National Geographic is one of the iconic “cable” channels. But it is no longer necessary to get a cable or even satellite subscription to watch it. Read on to learn all your choices.
In a hurry? National Geographic comes with the base plans of most of the top streaming services. So all you need to do is decide what else you want in your streaming service. Here are our favorites:
- Fubo: With 150+ channels, it offers something for everyone. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
- DIRECTV STREAM: Provides everything you expect from cable with many options. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
- Sling TV: Probably the best streaming service in terms of customization with a super low price and a 50% discount on your first month!
If you can’t watch your favorite sports, TV and movies because of your location, try ExpressVPN to get access to the content you deserve. Signup now.
Table Of Contents
National Geographic is nature at its finest. With this channel, you can feel like you are on a safari without leaving your living room.
Although many people pay gobs of money to cable or satellite providers to watch Nat Geo as part of expensive bundles, there are other ways to view the documentaries that you can’t give up.
What Is National Geographic?
In the beginning, National Geographic, formerly known as National Geographic Channel, was owned by Fox Cable Networks and National Geographic Television and Film. It launched on January 7, 2001.
It has developed into a flagship channel that delivers documentaries and other non-fiction shows — mostly revolving around nature. Also, certain shows encompass topics of history and culture.
Since that time, it has branched out to include various sister networks, including Nat Geo Wild. In 2017, the Walt Disney Company bought a majority share in Nat Geo.
Throughout its years on air, National Geographic has made a lasting impact with its programming. Although this is not a channel famous for celebrity-centered sitcoms, it has attracted some big names in the industry.
For example, in 2016, Morgan Freeman hosted The Story of God. This fascinating documentary series drew great praise for the exploration of different religions and cultures.
Also, Rob Lowe brought extremely high ratings for his narration of The 90s: The Last Great Decade. In fact, 1.10 million viewers turned in to watch the show.
Shows
The key to the success of National Geographic is its non-fiction programs that range from the ordinary to the bizarre. Whether you want to see the weirdest of the wild or useful information in action, the lineup is sure to please.
- Brain Games: Who isn’t in awe of the analyzation of human cognitive abilities in real time? The series takes a unique approach to presenting the audience with various scenarios in order to explain how the human brain functions.
- Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted: You can join this famous chef as he explores some of the most remote locations on the globe. Along the way, you get an inside look at various cultures and unforgettable culinary discoveries.
- Life Below Zero: It’s bad enough when wolves and bears are your neighbors. However, it gets worse when the temperature drops to -60 degrees, and you must battle for your basic necessities. Follow resilient Alaskans who thrive in this environment.
- Locked Up Abroad: There is something fascinating about watching convicted criminals getting along behind bars. This program follows stories of people who’ve been arrested while spending time overseas.
- Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller: Documentary series that follows the flow of illicit good around the globe.
- Wicked Tuna: This is one of the longest running series on National Geographic. It is a reality TV show that follows commercial tuna fisherman in Gloucester, Massachusetts. You join their adventures as they hunt for Atlantic bluefin tuna. It is so popular, you may wish to catch Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, which is its sister series.
National Geographic Wild
Nat Geo Wild first launched in Hong Kong in January 2006. Eventually, it expanded across the world and became the first bilingual wildlife service. Programming is very similar to the wildlife and natural history shows on National Geographic.
Here are some of its popular shows:
- Cesar’s Way: This is the newest series from Cesar Millan, the well-known “Dog Whisperer.” Very similar to his past show, Milan works with dog owners who need help with pet relationships.
- The Incredible Dr Pol: Being a veterinarian is serious business. Dr Pol proves this as he treats all types of animals from big to small. Follow along as he performs emergency treatments and life-saving tasks.
- Secrets of the Zoo: Back for another season, this series gives unprecedented access to the one of the world’s biggest and most popular zoos. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
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If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.
Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
Stream National Geographic
Thanks to current technology, National Geographic can be streamed through a number of services. You can ditch your long-term cable and satellite contracts. Choose one of the established streaming services that best fits your needs.
FuboTV
Although FuboTV is geared to the sports enthusiast, its 130+ base channel lineup includes a broad range of channels. For $79.99/mo, you get National Geographic as well as FX, HGTV, and the Disney Channel. If you want Nat Geo Wild, you need to upgrade with the Fubo Extra add-on ($7.99/mo), which gives you 46 more channels. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.
All FuboTV plans come with 1000 hours of cloud DVR and simultaneous streaming on up to ten devices. Our FuboTV review has complete information.
Sling TV
Sling Blue comes with 40+ live TV channels (including National Geographic) for just $40.00/mo. If you want Nat Geo Wild, you need to upgrade with the Heartland Extra for $6/mo. It adds a total of 13 channels including Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel.
The base plan comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR and streaming on up to three devices at the same time. See our Sling TV review for details.
DIRECTV STREAM
All DIRECTV STREAM plans include National Geographic and they start at $79.99/mo. If you want Nat Geo Wild, you need to upgrade to the Ultimate Plan for $119.99/mo. It includes 130+ channels including an unmatched selection of regional sports networks and 8 Starz channels. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
DIRECTV STREAM comes with unlimited cloud DVR as long as you sign-up online and streaming on unlimited devices at home and on the road. Read our review for more.
Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is originally just that: the outstanding Hulu on-demand service plus 85+ live TV channels. Then they added Disney+. It’s an amazing deal for for $76.99/mo. This includes both National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild. You also get all your local channels and a broad selection of sports, news, family, and entertainment channels.
Its plan comes with unlimited cloud DVR (9 months storage) and streaming on up to 2 devices at once. Find out more in our Hulu + Live TV review.
Vidgo
Vidgo offers a lot: well over 110 channels including ABC and Fox in select areas. And it offers a great selection of sports channels and family-friendly content including National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild. And it comes for a modest price of $69.99/mo.
One downside of Vidgo is that it does not offer a cloud DVR. But you can watch on up to three devices at once. Check out our Vidgo review.
YouTube TV
To experience 100+ top channels, including National Geographic and Nat Geo Wild, YouTube TV is worth a try. This service costs $72.99/mo for the base plan and offers a number of add-ons. See our YouTube TV review for more.
On Demand
You can also watch National Geographic shows and documentaries on-demand from a number of sources.
- Disney+: It is’nt just for the kids. You gain access to unlimited entertainment, including Nat Geo for $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Note that the service is included with Hulu + Live TV.
- Hulu: For $7.99/mo, you can enjoy Nat Geo through Hulu’s on-demand service. However, a better deal is to purchase the Hulu Bundle, which includes Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ for only $14.99/mo.
- Amazon Prime: Offers a variety of Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild episodes. Certain shows are included for free with a Prime membership. Others will cost approximately $1.99 per full episode or $9.99 for entire seasons. See our Amazon Prime review.
Devices to Live Stream National Geographic
You can watch National Geographic on a lot more than just TVs these days. The streaming services above support the wide variety of devices in use today.
Let’s start with TV devices. All the services support Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku. Mobile devices running Android and iOS are also universally supported. So are all the major web browsers. Finally, you can cast from web browsers and mobile devices to TVs using Chromecast.
Except for DIRECTV STREAM, the services support Android TV devices. And except for Vidgo, they Samsung smart TVs. Hulu, Fubo, and Sling all support LG and VIZIO smart TVs and Xbox One gaming systems. Hulu supports the PlayStation.
Our streaming reviews contain complete lists of supported devices.
TV Everywhere allows you to use your TV provider (including all of the live TV streaming services) to watch National Geographic using the Nat Geo TV app.
Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN
You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.
| i | See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs. |
Today’s National Geographic Schedule
Here is today’s schedule in Eastern Time:
| Narco Wars – The Battle for the Border El Chapo Guzman rises to cartel leader through cocaine-smuggling tunnels and war. | |
| Narco Wars – How Cocaine Came to America Interviews reveal how criminals pioneered the cocaine business in the '70s and early '80s. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Brazil – Cocaine Brick Bust Agents arrest two traffickers carrying similarly branded bricks of cocaine; panicked asylum seekers refuse to cooperate, causing an uproar. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Peru and Brazil – Undercover Operation The anti-drug police must discover what is hidden by two women who try to leave the country with suspicious objects attached to their bodies; the immigration agents must unmask the true motives of the trip of three foreigners. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Peru and Brazil – Drugs And Divorce A divorced couple deny traveling together, but carry identical bags filled with cocaine; when a bag containing a white powder tests negative for cocaine, police decide to dig deeper. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Peru and Brazil – Soaked In Cocaine Agents at Jorge Chavez International Airport race to locate a suspect hiding in a surprising location; an arrogant smuggler with a stuffed suitcase has double the expected load. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Peru and Brazil – Suitcase Saturation A mother with a drug-saturated package in her suitcase says she is also being sent to work as a prostitute; a man claims drugs taped to his body are for personal use; a long-lost bag contains cocaine. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Peru and Brazil – Busted Baggage Agents at Jorge Chavez International Airport detain a man with drugs in his suitcase who breaks down when speaking with his mother; a woman may be carrying cocaine-contaminated olives. | |
| Border Security: America's Front Line – A Case of Mistaken Identity At the Detroit border, a case of mistaken identity causes alarm. | |
| Border Security: America's Front Line – A Huge Wake Up Call At the JFK cargo facility, a large shipment of steel coffee mugs serve up a huge wake-up call. | |
| Trafficked: Darker Deals With Mariana van Zeller – Caught in an African Coup Mariana gets stuck in a coup while examining gold in an enhanced episode. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Peru and Brazil – Triple Trafficker Takedown The Federal Police detect two passengers who could be traveling with drugs; immigration agents must use all their imagination to communicate and gain the trust of a group of passengers who enter the country under irregular circumstances. | |
| Border Security: America's Front Line – A Case of Mistaken Identity At the Detroit border, a case of mistaken identity causes alarm. | |
| Border Security: America's Front Line – A Huge Wake Up Call At the JFK cargo facility, a large shipment of steel coffee mugs serve up a huge wake-up call. | |
| Trafficked: Darker Deals With Mariana van Zeller – Caught in an African Coup Mariana gets stuck in a coup while examining gold in an enhanced episode. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Rome – A Special Package Italian police must remain impartial to a man's charm because he may be a smuggler. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Rome – Drug Dealing DJ A DJ smuggles drugs; possible human trafficking; a missed honeymoon; fake documents. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Rome – Saints and Sinners Italian police uncover fake passports, concealed heroin and a suspicious suitcase. | |
| To Catch a Smuggler: Rome – Cocaine Pyjamas At Italy's busiest airport, police seize cocaine hidden in the fabric of pajamas and tucked away in a stuffed animal. | |
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| Wicked Tuna – Kraken the Code Fishermen in Gloucester, Mass., haul in bluefin tuna, risking danger on the high seas. | |
| Wicked Tuna – While the Getting Is Good The captains are on edge as a flooded market threatens to shut down the fishery. | |
| Wicked Tuna – Bluefin Shutdown The bluefin market shuts down in 48 hours, and tensions among the captains run high. | |
| Wicked Tuna – Back to Business The bluefin market reopens, but prices hit a new low; the fleet scrambles to recover. | |
| Wicked Tuna – The Herds Are Here Gloucester's bluefin season opens with big fish and more catches than ever. |
Wrapping Up
If you loved the original magazine version, this channel brings the best of the wild and historical stories to life. With the help of a streaming service, you can get in on the action without cable.
Although Hulu + Live TV is a top option, you can weigh the choices for yourself. Become an explorer! You can go deeper and push boundaries that only National Geographic can deliver!
Other Family and Kids Channels
Here are our list for watching related channels:
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