Putting on your headphones and listening to a podcast is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in a story. Soothing voices painting a picture of an influential person, a place you have always wanted to go to, or just regular people talking about their experience travelling can transform your perspective when dreaming about your next journey. Here we have compiled a list of the best travel podcasts to stream.

1. What the Pho: Travel Podcast 

This podcast is created by Nick and Amy, two global travellers who look to entertain, interview, and enlighten listeners on what they need to know before they travel. They have different subheadings that serve different purposes: Explore, Challenge, and Learn. We recommend listening to Long Term Travel under the Learn section. Nick and Amy talk about getting back into the normal swing of things when coming back from a long trip. Very fitting for these times. Keeping busy while travelling by going to new places, trying new things, and meeting new people is something you can seek out while you are home. And, they want listeners to maintain balance when trying to keep busy upon arriving home.

2. Zero to Travel

This podcast is informative and interview-based making it one of our favourite travel podcasts. Zero to Travel is set up to prove to the average listener that travelling is attainable regardless of circumstance. Zero to Travel is hosted by Jason Moore and unpacks remote destinations, business travel and the travel lifestyle. We recommend listening to Expert Advice on Remote Working, Homeschooling, and Finding Balance with Jen Miller. Jen Miller has been travelling and working alongside her husband for 10 years with her four children. This episode she chats with Jason about her lifestyle and how she’s making it work.

3. How Not to Travel

The How Not to Travel podcast is hosted by Kiona. Kiona founded the website How Not to Travel Like a Basic Bitch back in 2016. Her site is a digital media publication aimed to help people travel mindfully. The podcast is one avenue of media where she goes more in-depth on sustainability. Kiona believes that as travellers we have an obligation when travelling to recognize our privilege. In the episode, The Problem with “Doing it for the Gram” she outlines why travel and posting pictures of the Super Bloom on platforms can be problematic. 

4. Postcard Academy

This podcast is women-run and proves that you can pack up your whole life and move abroad. Postcard Academy host Sarah Mitkutel is an American ex-pat based in the UK. This podcast covers meaningful travel and how to make travelling abroad full-time a reality. A recent podcast that we recommend listening to is 9 Magical Ways to Stretch Time to be More Productive and Where to Travel to in 2020. The first features Laura Vanderkam, author of the productivity book What the Most Successful People do Before Breakfast. The second features places around the world that interviewees recommend checking out.

5. The Trail Less Travelled

The Trail Less Travelled is a story-based adventure listen that tops our travel podcasts list. It is a growing collection of stories told by those exploring the most remote locations in the world. The stories are anything from cheesemakers in Africa to a famous stunt woman’s career. The host Mandala walks each interviewee through sets of questions to paint a picture of their lives and milestones they have reached. We recommend listening to Planting Trees with a focus on hunter-gatherer and elephant conservation. Mandala chats with Doreen Stokes who runs safaris in Tanzania. Doreen has lived a very adventurous life having started planting trees in Oregon and then pursuing a silviculture initiative.

6. Trek and Travel Podcast

This podcast revolves around backpacking and world adventure. It is hosted by couple Zack and Samantha and chronicles their adventures, how to budget when travelling, and time management. Zack has an interest in hiking and trail travel and Samantha enjoys more leisurely getaways. Zack is an engineer and Samantha is a teacher. They are an everyday couple who squeeze in the time to travel. We recommend listening to their first podcast What to Bring on A Backpacking Trip. This podcast is relatively new and a podcast to keep up with as Zack and Samantha continue creating. 

7. Travel Enthusiasts

Hosted by two journalists who went to Nottingham Trent University. These two are travel experts and do a great job outlining tips for travellers. This podcast is chatty in tone, informational, and they share stories from their adventures. Our recommendation would be to listen to Episode 3: Air BnB and booking.com. In this episode, they unpack the advantages and disadvantages of using these services. 

8. The Thoughtful Travel Podcast

Amanda Kendle hosts this story based podcast series that looks at topics such as foreign languages, meeting the locals, and the overall learning experience that can be gained through travel. But episodes that really piqued our interest are: Justifying Travel in the Climate Change Era, When Travelling is your Job, and Life Lessons Learned from Travel. In the first episode recommendation, Kendle sits down with Louis Southerden and Catherine Marshall. Southerden is a full-time professional travel writer and discusses her perception of sustainable travel. Travel and climate change intrinsically connect and this episode helps the listener better understand that. 

All of these podcast recommendations vary in terms of tone and content. These channels have insight from both the average traveller and travel expert so it’s easy listening. Podcasts can be an avenue that walks you through the stories of aspirational people, teach you that deciding to travel can be for everyone and that doing it full time can be a reality.