched Y2C (York to Coast) route is putting it firmly on the bikepacking map.

What makes Yorkshire brilliant is the variety packed into a rideable area. You start in the historic city of York (Roman walls, Viking history, world-class coffee shops), head into the Yorkshire Dales where dry stone walls stitch together patchwork fields, climb onto the North York Moors where heather blooms purple in late summer, then roll down to the dramatic North Sea coast. It's Britain at its most beautiful. Proper, changeable, character-building weather and all.

The riding ranges from buttery-smooth gravel tracks to properly gnarly moorland bridleways that'll rattle your chain. Stone-built villages appear just when you need them, offering proper Yorkshire hospitality (translation: strong tea, generous portions, straight talking). This is the kind of riding where you finish each day genuinely proud of what you've accomplished, even if you never left England.

Routes on our radar:

• Y2C Adventure Route - York to the coast in 5 glorious days.

• North York Moors Ramble: Explore the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and all its diverse landscapes.

On our list to…

EAT - Yorkshire pudding (obviously), real ales, Wensleydale cheese, parkin cake, fish and chips on the coast, proper Yorkshire Tea at every opportunity.
DO - Roam the wild moors, swim in limestone rivers, visit historic abbeys mid-ride, catch sunrise over the North Sea, master Yorkshire hills.

Peru closes out our list with a destination that feels almost overwhelming in its diversity. Where else can you ride through lost Inca cities, across high Andean passes where altitude makes breathing a conscious act, down to the Amazon basin where the air becomes thick and green, all in one country?

The Andes are the bikepacking challenge here, not just the altitude (passes regularly top 4,000m), but the raw, ancient feeling of landscapes that have humbled travelers for millennia. You're riding along routes that predate the Incas, through valleys where traditional life continues much as it has for centuries, past ruins leftover from "ancient" civilizations.

Routes on our radar:

• Andean Raid: A self-supported, single-stage, 750km+ ultra-cycling race through the Peruvian Andes 

• Cordillera Blanca Circuit - Epic Andean riding for the committed

SITW version: Stay tuned…

On our list to…

EAT - Ceviche at high altitude, quinoa in its homeland, chicha morada, street anticuchos, coca tea for altitude.
DO - Visit Machu Picchu (obviously), alpaca selfie, ride above 4,000m, explore Sacred Valley markets, experience traditional Andean culture, test our lungs at altitude.

Eight more destinations. Eight completely different adventures. The bucket list never ends because the world is endlessly fascinating. Every trip reveals new possibilities, every conversation adds new destinations, every route map shows unexplored connections. And honestly? That's exactly how we like it.

Where will you go next?