12 Must-Watch Nature and Wildlife Documentaries You’ll Love
Hey friends!
Today’s post is a little different from my usual content, but I’m really excited to share it with you. Recently(like in the last three to four years), I’ve been hooked on documentaries—especially ones about nature, wildlife, and animal adventures. There’s something so nostalgic almost about sitting down and learning something new while enjoying stunning visuals and really just powerful storytelling.
Usually the narrator is someone who’s voice you know like Sigourney Weaver, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Attenborough, Morgan Freeman, Meghan Markel, Will Smith, honesty so many! If you’re looking for the best nature documentaries to stream or just want some new recommendations for your watchlist, I’ve rounded up my recent favorites across different genres—from national parks to sharks and even ancient Egypt.
Happy watching!
Best Wildlife and Nature Documentaries to Watch
1. America’s National Parks (Disney+)
This documentary is so neat, it is a beautifully filmed series that explores each U.S. national park in detail. I especially loved the episodes on the Everglades and the Great Smoky Mountains—they made me want to pack a bag and go hiking!
2. Secrets of the Whales (Disney+ / National Geographic)
I’ve watched this one twice—once solo and once with Dustin! The episode on belugas adopting a narwhal is heart-melting, the narwhal is abandoned and the belugas take in the narwhal as a part of their pod, so cool! It’s a four-part series narrated by Sigourney Weaver and full of just interesting information!
3. Into the Grand Canyon (Disney+ / Hulu)
A bit outside my usual genre, but incredibly captivating. Two friends hike 750 miles through the Grand Canyon, and the journey is equal parts adventurous and moving.
4. Growing Up Animal (Disney+)
Each episode follows a baby animal from the womb to the wild. I learned so much—especially from the episode about baby bears like seriously I didn’t even know what I didn't know haha! I highly recommended if you love learning about animal development/want to learn more about it!
5. Elephant (Disney+)
I’ve seen this one more than five times (not even kidding). The documentary is narrated by Meghan Markle, it follows the journey of a baby elephant named Jomo. It’s emotional, educational, and if you are in my inner web of people I have prooooobably recommended this one to you, I love it!
6. Baby Sharks (Disney+ / National Geographic)
Perfect for Shark Week prep! I haven’t really ever been a big Shark Week watcher, this documentary was just recommended to me one time and I clicked into it but I am happy that I did! While you’re watching this, you get to learn about a variety of baby sharks and follow along with their early months in the ocean. I got to discovered and learn more about species that I didn’t even know existed.
Fascinating Documentaries Outside the Wildlife Genre
7. Kingdom of the Mummies (Disney+ / Nat Geo)
This isn’t usually the type of documentary that I will watch but with Egypt being high on my bucket list, my interest was piqued. This docuseries takes you deep into an Egyptian tomb excavation. If ancient history or Egypt fascinates you, I think that you will love this behind-the-scenes type of documentary look at archaeological work and what they have found there.
8. Secrets of the Zoo: Down Under (Disney+)
I would say that this documentary is more light-hearted and entertaining rather than educational. But in it you follow zookeepers and veterinarians at an Australian zoo and more of their day to day lives of what they do. It’s more light-hearted and entertaining but also super informative about animal care and conservation while also sharing a different perspective than you usually get in a documentary.
Hidden Gems in Nature Documentary Series
9. Wild Chile (Disney+ / Nat Geo)
This is a part of the “Wild” documentary series and I did enjoy watching all of them but I especially liked this one that focuses on Chile. It talks a lot about Chile’s unique ecosystems and lesser-known animal species that I hadn’t heard of really. I loved learning about the climate contrasts in one small region and seeing how wildly different climates can coexist so close to one another.
10. America the Beautiful (Disney+)
This one is narrated by Michael B. Jordan which who doesn’t love that?? But this documentary explores the different beautiful spots around America but through the lens of animal behavior and natural landscapes. I like that each episode takes you to a different region and gives you more information on it while talking about the different animals that are there.
11. Great Migrations (Disney+)
This is SUCH a fascinating series, Great Migrations explains the why behind different animal migrations and the patterns that they have including things like breeding, survival, food sources—and I like that it features different animals from butterflies to elephants. The documentary is just visually stunning but also deeply informative!
12. Wild Central America (Disney+)
This is another favorite of mine from the “Wild” series that I mentioned above. This episode is on Costa Rica which I really liked! The documentary is full of vibrant biodiversity and so many animals. Costa Rica has always interested me since I was like in middle school and then a few years ago we traveled there and it completely lived up to the hype. The biodiversity here is jaw dropping and I’m pretty sure the things to learn about in Costa Rica are endless!
I hope you enjoyed this little detour into the documentary world! Whether you’re a longtime wildlife lover or just dipping your toes into nature films, there’s something here for everyone. I loved getting the chance to share some of my current favorites with you. If you end up watching any of these, I’d love to hear what you think! And don’t forget to leave your own recommendations in the comments—I’m always on the lookout for something new to watch, and your suggestions are the best way to discover hidden gems. If you have any questions at all you can also email me at hello@emmatarynjones.com! Here’s to cozy evenings, curious minds, and the magic of a great documentary. Until next time, happy watching!
Emma