The Best Travel Movies And Documentaries
“What are the best Travel Documentary Movies?” We looked at 197 of the top Travel Documentary films, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 25 films, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Travel Documentary” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 150+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 25 Best Travel Documentary Movies Ever Made
25 .) Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013–2018) directed by Anthony Bourdain
Lists It Appears On:
- Fly Us Anywhere
- IMDB
- The Manual
Get a taste for the unexpected! Join world-renowned chef, bestselling author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain as he takes incredible adventures to extraordinary locations, including the Peru, Colombia and Libya.
24 .) Lawrence of Arabia directed by David Lean
Lists It Appears On:
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
The story of British officer T.E. Lawrence’s mission to aid the Arab tribes in their revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. Lawrence becomes a flamboyant, messianic figure in the cause of Arab unity but his psychological instability threatens to undermine his achievements.
23 .) Long Way Round directed by Ewan McGregor
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Ranker
- Road Affair
Having set off from London, Ewan and Charley ride their bikes cross country through some of the most beautiful, but often dangerous, terrain the world has to offer.
22 .) Samsara (2011) directed by Ron Fricke
Lists It Appears On:
- Momondo
- Road Affair
- The Best Travel Places
Samsara is a word that describes the ever turning wheel of life. It is a concept both intimate and vast – the perfect subject for filmmakers Ron Fricke and Mark Magidson, whose previous collaborations include Chronos and Baraka, and who, in the last 20 years, have travelled to over 58 countries together in the pursuit of unique imagery. Samsara takes the form of a nonverbal, guided meditation that will transform viewers in countries around the world as they are swept along a journey of the soul. Through powerful images pristinely photographed in 70mm and a dynamic music score, the film illuminates the links between humanity and the rest of the nature, showing how our life cycle mirrors the rhythm of the planet. ×
21 .) The Beach directed by Danny Boyle
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
Twenty-something Richard travels to Thailand and finds himself in possession of a strange map. Rumours state that it leads to a solitary beach paradise, a tropical bliss – excited and intrigued, he sets out to find it.
20 .) The Bucket List directed by Rob Reiner
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
Corporate billionaire Edward Cole and working class mechanic Carter Chambers are worlds apart. At a crossroads in their lives, they share a hospital room and discover they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are. Together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime, becoming friends along the way and learning to live life to the fullest, with insight and humor. ×
19 .) The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty directed by Ben Stiller
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
A timid magazine photo manager who lives life vicariously through daydreams embarks on a true-life adventure when a negative goes missing.
18 .) Tracks directed by John Curran
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
Accompanied only by her faithful dog and four camels, an Australian satisfies her craving for solitude by embarking on a solo trip across the desert from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean.
17 .) Up in the Air directed by Jason Reitman
Lists It Appears On:
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
Corporate downsizing expert Ryan Bingham spends his life in planes, airports, and hotels, but just as he’s about to reach a milestone of ten million frequent flyer miles, he meets a woman who causes him to rethink his transient life.
16 .) Vicky Cristina Barcelona directed by Woody Allen
Lists It Appears On:
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.
15 .) Wild directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
Academy Award Winner Reese Witherspoon (Walk The Line) stars in this extraordinary true story from the director of Dallas Buyers Club and based on the best-selling novel.
14 .) 180° South (2010) directed by Chris Malloy
Lists It Appears On:
- Momondo
- Ranker
- Road Affair
- Travel Triangle
The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.
13 .) A Good Year directed by Ridley Scott
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
A success-driven investment banker’s life begins to change when he travels to Provence to look after a wine estate he inherited from his late uncle, and meets a woman there who also lays claim to the property.
12 .) Before Sunrise directed by Richard Linklater
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
On his way to Vienna, American Jesse meets Céline, a student returning to Paris. After long conversations forge a surprising connection between them, Jesse convinces Celine to get off the train with him in Vienna. Since his flight to the U.S. departs the next morning and he has no money for lodging, they wander the city together, taking in the experiences of Vienna and each other.
11 .) In Bruges directed by Martin McDonagh
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
Ray and Ken, two hit men, are in Bruges, Belgium, waiting for their next mission. While they are there they have time to think and discuss their previous assignment. When the mission is revealed to Ken, it is not what he expected.
10 .) Life in a Day (2011) directed by Kevin Macdonald, Loressa Clisby
Lists It Appears On:
- Momondo
- Road Affair
- The Best Travel Places
- Travel Triangle
A documentary shot by film-makers all over the world that serves as a time capsule to show future generations what it was like to be alive on the twenty-fourth of July, 2010.
9 .) Lost In Translation directed by Sofia Coppola
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
Two lost souls visiting Tokyo – the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial – find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other’s company, away from their lives in America.
8 .) Midnight in Paris directed by Woody Allen
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
7 .) The Endless Summer (1966) directed by Bruce Brown
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Ranker
- Road Affair
- The Best Travel Places
The Endless Summer, by Bruce Brown, is one of the first and most influential surf movies of all times. The film documents American surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August as they travel the world during California’s winter (which back in 1965 was off-season for surfing) in search of the perfect wave and an endless summer.
6 .) The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) directed by Walter Salles
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Best Travel Places
“The Motorcycle Diaries” is based on the journals of Che Guevara, leader of the Cuban Revolution. In his memoirs, Guevara recounts adventures he, and best friend Alberto Granado, had while crossing South America by motorcycle in the early 1950s.
5 .) The Way directed by Emilio Estevez
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
When his son dies while hiking the famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in the Pyrenees, Tom flies to France to claim the remains. Looking for insights into his estranged child’s life, he decides to complete the 500-mile mountain trek to Spain. Tom soon joins up with other travelers and realizes they’re all searching for something.
4 .) Under The Tuscan Sun directed by Audrey Wells
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Planet D
After a rough divorce, Frances, a 35 year old book editor from San Francisco takes a tour of Tuscany at the urgings of her friends. On a whim she buys Bramasole, a run down villa in the Tuscan countryside and begins to piece her life together starting with the villa and finds that life sometimes has unexpected ways of giving her everything she wanted.
3 .) A Map for Saturday (2007) directed by Brook Silva-Braga
Lists It Appears On:
- Back Packer
- IMDB
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- Travel Triangle
On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday. “A Map for Saturday” reveals a world of long-term, solo travel through the stories of trekkers on four continents; teenagers and senior citizens who wondered, “What would it be like to travel the world?” Then did it.
2 .) Into the Wild (2007) directed by Sean Penn
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Nomadicmatt
- Road Affair
- The Best Travel Places
- The Planet D
After graduating from Emory University in 1992, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity, and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness.
1 .) Encounters at the End of the World (2007) directed by Werner Herzog
Lists It Appears On:
- Full Suitcase
- Momondo
- Ranker
- The Best Travel Places
- The Manual
- Travel Triangle
Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger go to Antarctica to meet people who live and work there, and to capture footage of the continent’s unique locations. Herzog’s voiceover narration explains that his film will not be a typical Antarctica film about “fluffy penguins”, but will explore the dreams of the people and the landscape.
The 150+ Additional Best Travel Documentary Films
| # | Movies | Directors | Lists |
| 26 | Amélie | Full Suitcase | |
| – | – | – | The Planet D |
| 27 | An Idiot Abroad (2010–2012) | Karl Pilkington | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Ranker |
| 28 | Baraka (1992) | Road Affair | |
| – | – | – | Travel Triangle |
| 29 | Eurotrip | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 30 | Everest | Ranker | |
| – | – | – | The Planet D |
| 31 | Hit the Road: India (2013) | Road Affair | |
| – | – | – | Travel Triangle |
| 32 | Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father (2017– ) | Jack Whitehall | IMDB |
| – | – | – | The Manual |
| 33 | Long Way Down | Ranker | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 34 | Lord of the Rings | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | The Planet D |
| 35 | Madventures | Tuomas Milonoff | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Ranker |
| 36 | Monsoon Wedding | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 37 | Nowhere in Africa | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 38 | One Week | Road Affair | |
| – | – | – | The Planet D |
| 39 | Out of Africa | Full Suitcase | |
| – | – | – | The Planet D |
| 40 | Rick Steves’ Europe (2000–2018) | Rick Steves | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Ranker |
| 41 | Sahara with Michael Palin (2002) | Ranker | |
| – | – | – | Travel Triangle |
| 42 | Seven Years in Tibet | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 43 | The Darjeeling Limited | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 44 | The Way Back | Full Suitcase | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 45 | Thelma and Louise | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 46 | Under an Arctic Sky (2017) | Chris Burkard | IMDB |
| – | – | – | The Manual |
| 47 | Whale Rider | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 48 | Wild China | Ranker | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 49 | Y Tu Mama También | Nomadicmatt | |
| – | – | – | Road Affair |
| 50 | Aerial America (2010– ) | Jim Conrad | IMDB |
| 51 | Afghanistan – touch down in flight | Back Packer | |
| 52 | Another State of Mind (1984) | Adam Small | IMDB |
| 53 | Antarctic Edge: 70 Degrees South (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 54 | Antarctica: A Year on Ice (2013) | Travel Triangle | |
| 55 | Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations | Ranker | |
| 56 | Any Indiana Jones | Nomadicmatt | |
| 57 | Around the World in 80 Days (1989) | Travel Triangle | |
| 58 | Around the World in 80 Treasures | Ranker | |
| 59 | Austin to Boston (2014) | Travel Triangle | |
| 60 | Australia | The Planet D | |
| 61 | Away We Go | Road Affair | |
| 62 | Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | The Planet D | |
| 63 | Best Worst Movie (2009) | Michael Paul Stephenson | IMDB |
| 64 | Between Home | Back Packer | |
| 65 | Black Panther | The Planet D | |
| 66 | Blindsight (2006) | The Best Travel Places | |
| 67 | Bound By Movement (2019) | Jesse La Flair | IMDB |
| 68 | Break Free: Two People, Two Years, One Dream (2019) | Lena Wendt | IMDB |
| 69 | By Any Means | Ranker | |
| 70 | California’s Gold (1991–2012) | Huell Howser | IMDB |
| 71 | Cartel Land (2015) | Matthew Heineman | IMDB |
| 72 | Casey Neistat Vlog (2015– ) | Casey Neistat | IMDB |
| 73 | Chasing Ice | Ranker | |
| 74 | Chef’s Table (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 75 | Craigslist Joe357 Magnumm | Ranker | |
| 76 | Crocodile Dundee | Nomadicmatt | |
| 77 | Cruising with Jane McDonald (2017– ) | Jane McDonald | IMDB |
| 78 | Darjeeling Limited | The Planet D | |
| 79 | Dark Tourist (2018– ) | David Farrier | IMDB |
| 80 | Departures (2008– ) | Scott Wilson | IMDB |
| 81 | Disney ParksAlex Pels | Ranker | |
| 82 | Don’t Tell My Mother | Ranker | |
| 83 | Easy Rider | Road Affair | |
| 84 | Eat Pray Love | Road Affair | |
| 85 | Edgeplay (2004) | Victory Tischler-Blue | IMDB |
| 86 | Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement (2009) | Susan Muska | IMDB |
| 87 | Educating Julie (1984) | Gail Hardman | IMDB |
| 88 | Festival Express (2003) | Bob Smeaton | IMDB |
| 89 | Finding Vivian Maier (2013) | John Maloof | IMDB |
| 90 | Flight of the Butterflies | Ranker | |
| 91 | Flying with Vultures | Back Packer | |
| 92 | Forgive – Don’t Forget (2018) | Brad J. Bennett | IMDB |
| 93 | French Kiss | The Planet D | |
| 94 | Frozen Planet (2011) | Travel Triangle | |
| 95 | Full Circle With Michael Palin | Ranker | |
| 96 | Gaycation (2016– ) | Ian Daniel | IMDB |
| 97 | Getaway (1992– ) | Catriona Rowntree | IMDB |
| 98 | Ghost Adventures | Ranker | |
| 99 | Grand Budapest Hotel | The Planet D | |
| 100 | Half A World Away | Back Packer | |
| 101 | Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010) | Momondo | |
| 102 | Hector and the Search for Happiness | Road Affair | |
| 103 | Himalaya With Michael Palin | Ranker | |
| 104 | Human Planet (2011) | The Best Travel Places | |
| 105 | I’ll Have What Phil’s Having (2015– ) | Philip Rosenthal | IMDB |
| 106 | In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) | David Sington | IMDB |
| 107 | Indiana Jones Series | Road Affair | |
| 108 | Italy Unpacked (2013– ) | Andrew Graham-Dixon | IMDB |
| 109 | Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) | Momondo | |
| 110 | Julie and Julia | The Planet D | |
| 111 | Jumbo Wild (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 112 | K2: Siren of the Himalayas (2012) | Travel Triangle | |
| 113 | Karl Meltzer: Made to Be Broken (2017) | The Manual | |
| 114 | Kon-Tiki (1950) | Thor Heyerdahl | IMDB |
| 115 | Last Holiday | The Planet D | |
| 116 | Last Train Home (2009) | Lixin Fan | IMDB |
| 117 | Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (1976) | Peter Clifton | IMDB |
| 118 |
Lewis & Clark – The Journey of the Corps of DiscoveryMatthew Broderick, Sam Waterston, Hal Holbrook
|
Ranker | |
| 119 | Life (2009) | Oprah Winfrey | IMDB |
| 120 | Losing Sight of Shore (2017) | The Manual | |
| 121 | Love Madrid | Back Packer | |
| 122 | Made In Iceland | Back Packer | |
| 123 | Maidentrip | Ranker | |
| 124 | Man Shops Globe | Ranker | |
| 125 | Marley Africa Road Trip | Ranker | |
| 126 | Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days | Ranker | |
| 127 | Michael Palin’s Hemingway AdventureMichael Palin | Ranker | |
| 128 | Michael Palin’s New Europe | Ranker | |
| 129 | Mile… Mile and a Half | Ranker | |
| 130 | Motorcycle Diaries | The Planet D | |
| 131 | Mountain (2017) | The Manual | |
| 132 | My Best Fiend (1999) | Werner Herzog | IMDB |
| 133 | My Life in Ruins | The Planet D | |
| 134 | National Parks Adventure (2016) | The Manual | |
| 135 | Newtown (2016) | Kim A. Snyder | IMDB |
| 136 | On Hannibal’s Trail | Ranker | |
| 137 | On the Road | Road Affair | |
| 138 | Once Upon a Time in Mexico, El Mariachi, Desperado | The Planet D | |
| 139 |
Passport to Europe: England, Ireland & ScotlandSamantha Brown
|
Ranker | |
| 140 | Passport to Europe: France & Italy | Ranker | |
| 141 | Passport to Europe: Germany, Switzerland & Austria | Ranker | |
| 142 | Passport to Europe: Seven Fabulous Cities | Ranker | |
| 143 | Pedal the World (2015) | The Manual | |
| 144 | Planes Trains and Automobiles | The Planet D | |
| 145 | Planet Earth | Road Affair | |
| 146 | Pole to Pole | Ranker | |
| 147 | Priscilla, Queen of the Desert | Nomadicmatt | |
| 148 | Raider’s of the Lost Ark | The Planet D | |
| 149 |
Rick Steves: European Travel Skills and Specials 2000-2009Rick Steves
|
Ranker | |
| 150 | Riding Solo to the Top of the World | Road Affair | |
| 151 | Romancing the Stone | The Planet D | |
| 152 | Sacred Planet (2004) | Travel Triangle | |
| 153 | Salam Neighbor (2016) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 154 | Salesman (1969) | Albert Maysles | IMDB |
| 155 | Sanrachna (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 156 | Scam City (2012– ) | Conor Woodman | IMDB |
| 157 | Scotland Revealed | Ranker | |
| 158 | Secret Life of Walter Mitty | The Planet D | |
| 159 | Sex on the Border (1999) | Gary Schmad | IMDB |
| 160 | Sideways | The Planet D | |
| 161 | Slumdog Millionaire | The Planet D | |
| 162 | South Pacific (2009) | The Best Travel Places | |
| 163 | Stephen Fry in America (2008) | The Best Travel Places | |
| 164 | Survivorman | Ranker | |
| 165 | Tales by Light (2015-Present) | The Manual | |
| 166 | The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert | Road Affair | |
| 167 | The Art of Travel | Road Affair | |
| 168 | The Beatles Anthology (1995– ) | Paul McCartney | IMDB |
| 169 | The Dawn Wall (2017) | The Manual | |
| 170 | The Drifter | Ranker | |
| 171 | The Edge of Never (2009) | Travel Triangle | |
| 172 |
The Edge of NeverGlen Plake, Kye Petersen, Trevor Petersen
|
Ranker | |
| 173 | The Endless Summer 2 (1994) | Bruce Brown | IMDB |
| 174 | The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden (2013) | Daniel Geller | IMDB |
| 175 | The Green Book: Guide to Freedom (2019 TV Movie) | Yoruba Richen | IMDB |
| 176 | The Hangover 2 | The Planet D | |
| 177 | The Kindness Diaries (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 178 | The Layover (2011–2013) | Anthony Bourdain | IMDB |
| 179 | The Legend of Tarzan | The Planet D | |
| 180 | The Maidentrip (2013) | Travel Triangle | |
| 181 | The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan (2018– ) | Romesh Ranganathan | IMDB |
| 182 | The Mountain | Back Packer | |
| 183 |
The National Parks: America’s Best IdeaTom Hanks, John Lithgow, George Takei
|
Ranker | |
| 184 | The PUSH: Owning your reality is where the journey begins (2018) | Grant Korgan | IMDB |
| 185 | The Road Within | Road Affair | |
| 186 | The Tourist | The Planet D | |
| 187 | The Trip to Italy | Road Affair | |
| 188 | The Ultimate Waterman (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 189 | The War Room (1993) | Chris Hegedus | IMDB |
| 190 | The Yukon Assignment (2018) | Chris Lucas | IMDB |
| 191 | Unbranded (2015) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 192 | Up | Road Affair | |
| 193 | Vague Direction | Ranker | |
| 194 | Wild Australia (2016) | Fly Us Anywhere | |
| 195 | Wild Man Blues (1997) | Barbara Kopple | IMDB |
| 196 | Word Travels | Ranker | |
| 197 | World’s Fastest Indian | The Planet D |
12 Best Travel Documentary Film Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| Back Packer | 7 Great Free Travel Documentary Films |
| Fly Us Anywhere | 10 Best Travel Documentaries To Watch In 2018 |
| Full Suitcase | 20 Best Travel Movies That Will Inspire Your Wanderlust |
| IMDB | IMDb: Documentary, travel (Sorted by Popularity Ascending) |
| Momondo | 7 documentaries that will make you want to travel |
| Nomadicmatt | The Best Travel Movies of 2018: My Current List of Favorites |
| Ranker | The Best Documentaries About Traveling |
| Road Affair | 50 Best Travel Movies Of All Time |
| The Best Travel Places | Travel documentaries to inspire you for you next journey |
| The Manual | Best Travel and Adventure Documentaries on Netflix Right Now |
| The Planet D | 47 Best Travel Movies to Inspire Wanderlust 2019 |
| Travel Triangle | 15 Travel Documentaries That Will Inspire You To Travel |
