"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 whale breached and stuck her head out to look at us with curiosity. I took as a request - a sacred compact to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves…to try and give voice to the other species on this planet that can't defend themselves." The ...
Jun 25, 2025•54 min
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 through San Salvador, El Salvador – and trust me, it’s a journey worth tagging along for. James has a brilliant way of mixing practical travel tips with rich, ambient storytelling. Think the vibe of a Lonely Planet guide meets the easygoing chat you’d ha...
Jun 18, 2025•31 min
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 riding, barrel racing or wild cow milking, they’re all based on tradition, and in keeping those traditions alive. ‘Let ‘Er Buck’ makes a lot of sense from the back of a bull. But as we find out, it’s much more than a rodeo shout: it’s a way of life.” W...
Jun 14, 2025•29 min
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-the-scenes, and a whole lot of part “wait, you did what?” Special Offer: we’ve revived our NEWSLETTER! (scroll to the bottom of our homepage to signup) And contact us for a free copy of our fearless leader Aaron Millar’s ebook: The 50 Greatest Wonders ...
Jun 11, 2025•39 min
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. This series is produced as a road trip through a lesser-known part of Australia filled with natural wonders, wildlife and more than one hilarious Aussie character. And don't miss our sweet promo offering from Down Under Endeavors: $500 off your tri...
Jun 03, 2025•39 min
“At home, mindfulness is an app, a tool to fight the noise. In the wild, peace and calm rule by default … Out in the open, my mind is released from the noise. It sways with the trees and flows with the rivers. It blows over snow tipped mountaintops and down into wide sunlit valleys expanding to fill its surroundings. The vistas are bigger, but there is less to know.” - Jude Kriwald Today, we are taking a journey to one of the most remote and underexplored places on the African continent. The Gol...
May 31, 2025•44 min•Ep. 162
G’day and good onya! Our Discover Guides are deep dives into new destinations, where we interview experts to get the ‘drum’ on the places they live and love. Today we’re excited to share the first of two episodes exploring South Australia, a less-trodden state rich in adventure, wildlife and natural beauty. This two-part series is produced as a road trip through a lesser-known part of Australia filled with natural wonders, wildlife and more than one hilarious Aussie character. We’ll explore indi...
May 26, 2025•47 min
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, making it is the largest living structure in the world and the only one visible from outer space. Today, we’re going to the best place in the world to experience it: Tropical North Queensland. And we’re in good company with Dr Eric Fisher, a marine biolog...
May 22, 2025•29 min
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 – like a former butterfly technician who saved an endangered species while incarcerated, and a marine ecologist who worked as a featured diver in the documentary Enslaved with Samuel L Jackson. Each episode explores what led them to create change within ...
May 20, 2025•43 min
Welcome back to the Hidden Trails of Oregon! In the first episode of our new season, host Aaron Millar heads to the eastern edge of the state, far from the bustle of coastal cities and the craggy heights of the cascade mountains. We're going on location in the traditional lands of the Nez Perce to uncover a piece of history unknown to most outsiders. In the late 19th century, the Wallowa Band of the Nez Perce tribe were driven from their homeland. 200 warriors, protecting hundreds more women and...
May 15, 2025•29 min
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, from the tranquil waters of the Salish Sea to the mighty rainforests of Vancouver Island. Our Discover Guides are deep dives into destinations we love. Think of them like a cross between a traditional radio show and an audio magazine: Fast paced, with ...
May 12, 2025•38 min
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-the-scenes, and a whole lot of part “wait, you did what?” In this episode, we’re going from the dreamtime waters of the Great Barrier Reef to the quiet strength of Chief Joseph’s legacy in Oregon, from biking hidden streets in Victoria B.C. to walking ...
May 10, 2025•44 min
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 America, the Gates of the Arctic; and it’s about finding wonder and hope in places where that hope is nearly lost. Taking us on this journey is mountaineer, writer and arctic explorer Jon Waterman. From his winter ascent of the Denali’s Cassin Ridge, the fi...
May 01, 2025•38 min
In this episode, we’re heading deep into the wilds of Tropical North Queensland, Australia—where the oldest rainforest in the world meets the greatest reef on the planet. We’ll be connecting with an Aboriginal guide to learn indigenous perspectives on the land; doing something called ‘River Drifting’ through the ancient forests of Daintree; seeing the Great Barrier Reef from the sky and under the waves, and lots more. Our Discover Guides are deep dives into destinations we love. Think of them li...
Apr 14, 2025•43 min•Season 3Ep. 37
This is your monthly guide to the world’s wildest travel stories – one adventure at a time. 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 on Armchair Explorer. It’s part travel hangout, part behind-the-scenes, part “wait, you did what?”—and all of it is designed to help you find your next great escape. This month, we’re going deep. Deep into the world’s oldest rainfo...
Apr 10, 2025•29 min•Season 3Ep. 36
"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 urban life" – Nik Coutinho, Prince of Whales In this Bucket List episode, produced in our immersive documentary style, whale watching guide Nik Coutinho shares some of his favorite experiences with these ocean giants, from the awe-inspiring hunting behav...
Apr 03, 2025•15 min
In today’s episode, we’re joined by Rob Pope, the first person in the world to complete the legendary run made famous by one of Hollywood’s most beloved characters – Forrest Gump. Yes, you heard that right. Rob took on the challenge of following Forrest’s route mile by mile, crossing the country not once, but FIVE times. That’s like running from the North Pole to the South Pole, and then some. But this story isn’t just about physical endurance. Rob’s journey is breaking down emotional walls, and...
Mar 29, 2025•38 min
Follow best-selling travel author Brian Thacker on a unique, mad-cap adventure to three of the remotest countries on Earth. Inspired by the intrepid spirit of explorers of old, Brian decided to tear up the guidebook, switch off the phone and turn up to a country knowing absolutely nothing about it in advance. He picked three countries at random: the east African country of Togo, the South Pacific islands of Wallis & Futuna and the Central Asian mountains of Kyrgyzstan. He boarded the plane w...
Mar 18, 2025•39 min
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, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us. MARCH EPISODES ADVENTURE: No Guidebook, No Google, No Clue: Togo, Wallis and Kyrgyzstan with Best-Selling Travel Author Brian Th...
Mar 12, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 32
“I came face to face with grizzly bears. I had to befriend drug lords. I saw two people shot dead. I witnessed a guy trying to kill his wife with five gunshots. I crossed the tallest mountains in the world. I had to swim rivers with horses. I was lost in deserts and nothing, absolutely nothing, brought me more pain and heartache and stress than man made lines drawn across a map.” – Filipe Masetti A Long Rider is someone who has ridden a horse more than 1,000 continuous miles on a single equestri...
Mar 06, 2025•43 min•Season 3Ep. 31
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 covering the annual Sisseton historical festival, in South Dakota, as spectators. Turns out they were getting enlisted in the army. The Union Army that is. Join us as we march back in time today to 1864 where cavalry, artillery and infantry reenactors come tog...
Feb 25, 2025•29 min
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 ultimate test through breathtaking but brutal landscapes – where a tiny detail, like a tiny screw, made a world of difference. This special feed drop episode is taken from Red Bull’s podcast How To Be Superhuman. If you like this episode, you’re goin...
Feb 21, 2025•42 min
“Those are my heroes, those guys paved the way for me to be able to travel through this country, free, and they're almost superhuman to me.” - Erick Cedeño, Bicycle Nomad In 2013, Erick Cedeño, aka. Bicycle Nomad, came across an old photograph that changed his life. Taken in 1897, it showed 20 black soldiers riding bicycles across the American West. As he dug deeper, he learned that these were the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-black infantry regiment formed after the civil war. The photo was taken du...
Feb 17, 2025•38 min•Season 3Ep. 28
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, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us. February episodes: ADVENTURE: Long Rider Filipe Masetti takes us on a two-and-a-half-year journey riding his horse from Canada, ...
Feb 13, 2025•23 min•Season 3Ep. 27
In this episode, we dive into the soul of Ontario’s wild, tranquil landscapes alongside award-winning travel writer and photographer Alex Robinson. From serene canoe journeys gliding through Algonquin Provincial Park to exhilarating white-water escapades on the Madawaska River, this journey is an invitation to immerse yourself in the pristine waterways of the Canadian wilderness, and discover the heritage of its first form of transport. Episode Highlights: Paddle through Algonquin Provincial Par...
Feb 05, 2025•23 min•Season 3Ep. 27
St. Patrick might be the most famous of the Irish saints...but he's far from the most interesting. In 2023, St. Brigid’s Day was decreed a National Holiday in Ireland to honor Brigid. Over the millennia, this legendary woman has evolved into a figure encompassing myth, holy legend, pagan icon, and now modern feminist symbol. But who was Brigid, really? To answer that question, travel writer Nicola Brady set off around Ireland to see how she’s celebrated, and she found that there’s not one simple...
Feb 01, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 26
In this Bucket List episode, Aaron Millar takes us to one of the most remote and breathtaking locations on Earth: Sheldon Chalet in Alaska. Perched on a rocky outcrop in the middle of the Ruth Glacier, 70-miles from civilization, with views of the east face of Denali out of your bedroom window, this is perhaps the most spectacular hotel in the world. From helicopter rides over frozen wilderness to exploring untouched ice caves deep within the glacier itself, this episode will take deep into the ...
Jan 25, 2025•18 min•Season 3Ep. 25
Before the modern city of Alula rose to prominence, its natural springs and water systems were at the heart of its existence. For centuries, Alula's oasis has been a critical stop on the Incense Road, connecting cultures and trading routes across the Arabian Peninsula. Water, both from the sky and the earth, has sustained life here, and its management has shaped both the landscape and the people. In this episode, we step back in time and explore the ancient wells, oases, and water systems that h...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 24
Before the bustling streets of Chattanooga and the sounds of modern life, the blues were born from the struggles and stories of generations past. Deep in the heart of this city in Tennessee, the blues pulse through the air, enriching the soil, and infusing every corner of this musical mecca. In this episode, we take you to the roots of this powerful genre, bringing you a live session with Rick Rushing, one of Chattanooga's finest blues musicians. Recorded in the intimate setting of a hotel room ...
Jan 17, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 23
In this episode, we journey into the wild, rugged landscapes of Iceland through the eyes of renowned photographer and filmmaker, Chris Burkard. From an unplanned surfing adventure under the Northern Lights to his grueling exploration of Iceland's remote "Forgotten Coast," Chris takes us on a path of discovery and inspiration. We explore the vast beauty of Iceland—from icy fjords and glacial rivers to volcanic black sand beaches—and reflect on the transformative power of nature. Get ready for a d...
Jan 14, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 22
