Colorado-based travel journalist and host of the podcast Armchair Explorer, Aaron Millar, says travel is all about ‘peak moments’.
The voice behind the Armchair Explorer podcast series, award-winning British travel writer Aaron Millar has a passion for telling stories that inspire people to explore the world, celebrate the outdoors, and live life to the full. His podcasts have been nominated for two Webbys, and won the 2022 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Broadcaster of the Year. He’s trekked with Shugendo monks in Japan, descended into a volcano in Iceland, and staggered through a 100-mile pub crawl in the UK, but this is his favourite gig yet.
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Your podcast Armchair Explorer has really taken off, winning multiple awards and critical acclaim. How do you account for its success?
Travel is all about what I call ‘peak moments’, the one story you come back from a trip and tell all your friends about. I try and drop people into the heart of those moments, whether’s hearing what it’s like to ride the Amazon river’s hardest rapids or watching the sunset over the burning ghats of Varanasi.
Tell us about some of your most memorable travel experiences in 2023
I just got back from recording a three-part podcast series in Utah, which will air on the show next year as one of our on-location episodes. One of the stories we did was about exploring Native American history and culture in the region, and through that I learned the Navajo word hózhó, which was translated to me as a kind of inner harmony. One night in the backcountry of Monument Valley, as I listened to a Navajo elder singing around the campfire, the Milky Way lit up in perfect dark skies above, I think I caught a glimpse of that hózhó for myself and it’s something I’ll never forget.
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You’re based in Colorado. What are some of your favourite things to do there?
Colorado famously has 300 days of sunshine a year, and I’m pretty sure the UK, where I’m from, has the other 65 so I’ve definitely traded up on that front. The San Juan Skyway, is maybe the most beautiful road trip I’ve ever done, Great Sand Dunes National Park has one of the most incredible sunrises in the country (but you need to hike up to the top of the highest sand dune in North America to see it), and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is spectacular and, because relatively unknown, you’ll have it all to yourself.
Which episodes of the podcast have you particularly enjoyed since it began and why?
I’ve loved getting the chance to speak with some of my heroes, such as Conrad Anker, Rick Ridgeway, Ed Stafford and more. But the episodes I’m most proud of in many ways are the ones that surprised me. One that stands out is The Lost Tribe of the Kogi, which provides a rare glimpse into the lives of a people that have changed little since the time of the Incas.
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So much of our time travelling is spent getting there, be that car, bike, train or plane. How do you make the journey more enjoyable?
As a writer, I always have my notebook with me. Travel is one of the best creative catalysts there is, so the journey part of the trip is always about reflecting on the adventures I’ve had, and thinking creatively about how to tell that story. But I also think it’s also about just being present. Some of the best travel experiences come when you least expect it.
Which travellers and modern-day explorers do you admire and why?
Alastair Humphreys is one that comes to mind. I love his concept of micro-adventures, and the way he inspires people to live life to the fullest. I’ve been trying to get him on the show for years and we finally made it happen so stay tuned!
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As a seasoned traveller, are there many locations left on your bucket list?
The bucket list is always growing! My dream is to do one long distance hike in each of the seven continents – top of that list is the Trans-Bhutan Trail. Any country that measures its success by the happiness of its people, not their economic output is a place worth seeing for me.
What’s next for the podcast – how will it continue to evolve?
I’m really excited by the on-location episodes we’ve just launched. Travel storytelling is all about immersing people in a destination and giving them a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real. I think this is about as close as it can get.
