10 BEST Short Travel & Adventure Documentaries to Watch

What Makes A Good Short Travel Documentary?

I am no expert in documentary filmmaking, but I do enjoy watching them. After several years of consuming this type of documentary, I have come to recognize the patterns in which I found these videos extremely inspiring.

The first important point for me is the underlying inspiring stories that dictated these documentaries. All of the videos I listed here follow individuals or a group of people who lead a life that regular people like us can't even imagine.

From following the great boat master of the Grand Canyon to the hilariously crazy man biking in the remote mountains of Kyrgyzstan alone, these documentaries give us a glimpse of what life is like if we go all in and pursue the one thing that makes us happy.

Secondly, the video has to be able to convey the stories of these unique characters both visually and audibly, with authentic footage and sound from their experiences that will make you feel closer to the person/people and the places they are in. All of these videos hit this mark to varying degrees.

Lastly, it has to have great narrations to take the audience through the experiences. This is what differentiates this type of video from regular travel videos that are often featured on this blog.

With these criteria in mind, here are 10 of my favorite short adventure documentaries of all time.

1. Asia’s Forgotten Mountain: Expert Climbers Attempt Grueling Ascent By National Geographic

This is by far one of my favorite short adventure documentaries of all time. The documentary follows a group of people attempting to summit an obscure peak (Hkakabo Razi) in Myanmar to determine if it is Southeast Asia’s highest point.

Through the snake-infested dense rainforest of Myanmar's untamed north, they trekked their way, breaking every piece of equipment they had along the way, and tried to find a route to the top of Hkakabo Razi (~5,742 m), Myanmar's highest mountain and the highest in Southeast Asia, even more so than Mount Kinabalu (4,095 m).

The expedition, sponsored by National Geographic, consisted of Hilaree Nelson, the team leader, and also included Mark Jenkins, Cory Richards, Renan Ozturk, Emily Harrington, and Taylor Rees, all of whom are well-known mountaineers in the climbing world.

The height of Hkakabo Razi is believed to be at 5,742 m above sea level, which puts it way above the falsely claimed "highest" mountain in Southeast Asia, Mt. Kinabalu. Unfortunately, no one has ever succeeded in measuring the peak's height with modern measuring equipment yet, and the whole purpose of the expedition is to do just that.

The documentary shows what it is like to trek your way through an untamed, dense rainforest, which is much more complex than it sounds. It shows all the problems they faced along the way and how they overcame them. It is an inspiring and touching story of a group of people who shared the same passion and will go all the way to the very end together to accomplish that goal.

2. The Road From Karakol by Outdoor Research

The Road From Karakol is one of the first self-shot short travel documentaries that I have ever watched, and it got me hooked on the genre ever since.

The video follows Kyle Dempster's journey across Kyrgyzstan as he pedaled through the country on his bike, equipped with full climbing gear to solo a handful of unclimbed alpine rocks in the obscure Kyrgyz mountain range, and he recorded everything on his camera as he did what he does best.

The documentary shows not just the adventurous side of his endeavor but also the hilarious ones, as well as his personality shining all over the documentary, such as the time when he had to deal with a corrupt military checkpoint staff.

It is a 30-minute fun and inspiring documentary that is dedicated to one man's pursuit of an authentic life. Unfortunately, Kyle went missing with his climbing partner in Northern Pakistan in 2016 in an attempt to summit the Baintha Brakk (The Ogre) peak (7,285 m). His body has yet to be found, so this video is a perfect tribute to the great man behind the camera and all his achievements. May he rest in peace.

3. Lhotse by The North Face

Lhotse is a short travel documentary sponsored by The North Face that follows two skiers, Hilaree Nelson whom you may have seen in the previous "Asia’s Forgotten Mountain" documentary, and Jim Morrison, on their journey to be the first to descend Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world at 8,516 m above sea level, on skis.

With the name "The North Face" attached to the video, you know that the production of this documentary is going to be top-notch, and they really delivered in this one.

This 22-minute short documentary featured not just the inspiring stories of the skiers who pursued a goal that had never been attempted before, but also came with amazing footage from sweeping drone shots of the snow-covered mountain to the timelapse of the sunrise in the Himalayas. Additionally, interviews of the skiers were sprinkled throughout the video to keep you fully engaged with them.

This is probably the closest some of us will ever be to being on top of the world, and this video can transport you up to the summit of Lhotse with a click of a mouse from the comfort of your home.

4. Climbing the Shark’s Fin by The New York Times

"Climbing the Shark's Fin" is a short travel documentary that follows three climbers attempting one of the most elusive and formidable peaks: the Shark's Fin of Mount Meru in the Indian Himalayas. The documentary delves deep into both the psychological and physical challenges required to conquer this Shark's Fin-shaped peak.

The physicality required to climb this peak is quite obvious, but what interested me most about the documentary is the psychology behind why these climbers do what they do. I often see a lot of questions regarding why climbers risk their lives to engage in such extreme activities, and this video clearly highlighted what goes through their minds when they ascend the peak.

The documentary is very well produced, as you can expect from a publisher like The New York Times, and consists of footage from the expedition, together with interviews from well-known climbers like Jon Krakauer and Jimmy Chin. Highly recommended if you are into hiking and mountaineering.

5. Made In Iceland by Klara Harden

After several high-production-value documentaries recommended previously, let's change the pace a little and explore some of the travel documentaries independently produced by an individual.

"Made In Iceland" by Klara Harden is another one of my favorite travel short films that follows her, an Austrian filmmaker, through the barren landscape of Iceland as she overcomes the isolation and challenges thrown at her.

This 15-minute short film has that homely feeling that anyone can relate to, unlike most of the documentaries mentioned here. It is like Klara is our friend, and we are following her as a spectator while she cooks, sets up camp, and tramps through the wildland of Iceland day-by-day.

I saw her video before I started traveling solo, and I gotta admit, her video was one of the inspirations that pushed me to actually take that leap and start traveling solo, going camping alone in the wilderness, and trekking up many of the wonderful peaks around the world.

6. A Week in the Desert by Mammoth

"A Week in the Desert" is another homely-feeling short film that follows three friends as they backpack through the deserts of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. From canyons to rushing rivers, we follow them through one of the most beautiful landscapes you will see in the US.

This 14-minute short film will make you smile from beginning to end as you come to know the people in the video, experiencing the landscape with them and seeing them enjoy their lives to the fullest. I guarantee you, the moment you finish the video, you will want to call your friends up and go for an incredible adventure as they did.

My favorite part of this video is definitely the Single Ladies dance they did to Beyonce's song. The guy really nailed the moves! 🤣

7. Flashes of the Altai by Joey Schusler

The Flashes of the Altai follows three friends who decided to pack three bikes turned boats, went to Western Mongolia, and explore the Altai Mountain through a combination of narration and inspiring cinematic music.

With this short documentary, we get to see what it is actually like to go out into the world with friends, be in their elements, and tackle Mother Nature head-on. You will get to see their overwhelming curiosity, discomfort, and calmness that often come with an expedition like this.

The video will take you through the beautiful steppes and rushing rivers of Western Mongolia in about 5 minutes, as Joey Schusler and his friends experienced the untamed land with their bikes. Kudos to these men for tackling such a wild land in the best way possible and giving us a chance to see what the Altai Mountain in Western Mongolia is like.

8. The Blue Time by Greg Dennis

The Blue Time is a short documentary that follows Jeff Allen and his longtime friend Bjørn Eines as they explore the breathtaking wilderness and coastline of Norway by sea kayak.

This short documentary combines beautiful footage of the stunning landscape of Norway, the magical Aurora Borealis, and the pure interaction between humans and wildlife, especially the huskies and the whales.

In this cold land between snow and mountains, humans and wildlife live in harmony, and the video really captured just how important this relationship between us and the wildlife is. This documentary is a testament to how beautiful and untouched the cold north really is.

9. In Current by Yeti

I know there are a lot of travel documentaries about climbers and hikers on this list, so let's take it in another direction and watch a documentary about a boat master in the Grand Canyon.

In Current is a travel and adventure documentary that follows Amber Shannon from Idaho and her dream of rowing a wooden dory in big rapids and giant canyon walls of the Grand Canyon.

I'll be honest with you, I didn't know much about boat masters in places like the Grand Canyon before I watched this video, but after watching it, I now have a newfound respect for these amazing people who spend their days practicing rowing boats down big rapids in the Grand Canyon.

I didn't realize how much effort and training goes into taming the river with a wooden dory boat, and this documentary really sheds light on the industry that, I'm sure, not many people know about. It reminded me that there are many of us out there who do not follow the typical life paths and will do whatever it takes to accomplish their dreams. Amber and John Shocklee are an inspiration to us all.

10. In Pursuit Of The Perfect Shot by Canon

Last but not least, we continue with a documentary about a travel photographer, Krystle Wright, who sacrificed her life to pursue her dream of becoming a travel photographer. She spent four years trying to capture that one shot she had always dreamt of taking.

The documentary shows the preparation required and the danger that comes with a job like being an adventure photographer, and how Krystle overcame them every time. The dedication Krystle put into her art is so inspiring and continues to inspire me to become a better photographer even today.

Further Reading for Filmmaking

Looking for more articles about travel videos and filmmaking? Here are some articles about filmmaking that you might find useful:

• Looking for the best travel videos of all time? Check out 20 Most Creative Travel Videos Of All Time.
• Looking for drone travel videos for inspiration? Check out my list of the 8 best drone travel videos of all time.
• Looking for the best timelapse and hyperlapse travel videos? Check out the 10 Best Timelapse/Hyperlapse Travel Videos to Watch.
• To be a great traveler, you need to learn about the world and see its uniqueness in every culture. To do that, you will have to first expand your worldview. Here are 7 BEST Short Documentaries About The World To Watch.
• Want to learn more about travel filmmaking? Here is A Step-By-Step Guide on How to Make a Travel Video.
• Want to improve your travel filmmaking game? Here are 10 Practical Tips for Making a Great Travel Video.
• Want to Know Which Camera I Used for Filmmaking? Here is Why the Sony A6500 Is the Best Travel Camera to Get.
• Looking for a fool-proof way to store your travel photos and videos? Here is How I Store My Photos And Videos.
• Looking to buy new filmmaking equipment for your next film? Here is The Ultimate Advanced Travel Filmmaking Gear Guide.
• Not so fond of carrying heavy camera equipment while traveling? Here is The Extremely Lightweight Travel Photography Gear Guide.
• Want to watch my travel videos? Check out our Travel Videos page.
• For all articles about Filmmaking, visit the Filmmaking Article page.