Armchair Explorer

Armchair Explorer

By Armchair Productions

Award-winning podcast featuring travel documentaries recorded on location, immersive adventure stories, deep dives into cultures around the world, and inspiration for how to life to the fullest. Hailed as “inspiring storytelling” by the New York Times, and “Ear candy for listeners” by the Washington Post. Two-time Webby Nominee Best Society & Culture Podcast

100 most recent episodes displayed below

Visit website →

Episodes

21:00 Ep. 16

BUCKET LIST: Uluru - Australia's Wonder of the World

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Ri

40:29 Ep. 15

CONNECTION: Wayfinding with Travel Writer Daniel Scheffler

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Wa

40:51 Ep. 14

LONELY PLANET: New Hampshire Wild - the Live Free Road Trip

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

38:53 Ep. 13

LONELY PLANET: Beneath an Auroral Sky - Sailing Norway's Arctic Coast

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

27:56 Ep. 10

IMMERSION: Hog Heaven - On Location at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

44:00 Ep. 6

LONELY PLANET: The Aurora Chaser

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Wi

46:53 Ep. 5

ADVENTURE: A Million Steps on Lava with Ricardo Kaljouw

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

To

31:54 Ep. 4

IMMERSION: A Life Underground: Into the Sacred Caves of the Black Hills

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

44:34 Ep. 2

ADVENTURE: Kite-skiing Antarctica with Explorer Justin Packshaw

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

"H

01:01

Season 4 Trailer - The Adventure is About to Begin!

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

38:58

Namibia Safari: From the Sossusvlei Dunes to the Skeleton Coast

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

23:04

Powwow Spirit in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Th

11:41

Navajo Nation: Beside the Medicine Man’s Fire

“The medicine man sits before a pile of hot coals spread out on the compacted red earth floor of his Hogan – the traditional home of the Navajo. “This is Native American church,” he tells me, pulling shiny black arrowheads and Golden Eagle feathers f

36:32

Botswana Safari: From the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans to the Okavango Delta

Botswana is the Africa in our heads, the one we see in nature documentaries, and think of when we say the word.

It is a vast and untempered land filled with one of the richest concentrations of wildlife on the continent. In a single game drive you c

35:17

JANE GOODALL SPECIAL: Trekking with Chimpanzees and Mountain Gorillas

Today, we’re sharing a special episode honouring a true explorer who we lost last week.

Dr. Jane Goodall was a pioneering primatologist, and conservationist best known for her groundbreaking work with wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. With no formal sci

38:04

IMMERSION: Exploring Rocky Mountain National Park’s Living Lab

In this episode, recorded on location, we’ll discover a side to Rocky Mountain National

Park that most people don’t even know exists. Beyond the beautiful mountains and

trails, the park is a Living Laboratory of science with about 100 scientific pr

36:43

BEST OF EXPLORER: Land of the Thunder Dragon: Exploring Bhutan

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 Britis

42:04

CONNECTION: Life Lived Wild with Rick Ridgeway

"A life worth living is lived at the edges, where it is wild"

- Rick Ridgeway

Rick Ridgeway is one of the greatest mountaineers of all time. In this in-depth interview he shares the adventures that have come to define his life, and the wisdom he ha

29:10

BUCKET LIST: Stargazing with the Bedouin

Our Bucket List episodes showcase the greatest travel experiences on the planet. Today, we’re going to the deserts of Arabia to go stargazing with the Bedouin and learn their secrets of the stars.

This episode is about learning to see the stars thro

32:38

RED BULL: Paragliding the Himalayas with Tom de Dorlodot

Today we’re sharing an episode from the Red Bull podcast: How to be Superhuman.



How To Be Superhuman is about pushing the limits of human potential, from conquering terrifying climbs and kayaking down jaw-dropping waterfalls to swimming the world’

56:58

CONNECTION: Living Adventurously with Alastair Humphreys

Alastair Humphreys is a legend in the world of adventure. If you haven’t heard of him, here’s a few of things he’s gotten up to over the years …

“Aged nine, he completed the 20 mile Yorkshire 3 Peaks challenge, then the National 3 Peaks in 24 hours

28:41

CONNECTION: The Lost Treasures of AlUla

In this series, we’re going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert layered in 200,000 years of human history. But, unti

37:10

ADVENTURE: Biking Around the World with a Mystery Illness

"There are people out there that have found incredible success in ultra-running and things by being tough as nails…and it just doesn't work for me.  But what I can do is wake up in the morning and be like, oh, like I'm gonna stop for a coffee in 10 m

46:16

PATHWAYS July: UFO Parking, Shark Attacks, and Biking Around the World

Every month on Pathways, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton crack open a few stories, play their favorite clips, and take you on a whirlwind preview of what’s coming up this month on Armchair Explorer. It’s part travel hangout, part behind-th

50:23

CONNECTION: Guarding the Voiceless with Peter Heller

"We paddled out to the first net, and there were 12 pilot whales huddled up against it, completely traumatized because they could hear the other 40 members of their pod being massacred yards away. They were screaming. I remember a little baby pilot w

25:06

Let ‘er Buck! Broncos, Steers, Whiskey & Beer at the Pendleton Roundup

It might’ve been my first rodeo, but it won’t be my last! 

“It’s part action movie, part rock show blurring into the superbowl. It feels modern, but bull riding itself goes back to the bronze age. And that’s true for rodeo contests in general: bull

27:37

Winging It in San Salvador

We’ve got something a little different but very special for you today. This episode comes from Winging It, a travel podcast hosted by my friend James Hammond, who you’ll hear from shortly. He takes us on an immersive, on-location audio adventure thro

35:22

DISCOVER: South Australia Road Trip Part 2: The Wild Side

We're back for part two of our Discover series on the less travelled, but adventure-rich state of South Australia. Our Discover Guides are deep dives into new destinations, where we interview experts to get the ‘drum’ on the places they live and love

25:59

CONNECTION: Dreamtime Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world. Covering an area of 135,000 square miles, it is bigger than the United Kingdom, Holland and Switzerland combined. Lay it out across Europe and it would reach from London to Moscow, makin

39:18

Introducing “Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant”

Today, we are sharing an episode of Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, the chart-topping and Webby Award-winning podcast from our friends at Nature on PBS. Back for a brand new season, Going Wild features some of the coolest champions of nature – li

34:18

DISCOVER: The Place Where Land and Sea Meet at Victoria, B.C.

In this episode, we’re heading to the city of Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They call this the place where ‘land and sea meet, and cultures converge’. Victoria is a city surrounded by wild nature on all sides, fr

40:07

PATHWAYS: Dreamtime Dives, African Forests and Baby Kangaroos

Every month on Pathways, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton crack open a few stories, play their favorite clips, and take you on a whirlwind preview of what’s coming up this month on Armchair Explorer. It’s part travel hangout, part behind-th

34:07

ADVENTURE: From the Shadow of Denali Into the Thaw with Jon Waterman

Today we are taking a journey to the arctic circle, in  the far north of the American continent. This is a story about climbing, and surviving, one of the tallest mountains on Earth. It’s about paddling through the most remote national park in Americ

11:09

BUCKET LIST: Eye-to-Eye with Giants: Whale Watching in Victoria, B.C.

"I've been guiding or working around whales now for almost over just about over a decade, and I still am in awe at all of the experiences that we have. It's just a wonder of a magnitude that people don't really get to experience anywhere else in urba

25:33

IMMERSION: Muskets, Marching and a Haunted Hospital

As soon as they walked into the barracks at Fort Sisseton, they were handed muskets - heavy Springfield 63s from the Civil war era - given a uniform and told to march. 

 

Presenter Brian Thacker and producer Jason Paton thought they were just cover

36:24

Red Bull: How To Be Superhuman

Abdullah Zeinab’s epic Rhino Run adventure crossing South Africa and Namibia redefines what’s possible in endurance cycling. Unsupported and unforgiving, this grueling 1,700-mile ultra-cycling race put his mental strength, grit and resilience to the

19:04 Ep. 27

PATHWAYS: Buffalo Soldiers, a Long Rider, and How to be a Superhuman

At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.

 

A cross between a highlight reel, an interview

24:35 Ep. 21

PATHWAYS: Northern Lights, Irish Saints and Alaskan Dreams

At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.

A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, a

11:59 Ep. 19

BUCKET LIST: 100-mile Pub Crawl along the South Downs Way, England

In this Bucket List episode, host Aaron Millar recounts the most audacious, tipsiest, and ridiculous hike of his life: a 100-mile pub crawl across the entire length of the South Downs National Park, near his hometown of Brighton England.

“Should you

18:58 Ep. 18

BUCKET LIST: The Everest of Great White Shark Cages Dives

On today’s bucket list episode, we are following award-winning travel writer James Stewart as he attempts the ‘Everest of Cage Dives’.

In the Neptune Islands of Australia, home to the most great white sharks on the planet, there is a cage dive that

25:31 Ep. 15

PATHWAYS: Ancient Kingdoms, Badlands and the Everest of Cage Dives

At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.

A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, a

31:51 Ep. 9

PATHWAYS: Surfing Iceland, Bedouin Stars and Living with Wolves

At the start of every month, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming up on Armchair Explorer, play their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most excited to share.

A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, a

10:48 Ep. 8

BUCKET LIST: Ghost Hunt in the London Tombs with Host Aaron Millar

“I was lying in a coffin in the catacombs beneath London Bridge while a clairvoyant called to the

spirits around me to make themselves known. To say this was not a normal Saturday night

would be to grossly understate the point.”

And so begins, the

28:11 Ep. 6

PERFORMANCE: The Diamond Stream with Tennessee Music Legend Ed Snodderly

“So, take down your box and bow, and play the strings. Whistle up your travellin’ tune. Listen to the sound the water makes, in the Diamond Stream.” 

• Ed Snodderly, The Diamond Stream

This episode is the first in our Performance series, where we s

41:02 Ep. 55

Powwows, Harleys, and Frank Lloyd Wright: Here's to Those Who Wisconsin!

Here’s to those who Wisconsin … that’s what they say in this part of the world.  Because

traveling here is not so much about exploring a place as discovering a mindset. 

In this two-part documentary series, recorded on location, we’ll be searching

30:54 Ep. 52

Hotter than a Match: The Story of Bluegrass On Location in Tennessee

"Bluegrass will lift you up and sweep you along like the fast-flowing waters of the Tennessee River...it's foot stomping, hand clapping, blazingly fast songs hotter than a match."

In this episode, dive into the world of Tennessee bluegrass and learn

56:18 Ep. 51

Best of Explorer: Walking the Amazon with Explorer Ed Stafford

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

27:46 Ep. 50

The Ghosts of Gunslingers: Black Hills and Deadwood

“Nobody's down here except for us ghost people and the hotel staff. And some of the hotel staff in the past wouldn't come down here by themselves. Things happen in here. Things have happened to me.”

– Kate, Ghost Tour Guide at the Bullock Hotel, Dea

46:23 Ep. 49

Pacific Surfliner: Taking the Slow Track Down the So-Cal Coast

Imagine a road trip up the southern Californian coast stopping off at cool little beach towns along the way. But instead of doing it in a car, on the highway, getting stuck in traffic, with nothing to do or see … you surf it instead.

The Pacific Sur

37:09 Ep. 46

Living On the Ice: A Year in Antarctica with Matty Jordan

In Antarctica, time is measured in ice. Entire worlds form and dissolve in the marbled blue sheets and shimmering peaks, which rise and return from glacial seas. Half of the year is soaked in eternal sunlight; the other, cloaked in perpetual darkness

36:19 Ep. 45

Soundtrack of America: The Story of the Blues On Location in Tennessee

Follow award-winning Aaron Millar on a road trip across the Tennessee Music Pathways from

the graveside of Sonny Boy Williamson, the grandfather of The Blues harmonica, to Chattanooga, home of the Big 9, and one of the original breeding grounds of T

Scroll to Top