Many other travellers call books their best friends on their adventures, but for me, I find books too bulky to take along. But also, I prefer to listen to stories, rather than read them. You get to absorb more information, quicker. On top of that, you get the emotions, tones and personalities through listening. Therefore I've found a love in travel podcasts! I've been researching like crazy to build my library of voices for my next adventure. Here are my favourite picks, the best podcasts for travellers!
Best Podcasts For Travelling
No.1 The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim lives, promotes, inspires and researchers totally holistically. Tim has become an expert on dieting, fitness, relationships, business, travelling, tech gear, networking.... the list goes on and on! The author of 'The 4 Hour Work Week' is an absolute genius! Listening to this man is downright inspiring. But in such a simple way. He breaks down so many huge worldly ideas, along with his guests, to bring light to everyday strategies, making anyones life greater and easier. I'm obsessed. It's definitely one of the best free podcasts out there. I binge listen to Tim often and find myself beaming with power to take on my daily activities!
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2. Extra Pack Of Peanuts Show (EPOP)
Heather and Travis have the best podcasts about travel on iTunes! These 2 bicker, laugh and reminisce together about all their adventures and experiences. Interviewing fellow traveller's, a main theme is discussing how to travel more for less! These guys are a ball of fun! My TOP pick for a genuine travel experience.
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3. Zero To Travel
I LOVE this travel podcast! The Zero to Travel easily competes with EPOP for top Travel Podcast of my choice! Guests are interviewed about all sorts of travel and nomadic lifestyle related issues. This travel stories podcasts has its own perfect explanation:
"National Geographic Type Adventures, Lifestyle Design Like Tim Ferriss Plus Inspiration Like TED."
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4. T.E.D. Radio Hour
If you are familiar with T.E.D. Talks, you'll quickly fall in love with this podcast. Sticking to a single theme per episode, it runs through different peoples own experience with these themes. Mixing up the perspectives and making you think about worldly issues from various angles. Run very similar to The Tim Ferriss Show, this is definitely staying on my good travel podcasts list!
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5. Betty In The Sky With A Suitcase
Betty, the host, is an air stewardess and is a pure delight! Her podcast is a collection of interviews from all over the world as she travels for work. From fellow colleagues hilarious stories of onboard antics to her own experiences with passengers. A wonderful insight to the behind the scenes cheek of such a glamorous lifestyle!
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6. Budget Minded Traveller
Jackie focuses on solo female travel and exploring budget friendly options for all! Get the latest tips for saving a bit of cash here and there, at the same time listening to some wild tales of backpacking ventures from incredible guests! A young, backpacking, carefree vibe, this podcast lets you dream with realistic expectations.
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7. BNI Official Podcast
Whaaaaaa....?! Yep ok let me explain why this one lands so high on my list of best podcasts for travellers. The episodes are short - about 15 minutes each. Meaning each point discussed gets straight to the nitty gritty and outlined simply! BNI is all about broadening your business through networking. Curtis is part of our local Forster Chamber and the benefits to his business and his social circles have been bountiful simply from 'being a part of something'. BNI explains basics of business and how effective they are, but reminds you how many people forget these basics. All aspects discussed can easily be applied to travelling. Connecting with people for mutual benefits. The incredible positives of great word of mouth. How easy and fulfilling it can be to simply introduce yourself to someone and begin a long-lasting relationship. Whether applied through social media or physical gatherings, never underestimate how powerful human connections can be!
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8. Amateur Travel
Great interviews with inspirational people! Pick an episode based on location and enjoy the tales!
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9. Travel Tales
Again, this podcast has its own perfect description: 'Comedian and TV host Mike Siegel (TBS, HGTV) created the Travel Tales Podcast – a lighthearted conversation highlighting the best and worst experiences that travel has to offer. Every episode, Mike welcomes a different guest (some famous, some not) to hear their true Tales from lands far away.'
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10. Andy Steves
'From a life raised on travel, Andy Steves connects with global friends & local experts in seeking out the ultimate tips, tricks and tales of life abroad. Whether you're a digital nomad, aspiring entrepreneur, budget traveler or wanderlust-er, this is for all of us who crave that next adventure.'
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11. Beautiful Places In HD
This is actually a travel video podcast. Each episode is quite short, leading it to be a wonderful collection of bite-sized inspiration! It's awesome that this travel podcast is free! Paired with stunning audio and simple commentary, download a few episodes for when you need a break and a few minutes to just escape to a wondrous land.
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12. National Geographic Weekend
This is just dripping in typical high-budget National Geographic traits. It sounds, fells and even smells like the traditional form of documentary story telling of the famous franchise. Run as a collection of mini segments to make each episode, this is probably the only reason it's on the bottom of my list.
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Tried, Tested But Didn’t Fall In Love
Not all podcasts intrigued my wandering soul. I had so many recommendations and tried to test them all, but some can be put in the 'thanks but no thanks' pile. So here are more great podcasts, that I think you should still listen to, but they just didn't make my best podcasts for travellers list.
1. Indie Travel
2 things that annoyed me within 30 seconds - it’s incredibly slow pace and the males voice. I’m sure it appeals to a certain audience, but this was the only podcast that actually turned me off.
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2. This Week in Travel
This podcast is run by a group of travelling experts. Great in theory, but when they’re not all in one location plus they’re interviewing other travellers and nomads, it simply got awkward. Too many long pauses, talking over each other and dawdling off track way too much…
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3. The Season Pass
A podcast about the Behind The Scenes of Theme Parks. Very specific and I just couldn’t get engaged.
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5. The Adam Buxton Podcast
Bit of British fun! Unique songs leading you into each segment. The up-beat, explicit humour makes this podcast a stand out on its own. British humour, I find, is a ‘love it or hate it’ kind of style. I’m in the latter. So it was interesting and engaging but not my style.
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6. Travel Today
Just a bit too mature for me
.
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What inspires you to travel? What carries you through your journeys, keeping you company on those long hauls?
Let me know in the comments!
Awesome list, I listen to a lot of these! I actually also host my own travel podcast, it’s called Alpaca My Bags. Would love for you to give it a listen and maybe add it to this list. It’s women-led and written and recorded in Toronto! We cover travel-related issues like dark tourism, extreme tourism, traveling as women and more.
http://www.alpacamybags.ca
I’m not a huge book person either haha but I still haven’t gotten into the whole podcast thing. But perhaps if it was listening to travel stories I’d be a lot more into it! Thanks for sharing this great list – I think I gotta check some of these out! 🙂
I have weirdly never listened to a podcast…but you’re inspiring me! Maybe I’lll switch it up next trip <3
We are just getting ready for our third eurotrip this year and we’ve been thinking about getting some podcast for the road. This is perfect, thank you for sharing it.