Travel books are definitely a comfort genre for me, low-stakes but still entertaining. 

Much like a memoir, travel stories can’t just be about the places you’ve been. It has to reflect personal change, and that’s what makes the genre so valuable. We get a window into someone else’s perspective, while also getting to learn about new parts of the world.

I still remember a story from Marco Polo’s The Travels: many Europeans didn’t believe him when he described “lizard dragons that could swallow a human whole.” Supposedly, even on his deathbed, family members urged him to retract what they believed were his “lies.” They had never seen a crocodile before!

Here are 25 more books to read before you travel.

Bill Bryson

Australia, dubbed the driest, flattest, and hottest continent, has an incredible abundance of life. However, much of that life can kill you – more than anywhere else in the world. From the cheerful and hospitable people to the safety of its cities and the culinary delights, Bryson recounts his experiences in a land where life is embraced wholeheartedly under the ever-shining sun.

Published in 2000.

Tahir Shah

Tahir Shah and his family moved from London to Casablanca, driven by his fond childhood memories of Morocco. Acquiring a rundown mansion, once belonging to a caliph, Shah embarked on an adventure full of lively portrayals of Moroccan scenery and personalities. From grappling with jinns to navigating cultural differences, Shah’s tale captures the joys and trials of pursuing a dream in a foreign country.

Published in 2006.

Marco Polo

Polo’s memoir is a groundbreaking work in Western literature, detailing his journey to the Mongol empire over a twenty-four-year period beginning in 1271. Serving in the court of Kublai Khan, Polo participated in diplomatic missions that bridged the gap between Europe and Asia during an era when much of the Asian continent remained a mystery to Europeans.

Published in 1300.

Chris Broad

Blending humor with cultural curiosity, Broad reflects on a decade living across Japan. From rural festivals to urban oddities, he unpacks the charm, contradictions, and challenges of life as a foreigner in a country both welcoming and mystifying. Broad has a Youtube channel by the same name, with 3.28 million subscribers!

Published in 2023.

Francis Mayes

A celebration of place, Mayes chronicles her journey restoring a crumbling villa in the Tuscan countryside. Between sun-drenched landscapes, shared meals, and discoveries of Italian traditions, she finds renewal in slowing down and rebuilding a life from the ground up. A sensory, heartfelt journey into the beauty of choosing a different rhythm.

Published in 1996.

Jon Krakauer

On May 10, 1996, Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mt. Everest after 57 hours without sleep and the mind-altering effects of oxygen deprivation. Over the next six hours, Krakauer battled ferocious winds and blinding snow, besieged by hallucinations. Tragically, the following morning revealed the toll of the storm: six fellow climbers had not returned to camp and were desperately struggling for their lives.

Published in 1997.

Conor Knighton

After a broken engagement, Knighton sets off to visit every national park in the United States in a single year. He began his adventure at Acadia in Maine, where the first light of New Year’s Day touches the continental US. Knighton blends his entertaining personal experiences with historical information about the parks, celebrating America’s beauty while reminding us of the importance of protecting these treasures for future generations.

Published in 2020.

Elizabeth Gilbert

After a painful divorce, Gilbert spends a year seeking pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and balance in Bali – to eat, pray, and love. With candid honesty, she examines longing, heartbreak, and the universal desire to feel whole. Her journey becomes a testament to self-discovery through travel, reminding readers that transformation begins the moment we finally let go.

Published in 2006.

Tim Butcher

Retracing Henry Morton Stanley’s legendary Congo River expedition, Butcher confronts the perilous realities of a region scarred by conflict and colonial legacy. Traveling through dense jungle and unpredictable territory, he meets resilient people shaping life amid adversity. Part historical reckoning, part modern adventure, Blood River reveals a landscape as beautiful as it is volatile.

Published in 2007.

Wilfred Thesiger

Thesiger was a natural-born explorer renowned for resilience, endurance, and toughness in the face of extreme conditions. Disenchanted with Western society’s comforts and constraints, in 1945, he made a remarkable journey through the desolate “Empty Quarter” of Arabia. For five years, he traveled the harsh sands among tribes who had never seen a European and considered it their duty to kill Christian infidels.

Published in 1959.

Paul Theroux

Once a teacher in Malawi, Theroux embarked decades later on an epic journey across Africa, stretching from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa. Utilizing all sorts of transport, including rattletrap buses, dugout canoes, cattle trucks, armed convoys, ferries, and trains, he navigates through the continent, encountering danger and delays. Through insightful conversations, Theroux offers a reflection on Africa’s history, politics, and people.

Published in 2002.

Cheryl Strayed

Reeling from grief and personal upheaval, Strayed sets out alone to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. Along the way, blisters, black bears, and her own doubts test her resolve. Her story is a raw reminder that sometimes nature – unforgiving as it is – offers the space we need to piece ourselves back together.

Published in 2012.

Ibn Battuta

At age 21, Ibn Battutah left Tangier in 1325 on a pilgrimage to Mecca; however, his journey stretched an astounding 29 years, encompassing over 40 countries and covering 75,000 miles on the modern map. Battutah is one of the earliest chroniclers of life within the Islamic Empire, including witnessing one of the earliest recorded medical school dissections and other innovations.

Published in 1355.

Mark Adams

On July 24, 1911, Hiram Bingham III made history by stumbling upon the breathtaking citadel of Machu Picchu nestled within the Andes Mountains. However, controversy shrouds his legacy a century later, as evidence emerges of looting artifacts and undue credit for the discovery. As Mark Adams embarks on a journey to uncover the truth, retracing Bingham’s footsteps, he probes the question: What was Machu Picchu?

Published in 2011.

Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau, one of the most profound thinkers in American history, has been described as an essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, and historian. In 1845, he spent more than two years living alone in a solitary cabin near Walden Pond, which he built himself. In his writings, he shares not only his adventures but also personal reflections on nature and existence, emphasizing living deliberately and meaning in simplicity.

Published in 1854.

Matt Kepnes

Straight out of college, Kepnes worked in a well-paying Boston hospital but wasn’t satisfied. A spontaneous trip to Costa Rica sparked his wanderlust, leading to a decade of exploration – 90+ countries, 1,000 hostels, and over a million miles by various means of transport. Now, he runs one of the most popular travel blogs in the world, Nomadic Matt, urging readers to live for fulfillment, not just work.

Published in 2019.

Eric Weiner

Once a foreign correspondent, Weiner grew weary of reporting from conflict zones and set out to discover the world’s happiest places. Spending a year traveling the globe, he meticulously explored destinations such as Iceland, Bhutan, and India, aiming to unravel the secrets of genuine contentment. Along the way, he ponders the elusive nature of happiness and what truly makes us happy – freedom or restriction, simplicity or luxury, and more.

Published in 2008.

William Langewiesche

The Sahara is as large as the United States and is so harsh that even bacteria struggle to survive. Its loneliness is so profound that migratory birds are known to land beside travelers just for company. William Langewiesche journeys into this expanse, experiencing its dangers while relying on its sparse resources and occasional acts of hospitality.

Published in 1996.

Matthew Stevenson

Due to political tensions, Iran is notoriously challenging for Americans to visit. Even with a rare visa approval, a government-appointed guide must follow you for the entirety of your journey. Nonetheless, amidst a period of relative calm between the two countries’ governments, Stevenson goes on a journey across Iran, navigating overnight trains and friendly drivers to explore cities like Mashhad, Esfahan, and Shiraz.

Published in 2022.

Gregory V. Diehl

As we grow up, our identity and worldview are shaped by our surroundings. However, travel offers a unique chance to step beyond this cultural bubble. Drawing from his adventures across 45 countries, Diehl shows how travel can shake preconceptions and lead to personal growth. By welcoming change, travelers can uncover fresh new perspectives and possibilities, creating an opportunity to redefine yourself through exploration.

Published in 2016.

Rolf Potts

Vagabonding is the act of breaking away from the routine of everyday life and embarking on long-term journeys, allowing individuals to immerse themselves in diverse cultures and experiences. After traveling on six continents, Rolf Potts describes how travel should not be an escape from your real life, but a discovery of your real life. Vagabonding is a lifestyle of living, learning, and appreciating.

Published in 2002.

Scott Keyes

Out of college, Keyes flew nonstop from New York City to Milan for $130. Despite making $34,000 a year, he began searching for deals. Milan for $130. Belgium for $225. Vietnam and Cambodia using miles. Dominican Republic in business class for free. Keyes attempts to fix our misguided approach to planning vacations and ensure we see more of our world than we do today.

Published in 2021.

Matt Kepnes

Even though travel is consistently #1 on bucket lists, Americans typically leave long-term travel as a dream or exotic temptation. After a decade of travel, Kepnes describes how you don’t need to be rich; you just need the desire. In “The Bible For Budget Travelers,” Matt Kepnes proves that as long as you travel as the locals live, you don’t have to break the bank.

Revised in 2017.