Podcast
Adventure Diaries: Exploration, Survival & Travel Stories
Hosted by Chris Watson: Storyteller & Micro-Adventurer · EN
Real adventure isn't just for the pros. The award-winning Adventure Diaries brings you authentic stories of Adventure, exploration and the wonder of the natural world, specifically curated to inspire your next adventure.
Hosted by Chris Watson—an award-winning storyteller and Scottish micro-adventurer—this show bridges the gap between extreme feats and accessible everyday adventures.
Whether you are a seasoned mountaineer, a weekend adventurer, a solo traveler planning your next trip, or someone seeking the mental health benefits of nature, you have found your tribe.
We go beyond the standard interview to decode the "why" and "how" behind the world's greatest adventures.
What Makes This Show Different? Unlike other outdoor podcasts, every episode delivers three distinct promises to help you live a more extraordinary life:
- Unique Adventure Stories: Immersive storytelling from National Geographic explorers, survivalists, ultra-athletes, and frontline conservationists. From the peaks of the Seven Summits to the depths of the Amazon, experience the thrill of the unknown.
- Your Call To Adventure: Passive listening ends here. Each guest issues a practical challenge to inspire you to step out your front door and discover the wild places in your own backyard.
- Pay It Forward: We believe in sustainable travel and stewardship. Every episode highlights a specific charity, wildlife project, or community cause.
Join our global community of explorers. Discover hidden gems, learn survival skills, and find the motivation to push your boundaries.
Subscribe now and start your next adventure today.
Visit us: AdventureDiaries.com/Go
13episodes
Episodes
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Crossing the Darien Gap: Cartels, Jungles & Hostage Training - Daniel Eggington
2w ago01:08:28Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.Daniel Eggington is an adventurer from the Black Country in the UK who has spent the last decade pushing himself deeper and deeper into the world's most demanding jungles. At 17, he booked a £500 flight to Sumatra with no plan, no preparation, and no clue — and ended up tracking a wild Sumatran tiger in the rainforest just before his 18th birthday. That trip set the trend for everything that followed.Since then, Daniel has paddled 300km down Guyana's Essequibo River in a handmade dugout canoe with indigenous Wapichan guides, encountered shapeshifters and Kanaima folklore deep in the rainforest, and — on his third attempt — crossed the Darien Gap on foot from Colombia to Panama. That four-year project involved meeting cartel commanders, hiding for ten days in a safehouse, paying the Gulf Clan $1,500 for safe passage, being abandoned by his guide on day two, and walking out alone through some of the most hostile terrain on earth.This episode covers the full story — Sumatra, the Essequibo, the Darien Gap, the hostage training that prepared him for it, and his next ambition: walking the entire length of the Congo River from Zambia to the Atlantic.Chapters:00:00 Colombian military, the Darien border, and armed traffickers00:39 Daniel Eggington, jungle expedition adventurer03:34 Growing up in Birmingham — the seeds of adventure06:11 First overseas trip — Sumatra at 17 with no plan08:35 Encountering a wild Sumatran tiger12:42 Why Guyana? The Essequibo River expedition begins16:10 Buying a dugout canoe and 12 days down the Essequibo24:55 The Kanaima — shapeshifters and indigenous belief systems30:03 Why the Darien Gap? Four years of planning34:12 Getting cartel permission — and an airstrike kills the contact37:33 Meeting the Gulf Clan fixer and entering the jungle41:24 Abandoned by the guide — alone in the Darien44:41 Hostile environment and kidnap training47:22 Finding a skeleton and a Venezuelan ID in the jungle48:51 Crossing into Panama — stripped, interrogated, and finally safe56:59 Decompression and the lasting effects of the Darien58:44 Next up — walking the entire Congo River1:03:19 Pay it forward — sponsoring Victoria, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion1:04:57 Call to adventure and where to find DanielDaniel Eggington — expedition adventurer, jungle travelerWebsite: danieleggington.com Instagram: @Daniel EggingtonPay it forward: Sponsor Victoria, an 18-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu athlete ranked #1 in her weight class in Brazil, training her way out of one of Rio's high-risk favelas — details available via Daniel's website.Send us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Get READY for Summer Adventures With Cicerone
3w ago00:01:13Tap to summarizeHead Over to AdventureDiaries.com/OfferFor over 50 years, Cicerone has been publishing guidebooks that get people outdoors — from weekend walks on the UK's Southwest Coast Path to multi-week treks on the Tour du Mont Blanc and Camino de Santiago.What Cicerone Offers:Over 400 titles covering walking, cycling, climbing, and trekking across the UK and beyondEvery guide written by an expert author who knows the area inside outDetailed route descriptions, maps, and practical advice to explore with confidenceLimited-Time Sale (May 8–24):20% off all printed guides and eBooksHow to Get the Deal:Head to adventurediaries.com/offer to access the Cicerone sale page and get stocked up and adventure-ready for the summer.Timestamps:0:00 – Introduction to Cicerone0:23 – Guidebook range and expert authors0:51 – Sale details1:10 – How to redeem the offerHead Over to AdventureDiaries.com/OfferSend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Kayaking Madagascar's Longest River - The Mangok with Oscar Scafidi
4w ago01:04:17Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.Oscar Scafidi has spent two decades living and working across 36 countries in Africa — writing travel guides for Bradt, teaching African history, and launching himself down some of the continent's most remote rivers. In 2022, he and a teammate attempted the first descent of Madagascar's Mangoky River: 750km, 28 days, and a 200km portage across a waterless mountain range that nearly broke the expedition before it began.The Mangoky has no agreed source — no GPS coordinates, no signpost. Getting to the start meant heading towards a mountain and asking locals which way the water flowed. Getting to the finish meant nine days on foot through terrain with no water and no settlements, carrying a 40kg Klepper folding kayak in pieces, before finally reaching the river proper.This episode covers the full story — the five years of planning, the crocodiles, the schistosomiasis, the team dynamics, and the entirely unplanned French feast that closed it all out. Chapters:00:00 Crocodile Canyon and why hippos are the real danger01:28 Oscar Scafidi, expedition kayaker and Africa travel writer03:45 From Italy to Sudan — how an accidental teaching job started everything07:35 Why Africa? The British Airways flight that set Oscar up for the continent09:45 Travel writing and Bradt guides — how an accidental career took off13:25 The Angola Kwanza River expedition — how Oscar became an expedition kayaker18:10 Why Madagascar? Five years of planning a first descent20:55 Finding the source of the Mangoky — a river with no agreed starting point23:35 The 200km portage — when the worst-case scenario gets worse27:05 The Klepper kayak — a century-old design built for expeditions31:00 Crocodiles, pirogues, and 50km days on the main Mangoky47:25 Schistosomiasis, team dynamics, and 28 days of isolation49:00 Finishing on the Mozambique Channel — a surprise ending and a French feast55:00 Pay it forward — Our Kids Are Future Madagascar Oscar Scafidi — travel writer, history teacher, expedition kayakerWebsite / expedition: kayakthemangoky.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ScafidiTravelsDocumentary: https://youtu.be/KlVlWQcZlA8Book: Kayak the Mangoky Charity: Our Kids Are Future Madagascar — educational charity supported by 25% of book profitsFor full show notes and links, visit: adventurediaries.com/podcastSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Crossing Australia's DEADLIEST Desert Unsupported— Louis-Philippe Loncke
Apr 2302:00:39Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank youIn 2008, Louis-Philippe Loncke became the first person to walk the full length of Australia's Simpson Desert unsupported — 35 days, a 215kg cart, no water cache, no drops, no helicopter rescue within range. Last year, he tried again. He covered 75 kilometres in 13 days and turned back. Climate change, he believes, may have made this crossing permanently impossible. The Belgian engineer turned explorer nicknamed The Mad Belgian first understood the scale of what he'd done when Jon Muir — who had been to both Poles — wrote that unsupported desert crossings make Mount Everest look like child's play. Louis-Philippe has catalogued 21 near-death experiences and is building a classification system to prove exactly why Everest barely makes a Class 2. What You'll Learn:• Why Australia has two million wild Afghan camels — and why eating them is an ecological good• The frog that lies dormant in a salt crust for 30 years and revives when floodwater returns• Why Mount Everest rates only Class 2 on the Mad Belgian's expedition scale• How a 10-degree temperature rise may have closed the Simpson Desert to solo crossings forever• What it's like to be chased by 14 wild camels with nowhere to run LOUIS-PHILIPPE LONCKE | The Mad Belgianwww.louis-philippe-loncke.comYouTube: Luffy Tests | Meet Explorers with Lou-PhiCharity: Jane Goodall Institute — tree-planting events across EuropeProject: Expedition Database — global index of adventurers and expeditions ABOUT LOUIS-PHILIPPE LONCKEBelgian adventurer and Explorers Club Fellow known as The Mad Belgian. In 2008 he completed theworld's first unsupported north-to-south crossing of the Simpson Desert in 35 days. A former bankIT engineer, he has completed 20-plus expeditions across Tasmania, Australia, Poland, andAzerbaijan, surviving 21 documented near-death experiences. Currently building the ExpeditionDatabase, a free global index designed to work like IMDB for the adventure community. 00:00 Louis-Philippe Loncke — who is The Mad Belgian Explorer?01:49 Growing up in Belgium: from furniture makers to Boy Scouts06:00 From ING Bank Singapore to hiking 2,000km across Australia13:19 Why the Simpson Desert? Finding the world's most impossible walk18:37 The 2008 world first: crossing the Simpson Desert unsupported26:00 How to survive without resupply in the world's most arid desert31:00 Wild camels, dingoes and the world's most venomous snake41:00 Going back: the 2016 backpack attempt and 2024 cart failure54:00 How to grade an expedition — the Class 1 to 6 adventure scale1:04:00 The Expedition Database: IMDB for the world's adventurers1:13:00 21 near-death experiences: barge cables, cliff falls and floods1:19:00 What's next: Azerbaijan, the Tintin rocket and future films1:31:00 Pay it forward, call to adventure and quick-fire questions For full show notes and links, visit: adventurediaries.com/goSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Ascent Of The Amazon River - 6.5 Years & 7,000KM - With Pete Casey
Apr 1601:33:16Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank youPete Casey was chest-deep in floodwater, five days without food, in the middle of the Amazon at dusk. His guide said: "This is a beautiful place to die, and the day you die is the best day of your life." No higher ground in sight, no GPS signal, no way out. This is the story of the first ever sea-to-source ascent of the Amazon River.No military training, no wealthy sponsors, no support team. Pete sold his home, scraped together £110,000 in equity, and walked into the Amazon alone. What followed was six and a half years, over 7,000 kilometres, swimming every river crossing against the current, trekking through flooded rainforest, and navigating remote indigenous communities that had never seen a Westerner pass through on foot.From near-death in flood season to coca plantations in the Andes, this is the full arc of one of the most extraordinary human-powered expeditions ever completed.What You'll Learn:• Why Pete ascended the Amazon sea-to-source — and why almost nobody does it that way• The method he built for swimming river crossings with a packraft and local guides• How 23 days in flooded forest without food nearly killed him• What encounters with remote indigenous communities actually look like• The brutal reality of coming home to nothing after six and a half yearsPete's presentation at the explorers club in NYC.🌐 ascentoftheamazon.com📸 Instagram: @p.c.casey🌿 Junglekeepers (pay it forward): junglekeepers.com00:00 Cold open — chest-deep in floodwater01:18 Who is Pete Casey and what is the Ascent of the Amazon?03:21 Growing up with no money in Sussex — how adventure didn't come naturally05:19 First trip to South America — joining Ed Stafford's Amazon walk07:50 Photography dreams and why building became his career11:32 How Pete decided to ascend the Amazon sea-to-source17:23 Selling his home — the point of no return21:17 Route planning on Google Earth and arriving alone26:26 Why Pete swam every river crossing — method and fear29:27 The Pororoca tidal bore and using the Amazon tide to gain ground34:00 First Una tribe encounters — being surrounded47:11 23 days in flooded forest, no food, chest-deep in water51:50 Recovery in Manaus and planning the next leg55:28 How kit evolved over 6.5 years — Wellington boots vs jungle boots1:00:40 What Pete ate in the jungle — farinha and sardines1:05:00 Walking alone through cocaine plantations in the Andes1:13:40 The Explorers Club, coming home, and the food bank1:23:34 Pay it forward: JunglekeepersFor full show notes and links, visit: adventurediaries.com/podcastSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Pack Rafting Gabon's Uncharted Jungle Rivers with Beki Henderson
Apr 901:02:35Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank youBeki Henderson is a BAFTA-nominated adventure filmmaker and expedition safety specialist with years of experience leading camera teams into some of the world's most remote and demanding environments. She's worked alongside Steve Backshall, Ben Fogle, Levison Wood, Aldo Kane, and most recently Will Smith on the landmark Pole to Pole series — premiering at the Natural History Museum in London.In this episode, Chris sits down with Beki to dig into the Green Abyss — her personal expedition into Gabon's Waka National Park in 2024, launched in the wake of the country's military coup. The plan was to pack-raft the undocumented Akoi River for a month, reaching remote communities to understand the human cost of conservation policy. What followed was a masterclass in expedition reality — strainers, flash flood risk, a support team walking in entirely the wrong direction, and a village that no longer existed.Beki also reflects on building a career in adventure television from scratch, why qualifications mean nothing without field experience, and what it really means to take risk seriously — not the dramatic kind, but the deep, lasting uncertainty that keeps you up at night two metres above a rising river in the middle of a Gabonese gorge.Chapters:00:00 — Risk Isn't Dramatic: What Expedition Danger Really Looks Like01:25 — Introduction & Welcome to Adventure Diaries03:12 — Growing Up in North Yorkshire With No Adventurous Instincts06:53 — Building a Career in Adventure Filmmaking From Scratch10:00 — Wilderness First Responder: Why Qualifications Mean Nothing Without Experience12:17 — First Break Into Adventure Television: Steve Backshall & Expedition Series14:07 — The Green Abyss: Pack Rafting Gabon's Undocumented Akoi River16:29 — Building a Team in the Field & Getting Government Permission Post-Coup22:29 — Strainers, Portaging & Why the River Always Wins26:43 — Trapped in a Gorge: The Flash Flood Decision That Changed Everything33:37 — The GPS Disaster: When the Support Team Walked the Wrong Way38:10 — Ingondé Doesn't Exist: Conservation, Gold Panning & The Human Cost44:24 — Recording Undocumented Species & Reflections on the Green AbyssPay It Forward: Beki shines a light on the Black Mambas — an all-female anti-poaching unit in South Africa working to protect wildlife and educate communities before poaching ever starts. Find them at blackmambas.org.Call to Adventure: Figure out where your own edge is — and go there. Adventure doesn't have to cost money or require extreme skill. Start with what takes you outside your comfort zone.Follow Beki Henderson:Instagram: @bekihendersonWebsite: beckihenderson.comSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Guyana Jungle Discovery: Petroglyphs & a Lost Cave — Joe Trevorrow
Mar 1901:25:26Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank youWhat happens when you walk for days through some of the most remote jungle on Earth — and stumble across a cave covered floor to ceiling in ancient drawings that no outsider has ever documented? In this Season 5 episode, Chris sits down with Joe Trevorrow, former Royal Navy sailor turned expedition guide with The Wild Tales — an indigenous-led adventure company operating deep in Guyana's interior — to unpack three extraordinary expeditions into barely explored territory.Alongside the on-the-ground stories (rapids, sand flies, night terrors in hammocks, and jaguar tracks beside your sleeping spot), Joe shares how The Wild Tales partners with indigenous communities — the Wai Wai, Patamona, and others — to create sustainable tourism that preserves ancient sites and dying traditions. We discuss the complex tribal history of Guyana's nine indigenous nations, how a Tomb Raider game sparked a life-changing decision, and what the jungle teaches you when you stop fighting it.Chapters:00:00 A Hidden Cave in Guyana's Jungle01:07 Meet Joe Trevorrow: Royal Navy to Rainforest05:30 Joining the Navy and Travelling the World at 2007:56 How a Tomb Raider Game Led to Guyana Expeditions11:33 How Indigenous-Led Expedition Tourism Works16:45 The River of Death: Paddling the Cassai Chi20:09 Undocumented Petroglyphs Along the Riverbank24:18 Welcome to Masakenari: The Most Remote Village29:30 Tourism as a Lifeline: Keeping Traditions Alive32:40 Don't Fight the Jungle: Lessons the Hard Way35:21 Sitting Under the Milky Way on the River of Death38:10 Night Terrors: The Scariest Night in the Jungle40:12 Makarapan Mountain: 3.5 Billion Years Old46:00 The Mystery Pots Nobody Can Explain55:12 The Cave Expedition: 45km Through Patamona Territory01:03:21 Ancient Drawings That Left Everyone Speechless01:12:00 Conservation: Keeping Sites Secret vs Raising Awareness01:17:49 Future Expeditions and What's Next for The Wild Tales01:23:17 Pay It Forward and Call to AdventureWhat You'll LearnWhat the "River of Death" actually means — and the disease theory behind its nameHow indigenous-led expedition tourism works (and why it matters)Why two enormous pots were found near the summit of a 3.5 billion year old mountain — and nobody can explain how they got thereWhat it feels like to walk into an ancient cave and see drawings no outsider has recordedThe leadership lesson Joe learned — and why "Navy mode" doesn't work in the jungleWhat The Wild Tales has planned for 2026–2027Connect with Joe & The Wild TalesJoe Trevorrow InstagramThe Wild Tales: https://www.thewildtales.comAnders Anderson episode (S3): Adventure Diaries back catalogueSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Saving Brazil's Jaguars — with Letícia Benavalli
Mar 1201:20:21Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.Chris sits down with Brazilian conservation biologist Letícia Benavalli to talk about her work protecting jaguars in the Cerrado — one of the world's most biodiverse yet overlooked biomes. From growing up in São Paulo to founding the Pro Onça Institute, Letícia shares how a childhood fascination with nature led her to track some of the rarest cats on the planet, including melanistic (black) jaguars. She also opens up about the importance of community-led conservation, empowering women and young people in rural Brazil, and her ambition to create wildlife corridors connecting isolated jaguar populations across biomes.Chapters00:00 Tracking Melanistic Jaguars 04:43 From City Life to Conservation Biologist 07:10 The Cerrado: Saving Brazil's Biodiverse Savanna 14:47 Learnings from Oxford University & African Wild 22:53 Rare Black Jaguar Encounter in the Wild 27:07 Survival Story: Lost Alone in the Brazilian Jungle 36:38 Jaguar Hunting Threats & Landowner Conflicts 40:58 Pro Onça Institute: Conservation & Community Empowerment 47:02 Women Leadership in Ecotourism 1:00 Urban Jaguars in Brasília National Park 1:06 Rolex Explorers Club Grant & Future Goals 1:14 Call to Adventure: Climbing Brazil's Serra do CipóGuest BioLetícia Benavalli is a conservation biologist and founder of the Onça Institute (Instituto Onça), an NGO dedicated to jaguar conservation in Brazil's Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. She has worked across multiple Brazilian biomes — including the Pantanal, Caatinga, and Amazon — studying large carnivores and developing community-based conservation programmes. Letícia is a Rolex/Explorers Club grant recipient and a member of the IUCN's Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas group. She presented her research at the Explorers Club in New York and is preparing a PhD focused on jaguar density, diet, and the genetics of melanistic jaguars in the Cerrado.Key Topics DiscussedGrowing up in São Paulo & finding conservation — How a city kid from Latin America's largest metropolis ended up dedicating her life to wildlife, sparked by a childhood visit to the zoo and a love of nature documentaries.The Cerrado: Brazil's forgotten biome — Why this vast savanna is critically important for biodiversity but receives far less attention and protection than the Amazon or Pantanal.Black jaguars and the Onça Institute — Letícia's face-to-face encounter with a wild melanistic jaguar, the rare genetics behind black colouration, and the founding mission of her NGO to connect isolated jaguar populations.Community-led conservation & empowering women — Why conservation cannot succeed without involving local and rural communities, particularly women and young people, and how traditional knowledge strengthens scientific work.The Rolex/Explorers Club grant & global ambitions — Winning the grant, presentiSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Climbing The Volcanic 7 Summits with Ricardo Kaljouw
Mar 501:28:33Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.Ricardo Kaljouw is a Dutch adventurer and mountaineer from Flushing (Vlissingen) in Zeeland, Netherlands — a province that sits below sea level, making his obsession with the world's highest volcanoes all the more fitting. By day he works in military shipbuilding, constructing frigates for governments around the world. By adventure, he has just become the first person from the Benelux to complete the Volcanic 7 Summits — a challenge so rare that only around 68 people in the world have ever achieved it.Chapters00:00 – Introduction: A Dangerous Encounter01:28 – Welcome to The Adventure Diaries01:50 – Meet Ricardo Kaljouw: Volcanic Seven Summits04:35 – Growing Up Below Sea Level06:39 – Navy Life: Battling Pirates in Somalia09:13 – Inspiration: Climbing Kilimanjaro12:16 – Inside the Crater: Virunga's Lava Lake17:19 – Mount Damavand: Winter Climbing in Iran23:41 – Mountaineering Lessons: Snow Blindness28:04 – Papua New Guinea: Jungle Trekking Challenges31:49 – Close Call: Mistaken for a Witch33:07 – Survival Story: Stranded on Ojos del Salado41:00 – Romance on the Peak: Pico de Orizaba42:33 – Antarctica: The Ultimate Expedition45:40 – Landing on the Frozen Continent1:00:25 – Summiting Mount Sidley: A Historic Feat1:13:26 – What's Next: The Volcanic Grand Slam1:17:16 – Book Launch: A Million Steps on LavaKey Topics CoveredGrowing up in the flattest country on earth and joining a walking club as a kidServing in the Royal Dutch Navy, including an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden in 2010How a safari to Kenya and a first glimpse of Kilimanjaro sparked a lifelong obsessionThe Virunga documentary that sent him to the Democratic Republic of Congo — and sleeping on the rim of Nyiragongo, home to the world's largest lava lakeClimbing Damavand (Iran) in winter and going snow blind on the descentSurviving near-starvation and a machete encounter in the jungles of Papua New GuineaGetting stranded alone at 6,600m on Ojos del Salado (Chile/Argentina) in whiteout conditionsMount Elbrus (Russia, 2017) — his first experience on glaciers, roped teams and cramponsCarrying his proposal ring to the summit of Pico de Orizaba (Mexico) and the Aztec legend behind itThe full Antarctica chapter — flying to Union Glacier, a 1,000km internal flight to Mount Sidley, two weeks in a 10-metre safe zone, a guide evacuated with pulmonary oedema, and a last-gasp summit window in minus 42°CReflecting on what it means to finish a multi-year, multi-continent challengeLessons from the MountainsYou're only at 70% when you think you're at 100% — but know where the real limit isThe descent is where most accidents happen; the summit is only halfwayAlways use your equipment — Ricardo learned this the hard way going snow blind on DamavandBuild altitude experience gradually; don't rush to the highest peaksPay It Forward 🌍 Virunga Foundation — Supporting conservation and ranger funding in Virunga National Park, the first national park in Africa.Calls to Adventure 🌋 Ubinas Volcano, Peru — An active, accessible volcano near Arequipa that gets you right to the crater rim. Check activity levels before going, but a fantastic entry point into volcanic adventure.🧊 Jan Mayen Island, Norway — The world's most northerly active volcano. Glaciated, remote, accessible only by sailing boat from Svalbard or Iceland. A handful of expeditions per year. For experienced mountaineers only.Send us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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Jude Kriwald Alone Across Gola – A Solo Cycle Through West Africa’s Rainforest
Feb 2601:23:47Tap to summarize🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.What does it actually feel like to sleep alone in a West African rainforest — the noise, the insects, the pitch-dark uncertainty? In this Season 5 opener, Chris sits down with Jude Kriwald, adventure filmmaker and cyclist, to unpack Alone Across Gola — Jude’s solo ride across West Africa, including a remote jungle crossing in Liberia/Sierra Leone’s Gola region.Connect with Jude Book Jude For Your Next Event: https://JudeKriwald.com/Speaking Follow On Insta: https://www.instagram.com/judekriwaldNeed Mentoring? AdventureMentor.org Alongside the on-the-ground stories (heat, hydration, kit failures, and a few genuinely sketchy moments), Jude shares a thoughtful take on neurodivergence (autism + ADHD), why “analogue adventures” matter, and how we can build a life that’s more honest to who we are.What You’ll LearnWhat jungle nights are really like — and why the soundscape is unforgettableHow Jude manages risk when travelling solo (and what satellite SOS can’t solve)Why ADHD/autism traits can be powerful outdoors: hyperfocus, pattern-spotting, rapid problem-solvingThe “stepping stone” approach to confidence and route planningWhy rest days aren’t optional on long bike tripsChapters:00:00 Exploring the Unknown: A Journey into the African Rainforest01:45 The Call of Adventure: Jude's Formative Years06:49 The First Big Expedition: Cycling to India11:58 Navigating Life's Gaps: The Lost Decade17:34 Harnessing Neurodivergence: ADHD and Autism as Superpowers22:45 Adventure Mentoring: Leveling the Playing Field28:26 West Africa: A New Frontier for Exploration29:44 Exploring the Unknown: Journey to West Africa31:19 First Night in the Jungle: A Personal Experience34:59 Planning and Preparation: The Adventurer's Mindset36:30 Camping and Rest: Balancing Adventure and Recovery38:05 The Trusty Bike: A Companion on the Journey41:29 Hydration and Health: Navigating the Jungle's Challenges43:46 Self-Reliance and Communication: The Importance of Preparedness47:16 Cultural Interactions: Bridging the Gap51:19 Understanding Poverty: A Lesson in Empathy54:29 The Gola Rainforest: An Adventurer's Discovery57:25 Navigating the Unknown: The Adventure of Exploration58:37 The Art of Filmmaking: A Journey into Storytelling01:02:54 Reflections on Courage: The Impact of Adventure01:05:31 Creating a Platform: The Power of Sharing Stories01:08:14 Paying It Forward: Supporting Future Adventurers01:12:25 Embracing Analog Adventures: A Call to Disconnect01:19:51 Connecting with Jude: Where to Find More AdventuresGuest BioJude Kriwald is an adventure filmmaker and cyclist whose documentary Alone Across Gola follows a solo expedition across West Africa and into remote rainforest terrain. Jude also founded Adventure Mentor, offering one-to-one mentoring support to help more people access adventure, particularly those underrepresented in the space. Resources & MentionsAlone Across Gola (film on YouTube) Adventure Mentor (free 1:1 mentoring) https://www.britisSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering
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