Armchair Explorer

Armchair Productions
  • 4.8 (208)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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

  1. 12/04/2025

    Namibia Safari: From the Sossusvlei Dunes to the Skeleton Coast

    There are many beautiful countries in Africa, but none are like Namibia.  Today we will travel from the highest sand dunes in the world to the wildest coast on the planet. We will track the last free-roaming herd of rhinos on the continent, and watch desert elephants as we float above them in a hot air balloon.  But more than anything we will discover a sense of vastness and awe that is unmatched by almost anywhere else on Earth. Taking us there is safari guide and author Peter Allison, who has been guiding in Namibia  and elsewhere in Africa for nearly 30 years. He’ll tell us the story of his ultimate Namibia safari, traveling from the Sossusvlei Dunes to the Skeleton Coast.  It’s an adventure filled with rare wildlife, inspiring people and more than one of his crazy stories. Get ready for a journey into the heart of the remote, and enchanting land of Namibia. Highlights include: Taking a hot air balloon ride watching the sun rise over the Sossusvlei dunes Tracking rare desert elephants and the last remaining free-roaming rhino in the world Spending time with the Himba people of the Hoanib Valley Exploring the Skeleton Coast, where the Atlantic ocean crashes against the Namib desert Sleeping under the stars in one of the largest Dark Sky Reserves in the world FIND OUT MORE A lot of our episodes are about huge expeditions and epic adventures.This one is about something you can actually do.  We’ve partnered with Peter’s safari company Natural Selection Safaris, and tour operator Africa Endeavours - two of the most highly regarded sustainable operators on the continent - to create our dream Botswana itinerary. And it’s a trip you can actually book and do yourself. To find out more go to AfricaEndeavours.com/Armchair and you will get $500 off your next trip. Even if you’re just dreaming about going one day, checking out what they do is a great way to support the show. Follow Peter on Instagram @peterallisonsafari FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min

  2. 11/21/2025

    Powwow Spirit in the Black Hills of South Dakota

    The Black Hills Powwow is the biggest powwow in the U.S., where dancers, singers, artists, and spectators come from across North America to honor the spirit and beauty of the Great Plains Indigenous culture. The powwow comes alive through handcrafted regalia and the spirited dancers who embody history. Join us as we take in the sounds and stories from this enduring celebration that bridges generations and cultures. We meet Ruben Little Head who has been an MC at the Black Hills Powwow for 17 years, dancer and former Miss Oglala Lakota Nation winner Santana Young Man Afraid of his Horses and we get a private concert from singing and drumming group Showtime. Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode: -  Ruben Little Head -  Santana Young Man Afraid of his Horses  -  Showtime singers, Hunter Blasingame, Xavier Little Head and BJ Braveheart Recorded on-location, this audio adventure is designed to do more than just let you hear what it’s like to be there; it’s designed to let you feel what it’s like for real. Find out more at www.travelsouthdakota.com where you'll find lots of inspiration, ideas and everything else you need to know to plan your great South Dakota adventure. Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Brian Thacker wrote and presented the show. Jason Paton did the field recording and audio production. Aaron Millar is the executive producer. www.armchair-productions.com FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 min

  3. 11/13/2025

    CONNECTION: Ayahuasca Ceremonies, Inuit Hunters and Trekking in Papua New Guinea with Nature Writer Jay Griffiths

    “There is something in us,” nature writer Jay Griffiths says, “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 episode is the original interview I did with Jay a few years ago. The documentary ‘Adventure’ episode is about 100 episodes back in the feed. Check out it out on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your show.  I’m re-running the original interview now for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it’s an amazing chat, and I had to cut so much good stuff out to make the documentary. And secondly, it’s Native American Heritage Month and although Jay doesn’t spend time with Native Americans, her story is about learning how indigenous people connect with the wild in ice, earth, air and fire.    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 life   Jay’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! FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠ Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠ Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  4. 11/04/2025

    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 from his wooden medicine box, and twisting a thick translucent crystal before the flames. Sweat beads on my forehead: medicine men are believed to see premonitions in the burning coals that divine the nature of a patient’s affliction. His eyes dilate – “I see a spider,” he says, “I see a dead man.”  A few miles away we are surrounded by the detritus of modern America but here, in Navajo country, it’s as if I’ve slipped through the cracks into another world entirely.” In 2013, I spent a week living on the Navajo reservation with three local families. I wanted to understand the real Native America, beyond the caricatures and cliches so often portrayed in popular culture.  One night, I was invited into the home of a Medicine Man to take part in a traditional healing ceremony. It was one of the most powerful and moving experiences of my life. This is the story I wrote about that experience, and I dedicate it to those three families who welcomed me into their lives and trusted me with the honor of sharing it with you.  FIND OUT MORE Discover Navajo: if you want to visit the Navajo Nation is a way that benefits the local tribal people economically and through employment this is a great resource. It’s got lots of great ideas for native led tours and experiences that will really make the culture of the navajo Nation come alive.  discovernavajo.com Ira Vandever, my guide and host, is involved in various Navajo community projects and is one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. Connect with him on Instagram: @navajohemp2020  NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH This episode is the first in our month-long series celebrating Native American Heritage Month. Over the years, I’ve been lucky to have so many incredible experiences with indigenous peoples around the world. I’ve learnt so much from them, and wanted to do something  that will hopefully inspire you to visit tribal owned tourism businesses and be inspired too.  Find out more at: NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.gov #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #NativeAmericanHeritage FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    13 min

  5. 10/28/2025

    HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: Searching for Sasquatch in the Valleys of the Noble Beyond

    Whether you known him as Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Yeti, Thla'Thla, Sninik, or something else, you've heard the legends - the stories of the hairy mountain man who lives, as writer John Zada says, "in primeval nature and collective memory." And today, we're plunging deep into Canada's ancient forests to find him. But make no mistake - this isn't Bigfoot searching like you've seen before. There are no infrared cameras, scanners, or traps. Instead, we'll follow John as he listens and learns from Canada's First Nations peoples, framing his investigation within a greater story of indigenous myth, community, and sacred land. When John first began hearing about a flurry of Sasquatch sightings, he was visiting the Heiltsuk Nation in British Columbia on an unrelated assignment. But he couldn't shake the stories from his mind. Intrigued, he decided to embark on a trip dedicated entirely to following these stories to their roots. And in so doing, he uncovered something that goes much deeper than footprints or rumors. This is a story about monsters - but it's also one that tells us about ourselves. And along the way, it's about the power of myth, the need for environmental activism, and the tangled webs of our own psyches. CONNECT WITH JOHN ZADA Get a copy of John's book, In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch, online or from your local bookstore. Connect with John and see more of his work, including his photography, at his website johnzada.com, and follow him on Instagram @JohnZada. FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  6. 10/22/2025

    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 could see up to 50 different species: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, hippos, baboons and more.  But beyond the wildlife there is something else too. Africa is our home. They call her the ‘Mother’, the place we all come from. And if that’s true, then Botswana is her beating heart.  Taking us there is safari guide and author Peter Allison, who has been guiding in Botswana and elsewhere in Africa for nearly 30 years. He’ll tell us the story of his ultimate Botswana safari, traveling from Makgadikgadi Salt Pans to the Okavango Delta. It’s an adventure filled with wildlife, wisdom and more than one of his crazy stories. Get ready for an adventure into the Africa of our dreams. Highlights include: Learning to track wild animals with the San Bushmen, one of the oldest continuously surviving cultures on Earth. Walking on the surreal landscapes of the largest salt pan in the world - three times bigger than Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni. Going on game drives in the Okavango Delta, a vast network of floodplains that draws one of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Finding out what it’s like to be stalked by a lion in the pitch black of night with only a kerosene lantern for company. Discovering the story of Salvador the elephant, and one of the most magical wildlife experiences you can ever imagine. Hearing about the time a leopard walked into Peter’s cabin, with him inside it. It’s OK, he survived to tell the tale. FIND OUT MORE A lot of our episodes are about huge expeditions and epic adventures.This one is about something you can actually do.  We’ve partnered with Peter’s safari company Natural Selection Safaris, and tour operator Africa Endeavours - two of the most highly regarded sustainable operators on the continent - to create our dream Botswana itinerary. And it’s a trip you can actually book and do yourself. To find out more go to AfricaEndeavours.com/Armchair and you will get $500 off your next trip. Even if you’re just dreaming about going one day, checking out what they do is a great way to support the show. Follow Peter on Instagram @peterallisonsafari FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min

  7. 10/16/2025

    BUCKET LIST: Kayaking with a Whale & Climbing Crater Lake National Park

    Do you want to know what it's like to go kayaking with a whale?  How about climbing to the top of Crater Lake National Park to see one of the most beautiful views in America? Well, that’s what we’re doing today. Our Bucket List episodes highlight what we think are the best adventures on the planet, and these two certainly fit the bill. Recorded on-location in surround sound audio, this bucket list episode is designed to put you in the heart of two of America's most spectacular travel experiences.  If you enjoy today's episode you can check out the full series, Hidden Trails of Oregon, for an immersive first-person journey across America’s wild, weird, and wonder-filled state. Just scroll down in the feed to check those out, or search up Hidden Trails of Oregon wherever you get your podcasts. Caving in lava tubes, sand boarding with a world champion, hiking in Redwoods and lots more. Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts of the travel industry. Written and presented by Aaron Millar; recorded, mixed and mastered by Jason Paton; additional editing Charles Tyrie. Check out our other shows at armchair-productions.com  FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠ Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠ Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 min

  8. 10/07/2025

    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 scientific training at the time, she began observing chimpanzees in 1960 and soon made discoveries that redefined our understanding of animals — including tool use, emotional depth, and complex social behavior. Over her lifetime, she became a global icon for wildlife conservation and animal welfare, and her work continues to inspire millions to protect the planet and live in harmony with nature. Unfortunately, we were never able to get Jane on the show – that would have been a dream come true! So, it’s not an episode directly about her. But it does raise some themes that were inspired and borne from the work she did … and it does feature chimpanzees, as well as Mountain Gorillas, who as primates are our distant ancestors too.  Today, we’re going to follow Praveen Moman, one of the world's leading primate conservationists, into the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda in search of the critically endangered mountain gorilla, and to the Kyambura Gorge, in Uganda, in search of a lost troop of Chimpanzees. Seeing mountain gorillas, or chimpanzees 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. And what we’ll discover is, when you look a mountain gorilla in the eye, you see yourself reflected back. 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  - Walking into the Kyambura Gorge as the lost troop of Chimpanzees comes down from the canopy and surrounds you on all side- 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   FIND OUT MORE Janegoodall.org volcanoessafaris.com  gorillafund.org   FOLLOW US: Instagram: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Facebook: ⁠@armchairexplorerpodcast⁠Newsletter: ⁠armchair-explorer.com⁠ PODCAST RECOMMENDATION Check out the Smart Travel Podcast: This week's show is supported by the new Smart Travel Podcast. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Check out Smart Travel here.  CREDITS Armchair Explorer is produced by ⁠Armchair Productions⁠. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠megaphone.fm/adchoices⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min
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4.8
out of 5
208 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Armchair Productions
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    190
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Armchair Explorer
  • Show Website
    Armchair Explorer

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