Travel Podcasts, Discovered
✈️ The Zero To Travel Podcast has been downloaded 12+ million times and named a "Best Travel Podcast" by The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, The Telegraph, and Forbes.
Packed with life-changing perspectives, inspiration, and practical advice for everyone from travel newbies to nomads, this podcast will give you everything you need to travel the world on your terms, regardless of your situation or experience. Welcome to our amazing global listening community!
Since 2013, "Travel Ambassador" Ja
100 most recent episodes displayed below
Visit website →What if the key to planning your dream trip isn't choosing the right destination, but first figuring out what you actually need right now in your life?
Kelly Tolliday is the founder of Transform With Travel, a professional travel advisor and wellne
What would you do if your bus driver bought six Coca-Colas at the border, cost you your exit stamp, and forced you to sleep outside in malaria country between two countries?
Co-hosts Gunnar Garfors and Jacqui Kunz are back to share part two of thei
What if the secret to a truly meaningful travel experience starts not when you land, but long before you ever pack a bag?
Dr. Kristina Wachter is an award-winning professor, bestselling author, and CEO of Cross-Culture Connections. With over 25 yea
What are you really looking for when you travel?
Sarika Bansal is a travel writer, editor, and former editorial director of Afar magazine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, and Vice, and she focuses on ethical storytelling,
If you need some inspiration to make those travel dreams a reality, look no further! We're resharing some of our Transition to Travel episodes this month to help kickstart your plans in 2026. In this series, we interview a guest both before and after
Have you ever felt the pull to do something BIG, but weren’t sure if you were “that kind of person?” What if the bravest thing you could do is take the first step before you feel ready?
Lauren Roerick is a long-distance hiker who has traveled more
Do you have dreams of long-term travel? What are you willing to "give up" in pursuit of it?
If you need some inspiration to make those travel dreams a reality, look no further! We're resharing some of our Transition to Travel episodes this month to
What happens when talking to strangers while traveling becomes the thing that helps you feel less alone?
Adam Schluter is an award-winning, National Geographic published photographer and writer, and the founder of Hello From A Stranger, a project b
Dreaming of quitting your job and becoming a digital nomad? Planning a career break to travel the world? If you need some inspiration to make those travel dreams a reality, look no further! We're resharing some of our Transition to Travel episodes th
What happens when you try overland travel in West Africa across seven countries using only local transport?
Gunnar Garfors is a Norwegian traveler, journalist, and author who became the first person to visit every country in the world twice. He is
Join Caitlin and Janessa in this Remote Roundup as they catch you up on where they’ve been lately, the travel mistakes they’re learning the hard way, and the systems that keep long-term travel from turning into financial and emotional whiplash.
Rem
How would your life change if you decided to take a mini-retirement to travel the world, instead of waiting?
After saving for two years, Helen Lin and her former husband, Tim, put their life into storage, rented out their home, and quit their 9–5 j
Shakeemah Smith, aka The Passport Abuser, is a solo traveler who has visited 92 countries and helped more than 12,000 people ace their first solo trip. A former social worker from East Orange, New Jersey, she built her platform, Travel Like a Bawse,
How do you experience the Louvre Museum in a way that actually feels enjoyable, not stressful? And what makes this museum so much more than the Mona Lisa?
Elaine Sciolino is a veteran journalist and author, former Paris bureau chief for The New Yor
What are the best hidden gems and local experiences in Ljubljana, Slovenia, that some travelers completely miss?
Sharon Kaufman is a licensed local guide in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and founder of MyLjubljanaTour.com. Originally from Israel, she moved
Kim Frank is an award‑winning writer, multimedia storyteller, and explorer whose work has appeared in The Explorers Journal, Sidetracked, and Earth Island Journal. She is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society. Kim’s latest
What happens when you let curiosity guide your travel experiences?
John McKenzie is a long-time traveler and curious explorer who shares stories and insights from off-the-beaten-track destinations around the world. Through his content and curated C
What does queer travel in the US look like beyond the big cities? And what can all travelers learn from the LGBTQ+ travel experience?
Chase Vondran is a full-time travel creator and writer based in Chicago who helps transgender and gender-diverse t
What does it look like when travel becomes more than just a trip, but a lifelong evolution of identity, choices, and community?
Dianni Hall is a queer, second-generation Latina, solo budget backpacker, podcaster, and podcast producer. She’s the host
What are the top travel destinations for 2026 that need to be on your radar?
Lyn Hughes is the founding editor of Wanderlust Magazine and a leading voice in adventure and cultural travel journalism. She’s spent decades curating destination guides, c
Tune in for a quick update on what's to come on the Zero To Travel podcast in 2026! Happy New Year, my friend.
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My wife, Anne-Dorthe, and I are together on the pod to share all about Christmas traditions in Norway and the United States. You'll hear what it's like to taste Julebrus for the first time, see who will win the theoretical battle between Santa Claus
Looking for more creative and fun ways to reflect on your year and plan for the next one?
Join Caitlin and Janessa in this year-end Remote Roundup to explore personal reflections, unexpected lessons, goal-setting alternatives, and favorite travel mo
What happens when you step out of your life for a year to live, work, and connect in a completely different culture?
Don Jenkins is a 27-year high-school teacher from Washington state who spent a full academic year in Norway through the Fulbright Ro
Which European dish is so good you’d plan a trip around it?
Kenny Dunn is the founder of Eating Europe, a food tour company that has guided over 400,000 travelers to the best local eats in 17 of Europe’s greatest cities since 2011.
In this episode,
How do you choose where to live, what to do, and when to go home when your life is fully remote?
Remote Roundup is a monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sunderland, and partnerships manager, Janessa Klatt. Explore w
What are the most difficult countries to visit, and why do some require months of effort just to get in?
Gunnar Garfors is an author, journalist, and the first person to travel to every country in the world twice. Jacqui Kunz was named “World’s Most
IMPORTANT: This episode was recorded before the conflict in Sudan, and Jacqui has since left the country. For additional information and ways to support the Sudanese people, you can visit eyesonsudan.net and follow Jacqui on Instagram.
Why would som
What does it really take to build a travel lifestyle from scratch, especially if you’re starting later in life or managing a serious medical condition?
Jason Robinson is the founder of The Nomad Experiment and author of The Beginner Traveler’s Guide
Need some inspiration for your upcoming travels? Gunnar Garfors is the first person to travel to every country in the world not once, but TWICE. As the ultimate travel expert, he’s with us to share his list of the best places to visit before they get
Is night train travel making a comeback? Trains have long been seen as a romantic or nostalgic way to explore a destination, but what if it could also be the most practical, comfortable, and climate-friendly way?
Thibault Constant is a French train
How is tourism impacting communities, and what can we do about it? Paige McClanahan joins me to talk about the dualities of the tourism industry and how we can have deeper travel experiences while benefiting the world.
Paige McClanahan is the author
Want to explore volcanoes, wine valleys, remote wilderness, and vibrant indigenous cultures, all in one country? Why not make Chile your next adventure?
Steph Dyson is a travel journalist, guidebook author, and founder of the website Worldly Adventu
What tools and routines make the biggest difference for nomads? What really drives down your cost of living abroad, and what are you giving up to get there?
On this month’s episode, Caitlin and Janessa swap stories on budgeting, daily tradeoffs, an
What would your travels look like if you planned them around the most epic, life-shaping active adventures you could dream up?
Heidi Niklaus is the founder of Heidi Runs Abroad LLC, where she helps travelers, expats, and digital nomads maintain thei
What if the best hikes in America’s national parks aren’t the ones you’ve already heard of?
Jason Frye is a travel and outdoor writer who grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and now lives in North Carolina near the Great Smoky Mountains Nation
What would life feel like if you could reliably tap into your intuition, even when your logic is pulling in another direction?
Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir is an Icelandic author, speaker, and creative leader known for popularizing the concept of InnSæi,
Is it possible to hike the Inca Trail ethically?
Heather Jasper is a travel writer and photographer who has been based in Cusco, Peru, since 2019. She has written for BBC Travel, Fodor’s, Frommer’s, and other major outlets, leading readers off the b
Do you have the skills to survive on a deserted island?
Tom Williams is the founder of Desert Island Survival, an adventure travel company that maroons people on desert islands, and the winner of the TV survival show Alone UK 2023.
In this episode
What if the French Riviera you’ve seen in photos is only half the story?
Cédric Pages is the founder of WhatToDoRiviera.com, a local tour entrepreneur driving discovery across the Côte d’Azur by partnering with small operators and curating authentic
What if every choice as a digital nomad, from where you live, to how you work, to the people you surround yourself with, was made with more intention?
Remote Roundup is a new monthly series hosted by Zero To Travel’s associate producer, Caitlin Sund
What would happen if you left home with no destination, no goal or deadline, and simply just went until you couldn’t go any further?
Jacob Lemanski is an engineer-turned-world traveler who bicycled 38,000 miles over 999 days, crossing six continents
What does it take to plan an unforgettable African safari? How can one trip lead to building a life and business around travel?
Scott Brills is a long-time digital nomad, international entrepreneur, and co-founder of Pamoja Safaris, a locally run c
Could you turn a product idea into passive income, without starting a business or having to do it all yourself?
Courtney Laschkewitsch is a serial inventor who, with no prior experience, licensed six products after facing 51 rejections. Now, Courtn
Have you ever had the urge to explore the world beyond the boundaries of society?
Greg Abandoned shares his passion for urban exploration, including stories of some of his most challenging journeys, most cherished experiences, and all about the URBE
What if the best time to start your business or creative pursuit was before you felt fully ready? And what if you didn’t need to follow all of the current “best practices” to market yourself?
Nat Eliason is an entrepreneur and author based in Austi
Today, I’ve got a special episode from The Elements of AlUla, a travel docuseries produced by Armchair Productions. The company was founded by Aaron Millar, who you may know as the host of The Armchair Explorer podcast.
In this series, Aaron is goi
What happens when someone gives up security to build a tropical dream on a tiny island, with no job, no plan, and only one light bulb for power?
Martin Vrana is the founder of Lost Paradise, a boutique resort he spent nearly 15 years building from s
What does thriving as a long‑term digital nomad look like in 2025?
Welcome to our debut episode of Remote Roundup - a new monthly series exploring what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, dest
What can happen when a filmmaker decides to spotlight invisible geniuses and hidden stories that change how we see the world?
Robin Danehav is a Swedish documentary filmmaker known for embarking on a bold quest to create 100 short films revealing th
Do you ever feel limited by society’s expectations and stereotypes surrounding travel?
When Beth Santos started a travel blog, her goal was to challenge norms by exploring the diverse and shared experiences of women traveling the world. It has sinc
What if the secret to unlocking a better life and travel experience lies not in more, but in smarter choices?
Chris Hutchins is the host of the “All the Hacks” podcast, where he distills practical strategies across life, money, and travel. An optimi
Could a loosely planned road trip actually turn out better than a perfectly mapped itinerary?
Anne Dorthe is my wife and travel partner of over 11 years, and a Norwegian local with roots in Trøndelag.
In this episode, Anne and I share the story
What are the best hidden gems in Riga, Latvia, and how can you experience this Baltic city like a local?
Lelde Benke-Lungevica is a Latvian writer and cultural storyteller who was born in Australia and moved back to Riga in her teens. Since 2013, s
What’s it like to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, especially if you're doing it later in life?
Philip Gibbons is a 68-year-old traveler, podcaster, and former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire winner who just got back from hiking the Inca Trail to
What changes when you give your travels a singular mission?
Conor Knighton is an Emmy Award-winning correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning and the bestselling author of Leave Only Footprints. After a personal breakup and some professional uncertainty,
What does it really mean to get beyond the clichés in Paris?
Paige McClanahan is a journalist and author of The New Tourist: Waking Up to the Power and Perils of Travel. She’s spent years reporting for The New York Times and has lived in France for
Have you ever considered doing a digital detox, but were unsure where to start or how it would impact your life or business?
Corbett Barr is an OG in the lifestyle business world, being a seasoned entrepreneur, creator, and technologist. After step
What is hiking a camino really like? Can you do it even if you’re not a hardcore hiker, or don’t have a big, life-changing quest in mind?
Shawn and Lainey are the husband-and-wife team behind Days We Spend, where they share stories and videos about
What if chasing happiness meant giving up everything you thought you wanted?
Will Rickard is the author of The Silk Road to Happiness, a book born from his solo journey through the “Stans" - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan - on
Are you craving an adventure that’ll connect you deeper to Scotland’s wild places, warm people, and timeless legends?
Andy McAlindon, better known as Andy the Highlander, is a Scottish tour guide, author, actor, and storyteller whose passion for Sc
Why should you travel to Tbilisi, Georgia? While you might come for the 8,000-year-old wine, you’ll want to stay for the wild hospitality and a city full of surprises.
Levan Giorgadze is a theater-trained tour guide and founder of Tbilisi Free Walki
Could the least-visited places offer the most rewarding travel experiences?
Jonty Crane is a New Zealand-based traveler, guidebook author, and longtime advocate for meaningful, off-the-beaten-path travel. With over 75 countries under his belt, he’s
What if you could flip your thinking, let go of old scripts, and start showing up as the hero in your own life, right now?
Derek Loudermilk is a coach, adventurer, podcaster, and bestselling author who helps coaches, healers, and creators become gl
Why does it take a brush with death for some of us to finally do the things we’ve dreamed of?
Stephan Kesting is an accomplished martial artist, firefighter, wilderness explorer, and the author of Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic. You
What does it really take to build a life abroad, and what happens when travel pushes you far outside your comfort zone?
Jackie Nourse, aka Traveling Jackie, is an adventure travel pro, host of JUMP podcast, tour leader, and storyteller who’s built
What if the best way to explore Copenhagen isn’t in the guidebooks, but in a cemetery, on a bike hunt for trolls, or over a plate of smørrebrød with locals?
Rikke Bisgaard-Svensen is the co-founder of Copenhagen Free Walking Tours and a self-descri
Trigger Warning: This episode contains honest discussions about depression and suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know is struggling, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255).
Is debt stopping you from traveling? What if the life
What does it really mean to feel seen, safe, and celebrated as an LGBTQ+ traveler? How can understanding other people’s travel experiences help us feel more connected, wherever we go?
Alicia Valenski is an American writer, editor, speaker, and auth
Have you ever thought about what your travels would look like without alcohol?
After eliminating alcohol, Margaret rediscovered her joy for travel, so much so that she started Alcohol-Free Adventure Retreats (AFAR), where she helps women rediscover
What’s it like to trade the hustle of NYC for a slower life in Iceland? And how do you explore its volcanic landscapes without getting stuck in the tourist crowds?
Jewells Chambers is the creator and voice behind All Things Iceland, a podcast and Y
What can we actually learn about climate change when we stop reading headlines and start listening to the people living it?
Gunnar Garfors is the first person to travel to every country in the world not once, but twice. He’s a Norwegian adventurer,
Why do some conversations leave you feeling seen and understood, while others fall flat?
Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of The Power of Habit and his latest, Supercommunicators. He's spent years explorin
Is co-living the secret sauce to building community and staying inspired on the road?
Fabio and Juls are the co-founders of Casa Basilico, a pop-up foodie co-living experience designed for digital nomads who crave meaningful connection, delicious f
What happens when you take a grand piano into the wild and let nature lead the performance?
Hunter Noack is a classically trained pianist and the founder of IN A LANDSCAPE, a one-of-a-kind outdoor concert series that brings a 9-foot Steinway grand
Would you skateboard nearly 1,000 miles across the U.S. with no real plan, just to see what would happen?
Mike Kosciesza did just that with three friends and a dream to make a documentary out of it. Back in 2008, these four 20-year-olds set off fro
What makes Baltimore, Maryland, one of the best US cities to visit?
Brian Oliver is the founder of BMore See More, a nonprofit organization empowering minority male students in Baltimore City to become local and global leaders through education, me
What adventures have you been dreaming up but haven't done yet?
Lynne Nieman is the founder of Wander Your Way, a podcast and website dedicated to helping you explore off-the-beaten-path destinations throughout Europe. As a professional travel plann
Almost two decades after The 4-Hour Workweek was published, what does lifestyle design look like now, and where is it headed next?
Travis Sherry is a longtime traveler and entrepreneur who’s spent over a decade building a life centered around freedo
What can thinking about death teach us about living life?
Bronnie Ware is an author, songwriter, speaker, and free spirit devoted to helping others find the courage to embrace life on their own terms and live without regrets. Her international bests
What road trip songs get you pumped for your travels?
Rob Harvilla has been a professional rock critic for 20+ years whose writing has appeared in Pitchfork, Spin, and Rolling Stone. He is also the host of the hugely popular podcast 60 Songs That Ex
I’m bringing you a roundup of the most popular and community-loved highlights from the Zero To Travel newsletter this month, offering practical travel tips, lifestyle insights, and some good old-fashioned wanderlust inspiration.
You’ll hear science-
Have you traveled just to go to a music festival? What one realization can lead to a life of travel?
Jason Law and his wife Kelly are the duo behind Festy GoNuts and GoNuts Marketing, the ultimate resource for enhancing your music festival experience
What is it like to hike over 2,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail… with your teenage kid?
Jessica and Largo are part of the adventurous WorldTowning family, who’ve been living a full-time travel lifestyle for over a decade. From sailing across the At
Nate Menninger has chased experiences around the world, from running with the bulls in Spain to diving the Blue Hole in Belize. Most recently, he became one of the first foreigners to work as a Himalayan porter in Nepal, an experience he documented i
What hidden stories lie beneath the surface of the places you travel?
Clare Hammond is an award-winning investigative journalist currently working with Global Witness to expose the issues relating to natural resources, conflict, and corruption. In 20
What is it about Sicily that makes travelers fall in love (and some never leave)?
Linda Sarris is a Sicilian travel expert, private chef, and the author of three Moon Travel Guides covering Sicily and Southern Italy. After building her career as a pr
What makes Andalusia one of the best hidden gems in all of Spain?
Lucas Peters is a tour operator and award-winning travel writer. His latest book with Moon Travel Guides explores the magic of southern Spain, sharing the must-see highlights, unique e
What if you could build a business that funds your dream lifestyle without sacrificing travel and freedom?
Dan Demsky is the co-founder and CEO of Unbound Merino, a premium Merino wool clothing brand that has redefined minimalist, high-performance f
Is it time to rethink the “rules of life?” What if you could redefine success, family, and adventure on your own terms?
Ingrid Alm is an adventurer, writer, and mom who has made it her mission to challenge the conventional rules of life. Ingrid has
How can moving abroad help solve a specific life challenge? How do you choose the right location-independent business to start? What's the best way to navigate traveling across longer distances?
In this episode, I answer listener questions to help y
What if you could travel the world without breaking the bank? What does it mean to be a traveler after nearly two decades on the road?
Travel-blogging legend and best-selling author Matt Kepnes has been traveling the world on a near-continual basis
Is studying abroad in Europe the ultimate travel hack? How can you get your entire college degree abroad for a fraction of the cost of U.S. tuition?
Through her website, Beyond The States, Jen Viemont helps students and lifelong learners navigate the
How do you build the confidence to take off on a long-term solo vanlife journey, especially through lesser-traveled regions?
Maria Glaser has been traveling solo in her self-converted van across 16 countries, from Germany to Mongolia. What started as
What does it really take to visit Tibet, and how can you have an authentic experience while you're there?
My guest today is Robert Kelly, a seasoned travel writer who has co-authored multiple editions of Lonely Planet’s Tibet guidebook.
With years o
Are you leaving free travel on the table?
Brian Kelly, aka The Points Guy, is one of the world’s leading experts on travel and loyalty programs. What started as a blog in 2010 has become a massive platform helping millions of travelers maximize rewar
Why should you explore Eastern Europe?
Francis Tapon is a global nomad and author of Hike Your Own Hike and The Hidden Europe. With an inspiring travel resume, he has traveled to 125 countries, has walked across America four times, Spain twice, and M
What does it take to turn a childhood dream into reality, even when it seems impossible?
Alex Harz is an adventurer, filmmaker, and storyteller who took his dream of climbing Mount Everest and turned it into a powerful multimedia project, The Quest:
I’m bringing you some of the best insights from the past month’s newsletter—curated travel tips, trends, and ideas that deserve a deeper dive. If you’ve ever felt the sting of travel FOMO, wondered about the latest digital nomad visas, or wanted a be
How can moving abroad help solve a specific life challenge? How do you choose the right location-independent business to start? What’s the best way to navigate traveling across longer distances?
In this episode, I answer listener questions to help y