The 50 best travel books to read
The best travel books ranked: travel writing, road trips, expeditions and armchair adventures. A top 50 with short reviews and where to read each one.
The best travel books take you somewhere and make you want to go. The list includes classic travel writing, funny road-trip accounts, long walks and polar expeditions. Most work as good armchair reading whether or not you are planning a trip.
These are editorial picks, ranked for readability and lasting appeal, and nobody pays to be on the list. Not sure where to start? Try the book finder and get three picks for your mood.
Top 50 travel books, ranked
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A Walk in the Woods
Bill Bryson sets out to hike the Appalachian Trail.
- Funny
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Notes from a Small Island
Bryson's farewell tour of Britain.
- Funny
- Cozy
Where to read
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Under the Tuscan Sun
Restoring a villa in Tuscany.
- Cozy
- Inspiring
Where to read
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A Year in Provence
A British couple move to the south of France.
- Funny
- Cozy
Where to read
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Eat, Pray, Love
A year of travel in Italy, India and Bali after a divorce.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Wild
A woman hikes the Pacific Crest Trail after her mother's death.
- Inspiring
- Moving
Where to read
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Into the Wild
The story of Christopher McCandless.
- Gripping
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Into Thin Air
A deadly day on Mount Everest.
- Gripping
Where to read
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The Great Railway Bazaar
By train through Asia.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Old Patagonian Express
By train from Massachusetts to Patagonia.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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In Patagonia
A quest through the far south of South America.
- Thoughtful
- Gripping
Where to read
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The Songlines
Journeys through the Australian outback.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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On the Road
A road trip across America.
- Gripping
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Travels with Charley
Steinbeck's journey across America with his dog.
- Cozy
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Blue Highways
A journey into America.
- Thoughtful
- Cozy
Where to read
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Shantaram
An escaped convict builds a new life in Bombay.
- Gripping
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Art of Travel
On the philosophy of travel.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Vagabonding
An uncommon guide to the art of long-term world travel.
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Geography of Bliss
One grump's search for the happiest places in the world.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Round Ireland with a Fridge
A hitchhiking bet around Ireland.
- Funny
Where to read
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In a Sunburned Country
A journey through Australia.
- Funny
Where to read
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Neither Here nor There
Bryson's travels around Europe.
- Funny
Where to read
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The Lost City of Z
A tale of deadly obsession in the Amazon.
- Gripping
Where to read
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The Beach
Backpackers search for a hidden paradise in Thailand.
- Gripping
Where to read
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Seven Years in Tibet
An Austrian mountaineer escapes to Tibet and meets the young Dalai Lama.
- Thoughtful
- Gripping
Where to read
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Desert Solitaire
A season in the wilderness of Arches National Park.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Motorcycle Diaries
A road trip across South America.
- Inspiring
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Video Night in Kathmandu
Reports from the not-so-far East.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Tao of Travel
Enlightenments from lives on the road.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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A Time of Gifts
On foot to Constantinople.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Between the Woods and the Water
On foot to Constantinople, part two.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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The Rings of Saturn
An English pilgrimage.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door
Travel tips for exploring Europe.
- Cozy
Where to read
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Lonely Planet's Ultimate Travel List
The best places on Earth.
- Cozy
- Inspiring
Where to read
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In Xanadu
A quest to find Kublai Khan's palace.
- Funny
- Gripping
Where to read
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From the Holy Mountain
A journey in the shadow of Byzantium.
- Thoughtful
- Gripping
Where to read
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City of Djinns
A year in Delhi.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Cruise of the Snark
A voyage across the Pacific.
- Funny
- Gripping
Where to read
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Journey Without Maps
A trek through Liberia.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Places in Between
A walk across Afghanistan.
- Thoughtful
- Gripping
Where to read
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Atlas Obscura
An explorer's guide to the world's hidden wonders.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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The Snow Leopard
A Himalayan journey in search of a rare cat and of the self.
- Thoughtful
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Arabian Sands
Crossing the Empty Quarter on camel.
- Thoughtful
- Gripping
Where to read
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Kon-Tiki
A raft voyage across the Pacific.
- Gripping
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Endurance
Shackleton's incredible voyage.
- Gripping
- Inspiring
Where to read
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Travels with Herodotus
A journalist follows the ancient Greek historian.
- Thoughtful
Where to read
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Last Chance to See
A search for endangered species around the world.
- Funny
- Thoughtful
Where to read
Each link opens that store’s search for the book. Availability and prices vary by store and country. We may earn a commission from some stores, which never changes the ranking.
Types of travel books
Looking for something more specific? These are the main kinds of travel, with the sort of story or subject each one covers.
Travel writing classics
Theroux, Chatwin and Fermor.
Funny travel books
Bill Bryson and friends.
Walking and hiking
Trails, treks and long journeys.
Expedition narratives
Poles, mountains and seas.
Living abroad
A year in Provence, Tuscany or Delhi.
Road trips
On the road across America.
Want to write and publish your own travel book?
Many readers of this page are also writers. The stores in the lists above are where readers find books, while Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, Lulu and Draft2Digital are the tools authors use to publish and distribute a book to those stores. You can also publish to Barnes & Noble Press and Google Play Books directly.
Our free KDP calculators help with print cost, royalties and cover size, and our publishing services can take care of setup for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best travel book ever written?
On the Road, A Walk in the Woods and The Great Railway Bazaar appear on most lists.
Are these travel guides?
No. They are narrative books, not guidebooks. Use them for ideas and atmosphere, and a current guide for logistics.
Where can I read or buy the best travel books?
Each of the 50 books has links to Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble and Google Play Books. Authors who want to publish their own travel book can start with our free guides to Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, Lulu and Draft2Digital.
Not sure what to read next?
Pick a genre and a mood and the book finder will suggest three books to try.