Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel

iHeartPodcasts
  • 4.7 (63)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

Wayfinder is a podcast for the curious, luxurious, and adventurous traveler. Host and veteran travel writer Daniel Scheffler ventures off the map and into traveler stories of beauty, blunder, and transformation, those unforgettable moments guidebooks can't capture.   Inspired by the ancient Polynesian wayfinders who navigated the ocean by stars, swells, and intuition, each episode features an immersive tale of what happens when we follow our senses and trust our inner compass to lead the way. With local tips, food adventures, and cultural encounters, Wayfinder reveals not just where to travel, but how to journey through the world with humor, wonder, and our own curiosity.

  1. Sep 1

    Queensland: Choose Your Own Wild Travel Adventure Through Australia’s Outdoors (ft. Coyote Peterson)

    What if one destination could offer endless ways to explore the wild, while giving us new reasons to care deeply about it?  For Brave Wilderness creator and adventurer Coyote Peterson, few places offer as many opportunities for adventure as Queensland, Australia, where setting out from the vibrant capital of Brisbane can lead to tropical coastlines, ancient rainforests, and some of the planet’s most remarkable wildlife. From searching for monitor lizards, to diving off a speeding boat to catch a 220-pound sea turtle, to venturing to the remote edges of the Cape York peninsula, Coyote takes us through the life-changing travel experiences in Queensland that keep pulling him back for more. Along the way, he shares his favorite stops and food, reflects on the people and conservationists who have brought him closer to the natural world, and reveals why getting to know our world’s creatures more intimately can inspire us to care more deeply about protecting them. Follow Coyote on Instagram @coyotepeterson and TikTok @coyotepetersonofficial Follow Brave Wilderness on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/c/BraveWilderness Travel Tips: Queensland (from the episode) Give Queensland at least two weeks: It’s a massive region, so give yourself enough time to explore without rushing from one stop to the next. Explore the Gold Coast beyond just the beaches: If you can, head into the rocky tide pools at low tide for a closer look at Queensland’s marine life, but keep your distance from wildlife and know the conditions before venturing in. Try to spot a kangaroo in the wild: Check out one of Queensland’s most iconic animals in its natural habitat, while keeping a respectful distance and letting the wildlife set the terms of the encounter.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------- About Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel: Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel is a podcast for the curious, luxurious, and adventurous traveler. Host and veteran travel writer Daniel Scheffler ventures off the map and into immersive travel experiences of beauty, blunder, and transformation - those unforgettable moments guidebooks can't capture. With local tips, food adventures, and cultural encounters, Wayfinder reveals not just where to travel, but how to journey through the world with humor, wonder, and our own curiosity. About Daniel Scheffler: Daniel Scheffler is a travel writer, storyteller, and lifelong adventure-seeker who has spent years circling the globe in search of the experiences that can change us. Having traveled to more than 140 countries and written for publications including The New York Times, National Geographic, and Condé Nast Traveler, he believes the best journeys begin when we let go of the map. As the host of Wayfinder: Life-changing Travel, Daniel explores how travel can help us lose ourselves, find something unexpected — and ultimately come home changed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. Aug 18

    Paris: Returning to the City of Love with New Eyes (ft. Antoni Porowski)

    When it comes to Paris, your return isn't about recreating the past, but discovering just how far you've come. For author, television host, and food expert Antoni Porowski, Paris has been a lifelong love affair, from childhood memories beneath the Eiffel Tower…to romantic getaways, whirlwind Fashion Weeks, and a recent extended stay while filming his new National Geographic series "Best of the World," which invited Antoni to experience Paris with fresh eyes.  Through a montage of sunset runs, gourmet restaurants, boutique hotels, delicious cheeses, historic landmarks, and corners of the city he’d long overlooked, Antoni shares his favorite immersive travel stories in Paris, how his perspective has evolved, and why so many of the life-changing travel experiences we treasure the most are the ones we never could have planned. Follow Antoni on Instagram and TikTok @antoni Travel Tips: Paris Vacation Go beyond the baguettes and steak frites! Explore how other cultures are fusing with French cuisine to create something totally new. Try a boutique hotel experience. You never know which spot could become your new home away from home! Talk to everyone, and listen. Engage with the locals to learn their favorite places to shop, dine, and explore. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- About Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel: Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel is a podcast for the curious, luxurious, and adventurous traveler. Host and veteran travel writer Daniel Scheffler ventures off the map and into immersive travel experiences of beauty, blunder, and transformation - those unforgettable moments guidebooks can't capture. With local tips, food adventures, and cultural encounters, Wayfinder reveals not just where to travel, but how to journey through the world with humor, wonder, and our own curiosity. About Daniel Scheffler: Daniel Scheffler is a travel writer, storyteller, and lifelong adventure-seeker who has spent years circling the globe in search of the experiences that can change us. Having traveled to more than 140 countries and written for publications including The New York Times, National Geographic, and Condé Nast Traveler, he believes the best journeys begin when we let go of the map. As the host of Wayfinder: Life-changing Travel, Daniel explores how travel can help us lose ourselves, find something unexpected — and ultimately come home changed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. Aug 4 ·  Bonus

    Daniel Scheffler’s Wildest Travel Stories: Scorpion Bites, Voodoo Ceremonies & Morocco's Atlas Mountains [Armchair Explorer Episode]

    In this special crossover episode from Armchair Explorer, Daniel trades places with award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar and steps into the guest seat. Together, they swap unforgettable stories from the road: from a near-fatal scorpion bite in Angola to a powerful voodoo ceremony in Benin that Daniel calls one of the most meaningful experiences of his life, to the sensory spectacle of Festival Fantasia in the foothills of Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Along the way, they explore a bigger idea: how the best journeys happen when you follow curiosity and instinct instead of chasing checklists and five-star reviews. Listen to Armchair Explorer wherever you get your podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/armchair-explorer/id1495103557  Follow Aaron on Instagram @ArmchairExplorerpodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. Jul 21 ·  Bonus

    Inside Bangkok's Drag Empire with Pangina Heals [Full Interview]

    Listen to the full Pangina Heals interview, originally featured in Season One. A judge, host, and contestant across the RuPaul's Drag Race universe, Pangina is also the owner of the iconic House of Heals nightclub, a cornerstone of the Bangkok queer nightlife scene. Together, she and Daniel dive into Thailand travel, Bangkok's legendary drag scene, queer culture in Southeast Asia, identity, and the experiences that have shaped her life. In this extended interview, Pangina opens up about growing up gay in Thailand, becoming a master of shade, and building her Bangkok nightclub empire from the ground up. She also shares what it was really like competing in front of her idol, RuPaul, judging and hosting international Drag Race franchises, and the emotional weight of being a "first" in so many ways on the show. It's more than an hour of unfiltered conversation between old friends: funny, moving, and full of hard-earned perspective, equal parts Bangkok travel guide, queer travel podcast, and heart-to-heart. Follow Pangina Heals on TikTok & Instagram @panginaheals See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. Jul 7

    The Road to Michelin Stars: Stories Behind Every Plate (ft. Dominique Crenn)

    What if the destination isn't a singular place, but a collection of moments along the way? For three-Michelin-star chef Dominique Crenn, every stop on her geographical journey has become an ingredient in the recipe for her life, from the farms of Brittany, France, to her longtime home of San Francisco, California.  From uncovering unexpected ancestral roots through DNA testing to discovering creative freedom in California's kitchens, Dominique shares how every chapter of her life eventually found its way onto the plate at Atelier Crenn. Drawing on their longtime friendship and offering up plenty of recommendations for San Francisco travelers along the way, Daniel and Dominique explore migration, vulnerability, love, and the belief that our most authentic work doesn't come from following someone else's recipe... It comes from embracing our own story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. Jun 23

    Baja California: Your Slow Travel Reset (ft. Naomi Grevemberg)

    For Naomi Grevemberg, what began as a one-year adventure eventually led her to Baja California, where a caravan of van lifers, endless desert coastlines, and a slower way of living challenged everything she originally thought she wanted. From spearfishing and cooking Trinidadian curry on the beach, to swimming alongside whale sharks and building community with locals, Naomi shares the moments from this grounding getaway that transformed her relationship with time, belonging, and home itself. As she reflects on campfires, mouthwatering meals, and signs from the sea, Naomi reveals how Baja California helped her reconnect with nature, embrace the rhythms of slow travel, and discover that the most meaningful journeys aren't always about where we're going, but how deeply we're willing to arrive. Follow Naomi on Instagram and TikTok @naomigrevemberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  7. Jun 9

    The Caribbean: A Girls Trip with Virgin Voyages (ft. Maya Valentino)

    What happens when a birthday cruise unexpectedly reconnects you to parts of yourself you didn’t realize you’d been missing? In this episode, treasure shopper Maya Valentino tells us all about her first cruise aboard Virgin Voyages, a trip which offered her a surprising return to creativity, stillness, and reconnection with her mom.  Maya dives into Virgin Voyage’s immersive entertainment, unforgettable cuisine, and iconic onboard experiences, while she and Daniel explore how this experience created a much-needed tempo shift in her life, one that made way for self-reflection, connection, and inspiration.  Along the way: interactive performances at sea, late-night desserts, hilarious moments on the beach, and quiet conversations in a hammock by the sea… all gentle reminders that while we can plan our itinerary, we can’t always predict the ways travel will unlock the parts of ourselves we’ve kept hidden away. To learn more, visit: virginvoyages.com Follow Maya on Instagram @mayadannie & TikTok @maya.dannie See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  8. May 26

    Tanzania: On Safari (ft. Jared Sternberg)

    In our first official SAFARI episode, what begins as a search for “the Big Five” gives way to a profound shift in perspective. Eco-tour organizer Jared Sternberg reflects on his first scouting trip to Tanzania, the transformative power of safari, and the unexpected lessons that emerge when we let go of our control and judgment during travel.  From witnessing his first hunt in the Serengeti to sharing time with Maasai communities protecting vital wildlife corridors, Jared and Daniel explore how safari strips away distraction and reconnects us to something primal; where long conversations in safari vehicles, shared meals in the bush, and encounters with Maasai communities become just as meaningful as the wildlife itself. Follow Jared on Instagram @j_leeroy and check out Godwana Tours @gondwana_ecotours See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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4.7
out of 5
63 Ratings

About

Wayfinder is a podcast for the curious, luxurious, and adventurous traveler. Host and veteran travel writer Daniel Scheffler ventures off the map and into traveler stories of beauty, blunder, and transformation, those unforgettable moments guidebooks can't capture.   Inspired by the ancient Polynesian wayfinders who navigated the ocean by stars, swells, and intuition, each episode features an immersive tale of what happens when we follow our senses and trust our inner compass to lead the way. With local tips, food adventures, and cultural encounters, Wayfinder reveals not just where to travel, but how to journey through the world with humor, wonder, and our own curiosity.

Information

  • Creator
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel

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