If you are looking to cure your wanderlust without leaving home (or even exiting out of Netflix), you’ve come to the right place. Some of the below best travel movies on Netflix may be largely unheard of, but they’re all based on true stories. These movies are all perfect to watch for the insight they bring to their respective countries and cultures, whether in comedy, adventure, education, or history.
Naturally, most of these true story movies on Netflix have had a bit (or a lot) of Hollywood sprinkled over them, but I have tried to point this out where possible. Enjoy a quick departure from your living room and travel across the world through these amazing travel films.
*Note this list was compiled in Indonesia, some of the movies might or might not be found on Netflix in your region but I have stated where they can be found if so.
Seven Years in Tibet (Tibet) – 1997
Seven Years in Tibet is one of the coolest historical adventure movies on Netflix. It’s based on the journey of an Austrian climber, Heinrich Harrer (played by Brad Pitt), in the 1940s WW2 era. The pure beauty of the Buddhist culture and the country of Tibet is reason enough to watch this movie. Seven Years in Tibet tells an amazing story of events during the Chinese occupation of Tibet which are still not spoken about widely today.
Captured by Imperial English forces in India while climbing in the Himalayas, Heinrich escapes from a POW camp in India to Tibet. He eventually makes his way to the holy city of Lhasa, compared in the movie to the Buddhist version of Mecca, where the Dali Lama, at the time a small boy, resides.
The two strike up a relationship and Heinrich ends up spending many years (well… 7 to be exact) in Tibet, seeing out the end of WWII and the ensuing invasion by China. Whilst somewhat dramatized, this issue between China and Tibet is one that stands still today and is the reason the Dali Lama lives in India and not Tibet.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (Malawi) – 2019
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind follows a family of farmers in the small village of Kasungu, Malawai. It is one of the true story movies on Netflix that follows a time of suffering in Africa during the early 2000s. Then, an early season of heavy rainfall and flooding is followed by a terrible drought. This creates great hunger and a food shortage for the entire village.
The story follows a young schoolboy named William Kamkwamba. While his family struggles to put him through school, they are faced with many challenges because of such uncertainty of rain. His family doesn’t have enough money to put him through school, so he’s inevitably sent home to help tend the land.
From his classes, Kamkwamba comes up with the distant thought of creating a windmill to bring up water from the well. He eventually manages to sneak into the library, and educates himself enough to feel confident he can bring about change.
The film creates a dark picture of Africa and Malawi during this period. It traces the stories of tyrannical leaders, hardship, and villagers fighting amongst each other to survive. An inspiring true story, this is one to be watched with the family to make you smile, to encourage us all to educate ourselves more, to not let people get in the way of our education.
It’s also a lesson to sometimes listen to our children or those younger than us who may be more educated. It is worth googling the true story also if you are interested, and one of the great newer travel movies on Netflix for the cultural context based on true stories.
Into the Wild (USA) – 2007
Whilst Into The Wild doesn’t tell the travel story we all imagine, it tells the unique true story of Christopher McCandless who rejects society instead to travel the wilderness of Alaska. Depicting a lost soul who is not content with a normal life, the story begins with McCandless destroying all of his default world possessions, credit cards, and ID, etc, driving into the wilderness, and leaving his car behind – inspired by tales of Jack London and Henry David Thoreau.
The story is simplistic in narrative, but deep in a sense that it explores what we as a society call possessions and just what we actually need in life not just to travel. Centralized around his home, the ‘Magic Bus’ (which has now become a tourist destination), the film instills a sense of adventure and travel like no other. It’s one of the absolutely classic travel movies on Netflix that will make you want to get up and go.
It has a similar vibe to the likes of Kerouac’s ‘On the Road,’ but in much harsher conditions and with far more of a rejection of society and ‘the system.’ An adventure travel movie on Netflix recommended for all of those scared to adventure off with all but a backpack on their back, this film will make you reconsider how you travel.
*Unfortunately this movie is no longer on Netflix, but it’s one of the most legendary adventure movies based on true stories and can be found on Hulu and Google Play
Cool Runnings (Jamaica) – 1993
Cool Runnings has to be one of the funniest films on this list of best travel movies. It tells the very loosely-based true story of a group of four Jamaican men who qualify for the Winter Olympics in Canada in 1988 – in one of the most bizarre of ways. Somehow, they qualify in bobsled racing, having never raced in an actual bobsled or even seen snow in their life.
It has quite a tragic beginning with one of the characters, a 100m sprinter, failing to make the Summer Olympics due to a race mishap. He then, however, forms an unlikely alliance with another race contender and some other friends. The four are coached by a disgraced 2-time American gold medalist who lives in Jamaica. Their coach guides their journey from Jamaica right up until a very inspirational ending, contending against teams like the prior gold medalist East German team.
With one of the funniest lines of the film after a crash, “Sanka’, ya dead man’?”, “Yeah man”, this film is great for the family and for some inspiring funny laughs… or you’ll just be singing, “Jamaica’s got a bobsled team” on repeat in your head.
*Unfortunately this is a Disney movie so is not on Netlfix, but it’s one of the most legendary adventure movies based on true stories and can be found on Disney Plus
The Red Sea Diving Resort (Sudan) – 2019
Based on true events between 1979-1984 in Ethiopia and Sudan, The Red Sea Diving Resort is an inspiring yet largely unheard of historical travel movie on Netflix (made for Netflix). It tells the story of Israeli’s intelligence agency, the Mossad. Their main aim is aiding in evacuating the persecuted minority of Ethiopian Jews through Sudan from a civil war-torn Ethiopia.
The film follows a group of agents as they buy a diving resort as a front on the red sea and pretend to run it for tourists in Sudan. As they pretend to work in hospitality, they daringly evacuating thousands of Ethiopian Jews onto ships off the coast of the red sea bound for Israel.
The film depicts a lesser-known minority group following a sect of Judaism in Ethiopia, a community known as Beta Israeli, that has existed for hundreds of years. It provides an insight into some of the cultures and conflicts that have existed in Africa in the past 50 years. This is one of the best true story movies on Netflix.
Hotel Rwanda (Rwanda) – 2004
Hotel Rwanda is probably one of the most tragic of all these best travel movies on this list. It tells the brutal story of a mass genocide in Rwanda in 1994 of the ethnic minorities, the Tutsis, by the Hutus. The film follows the story of one man, Paul Rusesabagina, and how he saves hundreds of lives from the 100-day genocide by hiding them in his luxury hotel during the attacks.
This film, whilst dramatized, is criticized for its accuracy about the ethicality of the main character. It is still accurate in the sense of the horrific portrayal of one of the worst genocides in the last 30 years, which was somehow largely unknown.
As the world stood by and offered little aid or UN intervention, an estimated 500,000-1,000,000 Tutsi’s were killed and an estimated 250,000-500,000 women raped during the 100-day period. The range of figures is truly mortifying (check this Human Rights Watch link if interested), but it is important to learn about through this film.
Hotel Rwanda is a truly graphic reminder of some of the brutality of the world and must be watched if not for the inspiring story of Rusesabagina, but just to ensure we as a planet never let such atrocities happen again.
*Unfortunately not on Netflix in all countries, but can be found on Hulu or Google Play if not in your country
The Last Samurai (Japan) – 2003
The Last Samurai is one of the best true adventure movies on Netflix – a story immersed in traditional Japanese culture. This travel movie follows the story of Captain Nathan Algren, who is haunted by the past deeds of brutality against the native Americans. He is approached and shipped to Japan to train the newly formed Imperial Japanese army to suppress an uprising by a Samurai.
The film takes a turn when Nathan is captured during a battle with the Samurai forces. From there, we are immersed in the traditional Samurai way. With an overarching moral concept of wanting to do right as he has done so much wrong in his past, Algren sympathises with the Samurai cause, is taught their way, and eventually decides to fight for the rebellious Samurai army.
The Last Samurai is based on a true story, but just loosely. In reality, he was not American but the French officer Jules Brunet. He did fight alongside the Samurai rebellion seeing the overshadowing tyranny of Imperial Japan.
*Unfortunately this movie is no longer on Netflix, but can be found on YouTube and Google Play
Lion (India) – 2016
Lion has to be included in the best travel movies on Netflix because it is entirely true. The storyline depicts one of the wildest and most tragic adventures a small boy could ever imagine in India and Australia. At the age of 5, Saroo accidentally falls asleep on a train thinking his brother was also onboard. When it pulls into the station, he has no idea where he is or how long he has been asleep for.
With an inability to speak the dialect of India and being so young and unable to explain his hometown or where he has come from, he is stranded. Saroo becomes tangled in a web of street life in India before ending up in an orphanage. Here, he is lucky enough to be adopted by an Australian couple who take him back to Hobart, Tasmania.
He grows up educated there, and then through the use of technology some years later tried to track his family down using Google Maps. This movie is one to be watched if not just for the culture and inspiring events, but for the courage, the beauty, and the kindness of peopl -e such as his adoptive mother Sue and his real mother Kamla who never gave up hope, or Saroo himself.
*Unfortunately not on Netflix but worth seeing! It can be found on Google Play or Amazon
Gangsta’s Paradise: Jerusalema (South Africa) – 2008
Gangsta’s Paradise: Jerusalema is another of the travel movies on Netflix that is somewhat unheard of. It tells a story similar to American Gangster of the rise and fall of Lucky Kunene, known as “The Hoodlum of Hillbrow”. It creates a post-apartheid scene in South Africa of the disparity of the socio-economic equality of the blacks and the whites during the time Mandala is in prison.
The main character looks up to Mbolelo Nazareth, a so-called Russian trained communist gangster who is taking back the wealth for the black South Africans. The difference between American Gangster and Gangsta’s Paradise: Jerusalema is that the film glorifies Kunene in a way unlike Frank Lucas – as a drug lord, but as a democratic-kind-of-thug who takes back the run-down high rise housing of Hillbrow for the people.
This film is inspirational and demonstrates the power of one man taking on a racist, corrupt system. Although the actual truth of the film is a little different from the reality (Ill let you do your research) and it is unclear how evident or severe his crimes were, it does paint somewhat of an accurate picture of South Africa during these troubling times.
*Unfortunately not on Netflix in all countries, but can be found on Amazon if not in your country
Braveheart (Scotland) – 1995
No list of the best travel movies on Netflix could miss out on Braveheart! You may know this film from the famous quote “They may take away our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” Braveheart tells a loosely based true story of William Wallace and how he stood up for Scotland to fight the scourge of the English and King Edward ‘Longshanks’.
It follows the story of William, his upbringing, and the betrayal and invasion of the Scots by the English. William returns home from an education abroad in Europe and subsequently falls in love – not just with a woman but with his country.
It tells an epic tale of the Scots and the hardship they felt at the hands of the brutal English. It shows how the English would take women as they pleased and tax heavy handily for no reason other than because they could.
With numerous battle scenes, betrayal after betrayal, and inspirational speeches, this one (if you haven’t already seen it) is a must. Just a word of warning: it may not be for the whole family as it can be a little graphic.
*Unfortunately this movie is no longer on Netflix, but can be found on Disney+ and Google Play
Slumdog Millionaire (India) – 2008
Slumdog Millionaire is a truly graphic introspective yet inspiring travel movie examining the brutal side to poverty in India. Following the story of Jamal Malik, it is directed in a way that we know he has already won ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ He is the first person in India to ever do so, but he is accused of cheating.
It follows the tragic tale of love and friendship between Jamal and his brother Salim. It follows Jamal as he retells to the police how he knows the answers to the questions on the game show. His story has snippets of being orphaned after the Bombay riots and his survival with his friends, the ‘three musketeers’ as they dub themselves. As can be expected, they face various adversaries and meet many horrific challenging situations, which sadly are not uncommon in the streets and slums of India.
Whilst Slumdog Millionaire is mostly fictional, it is based on a true story of Sushil Kumar, who was the first person to win ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ in India. It is true he started from nothing, and faced many challenges. The real true story in this film is the introspective raw view of what life is like on the streets as an orphan in India.
*Only available on Netflix in certain countries, but can be found on Amazon or Google Play
I hope you have plenty of travel films to add to your list from this list of the best travel movies on Neflix! Do you have any more that I should add on? Let me know?
Stuck at Home? Check out some more quarantine content here:
- 50 Fun Things to Do at Home
- How to Cure Wanderlust Without Leaving your Hometown
- Ideas to Save Money for Travel
Passionate, full-time travel blogger with over 230k on social media and 150kMPV blog. Extraordinary photographer with two DSLR's + a drone with a love for capturing candid moments, epic drone shots, and magical compositions. I'm a natural-born content creator originally from California, but I've been on the road for 9 years living, working, traveling, blogging, and photographing my way around the world. I recommend the most amazingly adventurous and unique + boutique travel experiences/stays and helpful products to my audience and write comprehensive guides on my website that have helped millions of travelers so far. I love to inspire people to plan their dream trips, and many readers have given feedback as such. The reach on my platforms continues to soar, especially when combining cutting-edge social content with optimized articles on my high-authority website.