Mirko Maratea

Salerno, Italy

My name is Mirko Maratea, I’m 35 years old and I live in southern Italy, at the foot of the Picentini Mountains.

I’m Italian-American, passionate about nature, bushcraft, survival and outdoor photography. I teach survival courses for young people, focusing on essential first aid, survival and bushcraft techniques, with the goal of bringing them closer to the mountains and nature in a conscious and safe way.

In the past, I served as a Reconnaissance in the Italian Navy, within the “San Marco” Brigade. This military background, combined with the guidance of my mother — a professional nurse — allowed me to develop key survival and first aid skills in hostile environments.

Activities: Bushcraft, Survival & Explorer

Q&A with Mirko

What’s your go-to camping meal?

Instant polenta with crispy speck and dried porcini mushrooms. Minimal gear, maximum
flavor — and it cooks with not much water.

Where’s the best place to visit in Italy to experience great nature?

The Picentini Mountains in Campania. Still relatively unknown, they offer breathtaking
landscapes, deep silence, pure spring water, and extraordinary biodiversity. Perfect for
those seeking authentic nature, far from mass tourism.

What’s one outdoor skill everyone should learn?

Essentially two: First aid and water filtration. Knowing how to respond to an injury and how to stay hydrated in a remote environment can mean the difference between life and death. And then, safely starting a fire. Three skills every outdoor enthusiast should have.

What’s the strangest wildlife encounter you have everexperienced?

During a solo bivouac, one night I woke up to a dozen foxes, arranged in a semicircle, silently watching me from just a few meters away. And yet, foxes are solitary by nature and I had no food with me that could have attracted them. No fear, just an intense exchange of stares. Then, like ghosts, they vanished into the darkness. An encounter I will never forget.

What's your outdoor story?

My love for nature began as a child, walking through the woods with my grandfather and discovering the allure of the unknown. But it was during my years in the Navy, serving in forest reconnaissance units, that I truly understood the value of survival, navigation, silence, and respect for the environment.

When I left military life behind, I felt the need to reconnect with the land. I began exploring the mountains near my home, delved deeper into bushcraft, and started sharing all of this with young people. Teaching them how to handle themselves in nature is my way of giving something back. To me, the outdoors is not an escape — it’s a return. To simplicity. To truth.

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