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 like a cross between a traditional radio show and an audio magazine: fast paced, with multiple guests and different segments from traditional interviews to immersive stories. 

Highlights include:

Find out more:

Thanks to Down Under Endeavours for partnering with us on this episode. They are the Tropical North Queensland experts and helped us build this itinerary and connect with all the awesome guests we’ve heard from today. 

Go to downunderendeavours.com/armchair to get $500 off your next trip! 

Connecting with our partners helps support the show. If you’re looking for some adventure inspiration, check out what they do. They have some amazing adventures to dream about for your next big trip!

Today’s guests:

Jeff Cameron-Smith from https://downundercruiseanddive.com.au/

Jason Heffernan from https://backcountrybliss.com.au/

Juan Walker from https://walkaboutadventures.com.au/

Andrea Bretts from https://www.outbacktastingtours.com.au/

🌏 Ready to Explore?

If you're into real stories of epic places told by the people who’ve lived them, make sure to subscribe—that way you choose the adventure, not the algorithm. And hey, a follow on socials? That’s like giving us a high-five from across the globe.

📸 Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

📘 Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

____________________________________________________________________________

🎙️ Presented by: Aaron Millar

🎚️ Audio & Sound Design: Charles Tyrie

🌍 Produced by: Armchair Productions

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

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 rainforest. Deep into the soul of South Australia. And deep into the heart of America’s wildest frontier with one of the great explorers of our time.

🌍 Coming Up This Month:

🌿 DISCOVER | Tropical North Queensland

This episode takes us to Tropical North Queensland—home to two of the most unique ecosystems on the planet: the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. We join an Aboriginal guide on a walkabout tour, drift quietly down jungle rivers and explore the reef’s vibrant underwater world. It’s a journey that blends nature, culture, and connection—with a few surprises along the way.

🦘 EXPLORE | South Australia

In this episode, we explore Kangaroo Island, where wildlife roams free and the wine flows easy. We'll explore the wild beauty of the Limestone Coast, go behind the scenes in Adelaide, and discover why South Australia might just be the country’s best-kept secret. Think rugged cliffs, artisan vineyards, and a vibe that feels like the edge of the world—but somehow right at home.

❄️ ADVENTURE | Jon Waterman – Into the Thaw

Based on his epic books Shadow of Denali and Into the Thaw, we take a deep dive into the journeys of Jon Waterman—one of the most intrepid explorers of North America. From near-death climbs on Denali to Arctic expeditions across melting ice, Jon’s stories are raw, real, and radically human. This one’s for the wild-hearted.

🌏 Ready to Explore?

If you're into real stories of epic places told by the people who’ve lived them, make sure to subscribe—that way you choose the adventure, not the algorithm. And hey, a follow on socials? That’s like giving us a high-five from across the globe.

📸 Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

📘 Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

🎙️ Presented by: Aaron Millar & Jason Paton

🎚️ Audio & Sound Design: Charles Tyrie

🎶 Theme Music: Sweet Chap

🌍 Produced by: Armchair Productions

Mentioned in this episode:

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

"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 behaviours of Orcas to what it feels like to look a Humpback in the eye. 

Nik’s taking us to the city of Victoria, Vancouver Island, B.C., on Canada’s west coast, one of  the most incredible marine environments in the world. From humpback whales to orcas, seals, and sea lions, the waters here are teeming with life. But what makes this place truly special is the chance to witness a variety of whales year round, up close, and with sightings almost guaranteed. 

Join us as we go eye-to-eye with giants in the deep waters of the Salish Sea.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Connect with Giants

Feel what it’s like to look a Humpback whale in the eye. Nik shares his deeply emotional stories of connecting with these magnificent creatures.

Hunting Behavior of Killer Whales

Watch Killer Whales hunting beside your boat. Nik takes us through the dramatic and fascinating hunting techniques of these apex predators, and shares some of his favorite sightings over the years. 

The Humpback Comeback

Learn about one of the most spectacular marine environments in the world. Humpback whales are now staying in Victoria’s waters year-round, and the return of these majestic creatures is nothing short of miraculous. 

Immersive Soundscapes

Experience the breathtaking soundscapes of the ocean, from the thunderous blow of a whale’s exhale to the deafening slap of their tail during feeding time. It’s a world full of natural symphonies, brought to life in our immersive documentary style.

Whale Watching in Victoria

Discover what makes this one of the best whale-watching spots on the planet. From seeing humpback whales breach to catching a glimpse of orcas in their natural habitat, we give you the low down on everything you need to know to plan your next bucket list wildlife experience.

HOW YOU CAN DO THIS TRIP

Visit TourismVictoria.com for all the information you need to book your next bucket list trip  from whale watching and seaweed foraging to bike rides and some of the best seafood you’ll ever eat.

Head over to PrinceOfWhales.com to book your adventure and follow them on Instagram @princeofwhaleswhalewatching for more amazing sightings.

CONNECT WITH NICK

To dive deeper into Nik’s stories and the world of whales, check out the Prince of Whales Podcast, available wherever you get your shows.

CONNECT WITH US

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Website: armchair-explorer.com

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and review the show. Your feedback helps others discover Armchair Explorer and allows us to keep bringing you incredible stories.

CREDITS

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar is the writer and presenter, with audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Our theme music is by Sweet Chap.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

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 embracing the call of adventure. You’ll hear how it all began with a promise to his mom, how he embraced the ups and downs of the journey, and the life lessons learned along the way.

Shoutouts:

Support the Podcast:

Thank you to everyone who helped us hit 200 reviews on Spotify! Your support means the world. If you’re enjoying the show, don’t forget to leave a review or reach out on Instagram at @armchairexplorerpodcast.

FOLLOW US:

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Newsletter: armchair-explorer.com

CONNECT WITH US:

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it! It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than let the algorithm guess (wrongly) and miss out on our weekly content.

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

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 with absolutely no clue of the language, culture, where to stay or what to see. He was simply rolling the dice and letting the universe decide what kind of trip he would have. 

Like his heroes of the golden age of exploration, when much of the world was still undiscovered and no one knew what wonders awaited beyond the horizon, Brian was taking a step into the unknown.

But, unlike those legends of adventure, Brian’s just an ordinary bloke. He wouldn’t be risking his life searching for lost tribes in the Amazon or crossing deadly deserts, he was just traveling, like all of us do, in search of good times, new experiences and the pure joy of exploring this amazing planet. 

Brian’s story inspires all of us that we needn’t be extreme adventurers to be real explorers, we just need to tear up the guidebook, turn off your phone and step into the unknown.

CONNECT WITH BRIAN

Brian’s book of this story if called ‘Where’s Wallis: Travels Without a Guidebook’, you can find out more about that and all Brian’s other books at www.brianthacker.tv. Instagram: @bthacker

Brian writes and presents a bunch of our other podcasts, if you enjoyed this one check out The Travel South Dakota Stories podcast. Scroll back and look for the episodes about Palm Springs too!

CONNECT WITH US

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. 

Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast 

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

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 Thacker

We follow best-selling travel author Brian Thacker on a unique, mad-cap adventure to three of the remotest countries on Earth: Togo, East Africa; Wallis & Futuna, in the South Pacific; and the Central Asian mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Inspired by the intrepid spirit of explorers of old, Brian decided to tear up the guidebook, throw away the phone and turn up to a country knowing absolutely nothing about it in advance. 

IMMERSION: Homecoming: Chief Joseph’s Promise and the Flight of the Nez Perce

We go on location to the traditional lands of the Nez Perce, in eastern Oregon, 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 children, fought for five days against 520 US soldiers. Their leader, before surrendering, promised his people that one day they would come home. After nearly 200 years, his promise may just be starting to come true.

BUCKET LIST: Whale Watching in Victoria, B.C.

We go to the southern tip of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada for a bucket list adventure spotting humpback and orca whales. Victoria is one of the best places in North America for whale watching and Nik Coutino, a local guide and expert, shares his best experiences, all set to immersive music and sound design.

ADVENTURE: Becoming Forrest with Ultra Runner Rob Pope

15,600 miles, 422 days, and 2 boxes of chocolates, Rob Pope tells the story of his epic journey retracing the exact run that Forrest Gump did in the movie. It’s a really fun story, Rob is a hilarious guy, but it’s also incredibly inspiring. Before she passed away Rob’s mum told him to do one thing in his life that truly makes a difference, and boy did he do it. 

Rob is also the host of the Red Bull podcast How to be Superhuman – we shared the first episode of their 3rd series last month. If you missed it, check it out. It’s awesome.

***

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed. 

Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast 

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.

Mentioned in this episode:

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

“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 equestrian journey. Only a handful of people in history have had the skills, and determination, to make it. Filipe Masseti is one of them. 

This is the story of one of the greatest long rides in modern times: two years, ten countries, three amazing horses and 10,000 miles of adventure from Canada all the way to Brazil. 

Get ready for Filipe Masetti’s long ride home …

THE LONG RIDER

If you enjoy this episode, you will love Filipe’s documentary about the trip. It’s beautifully shot, and packed full of adventure, insight, and inspiration. 

The Long Rider - Check it out on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Rider-Sean-Cisterna/dp/B0B643V4R8

Filipe has also three books about this journey, and the two that followed. It’s called the Journey America Trilogy. The story of this book, the first in the series, is called Long Ride Home. 

FOLLOW FILIPE

You Tube: @felipemasetti

Instagram: @felipemasetti

FOLLOW US:

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Newsletter: armchair-explorer.com

CONNECT WITH US:

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right now. Go on, do it! It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than let the algorithm guess (wrongly) and miss out on our weekly content.

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar wrote and presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Our theme music is by the artist Sweet Chap.

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

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 together each year to bring this piece of history to life with period accurate food and music, military demonstrations, dances and much more. Including a few ghosts in a haunted old hospital where they had to spend the night. 

Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode:

-  Ali Tonsfeldt from Fort Sisseton

-  Captain Bruce Bekkering and Amy from the Cavalry troop

-  Captain Kevin Ganz and the rest of the 13th Sioux Falls regiment

If you feel like joining the Union Army at Fort Sisseton next year, you can. Find out more at www.travelsouthdakota.com

If you enjoyed this episode, check out the full series on the Travel South Dakota Stories podcast

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Brian Thacker wrote and presented the episode, Jason Paton did the field recording and audio production. www.armchair-productions.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

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 going to love the full series.

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’s longest rivers, running through uncharted mountain kingdoms, and embarking on solo expeditions to the most remote corners of the globe. In each episode, host Rob Pope and the athlete dive into the physical and mental resilience behind these awe-inspiring feats, offering immersive storytelling and insights into overcoming the world’s greatest challenges. 

Check it out, where you listen to podcasts! 

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

redbull.com

Follow Abdullah on Instagram

Head to instagram.com/redbulladventure for more superhuman content

Mentioned in this episode:

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

“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 during a grueling 1,900-mile journey, in which they traveled by bike from Montana to Missouri in order to test the efficacy of the bicycle as a form of military transport. To this day, it is one of the most difficult bike trips ever undertaken.

As a black man, growing up in America, Erick had never seen people that looked like him riding bikes. It changed his life, and he knew he had to bring their story back to life. But he did it not by telling it, but by living it - pedaling every mile that they did, sleeping where they slept, eating where they ate, taking the hard roads where modern paved highways do not go. And in doing so he invites us to live it too.

“Curiosity drives me. It fuels my insatiable desire to know what’s beyond the next bend of the road, to discover what’s there beyond the edges of the map. If it is my muscles that propel me forward physically, it is curiosity that propels me mentally.”

FIND ERICK CEDEÑO

Follow all Erick’s adventures at iambicyclenomad.com, Instagram: @bicycle_nomad, and Facebook:@bicyclenomad

SOCIAL

If you enjoy this show, please take a minute to leave a review, it makes a huge difference and enables us to keep brining these stories to you. Remember also to subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening, follow @armchairexplorerpodcast on Instagram and Facebook, check out Armchair Explorer's website, and learn more about our network partner, APT Podcast Studios, on their website.

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap.

Mentioned in this episode:

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 at the Link below:

Smart Travel Podcast

Check out all of our other travel podcasts from around the world

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape.com.

Voyascape Podcast Network