Chris Christensen
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Since 2005, Amateur Traveler has been talking about different destinations every week. It covers destinations all over the world with an emphasis on culturally rich travel. Learn more about your world. Amateur Traveler won its creator, Chris Christensen, a Travel+Leisure award as the "best independent travel journalist" and entry into the "Podcast Hall of Fame."
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Detailed routes, candid logistics and cultural context turn far-flung destinations into trips a listener can begin to plan.
Chris Christensen treats each destination as a route to be worked through, leaving room for history, meals, weather and the unglamorous details that can decide a day.
Cape Horn winds cancel a landing, and your packing list suddenly feels underqualified.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A grounded walk through Delhi's old and new quarters, with landmarks and quieter green spaces in view.
Delhi reads as a city of layers, not a single sightseeing script: old Delhi, the planned part of New Delhi, and a set of stops that give the route shape.
A compact island story that keeps the logistics as vivid as the views.
This episode makes Kosrae easy to picture on the move. Its best material is the practical kind: a short walk from the Nautilus to the Leila ruins, a longer drive to Menke and the mangroves, a handful of souvenir shops, and planning that leans on hotel connections instead of a…
A practical Cairo episode that moves past the pyramids and into the city center.
The episode frames Cairo through its biggest sights, but its real strength lies downtown, where the noisy streets, Tahrir Square, and older alleyways give the city a more lived-in center.
A practical winter-travel piece that makes layering feel less optional and more necessary.
The piece treats winter packing as a matter of common sense rather than fashion. It lands on the basics: a windproof or waterproof shell, warm fleece in more than one weight, long underwear, and a scarf when the temperature turns serious.
A practical route through Turkey's southeast, where ruins and origin stories keep colliding.
The piece keeps the route practical. It treats southeastern Turkey as a trip you plan in motion: Gaziantep first, then a couple of nights in Sanliurfa, with Zogma and Rum Kale left in play if there is time. That makes the advice easy to use.
A river cruise account that leans on concrete travel detail and landscape rather than postcard gloss, and is stronger for it.
The piece keeps its focus on movement and place. It follows the Yangtze River cruise through ferries, gorges, mist, and the routines of ship life, then pauses on the captain's reception, the Mandarin-to-English translation, and the toast.
A route-first look at Utah's backroads, with sand, stone, and enough detail to orient a trip.
This episode treats the Utah trip as a route to follow, not a postcard to admire, and that makes the useful details matter: the operators who usually leave from Kanab, the condor viewing stop, the move from pavement to rock and sand, and the tire deflation that makes the drive…
A route-focused travel episode built from museum stops, lunch, and the push toward Meersburg.
The episode treats the trip as a chain of useful stops rather than scenery for its own sake: a monastery turned castle, a firefighting museum, a brewery museum, lunch in a nearby town, and the push toward Meersburg keep it moving.
Weekly multi-segment travel interviews pairing European destinations with historians and explorers.
Deep Disney parks talk, right down to the signage.
Real family routes, practical travel stories.
Everyday curiosities, explained with a sideways grin.
Chris Christensen's Amateur Traveler episode 967 follows a Kansas trip that runs from Council Grove and Abilene to Dodge City and Wichita, with stops shaped by the Santa Fe Trail, cattle towns, and aviation history.
Engaging opening that draws listeners in
Amateur Traveler episode 792 sends Joshua Zoukas through Central Vietnam, from Da Nang and Hoi An to Hue, with the route built around beaches, Cham ruins, royal tombs, and regional food.
Amateur Traveler episode 973 covers Northern Taiwan with Lee Moore, who lived in Taipei from 2013 to 2014, returned in May 2023 with his two children, and has been on the show four times.
Chris Christensen interviews Jonti Crane about traveling to Delhi, India, covering key attractions like Old Delhi's markets, the Red Fort, and Sikh temples, along with practical tips on logistics, safety, and cultural experiences.
The conversation centers on Kosrae in Micronesia.
Amateur Traveler episode 987 focuses on Slovenia with Sam Baldwin, author of Dormice and Moonshine Falling for Slovenia, who says he first came as a child, bought a mountain cabin, and later moved to Ljubljana.
The host follows a Yangtze River cruise.
Amateur Traveler episode 986 focuses on Dublin, Ireland, with host Chris Christensen and guide Garvin Rush from Dublin tourguide.ie.
Chris Christensen describes an eight-night Australis cruise on the Ventus between Punta Arenas, Chile, and Ushuaia, Argentina, with about 84 to 90 passengers each way.
John D.
Amateur Traveler episode 978 goes to Skardu, Pakistan, with Chris Christensen and guest James Schomburg, who says the region sits where the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush coalesce.
The episode treats Cairo as a day that begins with the pyramids and then opens out into the city around them.
Amateur Traveller episode 977 follows Mark Michael through southeastern Turkey, from Tarsus and Antakya to Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa, with stops tied to Paul, Abraham, Daniel, Job, and early Christian history.
Travel with Amateur Traveler Podcast episode 985 follows Chris Christensen and Craig Anderson through northern France, with stops in Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne-sur-Mer, and Agincourt.
Amateur Traveler episode 983 covers Bern, Switzerland with Jack Bauman, who says he first visited in his early 20s and now returns to see a close friend who lives there.
Chris Christensen opens a special Amateur Traveler “More Travel” episode on Christmas markets in Europe with Justin Barnes, who says he has visited 32 cities across 12 countries and roughly 75 markets.
The ride keeps moving.
Amateur Traveler episode 979 sends Justin Barnes through Utah, Arizona, and a little of Nevada to compare small sites with the better-known parks around Moab, Page, and the North Rim.
This episode discusses a road trip through Central America, covering destinations like Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, with highlights including volcanoes, tropical birds, monkeys, Mayan ruins, and colonial towns.
Amateur Traveler episode 961 sends Chris Chirac to the Solomon Islands, where the itinerary moves from Honiara to Savo Island and then to Roderick Bay.
Amateur Traveler episode 984 covers Puebla, Mexico with guest Scott Thompson of liveitspanish.com, who came to teach English, stayed after meeting his wife, and helped start a Spanish immersion school in the city.
Amateur Traveler episode 982: Chris Christensen interviews travel writer Shannon O'Brien about Sardinia.
Comprehensive travel guide to Tunis featuring guest Jeff Ulfs, a former national park ranger.
Amateur Traveler episode 963 focuses on Marseille and Provence in southern France, with Audra Morris joining Chris Christensen after a 2024 Olympic football trip brought her to Marseille.
The conversation opens on the South Island of New Zealand and moves west through mountain country.
Chris Christensen interviews A.J.
Amateur Traveler episode 966 sends Chris Christensen and guest David Adler along Highway 17 on the north shore of Lake Superior in Ontario, a route David says can include signs warning of no gas for 150 kilometers.
Rail Ziv of KeepTraveling.Africa maps the Zambezi River as a roughly 1,600-mile system running from Zambia through Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique to the Indian Ocean, with Victoria Falls about one-third of the way down.
Amateur Traveler episode 960 follows Michael from Rochester as he argues that the Galapagos can be done as a land-based trip instead of an expensive live-aboard cruise.
Amateur Traveler episode 968 covers Bhutan with Dorji Dhradhul, the former head of tourism for Bhutan, and centers on a country that has chosen “high value, low volume” tourism.
This episode explores the Alentejo region of Portugal, covering hand-painted tiles, a bone chapel, wineries, megaliths, dark skies, and the legend of Gerald the Fearless.
This episode explores East Java, Indonesia, covering its colorful villages, Buddhist and Hindu temples, volcanoes, waterfalls, and street food.
This bonus episode of Amateur Traveler discusses the experience and practicalities of taking night trains in Europe with guest Bart from triptailor.be.
This episode of Amateur Traveler explores various travel destinations, including turquoise canyon pools, clifftop trails, sea turtle rescue, desert stargazing, and royal perfume.
This episode explores record-breaking capitals, ancient Silk Road cities, and other travel highlights.
This episode explores a cruise through the Peruvian Amazon with G Adventures, highlighting wildlife like sloths, snakes, toucans, tarantulas, monkeys, and macaws.
This episode includes sponsor messages for Quince and Smart Travel, promoting travel-related products and services.
This episode of Amateur Traveler takes listeners on a rafting trip down the Grand Canyon, exploring its rapids, cliffs, and ancient history.
This episode explores temples, shrines, hikes, and cultural experiences in Japan.
A bonus episode of Amateur Traveler discussing fear of flying with guest Johnny Jett.