The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast is the show for people who want more from their travels than just ticking off the sights. Hosted by expedition leader and Ultimate Adventure Travel founder Jake Field, this weekly podcast is your guide to unforgettable group adventures — from Kilimanjaro and the Inca Trail to Everest Base Camp and beyond.
Whether you’re preparing for your first big trip or looking to push your limits on your next one, you’ll find expert advice, real stories, and practical tips to help you get adventure-ready — physically, mentally, and logistically.
Expect inspiring guests, honest insights, and plenty of motivation to get outside your comfort zone — and into the wild — with a group of like-minded people by your side.
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Données mises à jour le 10/09/2026
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Lewis and Clark Part Two: Across the Rockies to the Pacific
Saison 2 · Épisode 14
mardi 8 septembre 2026 • Durée 36:53
Lewis has reached the Continental Divide, expecting to find a river that will carry the expedition towards the Pacific. Instead, he looks out across mountain range after mountain range.
The route they were sent to find does not exist.
In the second half of the Lewis and Clark story, the Corps of Discovery must find horses, cross the Rocky Mountains before winter and somehow survive as its food begins to disappear.
With help from the Shoshone, Sacagawea is unexpectedly reunited with her brother, and an elderly guide called Old Toby leads the expedition into the Bitterroot Mountains. What follows is one of the most desperate sections of the entire journey. The men become cold, exhausted and dangerously hungry, eventually killing their horses for food.
After reaching the Pacific, they must then turn around and make the entire journey home.
In this episode:
Sacagawea’s extraordinary reunion with her brother
Negotiating with the Shoshone for horses
Following Old Toby into the Bitterroot Mountains
Starvation, snow and eating horses to survive
How the Nez Perce helped save the expedition
Running dangerous rapids towards the Pacific
The Corps finally reaching the ocean
The remarkable vote involving Sacagawea and York
A wet and miserable winter at Fort Clatsop
The difficult journey back across the continent
Lewis and Clark splitting the expedition
The deadly confrontation with the Blackfeet
Lewis being accidentally shot by one of his own men
The Corps returning to St Louis after being presumed dead
What happened to Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea, York and Pomp
Whether the expedition should really be considered a success
The complicated legacy it left behind
Lewis and Clark failed to find the water route Thomas Jefferson wanted, but they returned with maps, journals and scientific records from an 8,000-mile expedition across the continent.
It remains an extraordinary story of exploration, survival and adaptation, but also one with consequences that cannot be separated from the expansion that followed.
If you enjoyed this two-part series, please follow The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast and leave a rating or review. It only takes a couple of minutes and helps more people discover the show.
Lewis and Clark Part One: 8,000 Miles Into the Unknown
Saison 2 · Épisode 13
mardi 1 septembre 2026 • Durée 33:00
In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set off across an America that remained largely unknown to the government sending them.
Their mission was to follow the Missouri River, find a practical route to the Pacific Ocean and return with maps, scientific discoveries and information about the lands and people they encountered. The problem was that nobody knew whether the route they were searching for actually existed.
In the first half of this incredible expedition story, we meet the people who formed the Corps of Discovery, including Sacagawea, York and Lewis’s Newfoundland dog, Seaman. We follow the expedition upstream against the Missouri, through dangerous encounters, freezing winters, charging grizzly bears and a near-disastrous capsizing that almost destroyed their records.
Then Lewis reaches the Continental Divide and discovers the truth. Instead of the easy river route they expected, he finds mountain range after mountain range stretching towards the horizon.
In this episode:
Why Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition
The partnership between Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
How the Corps prepared for an expedition into the unknown
The complicated stories of Sacagawea and York
Dragging heavily loaded boats against the Missouri River
The expedition’s first and only death
The vital knowledge provided by Indigenous nations
The confrontation with the Lakota that nearly became violent
Surviving winter at Fort Mandan
Sacagawea’s introduction to the expedition
Encounters with grizzly bears
The capsized boat that nearly destroyed the mission
The month-long struggle around the Great Falls
Lewis’s discovery that the expected water route to the Pacific did not exist
Part one ends at Lemhi Pass, with winter approaching, supplies running low and the most dangerous part of the expedition still ahead.
Part two continues next week as the Corps searches for horses, enters the Rocky Mountains and attempts to reach the Pacific.
The Icefall Doctors: The Team Who Build the Route Up Everest
Saison 2 · Épisode 12
mardi 25 août 2026 • Durée 25:26
Before hundreds of climbers can begin their attempt on Everest, somebody has to find a way through the Khumbu Icefall.
That responsibility belongs to the Icefall Doctors, a specialist team of highly experienced Sherpa climbers who establish and maintain the route between Everest Base Camp and Camp One.
They carry ladders into the icefall, bridge enormous crevasses, install fixed ropes and repair sections of the route as the glacier moves beneath them. It is highly skilled work in one of the most unpredictable and dangerous places on Everest.
In this episode, Jake explores:
What the Khumbu Icefall is and why it is constantly moving
Who the Icefall Doctors are
How they find a route through the glacier
What it takes to install ladders across deep crevasses
Why most crossings happen before sunrise
How the route can change overnight
Why Everest climbers must pass through the icefall repeatedly
The important difference between Sherpa people and mountain porters
How the southern route through the icefall was first explored
The difficult decisions faced during the 2026 Everest season
The imbalance between the people celebrated for climbing Everest and those carrying the greatest exposure to its dangers
Almost every climber attempting Everest from the Nepalese side depends on the work of this small team. Without them, the modern Everest climbing season as we know it would barely be possible.
If you enjoyed the episode, please follow or subscribe to The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast and leave a review. You can also share it with somebody who loves mountaineering, adventure travel or the hidden stories behind Everest.
Green Boots: Everest's Most Famous Body Could Finally Be Coming Home
Saison 2 · Épisode 11
mardi 18 août 2026 • Durée 17:47
For almost 30 years, a climber wearing a distinctive pair of green mountaineering boots has been one of the most infamous landmarks on Mount Everest.
Known simply as Green Boots, his body has remained high on Everest's Northeast Ridge since the disastrous 1996 climbing season. Thousands of climbers have passed the spot, the rocky shelter became known as "Green Boots Cave", and his story has become part of Everest folklore.
But now, that story could be about to change.
Indian authorities are looking at an extraordinary operation to recover Green Boots from the Death Zone and finally bring his body home. And in the process, another question has emerged: have we had his identity wrong for nearly 30 years?
In this shorter, topical episode of The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast, Jake explores the real story behind Green Boots, the three Indian climbers who disappeared during the 1996 Everest disaster, and why recovering a body from more than 8,000 metres is far more complicated and dangerous than it might seem.
We also look at the controversial death of David Sharp in the same location ten years later, why bodies remain on Everest for decades, and the difficult ethical question surrounding high-altitude recoveries: how much risk should living climbers take to bring the dead home?
In this episode:
The story behind the famous "Green Boots" of Mount Everest
What happened to the Indian expedition during the 1996 Everest disaster
Tsewang Smanla, Tsewang Paljor and Dorje Morup
Why Green Boots was long believed to be Tsewang Paljor
Why Indian authorities now believe the body could be Dorje Morup
How Green Boots became an Everest landmark
David Sharp's controversial death on Everest in 2006
Why rescuing someone in the Death Zone is so difficult
Why recovering bodies from Everest can be incredibly dangerous
Previous attempts to move Green Boots
The proposed operation to finally bring the body down
The other bodies that remain on Mount Everest
The Untold Story of Mount Kilimanjaro
Saison 2 · Épisode 10
mardi 11 août 2026 • Durée 57:18
Kilimanjaro is usually discussed as a physical challenge. How fit do you need to be? Which route should you take? What does altitude feel like? And just how difficult is summit night?
But Africa’s highest mountain has a story stretching back millions of years.
In this episode, Jake explores the complete history of Kilimanjaro, beginning with the volcanic forces that created Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo before following the people, expeditions, empires and conflicts that transformed the mountain into a global symbol of adventure.
You will discover how Chagga communities lived and farmed on Kilimanjaro’s slopes long before European explorers arrived, why European geographers refused to believe there could be snow near the equator and the truth behind the persistent story that Queen Victoria gave Kilimanjaro away as a birthday present.
Jake also examines the first recorded ascent by Hans Meyer and Ludwig Purtscheller, the overlooked contribution of Kilimanjaro’s African guides and porters and the role the mountain played during the First World War.
The story then continues through British colonial rule, Tanganyikan independence and the moment Kaiser Wilhelm Peak was renamed Uhuru Peak, meaning Freedom Peak.
Finally, Jake looks at how Kilimanjaro became one of the world’s great trekking mountains and explains the history and character of its major routes, including Marangu, Machame, Umbwe, Rongai, Shira, Lemosho and the Northern Circuit.
In this episode:
How the East African Rift created Kilimanjaro
Why Kilimanjaro consists of three volcanic centres
The difference between Shira, Mawenzi and Kibo
Whether Kilimanjaro is extinct or dormant
Why the mountain’s glaciers are disappearing
The history and traditions of the Chagga people
Kilimanjaro’s relationship with Maasai communities
Why nobody knows exactly what “Kilimanjaro” means
The local stories surrounding Kibo and Mawenzi
Why Europeans initially refused to believe the summit had snow
Everything Nobody Tells You About India’s Golden Triangle
Saison 2 · Épisode 9
mardi 4 août 2026 • Durée 58:17
India does not gently introduce itself.
The traffic, the noise, the food, the colours and the crowds all arrive at once. But beneath the apparent chaos is one of the most fascinating and rewarding journeys you can experience.
In this episode, I take you through India’s famous Golden Triangle, connecting Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Drawing on my experience of leading a group through India earlier this year, I share the practical realities, unexpected moments and important details that ordinary travel guides often leave out.
We explore the chaotic lanes and hidden history of Old Delhi, uncover the stories and myths surrounding the Taj Mahal, and discover why Jaipur is not quite as pink as its nickname suggests.
I also cover the realities of travelling through India, including road crossings, food safety, haggling, common tourist scams, cultural etiquette, air quality, tipping, what to wear and how to experience India respectfully.
In this episode:
What India’s Golden Triangle actually is
Why Delhi needs time to make sense
The real difference between Old Delhi and New Delhi
How India’s horns and traffic really work
Common scams to recognise before travelling
The honest truth about Agra
Surprising details hidden within the Taj Mahal
The myths surrounding Shah Jahan and the Taj Mahal’s construction
Why visiting at sunrise does not guarantee an empty monument
Fatehpur Sikri and the story of India’s former imperial capital
Why Jaipur is not actually bright pink
Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar and Jaipur’s extraordinary history
The ethical concerns surrounding elephant rides
How to haggle without being rude
What to eat and how to reduce your risk of an upset stomach
Cash, tipping, clothing and cultural etiquette
Advice for solo travellers and women visiting India
The biggest mistakes first-time visitors make
Whether the Golden Triangle is the right adventure for you
Sir Ranulph Fiennes: The Ultimate Adventurer?
Saison 2 · Épisode 8
mardi 28 juillet 2026 • Durée 47:38
What makes someone the greatest explorer of all time?
Is it standing on the summit of Everest? Reaching the North Pole? Surviving against impossible odds?
In this episode of The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast, we're diving into the remarkable life of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, a man widely regarded as the world's greatest living explorer.
From losing his father before he was born to becoming the first person to circumnavigate the globe via both poles using only surface transport, Fiennes has built a career around tackling challenges that most people considered impossible.
We'll explore his early life, military career, record-breaking expeditions, his historic Transglobe Expedition, climbing Everest at the age of 65 after major heart surgery, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, and the famous frostbite story that has become part of exploration folklore.
But this episode isn't just about extraordinary achievements.
It's about resilience, preparation, leadership, and why stepping outside your comfort zone might be the greatest adventure of all.
Whether you're dreaming of trekking to Everest Base Camp, climbing Kilimanjaro, crossing the Sahara Desert, or simply looking for inspiration to take on your own challenge, Sir Ranulph Fiennes' story proves that age, setbacks and fear don't have to define what you're capable of.
In this episode:
Who is Sir Ranulph Fiennes?
His childhood and early influences
Military life and the skills that shaped an explorer
The incredible Transglobe Expedition
Why crossing the polar regions is so brutally difficult
Everest after heart surgery
Seven marathons on seven continents in seven days
The truth behind the famous frostbite story
Why many consider him the greatest explorer of the modern era
The lessons every adventurer can learn from his extraordinary life
If you've enjoyed this episode, don't forget to follow the podcast, leave a rating and share it with someone who loves adventure.
Everything Nobody Tells You About Machu Picchu
Saison 2 · Épisode 7
mardi 21 juillet 2026 • Durée 33:46
Think you know what to expect from Machu Picchu? Think again.
In this episode, I share everything I wish more people knew before visiting one of the world's most iconic destinations. From altitude and weather to permits, crowds and the reality of hiking the Inca Trail, these are the things that rarely make it into guidebooks but can completely change your experience.
Having led multiple trips to Peru and spoken with countless local guides and trekkers, I'm sharing the practical advice, insider tips and common mistakes that will help you get the very best from your adventure.
Whether you're planning to hike the Inca Trail, tackle the Salkantay Trek or simply visit Machu Picchu by train, this episode will help you prepare properly.
In this episode:
Why Machu Picchu isn't actually the hardest part of the trip
The surprising truth about altitude in Peru
Why Cusco catches more people out than Machu Picchu
The weather nobody prepares you for
The permit and ticket mistakes that can ruin your visit
Why your Instagram expectations might need adjusting
What the Inca Trail camps are really like
The incredible work of Peru's porters and local guides
The fascinating history and engineering behind Machu Picchu
Common myths about the "Lost City of the Incas"
Practical packing advice and trekking tips
Answers to the questions I'm asked most about visiting Peru
If Machu Picchu has been sitting on your bucket list for years, this episode will help you avoid the common mistakes and make the most of one of the greatest adventures on Earth.
Thinking about joining me in Peru?
I lead small group adventures to Peru every year, including the iconic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
What is it really like to spend four days trekking through the Sahara Desert?
In this episode of the Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast, I take you behind the scenes of one of the world's most iconic landscapes and explain why the Sahara is so much more than endless sand dunes.
From sleeping beneath some of the darkest skies on Earth to sharing tea with local Berber guides, this isn't about ticking off another destination. It's about slowing down, switching off and experiencing one of the most peaceful places you'll ever visit.
Whether you're considering joining one of our Sahara expeditions or you're simply fascinated by desert adventures, this episode covers everything you need to know.
In this episode:
Why the Sahara is one of the best first adventure treks
What a typical day in the desert actually looks like
The incredible journey from Marrakech through the Atlas Mountains
Trekking with camels and experienced Berber guides
What the camps, food and accommodation are really like
How hot the Sahara actually gets (and why it might surprise you)
Fitness requirements and who this trip is suitable for
What to pack and what you can leave at home
The magic of sleeping beneath a sky full of stars
Trip costs, what's included and what to budget for
If you've ever wondered what it feels like to disconnect from modern life and spend several days crossing one of the world's greatest deserts, this episode is for you.
Thinking of joining us?
Our Sahara Desert Adventure is an 8 day expedition through southern Morocco, combining spectacular scenery, authentic Berber hospitality and four unforgettable days trekking through the desert.
You'll travel from Marrakech across the High Atlas Mountains, hike alongside camel caravans, camp beneath the stars and experience a side of Morocco that few visitors ever see.
The Seven Summits: The Ultimate Mountaineering Challenge Explained
Saison 2 · Épisode 5
mardi 7 juillet 2026 • Durée 01:19:53
What does it really take to climb the highest mountain on every continent?
In this episode of The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast, we're exploring one of the most famous challenges in adventure travel: The Seven Summits.
From the frozen wilderness of Antarctica to the rainforests of Papua, we travel across all seven continents to discover the mountains that have inspired explorers for decades. We look at what makes each peak unique, why the Seven Summits remain one of the world's greatest adventure goals, and whether it's a challenge that ordinary people can realistically achieve.
Along the way, I share stories from my own experiences leading expeditions on Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp, explain the famous debate between the Bass and Messner lists, and discuss whether chasing famous summits is really what adventure travel should be about.
Whether you're dreaming of climbing your first mountain or simply fascinated by the world's greatest expeditions, this episode is packed with history, inspiration and practical insight.
Thinking About Your Own Adventure?
If today's episode has inspired you to experience high altitude trekking for yourself, Ultimate Adventure Travel runs small group expeditions to:
Mount Kilimanjaro
Everest Base Camp
Mount Toubkal
Machu Picchu & the Inca Trail
And more incredible adventures around the world.
Previous Episodes You Might Enjoy
The 1996 Everest Disaster
Mallory & Irvine: Did They Reach the Summit?
Hillary & Tenzing: The First Ascent of Everest
Everest Base Camp: Everything Nobody Tells You
The Ultimate Kilimanjaro Prep Call
Touching the Void
Shackleton: The Greatest Survival Story Ever Told
Ultimate Guide Links;
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If you enjoyed this episode, please follow The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast and leave a rating or review. It only takes a couple of minutes and makes a huge difference to the podcast.
The story of Francys Arsentiev, known as "Sleeping Beauty"
Whether climbers who die on Everest should be recovered at all
Ultimately, this isn't really a story about a pair of green boots.
It's about how one of the most famous figures in Everest history gradually became a landmark rather than a person, and how, three decades after three climbers disappeared into a storm, one of them may finally be coming home.
🎧 Listen now to the full episode of The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast.
Want to take on an adventure of your own?
Ultimate Adventure Travel runs small-group expeditions around the world, including:
🏔️ Everest Base Camp 🌋 Mount Kilimanjaro 🏜️ The Sahara Desert ⛰️ Mount Toubkal 🇵🇪 Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail
Visit the Ultimate Adventure Travel website to explore upcoming expeditions or get in touch directly to discuss your next adventure.
Follow The Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast
Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss future adventure stories, expedition advice and honest insights from some of the world's greatest trekking destinations.
If you enjoyed the episode, please consider leaving a review. It genuinely helps more people discover the podcast.
The truth about Queen Victoria supposedly giving away Kilimanjaro
Hans Meyer’s dangerous attempts to reach the summit
The disputed story of local guide Yohani Kinyala Lauwo
How African guides and porters made the first recorded ascent possible
Kilimanjaro’s role in the First World War
The Battle of Kilimanjaro and the East African Campaign
How the mountain passed from German to British control
Why the summit was renamed Uhuru Peak
The meaning of the Uhuru Torch
How Kilimanjaro National Park was established
Where Kilimanjaro’s modern trekking routes came from
The history of Marangu, Machame, Lemosho and the other major routes
The realities faced by modern guides and porters
Why reaching the summit is always a team achievement
Whether you have already stood at Uhuru Peak, are preparing to climb Kilimanjaro or simply want to understand one of the world’s greatest adventure mountains, this episode reveals the extraordinary history beneath every step.
To learn more about climbing Kilimanjaro with Ultimate Adventure Travel, visit:
The Golden Triangle cannot show you the whole of India, but it provides an unforgettable first chapter. It is ideal for curious travellers who want history, culture, food and adventure without needing to climb a mountain or sleep in a tent.
Ultimate Adventure Travel runs a fully organised Golden Triangle experience, taking care of the accommodation, transport, local guides and practical details while giving you the time and support to experience India properly.
If you enjoyed this episode, follow the Ultimate Adventure Travel Podcast, leave a review and share it with somebody who has always wanted to visit India.
