Jude Kriwald Alone Across Gola – A Solo Cycle Through West Africa’s Rainforest

🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank youWhat happens when you walk for days through some of the most remote jungle on Earth — and stumble across a cave covered floor to ceiling in ancient drawings that no outsider has ever documented? In this Season 5 episode, Chris sits down with Joe Trevorrow, former Royal Navy sailor turned expedition guide with The Wild Tales — an indigenous-led adventure company operating deep in Guyana's interior — to unpack three extraordinary expeditions into barely explored territory.Alongside the on-the-ground stories (rapids, sand flies, night terrors in hammocks, and jaguar tracks beside your sleeping spot), Joe shares how The Wild Tales partners with indigenous communities — the Wai Wai, Patamona, and others — to create sustainable tourism that preserves ancient sites and dying traditions. We discuss the complex tribal history of Guyana's nine indigenous nations, how a Tomb Raider game sparked a life-changing decision, and what the jungle teaches you when you stop fighting it.Chapters:00:00 A Hidden Cave in Guyana's Jungle01:07 Meet Joe Trevorrow: Royal Navy to Rainforest05:30 Joining the Navy and Travelling the World at 2007:56 How a Tomb Raider Game Led to Guyana Expeditions11:33 How Indigenous-Led Expedition Tourism Works16:45 The River of Death: Paddling the Cassai Chi20:09 Undocumented Petroglyphs Along the Riverbank24:18 Welcome to Masakenari: The Most Remote Village29:30 Tourism as a Lifeline: Keeping Traditions Alive32:40 Don't Fight the Jungle: Lessons the Hard Way35:21 Sitting Under the Milky Way on the River of Death38:10 Night Terrors: The Scariest Night in the Jungle40:12 Makarapan Mountain: 3.5 Billion Years Old46:00 The Mystery Pots Nobody Can Explain55:12 The Cave Expedition: 45km Through Patamona Territory01:03:21 Ancient Drawings That Left Everyone Speechless01:12:00 Conservation: Keeping Sites Secret vs Raising Awareness01:17:49 Future Expeditions and What's Next for The Wild Tales01:23:17 Pay It Forward and Call to AdventureWhat You'll LearnWhat the "River of Death" actually means — and the disease theory behind its nameHow indigenous-led expedition tourism works (and why it matters)Why two enormous pots were found near the summit of a 3.5 billion year old mountain — and nobody can explain how they got thereWhat it feels like to walk into an ancient cave and see drawings no outsider has recordedThe leadership lesson Joe learned — and why "Navy mode" doesn't work in the jungleWhat The Wild Tales has planned for 2026–2027Connect with Joe & The Wild TalesJoe Trevorrow InstagramThe Wild Tales: https://www.thewildtales.comAnders Anderson episode (S3): Adventure Diaries back cataSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.Chris sits down with Brazilian conservation biologist Letícia Benavalli to talk about her work protecting jaguars in the Cerrado — one of the world's most biodiverse yet overlooked biomes. From growing up in São Paulo to founding the Pro Onça Institute, Letícia shares how a childhood fascination with nature led her to track some of the rarest cats on the planet, including melanistic (black) jaguars. She also opens up about the importance of community-led conservation, empowering women and young people in rural Brazil, and her ambition to create wildlife corridors connecting isolated jaguar populations across biomes.Chapters00:00 Tracking Melanistic Jaguars 04:43 From City Life to Conservation Biologist 07:10 The Cerrado: Saving Brazil's Biodiverse Savanna 14:47 Learnings from Oxford University & African Wild 22:53 Rare Black Jaguar Encounter in the Wild 27:07 Survival Story: Lost Alone in the Brazilian Jungle 36:38 Jaguar Hunting Threats & Landowner Conflicts 40:58 Pro Onça Institute: Conservation & Community Empowerment 47:02 Women Leadership in Ecotourism 1:00 Urban Jaguars in Brasília National Park 1:06 Rolex Explorers Club Grant & Future Goals 1:14 Call to Adventure: Climbing Brazil's Serra do CipóGuest BioLetícia Benavalli is a conservation biologist and founder of the Onça Institute (Instituto Onça), an NGO dedicated to jaguar conservation in Brazil's Cerrado and Atlantic Forest. She has worked across multiple Brazilian biomes — including the Pantanal, Caatinga, and Amazon — studying large carnivores and developing community-based conservation programmes. Letícia is a Rolex/Explorers Club grant recipient and a member of the IUCN's Wildlife Conservation and Protected Areas group. She presented her research at the Explorers Club in New York and is preparing a PhD focused on jaguar density, diet, and the genetics of melanistic jaguars in the Cerrado.Key Topics DiscussedGrowing up in São Paulo & finding conservation — How a city kid from Latin America's largest metropolis ended up dedicating her life to wildlife, sparked by a childhood visit to the zoo and a love of nature documentaries.The Cerrado: Brazil's forgotten biome — Why this vast savanna is critically important for biodiversity but receives far less attention and protection than the Amazon or Pantanal.Black jaguars and the Onça Institute — Letícia's face-to-face encounter with a wild melanistic jaguar, the rare genetics behind black colouration, and the founding mission of her NGO to connect isolated jaguar populations.Community-led conservation & empowering women — Why conservation cannot succeed without involving local and rural communities, particularly women and young people, and how traditional knowledge strengthens scientific work.The Rolex/Explorers Club grant & global ambitions — Winning the graSend a text Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content. Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.Ricardo Kaljouw is a Dutch adventurer and mountaineer from Flushing (Vlissingen) in Zeeland, Netherlands — a province that sits below sea level, making his obsession with the world's highest volcanoes all the more fitting. By day he works in military shipbuilding, constructing frigates for governments around the world. By adventure, he has just become the first person from the Benelux to complete the Volcanic 7 Summits — a challenge so rare that only around 68 people in the world have ever achieved it.Chapters00:00 – Introduction: A Dangerous Encounter01:28 – Welcome to The Adventure Diaries01:50 – Meet Ricardo Kaljouw: Volcanic Seven Summits04:35 – Growing Up Below Sea Level06:39 – Navy Life: Battling Pirates in Somalia09:13 – Inspiration: Climbing Kilimanjaro12:16 – Inside the Crater: Virunga's Lava Lake17:19 – Mount Damavand: Winter Climbing in Iran23:41 – Mountaineering Lessons: Snow Blindness28:04 – Papua New Guinea: Jungle Trekking Challenges31:49 – Close Call: Mistaken for a Witch33:07 – Survival Story: Stranded on Ojos del Salado41:00 – Romance on the Peak: Pico de Orizaba42:33 – Antarctica: The Ultimate Expedition45:40 – Landing on the Frozen Continent1:00:25 – Summiting Mount Sidley: A Historic Feat1:13:26 – What's Next: The Volcanic Grand Slam1:17:16 – Book Launch: A Million Steps on LavaKey Topics CoveredGrowing up in the flattest country on earth and joining a walking club as a kidServing in the Royal Dutch Navy, including an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden in 2010How a safari to Kenya and a first glimpse of Kilimanjaro sparked a lifelong obsessionThe Virunga documentary that sent him to the Democratic Republic of Congo — and sleeping on the rim of Nyiragongo, home to the world's largest lava lakeClimbing Damavand (Iran) in winter and going snow blind on the descentSurviving near-starvation and a machete encounter in the jungles of Papua New GuineaGetting stranded alone at 6,600m on Ojos del Salado (Chile/Argentina) in whiteout conditionsMount Elbrus (Russia, 2017) — his first experience on glaciers, roped teams and cramponsCarrying his proposal ring to the summit of Pico de Orizaba (Mexico) and the Aztec legend behind itThe full Antarctica chapter — flying to Union Glacier, a 1,000km internal flight to Mount Sidley, two weeks in a 10-metre safe zone, a guide evacuated with pulmonary oedema, and a last-gasp summit window in minus 42°CReflecting on what it means to finish a multi-year, multi-continent challengeLessons from the MountainsYou're only at 70% when you think you're at 100% — but know where the real limit isThe descent is where most accidents happen; the summit is only halfwayAlways use your equipmeSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

🎧 Follow the show here— it really helps Adventure Diaries reach more listeners. Thank you.What does it actually feel like to sleep alone in a West African rainforest — the noise, the insects, the pitch-dark uncertainty? In this Season 5 opener, Chris sits down with Jude Kriwald, adventure filmmaker and cyclist, to unpack Alone Across Gola — Jude’s solo ride across West Africa, including a remote jungle crossing in Liberia/Sierra Leone’s Gola region.Connect with Jude Book Jude For Your Next Event:  https://JudeKriwald.com/Speaking Follow On Insta: https://www.instagram.com/judekriwaldNeed Mentoring?  AdventureMentor.org Alongside the on-the-ground stories (heat, hydration, kit failures, and a few genuinely sketchy moments), Jude shares a thoughtful take on neurodivergence (autism + ADHD), why “analogue adventures” matter, and how we can build a life that’s more honest to who we are.What You’ll LearnWhat jungle nights are really like — and why the soundscape is unforgettableHow Jude manages risk when travelling solo (and what satellite SOS can’t solve)Why ADHD/autism traits can be powerful outdoors: hyperfocus, pattern-spotting, rapid problem-solvingThe “stepping stone” approach to confidence and route planningWhy rest days aren’t optional on long bike tripsChapters:00:00 Exploring the Unknown: A Journey into the African Rainforest01:45 The Call of Adventure: Jude's Formative Years06:49 The First Big Expedition: Cycling to India11:58 Navigating Life's Gaps: The Lost Decade17:34 Harnessing Neurodivergence: ADHD and Autism as Superpowers22:45 Adventure Mentoring: Leveling the Playing Field28:26 West Africa: A New Frontier for Exploration29:44 Exploring the Unknown: Journey to West Africa31:19 First Night in the Jungle: A Personal Experience34:59 Planning and Preparation: The Adventurer's Mindset36:30 Camping and Rest: Balancing Adventure and Recovery38:05 The Trusty Bike: A Companion on the Journey41:29 Hydration and Health: Navigating the Jungle's Challenges43:46 Self-Reliance and Communication: The Importance of Preparedness47:16 Cultural Interactions: Bridging the Gap51:19 Understanding Poverty: A Lesson in Empathy54:29 The Gola Rainforest: An Adventurer's Discovery57:25 Navigating the Unknown: The Adventure of Exploration58:37 The Art of Filmmaking: A Journey into Storytelling01:02:54 Reflections on Courage: The Impact of Adventure01:05:31 Creating a Platform: The Power of Sharing Stories01:08:14 Paying It Forward: Supporting Future Adventurers01:12:25 Embracing Analog Adventures: A Call to DisconnectSend us Fan Mail Support the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

Listen Now: AdventureDiaries.com/StoryReaching the North Pole wasn’t just about distance—it was about whose work could survive the ice. For over 20 years, Matthew Henson led expeditions where others failed, mastering indigenous travel and keeping teams alive through the harshest conditions on Earth. Yet when history was written, his role was reduced to the margins. This is the story of how polar exploration actually functioned, and why recognition followed authority rather than effort.Listen to the full immersive story of Matthew Henson in our premiere episode of the Adventure Diaries Exploration series.👉 Listen now: AdventureDiaries.com/StorySend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

Support the Show: Join the new Patreon for exclusive after-shows, extended newsrooms, immersive short stories and meetups at adventurediaries.com/goIn this highlight reel from the Adventure Diaries Podcast, Chris W. revisits his conversation with explorer Katharina Kneip. Katharina shares the harrowing story of hitchhiking on a French sailboat to cross from Iceland to Newfoundland, battling 50-knot winds and ice in one of the most remote regions on Earth. She also discusses life under the eternal sun of Svalbard, camping near existing settlements to stay safe from polar bears, and offers a grounding "Call to Adventure" that encourages everyone to find exploration simply by walking out their front door.FULL Episode With Katharina Timestamped Chapters00:00 - The Danger of Sailing: Hitchhiking from Iceland to Newfoundland05:14 - Svalbard's Eternal Sun and Polar Bear Safety07:01 - Comparing the Rough Beauty of Iceland vs. Svalbard08:29 - Call to Adventure: The Simple Power of Walking10:51 - Season 5 Launch Updates & Patreon SupportSend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

Support the Show: Join the new Patreon for exclusive after-shows, extended newsrooms, immersive short stories and meetups at adventurediaries.com/goIn this highlights episode, we revisit an inspiring conversation with Georgia Barker, who is on a mission to make birdwatching cool again. Georgia takes us back to her unconventional childhood growing up on a goat farm in Essex, complete with goat funerals and walking them on leads. She shares the pivotal moment she realized a standard office job wasn't for her—fearing that a two-week annual holiday was the only thing to look forward to—which spurred a one-way ticket to Australia.Full Episode with GeorgiaFrom working in rough Outback pubs to terrifying whitewater rafting adventures in Victoria Falls, Georgia recounts the transformative experiences of her travels. She also discusses her "Happiness Project," where she collected definitions of happiness from strangers, and reveals the quiet epiphany she had in a bird hide that changed her perspective on nature and life. Finally, Georgia shares her simple "Call to Adventure" for anyone looking to reconnect with the outdoors.Timestamped Chapters00:00 - Growing Up with Goats02:50 - The Fear of a Two-Week Holiday04:29 - Working in the Outback06:52 - Rafting Victoria Falls08:59 - The Happiness Project11:31 - Birdwatching Epiphany12:31 - Call to AdventureSend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

Support the Show: Join the new Patreon for exclusive after-shows, extended newsrooms, immersive short stories and meetups at adventurediaries.com/goIn this highlight episode of the Adventure Diaries Podcast, we revisit the incredible journey of Ollie Treviso, who walked the entire length of the Andes—from Patagonia to Venezuela.FULL EPISODE with OllieOllie shares unforgettable moments from his expedition, including sailing across the Atlantic in a dilapidated boat, surviving a terrifying fall into a gorge, and experiencing the vast solitude of the salt flats. He also reflects on the surprising kindness he encountered at dangerous borders and the joy of being joined by locals for the final leg of his walk. The episode wraps up with Ollie’s "Call to Adventure," inspiring listeners to disconnect and experience the outdoors with a wild damp.Chapters00:00 Sailing the Atlantic01:55 The Fall03:31 Salt Flats05:45 Border Kindness08:12 Walking with People09:15 Call to Adventure09:54 Outro & Patreon UpdatesSend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

Click Here > Join the Adventure in UgandaJoin us for the adventure of a lifetime! We are opening up limited spaces for listeners to come along on our upcoming 11-day, 250km human-powered expedition across Uganda this October. This trip involves hiking, cycling, and pack rafting across three national parks, including summiting volcanoes, exploring local lakes, and trekking through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest with a chance to spot mountain gorillas.Timestamped Chapters0:00 Announcement: 11-Day Uganda Adventure0:22  Open Invitation for Listeners0:45 What to Expect: Volcanoes, Lakes & Rainforests1:09 Trip Highlights: Mt. Sabinyo & Gorillas1:28  Finale: Descending the Birira RiverCall to ActionJoin the Adventure in UgandaSend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering

> adventurediaries.com/goIn this highlights reel from the Adventure Diaries Podcast, we revisit the incredible journey of the Global Convoy team. From their humble beginnings rallying £75 scrap cars across the globe to converting a massive US school bus for a Pan-American expedition, Max, Joel, and Becca share stories of mechanical mayhem, unexpected local hospitality, and the sheer joy of the open road.Support the Show: Join the new Patreon for exclusive after-shows, extended newsrooms, and meetups at adventurediaries.com/go.Click here For The Full Episode: Chapters00:00 – Origin Story: Exploring the world with a convoy of hitchhikers01:07 – The £75 Cars: Why cheaper vehicles make for better adventures01:46 – Mechanical Mayhem: Breakdowns, repairs, and the beauty of "bangers"03:49 – The Bus Idea: How a campfire conversation turned into a double-decker dream05:27 – Driving a School Bus: Navigating a massive rig on a standard license05:52 – Nicaragua Incident: A chaotic wrong turn involving a fire engine06:46 – Stacey's Mom Legacy: The perfect retirement for their faithful bus07:52 – Kazakhstan Lamb: A terrifying police stop turns into a warm welcome09:04 – Samurai Sword: Accidentally forging katanas while hitchhiking in Japan09:58 – Call to Adventure: Advice for starting your own journeySend us Fan MailSupport the showThanks For Listening.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a comment and subscribe for more exciting content.Please visit AdventureDiaries.com/GO  For more authentic stories of Adventure Exploration and the natural worldThe Adventure Diaries Podcast also covers a broad spectrum OF topics withIN the fields of Adventure, Exploration, Micro-adventure, Survival, Mental Resilience, Conservation, Scotland, Hiking, Solo Travel, Cycling, Nature, Storytelling, Mountaineering