Armchair Explorer

In this special bonus episode I share a new podcast I am producing and co-presenting. It's called Wanderlust: Off the Page, which is the audio addition to one of my favorite travel magazine on the planet. Wanderlust is all about intrepid destinations, authentic cultural experiences and taking the road less traveled ... which I know you guys love too.This new show is designed to help you discover the most fulfilling travel experiences on the planet! From culture and history to nature and wildlife, we're going to be taking you behind the scenes of the magazine to go deeper into our favorite destinations and meet the travel writers, experts, and personalities who will bring our stories to life.Hosted by founding editor Lyn Hughes and special features editor Rosie Fitzgerald, this episode explores the unparalleled beauty of Rapa Nui, or Easter Island. Award winning travel writer Shafik Meghji discusses with Aaron Millar the flourishing indigenous culture, the story of how the island was settled, and the experience of exploring such a remote place. Check it out, I know you're going to love it!Subscribe to the show on the links belowAPPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wanderlust-off-the-page/id1585628173SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/3UhYDK0IAi9OYj7DY8jrYr Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Join travel author and naturalist Sara Dykman on a 10,000 mile journey following on the wings of one of the most remarkable migrations in the animal kingdom.Every spring tens of millions of monarch butterflies travel from their winter hibernation grounds in the Transvolcanic Mountains of Mexico north across the United States and into Canada. It’s a journey of between 2,000 and 3,000 miles. For a creature that weighs half a gram, and measures about four inches, that’s a preposterous distance. The comparative length trip for a 150lb human being would be more than 300 million miles – or roughly 700 round trips to the moon.But even more baffling is the fact that the butterfly that departs from Mexico will die before returning home. And so will its offspring. It will be left to the fourth generation, the great granddaughter of that original butterfly, to begin the journey anew next spring. How millions of monarchs find their way across a continent to the same specific 12 mountains every year, having never been there before, and with no guide, is still one of the great mysteries of the natural world.But the journey of the monarchs is getting harder and harder every year. Agriculture and human domestication of the land is reducing their habitat and food sources along the way to barely enough to survive. In undertaking this epic bike ride Sara will also be raising awareness of their plight as she unravels the mystery of this incredible journey.But this is also a story about us. Through her journey Sara discovered the wonder of the microsopic world all around us, an entire universe in the dirt and fluttering above our heads. Her adventure also reminds us to stop, slow down and notice these small wonders because the more we do so the more amazing our world becomes.Buy the BookSara’s book is called bicycling with butterflies. It’s a fascinating read and well worth a look. You can also connect with her at www.beyondabook.org or @beyondabook on facebook. To find out more about the monarch butterfly migration, why it’s under threat and what you can do to help head to www.monarchwatch.org and www.monarchjointventure.orgSupport the ShowIf you enjoy this show, then please consider showing your support by becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast … the sponsorship covers the cost of production, but not my time. If you love the outdoors and the pure joy of exploring this amazing planet, then please consider helping to spread that message to as many people as possible. Thank you for whatever you can do it means the world to me.Follow on SocialFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on instagram and facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episodeFree Stuff!Thank you to wondrium for supporting the show! Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a 22-day free trail, no strings attached, check out as much of their thousands of hours of streaming audio and video as you want. It’s like netflix for your brain, you’re going to love it. Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

“There is something in us,” legendary nature writer Jay Griffiths writes, “that detests the tepid world of net curtains … the chloroform world where human nature is well schooled, tamed from childhood on, where the radiators are permanently on mild and the windows are permanently closed.”Lost with her life and desperate to escape the confines of the modern world, jay set out on a journey to explore the world’s wildest places. She would explore ice, earth, water, fire and air. It would take seven years and all her savings. She would sing with cannibals in the highlands of West Papua, drink ayahuasca with shamans in the amazon. She explored the frozen arctic with Innuits and the fire desert with the aboriginals of the Australia. Through her travels jay learned the wisdom of the indigenous people that call these elements home. She discovered how they shaped their culture and beliefs, and in time how they shaped her too. She was seeking wildness. She was following her ‘feral angel’, listening to its call to take flight and reconnect with the wildness inside her.This is an incredible adventure, but it’s also a fountain of near forgotten wisdom and a call to all us to listen to that ‘urgent demand in the blood’ that urges us to take flight too. It is up to us, she says, to find what it is in the in the world that matches that wildness in yourself and to become that. This is a story for anyone that’s ever crawled up the walls, stared out the window and dreamed of escape. This is a call to the wild. Highlights include:· Take ayahuasca with shamans in the Amazon· Walk naked and alone into the frozen wilderness of the Arctic· Trek the highlands with the freedom fighters of West Papua, one of the most remote and least-visited places on earth· Have dinner with cannibals · Find out how to apply the wisdom of the wild in our own lifeJay’s book of this adventure is called ‘Wild: an Elemental Journey’. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of nature writing I have ever read and couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Her latest book ‘Why Rebel?’ is awesome too. Search them up wherever you get your books – you won’t be disappointed!Join the CommunityIf you're enjoying the show please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! The show is free but each episode takes about 40hrs to produce. The sponsors cover my costs, but not my time. If you like what you hear and think that two episodes a month is worth the price of a frosty beverage then please go to www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast. From just $5 per month you will get you ad free episodes and access to our explorers community with exclusive travel discount vouchers delivered right to your inbox each month. Buy me a pint! ... the next round will be on me.Thank you Sponsors!Today’s episode is sponsored by Wondrium. Wondrium is like Netflix for your brain, an enormous encyclopedia of mind-blowing audio and video content designed for curious people just like us. Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a 22-day free trail with access to thousands of hours of audio and video content, all for free, no strings attached. Check it out!Let's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Between 1977 and 1982 comedian Andy Smart hitchhiked 72,000 miles across Europe – the equivalent of crossing America coast-to-coast 24 times. This is the story of his greatest ride ever.At 20-years of age Andy sold everything he owned and left his home in Liverpool to move to London and pursue his dream of becoming a comedian. But before he did, he had one hitch, one last great adventure, left. It was the World Cup and England were playing France in Bilbao, Spain on his birthday. He planned to hitchhike through UK, down the length of France and into Spain to watch the game. It wouldn’t be easy. He carried a hammock, a piece of tarpaulin and some string to sleep by the side of the road. He had a small backpack, hardly any money and barely more than a change of clothes. But as he stood on the East Lancs Road on the edge of Liverpool, thumb out waiting for his first lift he knew, somehow, that this was a pivotal moment, that his life would never be the same again. He was right, but he never could have anticipated what a wild ride it would be. Highlights include:· Hear about one of the greatest hitchhiking adventures of all time· Catch a ride to the Council of the Universe (well, sort of …)· Take part in an insanely violent game of medieval soccer · Run for your life in the festival of San FerminoJoin the CommunityIf you're enjoying the show please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! The show is free but each episode takes about 40hrs to produce. The sponsors cover my costs, but not my time. If you like what you hear and think that two episodes a month is worth the price of a frosty beverage then please go to www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast. From just $5 per month you will get you ad free episodes and access to our explorers community with exclusive travel discount vouchers delivered right to your inbox each month. Buy me a pint! ... the next round will be on me.Thank you Sponsors!Today’s episode is sponsored by Wondrium. Wondrium is like Netflix for your brain, an enormous encyclopedia of mind-blowing audio and video content designed for curious people just like us. I love it and i think you will too. Go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get a 22-day free trail with access to thousands of hours of audio and video content, from travel guides and documentaries to courses taught by the world’s greatest professors. All for free, no strings attached. Check it out!Let's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow legendary mountaineer Rick Ridgeway on the most profound adventure of his life, a journey through the Himalayas in search of a lost friend.In 1980, while climbing a remote peak in eastern Tibet, Rick and his three climbing partners were hit by a devastating avalanche. Rick survived but as he pulled himself out from under the snow, he saw his best friend Jonathan Wright lying on the ground not moving. He gave him mouth-to-mouth, he stroked his hair, he held him in his lap, but it wasn't enough. Jonathan died a few minutes later in his arms.As he died, Rick made a promise. Thousands of miles away Jonathan's baby daughter, Asia, was taking her first steps. He promised he would be there for her and watch over her as she grew. 18 years later, Asia turned up on his doorstep with a favor to ask. She wanted to go find her father's grave to pay her respects, and she wanted to Rick to take her. This is the story of the adventure."A life worth living is lived at the edges where it is wild" - Rick RidgewayBut it is also the story of one of the greatest mountaineers of all time. Rick's latest book is called 'Life Lived Wild: Adventures at the Edge of the Map'. It is a beautiful memoir of a life lived to the full, immersed in the beauty and adventure of the natural world. Through this episode we will also hear some of Rick's other favorite tales of adventure and learn the wisdom those wild places have given him. More info at www.patagonia.com Highlights include Getting lost while sailing across the Pacific Ocean in search of Tahiti Taking the famous newscaster Tom Brokaw to the summit of Mount Rainier with legendary climbers Yvonne Chouinard and Doug Tompkins. Nearly dying of hypothermia while kayaking across a frozen lake in Chilean Patagonia. Discovering what it feels like to be trapped in an avalanche facing certain death Following the journey of Rick and Asia through one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world Learning the wisdom of a life spent in the wild and how nature can be our greatest teacher Join the CommunityIf you're enjoying the show please consider showing your support by buying me a pint! The show is free but it takes many hours to produce and almost all of it is done singlehandedly by me. The sponsors cover costs, but not my time. If you like what you hear and think that two episodes a month is worth the price of a single frosty beverage then please go to www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcast. From just $5 per month you will get you ad free episodes and access to our explorers community with exclusive travel discount vouchers delivered right to your inbox each month. Buy me a pint! ... the next round will be on me.Thank you Sponsors!Today’s episode is sponsored by Wayfarer Vans - the backpacker’s version of camper vans. Kick-ass van conversions at literally ¼ price of other people, that are designed to de-clutter your adventure so you can be in the moment, taking in the wild spaces your van has delivered you to. www.wayfarervans.comLet's Hang outFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow travel author Robert Martineau on a 1,000-mile solo trek through West Africa. Travelling through Ghana, Togo and Benin, sleeping in villages or on the side of paths he will cross deserts, rainforests and mountains, he will encounter voodoo ceremonies and witches camps, and meet shamans, priests, herdsmen and kings. But this is more than just a long walk. This is a modern day pilgrimage, a young man’s journey in search of a new life, and an escape from the monotony and aimless floating of his old one.At the age of 27 and trapped in a job he hated, Rob ran away from a successful career as a lawyer to spend five months in the African bush. He sought answers and guidance, a freedom and connection to nature he had lost and long craved. But he also discovered hard truths about himself and his place in the world.This is an extraordinary account of his adventure, but it is also a story of his inner journey and the wisdom he learned along the way.Highlights include:· Taking part in a traditional voodoo ceremony· Visiting a ‘witch camp’ in northern Ghana· Witnessing a traditional Adae festival in the Ashanti heartlands· Discovering the fascinating culture and beautiful landscapes of Ghana, Togo and Benin· Being inspired to change your life and go on your own modern-day pilgrimage wherever that may beThe book of this story is called Waypoints: A Journey on Foot, which was recently cited by the Washington Post as one of the best travel books of 2021. You can also connect with Rob directly on instagram, twitter and facebook at @rob_martineauBecome a Patron of the show and get ad-free episodes and membership to the exclusive Explorer’s Club with monthly travel vouchers sent directly to your inbox and much more. The show is free but costs time and money to produce. If you enjoy it and think that our message of love for the outdoors, caring for this planet and living your life to the full is a message worth spreading then thank you for whatever you can do. https://www.patreon.com/Armchairexplorerpodcast Today’s episode is sponsored by wayfarer vans - the backpacker’s version of camper vans. Kick-ass van conversions at literally ¼ price of other people, that are designed to de-clutter your adventure so you can be in the moment, taking in the wild spaces your van has delivered you to. www.wayfarervans.com Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow Captain Liz Clark on the Voyage of the Swell, a surfer’s journey in search of a life of exploration, adventure and the perfect wave. After college, instead of getting a job and starting a career, as her peers were, Liz bought a boat. She had always loved the ocean and felt a calling to follow her dreams, and try and make her passions her life, instead of just something crammed in between all the things she was supposed to do. So she decided to do something crazy. At age 22, with no real experience of sailing alone, she set sail from San Diego and simply headed south. No fixed plan in mind, just sailing the coast at the pace of a slow jog, searching out the best surf breaks in the world, places where no one else had ever ridden waves before.This is a story for ocean lovers, it’s a story for sailors and surfers, but it’s also a story for anyone out there dreaming of escape. For Liz following your dreams and pursuing a life built around your passions isn’t frivolous or selfish. It’s the door to discovering your life purpose. She says: “Your passions are the compass by which your steer your life”. If you dream of a life of exploration and adventure too, this story is for you. Highlights include:· Surfing some of the best breaks in the world along the coast of Central America and in remote atolls in the South Pacific· Discovering the beauty and incredible Polynesian culture of the Marquesas islands, one of the most remote archipelagos in the world· Free diving with Hammerhead Sharks in the Cocos Islands, an under-water paradise 300 miles off the coast of Costa Rica· Exploring the Galapagos Islands and find out what a world untouched by human hands would be likeThe book of this journey is called Swell: a Sailing Surfer’s Voyage of Awakening. it’s out now on Patagonia Books. Instagram and Facebook @captainlizclark, YouTube @captainlizzy and her website and blog is www.swellvoyage.com If you enjoy this show please consider supporting it by becoming a patron. For $5 a month you will get ad-free episodes; $10 a month will also get you access to our exclusive Explorer’s Club, monthly travel vouchers and more. www.patreon.com/armchairexplorerpodcastFollow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Conrad Anker is renowned throughout the world as one of the greatest living mountaineers. Follow him to the Himalayan peaks of northern India to climb the ‘Shark’s Fin’ of Mt. Meru, a sheer 1,500-foot wall of blank granite, one the hardest, most dangerous and beautiful routes on the planet. For 30 years the best mountaineers in the world had attempted to climb Mt. Meru and for 30 years one-by-one they were spit off. It was thought that perhaps no one would ever reach its summit. Sacred to four religions, Mt. Meru is known as the abode of the gods. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be climbed. Perhaps it was impossible. But impossible is a word that Conrad doesn’t understand. This is the story of that climb. This is the story of the adventure of his life.But it’s more than that too. Coming up as a young climber, Conrad was mentored by a man called Mugs Stump, another legend of his day. For Mugs, Mt. Meru represented the pinnacle of mountaineering. Climbing it would be the greatest achievement of his career. Conrad and him made a promise, they vowed that no matter what they would one day reach the top together. But, tragically, Mugs died before his dream could be realised. After that, climbing Mt. Meru became more than just a mountain or Conrad, it became an obsession. It became the culmination of his life’s work. He put a team together, Jimmy Chin – the renowned mountaineer and filmmaker – and a young climber called Renan Ozturk. Together, they travelled to northern India and began the long journey to the summit. This is a story about what it takes to achieve the impossible. This, is the story of Mt. Meru.Highlights:· Follow the world’s best climbers pitch-by-pitch up the hardest climb on the planet.· Hear what it’s like to survive for 17 days in a ‘Sea of Gravity’, as Conrad calls it, 1000s feet of extreme exposure pulling you down into all sides.· Discover what it takes to survive one of the worst Himalayan storms in 50 years, trapped in a portaledge thousands of feet above the ground, with avalanches raining down all around you· Climb the House of Cards, one of the most dangerous pitches in mountaineering· Hear the wisdom and inspiration that Conrad has learnt from a life in the mountains.The documentary of this climb is called Meru, shot and directed by another legend Jimmy Chin. You can rent it on Amazon, You Tube and elsewhere. You can also follow Conrad on Instagram/Twitter @conrad_anker and on Facebook @conradankerofficial. His website is simply www.conradanker.com If you enjoy this episode, please check out some of the conservation projects, which Conrad is involved with and support them if you can: www.himalayan-foundation.org and www.alexlowe.orgThanks to Wondrium for sponsoring this episode. Wondrium is the new name for The Great Courses Plus, now expanded with more content: documentaries, world-cinema, tv shows and lots of new courses. You can check it all out for free for one month by heading over to www.wondrium.com/armchairFollow @armchairexplorer podcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow extreme bikepacker Cat Jaffee as she competes in the Silk Road Mountain Race - the toughest mountain bike race on the planet. 1,200-miles long, with over 115,000-feet elevation gain, athletes traverse the high mountain passes and remote valleys of Kyrgyzstan for 14 grueling days. Traveling completely unsupported, wild camping along the way, only a handful of riders attempt it and a fraction of those reach the end. But the racing is only part of the appeal. For centuries, The Silk Road operated as a network of trading routes connecting China and the Far East with the Middle east and Europe. It was responsible for spreading some of the most important ideas, culture and economics throughout the world and its effects still resonate across the world today. The mountains of Kyrgyzstan, which the race passes through, traces one of the central routes of the Silk Road, used by traders and wanderers throughout the Middle Ages, and the nomadic culture which still grazes their sheep in these high alpine pastures today has remained largely since those days. It had always been Cat’s dream to bikepack the Silk Road. But on the cusp of that dream coming true she came back from an assignment in Africa to the news that she had contracted malaria, dengue fever and had ovarian cancer. It was devastating news. She spent a year undergoing chemotherapy and Stage 4 cancer treatment. Most of us would have given up on the race. Most of us would have struggled to even get out of bed. But Cat kept training throughout it, riding 100s miles each weekend all day and through the night. Then a year later, despite her illness, she found herself on the start line of the toughest mountain bike race in the world. This is a story about that adventure, but it’s also a story about the power of determination to beat the odds and follow your dreams no matter what stands in your way. Get ready to ride the Silk Road.Highlights:· Find out what it takes to compete in the toughest mountain bike race in the world· Explore the spectacular mountains and ancient culture of Kyrgyzstan’s high mountains· Be inspired by Cat’s story of determination and survival in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.Cat is also an award-winning podcast producer. Her latest series, Guardians of the River about the Okavango Delta Wilderness Project, which was recorded on location in Angola and Botswana over four months, won the Tribeca Film Festival’s prestigious Best Podcast award. Find out more here: https://www.houseofpod.org/featured-productions/guardians-of-the-river ... Connect directly with Cat on Instagram: @naturevertThanks to Wondrium for sponsoring this episode. Wondrium is the new name for The Great Courses Plus, now expanded with more content: documentaries, world-cinema, tv shows and lots of new courses. You can check it all out for free for one month by heading over to www.wondrium.com/armchairTo find out more about the Silk Road Mountain Race go to www.silkroadmountainrace.cc / cover image courtesy @silkroadmountainraceFollow @armchairexplorer podcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow travel author and adventurer Graydon Hazenburg on an epic bike journey from Islamabad, in Pakistan, all the way to Mount Kailash, in Tibet thousands of miles away. Travelling across four of the great mountain ranges in the world, the Pamir Mountains, the Hindu Kush, the Karakorum and the Himalayas, it would prove to be an incredibly difficult trip, cycling over some of the highest passes in the world across some of its worst roads.But it was also incredibly fascinating and beautiful. Graydon was cycling through some of the most remote and least visited places on the planet. He would stay with the Kalash people of Chitral and hike the foothills of Nanga Parbat, one the most dangerous mountains in the world. He visited the Hunza River Valley, the inspiration for the mythical enlightened kingdom of Shangri-La, and crossed the vast plains of the Tibetan Plain, staying with nomads along the way. But it was more than just an adventure too. Mount Kailash is the most sacred mountain in the world. Located in western Tibet, it is sacred to billions of Buddhists, Hindus and others around the world, and a pilgrimage around the mountain is walked by thousands of devotees every year. Get ready for one of the craziest bike stories you’ll ever hear …Highlights include: · Here how Graydon won Jeopardy and used the money to quit his career in academia and travel the world instead· Stay with the Kalash people in Pakistan, one of the most remote and rarely visited cultures in Asia, with only a few thousands left on Earth· See the paradise of the Hunza River Valley, the inspiration for the mythical fabled kingdom of Shangri-La · Climb the foothills of Nanga Parbat, one of the most dangerous mountains on the planet, which kills 1 in 5 people that attempt to summit it· Visit Tibetan nomads surviving in the harsh conditions of the Tibetan Plateau· Walk the Mount Kailash pilgrimage, perhaps the most beautiful pilgrimages on Earth· Be inspired to set out on your own journey – “We can always make more money,” Graydon says. “We can never make more time.”The book of this journey is called Pedalling to Kailash: Cycling Adventures and Misadventures on the Roof of the World - https://www.amazon.com/Pedalling-Kailash-Cycling-Adventures-Misadventures/dp/1777593611Connect with GraydonFB: www.facebook.com/graydon.hazenberg.authorTwitter: www.twitter.com/stanleystravelsInstagram: www.instagram.com/hmstanleystravelsTravel blog: graydonstravels.blogspot.comWebsite: graydonhazenberg.caThanks to Wondrium for sponsoring this episode. Wondrium is the new name for The Great Courses Plus, now expanded with more content: documentaries, world-cinema, tv shows and lots of new courses. You can check it all out for free for one month by heading over to www.wondrium.com/armchairFollow @armchairexplorer podcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow travel author Oscar Scafidi on his world-record paddle down the Kwanza River in Angola. Stretching 600-miles from its source in the Angolan Highlands, in the centre of the country, to the Atlantic Ocean on the country’s west coast, Oscar and his partner Alfie Weston kayaked the entire length and hiked an additional two hundred miles to circumvent rapids, waterfalls and dams. The going was tough and they were unprepared for the dangers and hardships ahead. But, that’s also part of what’s so inspiring and unique about this story – Oscar and Alfie aren’t professional adventurers, explorers or African bush experts. They’re just two young guys with a crazy idea and a lot of guts. They faced man-eating crocodiles, angry hippos and even angrier police. But over 33 hard days, camping beside the banks of the river and in small settlements along the way, they reached the ocean and in doing so did something no one else had ever achieved before, which has since been recognised as an official world-record by Guinness World Records. This is a story about that adventure, but it’s also a story about dreaming big, taking risks and achieving something extraordinary. If two ordinary guys, with very little kayaking experience, can paddle the entire length of one of Africa's longest rivers, then you can achieve your travel dreams too. Highlights:· Facing 600-miles of man-eating crocodiles, deadly rapids and pods pod of angry attacking hippos· Kayaking the entire length of one of the least explored rivers on the planet – an official Guinness World Record· Discovering Angola, one of Africa’s least visited and most misunderstood countries, still reeling from the aftermath of a brutal civil war. But one that’s also filled with incredible wildlife, surfing, hiking and more· Getting arrested in the middle of the night at gun point by the security forces· Being inspired to follow your own dreams of adventure and hearing what it takes to get it done If you want to connect with Oscar directly his Instagram is @oscarscafidi and his twitter is @scafiditravels. He also has an awesome YouTube channel which charts this trip and his other adventures www.youtube.com/c/ScafidiTravelsThe book of this journey is called Kayak the Kwanza: Source to Sea Along Angola’s Longest River - www.amazon.com/Kayak-Kwanza-Oscar-Scafidi/dp/1789650127Thanks to Wondrium for sponsoring this episode. Wondrium is the new name for The Great Courses Plus, now expanded with more content: documentaries, world-cinema, tv shows and lots of new courses. You can check it all out for free for one month by heading over to www.wondrium.com/armchairOscar and Alfie were raising money for the HALO Trust who are removing landmines from Angola and other war-torn countries around the world. Their goal is a landmine-free wolrd by 2025. Help them get there at www.halotrust.orgFollow @armchairexplorer podcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow Black Belt travel writer Paul Barach as he treks the 750-mile Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan. Dedicated to the 8thcentury Buddhist Holy Man, Kukai, Shikoku is the wildest of Japan’s four main islands filled with steep mountains, thousand-year-old temples and thick cedar forests. Walked for more than 1,200 years, this is one of the hardest Buddhist pilgrimages in the world and Paul will be doing it all on foot, staying in traditional villages and camping out along the way.But this is more than just a trek. A black belt in bare-fisted full contact Kyokushin karate, Paul had dreamed of coming to Japan since he was a small boy. He had trained hard for this moment. He had dreams of fighting monks on hilltop temples, dodging ninjas or perhaps even meeting a wizened old man on the path who would give him a samurai sword and say: “You’re ready.”What he didn’t prepare for was the trek. At all. He arrived in Shikoku during the worst heat wave in over 100 years with shoes that didn’t fit, a map he couldn’t read and no ability to speak Japanese. He survived, but only just.He fought off wild boars and heat stroke. He struggled to find food, water and places to sleep. He was nearly arrested, broke a temple and ended up in hospital. But through that struggle, for fleeting moments, he also caught glimpses of the enlightenment and wisdom he sought. And let’s just say all that kung fu training wasn’t for nothing either …Highlights include:· Find out about the 1,200-year-old Shikoku pilgrimage, one of the hardest but also most beautiful pilgrimages in the world· Join Paul on his many misadventures: wild boar attacks, temple catastrophes, hiding from security guards, hospitalization and more· Hear about the wisdom and enlightenment Paul found along the way, and how you can benefit from that in your own life too· See if Paul’s dreams of fighting monks on mountain top temples comes true … Paul’s book is called ‘Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains: Misadventures on a Buddhist Pilgrimage’ and his Instagram is @barachoutdoors … connect with him, he’s an awesome guy!Thank you to Wondrium for sponsoring this episode! This is the new name for The Great Courses Plus, but it’s now loads more content from documentaries and expert courses to world cinema and more. It’s awesome and we’ve got a deal for you – just go to www.wondrium.com/armchair to get 1 month of content absolutely free. No obligations, just check it out for free. It’s a great way to support the show!Check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow National Geographic wildlife biologist Doug Chadwick to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia in search of the world’s rarest bear. There are less than 50 Gobi Grizzlies left in the world and until recently almost no one even knew the existed - including Doug, a self-proclaimed ‘Bear Junkie’ who has spent his life studying Grizzly Bears around the world. While tracking snow leopards in the Himalayas he heard about the Gobi Grizzly and swore then and there to try and find them, and do what he could to help save them. This is a story about that adventure. It’s a story about Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, one of the harshest and most beautiful places on Earth. There are sandstorms and sacred mountains and ticks as big as your thumb. But it’s also a story about us. Because through this adventure, and others, Doug has developed a new theory of nature, an entirely new paradigm of how to look at ourselves and the world around us - and it’s going to blow your mind. Get ready, because the wind is blowing in the Land of the Eternal Blue Sky and somewhere out there is one of the last 50 Gobi Grizzlies on the planet – and we’re going to find her … and in doing that we’re going to discover something about our greater selves that may change the way you look at the world forever.Highlights include:· Track the world’s rarest bear through one of the harshest environments on Earth· Discover the sublime beauty of the Gobi Desert, no trace of the modern world for as far as the eye can see· Feel what it’s like to be hit by a huge sandstorm – a ‘black tsunami’ of dust consuming all in its path· Climb Tsagaan Bogd, one of Mongolia’s most sacred peaks· Find out about Grizzly Bears, here in the Gobi and elsewhere, one of most ferocious, smart and misunderstood animals on the planet· Hear a new theory of nature that will change the way you understand yourself and the world around you in profound ways Doug’s latest book is called ‘4/5th a Grizzly: a New Perspective on Nature that Just Might Save Us All’. It’s a beautiful, fascinating and important book and it would make a wonderful present to yourself or anyone that loves and cherishes the outdoors.Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! We’ve got a special deal for listeners of this show. You can get four bottles – two cabernet sauvignons and two pinot noirs delivered direct to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. One cent! Just head over to www.juggernautwines.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR21. Drinking their wine is a great way to support the show … how cool is that?!Check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow extreme adventurer Ash Dykes on a world first trek along the entire 4,000-mile length of the Yangtze River in China. Travelling from the Tibetan Plateau in the far northwest of the country, through 11 provinces to the river’s estuary near Shanghai in the south he will face innumerable challenges: dodging aggressive Tibetan bears, fighting off wild Tibetan Mastiffs, he was stalked by wolves, arrested and nearly hit by landslides.But through his journey he also explored a side to China that few travellers have seen before, from thundering white-water gorges and spectacular V-shaped valleys to tropical forests and paddy fields teeming with colour.He also became a Chinese celebrity. Much to his surprise, the further he walked the more the Chinese people walked with too. Internet superstars live-streamed beside him to millions of followers, he was celebrated in the Chinese media, welcomed in by locals, taught Chinese opera, kung-fu, meditation and even asked to join a photoshoot with movie star Jackie Huang.It took him 352 days and eight million steps to complete. It was a world-record, the first time anyone had walked the entire length of China’s great river, and the experience taught him much. He learned about motivation, about discipline, about the power of visualization – skills and wisdom that can be applied to all aspects of life. But more than anything he learned that you can make impossible things happen if you have the courage to ignore the naysayers, prepare for the struggle as well as the successes, and don’t let anything stand in your way. Highlights:· Hear the incredible story of Ash Dyke’s world-recording breaking 4,000-mile trek along the entire length of the Yangtze River· Find out how Ash survived being stalked by a pack of wolves and fought off wild Tibetan Mastiffs· Listen to the best worst food story you’ve ever heard. Spoiler alert: it involves huge worms· Be inspired by the lessons and wisdom Ash learned on his journey: how he uses visualization to achieve success, how to stay motivated and achieve your goals.If you enjoy this adventure, please connect with Ash – he’s a true modern-day explorer and you can you follow along with his crazy adventures. He’s a lot of fun to travel with. Instagram: @ash_dykes / Facebook: @ashdykesofficial / Twitter: @ashdykes / You Tube: @ashdykes. His website is www.ashdykes.com and his book is Mission Possible: a Decade of Living Dangerously reveals the spirit, planning, and sheer determination that goes into his world record-breaking adventures. It’s an awesome read. Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! We’ve got a special deal for listeners of this show. You can get four bottles – two cabernet sauvignons and two pinot noirs delivered direct to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. One cent! Just head over to www.juggernautwines.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR21. Drinking their wine is a great way to support the show … how cool is that?!Check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow explorer Alice Morrison on a world-first 2,800-mile trek across the entire length of Morocco. Starting in the city of Ouarzazate, at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, we will walk with her from the lush valleys of the Draa River across the barren windswept dunes of the Western Sahara to the tallest peaks of the High Atlas Mountains. We will discover lost cities, tombs of giants, singing sands and dinosaur footprints. We will learn about the lives of the nomadic Sahrawis, the people of the desert, and the Amazigh, the original inhabitants of Morocco. This is more than a long walk, this is a journey through the culture and history of one of the most fascinating and beautiful countries on Earth.But Alice didn’t do it just any old way. Mirroring journeys taken by traders and nomads across Morocco for centuries, she decided to travel in a traditional caravan of six camels, led by her two Amazigh companions and camelteers Brahim and Addi. And despite not being very keen on the animals to start with, she ended up falling head-over-heels for them – particularly a very naughty one called Hamish. Yes, that’s right – somewhere in Morocco right now, there is a camel called Hamish. This is a story about history and archeology, it’s a story about endurance and moments of sublime beauty. But mostly it’s a story about a deep exploration of a place and its people. Alice relied on the kindness and hospitality of local communities throughout and because she speaks fluent Arabic she was able to get an intimate insight into their lives that most outsiders would never see.It’s also one hell of an adventure. Alice is known as ‘Indiana Jones for Girls’. This is a story that even Indy himself would have been proud of.-- If you enjoy this episode please connect with Alice, you’re going to have a lot of fun following her adventures. Her Instagram and Twitter is @aliceoutthere1. Her Facebook is @alicehuntermorrisonadventures and her You Tube channel is alicemorrison.She has three books out, the latest of which is called Adventures in Morocco – she’s a great writer and covers loads more than we could fit into this episode. Finally, because I know you love podcasts, please check out hers – it’s called Alice in Wanderland and it’s one of my favourites.--Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! We’ve got a special deal for listeners of this show. You can get four bottles – two cabernet sauvignons and two pinot noir delivered direct to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. One cent! Just head over to www.juggernautwines.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR21. Drinking their wine is a great way to support the show … how cool is that?!--Check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

In 1990, the Kogi people of Colombia came out of 500 years of isolation to give the world a message. They call themselves the Elder Brothers, the protectors of an ancient wisdom, which we, the Younger Brother, have forgotten. Hidden from the modern world, their culture, way of life and beliefs has remained unchanged since the time of the Incas. They emerged only for a brief moment, inviting one film maker in to help them pass on their warning. This is a story about the making of that film. It is a story about one of the most unique tribes on the planet. It is an invitation into the lost world of the Kogi.If you enjoy this episode, please consider donating to the Tairona Trust. This charitable organisation has been set up to help protect the Kogi and spread their message to the wider world. Recent projects include connecting Kogi elders with western scientists to restore damaged areas of forest in their homeland. It’s one of the few projects which seeks to unify indigenous wisdom with modern ecology and if we can prove it successful will provide a model for other indigenous cultures around the world. Please go to http://www.taironatrust.org to find out more. Instagram: @taironatrust / Facebook: @taironatrustheritage / Twitter: @taironatrustThank you also to Room Steals (www.roomsteals.com) for sponsoring this episode. This is the ultimate hotel hack and if you love travel you are going to want to check this out. Room Steals is a subscription service that offers you wholesale prices of more than 600,000 hotel rooms around the world. On average you will save 30% off of what the major online booking sites will charge you and their Google Chrome extension lets you check out the prices before you buy. The subscription costs $95 per year, but you're going to save loads more than that. Head over to Room Steals (www.roomsteals.com) and type in the coupon code 'armchair' for 20% off the listed price. Check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow world record holder Kiko Matthews on a solo row across the Atlantic Ocean: 3,000 nautical miles in 49 Days 7 hours and 15 minutes. 200 women have completed this challenge, that's it. Only 18 have done it solo. Kiko is the fastest ... and before she started training she hadn't even set foot in a row boat before.But that's not the most remarkable thing about this story. Eight months before she was due to set out Kiko was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease a rare, and often fatal, form of brain cancer. The doctors found a tumour on her pituitary gland at the base of her brain. It was life or death. Most of us would have given up at that point. Not Kiko. She received emergency brain surgery and just a few weeks later got straight back to training.This is a story of an incredible adventure: She faced huge storms, rogue waves that nearly capsized the boat. She paddled with whales, dolphins and sharks. She saw the ocean light up like stars with phosphorescence and felt what it meant to be truly alone and humbled, in the vastness of the ocean.But it's also a story about courage, about mental strength and resilience and her story will inspire you to face your own challenge, to follow your own dream, row your own ocean, whatever that may be.If you enjoy this episode, please connect with Kiko she has a book out about her experience – Kiko: How to break the Atlantic rowing record after brain surgery. Find it at Kiko: How to Break the Atlantic Rowing Record after Brain Surgery and connect with her on social media at @kikomatthews – that’s with two Ts so watch out – and her website is kikomatthews.co.ukThank you also to Room Steals (www.roomsteals.com) for sponsoring this episode. This is the ultimate hotel hack and if you love travel you are going to want to check this out. Room Steals is a subscription service that offers you wholesale prices of more than 600,000 hotel rooms around the world. On average you will save 30% off of what the major online booking sites will charge you and their Google Chrome extension lets you check out the prices before you buy. The subscription costs $95 per year, but you're going to save loads more than that. Head over to Room Steals (www.roomsteals.com) and type in the coupon code 'armchair' for 20% off the listed price. Check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow deep sea explorer Rory Golden to the world’s most famous shipwreck: Titanic. Located 12,600-feet below sea level, in the middle of the North Atlantic, only a handful of people have ever seen her with their own eyes. Descending in a tiny Mir submersible, in a cockpit the size of a small port-a-loo, with enough pressure outside the port windows to crush him in an instant should anything go wrong, this is a once-in-a-lifetime journey into history and the dark depths of the sea. The Titanic is the world’s most famous shipwreck. It was the largest and safest vessel ever built, or so they thought. Four days into its maiden voyage, on a calm night, it struck an iceberg ripping a 300-foot whole in its hull. Panic ensued. There weren’t enough lifeboats. There was no one to save them. Of the 2,200 people on board, 1500 perished. It took only three hours for the greatest ship ever built to sink and for more than 50 years it lay undiscovered there, at the bottom of the ocean. Rory’s mission was to recover historical artefacts from the wreck – they found leather bags with clothes still neatly folded within, a bottle of perfume still unopened, the ship’s wheel last touched by the Captain before he walked calmly to his death in the dark sea. Through Rory’s journey we learn not just the history of the Titanic, but the individual personal stories of heroism and tragedy that he rescued from the bottom of the sea.It’s an incredible adventure. But it’s also a ground-breaking piece of exploration. We know more about the surface of Mars than we do the bottom of the sea. 70% of our planet is ocean, yet only 5% of the ocean depths have been explored. There are creatures down there that no one knows even exist – strange bioluminescent beings living in a world of darkness and extreme pressure, creatures that are as alien to us as any little green man that may or may not one day appear from the sky. The oceans are our planet’s last frontier of exploration. Join him now as we descend into the deep to dive the world’s most famous, and dangerous, wreck. Join him to dive the Titanic. Highlights include:· Find out what it’s like to descend to 12,600-ft beneath the ocean in a tiny Mir Submersible · See the Titanic through Rory’s eyes as he travels across the wreckage in search of historical artefacts to preserve· Hear the story of the Titanic, the greatest shipwreck of all time· Be inspired by the mysteries of the deep ocean, the final frontier of exploration on the planetWho’s the Guest?Rory Golden's dived all over the world, from the coasts of his home in Ireland to deep-sea off-shore rigs and some of the most iconic wrecks on the planet, including The Titanic. He is one of the most respected underwater explorers in the world and the on-board Titanic expert for Ocean Gate Expeditions, a deep sea underwater adventure company which takes ordinary people to extraordinary depths, including the chance this year to dive the Titanic alongside Rory himself. For more information: https://oceangateexpeditions.com. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @oceangateexped.Thank you to The Great Courses Plus for sponsoring this episode. Head over to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchair to get a free month trail with unlimited streaming of 1000s of videos and audio … it’s a great way to support the show!The Armchair Explorer podcast is produced and hosted by award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar. Follow the show on Instagram & Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. www.armchair-explorer.com"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

In this special bonus edition of the Armchair Explorer we are showcasing an episode from one of my favourite travel podcasts: Out There. The episode is called Conservation 2.0, and it's about a subject very close to every outdoor lover's heart: National Parks.The outdoors is a place for everyone. It’s where we all come from, it’s in our DNA, our blood, it is where we all belong. That’s why we have to think carefully about how we conserve and protect it, which is what this episode is all about. Many of Out There’s shows are first person stories, told directly by the individual … this one’s a little different in that it’s an interview with a really incredible nature writer called David Gessner about his book 'Leave it as it is: A Journey through Theodore Roosevelt’s American Wilderness'"Leave it as it is" was the rallying cry spoken by Roosevelt at the Grand Canyon, advocating for its preservation. Roosevelt's vision was for an expansion of the national park system and conservation in general. The idea of national parks is widely heralded as one of the greatest in history, and one of the highest expressions of democracy on the planet – to preserve places of incredible awe and beauty that we all own and share equally. But as amazing as National Parks are, they're not perfect. Much of the land that we preserve was acquired through the expulsion of the native people that had lived there for thousands of years. That’s a huge injustice of course, but it’s also an opportunity, because one way we can rectify that, in part, is by including indigenous practices, passed down for millennia, into the care and preservation of that land. By giving them a say in the preservation of their own heritage. Let’s find a way to marry contempory environmental science with native environmental wisdom … that’s a new vision for conservation, a vision that might help carry us into the future, into the next epoch of our relationship with nature. It’s a development of Teddy Roosevelts original vision. It’s conservation 2.0. So, if you like this episode please search up the Out There podcast on your favourite app and hit that subscribe button – or head over to www.outtherepodcast.com, where you'll find a playlist of their favourite episodes, which is a really great place to start. The social media is @outtherepodcast across Instagram and facebook – they post cool stuff and definitely recommend following them too. Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow BBC travel presenter and You Tube star Mike Corey into the depths of the Brazilian Amazon to experience Ayahuasca, Kambo and other mind-altering indigenous plant medicines. This is not your average psychedelic tourist experience. Mike travels to a traditional village in remote part of the jungle where foreigners have never been before. There, in the thatched roof long house, he gathers by the firelight with a group of elders as the shaman passes around eagle bones filled Rapé powder, burns holes in his skin to rub in poisonous frog venom and gives him shots of ayahuasca as they chant into the night. This is more than just travel. This is adventure of the brain as well as the body - and let’s just say (pun intended) it’s quite trip. But Mike’s not looking for a simple high. Mike is on a war against fear. He wants us to challenge our preconceptions in the same way he challenges himself. He’d never done drugs before. And though nothing he took was illegal, he was scared to try. That’s the point. Jungle medicine may seem strange to us, but in the Amazon it’s been practiced for thousands of years and traditional practitioners claim healing benefits that modern medicine cannot provide. To be a true explorer, Mike says, you must try new things, things you’re scared of, things that make you grow. He should know – he’s made a career out of doing the kind of crazy things that would send most sane people running. So he set off into the jungle in search of answers, in search of authentic cultural understanding. He set off to conquer his fears. What he found was something inspiring, at times painful, but enlightening too and it altered his view of the world forever. Highlights include:· Taking ayahuasca with a shaman in Peru· Experiencing two of the most intense indigenous ceremonies in the world: Rapé, a powder which is shot like a blow dart into your nose, and Kambo a frog venom which is burnt into your skin.· Travelling to a remote village deep in the jungle where tourists had never gone before.· Hearing about Mike’s other crazy adventures including hopping iron ore trains across the Sahara, taking part in an exploding hammer festival in Mexico and drinking blood straight from a cow with the Masai in Tanzania (for real)· Being inspired by Mike’s message of turning your fears into allies and how that can be a catalyst for personal growth· Learning about traditional plant medicine, which has been practiced in the Amazon for thousands of years.Who’s the Guest?Mike Corey is a BBC Travel Presenter and adventure travel filmmaker. His You Tube channel is Fearless and Far where he shares videos of his crazy adventures: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_DmOS_FBvO4H27U7X0OtRgYou can also follow him on twitter, Instagram and facebook: @fearlessandfar … and his website is www.fearlessandfar.comThank you to The Great Courses Plus for sponsoring this episode. Head over to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchairto get a free month trail with unlimited streaming of 1000s of videos and audio … it’s a great way to support the show! Follow the show on Instagram & Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. www.armchair-explorer.com"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian"Armchair Explorer is ear candy for listeners” - Washington Post Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow explorer Mario Rigby on a 7,500-mile trek across the entire length of the African continent. Travelling on foot from Cape Town to Cairo, through South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt, Mario sought to understand the lives of African people better, to learn from them, sleeping where they slept, eating where they ate, living side-by-side, step-by-step. Born in the Turks & Caicos islands of the Caribbean, he also sought to learn about his roots and inspire other black men and women that though they may be shamefully under-represented in the outdoor and adventure industries, they too can be explorers. nnnBut it was more than that too. At the age 30, Mario found himself lost. He was living in Canada, unhappy with his job, uncertain of his future, uncertain how he could make a difference, how he could live a life of meaning and purpose. Then he remembered a hero from his childhood. Before T’Challa, otherwise known as the Black Panther, could become king he had to go on a journey, a ‘walkabout’ as he called it. He did this to learn how to be a better leader, a better person, to learn how to contribute to society and humanity as a whole. As a child Mario dreamed of doing the same thing, but as an adult he knew it was just a fairy tale. But what if it wasn’t? What if he too could go on a walkabout to learn about Africa, and himself, to change his life and start a new path?The way was unclear. He had no guarantees and very little money. He was daunted by the prospect. But nonetheless he plucked up the courage, flew to Cape Town, and began his own walkabout. In doing so, he would inspires all of us that anything is possible. He would inspire us that dreams don’t have to be fairy tales. Highlights include:· Hear the inspirational story of how Mario changed his life by setting out on a ‘walkabout’ in search of answers about himself and his place in the world· Find out how Mario became a Mozambique TV Star· Kayak with him nearly 400-miles across Lake Malawi, dodging crocodiles and hippos, camping out on remote villages, many of which had never seen a foreigner before· Walk among a troop of 1000 Gelada Baboons in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia· Cross the deserts of Sudan, meeting the women who would later spark the revolution to overthrow the government, and the child refugees who were inspired by his story to find their own courage too· Discover what Mario learned, the answers he came too and how the journey changed his lifeGo and connect with Mario right now, his social media is awesome! Instagram & Twitter @mariorigby / Facebook @mariorigbyofficial.He also posts really awesome You Tube videos from this adventure, and others: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnzaISaYOAlC1BcIUxAxifQ … and his website is www.mariorigby.comThank you to The Great Courses Plus for sponsoring this episode. Head over to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchairto get a free month trail with unlimited streaming of 1000s of videos and audio … it’s a great way to support the show!Follow the show on Instagram & Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. www.armchair-explorer.com"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian"Armchair Explorer is ear candy for listeners” - Washington Post"Thrilling stuff" - Sunday Times Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow world-record breaking explorer George Bullard on a world-first kayak from Greenland to Scotland across one of the most dangerous stretches of water on the planet. No one thought they could do it. Most people assumed they would die trying – and they nearly did, more than once. But, despite the odds, over six weeks, George and his expedition partner Ollie Hicks, crossed 1,200-miles of open ocean from the edge of the Greenland Ice Cap to Iceland, then on to the Faroe Islands, and from there to the north Scottish shore. Paddling through the night, sleeping out in the sinister dark of the polar ocean, battling storms, exhaustion and raging seas – this is the story of the most dangerous kayak expedition ever undertaken.But it’s more than that too. Three hundred years ago a mysterious figure in a strange shaped canoe washed up on the coast of Aberdeen, in northeast Scotland. He was alive, barely. No one knew who he was, where he came from, what language he spoke, and he died a few days later before anyone could find out. Since then, the myth of the ‘Finmen’ has continued to grow. The historical records describe his clothing as similar to what we now know as hailing from Inuit culture. But it seemed impossible. Did a Greenlandic fisherman cross the North Atlantic Ocean, 300 years ago, on nothing more than a seal-skin canoe? By undertaking this journey, George and Ollie set out to unearth the truth behind the mystery. If they could do it, perhaps the myth was true. Get ready for the Voyage of the Finmen.Highlights include:· Kayak across one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world, a section of the North Atlantic between Iceland and Scotland, known as the ‘Devil’s Dancefloor’ because of the size of the waves and storms· Paddle through the midnight sun from Greenland to Iceland, and then 450-miles around the crocodile teeth of the rugged fjords and soaring cliffs of North Icelandic coastline, camping out on wild beaches along the way· Listen to one of the craziest rescue and survival stories you will ever hear· Find out what happens when George and Ollie are hit by an enormous hurricane 60-miles off the Scottish coast· Be inspired by George’s love and enthusiasm for the outdoors and adventure. He is one of the UK’s most sought-after motivational speakers and will fire you up to embark on your next adventure wherever that may beWho’s the Guest?George Bullard is a world record-breaking explorer, endurance athlete and motivational speaker. To date he has covered more than 2,000 miles on foot in the polar regions (including the longest unsupported polar journey in history, at just age 19) and completed countless extraordinary expeditions around the world. George is passionate about encouraging others to climb their own Everest physically, mentally and emotionally @georgebullardexplorer / www.georgebullard.co.ukLooking for inspiration for your next trip? George’s adventure travel company www.igoadventures.com curates one-of-a-kind adventures with purpose, for those looking for exceptional experiences in nature. They are affordable, amazing and hand-crafted by one of the world’s greatest adventurers. Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode. Harnessing the power of nature with every drop. @juggernautwines / www.juggernautwines.comThe Armchair Explorer podcast is produced and hosted by award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar. Follow the show on Instagram & Facebook @armchairexplorerpodcast. www.armchair-explorer.com Episode image (c) Emma Hall, courtesy of George Bullard Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

In this special listener episode, we follow teacher Adam Seldon on a 300-mile trek across the Balkans, one of Europe’s most mis-understood and rarely visited regions. Travelling from Sarajevo, in Bosnia, across Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece, Adam links together some of the region’s most spectacular scenery, national parks and long-distance trails. It’s a fantastic adventure. But what really sets it apart is why Adam is doing it.Standing on the cusp of adulthood, with his formal education just completed, Adam felt something was missing. Life had been too easy, he’d not faced enough challenge, enough risk or hardship. He wanted to learn by experience, not books. So, he set off on what’s called an Agoge, an ancient Spartan tradition in which young men were tasked with going into the wilderness on their own and overcoming a number of challenges before they could be considered a man. Adam wanted to do his own kind of modern day Agoge, to test himself in a way that he’d never experienced before. It was a personal journey of self-discovery and learning, but it was also a challenge to the misconceptions and unfair stereotypes of the Balkan region and its people. He found beautiful landscapes and incredible hospitality, but he also found the scars of war. Two decades after a brutal civil war, and genocide, much of the region was still reconciling itself to its bloody past and through his journey Adam illuminates that history and its effects on the people to this day. Peppered with genuine inspiration, and insight throughout, this is an inspiring story of Adam’s determination to challenge himself, it’s a story about a rarely visited part of the world, but it’s also a story about you – how just like Adam you too can break the mould of modern life and set out on your own adventure, your own Agoge whatever that may be. Highlights include:· Trekking through some of the last remaining untouched wilderness in Europe· Discovering a rarely visited region, including Albania’s spectacular Accursed Mountains and Bosnia’s Sutjeska National Park· Learning about the brutal civil war that rocked the region more than two decades ago, and whose scars are still evident today· Discover the ancient Spartan concept of an Agoge, a challenge undertaken on the cusp of adulthood· Be inspired to set out on your own Agoge, whatever that may be – whether trekking 300 miles through Europe’s forgotten region or just pushing yourself to find out about your true potentialAdam Seldon’s book about this journey, A Balkan Journey: Walking Through Europe's Forgotten Region, is out now on Kindle. It’s a really quick read (about 80 pages), but full of fascinating history and intellectual insight. Follow him on Twitter - @adamjseldon and Instagram @adam.j.seldonThe Armchair Explorer podcast is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience unlike anything else out there in the travel sphere. Each episode one of the world’s greatest adventurers comes on and tells their best story from the road. Connect on Instagram and Facebook - @armchairexplorerpodcast.Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode. This is the adventurer’s wine of choice, harnessing the power of nature to infuse every drop with the gritty spirit of the wild Californian coast. Follow them on Instagram @juggernautwines www.juggernautwines.com Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow travel author and doctor Stephen Fabes on a six year, 53,000-mile journey from his home in London across Europe, Africa, The Americas, Australia and Asia. He will cross deserts, jungles and the highest mountain ranges in the world; he will face the freezing winds of a Mongolian winter and the stifling heat of an Indonesian summer. In Peru, he is held up at gunpoint; in Nepal, a deadly blizzard strikes; in Kenya, he dodges shifta bandits; in Portland, he joins a naked rave. It's an incredible adventure. But it’s also more than that. It’s also a story about us. Stephen had a good job as an emergency room doctor, working at a prestigious hospital in London. His many years of training had just finished, his career was poised to take off. But he saw the years of his life unfolding before him, and though he was proud of what that life would be, it felt too predictable, too safe. So, he left. He cycled away from the hospital he worked at and didn’t return for six long years. He traded a comfortable city lifestyle for a $10 per day budget, wild camping by the side of the road. And guess what: he loved every minute of it. But the more he travelled, the more the doctor in him began to resurface. He visited medical clinics, mental health facilities and refugee slums. He volunteered at some of the poorest, and most war-torn regions on the planet. And the more he did, the more he began to realise that health is more complex than simply what’s happening inside the body. It is part of an intricate web of social and political forces; it is influenced by everything from geography and climate to belief and economics. By seeing the world through the eyes of a doctor, he shows us humanity at its most cruel, but also its most compassionate. He shows us that we are inextricably bound together, that we affect each other no matter how different or distant we may seem. In the margins of the world, he finds our common humanity, our Signs of Life.Highlights include:· Cycle around six continents, a whirlwind journey through some of the planet’s harshest, most beautiful and awe-inspiring places.· Ride across the Alps in winter, dodge lions in Botswana, sleep out on the salt flats of Bolivia, cycle frozen lakes in Mongolia, pedal through a war zone in Afghanistan and more· Visit some of the most vulnerable and marginalised communities on Earth, hear their stories of cruelty and compassion, desperation and hope· See the world through a doctor’s eyes, learning about the broader forces at work that affect global healthcare, from politics to climate change.· Be inspired to break out of the mould and set off on your own big adventure, wherever that may beWho’s the Guest?Stephen Fabes is a medical doctor with a bad case of wanderlust and no sense of direction. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, the Telegraph, CNN and the BBC among others. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, an inspiring public speaker and a regular at live storytelling nights. He currently works in the Emergency Department at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Signs of Life is his first book. www.stephenfabes.com, @stephenfaves (Instagram), @drstephenfabes (twitter), @cyclingthe6 (Facebook)Thank you to The Great Courses Plus for sponsoring this episode. Go to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchair to get a free one-month trial with access to unlimited streaming of thousands of videos and audio content taught by the world’s best professors. It’s like Netflix for your brain. Find out more about the show www.armchair-explorer.com, @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow travel author Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent on one of the toughest motorcycle journeys on the planet: six weeks and 2,000 miles through the near impassable mud and steep mountain slopes of the Ho Chi Minh Trail.Crossing Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, The Ho Chi Minh Trail was the main military supply route during the Vietnam War, moving men and supplies from communist controlled North Vietnam to the American backed south. Today, it’s slowly disappearing, overrun by jungle, deforestation and the advancement of the modern world. In riding the trail, Antonia wanted to explore this rapidly changing region and important part of history before it’s lost forever.She also wanted a proper adventure. The Ho Chi Minh Trail that most people ride is the modern tarmac friendly version. Few people attempt the original route over the muddy guts of the Truong Son Mountains in Laos. Even fewer trace it south into the wild eastern reaches of Cambodia. Antonia did both; and she did it on her own with nothing more than a 25-year-old shiny pink 125cc Honda Cub, she named the Pink Panther, for company.It’s an incredibly beautiful place, filled with shimmering jungles, limestone mountains and small tribal villages where tourists rarely go. But it’s also marred with tragedy. During the war, the Ho Chi Minh Trail was bombed on average every eight minutes and the scars are still visible today: entire villages made out of war scrap, bomb craters big enough to fit a double-decker bus and, most tragically of all, UXO (unexploded ordinance).As much as 30% of American bombs dropped during the war failed to explode and 40-years later they are still primed and hidden in the thick undergrowth of the forest. To date, UXO along the trail has killed more than 100,000 people, many of them children. This is an incredible adventure story about one of the most difficult motorbike routes on the planet. But it’s also a story about the legacy of the Vietnam War that is still affecting the people who live along the trail today. Are you ready for a wild ride? Let’s go. Highlights include: · Heading out on one of the wildest motorcycle rides on the planet, 2,000 miles through remote jungle, over steep and muddy mountain slopes · Discovering a remote part of South East Asia few travellers get to see, deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia · Learning about the history of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the most bombed place per capita in the world, and the tragic legacy of the war still affecting people to day · Hearing about Antonia’s close call along the Mondulkiri Death Highway, one of the most dangerous stretches of road on the planet. Let’s just say, it nearly lived up to its name · Being inspired to achieve anything you set your mind to. Antonia chose to do this journey solo to test herself, to prove to herself she could be self-reliant, to see how strong she really was. What she discovered was that if you’re determined enough, if you want something bad enough, you can do anything you set your mind to.Who’s the Guest?Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent is a travel author, broadcaster and public speaker with a particular love of wandering alone through remote regions. Her website is www.theitinerant.co.uk and you can find her on twitter and Instagram @antsbk. The full story of this journey is available on audiobook at Audible, and other audio book platforms.www.armchair-explorer.com / @armchairexplorerpodcast. This is episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus - head over to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchair for thousands of videos and audio content, for free, for a month. It's like Netflix for your brain. Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras on a quest to discover South America’s hidden wonders. From the Last Incan Bridge and the Machu Picchu of the North to the Everlasting Lightning Storm and a statue of a squid fighting a whale the size of the statue of liberty (yes, you read that right), this is an epic ride through Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Peru’s weirdest and wildest wonders. The stuff glittering in the shadows that you may never have heard of before, but you’ll be desperate to see after.But it’s more than that too. When we think of wonders of the world we think of The Grand Canyon, the Great Pyramids. These are undeniably awe-inspiring, but they’re obvious. Everyone goes there, and all too often the experience and the destination suffer as result. Atlas Obscura’s mission is to open our eyes to the wonders all around us, the bizarre, hilarious, incredible things that inspire our curiosity and make our jaws drop at the amazing world we share. Wonder is a state of mind, they say, not a place; and the more we look for it, the more it becomes a part of who we are. This is a quest to discover South America’s hidden wonders, but we may just discover something hidden in ourselves too.“The problem of failing to recognise the magic in the world lies not with the world, but with us; and it is our job to turn ourselves into vessels of recognising that magic.” - Dylan Thuras, co-founder Atlas Obscura Highlights include:· Visit the Last Incan Bridge, an 120-foot long woven grass suspension bridge, straight out of Indiana Jones, which has been re-built every year for more than five centuries.· Stand at the base of Gocta Falls, the most incredible waterfall you’ve never heard of – twice the size of the Empire State Building.· See Venezuela’s Everlasting Lightning Storm, the most electric place on the planet.· Meet the Colombian village who travel by home-made zip-line across the jungle.· Find out about the inspiration for Atlas Obscura, how it went from a childhood love of weird Midwestern roadside attractions to a global phenomenon and New York Times bestseller.· Hear about such crazy historical inventions as the cat piano, the vomiting statue and a language created entirely out of music· Learn how by changing our mindset we can escape the wonder deficit of the modern world and live more meaningful and extraordinary livesAtlas Obscura tells extraordinary stories about hidden places, incredible history, scientific marvels, and gastronomical wonders. www.atlasobscura.com / @atlasobscura Dylan’s book, ‘Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders’, is a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon and in the New York Times: https://www.atlasobscura.com/unique-gifts/atlas-obscura-bookThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world’s greatest adventurers tells their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to the heart of the action. https://www.armchair-explorer.com "Best podcasts for pure escapism: It’s thrilling stuff" - Sunday Times"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian"Armchair Explorer is ear candy for listeners” - Washington Post"Best Travel Podcasts to Listen to Now: Action-packed and thrilling ..." - Wanderlust"Adventure stories from the wildest places on Earth ... Guaranteed to inspire wanderlust." - The Telegraph Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Levison Wood is one of the world’s most well-known explorers, TV presenters and authors. Join him for a 5,000-mile journey through the heart of the Middle East, from the front lines of Iraq and Syria through the Empty Quarter desert to Yemen, the West Bank and beyond. 13 countries in five months, his most complicated and dangerous expedition yet.Following in the footsteps of great explorers such as Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, we will pass through some of the most devastated and war-torn areas on the planet, but also some of the most fascinating and historic too. We will peel back our preconceptions and discover a hidden side to the Middle East, beyond the headlines and politics. This is the real Arabia, a mosaic of the best and worst of humanity, a quest to better understand the region and, perhaps, ourselves.Highlights include:· Hear how one totally random chance event changed his life and led him to become one of the world’s most famous explorers· Hitchhiking to Baghdad during the Gulf war – hear the story of Levison’s first and craziest ever adventure as a young university student· Follow him to the front line, as he embeds with Kurdish fighters in Iraq, liberating ISIS held cities · Discover the Mesopotamian Marshes, the jewel of southern Iraq, where one of the most ancient cultures in the world is slowly rebuilding their lives· Cross the Empty Quarter desert on foot, 10-days through one of the harshest environments on the planet· Sneak into Yemen and cross over into Somalia by fishing boat, through the most pirate infested waters on Earth· Explore Jerusalem, and the West Bank, joining a demonstration that turns into a riot “This is a story of my own wanderings set against a backdrop of interesting times. I have tried to challenge the prevailing winds where possible and contest stereotypes, hopefully smashing a few myths along the way.” - Levison WoodWho’s the Guest?Levison Wood is a British explorer, writer and photographer. He's written seven best-selling books, presented and produced some of the best travel and adventure documentaries out there, and done some quite simply incredible expeditions. Highlights include, walking the 4,250-mile length of the Nile River, trekking 1,700-miles across the Himalayas, and following in the footsteps of the annual migration of African elephants through Botswana, in order to raise awareness of the plight of these critically endangered animals. His latest book is Encounters, a beautiful hardback photography book which documents the last 15 years of his adventures. To buy these, or find more, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/Levison-Wood/e/B00QXKKPTC%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Instagram:@levison.wood / Facebook: @levisonwoodofficial / Twitter: @levisonwood www.levisonwood.comArmchair ExplorerThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. To find more about this episode, including background info, photos, and videos, please visit: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/arabia-a-5-000-mile-journey-through-the-heart-of-the-middle-east-with-explorer-levison-wood"Best travel podcasts 2020: Every episode is an immersive experience" - The Guardian"Best podcasts for pure escapism: It’s thrilling stuff." - Sunday Times"Finalist: Best Overal Podcast 2020" - DiscoverPods Awards Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow Red Bull photographer Christian Pondella as he descends inside the Greenland Ice Cap, a place that no one had ever gone before. Greenland is one of the most remote and extreme countries on Earth. 80% of its surface is covered in ice, temperatures can reach -65°C. But it holds the second largest ice sheet on the planet, and it’s melting fast. Christian teams up with legendary ice climber Will Gadd, and glaciologist Jason Gulley, to go deeper into the ice than anyone has ever gone before. Their expedition is fraught with danger, but the science they would bring would back change our understanding of climate change, sea level rise and the future of our planet. This is more than just an adventure. This is a descent into the unknown. Highlights include: · Descend into a moulin, a dark hole in the ice where meltwater from the glacier surface rushes into depths below· Explore inside the abyss, a place no one has ever gone before· Discover Greenland, one of the most remote and extreme places on the planet · Learn about the cutting climate science being done now on the Greenland ice cap, and how this expedition changed the fundamental models scientists were using to predict sea level rise over the coming decades.· Hear about Christian’s incredible career as Red Bull photographer, including shooting a 300-ft snowmobile jump and a world-first sky dive without a parachute. You read that right.· Get Christian’s top tips for adventure photography and how to create that perfect shot Christian Pondella is one of the top adventure sports photographers in the world. As well as shooting for Red Bull, he is a senior photographer for Powder Magazine, a San Disk Extreme Team member, Fstop Global Pro, he has published work in Sports Illustrated, ESPN Magazine, Outside, Men’s Journal, Maxim, FHM, GQ, Climbing, Outdoor Photographer, Shutterbug, and a variety of other publications throughout the world. Follow Christian’s work: Instagram @ChristianPondella / www.ChristianPondella.comCover image Christian Pondella / Red Bull Content PoolThank you to Mammoth Lakes for sponsoring this episode! Majestic in scale and awesome in its natural beauty, the year-round adventureland of Mammoth Lakes is one of those rare places that you have to see to still not totally believe. The name speaks to the size of the mountains, the expanse of the valleys, the incredible number of crystal clear mountain lakes and the endless opportunities for adventure just outside your door. But what makes this place really unique are the surreal storybook scenes that drop jaws, spark the imagination and make every moment feel like a brush with the truly incredible. For more info: www.visitmammoth.comFor background information on this episode, including Christian's photos from the trip, please visit: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/descent-into-the-unknown-inside-the-greenland-ice-cap-with-red-bull-photographer-christian-pondellaSocial media: Instagram & Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastArmchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. No long-winded interviews, just straight to the heart of the action'Best travel podcasts 2020' - The Guardian'Thrilling stuff' - Sunday Times'Adventure stories from the wildest places on Earth' - The Telegraph'Best Overall Podcast 2020' - Finalist DiscoverPods Awards Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

The Seven Summits is the ultimate mountaineering challenge. To stand on the highest peak on each of the seven continents is a feat only a handful of people have ever achieved. Rebecca Stephens MBE is the first British woman to do so. She's also the first British woman to summit Everest, and she's going to be taking us step-by-step up every single one of those climbs. Are you ready to stand on the roof of the world? Let's go.But this story is about more than just mountaineering. What makes Rebecca so special is that she's able to articulate the lessons she learned on each of those seven climbs, and she's going to be passing on that wisdom to us too . Since completing the Seven Summits, back in 1994, Rebecca has spoken and coached all over the world. Her 'Seven Summits of Success' have helped individuals and businesses all over the world achieve their goals. We're going to climb Everest, Denali, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro and all the rest. But we're also going to learn what it takes to follow your dreams, and scale your own summits, whatever they may be. Rebecca's message is simple: live your life according to your passions and you can achieve anything. Even, perhaps, standing on the seven highest summits in the world.Highlights include: Climbing Mount Everest with the first British woman to summit, feeling what it's like to stand on top of the world Scaling Denali, the highest mountain in North America, after being trapped in a snow cave for eight days in one of the worst storms the mountain's ever seen Reaching the summit of Acongagua, in Argentina, whilst battling 100mph+ winds Standing on the top of Mount Vinson, in Antarctica, Kilimanjaro, in Africa, Cartenz Pyramid, in Indonesia, and Elbrus, in Russia Discovering the wisdom of the world's highest mountains - each of the Seven Summits has something unique to teach us, and Rebecca has been sharing those lessons for more than a quarter of a century Be inspired to scale your own summits, whatever they may be “The joy of the mountains is they strip away any superficialities revealing that which matters: namely head, heart, and values. There’s no greater teacher of the human condition, of leadership and of working together as a team.” - Rebecca StephensWho's the guest?On 17th May 1993, Rebecca Stephens became the first British woman to climb Everest and was awarded an MBE for her achievement. The following year she went on to become the first British woman to scale the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. To find copies of her two books, please visit: www.rebeccastephens.com Today, Rebecca speaks, coaches and leads private treks around the world. If you're interested to find out more about her, or to climb with her, please visit: www.rebeccastephens.com For background information on this episode, including Rebecca's photos from the trip, please visit: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/the-seven-summits-climbing-the-highest-mountains-on-earth-with-rebecca-stephens-mbe Social media: Instagram & Twitter @aaronmwriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastArmchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. No long-winded interviews, just straight to the heart of the actionBook trips inspired by the show at www.armchair-explorer.com or by contacting me at [email protected] Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow journalist Simon Parker as he takes part in the world’s craziest race: 2,500-miles and two weeks across the length of India … in a rickshaw. You read that right. Welcome to the Rickshaw Run: if Monty Python went on a road trip, this is what they’d do.The rickshaw, if you haven’t ridden one before, if perhaps the least suitable vehicle on the planet for long distance travel. Used commonly across many parts of Asia, it’s basically a three-wheeled moped with a roof on it and room for a couple of passengers to squash in the backseat. It has no sides. It falls over often. Top speed is a rip-roaring 14mph. And you will breakdown. Often. It has been described as a ‘marginally glorified lawnmower’, which is actually doing a disservice to many top of the line grasscutters. But none of that matters, because, by God, they’re fun to drive.And that’s the point. Dreamt up by a load of nutters called The Adventurists, the Rickshaw Run is all about challenging yourself with proper adventure, whilst belly-laughing at your own ridiculousness at the same time. Simon and four mates travelled from the far reaches of northern India, in the shadow of the Himalayas, all the way to the steamy jungles of Kerala on the southern coast. There is no set route. No pre-planned stops or hotels. No convoy or safety car or back up of any kind. Smart phones are scoffed at; Google maps are barred. They simply set off with a pocket map of India and a vague sense of where the finish line was. What happened in between, well, no one could be sure except that there would be chaos, there would be tears and, travelling on back roads and well off the well-beaten track, they would see a side to India that most visitors never see. Are you ready to set off on the wackiest, most ridiculous race on the planet? Let’s go. Highlights:Take part in the world’s most ridiculous road trip: 2,500 miles across India in a glorified lawnmowerBe inspired by the spirit of old school adventure – embracing challenges and the unknowExperience a side of India that few tourists ever see, staying in small villages well off the usual traveller trail and seeing the entire country from the far northern Himalayan foothills to the steamy jungles of the south Who’s the guest?Travel writer and journalist Simon Parker sails, cycles, climbs, hikes and paraglides around the world in search of the planet’s most interesting news stories. He writes, films and produces documentaries for the likes of the BBC, The Telegraph and The Independent; and his TV Series Earth Cycle is out now on Amazon Video.If you’re listening October-November 2020, you can follow his latest adventure in real time – a 1,600-mile cycle across the length of Great Britain from the tip of Shetland to the Isles of Scilly, wild camping along the way. He posts great photos, and videos, and is a lot of fun to follow. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook is @simonwiparker. His website is www.simonwparker.co.ukFor background information on this episode, including Simon’s photos from the trip, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.comSocial media: Instagram & Twitter @aaronmwriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastArmchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experienceBook trips inspired by the show at www.armchair-explorer.com or by contacting me at [email protected] Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Travel to the Kalahari Desert, in Namibia, where under the shade of a Baobab Tree, eight San elders are gathering to perform their traditional healing dances one last time before they pass on.The San are among the oldest continuously surviving tribes on Earth. They have lived among the plains of Southern Africa as hunter-gatherers for at least the last 20,000 years. And for all those long years, they have been dancing. The San are a dancing culture. For them, movement and music is more than ceremony and celebration. It is the way they connect with, and understand, the world, and the spirit. It is also the way they heal.But without apprentices to pass on their practices, the sacred knowledge of their ancient dances was in danger of being lost forever. The elders asked Ben to come and film them in the hope that one day their great grandchildren would be able to retain this wisdom. Ben has travelled the world. He has filmed the Aboriginees of Australia, the Pygmies of the Congo, and was nominated for a Grammy for his cinematography on the groundbreaking 1 Giant Leap DVD. This, he says, was the adventure of his life.Travel with him now, deep into desert plains of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, to witness the last dance of the San Bushmen. What he discovers when he gets there is that this ancient knowledge is vital not just for the San, but for us too. Human beings have been dancing and making music since we first set foot on the Savannah. Every religious and spiritual tradition on Earth has some form of movement or music as part of its practice. It is who we are. The message the San have for us is that dancing is not just a frivolous bit of fun. It is a gateway to the spirit and a powerful means to heal our mental and physical ails. Ben went to Namibia for the sake of the San, but what he brought home might just have the power to save us all.Highlights include: Witness one of the most ancient dances in the world, with original audio recorded in the field courtesy of Ben Cole Learn about the San people and their beliefs about the power of dance to heal our mental and physical ailments Ben is a world-class storyteller, and former actor, and brings to life the culture and landscape of this incredible country ... including a possible origin story of the Cupid myth! Be inspired to get your own dance on, whether that's in a club or just in your own front room. You may never think about dancing in the same way again! Find out more about Ben Cole's documentary work on Facebook: @bencolecinematography Ben, and his wife Caroline, also run Middle Earth Medicine Ways, which uses the power of dance and movement to facilitate a deeper connection with yourself, your spirit and the world around you. It's fun, they're lovely and you can find out more at www.middleearthmedicine.com.Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode! This is one of my favourite wines, absolutely gorgeous and perfect for that after trail drop. Head over to www.buyjuggernautwine.com and type in the code ARMCHAIR20 for a 20% discount, delivered straight to your door.Help support the San through David Bruce's charity (Ben's family friend who he recorded the film with), which builds new schools in the region that will teach young San children in their native tongue, close to their homes in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy. Find out more at: www.villageschoolsnamibia.com For background information on this episode, including a clip from Ben's film, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.comSocial media: instagram / twitter @aaronmwriter / facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastArmchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytel Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow world-renowned explorer Ed Stafford on the expedition that made his name: walking the entire length of the Amazon River, on foot. People thought that it was impossible, that he would die trying; and they were nearly right. He was attacked by a tribe of angry machete wielding indigenous peoples, he faced Narco drug traffickers and giant anacondas. But gradually, step by step, over the course of two and half years, through some of the toughest and deadliest terrain on the planet, he proved them all wrong. Ed crossed the entire continent from the Peruvian Andes, and the furthest known source of the Amazon, to Brazil, where the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean, more than 4,000-miles away. He is the first person in history to do it, and holds a Guinness World Record for the achievement. This is one of the boldest expeditions ever attempted, and one of the greatest adventure tales ever told. Are you ready to head into the jungle? Let’s go. Highlights include:· Hear how Ed survived being surrounded by an angry tribe of indigenous peoples intent on hacking him to pieces· Find out how he crossed the infamous Red Zone, a lawless area of the jungle controlled by drug-traffickers· Climb with him to the 18,000-foot summit of Nevado Mismi, in the Peruvian Andes, the furthest known source of the Amazon · Meet the Ashaninka, the largest indigenous tribe in the Amazon Basin, and hear how Ed ended up befriending two tribal chiefs and walking with them for more than 6 weeks. · Discover what it takes to complete such a long and grueling expedition – 860 days walking through some of the toughest jungle terrain on the planet· Hear his personal story of transformation. How he began the journey as a ‘volatile young man’ wanting to prove how tough he was, but how the jungle humbled him, and made him connect with a deeper, and more authentic of himself.· See this amazing forest through new eyes. The Amazon is nearly 20 times the size of Great Britain, home to some 400 billion trees, and 10% of the world’s species. For Ed, it began as a dangerous place, something to be conquered, but it ended up becoming home, a place to be marveled at, and protected· Hear what adventure means to Ed, how it is the ‘crucible in which you find yourself’, and how you too can use adventure and exploration to connect more deeply with who you really areAlso, find out about Ed’s new series – Ed Stafford: First Man Out – which launches its second series on September 24th on the Discovery Channel in the UK. Available in America and elsewhere too https://www.discoveryuk.com Find out about Ed's new bushcraft academy at: www.bushcraft.academyFor more background information on this episode, photos, links to his books and shows, and more, please visit https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/walking-the-amazon-with-explorer-ed-stafford The Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. http://www.armchair-explorer.comHost/Producer Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer (Nat Geo, The Times etc.) Instagram?Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast. Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Close your eyes. Picture that darkness, that starless night. If that was all you could see, no color, no shades, no shape or light, nothing at all but blackness, would you still have the courage to explore the world? This week’s guest, Christopher Venter, aka The Blind Scooter Guy, did and does, and he’s going to take us on a journey sightless from Sicily to Southern France and show us the world as he experiences it with his other four senses. And guess what? It may just change the way that you see the world too. Christopher had always dreamed of being an explorer. He traveled the world, he went on many adventures. But then, suddenly, in the midst of an epic 18,000-mile Vespa scooter expedition across Africa and Europe something happened that changed his life forever. His sight began to dim. Within 24hrs his world had turned black. Doctors diagnosed a rare virus growing on his retinas. They managed to save his life, but not his sight. At 40 years old, he was told that he was blind and he would never see again. He thought his life was over. He came close to ending it all. But then he heard about a man called James Holman and against the odds he began to hope again.Holman is, perhaps, the world’s most remarkable explorer. Born in 1786, he lost his sight at the age of 25. But instead of giving up on his dreams, he doubled down on them. With very little money, and no assistance, Holman set off to see the world. He sailed around the globe, he fought the slave trade in Africa (a river in the Congo is named after him), he mapped uncharted parts of Australia, he survived captivity in Siberia and rogue elephants in Sri Lanka. And through it all, he became something of a celebrity of his day, a symbol of raw determination and the capacity of the human spirit for adventure. If Holman could do it, why couldn’t he?Highlights include: Find out what it’s like to experience the world as a blind traveler Hear the amazing story of James Holman’s life, one of the most remarkable explorers in history, but still largely unknown to most people Explore Sicily, Tuscany, and the Amalfi Coast Discover Nice, Provence and the Pyrenees Be inspired by Christopher’s courage and determination to make his dreams come true, despite such sudden and devastating set backs Learn to appreciate the world in a deeper way. Christopher paints images in his mind by slowing down, being present and using his other four senses. Find out how you can do the same and see the world in a new way Listen to how Christopher’s story can inspire you to overcome your own challenges too, whatever they may be Who's the Guest?Christopher Venter, aka the Blind Scooter Guy, is a blind adventurer, explorer, writer, speaker and storyteller. He has two books: How I Became The Blind Scooter Guy: My soul searching safari by scooter from the Southern Tip of Africa to the Shamrock fields of IrelandSightless From Sicily to Southern France: A blind man's journey by any means - from Ocean and Air to Road and Rail, experienced through the remaining four senses@BlindScooterGuyhttps://www.facebook.com/BlindScooterGuyhttps://blindscooterguy.wordpress.comThe Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. http://www.armchair-explorer.comHost/Producer Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer (Nat Geo, The Times etc.) Instagram/Twitter @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast. Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Bhutan is the last of the great Himalayan kingdoms. Still largely untouched by outside influences, shrouded in mystery and magic, this Buddhist country, hidden for centuries on the roof of the world, is like nowhere else on the planet. Follow British Travel Writer of the Year Emma Thomson as she explores the culture and majesty of Druk Yul, Land of the Thunder Dragon, as it's known by its people. Shunning the usual group tour, Emma stays with local families miles from the tourist trail and discovers, because of that, a glimpse of the real Bhutan most travellers will never see. But this is more than just an adventure. Cut off from the rest of the world until 1974, and surrounded by virtually impenetrable Himalayan peaks on all sides, Bhutan has remained culturally intact for centuries. It is a real-life Shangri-La, a kind of fabled mythical kingdom hidden in the mountains, where spirituality and happiness are more important than money and economic development. Intrepid travellers whisper its name in hushed and reverent tones for a reason. Bhutan is, perhaps, the most enlightened country on Earth, and when we visit some of that wisdom and inspiration becomes a part of us too.Highlights include: Staying with two local Bhutanese families in remote rural villages, far off the usual tourist trail Experiencing real Bhutanese daily life: tending the fields, bathing in hot stone baths and helping to prepare the meals - fresh dumplings, curries, chillies and cheese Exploring Punaka Dzong, the most beautiful of all of Bhutan's fortress temples Trekking to the Tiger's Nest Monastery, which clings to the face of a sheer cliff and is the holiest site in the country Hearing the myth of Shangri-La, or Shambala, a fabled hidden kingdom in the mountains where the wisdom of the world was guarded for centuries, and how that relates to the history and ideology of Bhutan today Learning about Gross National Happiness. Bhutan is the only country in the world to measure its progress not by Gross National Product (the value of the goods it produces) but by Gross National Happiness (how happy and spiritually fulfilled its people are) Visiting Bhutan's head of astrology, which is usually forbidden to tourists and discovering a surprise message there that might just shake your scepticism. Be inspired by the peace and serenity of the most enlightened country on Earth, and learn how to take that wisdom and stillness into your own life too Who's the Guest?Emma Thomson is the current British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year. She has been hooked on all things 'travel' since the age of 14, when she would sneakily rip pages out of ageing copies of National Geographic in the school library to add to her travel scrapbook. Today, she's just as passionate about adventure and has been working as a full-time freelance travel journalist since 2011, after spending six years as Commissioning Editor at respected guidebook publisher Bradt Travel Guides. She specialises in remote destinations and responsible, adventure-based stories.Follow her on twitter: @emmasthomson, and instagram: @emmathomsontravelsWant More Bhutan?For background photos, information, itineraries and more, please visit: http://www.armchair-explorer.com The Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Each episode is cut documentary style with music and cinematic effects to create an immersive storytelling experience. Host/Producer Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer (Nat Geo, The Times etc.). He like science fiction, sushi and tequila, he hates rom coms, shellfish and gin. Like travel? We'll get on well. Instagram/Twitter @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast. Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow You Tube star Drew Binsky to two of the world’s most dangerous countries: Iran & Afghanistan. We also hear about visits to Yemen, Syria, Somalia, North Korea and more. The media calls them evil. Politicians say they want to do us harm. But if you have the courage to walk the streets of Tehran and Kabul, of Damascus and Mogadishu, you’ll see that nothing could be further from the truth. This is a story about turning our world views upside down. It’s a story about breaking stereotypes and the power of travel to bring us closer together, no matter how far apart we may at first appear. True adventure is having the courage to let go of your pre-conceptions and hold out your hand. Are you ready to see the world’s most dangerous countries through new eyes? Let’s go. Highlights include:· Exploring Iran on a whirlwind tour from fire temples in the desert to the most breathtaking art and history in the Islamic world· Discovering a secret underground rave in the middle of one of the most conservative countries on Earth· Finding out about the real Iran, behind the propaganda, home to what many travelers consider to be the most hospitable and friendliest people in the Middle East· Seeing Mazar-e-Sharif, Kabul and remote regions of northern Afghanistan as a tourist· Picking up a hitchhiker in rural Afghanistan and being invited back to their house for tea, the first visitor they had ever received. Being welcomed as an honoured guest despite the war raging around them · Getting to know Drew Binsky, one of the biggest You Tube travel stars on the planet, who has over 1.3 billion video views, and millions of followers, and specializes in authentic, local travel; breaking stereotypes; and inspiring people to see out-of-the-way places· Hearing about Drew’s quest to visit every country in the world - he’s just 6 short, 191 out of 197 – and how that’s changed his world views · Being inspired to see the world through new eyes, challenging your preconceptions and learning about two of the world’s most mis-understood countries· Feeling uplifted by a positive story: the world is a safer, friendlier and more amazing place than we are led to believe. And it’s waiting for you to explore itDREW BINKSY: Who’s the Guest?Drew is a full-time travel videographer, travel blogger and content creator with more than 5.5 million social media followers and over 1.3 billion video views. He first caught the travel bug while studying abroad in Prague during his junior year in college. After graduating, he shunned corporate life for a job teaching English in Seoul, South Korea, where he lived for 18 months became conversational in Korean, got a black belt in taekwondo and launched his first blog. He now travels the world full-time, posting daily videos, during his quest to visit every country in the world. He specializes in authentic, local travel, which breaks stereotypes and sheds new light on out-of-the-way and misunderstood destinations. Website: https://drewbinsky.comYou Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Ize0RLIbGdH5x4wI45G-ASocial Media: @DrewBinskyFind out more about his forthcoming documentary here: http://drewbinskydocumentary.comThe Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Host/Producer Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer (Nat Geo, The Times etc.) Instagram/Twitter @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast. Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow professional sailor Mark Towill on The Ocean Race, the ultimate around-the-world sailing competition: nine months, and 45,000 nautical miles, through some of the toughest seas on the planet. Only the strongest sailors in the world are able to compete, and only for the glory. There is no prize money. The Ocean Race (formerly the Volvo Ocean Race) is the toughest team challenge in sailing, and arguably the most grueling competition in professional sports. But it's also one of the most beautiful. There is something nostalgic, even romantic, about the idea of sailing around the world powered by nothing but your wits and the wind. It harks back to the golden days of exploration. This is more than a race, this is a true adventure. Are you ready to sail around the world? Let's go.Highlights:- Hear Mark Towill's incredible story of the 2017/18 Ocean Race- Find out what it feels like to sail around the whole world, powered by nothing but your wits and the wind- Learn about life on board the fastest sailboats on the planet, and the mental toughness required to survive the grueling conditions- Discover the adventure of the Southern Ocean, where Mark Towill experienced 65knot winds and seas of up to 30-feet tall- Find out about the tragedy that occurred in the waters off of Hong Kong, and the disaster that happened rounding Cape Horn- Hear about the early Polynesian explorers who inspired Mark Towill, who grew up in Hawai'i, and how he's now involved with helping to promote that culture and keep alive the traditional wayfinding of the early Polynesians.- Be inspired by Mark Towill, and his team 11th Hour Racing's, message of raising awareness about ocean sustainability and the problem of ocean plasticsBenefits to You:- See the ocean through new eyes and be inspired to embark on your own high seas adventure- Learn how the mental toughness of round-the-world sailors can be applied to your own life in positive ways- Be inspired by this story of overcoming tragedy and hardships in pursuit of excellence, and the greater good- Be motivated to get involved with ocean sustainability and the fight to protect our oceans from plastic pollutionMARK TOWILL: Who's the Guest?Mark grew up sailing on the eastern shores of Oahu, Hawaii before racing at both the prestigious Punahou School and Brown University Sailing Team, where he sailed with fellow team co-founder Charlie Enright.In 2008 at the age of 18, Mark was selected to participate in the 44th Transpac Race aboard Morning Light where he first met Charlie. Mark was the youngest member on the team and the experience crystallized his ultimate goal of competing in the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race, which he did in 2014-15 with Team Alvimedica. The duo put together a second campaign for 2017-18 with Vestas 11th Hour Racing.Today, he is the CEO and co-skipper of 11th Hour Racing, whose goal is to win the 2021/22 Ocean Race whilst raising awareness and inspiring the sailing community and racing fans around the world with respect to environmental issues and ocean health.@11thhourracinghttps://11thhourracingteam.orghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqlcxiz-4f-4k6FPgIf2YagBOOK THIS TRIPPlease visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do trips inspired by this journey: www.Armchair-Explorer.com ... and how host/producer Aaron Millar can help you plan your ultimate adventure.The Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Instagram/Twitter @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast.Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Follow ex-pro surfer Jon Rose on his ultimate adventure horse trekking through the remote wilderness of Mongolia. This is the 'Land of the Blue Sky', a place of limitless space, and boundless freedom, where bands of nomadic families still live the old way, tending livestock and moving with the seasons. But this is more than just a story of adventure; and it's about more than horse trekking in Mongolia too. This is a story about destiny. It's a story about hope, and the power of the human spirit.Jon Rose spent 12 years as a professional free surfer. He appeared on the covers of the biggest magazines in the world. He rode swells in Australia, Bali, Fiji; he surfed South Africa, Iceland and more. But his favourite place was Indonesia, and it was there, on a surf trip, that something happened that changed his life forever. Something harrowing, and devastating, something he could never have expected. But in that moment, Jon found his destiny. He found his life's true purpose. It wasn't to ride waves, it was something much bigger. It would take him from the shores of Indonesia to the streets of Haiti. It would take him from the mountains of Nepal to the endless plains of Mongolia, and beyond. And it wouldn't change just life, it would change the lives of millions of people around the world. HIGHLIGHTS: Go horse trekking in Mongolia, the land of Ghengis Khan, one of the wildest and most remote places on Earth Stay with nomadic families along the way, trying local delicacies including Airag, or fermented mare's milk, the national drink (let's just say, Jon had to hold his nose while he drank!) Learn about Jon Rose's 12 year career as a pro surfer, from his days growing up in Laguna Beach, California, to winning national competitions, getting sponsored by Quicksilver and becoming one of the leading professional free surfers of his time Hear about the devastating event, which happened during a surf trip in Indonesia, and changed Jon's life forever Find out how Jon reacted, and how what he did next changed the lives of millions of people around the world BENEFITS: Be inspired to find your own destiny, and life purpose Find out how adventurers and explorers, just like you, can connect more deeply with local cultures and help change the lives of the people they visit Feel empowered and uplifted with this positive story of change and hope in the darkest times Discover the wonders and vast landscapes of horse trekking in Mongolia, which Jon describes as 'true bliss' Learn about the culture of the 'Land of the Blue Sky', one of the oldest and most fascinating on Earth WHO'S THE GUEST?Connect with Jon Rose, and the work he does, on the following links:https://www.wavesforwater.orgInstagram: @wavesforwater / @jon_roseFacebook: @Wavesforwaterhttps://rascalsroundup.orgIf you're inspired by this episode please get involved!BOOK THIS TRIPPlease visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do trips inspired by this journey: www.Armchair-Explorer.comThe Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Instagram/Twitter @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastHost Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

40,000 miles, two years and 17 countries: travel across the Americas from Alaska to Argentina with overlanding expert Dan Grec. This is one of the world's most epic road trips and we have a front row seat. The term 'Overlanding' refers to self-reliant expedition style adventures, usually in 4x4 vehicles and to remote locations. Think of it like extreme road tripping. Just about anywhere in the world is open for overland adventures, but the following the Pan American Highway from the far north of Alaska to Cape Horn on the southern tip of Argentina is considered by many to be the ultimate trip. And we're in good company for it. Dan Grec is one of the world's leading overlanding experts and the author of 'The Road Chose Me Volume I & II', which chronicles two of his favourite expeditions, including this one. His You Tube channel, also called The Road Chose Me, is one of the world's leading resources for overland travel. Visit the episode page for more details: https://www.armchair-explorer.com/post/extreme-road-trip-alaska-to-argentina-with-overlanding-expert-dan-grec But not only does Dan Grec know his stuff, he also knows how to tell one hell of a story. This is about one of the most extreme road trips on the planet. It's about the incredible scenery, people and adventures he passed along the way. But it's also about what he learned from 40,000 miles on the road. Before he set off, Dan Grec was just an ordinary guy with a crazy dream. He made it come true: so can you.Highlights include: Hiking to the 'Magic Bus' in the backcountry of Alaska to visit the final resting place of Chris McCandless, whose life was chronicled in the book and film 'Into the Wild'. Trekking to the smoking crater of the Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala, seeing lava close enough to touch, close enough to smell the sulphur burning, to melt the soles of your shoes Driving across the Salar de Uyuni, the Bolivian salt flats, a mesmerising 3,681 square mile stark white plain and a true wonder of the world Finding 'Hell on Earth' in a Bolivian silver mine: Potosi, known locally as "the mountain that eats men", where life expectancy is less than 45 years old Exploring Ecuador and climbing the Cotopaxi Volcano Reaching the 'Ends of the Earth' in southern Patagonia, driving to the end of the road and walking into the sea Benefits to you: Learn Dan's top tips for planning your own overland adventure Be inspired to make your own travel dreams come true, no matter how big or small Discover the lessons that Dan Grec learned after 40,000 miles on the road Hear Chris McCandless' story, and how it inspired Dan to break out of the mold, and live a more purposeful and intentional life Find out Dan Grec's secret to living a truly free life Connect with Dan Grec and find out everything you need to know about overlanding at:http://www.theroadchoseme.comInstagram: @theroadchosemeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/theroadchosemeYou Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkyky5zC8R1Gi6YeeCR6BDgBOOK THIS TRIPPlease visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do this journey, and others inspired by it: www.Armchair-Explorer.com ... or get in touch with Dan directly on any of the links aboveThe Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Instagram @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Free diving is breath hold diving. You have a mask, wetsuit, fins and your lungs. That’s it. Take a deep breath, dive down, hold it, and whatever you do. Don’t. Let. Go. Sound easy? It’s not.But it’s worth it. When you scuba dive, you’re a visitor to the underwater world. It’s loud and often scares away the marine life. With breath hold diving, you’re a part of it. You see the ocean on its own terms: silent, unencumbered and free. In this episode, we follow in the fin steps of adventure photographer Kellon Spencer as he learns to free dive. Kellon specializes in underwater photography. But he soon realized that to get the best images, to get as close as possible to the marine wildlife without scaring them away, he would have to ditch the scuba gear and learn breath hold diving for himself. There was just one problem. He was terrified. Kellon excels at adventure sports, and had worked as scuba guide for many years. But he’d heard the horror stories, and he knew about the dangers: underwater blackouts, loss of motor control, blood dumps. In one five year study, 75% of all free diving accidents were fatal. Follow his journey from his first free dive in The Blue Hole, New Mexico to the tropical waters of Grand Cayman and beyond. Dive with him as he overcomes his fear and learns to see the ocean through new eyes. Far from being an extreme activity, Kellon realizes that breath hold diving is actually more like underwater meditation than an adrenaline sport. He learns to master his anxiety, to control the panic, and comes out stronger, bolder and more connected to the ocean than he ever was before. And as for getting closer to that marine wildlife, let’s just say he succeeds in a BIG way – and he tells us about that too. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:· Hear what breath hold diving feels like, unencumbered by scuba gear, silent and free· Want to learn to free dive? Listen to a first-hand account of beginner, and pro level, breath hold diving courses· Follow Kellon down to 100-feet deep, the equivalent of 10 atmospheres of pressur· Hear what it feels like when you hit the ‘free fall zone’, which Kellon describes as “sky-diving underwater”· Learn the techniques that teach you how to hold your breath for three minutes or more – often achievable in just a few days· Discover the superhuman feats of champion free divers, including deepest dive, longest breath hold and more· Learn the theory behind breath hold diving, including the mammalian dive reflex and how human beings are genetically programmed to free dive· Find out how to apply free diving breathing techniques in your everyday life to lessen the effects of anxiety and stress· Join Kellon as he experiences one of the most incredible marine wildlife encounters in the world: free diving with a 40-ft whale in RoatanWHO’S THE GUEST?Kellon Spencer is a professional adventure photographer and free diving instructor. He has embarked on over a decade of expeditions with the collaboration of various clients, including the National Forest Foundation, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Ocean First, another. His passion is using the power of imagery to bring awareness to the importance of conservation and wildlife preservation. See Kellon's work at: www.kellonspencerphotography.com.Instagram: @Kellon_SpencerFacebook: @KellonspencerphotographyBOOK THIS TRIPPlease visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do this journey, and others inspired by it: www.Armchair-Explorer.comThe Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Instagram @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Join best-selling author Adam Weymouth on a 2,000-mile canoe journey down the Yukon River, from its source in Northern Canada, through Alaska, to the Bering Sea. It's one of the wildest and most pristine places on Earth filled with Moose, Bald Eagles and Grizzly Bears. But this is more than just an epic paddle. The Kings of the Yukon are the King Salmon, the Chinooks, who swim up the river every year in their tens of thousands to spawn at the place of their birth. It's one of the most remarkable migrations in the animal kingdom, and it's also one of the most important because the people that live by the river, mostly First Nations people, depend on that salmon run to survive. But it is now under threat. By tracing their journey, Adam tells the story of the salmon, but he also tells the story of the lives of people whose fate is intertwined with them. This is a beautiful adventure, but it's also an important and inspiring meditation on what it is to live, and survive, in one of the most remote places on Earth.HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE- Discovering one of the most remote, pristine and beautiful places on Earth- Learning about the lives of the First Nations people that live by the river, their culture, history and way of life- Finding out about the migration of the King Salmon, one of the most remarkable journeys in the animal kingdom- Feeling what it's like to paddle 2,000-miles through one of the most remote places on Earth, camping on river side beaches along the way- Meeting Andy Bassich, reality TV star from Life Below Zero who lives on the Yukon River, and other off-grid characters Adam passes along the way- Hearing about the Gold Rush History of the Yukon from an indigenous perspective- Learning about the First Nations protest against the fishing ban, why it matters and it's relationship to Gandhi's famous Salt March of the early 20th century- Being inspired by a First Nations view of fishing, hunting and the interconnectedness of the natural world- Finding hope and optimism, for the King Salmon, and the people whose lives depend on themWHO'S THE GUEST?Adam Weymouth is the Sunday Times' Best Young Writer of 2018. An environmental journalist, his work has been published in the Guardian, The Atlantic, the New Internationalist and by the BBC, with his primary focus being the relationship between humans and the natural world. www.AdamWeymouth.com / @adamweymouthHis book, Kings of the Yukon: an Alaskan River Journey, is out now.BOOK THIS TRIPPlease visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do this journey, and others inspired by it: www.Armchair-Explorer.comABOUT THE SHOWThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action. Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriter https://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/ https://twitter.com/AaronMWriter Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Alone on a mountain top in the Pyrenees, in the pitch black of night, without another soul around, a woman hears a voice echoing out of the darkness. It was an experience she couldn't understand or explain. It terrified her. But it also changed her life. Follow nature writer Jini Reddy on a Vision Quest, a lone wilderness vigil on a remote mountain in the Pyrenees for five days without food, phone, or connection with the outside world of any kind. Hear how that experience changed her, and led to a new understanding of nature and her place in it. After she returned to civilisation, that voice, that mystery, inspired her to begin another kind of quest. She called it Wanderland: a search for the magical in the landscape of her home, Great Britain. We follow in her footsteps, to treasure maps and lost springs, sacred Scottish isles and hidden temples in the land. Through it all, we begin to see another hidden side of nature, more akin to our indigenous ancestors' views than our modern selves. We begin to see beyond the ordinary, into the deep wonder and magic of the wilderness itself. In Wanderland, all things are possible.Highlights include: Learn what feels like to go on a modern day Vision Quest, a five-day lone wilderness vigil, just as indigenous tribes around the world have done for Millenia Hear the unsettling, and otherworldly story, of the Voice from the darkness that changed Jini's life Follow a treasure map to go skinny dipping in a lost spring Discover a hidden land temple on the Scottish island of Iona, one of the most sacred places in Great Britain Hear the story of 'Wanderland' - Jini's critically acclaimed book about her journey in search for the magical in the landscapes of Great Britain Find out about indigenous perspectives on nature and be inspired to connect more deeply with the world around you Get Jini's top tips on how you can begin your own Wanderland, your own journey to find the mystical in the modern world WanderlandGet 30% off with the code: WANDERLAND30www.bloomsbury.com/wanderland“What a wonderful book Wanderland is! A witty, gentle, original and very modern quest for the magical (not the mythical) in Britain's landscape, which both made me laugh and moved me.” – Robert MacfarlaneJini ReddyJini has been an award-winning journalist, travel writer and nature writer for many years. Her byline has appeared in The Guardian, TIME magazine, National Geographic Traveller, Geographical, Psychologies, Resurgence and the Ecologist and countless other publications, both print and online.Recently, she was named one of National Geographic’s Women of Impact. You can read the interview here Follow Jini: Twitter: @Jini_Reddy (https://twitter.com/Jini_Reddy) / Instagram: @JiniReddy20 (https://www.instagram.com/jinireddy20/)ComposerOriginal soundtrack composed by Alastair Nisbet. https://www.facebook.com/allynisbetArmchair ExplorerFollow the show on social media: Facebook: @ArmchairExplorerPodcast (https://www.facebook.com/ArmchairExplorerPodcast)/ Instagram: @AaronMWriter (https://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/)For eco-tourism adventure ideas related to the show, please visit the individual episode pages at: https://www.armchair-explorer.com Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

The Anwals are the last remaining migrating shepherds of the Indian Himalayas. Each spring, they take their flocks from the heat of the valleys to graze among the high alpine pastures of the Himalayas. They won’t return until Autumn. It is a way of life that has remained unchanged for generations. Follow in their footsteps on this incredible journey, hiking village to village, and staying in small community owned guesthouses along the way. This is some of the most dramatic and breath-taking hiking on the planet. But it’s more than that too. The Anwals traditional way of life is under threat. As the modern world encroaches ever further upon these villages, young people are forced to leave their rural homes and find work in the city, often in brutal conditions, for little pay. By following the annual migration of the Anwals, and staying in their villages, we provide economic empowerment to their community and a future for the next generation. This is a story about going beyond the end of the road, beyond the grip of the modern world. It’s a story about exploring one of the most remote, and staggeringly beautiful, places on Earth. And it’s a story about hope. In the footsteps of the Anwals, we discover peace and serenity and, perhaps, something about our own path too. Highlights include:- Walking with the Anwals on their annual migration- Meeting lead Anwals, camping with them, hearing their stories- Staying overnight in small rural villages, discovering their unique culture that has remained unchanged for generations- Exploring one of the most remote, and untouched, places on Earth- Learning about the plight of the Anwals, and the uplifting story of how that’s changing- Reflecting upon the Anwal's simple existence, and how it can inspire positive change in our own values and way of lifeTaking us on this adventure is award-wining travel writer, journalist, broadcaster and author Juliet Rix. Follow her on twitter at: https://twitter.com/julietrix1As well as a number of guide books, which are beautifully written and informative, Juliet also has a children’s book, ‘Travels with my Granny’, which explores issues surrounding dementia through the adventures a young girl has with her grandmother: https://www.amazon.com/Travels-My-Granny-Juliet-Rix/dp/1910959340 BOOK THIS TRIP: This trip is run by award-winning sustainable tourism operator, Village Ways. To find out more about them, and book this trip for yourself, please visit: www.Village-Ways.comFor other eco-tourism adventure ideas related to the show, please visit the individual episode pages at: http://www.Armchair-Explorer.com The Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action. Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year, the IPW Best Destination Writer 2017 and Visit USA’s Best National Newspaper Writer 2014, 2016 & 2017. Aaron Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Seeing mountain gorillas in the wild is one of the rarest and most inspiring wildlife experiences on the planet. There is an immediate bond, a sense of connection. When you look a mountain gorilla in the eye, you see yourself reflected back.Follow Praveen Moman, one of the world's leading conservationists, into the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda in search of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. Through our journey, we learn about Praveen's work to protect this last stand of one of the world's most incredible creatures. Far from being the King Kong monsters we once feared, mountain gorillas, we discover, are gentle, benign and incredibly intelligent. Seeing them up close is one of the world's greatest wildlife adventures.But that's not all. Praveen also takes us to the Kyambura Gorge, in Uganda, in search of a lost troop of Chimpanzees who have become isolated due to deforestation and human expansion into the area. Like the gorillas, we share an existential bond with these primates and Praveen is leading an effort to help safeguard their future.This is more than just a wildlife adventure. Over the last 20 years Praveen has pioneered a new style of community-led conservation that puts the needs of indigenous people first. In doing so, he has shown how communities can benefit from the conservation of their lands while at the same time helping to rebuild one of the world's most war-torn regions. This is a positive and uplifting story about the power of hope to change the world.Highlights include:- Trekking in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda in search of the critically endangered mountain gorilla- Hearing what it feels like to sit quietly among the troop, as babies come curiously up to explore, and the 400lb male silverback brushes past- Learning about the history, science and conservation of these incredible primates, including the story of Diane Fossey one of the first champions of their cause- Walking into the Kyambura Gorge as the lost troop of Chimpanzees comes down from the canopy and surrounds you on all sides- Being inspired by Praveen's story, a refugee of Uganda who returned to his beloved homeland to help rebuild one of the most war-torn regions on the planet- Finding out about his visionary model of community-led conservation, a system which has since been adopted around the world BOOK THIS TRIP:Praveen's conservation efforts are funded by eco-tourism. His company, Volcanoes Safaris, has four lodges - three in Uganda and one in Rwanda - that specialise in taking guests on primate safaris. They are widely recognised as the best, and most sustainable, way to see these incredible animals in the wild, as well as find out more about the local communities that surround them. I've written about them for years and highly recommend them. For more information, please visit: https://volcanoessafaris.com For other eco-tourism adventure ideas related to the show, please visit the individual episode pages at http://www.Armchair-Explorer.com SUPPORT COMMUNITY CONSERVATION:If you can't make the trip, but want to find out more about how you can help Praveen's conservation efforts, please visit his non-profit the Volcanoes Safari Partnership Trust: https://volcanoessafaris.com/community/To find out more about the Kyambura Gorge Ecotourism Project and how you can help to protect this lost troop of chimpanzees, please visit: https://volcanoessafaris.com/kyambura-community-projects/ SUPPORT GORILLA CONSERVATION:Diane Fossey's Gorilla Fund is the largest and longest running organisation dedicated solely to the conservation of mountain gorillas: https://gorillafund.orgMORE ABOUT PRAVEEN:https://volcanoessafaris.com/all-people/praveen-moman/Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PWqFTr7DHg MORE ABOUT THE SHOW: http://www.Armchair-Explorer.com Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

In 1999, Jamie Catto and his partner Duncan Bridgeman set off on a round the world journey to make an album and DVD that would be a snapshot of humanity at the turn of the millenium. The result, 1 Giant Leap, was nominated for a Grammy and received huge critical acclaim and more than one top 10 single. Travel with Jamie as he tells the story of that journey, from Africa through India, Nepal, Australia, New Zealand and, finally, America. What they discovered was Unity in the Diversity. This is a story about music, it's a story about inspiration, and it's a story about the power of travel to expand your mind. Get ready to take 1 Giant Leap around the world.Highlights include:- Original 1 Giant Leap album soundtrack throughout- Recording Baaba Maal in Senegal, Mahotella Queens in South Africa and More- Discovering the Magic and Spirituality of India in Varanasi- Learning About Maori Culture in New Zealand, and Aboriginal Culture in Australia- Meeting Michael Stipe from REM and Other Stars in America- Get Deep with Jamie Discussing Ram Dass, God, Death, Humanity & Personal Evolution- Be Inspired to Create & Connect on Your own Journeys, Wherever They May BeJamie is an incredibly articulate, funny and inspiring talker. Hanging out with him is like injecting steroids for your creativity, spirituality and personal development. This episode may just change your life.Connect with Jamie, and learn about his workshops, films and books at: https://www.jamiecatto.comFollow Jamie at:https://www.facebook.com/jamie.catto.1https://www.instagram.com/jamiecatto/https://twitter.com/JamieCattoLiveOriginal music by 1 Giant Leap, courtesy of Jamie Catto & Duncan BridgemanTo book this trip, and other music-inspired adventures, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.comThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year, the IPW Best Destination Writer 2017 and Visit USA’s Best National Newspaper Writer 2014, 2016 & 2017. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/https://twitter.com/AaronMWriterFacebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Tima Deryan is the first Lebanese woman to summit Everest. Follow her journey step-by-step and learn what it feels like to climb the tallest mountain in the world. But that's not all. Tima is doing the Seven Summits challenge, in which you must climb the tallest peak on each of the seven continents. It's the toughest challenge in mountaineering and only a handful of people have ever achieved. Tima tells her story, climbing mountains from Europe through South America. But this is about more than mountaineering. Tima is standing on the roof of the world to prove to other women in the Middle East, and around the world, that they can do whatever they set their minds to. It's a story about freedom; it's a story about women's rights and it's a story about one woman's determination to live her dreams.Highlights include:- Hearing what it feels like to stand on the roof of the world- Passing through the dangerous Khumbu Ice Falls and exposed Hilary Step on the way to the summit- Discovering the beauty of the Himalayas- Finding out about life on base camp, and the dangerous camps higher up the mountain- Learning about Nepalese Sherpa culture and their unique way of life- Hearing stories about climbing other Seven Summit peaks, including Erebus, in Europe, and Aconcagua, in South America- Being inspired by Tima's positive mental attitude, determination to achieve her dreams and the message she has for other Arab women around the worldThrough this incredible journey we begin to understand what it takes to climb the highest mountain in the world. It's more than physical endurance, it's about mental toughness, humility and positivity. For Tima, it's also about something larger than herself: freedom for women around the world to achieve their dreams, whatever they may be.Follow Tima:https://www.instagram.com/mountaingipsyhttps://www.facebook.com/MountaingipsyTo book this trip, and other adventures in the Himalayas, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.comTo find out about how you can help clean up Everest, check out: https://www.summitclimb.com/charity/cleaning-up-mount-everestThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year, the IPW Best Destination Writer 2017 and Visit USA’s Best National Newspaper Writer 2014, 2016 & 2017. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/https://twitter.com/AaronMWriterFacebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastOriginal music by Michael Comber, aka L.I.D. (Life in Development): http://lidmusic.co.uk. Check out more from Mike here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1FHmkcsnRqo0OaNSHKRLiu Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

John Herrington is the first Native American astronaut. Join him on an out-of-this-world adventure as he takes us on a space-walk onboard the International Space Station. Hear what it feels like to be blasted into orbit at 17,000mph, learn what it’s like to live in Zero-G, and then step outside the hatch for one of the scariest, and most profound, adventures on the planet: a space-walk 220-miles above the Earth. But this is episode is about more than just adventure. Astronauts report a psychological phenomenon called The Overview Effect, a shift in cognitive awareness, when they return home from space. Through our journey, we see the Earth through John Herrington’s eyes – a bright jewel floating in the vastness of space - and come to realize, as he did, how precious, and amazing, our planet really is. This adventure may just change your life. “There was nothing between me and the edge of the universe … it changed me profoundly” - John Herrington Highlights include: - Heading out with John Herrington, the first Native American astronaut, for a space-walk 220-miles above the Earth- Learning about life aboard the International Space Station, and finding out what makes the ISS one of the humankind’s greatest ever achievements - Following John Herrington through basic training, including the notorious ‘vomit comet’ - Discovering what it feels like to launch into orbit at 17,000mph- Seeing the Earth as a whole through John Herrington’s eyes, clouds rushing past, continents drifting into view- Learning about the ‘Overview Effect’, a cognitive shift in awareness reported by many astronauts after seeing the Earth from space- Discovering John Herrington’s Chickasaw roots and how that has inspired his life and career to date John Herrington’s new Imax movie is ‘Into America’s Wild’ – www.intoamericaswild.com … please check it out to follow more of his amazing adventures. In the episode, I mention Carl Sagan’s masterpiece book: The Pale Blue Dot. It’s one of my favorites. If you’re interested in checking it out, I highly recommend doing so. Here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/Pale-Blue-Dot-Vision-Future/dp/0345376595And here’s that amazing photograph, which inspired it all: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/536/voyager-1s-pale-blue-dot/ I also mention a service that let’s you experience Zero-G, without being an astronaut. Check it out here: www.gozerog.comOriginal music by Michael Comber, aka L.I.D. (Life in Development): http://lidmusic.co.ukCheck out more from Mike here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1FHmkcsnRqo0OaNSHKRLiuADVENTURE STORYTELLING PODCASTThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.AARON MILLAR TRAVEL WRITERHost Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Tommy Moe won the Gold Medal for downhill skiing at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Follow him up to the backcountry of Alaska to shred some turns in the Tordrillo Mountains, one of the best places on the planet for heli-skiing. Then head to Lillehammer, Norway and that epic day when Tommy surprised the world by winning the Olympic Gold Medal. Listen as he takes you turn-buy-turn down that famous run and shares some of his secrets on how ski harder, bigger and better. But that's not all. Tommy also talks about something called the Flow State - a state of mind that many top athletes report when time seems to slow down, focus is heightened and superhuman feats suddenly become possible. Like winning the gold medal, when no one thought you could. This one's for all you powder heads.Highlights include:- Following Tommy down every turn of his Gold Medal run- Discover the remote Tordrillo Mountains in Alaska, one of the best places for heli-skiing and big mountain adventures on the planet- Hear what it feels like to drop in to some of steepest, scariest backcountry runs in the country- Listen to Tommy's story, how he learnt to ski, his love of the backcountry and what adventure means to him - Learn about Flow, a state of mind that dramatically enhances your physical skills and abilities, and how to reach it yourselfThrough it all, we realize that high performance in adventure sports is as much about state of mind as it is physical ability. To book this trip, and other Alaskan adventures, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.comTo ski with Tommy and visit his lodge in Alaska, please check out: https://www.tordrillomountainlodge.comhttps://www.instagram.com/tordrillohelihttps://www.facebook.com/TordrilloMountainLodge/The Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year, the IPW Best Destination Writer 2017 and Visit USA’s Best National Newspaper Writer 2014, 2016 & 2017. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriterhttps://twitter.com/AaronMWriterFacebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastOriginal music by Tristan Learmonth, working under the artist names Peter Schlemihl and Movement 10Check out more from Tristan here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FLScKGDgF8Wjr9fQAp8SVhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/6fQjF53LQ8mWsQMQjtkD3I?si=xdWUux61T1-oPdtDzbVf1A Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Follow award-winning writer James Stewart as he takes on 'The Everest of Cage Dives'. Rodney Fox survived one of the most horrific Great White Shark attacks in history and was the inspiration for Jaws, the movie. He went on to invent the concept of Cage Diving. But Rodney's trips aren't for the feint-hearted. Most cage dives keep you safe on the surface. Rodney's takes you all the way to the bottom of the ocean floor. Highlights include: Hearing the story of one of the most horrific Great White Shark attacks of all time Learning about Rodney's story, how he became the inspiration for Jaws and went on to invent cage diving Descending to the bottom of the ocean as seven Great White Sharks circle you on all sides Looking a 20-foot Great White Shark in the eye, seeing its teeth close enough to touch Finding out about Great White Shark science and conservation Gradually, as James begins to control his fear, trapped on the bottom of the ocean with seven Great White Sharks circling him, he realizes that, far from monsters of the deep, Great Whites are actually one of the most important and beautiful animals in the marine ecosystem.Note: many cage diving trips are unethical, Rodney Fox's are the gold standard in conservation. Listen to the episode to find out why, and what to look out for when booking your trip.To book this trip, please visit: www.armchair-explorer.comFollow James Stewart:https://twitter.com/itsjamesstewartFind out more about shark conservation at https://www.sharktrust.orgThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year, the IPW Best Destination Writer 2017 and Visit USA’s Best National Newspaper Writer 2014, 2016 & 2017. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/https://twitter.com/AaronMWriterFacebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastOriginal music by Michael Comber, aka L.I.D. (Life in Development): http://lidmusic.co.uk. Check out more from Mike here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1FHmkcsnRqo0OaNSHKRLiu Mentioned in this episode:Check out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel PodcastCheck out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast Network

Take a freezing journey to Antarctica with legendary travel writer Jonathan Thompson, following in the footsteps of the great polar explorer Ernest Shackleton for the 100th anniversary of his Endurance expedition. The Endurance is one of the greatest adventure tales ever told. With both poles already discovered, Shackleton's plan was to do something even bolder and more ambitious. He planned to cross the entire Antarctic continent on foot, a distance of more than 1800-miles, across the coldest, most unforgiving place on Earth. But disaster struck almost immediately. His ship got stuck in the ice and started to break up beneath him, forcing him to abandon it and begin a desperate trek to save the lives of his crew. He had little chance of success. What followed was nothing short of a miracle.Hear Shackleton's story interwoven with JT's own journey. Highlights include: Crossing the Drake Passage, the most dangerous stretch of sea on the planet Ice camping on Antarctica itself, something very few people have ever experienced Visiting scientific research bases and sampling the Ukranian base's home-brewed vodka Exploring enormous penguin colonies Hiking and cross-country skiing in one of the remotest places on Earth Kayaking among seals, whales and enormous pale blue icebergs Taking the infamous 'Polar Plunge', a freezing dip into Antarctic ocean through a hole cut into the ice itself Through it all, learn what it's like to take a bucket-list cruise to the bottom of the Earth, discover the untouched beauty of the last truly wild continent, and be inspired by one of the greatest adventure stories of all time.Follow Jonathan Thompson:@JT_Travelshttps://www.instagram.com/jt_travels/https://twitter.com/JT_TravelsOriginal music by Alistair Nisbet. For more information contact: https://www.facebook.com/allynisbethttps://www.instagram.com/ally.nisbet/To book this trip for yourself, visit: http://www.armchair-explorer.comThe Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.Host Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/https://twitter.com/AaronMWriterFacebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast

Cliff camping is extreme sleeping for insane people. Follow award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar up to the top of the Rocky Mountains for a terrifying night sleeping on a portaledge, suspended 500-feet above the ground on a sheer cliff face. Lighting strikes, emergency rappelling in the pitch dark, vertigo and the scariest pee in the world. But when the dawn breaks, and the mountains flood with color, we discover the true meaning and purpose of adventure. Dare to be truly alive. The Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling with beats, original music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. No long-winded interviews, just straight to heart of the action.To book this trip for yourself, visit: http://www.armchair-explorer.comHost Aaron Millar is a multi-award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year, the IPW Best Destination Writer 2017 and Visit USA’s Best National Newspaper Writer 2014, 2016 & 2017. Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. @AaronMWriterhttps://www.instagram.com/aaronmwriter/https://twitter.com/AaronMWriterFacebook: @armchairexplorerpodcastOriginal music by Michael Comber, aka L.I.D. (Life in Development): http://lidmusic.co.uk. Check out more from Mike here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1FHmkcsnRqo0OaNSHKRLiu Mentioned in this episode:Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the worldThis podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities across the network, see the link below.Voyascape Podcast NetworkCheck out the Smart Travel PodcastThis week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel at the Link below:Smart Travel Podcast