Whether you have an upcoming holiday or enjoy learning more about different cultures, this week’s travel-themed podcasts will have something for you to indulge in.
1. Wander Woman: A Travel Podcast
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms
Genre: Travel
The Wander Woman: A Travel Podcast is a magazine-style travel podcast.
In each episode, award-winning broadcaster, travel writer, author and photographer Phoebe Smith takes listeners behind the scenes on her travels.
This month, Smith is in “Canada’s most underrated province – Saskatchewan”, where she goes on hikes through national parks, speaks with The Travel Mum, Jenna Carr and finds out all about fossils and endangered species.
It begins with Smith giving context to the national park, which was once home to dinosaurs, indigenous people and cowboys. “You can see the history before your own eyes,” she explains.
On a history hike with tour guide Rose, listeners can hear the conversations between the two and all the sounds from the wilderness and outdoors.
She then speaks with a park ranger named Alex, who says he loves it there, thanks to the types of people that come along.
“People who come here want to be in nature,” he tells Smith. “They are not here for selfies and Instagram.”
Overall, the episode gives the perfect insight into the journey Smith is on and with the sound bites and background noise, it puts listeners right there with her.
(By Sara Keenan)
2. The Thoughtful Travel Podcast
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube
Genre: Travel
New podcasts launch daily, and not all of them hang around for long. So, for The Thoughtful Travel Podcast to still be going strong 10 years since it began, it must be doing something right.
Of course, subject matter is key, and travel interests the vast majority of us, whether it be a week in the sun or longer trips, including gap years and career breaks.
So, here we are, on episode 396, and this week’s topic is spending a year abroad, in which host Amanda Kendle looks at the benefits of extended travelling.
For this episode, she is joined by Riana Ang-Canning, who discusses her first extended period of travel in the Czech Republic; Amy Willis, who chats about a digital nomad programme; and Jonty Crane, who spent a year volunteering in Timor-Leste.
What really stands out from these guests is what travel has brought to their lives, including the ability to work and travel at the same time, and how to communicate with people from all walks of life.
It would also appear that those with a nomadic side never really lose it, with many who travelled extensively in their 20s still exploring the world later in life.
(By Rachel Howard)
3. Armchair Explorer
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube
Genre: Travel
Travel broadens the mind, but you’ll need to hop off the sunlounger and out of the boutiques and bars to truly enjoy a holiday that immerses you in a different culture.
Armchair Explorer won’t tell you how to beat the queues or find the next trending patisserie, but it will guide you off the beaten track to destinations that don’t often appear in a travel agent’s window.
Since 2020, British travel writer Aaron Millar has been interviewing explorers, adventurers and guides, as well as sharing his own journeys into remote places and the fascinating communities and fellow travellers he has met.
With a back catalogue of hundreds of documentaries, you may have to scroll quite far back to find your dream destination. Just be prepared to swap your wheelie case and sandals for a rucksack and hiking boots.
(By Amy Crowther)
4. The Holiday Expert Show
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube
Genre: Travel
If you’re always on the lookout for clever ways to save money on your next getaway and want to stay up to date with the latest travel news, The Holiday Expert Show is well worth adding to your podcast queue.
Hosted by Chelsea Dickenson, better known as The Holiday Expert, alongside her trusted travel companion James Robinson, the podcast strikes the perfect balance between practical advice and light-hearted entertainment.
You may already recognise Dickenson from her viral Instagram videos, where she puts airport hacks and budget travel tips to the test, or from her appearances on This Morning. On this podcast, she shares some of her very best golden nuggets of advice.
In the latest episode, the duo explore the five things that could ruin your holiday this summer, from passport validity issues and flight cancellations to travel scams and offers advice on how to avoid these problems – and what to do if they happen.
Fast-paced, engaging and packed with practical, easy-to-follow advice, the podcast combines Dickenson’s travel expertise with Robinson’s humour and laid-back energy, making every episode both informative and entertaining.
Whether you’re planning a beach break, a city escape or a long-haul adventure, The Holiday Expert Show is the perfect pre-holiday listen to help you travel with confidence and enjoy a smoother trip.
(By Camilla Foster)
Spotlight on…
5. The Travel Diaries
Streaming platform: All streaming platforms and YouTube
Genre: Travel
The Travel Diaries is a podcast hosted by travel and entertainment journalist Holly Rubenstein, who chats to special guests about their adventures around the world.
In the latest episode, actor and TV presenter Sir Michael Palin joins Rubenstein again to explore how his travel experiences and destinations have changed his life.
For Palin, travelling is an important part of survival. He opens up about why it’s therapeutic for him, visiting his 100th country – which was Venezuela – and his latest adventure in the Philippines.
Palin also talks about his time in Nigeria, which he describes as “a country with enormous potential”, and the ancient history he uncovered during his time in Iraq.
It was interesting listening to Palin marvel at his number one travel destination, Cusco and Machu Picchu, a place he believes everyone should visit at least once in their lives.
If you are looking for a podcast that celebrates the wonders of the world, then give The Travel Diaries a listen – even in the sky, since it’s also been added to the in-flight entertainment systems of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, Aer Lingus and EVA Air.
(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)