Bikepacking The Lost Island
Inspiration
Socotra – Bikepacking the Lost Island
Words, Film & Photography by Montanus
‘We decided to explore this remote island, attracted by its incredible endemic flora and otherworld landscapes, but found the warmth and hospitality of the Socotri people even more astonishing.’
The latest journey of the Montanus duo transports us to one of the most isolated and little-known islands on Earth. Socotra lies in the Indian Ocean between the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula, and is home to surreal endemic flora and fauna.
This short film follows the duo in their exploration of this remote and alien-looking land.
Socotra has long been an island shrouded in mystery. Over the centuries, travellers returned from islands in the Indian Ocean with tales of a strange world with surreal bleeding trees, forests of frankincense, and dramatic pinnacles that emerged from the mist. Nowadays this piece of Africa adrift at sea is considered a Noah’s ark. An incredible number of unique species of flora and fauna have evolved there. Giorgio and Francesco followed a 400km route leading them into the most remote areas of the island, exploring semi-arid limestone plateaus, breathtaking coasts, giant dunes of white sand, and magnificent cliffs. But Socotra was hit hard by the monsoon. So when they were faced by an impassable road, blocked by a rock collapse, they were forced to adopt a risky option.
The film reveals why Socotra has been wrapped in an aura of mystery over the centuries. Even today, the challenging and often hostile environment – dominated by pinnacles, gorges, semi-arid landscapes, and unreal dragon’s blood trees – helps to make this land unique.
