Travel podcasts are gaining popularity these days and there are some good reason for that.
These travel podcasts let you listen to travel stories in audio, get to know about new destinations, find out how different people experience travel and collect essential travel tips.
I am a big fan of podcasts myself. I listen to them on long flights and train rides when I travel, and also at home while dreaming about my next trip…
There’s a good and constantly growing variety of online shows about travel right now.
To discover more of the best travel podcasts out there, I decided to ask some fellow travel bloggers to recommend their own favourites.
They sent in some excellent recommendations.
You’ll find a travel podcast for any kind of interest, from general travel tips, destination guides and travel stories to shows that promote diversity and even a vegan travel podcast ?
Here’s the selection of top travel podcasts:
women who travel podcast
Three years ago Conde Nast Traveler launched the podcast, Women Who Travel.
The editors of this well known print publication were inspired by the Women’s March and decided that a podcast dedicated to the issues of women traveling was needed.
It’s hosts, Meredith Carey and Lale Arikoglu, are both editors for Traveler.
On the podcast they cover a wide range of topics from travel safety to female led tour companies and everything in between.
I’ve been listening to Women In Travel since the beginning, and appreciate the wide range of women that are interviewed on the show.
I found their recent interview with author, Dina Nayeri, fascinating.
Nayeri talks about being a refugee as a child and how that has impacted her view of the world and desire to constantly be moving.
An earlier episode interviewed tennis star, Maria Sharapova and how she likes to get lost on vacation.
But the show also covers very practical subjects like how to book a cheap airfare, how to enjoy business travel, and how to use rewards points to book travel.
A new episode is available each week. If you haven’t checked it out already, I highly recommend you do so soon.
By Wendy from Empty Nesters Hit the Road. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
10adventures podcast
If adventure travel is your thing, 10Adventures Podcast will inspire you to create your own exciting adventure lifestyle, through interviews with real people about their real life experiences.
The podcast hosts and interviewees share plenty of knowledge, tips and tricks about adventure travel, especially hiking, backpacking, biking, trekking, mountaineering and skiing and other outdoor activities.
Some recent episode topics include trekking Patagonia, climbing mountains in South America and Cycling the Camino.
City breaks podcast
You’re just off on a city break, so you settle down to research the places you’ll be visiting. It’s a pity you left it so late, but it’s handy that City Breaks podcasts are there to help.
For each city covered – think Paris, Munich, St Petersburg and lots more – a series of episodes covers all the background info and culture you’d research for yourself if only you had the time.
Grisly stories to inform your visit to the Tower of London, tales from Seville, the home of flamenco, a few snippets of Dante to remember as you visit Florence’s cathedral. Handy, whether you’re visiting soon, would like to reminisce or just want to wise up generally!
Hosted by Marian Jones, linguist and culture vulture, who keeps it light by focussing on the quirky. Want to know what happened at Peter the Great’s infamous parties? Or where to find a Belle Epoque vibe when shopping in Paris? It’s all there!
City Breaks has been producing half-hour weekly episodes since 2018. Plans are afoot to include interviews in future episodes: tour guides, authors, bloggers, museum staff, City Breaks is coming to find you!
By Marian from City Breaks. Follow her on Twitter.
zero to travel
I first started listening to Zero To Travel when I was planning to move overseas in 2015.
Designed to help you ‘Travel the world on your terms’, it combines practical advice about long-term travel and location independence with wanderlust-worthy destination guides and inspiring travel stories.
Most episodes take a similar format, starting with a short introduction from host, Jason Moore, before a long-form interview.
Guests come from all walks of life and offer insights on a huge range of topics, from travel finance to packing light and everything in between.
I’ve learnt about many of my now-favourite travel spots by listening to Zero To Travel – and I can confidently say this podcast has been instrumental in helping me build a career that gives me the freedom to travel.
But the best thing about this travel podcast is how honest and open host Jason is.
He candidly discusses issues such as travel burnout, anxiety and imposter syndrome.
As a digital nomad himself, he understands many of the challenges and his advice resonates perfectly.
I’m sure many long-time listeners feel the same way.
Jason’s passion for travel is contagious; every time you tune in, you know the episode is going to alter your mood and/or broaden your mind.
I’ve listened to just about every episode and the intro music still gives me goosebumps every time!
By Emily from Wander-Lush. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
global travel channel podcast
It’s one of the fastest growing travel podcasts in the world – the Global Travel Channel podcast is one of the newer entrants to the podcasting scene but don’t judge it by its youth! This podcast packs a veritable punch.
Hosted by passionate traveller, Mark Philpott, we love the podcast because it deals with so many different perspectives around travel – couples who travel together, illness on the road, travelling with kids and, our favourite segments, travel with adventurers.
The latter category has seen adventurers like Clarity Collins featured, who is driving around South America solo in her trusty van.
The podcast host, Mark, is a pleasure to listen to. He has impeccable credentials – previously a global executive in a big multi-national, he’s also a public speaker, endurance athlete, filmmaker, author and, now, podcaster.
His thirst for travel translates in his delivery and his easy, relaxed questioning technique.
More than that, Mark hosts the podcast from his boat, moored off the coast of Brisbane, Australia, with his furry canine friend Oska by his side. Luckily the dog doesn’t seem to bark too often and ruin his show!
The podcast is pretty new, since it was only launched in July 2019 but there are already 90 jam-packed episodes available, with guests from 34 different countries featured.
By Lee from The Travel Scribes. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest.
world vegan travel podcast
My new favorite podcast is the World Vegan Travel podcast, hosted by Brighde Reed.
Brighde and her husband Seb are co-founders of World Vegan Travel, a company that offers luxury vegan tours to destinations around the world, including France, Vietnam and Rwanda.
The podcast is not just a sales pitch for the tours, though. Brighde interviews vegan travelers from different walks of life, as well as people working to protect animals in far-flung destinations.
Even though her own company’s tours focus on the luxury end of the travel market, on her podcast Brighde puts the spotlight on all different kinds of travel.
For example, the most recent episode is a conversation with Sam and Veren from Alternative Travelers. This travel blogging couple travels the world on a shoestring budget by petsitting, which is a great way to score some free accommodation if you like animals.
I recently recorded my own episode with Brighde about my vegan travels in Russia, which will be airing soon!
What I love about listening to the World Vegan Travel podcast is hearing about all the myriad ways that people travel, and all while eating a fully plant-based diet.
One of my biggest fears, when I went vegan five years ago, was that it would ruin travel.
Once I gave it a try, though, I was astounded to find that being vegan actually made my travels even more enjoyable and fulfilling.
I’m excited about the potential of this new podcast to inspire more people to eat in a way that’s better for themselves, the planet and the animals, no matter where they are in the world.
By Wendy from The Nomadic Vegan. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
not so bon voyage
While we’d all like to think that travel is as glamorous as Instagram makes it out to be, the truth is that a lot can go wrong when traveling. And those are the times that make the best stories.
Our podcast Not So Bon Voyage is here to tell those stories! After spending years traveling the globe and working as full time travel bloggers, my co-host Jules and I have collected a ton of crazy stories from the road.
On the podcast we tell our own travel mishaps, pull insane headlines from the news, urban legends and of course our friends and fans!
From the time I was hospitalized for Dengue Fever in Cuba for 4 nights, to the story of Will Smith being taken hostage at a Colombian hostel, to the mystery of a disappearing traveler in Bulgaria, we tell the world’s biggest travel fails.
We love to tell reader’s stories on air, so be sure to share your craziest travel tales with us!
By Christine from Don’t Forget To Move. Follow her on Instagram and visit Not So Bon Voyage on Instagram as well.
abroad & co.
Abroad & Co. is a podcast designed for millennials intent on seeing the world, ditching the status quo and becoming a global citizens by combining their business and career goals with their personal desires to experience travel first hand.
So all of you hopeful (and current!) expats unite over this podcast!
Abroad & Co tackles the necessities for becoming an expat, like handling all the paperwork, forwarding addresses, and taxes, so that you can leap into your new role feeling prepared and ready!
There are also guests on the podcast that talk about what expat life is like in certain countries so that you can make an informed decision on where you might want to try living, and what to expect when you get there!
Along with personal expertise, Candance, the founder and host of Abroad & Co, also offers resources such as scholarships and remote work opportunities to help you get a jump start on your future as a global citizen!
Black Women Travel Podcast
Diversity in travel is a well-known, but rarely publicly addressed, issue in the travel community.
Not only are minorities and people of color frequently left out of marketing and resources to travel information, but in a time where anti-black and racist sentiments run rampant even at home, travel for women of color especially can be intimidating.
That is why the Black Women Travel Podcast was created, which shares the stories of Black women who dreamed to make travel a priority.
It follows the tone of a fun and light talk show vibe, hosting frequent travelers from all over the world with various backgrounds to show that travel doesn’t look like one specific method.
Some guests work remotely and live in various countries (tackling all of the added frustrations of expat life as a Black woman!).
Other guests have full time jobs and utilize their vacation days to the fullest.
And some have even made their passion of travel a self-sustaining income!
While the podcast is centered around Black women, it is a fun and insightful listen to anyone and everyone who loves travel.
a black guy’s travel podcast
Joshua, the award winning blogger behind Josh You Trippin, is kicking off 2020 with a brand new travel podcast!
As a part time traveler, Joshua emphasizes how to travel alongside working a fulfilling non-remote job, and truly utilizing your vacation days to the fullest.
The podcast covers guides, tips, and suggestions for destinations, while also discussing some general travel information for those just setting out on their travel journey, like how to find cheap flights, which travel credit cards to invest in, and how to avoid getting sick on vacation.
But one of Joshua’s main goals with his podcast is to spark the conversation about how we (collectively, as a travel community), can teach each other and our children the value of travel and embracing other cultures and also giving more visibility to travelers who are minorities, travelers with disabilities, LGBTQ+ travelers, and travelers of all backgrounds that want to hear more stories that reflect their experiences and speak to their needs.
The last three recommendations were sent in by Kay from The Awkward Traveller. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
amateur traveler podcast & this week in travel
I met Chris Christensen at TBEX Huntsville when we were on a FAM trip together in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, AL.
A seasoned travel blogger and podcaster, he has a wealth of information about world destinations and the travel industry. His podcast Amateur Traveler Podcast features writers, bloggers, digital nomads and world travelers.
He guides his guest to share their best travel tips, favourite places to eat and ensures you learn something about each destination.
In 2017, I was a guest on Amateur Traveler and we spoke about a road trip from Montreal to Quebec City, Canada.
We spoke about the perfect itinerary with a little bit of history on the politics of this French-speaking province.
Chris also has another podcast, This Week in Travel, which he hosts with Jen Leo and Gary Arndt.
It is an audio roundtable discussion about travel news, travel tips, travel writing and the travel industry. They also bring on industry experts which make for very interesting discussions and insights. Years of experience in each episode!
Recently, they had a great episode on the World’s Cheapest Destination which was excellent. Have a listen!
By Margarita from DownshiftingPRO.COM. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
the journey
One of my favorite travel podcasts to listen to is the podcast “The Journey.”
The Journey is a podcast by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and is about all different kinds of people and their travels.
The host, Jonathan Groubert meets different people from all over the planet and interviews them about their stories.
Each person interviewed on the podcast has experienced a life-changing adventure and their story gives you a vivid look into their experience.
Some of the stories told are sad, others inspirational. Each story is a different perspective on people’s lives and how they experience their reality.
One of my favorite stories is the first story on the podcast about a woman that moves to Alaska to be with a man she fell in love with.
The story takes you on an emotional journey as you learn about what life in the Alaskan frontier is like as well as being with someone who has never known anything different.
The Journey is a great podcast to listen to if you love traveling, connecting with people on your adventures and hearing about other people’s journeys through a different perspective.
By Jessica from Unearth The Voyage. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
twin perspectives podcast
Twin Perspectives is a down to earth podcast from identical twin sisters, Claire and Laura known as the Twins That Travel.
Get a real insight into their lives as they chat about their travel experiences, their blogging journey and mental health.
Some of the episodes include interviews with other travel industry professionals, a particular favourite of mine is hearing them discuss how the industry has changed with Simon Calder, an old school travel writer for The Independent.
If you’re after destination inspiration then Twin Perspectives has got you covered with episodes discussing trips across the world and closer to home in England.
Aspiring travel bloggers can expect episodes about travel blogging with actionable advice to help grow your blog.
This podcast is exactly what you’d expect from the Twins That Travel brand, an honest chat coupled with friendly sister banter.
By Kieren from Got My Backpack. Follow him on Twitter.
ef outbound
I’m not one to listen to podcasts that double as promotional tools but EF Outbound is the exception.
This podcast is run by EF (Education First), an international education company with a mission to transform the world through cultural exchange and educational travel.
Their podcast showcases the voices of the people behind EF, many of whom live by the company’s mission that we are global citizens and the world is the best educator.
Full transparency: I was a former employee of EF, hence why I was introduced to this podcast in the first place, but from the first listen, I knew this podcast was something special.
The soundscaping is incredible and does a spectacular job at transporting you to the destinations highlighted in each conversation.
You can hear the beeps and honks of Rwandan traffic in Cleo’s episode about reconciliation and reemergence and the birds chirping in Joe’s podcast about his time ultra running the Appalachian Trail.
The website has a list of all the episodes featuring transformative travel stories, but there’s a bonus episode on the Apple Podcasts application featuring a love letter from Anthony Bourdain to Vietnam that deeply touched me considering how important Vietnam has been in my own life.
And spoiler! I also make an appearance talking about the so-called “Wanderlust Gene” I shared with my father.
Go ahead and give it a listen and get ready to feel inspired.
By Millette from The Next Somewhere. Follow her on Instagram.
Alpaca my bags
Are you ready to alpaca your bags? Join me, travel writer Erin Hynes, as I chat with guests about the nitty and gritty of travel.
I wanted to create a podcast that would strike a balance of fun travel stories and nuanced discussion about travel related issues like cultural appropriation, white saviorism, and dark tourism – to name a few. And that’s how Alpaca My Bags was born.
Alpaca My Bags has released two seasons and over 40 episodes.
Some favourite episodes of mine are Out and About: Queer Travel and Crying Selfies, in which I chat with fellow traveler Zach about his experiences traveling as a queer man.
There’s also the episode Animal Tourism and Social Media’s Influence – I learned so much about how to responsibly visit animals when traveling from Natasha Daly, a National Geographic reporter.
And, the episode Can Indigenous Representation Save Canadian Tourism, touches on the beautiful Indigenous culture of Canada that I think all visitors to Canada should make an effort to see.
If traveling responsibly matters to you, give Alpaca My Bags a listen. If there are topics you’d like us to cover, we’re always happy to chat with our listeners (we call all of you our alpaca pals!) on social media, or by email.
By Erin from Pina Travels. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and visit Alpaca My Bags on Instagram as well.
How to start your own travel podcast?
If listening to these podcasts has inspired you to launch your own podcast, here are a couple of suggestions to simplify the process:
Learn from other podcasters before you launch. Either reach out to a podcaster you like to ask questions, or follow a podcasting course like Launch, Market And Monetize A Podcast.
You can then outsource any service related to podcasting quite easily, from the technical sides of it to promotion and PR.
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Beyond travel podcasts: more virtual travel
- Best travel vloggers according to travel bloggers
- Travel photographers on Instagram
- Travel quotes, because you have a bad case of wanderlust
7 Comments
What a great post! I haven’t listened to that many podcasts but would love to start doing so especially on travel. Thanks for the recommendations!
Happy listening 🙂
Such a great idea right now. Gotta start listening to some of these.
I’m all about some podcasts right now so I love this list! Can’t wait to get started listening to them!
Great article! I love podcasts and am so excited to begin listening to some (or all) of these! Thanks so much for sharing this great information!
Great list! Love that you’ve included diverse voices in it, that’s so important in the travel industry. You missed one good podcast though – mine! I’m the host of Alpaca My Bags. We cover things like dark tourism, LGBTQ+ travel, sustainable travel practises and more. Hope you’ll check it out!
Thank you for this list. The first one i’m going to try is of course: “Not So Bon Voyage” – it really sounds unique!