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Zero To Travel Podcast

✈️ 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” Jason Moore from zerototravel.com has been picking the brains of adventurous people living an unconventional life on the road so you can discover new ways to travel endlessly.
Along the way, you’ll get actionable advice and key resources that will improve your life AND help you travel more as we get down and dirty on topics like; starting and running an online business from anywhere, the best off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit, travel and work opportunities, gutsy budget travel strategies, surprising ways to earn free travel, the digital nomad life, unconventional travel based lifestyles, fun travel jobs, how to plan epic adventures, backpacking, remote work, how to take a gap year or a career break, 4-hour work week inspired topics, ex-pat life, slow travel, travel hacking, sustainable travel, human-powered adventures, trips worth planning, and everything in between.
Host Bio: Jason wandered the planet as a nomad for over a decade and spent 15+ years on the road as a tour manager in events/music, a seasonal adventure travel tour guide, and a digital nomad. Originally from the USA, he is now a dual citizen (Norway/USA) based in Oslo. He is obsessed with helping YOU explore our planet on your terms.
Follow the show (it’s FREE!) and welcome to the global community. ?
PS – To sign up for our free newsletter to get travel tips, tricks, destination advice, and more visit zerototravel.com/newsletter
PPS – If you’d like to access our paid premium feed with ad-free shows, bonus episodes, and more for just $3/month go to zerototravel.com/premium.

Copyright: © Copyright 2020 Zero To Travel LLC

Latest Episodes:

Traveling with No Destination and No Goals: Lessons from a 3-Year, 38,000-Mile Solo Bike Ride Around the World with Jacob Lemanski Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

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 and circling the earth twice. After returning home, he turned his travel journal into a video podcast, How To Move The Stars. He also founded an art and clothing company inspired by the experience and now runs a bike touring business in Colorado.

Jacob shares what it was like to travel without a finish line and how it reshaped his entire approach to life and adventure.

He reveals how three years of solo, open-ended travel deepened his understanding of presence, identity, and emotional endurance. You’ll hear what it took to stay on the road for 999 days, the personal cost and reward of extreme solitude, and how returning home led him to reshape his life through creativity, entrepreneurship, and reflection. This episode challenges conventional ideas of success and shows what’s possible when the journey itself becomes the destination.

What’s one journey you’ve been holding back from because you felt you needed a clear goal or endpoint? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

What inspired Jacob to leave home without a destination and why he expected to quit much earlier
What it’s like to live without a schedule for three years and how that changes your sense of time
What the trip taught him about limits, identity, and emotional endurance
The emotional impact of returning home after years of open-ended movement
How Jacob turned thousands of journal pages into a long-term podcast art project
Why he built a giant ant farm, and how psychedelics helped him process the trip
His best advice for aspiring long-distance cyclists and building a trip around your personal limits
And so much more

Resources:

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Safari Planning 101 + How to Build Your Life Around Travel with Scott Brills Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

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 company offering custom wildlife safaris in Tanzania. Over the past 20 years, he’s lived at the intersection of travel, business, and service — running trips, participating in charities, and creating a location-independent lifestyle before “digital nomad” was a common phrase.

This episode is both a guide to planning a world-class African safari and a behind-the-scenes look at how Scott built a thriving travel-based business from scratch.

Whether you're dreaming of lions in the Serengeti or wondering how to design your own unconventional lifestyle, this conversation delivers both practical insights and personal inspiration. If a safari is on your bucket list, you’ll learn how to plan smart: when to go, where to go, what it should cost, and what red flags to avoid. And if you’ve ever dreamed of building your life around travel, Scott’s story is proof that it’s possible, even without outside funding, marketing spend, or a fixed address.

What would building your life around travel look like, and what’s one step you could take today? What element of a Safari is the most important to you? I'd love to hear what you think and hope you will share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Tune In To Learn:

What makes Tanzania a world-class safari destination

How Scott co-founded a safari business through a single serendipitous encounter

Key factors that affect safari pricing and how to keep costs down without sacrificing quality

When and where to go for the best wildlife, weather, and experience

Why guide quality is the single most important factor in a great safari

What to look for in ethical safari operators (and how to avoid greenwashing)

How Scott ran his business for over a decade on referrals alone

The origin of his travel obsession and how it shaped everything

What “building a life around travel” actually looks like, practically and emotionally

Advice for travelers considering a leap into remote work or entrepreneurship

And so much more

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter

Learn about Pamoja Safaris

Scott’s website

Pamoja on Instagram

Scott on Instagram

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9 Ways Travel Will Change You + Lessons from Cycling Africa and Visiting 95 Countries with Alex Hennock

Adventure and Conservation: A 6000 km Tuk Tuk Journey Through Africa

5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron

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10 Steps to License Your Product Ideas for Location Independent Passive Income (No Manufacturing Required) with Courtney Laschkewitsch Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

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, Courtney helps everyday inventors bring their ideas to life and earn passive income through the free resources on her website, Serial Inventing, and the company she works for, inventRight.

Courtney lays out the inventRight 10-step product licensing business model and shows how she went from zero experience to multiple licensable products. We dig into what realistic timelines, costs, and mindsets look like when you want to bring your product idea to market by licensing instead of manufacturing.

Courtney explains how licensing can let someone else build your idea while you collect royalties from anywhere in the world. You’ll learn not just the mechanical steps, but why so much of your success depends on persistence, handling rejection, and building skills many people overlook. She’s honest about the financial realities - what small checks look like, what good deals look like - and what terms in contracts you should always negotiate. If you want a clear, actionable path toward turning ideas into income without a massive risk, this episode gives you that roadmap.

Do you have a product idea that could help you earn passive income while you travel? I’d love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share them sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

Why product licensing can let you earn passive income location‑independently without owning inventory or manufacturing

The first three foundational steps: doing market research, checking for prior art/patents, and defining what makes your idea unique

How to build prototypes or virtual models to show your concept

How to write a one‑line benefit statement and develop an effective sell‑sheet

Common myths around patenting and protection: what it does, the costs, limitations, and when it’s essential

How to build a hit list of companies, reach out sensitively to avoid unsolicited idea policies, and follow up well

Key negotiation levers beyond royalty rates: territory, exclusivity, distribution, wholesale vs net sales

How to decide when an idea is worth continuing vs when to shelve it, and how to improve your process as you iterate

And so much more

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter

Courtney’s website

The Serial Inventing Podcast

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How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns

10 Key Principles That Built a $40M Business While Traveling with Dan Demsky

How To Run A Profitable Local Business From Anywhere In The World w/ Neel Parekh

Thanks To Our Sponsors

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Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adventures in Urban Exploration with Greg Abandoned Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

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 URBEX movement.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to visit lost parts of society and want to know more about finding beauty in decay, then you don't want to miss this episode. We discuss how Greg discovered a new perspective on life through urban exploration, what inspired him to adopt this lifestyle, the unwritten rules of URBEX, and how to begin your own journey.

Have you ever participated in urban exploration? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you will share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Tune In To Learn:

What happened when Greg was arrested by the Chinese secret police
How to follow proper etiquette when doing urban exploration
When and why Greg fell in love with urban exploration
The video game that inspired Greg to visit Chernobyl and start his journey
How to start out on your own urban exploration adventure
Why it's important to find a balance between sharing locations and keeping undiscovered places off the map
What makes photography an important part of the process for Greg
The most challenging urban exploration experiences Greg has ever encountered
Why Greg feels that URBEX has given him a new life purpose
The hidden meaning behind Chasing Bandos
And so much more

Resources:

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Counterintuitive Advice on Selling Online, Starting Before You’re Ready, & Building a Fiction Career with Nat Eliason Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

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 Austin, Texas. Over the past decade, he’s built a career that gives him location freedom through writing, course creation, and now fiction. His debut sci-fi novel Husk: Book 1 of the Meru Initiative, was released in May 2025.

In this episode, Nat returns to share his experience transitioning from nonfiction writer to sci‑fi novelist, revealing the counterintuitive strategies he used to launch Husk and build momentum in the noisy creator economy.

Whether you're building a location-independent business or launching a creative project from anywhere in the world, Nat shares how to take control of your output, challenge “start later” thinking, and embrace the long game. He also opens up about what it takes to be patient in a fast-moving digital world, how he used an experimental marketing mindset to sell his products and books, and the often unseen emotional work of building something sustainably.

What’s one creative project you want to launch? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

Nate’s journey as an entrepreneur and author, and how he constructed the fictional world of Husk

Insight into balancing the joy of the journey with your bigger goals

Why starting creative work before feeling "ready" may be your strongest move

How to think like a business even while focusing on fiction or creative work

Why Nat says newsletters and funnels are out and where you should focus instead

The creative way that Nat sold his preorders instead of launching through Amazon

Advice for staying motivated before your work gains traction

How the "prep trap" holds creators and entrepreneurs back, and how Nat learned to bypass it

Nat’s favorite fiction book recommendations

And so much more

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter

Visit Nat’s website

Get the book, Husk

Instagram

Want More?

Lessons From Winning and Losing Millions in Crypto, How To Find Fulfilling Work, Advice for Transitioning to a Creative Career, and Creating Unlimited Upside With Nat Eliason

How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns

An Interview With John Craigie: Notes From The Road

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The Elements of AlUla: Arabia’s Lost City and the Heritage of Earth Sep 04, 2025

Show notes

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 going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert, layered in 200,000 years of human history.

Until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day, only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real.

Highlights Include:

Exploring the ancient city of Hegra. Built by the same people who built Petra in Jordan, Hegra is every bit as spectacular, but only visited by a handful of intrepid travelers.

Visiting Jebel Ikmah, a library of ancient inscriptions carved into stone that reveal life in the desert more than 2,000 years ago.

Riding Arabian horses to petroglyphs in the desert (and nearly falling off).

Meeting a herd of overly friendly camels, with a taste for microphones.

Learning from rawis, local storytellers, about the history of the incense road, a vast trading route that passed through Alula and changed the face of Arabia forever.

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter

Listen on Apple, Spotify

ExperienceAlula.com

Instagram, Facebook, X

Armchair Productions

Armchair Explorer Podcast

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Top 3 Life Lessons from the World’s Greatest Adventurers with Aaron Millar (Host of the Armchair Explorer Podcast)

Travel To Utah: Fireside Dances, Ancient Ruins, and the Beauty of Hózhó (Balance)

Exploring San Francisco by Cable Car

Thanks To Our Sponsors

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15 Years of Sacrifice, Secrets, & Sleeping with Cobras: Refusing an “Ordinary” Life to Build a Lost Paradise with Martin Vrana Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

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 scratch on a small island off Bali’s coast. Born and raised in Scandinavia, Martin left a safe life behind to follow an adventurous dream, one that taught him resilience, determination, and the art of creating a life on his own terms.

In this episode, Martin tells the story of how he turned a blank plot of land into Lost Paradise resort, through three jobs, relentless determination, and years of overcoming logistical, emotional, and cultural challenges.

Martin shares the raw truth behind building Lost Paradise from the ground up: the emotional cost, the logistical nightmares, and the relentless mindset that carried him through. You’ll hear how he navigated burnout, sacrificed relationships, and lived off-grid with no electricity, all while staying anchored to his vision. This story isn’t about overnight success; it’s about what’s possible when you refuse to quit.

What wild dream or goal of your are you ready to make happen? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

Why he kept the journey secret (even from his own mother)
How sourcing reclaimed wood across Indonesia became an epic logistical feat
What it felt like to work 450 hours a month to fund a project you’re not sure will succeed
How natural disasters and COVID unexpectedly pushed the project forward
The emotional toll of isolation, stress, and living off-grid in a half-built bungalow
How Martin became part of the community, learning language and culture on the ground
Why he calls himself a modern-day adventurer, not a social media entrepreneur
What building Lost Paradise taught him about success, freedom, and fulfillment
How he’s recovering from the journey and what he’s dreaming up next
And so much more

Resources:

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Remote Roundup: Future Hotspots, Productivity Experiments, Digital Nomadding 2.0 (August 2025) Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

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, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world.

Caitlin Sunderland is the associate producer, and Janessa is the partnerships manager of the Zero To Travel podcast. Both are digital nomads who’ve embraced the ups and downs of remote work life from all over the world.

Caitlin and Janessa open up about navigating burnout, experimenting with work routines, their thoughts on where nomads will be heading next, and what it means to be a “digital nomad 2.0.” You'll hear real stories and reflections on money, mindset, productivity, identity, and the emotional shifts that come with long-term travel.

What did you think of this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts, and hope you’ll share by sending an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

Why one underrated city could be your ideal remote base outside of the Schengen Zone
How 4‑hour work containers and energy management can boost focus
Advice for experimenting with your routines (without the guilt)
Our predictions for the next digital nomad hubs
What it means to build a sense of stability and home on the move
A wild café policy that had us doing a double-take
What rapid‑fire questions reveal behind the scenes of Zero to Travel
And so much more

Resources:

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100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

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 the everyday impact-makers whose stories remain untold. Based in Stockholm and often traveling worldwide, Robin explores humanity, creativity, and empathy through compelling, intimate films.

In this episode, Robin shares how the “100 Documentary Project” began, what fuels the journey, and why storytelling rooted in purpose can reshape our lives.

Robin shares how a one-year TV course and leap from IT sparked his filmmaking path and why his “100 Documentary Project” became both a purpose and a personal challenge. You’ll hear what it means to reframe your side hustle as your main work, and how traveling to places like Uganda and Bali shaped his storytelling. Robin opens up about the emotional depth he seeks in his subjects, why integrity matters more than clicks, and the biggest creative lesson travel continues to teach him. Whether you’re a storyteller, creator, or traveler, you’ll walk away with new insight into the value of empathy and everyday impact.

What hidden stories in your life or community deserve to be shared? I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you'll share by sending me an audio message.

Tune In To Learn:

Why a dinner with a pasta maker in Lisbon led Robin to start his filmmaking quest
How counting down from 100 shaped the structure and mindset of the project
Advice for identifying emotional moments even when subjects are camera‑shy
Why reframing the side hustle as your main purpose can change everything
How storytelling connects emotion and deeper impact
How travel constraints sparked creative solutions on location
How collaborating with a mission‑driven coffee company enabled an unforgettable shoot in Uganda
Tips for filming long‑form with limited gear and adapting when tech breaks
Insight into the editing grind, the “80/20 rule,” and the tweaks that take the longest
And so much more

Resources:

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Disrupting Travel and Building Community with Beth Santos Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

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 since morphed into Wanderful, an international community and social network with over 40,000 active members composed of women and non-binary people of all ages and backgrounds. Aside from this booming online community, Beth has also created WITS Travel Creator + Brand Summit, the Bessie Awards, and the first-ever outdoor women’s festival.

This episode is all about rethinking what it means to travel and how the narratives we tell (and believe) can exclude so many people. Beth and I get into how she reconnected with her Portuguese heritage and how that led to a life of travel and leadership. She shares her story of moving to São Tomé and Príncipe in her early 20s, the emotions around not speaking the language of her own family, and how she eventually turned those early experiences into a powerful global community.

We talk a lot about what it means to lead with vulnerability, how to build safe and inclusive spaces, and why the dominant solo female travel narrative is way too narrow. Beth also opens up about entrepreneurship, failure, and parenting as a founder.

What are some ways you can create a safe space for others? I'd love to hear some of your ideas and hope you will share by sending me an audio message.

*This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.

Tune In To Learn:

Why "travel" isn’t about miles traveled, but the challenge to your assumptions
How Beth’s heritage and a two-year stint in São Tomé shaped her journey
Advice on using vulnerability to build authentic, enduring communities
How solo female travel is often framed as either romantic or frightening—and why that’s incomplete
Why women dominate travel decisions and how that shapes industry narratives
How Wanderful links women around the globe with real, local advice
How to hold space as a leader—even if "failure" occurs
Why the life of a traveling entrepreneur and motherhood aren’t mutually exclusive
The story behind Wanderfest—the first outdoor travel festival by and for women
Why breaking the rules empowers people to be themselves

Resources:

Sign up for our FREE newsletter
Check out the Wanderful community
Learn more about Beth Santos
Connect with Beth on LinkedIn

Want More?

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