15 Inspiring Films for Backpackers

The best 15 movies that encourage and inspire you to grab your backpack and travel halfway around the world.

In these off-topic Quarantine articles, after last week’s 10 best world virtual Museums…

This is a selection of motivational films for people who travel, who are restless and who want to travel the world.

For now we can only travel from the couch

After analyzing and gathering these films, I realized that the plot of many of them converge: a person who is bitter or has problems of some kind in his daily life, who one day decides to escape and travel the world.

Where do you find these movies? Some of them are on Netflix, but many others are not. Some of them I found on youtube in bad quality with low resolution and regulatory audios. Many of them can be found in Torrent download sites or in online movie pages.

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Watch out for some of these movies, which are highly contagious!

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especially “Expedition Happiness” and “A Map for Saturday”

Let’s start…

1- Expedition Happiness

This documentary film tells the story of a German couple and their dog who travel across the American continent from end to end in a converted school bus. It all starts from the moment they buy and restore the typical yellow bus in America to their return to Germany.

It is on Netflix, although I have also found some regular version on youtube. Year 2017

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OJqNZz_rkk

2 – Wild

Our protagonist is a girl who after bad experiences in life (drugs, sex and a broken marriage) decides to make her backpack (too big by the way) to close her old stage and walk alone the 1600 km of the mythical Pacific Ridge Trail.

For me it’s a little bit American Hollywood, but equally motivating by conveying the idea that we all have the right to get up and walk, no matter how low we’ve fallen in the past.

Youtube (3.99$) Year 2014

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn2-GSqPyl0

3- The Secret life of Walter Mitty

Walter leads a normal, monotonous, mediocre life, in which he imagines himself to be the protagonist of great escapist adventures. One day, he finally decides to embark on an adventure and escape from the routine to fulfill his imaginations

It’s a little American Hollywood and fancy, but inspiring. This film is a reprint of an old one from 1947. It also takes you to incredible places like the waterfalls in Iceland. Year 2013

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HddkucqSzSM

4- The Way

After the death of his son, while he was walking the Way of Saint James, Tom decided to go out “tomorrow” to walk the Way to get to know his son better by carrying his ashes.

“Finding the differences between the life we choose and the life we live”

regular but the full version on youtube. Year 2011

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5VZKWcgw6c

5- Into the Wild

Detachment of material goods to ask oneself a series of existential questions, starting a journey to get in touch with nature and uncovering the meaning of life.

This film makes us reflect on the false concept of what is socially considered “success“.

“The best thing I can do about death is to try to make the most of life.”
-Into the wild

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7ArZ7VD-QQ

6- Pedal the World

Another documentary film by the German Felix-Starck (before Expedition Happiness) that tells the story of his adventures traveling 22 countries by bicycle and 18,000 km

It’s on Netflix. Original in German, but auto-dubbed into English by Felix himself and with Spanish subtitles. Year 2015

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qruBre–S-w

7- Tracks

A young woman travels through the Australian desert (3,000 km) alone, albeit with her camels and her dog. Along the way she meets herself and other people. It is based on real events that took place in 1977.

You can see it online for free here. Buy on Youtube (2.99 ?). Year 2013.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehv1RwH-1Ww

8- Seven Years in Tibet

An Austrian mountaineer is trapped in Nepal after the outbreak of World War I, but manages to escape and take refuge in Tibet where he spends 7 years. There he meets the Dalai Lama and there he tells the story of life from inside a then forbidden place.

The film is based on the autobiographical book written by the same Austrian mountaineer who died in 2006. It is also said that he was an envoy of Hitler to reconnoiter the terrain and attack the colonies of England (India).

It’s on Netflix.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSyr_vJ5t3k

9- Eat, Pray Love

A 31-year-old writer who, after bad experiences with her feelings, decides to take a sabbatical and embark on a journey that takes her through Italy, India and Indonesia. The film (with Javier Bardem by the way) is based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s autobiographical book “Come, Pray, Love”.

He conveys the message of “now” and the power to overcome. I remember seeing this film, just before I went to Bali

He is in Netflix

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0OizK9JmkM

10- Hector and the Search for Happiness

A psychologist who is very concerned about seeking the happiness of his clients, but one day realizes that he himself is not. So he escapes on an intrepid journey around the world with a smile

The year 2015.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DELCgkntuvw

11- The Motorcycle Diaries

Very motivating Argentine film in which two friends start a route on a motorcycle trip through almost all of South America where they will live all kinds of adventures and experiences. It is based on the travel diaries of Che Guevara and Alberto Granado in the 1950s with the purpose of seeing as much of Latin America as they can.

Youtube version. Year 2004

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWBsQArUkQY

12- A Map for Saturday

This documentary tells the story of a producer with a good position in the HBO network, who leaves his position to travel the world during 1 year as a backpacker. Along the way he meets and shares time with other backpackers with the same common idea: Home in the backpack and a bunk bed to share experiences.

Documentary created in 2007. It’s on Amazon Prime and I guess it’s on some hidden web page, like this one.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xyWnYJ1aUQ

13- Office Space

A computer programmer who works in the typical American multinational with huge offices and tiny cubicles where hours don’t seem to pass… plans revenge when they decide to kick out two of their closest colleagues.

This film is a bit about reverse psychology, as the protagonist does not travel to lost or exotic places in the world, but rather the opposite. I think this film will make you look and think about your life and daily routine.

You can buy it on youtube (3.99 euro). Year 1999.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMIrlP61Z9s

14- The Beach

This famous film by Leonardo Di Caprio shot on the island of Phi Phi, which marked a before and after on that beach. This film tells the vision of a Westerner in search of earthly paradise on the beaches of a hidden island in Thailand.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vSsx1RkGls

Now you… What would be the last film to complete this list?

-Leave it to me in the comments! 🙂