Ways to Explore the World in Quarantine - Part 1

Get your fix of epic scenery and outdoor adventure without the airfare - simply stream straight from your couch!

Exploring the World During Quarantine | Flashpacker Chronicles

The emergency of COVID-19 has changed a lot around the world. The pandemic is wreaking havoc on the world we love and creating a frightening and difficult time for everyone. One of the challenges for all us wanderers can be the claustrophobic feeling of not being able to travel. Besides following along with the Flashpacker Chronicles, most travelers might be struggling to keep that spark alive.

But, unlike past pandemics, we are lucky to have technology that is allowing us to stay connected even in our quarantines. And today, we’re diving into how this magnificent gift of technology is allowing us to stay connected to the wonders of the world that we will dream of now, and travel to later!

Follow along with us in the coming weeks as we explore a variety of ways for you to get a taste of travel while staying safe in quarantine. To kick it off, this week we’ll be covering documentaries and shows focused on food, culture and epic scenery. Just about every popular streaming platform is offering great adventures for you to dive into virtually right now. Here are a few of our favorite options on each platform.

Disney+ and NatGeo

Cost: $6.99 a month. If you don’t subscribe to Disney+ already, they do offer a 7-day free trial!

Into the Grand Canyon

Into the Canyon - Disney+ Travel Documentary | Flashpacker Blog

Experience: Follow along as two friends and colleagues attempt to walk the 750 miles it takes to hike through all of the Grand Canyon. Marvel at the timeless beauty of this sacred land and learn about the commercial developments proposed all around the area.

Length: 1 hour and 21 minutes.

Free Solo

Free Solo - Netflix Documentary | Flashpacker Chronicles

Experience: Wonder at the beauty of Yosemite and follow the adventure of Alex Honnold as he attempts to climb El Capitan without a rope.

Length: 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Gordon Ramsay Uncharted

Gordon Ramsey-Uncharted | National Geographic | Flashpacker Chronicles

Experience: Enjoy epic views from Peru and Morocco to New Zealand and Alaska as Gordon Ramsay gives you an inside look at local cultures and cuisines.

Length: Six, 47-minute episodes.

Netflix

Cost: Starting at $8.99 a month. If you don’t subscribe to Netflix already, they do offer a 30-day free trial!

Our Planet

Our Planet - Netflix Documentary | Flashpacker Chronicles

Experience: This nature documentary features awe-inspiring footage from incredible places around the world while also focusing on how humans are impacting earth’s environment.

Length: Eight, 50-minute episodes.

Street Food

Street Food - Netflix Documentary | Ways to Explore During Covid | Flashpacker Blog

Experience: Celebrate the street food scenes of Asia in this amazing documentary which exemplifies the power of food and tells the stories of the people who cook in the street food culture.

Length: Nine, 30-minute episodes.

Mountain

Mountain - Netflix Documentary | Flashpacker Blog

Experience: Enjoy breathtaking scenery as this cerebral documentary dives into the current human obsession with high, dangerous places and how our species’ relationship with mountains has changed over time.

Length: 1 hour and 13 minutes.

Tales by Light

Tales by Light - Netflix Series | Flashpacker Chronicles

Experience: Follow along with talented photographers and experience the powerful stories that are behind their beautiful images. Witness natural beauty, varying cultures, and vanishing civilizations all over the world through these photographers’ lenses.

Length: 3 seasons, each with 6 episodes of 20-25 minutes long.

National Parks Adventure

National Parks Adventure - Netflix Documentary | Quarantine Travel Entertainment

Experience: Explore the wilderness and astonishing beauty while learning about the history of American’s National Parks.

Length: 42 minutes.

Pedal the World

Pedal the World - Amazon Prime Video | Explore in Quarantine | Flashpacker Blog

Experience: Join in on 22-year-old Felix Starck’s year-long bike adventure across 22 countries.

Length: 1 hour and 24 minutes.

Amazon Prime Video

Planet Earth

Planet Earth-Amazon Prime Video | Flashpacker Chronicles

Experience: Enjoy a portrayal of our planet like no other! Filming took 4 years, across 204 locations in 62 countries.

Length: Eleven, 50-minute episodes.

Cost: $2.99 per episode or $9.99 for the season

For other nature-based, beautiful and rare shots from around the world, Amazon Prime Video also has the “Planet Earth II” and “Life” series available for purchase. The “Blue Planet” series can also be bought on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

BBC Earth

BBC Earth - Amazon Prime Video | Flashpacker Chronicles

Experience: Enjoy fascinating moments from BBC Earth’s decade of footage. From a lion attacking hyenas to getting up close and personal with the world’s smallest rhino, these videos are a wonderful testament to the beauty of our wild planet.

Length: Countless videos of varying length!

Cost: Free!

Never Stop Exploring

We might be temporarily unable to physically travel. But we are lucky enough to have access to the world at our fingertips – phones, computers, and tablets connect us to the people we love and the traveling we miss. Whether you love traveling to experience the varied art, culture, geography, or nature around the world, there are countless options to help us do a piece of what we love even in quarantine. And exploring the world virtually might inform us of even more places to add to our bucket list for when it’s safe to travel again.

In Part 2 we bring you free virtual options to explore museums, shows, architecture, and street art all over the world. In Part 3 you can explore breathtaking nature and scenery with different online tools. Never stop exploring!

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