This is the ultimate list of the best travel movies that you must watch. The travel films listed below are all worth watching in these testing times of the global pandemic and several lockdowns. They are some of the best wanderlust movies that will inspire you.
This is not an ordinary blog post with a bunch of travel movies that are regularly and repeatedly recommended by everyone. I have researched and watched travel movies for months and then selected the best movies about adventure and travel, particularly the ones showing untouched landscapes. Most of them show such locations where the majority of you won’t go in this lifetime.
First I have listed the top 13 best travel movies, which have intensely different locations and unseen landscapes. Then I have the best travel movies from the ’90s, followed by amusing nature-related Netflix documentaries and some other random travel movies. In the end, I have mentioned my 3 favourite Bollywood travel movies.
TOP 13 TRAVEL MOVIES THAT YOU MUST WATCH
You must and I insist, YOU MUST, watch these top travel movies. You may or may not watch the others listed later on in this blogpost, depending on your schedule. But these top 13, you have to watch, otherwise, I may haunt you in your dreams (just kidding).
- Into the Wild
- A Map for Saturday
- Samsara
- Riding Solo to the top of the World
- Tracks
- Touching the Void
- The Climb
- Encounters at the End of the World
- Into the Cold: A Journey of the Soul
- Amelie
- Hit the Road: India
- Tanna
- Midsommar
Into the Wild
I think every best travel movies list should start with this movie- Into the Wild. This movie is a true story of a young guy named Christopher McCandless, who inspired by nature and wilderness, begins his remarkable journey towards the north. It is based on a book written by Jon Krakauer. Christopher gives up his home, his possessions and also his name, right after he graduates from college.
He hitchhikes across America, to embark on his great Alaskan adventure. On the way, he meets many strangers and changes many lives. Somewhere along the way he too changes as a person. He makes his way across beautiful American landscapes and national parks. But his real adventures start in the wilderness at Stampede trail in Alaska, where he lives inside a Trail Bus. There are a few tragic incidents in the movie which made me cry. But in spirit, the movie is all about celebrating life.
The trail bus in Alaska at Stampede Trail, hosted numerous voyagers, until it was removed on 22nd June 2020.
A Map for Saturday
According to this film “When you are travelling around the world every day is a Saturday” The film is about long term solo travel and its challenges. The reason why this the best travel movie of all time, is the way filmmakers have shown the ups and downs a long term solo traveller goes through. The film follows the journeys of trekkers and backpackers on four different continents. In the film, teenagers and seniors dream – “What would it be like to travel the world?” and then just go ahead and do it!
Samsara
Have you always dreamed of a world tour? Yes, or No, either way, you need to watch this movie. The filmmakers shot this movie for over 5 years, on 5 continents and in 25 locations around the world. What’s more this global tour is non-narrative film. It has no purposely written storyline. Just the immersive experience of the locations all around the world. This film is a squeal to the award-winning 1992 film called “Baraka” (mentioned below in the ’90s section). This one is a 2011 film, do not confuse it with other ones, which may have the same name. “Samsara” means – the cycle of death and rebirth. This is one of the very few world travel movies.
Riding Solo to the top of the world
Gaurav Jani has shot this film single-handedly. Riding Solo to the Top of the World is a film which is one of its kind. This journey of Gaurav Jani from Mumbai to Changthang Plateau in Ladakh will leave you speechless. Jani just loads his equipment and supplies on his Royal Enfield Bullet Motorcycle. And the journey is through one of the most difficult terrains in the world. The scenic landscape will never leave you until the very end of the movie.
Tracks
Based on the true story of Robyn Davidson of Australia, this film will leave you astounded. Due to her love for the Australian landscape, Robyn begins a journey from Alice Springs to the Indian ocean. She travels across the Australian desert with 4 camels and her dog. Apart from the scorching heat of the desert, she has to take protect herself and her animals from the poisonous snakes of the desert. This film is one of the few inspiring travel movies.
Alone she cares for the injuries of her camels and searches for her camels when they wander. Along the way, she meets some people from the indigenous communities that live in the Australian deserts. These deserts are less visited and often ignored part of the Australian landscape. Tracks is the most courageous journey of a woman across 2700 km or 1700 miles of the stark desert. This movie was inspired by the book Tracks. It was attempted 5 times in the late ’90s, with no success. Finally, the movie was released in 2013.
Touching the Void
Hola, mountaineers and mountain lovers! This movie is about an adventurous climb in Peru. Simon Yates and Joe Simpson climb the west face of Mount Siula Grande. They reach the summit safely, but while returning the weather worsens and a powerful storm develops. Meanwhile, Simpson has a badly broken leg, which makes it very difficult for him to climb down in this condition.
They try out a self-rescue mission, but things go wrong. Simpson ends up in a deep crevice. Yates thinking that he is dead proceeds to the base camp. Simpson later crawls to the camp with his broken leg. The movie depicts the natures force, and how we stand no chance against it. It also shows how life and death change fast in the mountains. But more than that, it has a story of miraculous survival in extreme conditions. According to the Guardian this is “The most successful documentary in British cinema history.” It is based on a true story. You can also read it if you prefer books over movies.
The Climb
An unemployed guy from a Parisian hood sets out to climb the Mount Everest, to prove his worth to the girl he loves. “For you, I would climb the Everest!” he says. With little prior experience in mountaineering, Samy immediately runs out of breath while walking from the airport to his hostel. While he keeps moving forward, his friends and the entire hood is following his journey from Paris. The Himalayan landscape combined with this love story and some cringy yet funny punch lines, make this movie the best French travel movie ever. It is inspired by Nadir Dendoune who was the first French-Algerian to climb the Everest in 2008. This is a 2017 film, don’t confuse it with other movies by the same name.
Encounters at the end of the World
Would you like to see Antarctica? If yes you are going to love this movie, which is shot entirely in Antarctica. Rather than making it just about cute penguins, the makers decide to meet the humans who live and work in Antarctica. The awe-inspiring landscapes of snow and ice, are combined with interviews with such workers living in Antarctica. The makers interview several people like geologists, volcanologists, zoologists and even the support and maintenance staff. They also shot inside the tunnels made of snow and ice. A place where numerous relics and keepsakes are frozen forever, in the cold and dry atmosphere. Every shot of the movie gave me a hair raising experience.
Into the Cold: A Journey of the Soul
After seeing the South Pole of the continent in the above-mentioned movie, now its time for you to watch a travel film from the North Pole. This is a journey of two men walking more than 645 km (400 miles) in below-freezing temperatures. The film also draws attention to the rapidly melting polar ice cap. Such expeditions many become impossible in the future. The number of people who have walked to the North pole in the last century is below 150. This walk which requires extremely high levels of commitment and endurance is considered as the toughest expedition by experts. In this movie, you get to witness the landscape that is rapidly vanishing and untouched.
Amelie
Paris lovers will love this movie. And if you haven’t visited Paris yet, then you will book a flight as soon as you can, after you watch this! This story revolves around a dreamy young girl named Amelie, who lives in Montmarte in Pairs. She is a waitress who takes pride in helping people find happiness in their lives. Somewhere along the way, she finds her true love. The movie is full of European charm and Parisian monuments.
Hit the Road: India
This is the best travel documentary film shot in India. It is about a rickshaw challenge between two friends. The goal is to take a rickshaw from Mumbai city to Chennai in South India. And the route goes across numerous cities, villages and mountain passes in the Western Ghats of Sahyadris, in India. On the way, they encounter numerous challenges like when rickshaw breaks down and how they get it repaired. Lonely Planet calls this as “One of the top 10 greatest adventures in 2012.”
PS: Personally, I am in love forever with the Sahyadri mountains, because they are the closest to my home in Pune city.
Tanna
This movie shows the lesser-known Tanna island of Vanuatu country. It is a tribal love story, where two lovers Wawa and Dain decide to marry for their love of each other. It is based on a true story. The tribesmen do no approve of love marriages because only parents can arrange marriages. Despite numerous challenges, their love for each other continues. The volcanoes shown in the movie near the village of Yakel are still active, and a popular tourist spot. The tribals continue to follow their traditional ways. But now they have a place for love marriages within their tradition. The unique concept of adding the love story and the tribal culture of Tanna island, to the impressive otherworldly landscape of Vanuatu, make together a beautiful movie worth watching.
Midsommar
Midsommar is a horror film which explores the ancient Swedish traditions. The trip begins with Dani and her issues due to the suicide committed by her sister. Dani’s boyfriend, Christian and his friends are invited to the Midsummer celebrations which happen once in 90 years. And Dani joins the groups and they all go to Sweden. Things start getting serious, as the festival progresses. Dani and the group are horrified when they see two communal leaders jumping off the cliff, committing suicide as part of a sacrifice.
It is later revealed that the festival requires 9 human sacrifices. Out of this, 4 have been the commune members and 4 have been outsiders – Christian’s friends. Now Dany is made to choose who would be the 9th sacrifice, her boyfriend Christian or a commune member. The film itself is a sordid affair, which will leave a bad taste in your mouth. But it is here on this list, as it explores a weird culture of making human sacrifices in order to ward off evil for the whole community.
Best Travel Movies from the ’90s
- 7 years in Tibet – This is an interesting movie of a 2 Germans who spend 7 years in Tibet, especially during the time when China took over the country. The Tibetan culture with war history, make it an interesting watch.
- Baraka – This is a prequel to the movie Samsara mentioned above. It is similar to it with non-narrative footage of places around the world.
- The Endless Summer – This movie is about a surfing adventure around the world in search of the perfect wave.
- The Darien Gap – In this movie a guy hitchhikes across central America until he comes across the Darien gap. The Darien Gap is a gigantic swamp in central America.
My Favourite Travel Documentaries on Netflix
These documentaries are similar to the travel TV series we used to watch on the National Geographic channel as ’90s kids. The only difference is new technology, which gives better insights into the wonders of this world.
- Our Planet: This is my personal favourite. It covers varied landscapes and animals, and the narrativeis very interesting.
- Night on Earth: Using modern technology like infrared cameras unique footage is captured during the night on our planet.
Other Travel Movies
These are the travel movies which didn’t make it on the lists above but are worth watching.
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- 180 degree south
- Una Noche
- The Motorcycle Diaries
- Whale Rider
- Wild
- The Way
- Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight trilogy
- The trip series
- Midnight in Paris
- Italy: Love it, or Leave it
Best Travel Movies in Bollywood
Bollywood despite being a huge industry has only a few travel movies which are the finest. Being an Indian, I am a person greatly inspired by Bollywood or Hindi movies. These are some of the timeless travel movies from Bollywood:
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
This is unarguably the best travel movie by Bollywood. Originally made in Hindi, it was translated to numerous other languages worldwide. The story revolves around three friends who had made a pact in high school. The pact is that every person has to try out the adventure, that one of them chooses. And eventually, get over their fears. For this Arjun, Kabir and Imran, go to Spain. In the course of the journey, the three friends find clarity in their respective lives and relationships. The drama and comedy are supplemented beautifully by the Spanish landscapes. This movie has inspired many teenagers and adults to plan their group trips to Spain.
Queen
Queen is the story of a girl named Rani. Rani is all set to get married to the love of her life. But her fiance calls out of the wedding at the last moment. She decides that she will complete her dream journey of visiting Paris and the Eiffel Tower alone. The story goes through Paris and Amsterdam. On her way, Rani meets many strangers and makes some new friends. In the end, her fiance, comes back, realising his mistake, and tries to patch up with her. Queen is a story of a girl, who breaks the rules set by society and goes on her honeymoon alone. This film is the first and the only film in Indian Bollywood, which showcases Solo Female Travel.
Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
This movie is a dramatic love story, where the guy has to choose between his dream of travelling and settling down with a girl he loves. Kabir is a guy who wants to travel all over the world. He meets Naina, an awkward teenager on a trekking trip. They both share a few adventures and moments. In the backdrop are the beautiful mountains of the Indian Himalayas. After the trek, they get separated and Kabir goes on to complete his dreams of travelling around Europe and beyond. After a few years, Naina who is a doctor now meets Kabir at their friend’s wedding in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Into the wild, A Map for Saturday, Samsara, Riding Solo to the top of the World, Touching the Void, The Climb, Encounters at the End of the World, Into the Cold: A Journey of the Soul, Tracks, Hit the Road India, Amelie.
7 years in Tibet, Baraka, The Darien Gap, The endless Summer.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Queen, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani.
So these were some travel movies which I found interesting and worth my time. If your favourite travel movie wasn’t mentioned above, please mention it in the comments below! I will watch it and then maybe include it above.
