Travel Movies - Backpacking: More than 25 of the best films!
You are looking for the best movies for backpackers ever? We have found the best 25 movies for you. Adventure, lifestyle and freedom. Just do it! Especially for backpackers, globetrotters, frequent travellers and everybody else who loves backpacking as much as we do.
“Tourists visit places. Travellers explore the world!”
Don’t be a tourist. Get inspired!
Director:
Felix Starck, Selima Taibi
Actors:
Felix Starck, Selima Taibi
Genre:
Roadtrip, Love
Better-Go-Now description:
“He became famous with his bicycle documentary” Pedal The Wordl “, now Felix Starck is going on a trip again and is converting a US school bus into a mobile home with his girlfriend and singer Selima in” Expedition Happiness .”
The Beach

Director:
Danny Boyle
Actors:
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tilda Swinton, Virginie Ledoyen
Genre:
Drama, Adventure
IMDb:
6.6
Better-Go-Now description:
"A lot of young backpackers search for adventures far off the beaten track. Among them young Richard from England. He discovers a wonderful beach in Thailand which looks truly outstanding. Together with some other people Richard takes a trip to the remote island. For them it is paradise. Until life shows them the other side of the coin... Action!"
A Map for Saturday

Director:
Brook Silva-Braga
Actors:
Scott Erikson, Rebecca Filmer, Sabrina Hezinger
Genre:
Adventure, Documentary
IMDb:
8.0
Better-Go-Now description:
"Have you ever asked yourself how it would be to do a round-the-world-trip? Imagine you can spend your time wherever and on whatever you want to. You don't have to justify what you do. "A Map for Saturday" is a documentary about the life of longtime travelers. A look at different cultures and their peculiarities. A glimpse into a world that is only known by travelers..."
Brokedown Palace

Director:
Jonathan Kaplan
Actors:
Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman
Genre:
Drama
IMDb:
6.4
Better-Go-Now description:
"Two best friends are planning the journey of their life. After passing High School they want to go to Bangkok. There an Australian persuades them to go on a trip to Hongkong. That he had bad intentions they realized too late in prison. He smuggled heroin into their bags. A hard fight for freedom and friendship starts..."
The Loneliest Planet

Director:
Julia Loktev
Actors:
Gael García Bernal, Hani Furstenberg, Bidzina Gujabidze
Genre:
Drama
IMDb:
5.5
Better-Go-Now description:
""The love between two people is tested hard while backpacking." Also in this movie... A backpacker couple in the mountains of Georgia. The two and a native mountain guide spend some time there to see the breathtaking landscape. Until some gloomy people show up... After that nothing is like before anymore."
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Director:
Ben Stiller
Actors:
Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Sean Penn
Genre:
Comedy
IMDb:
7.3
Better-Go-Now description:
"Walter Mitty is not a person to take risks. In his daydreams, this is completely different. While dreaming, he is the hero and does things he wishes to do in real life. For example to talk to his secret love called Cheryl. Walter works in a photo archive for the magazine "Life!". For the last edition of this magazine one photo cannot be found. He decides to go on an adventurous search. Somewhere out in the world..."
Darjeeling Limited

Director:
Wes Anderson
Actors:
Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman
Genre:
Comedy, Adventure
IMDb:
7.2
Better-Go-Now description:
"A train journey trough India should reunite the three brothers. It doesn't take long until a number of things go badly wrong on their spiritual trip. They will never forget this journey. A lot of India, funny too..."
Qué Tan Lejos? (OV Spanish; Subtitles in EN, FR, DE)

Director:
Tania Hermida
Actors:
Pancho Aguirre, Tania Martinez, Fausto Miño
Genre:
Adventure
IMDb:
7.1
Better-Go-Now description:
"How far still to go? Two women are asking themselves this question on the way to Cuanca in Ecuador. A Spanish woman with a lonely planet in her hand wants to experience adventure and the other is going to Cuanca to prevent her beloved to marry another woman. By accident they meet and thereupon they share the adventure. A nice story, and on top of that it is set in wonderful Ecuador.
"
"
The Last King of Scotland

Director:
Kevin Macdonald
Actors:
James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson
Genre:
Drama, Biography
IMDb:
7.7
Better-Go-Now description:
"At first, the young Nicolas thinks that it is a privilege to be the personal physician of dictator Idi Amin. At the beginning he enjoys the special features he gets because of his position. He lives big and in luxury. But one day, when he understands that Idi Amin is a truly cruel character, he wants to quit. That should become less easy than Nicolas expected..."
Seven Years in Tibet

Director:
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Actors:
Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, BD Wong
Genre:
Adventure
IMDb:
7.0
Better-Go-Now description:
"In 1939, when Heinrich Harrer arrives after an adventurous trip at the gates of Tibet, they stay closed at first. After a while the 11-year-old Dalai Lama gives him a chance. A deep friendship begins. Both learn from each other. Then troubles with China arise... A truly breathtaking story..."
The Motorcycle Diaries

Director:
Walter Salles
Actors:
Gael García Bernal, Rodrigo De la Serna
Genre:
Drama, Biography
IMDb:
7.8
Better-Go-Now description:
"This movie tells the story of the young Argentinian Ernesto Guevara and how he becomes "Che", the well known leader of a revolutionary movement. One day, Ernesto and his friend Alberto decide to go on a longer motorbike journey. They experience incredible adventures. When they come back they conclude that there are big social inequities within the South American continent. The cornerstone for the revolution..."
Hector and the Search for Happiness

Director:
Peter Chelsom
Actors:
Simon Pegg, Toni Collette, Rosamund Pike
Genre:
Adventure, Comedy
IMDb:
7.0
Better-Go-Now description:
"Hector has a good job. He likes to listen to his patients and they love him as their psychiatrist. One day he has the feeling that something is missing. He feels that people are not truly happy, not even when their mental state is getting better. This in turn makes him unhappy. So he decides to go out into the big wide world to search for happiness. An adventure around the world to find himself in the end..."
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Director:
Woody Allen
Actors:
Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem
Genre:
Drama, Romance
IMDb:
7.2
Better-Go-Now description:
"They are young, curious and hungry for life. Vicky and Cristina have been friends for a long time and they plan to spend a beautiful summer in Barcelona. A life changing summer. In Barcelona, Vicky enjoys her last weeks as an unmarried woman and Cristina does not know what she wants yet but she wants to find it. After a few days, they meet the artist Juan. He will turn their lives upside down. A turbulent romance starts..."
Into the Wild

Director:
Sean Penn
Actors:
Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden
Genre:
Drama, Adventure
IMDb:
8.2
Better-Go-Now description:
"His main goal is Alaska. Chris McCandless wants to get away from too much consumption and unnecessary responsibilities. He dreams of the endless freedom and the wonderful lonesome wilderness. He heads out on an adventure that he will never forget. A breathtaking movie about life, friendship, loneliness and the pursuit of happiness. A beautiful but also cruel masterpiece..."
The Way

Director:
Emilio Estevez
Actors:
Martin Sheen, Deborah Kara Unger, James Nesbitt
Genre:
Adventure
IMDb:
7.4
Better-Go-Now description:
"The son of the famous eye specialist Tom Avery dies because of an accident while walking the Way of St. James. Instead of being sad at home he decides to walk the way his son tried to. He pauses his life. During the walk he meets interesting people who walk with him. A lot of inspiring stories which make you laugh but get you thinking about life too. A nice movie..."
On the Road

Director:
Walter Salles
Actors:
Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart
Genre:
Roadmovie
IMDb:
6.1
Better-Go-Now description:
"Be honest: Have you ever thought about taking your bags and just leave? Living to the fullest, day by day, without planning too much. A journey through time with the "Beat generation". Always on the road, always on the search for something new. Living the moment. That is what counts! A book for all people who want to break out..."
Hotel Very Welcome

Director:
Sonja Heiss
Actors:
Eva Löbau, Svenja Steinfelder, Chris O'Dowd, Ricky Champ
Genre:
Comedy, Drama
IMDb:
6.5
Better-Go-Now description:
"A movie about the different motivations for backpacking. Everyone has different goals. Alcohol, drugs, sex or the pursuit of happiness. Hotel Very Welcome shows us what brings people on the move to go out into the big world. A lot of different funny stories."
Last Stop for Paul

Director:
Neil Mandt
Actors:
Neil Mandt, Marc Carter, Gregory Poppen
Genre:
Adventure
IMDb:
6.5
Better-Go-Now description:
"Charlie and Cliff decide to pause the workaday life and head off to the Full-Moon-Party in Thailand. Furthermore they have the goal of visiting as many countries as they can in two weeks. A lot of crazy people and exciting adventures. A well done low budget movie."
Long Way Down (OV English; Subtitles)

Director:
David Alexanian, Charley Boorman
Actors:
Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, David Alexanian
Genre:
Series, Adventure
IMDb:
8.4
Better-Go-Now description:
"If you want to see a breathtaking adventure, you should watch this series. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman start a tour from Scotland to South Africa on their motorcycles . The viewer has the feeling to be also a member of the journey. Well done! If possible, watch the long version..."
Wild

Director:
Jean-Marc Vallée
Actors:
Reese Witherspoon, Thomas Sadoski, Michiel Huisman
Genre:
Adventure, Biography
IMDb:
7.1
Better-Go-Now description:
"Drugs and sex with strange men are regularly on the agenda of the 26-year-old Cheryl. By doing so she wants to distract herself from the pain in her life - her mother died when she was young and she already had to go through a divorce. At a certain point she realizes that she cannot go on like this. A travel book gets into her hands… She decides to go on the journey of her life. Alone and with no idea about what to expect."
Same Same But Different

Director:
Detlev Buck
Actors:
Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, David Kross, Jens Harzer
Genre:
Drama
IMDb:
6.8
Better-Go-Now description:
"Benjamin meets Sreykeo in a club in Cambodia. Even though she is a prostitute Benjamin falls in love with her. In his eyes she has got something special. He spends all the time he has with her. When Benjamin arrives back in Germany, Sreykeo tells him that she was tested positiv for HIV. Then it gets dramatic..."
The Art of Travel

Director:
Thomas Whelan
Actors:
Christopher Masterson, Brooke Burns, Johnny Messner
Genre:
Adventure
IMDb:
6.5
Better-Go-Now description:
"In his thoughts he is already on honeymoon with the love of his life. But sometimes life has different plans. No marriage. Therefore he decides to go on “honeymoon” on his own. He would have never expected that this would be the adventure of his life..."
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