It takes some courage to go on your first bicycle trip. Wondering what route to take, where to sleep, and how to find reliable information can feel daunting. It’s true that you can start this kind of adventure without a smartphone, but having one can be tremendously helpful. Here’s a pick of the 4 apps we use almost daily while cycling, plus two bonus apps!
iOverlander (free version available)
We mainly use it to find wild camping spots, but it’s also great for critical, localized information such as border crossings, road conditions, water points, and more. Keep in mind it’s used by overlanders in general (not just cyclists), which means it’s very active and constantly updated. There’s a paid version, but the free plan is more than enough: it lets you download one country at a time and works fully offline.
Warmshowers (sign-up required)
WarmShowers is a cyclist-only platform where you can be hosted (and host in return) for free. You create a profile, look for hosts in your area, and send a request (read their profile and personalize your message, it really increases your chances!). Once accepted, you simply show up and stay for free. We’ve used it all over the world, and it almost always led to something memorable: an invitation to a family gathering, a trip to the local market, or a night in a countryside home.
There is a WarmShowers app, but unfortunately it’s quite buggy (at least on Android), so we tend to just use the website on our phone.
WhatsApp (groups)
Everyone knows WhatsApp, but what we didn’t know before leaving is that there are dedicated cyclist groups covering entire regions or countries, some with hundreds of members. They’re incredibly useful for asking quick questions, getting up-to-date road or safety info, and connecting with other cyclists nearby. You can find all the groups here: https://allmylinks.com/cycling-the-world
Organic Maps (free offline map)
Many people travel with a dedicated GPS, but after 3+ years cycling around the world, we’ve always relied on our smartphone for navigation. Organic Maps is a free app for offline navigation: you download countries in advance and access them later without data. Having used it across Europe, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and now Africa, we can confidently say its accuracy is consistently good (often better than Google Maps). We usually pick “car” mode over “cycling” mode, since it tends to suggest more direct routes with fewer detours.
Bonus: Atlas Obscura (free)
Atlas Obscura is like the Google Maps of bizarre attractions: it shows a map of strange and quirky places around you, from a hidden café in South Africa to a little-known cave in Indonesia. We’ve discovered some of our favorite stops thanks to this app. It only works with data, though, so what we usually do is look up a few spots in advance and save them in Organic Maps to have them available offline later.
Bonus 2: Rolling Around (free)
Rolling Around is a newer app, essentially the iOverlander for cyclists. It shows camping spots and nearby bike shops, and is quickly growing as more cyclists start contributing pins. It’s still less complete than iOverlander in some regions, but worth checking alongside it, especially since it’s built specifically with cyclists’ needs in mind.
Leave a Reply