Global Travel Planning
Travel planning from people who've actually been there. Real trips, real experience, real advice.
The Global Travel Planning Podcast is hosted by Tracy Collins, an independent traveller who has explored more than 60 countries over 40 years. Each episode brings you first-hand trip reports, destination planning guides, and practical advice from travellers who have done it themselves.
With 100 episodes and counting, the show covers destinations across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Australia. Whether you are planning your first international trip or adding a new destination to a well-worn passport, you will find honest, experienced advice here.
New episodes every fortnight. Find show notes, links and travel guides at globaltravelplanning.com.
Episodes
106 episodes
Big Five Safari Near Johannesburg: Our Pilanesberg Week
Two and a half hours from Johannesburg, no malaria tablets, no light aircraft, and we still saw all of the Big Five in a day. After three weeks in Cape Town, we headed north for Doug's very first safari, staying at Kwa Maritane Lodge inside Pil...
How to Add Soft Adventure to Your European Itinerary
Adventure gets sold to us as faster, harder, higher. In this week's Tracy chats with Lynne Nieman, founder of Wander Your Way and Wander Your Way Adventures, about soft adventure travel in Europe and why gentle can be the most...
Cape Town in Winter: What to Know Before You Go
Winter might not be the obvious time to visit Cape Town, but after three weeks there we would happily do it all again. Cape Town in winter turns out to be quieter, cheaper and far more enjoyable than we had envisaged, so in this episode we shar...
South Africa Travel Guide: Best Things to Do in Cape Town in Winter
We share the Cape Town highlights from our three week winter stay, from Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront to day trips for penguins, history and wine. We also talk honestly about what surprised us, what we skipped, and how to plan aroun...
A Wine Lover's Guide to Planning a Trip to France
We talk with Paris-based wine expert Elisa about how to plan a French wine trip that fits your taste, your budget, and your travel style, whether you are wine-curious or a long-time collector. We share practical ways to choose regions, book tas...
Slow Travel With a Baby and a Dog [with Riana Ang-Canning]
Nine months on the road with a five-month-old baby and a twelve-year-old chihuahua is ambitious. Doing it after your carefully planned French long-stay visa is rejected two days before the flight is something else entirely.In this week's...
10 Essential Travel Tips for Every International Trip
After more than 20 years and close to 50 countries together, Doug and I share the actual routine we follow before every international trip. Not a generic list, just the 10 things that keep us organised, connected and confident.Booki...
Why Travel Is About So Much More Than an Itinerary
AI can generate an itinerary in seconds. What it cannot do is sit with your story, hear what a place means to you, or notice the detail that changes everything. That is what this conversation is about.Tracy and Cate from My Germany V...
Train Travel in Türkiye: A 12-Day Family Trip on a Budget
£25 for a 14-hour sleeper train with beds, a sink, and power points. £6.50 for a seven-hour scenic ride across central Türkiye. If you've ever assumed Türkiye is a fly-and-spend destination, this episode is here to change that picture entirely....
How to plan an Outer Hebrides road trip to Lewis and Harris
Scotland's Outer Hebrides don't forgive poor planning. Ferries sell out, accommodation is limited, and the roads demand your full attention. But get it right and you're rewarded with some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the world. In thi...
My Favourite Destinations, Top Travel Tips and the Story Behind Global Travel Planning
Travel has shaped everything about who I am, and I wanted to get personal and answer the questions you’ve been sending in: why I travel so much, how it all began, what destinations I love most, and how I actually plan a trip without turning it ...
Europe by Train: Real Tips and Highlights from a Three-Week Multi-Country Rail Trip
Narelle Mather joins Tracy to share how she planned and took a three-and-a-half-week multi-country train trip through Europe with her husband, sister, and a close friend. Starting in London and finishing in Warsaw, the group travell...
How to Plan an Independent Trip to China: Tips for First-Time Visitors
How to Plan an Independent Trip to China: Trains, Apps, Payments & Real TipsWhen you think of China, you probably think of Beijing, Shanghai, or the Great Wall. But planning an independent trip across such a vast and culturall...
Philippines Trip Report: Moalboal Eco Lodge Experience
In this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast, host Tracy Collins and co-host Doug Collins swap roles with special guest interviewer Amanda Kendle as they share their firsthand trip report from the Philippines.The conversa...
Japan Travel Planning: Ultimate Guide to Japanese Theme Parks
This week Tracy is joined by Japan travel specialist Helen Foster to share expert advice on visiting Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.If you are planning your first Japan trip and considering adding...
Exploring Switzerland by Train: Scenic Rail Journeys and Mountain Experiences
What makes Switzerland one of the most breathtaking countries in the world to explore by train?This week Tracy is joined by Switzerland travel expert Carolyn, founder of Holidays to Switzerland, to talk about the scenic rail journeys and...
Exploring the Peruvian Amazon: Wildlife, Culture and Adventure
This week Tracy is joined by seasoned travel podcaster and traveller Chris Christensen, host of the Amateur Traveler podcast, to share his recent experience travelling through the Peruvian Amazon.<...
Exploring Antarctica: What It’s Really Like on an HX Expeditions Cruise
Ever wondered what it actually takes to reach Antarctica and what it feels like when your boots hit the ice? We open up the journey, from long-haul hops to Ushuaia and life aboard a small HX Expeditions hybrid ship to the reality of the Drake P...
Travel Planning in 2026: Trends, Inspiration, and Travel Plans
Planning a great trip in 2026 shouldn’t feel like a second job. We’re kicking off the year with a clear roadmap for slower, more intentional travel—fewer destinations, deeper experiences, and practical steps that make every day on the road feel...
Around the World in 2025: Global Travel Planning’s Year in Review
This week Tracy and Doug reflect on a year filled with global adventures, practical travel advice, and behind-the-scenes stories from life on the road and behind the microphone.From Tracy reaching her seventh continent to shared reflecti...
Top 10 Most Incredible Train Journeys Around the World for Travel Lovers
Epic landscapes deserve an equally epic way to travel. We’re diving into the romance and reality of rail: why trains make holidays start at the platform, how sleepers turn miles into memories, and which routes around the world are worth plannin...
Stamped: Tracy Collins - From Curious Traveller to Global Travel Planner
This week, the mic is flipped. Tracy invites her friend and fellow podcaster Amanda Kendle (The Thoughtful Travel Podcast) to quiz her about the moments that shaped a lifetime of travel. From a grandmother’s pack of postcards th...
Wildlife Wonders of Queensland: Where to See Kangaroos, Koalas, Whales + More
This week host Tracy Collins is joined by Queensland expert Melissa, who shares her insider knowledge of where and when to experience Australia’s most iconic wildlife.Together they uncover the magic of seeing animals in the...
Cold Weather Adventures, Packing Tips, and Winter Destinations Worth the Chill
From Christmas markets and snowy city breaks to planning for icy adventures like Antarctica, this Ladies Who Travel episode is all about embracing the magic of cold-weather travel.Join Tracy and guest co-host Melissa
Stamped: Sinead - Trains, Travels, and Family Adventures Across 80 Countries
In this episode, host Tracy Collins is joined by lifelong traveller Sinead, who shares how a childhood love of caravan holidays and the travel stories of Michael Palin sparked a passion that led her to visit more than 80 countries...