Sorry Insta, a great travel photo is always appreciated, but the best parts of travel are always found in the true storytelling. Travel podcasts are the wanderlust element you’ve been missing in your life, but let’s change that for 2020. This is the year to broaden your listening scope and try travel podcasts on for size. Revive that commute and get started with the best travel podcasts out there, featuring the inspiring stories, fresh perspectives and of course tips and tricks for your inner explorer.
10. Women Who Travel
Travelling women unite! “Because a woman’s place is wherever she chooses,” is a phrase we couldn’t agree more with. The Women Who Travel Podcast is hosted by Meredith Carey and Lale Arikoglu – both editors at Condé Nast Traveler Magazine. They’re passionate about tapping into the global community of women who travel. Each week they shine the spotlight on amazing female travellers around the world who are shaking up the industry, including feminist road trips and refugee experiences, which is why Women Who Travel had to make our list of the best travel podcasts to listen to right now. They discuss real issues around travelling as a woman and generally inspire us to keep exploring, so tune in female adventurers and allies!
Episode length: 30-40 mins
Upload frequency: weekly
Best episode to get you started: Why You Really Need to Take All of Your Vacation Days
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9. Travel Genius
Everyone loves a good travel hack, and Travel Genius is all hacks, all the time. Hosts Mark Ellwood and Nikki Ekstein chat to other travel experts to expose the biggest and best hacks for all aspects of travelling, from getting into business class to minimalist packing, and everything in between.
Episode length: ~30 mins
Upload frequency: inconsistent
Best episode to get you started: Here’s How to Pick the Best Restaurant
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8. EcoLust
Care about sustainable travel? Duh, we all do! And Aussie millennials Chris Minehan and Hayley Tillard have translated this passion into EcoLust, one of the best travel podcasts out there. “We want to live better – for the planet, for others, and for ourselves,” they say. So, with every episode they aim to make it easier for us all to live and travel a little more sustainably, no eco-shame here! They share their own struggles and triumphs – from traveling the world with just carry-on luggage to exploring how sustainable families live. All the while hoping to empower others. We’re in.
Episode length: around an hour
Upload frequency: weekly
Best episode to get you started: Minimalist Van Life in New Zealand
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7. JUMP Podcast
JUMP Podcast’s mission is to inspire everyone to go out and see the world. With 53 countries visited and counting, JUMP focuses on active and adventure travel. Expect packing to hiking tips, language hacks and bucket list inspiration. Jackie covers the bases in a very relatable and conversational way – that makes you feel like you’re having a convo with a friend.
Episode length: 25 mins to 1 hour+
Upload frequency: biweekly on Wednesdays
Best episode to get you started: JUMP 126 – 5 adventure firsts in Europe
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6. Indie Travel Podcast
The Indie Travel Podcast is hosted by real-life couple Craig and Linda. This is a real labour of love, fueled by years of personal lessons learned. These Kiwi nomads focus on must-do lists and travel tips that they’ve picked up from 14+ years of travelling. If you’re looking for tips on a specific destination or topic, there’s a library of over 350 episodes to choose from. Plus they like to keep it short and sweet with one theme per episode, so it’s easy to dive into what you’re curious about at the moment.
Episode length: 20 to 40 mins
Upload frequency: inconsistent
Best episode to get you started: Episode 368 – How to choose your travel destination
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5. Extra Pack of Peanuts
Hosts Trav and Heather from Extra Pack of Peanuts take a fun and chilled approach to travel podcasting. With an emphasis on travelling more and spending less, there’s a little bit of everything on EPOP – from interviews with travellers and travel tips to top 10 lists. Look for the budgeting advice!
Episode length: typically ~ 1 hour
Upload frequency: weekly on Tuesdays
Best episode to get you started: Episode 403 – 2020 Travel Wishlist (ultimate new year inspiration!)
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4. Awake At Night
With millions of people living displaced around the world right now, this podcast is a harrowing but necessary listen. Let us introduce you to Melissa Fleming, chief spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). She hosted Awake At Night from 2018-2019 and now is as good a time as any to listen in. This podcast focuses on individual refugee stories, but also explores what it takes to be a humanitarian worker facing some of the world’s most dangerous situations. Don’t miss the interview with Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner and a former child refugee from Afghanistan.
Episode length: 45 minutes
Upload frequency: there are 16 episodes in total
Best episode to get you started: From the beginning
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3. What the Pho
Podcaster-new-kids-on-the-block Nick and Amy started What the Pho to track their adventures and tackle world issues. Tuning in is basically like having two travel pals come exploring with you. They share their good, bad and… ugly experiences traveling the world and the set up is more radio show than podcast with plenty of guests, games and fun facts. They also manage to fit in one-off podcast documentaries on issues such as the Venezuelan Crisis and the Israel and Palestine conflict, which is why it’s one of our top 3 favorite travel podcasts.
Episode length: typically between 30 mins and 1 hour
Upload frequency: fortnightly
Best episode to get you started: Long Term Travel – 8 Months On
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2. On She Goes
On She Goes is a digital platform created by women of color, “to encourage and empower other women of color to travel more confidently.” The podcast started in the summer of 2018 and there’s now a whole team of awesome women hosting the show. If you’re looking for a fresh perspective, this is the place to tune into. The team chat to everyone from comedians to pro snowboarders, touching on topics such as immigration, safety, ancestry and active adventures, which makes it the ideal contender for the best travel podcast title.
Episode length: 30 mins to 1 hour
Upload frequency: monthly
Best episode to get you started: Arrive, Adjust, Adapt
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1. Out of Office Podcast
As the originals in travel, it only makes sense that Contiki’s podcast, Out of Office is top here on our list of best travel podcasts. With a new season coming early 2020. Travel creates stories and Out of Office seeks to share these incredible stories, SIMPLE. Focused on young people who love to travel, this Contiki-powered podcast focuses on travelling as an LGBTQ couple, indigenous cultures, men’s mental health and sustainable travel. There’s no shortage of fresh and inspiring content on OOO.
Episode length: ~30 mins
Upload frequency: weekly per season
Best episode to get you started: Any!
Image source:Contiki
