10 best travel books of 2024 to inspire adventures
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Travel has been a huge part of my life since my early twenties, starting with a solo Interrail journey around Scandinavia that inspired many other adventures, from hiking the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland to cycling the Scottish Hebrides and exploring tens of thousands of kilometres by train on the Trans-Mongolian Railway.
That said, especially now in my thirties, I also love being at home – particularly if that means relaxing with an excellent travel book about someone else’s adventures.
Like my recent collections of the best new nature books and beautiful coffee table books of 2024, the recommendations below are all a perfect excuse to escape into a good book in the months ahead (and excellent gift ideas for the travel lovers in your life, too).
Whether you want to embark on imagined adventures right from your armchair or nurture inspiration for a future trip, read on for some of the best travel books of 2024. Enjoy!
My selection of the best travel books of 2024 so far
A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon by Kevin Fedarko
Comparing any travel writing to Bill Bryson’s – especially with a title like A Walk in the Park – seems supremely unimaginative, but after listening to Kevin Fedarko’s narration of this book, there’s a clear, well-earned nod to Bryson’s classic story of zero preparation on the Appalachian Trail. It’s also compulsively readable, well-researched, and frequently hilarious.
Just released in 2024, A Walk in the Park shares Kevin Fedarko’s story of how he was approached by his friend, National Geographic photographer Pete McBride, with a ludicrous idea: setting out on an end-to-end traverse of the Grand Canyon. What’s more ludicrous: they actually finished it.
Described as one of the toughest hikes in the world, their epic 750-mile odyssey over a full year is a unique portrait of one of nature’s most sublime places, written with humour but above all respect for the land, the park’s history, and its native people.
Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders by Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura is known for shining a curious light on our world’s wonders, and Wild Life is a stunning new addition to their library. Showcasing extraordinary animals, natural wonders, and plant life, it will kindle your love for the natural world and remind you of the interconnectedness of life, complete with vivid illustrations, spellbinding photographs, and enchanting stories. You’ll learn something new on every page.
Voyages by Sidetracked Magazine and gestalten
Sidetracked is one of the few magazines I’ve bought physical copies of in the last decade: the photography, stories, and production are stunning. A collaboration with gestalten – one of my favourite publishers of lifestyle books – was always going to grab my attention, and Voyages is such a treat for fans of both adventure travel and beautiful books.
Pick this up for an awe-inspiring celebration of adventure in the world’s wildest places, from ski mountaineering in Tajikistan to sailing some of the remotest areas of the South Pacific. It’s one of the most beautiful travel book gifts, too.
A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater
A Thousand Feasts is one of my favourite books of the year so far – I have so many good things to say about it. Described by author Nigel Slater as “a memoir of sorts,” the book collates appreciative ponderings on a life full of good food and moments of joy, hopping across the globe from a fisherman’s hut in Reykjavik to a Japanese inn serving hōjicha and a welcome dinner of flatbread with crumbly cheese, ground walnuts, and pomegranate molasses in Tehran.
With short and mindful chapters that will inspire gratitude and wonder in even the grumpiest reader, A Thousand Feasts is delightful to read in quiet moments, perfect for relaxing bedtime reading, and an excellent gift idea for December. The hardcover is stunning.
Vagabond: A Hiker’s Homage to Rural Spain by Mark Eveleigh
With echoes of Laurie Lee’s As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning, Mark Eveleigh’s Vagabond is for anyone who dreams of ambling around rural Spain with no real plan or purpose, far from life’s responsibilities, pressures, and deadlines.
This is Mark’s story of his solo hike 761 miles across the Iberian Peninsula, inspired by a nomadic “vagabundo” he met decades ago. Not only is it full of enchanting descriptions of Spain’s hidden corners (and the joys of sleeping in a hammock), it’s also a heartwarming celebration of the kind and welcoming people Mark meets on his path.
That said, what I love most about this book is the proof that slow journeys, life-changing adventures, and free-roaming adventures still very much exist. If you need any more convincing, Vagabond has been described by Sir Ranulph Fiennes as “classic travel writing at its finest”.
States of Adventure: Stories About Finding Yourself by Getting Lost by Fitz Cahall
Kayaking the Grand Canyon? Climbing in Yosemite? With a foreword by Alex Honnold and plenty of inspiration for your next big journey, this compilation of 30 adventure stories is another of the best new travel books of 2024 (and a perfect coffee table book for adrenaline-seekers).
States of Adventure is curated by Fitz Cahall, creator of the Dirtbag Diaries, who’s done a fantastic job at blending awe-inspiring adventure stories with stunning photography by world-class contributors.
As shared in the opening pages: “Inside these pages we hope you see a version of yourself, no matter what leg of the journey through life you currently inhabit. Go. Explore. Adventure. Return changed.”
The Place of Tides by James Rebanks
If you look for calm instead of adrenaline in your travel writing, The Place of Tides is an excellent choice, written by the author of The Shepherd’s Life. This quiet travel memoir steps away from James Rebanks’ Lake District farm and across the North Sea, where on a remote Norwegian island many years ago James met a woman who lived and worked alone alongside the wild Eider ducks.
As The Place of Tides shares, this wasn’t the last time James would spend with this remarkable woman: he returned to join her for her last season on the island. This is such a wonderfully evocative story of place, connection, and living away from the wider world. I also chose The Place of Tides as one of the best new nature books of 2024 earlier this month.
Slow Trains to Istanbul: …And Back: A 4,570-Mile Adventure on 55 Rides by Tom Chesshyre
If you love train travel, Slow Trains to Istanbul – Tom Chesshyre’s story of a 4,570-mile journey from London to Istanbul and back, the slow way – is one of the best new books to pick up. Although the author is a seasoned train traveller and writer, the idea for this trip came from a close friend, Danny, who encouraged their impulsive purchase of month-long Interrail passes to follow the Orient Express route to Istanbul.
With wit, a generous serving of facts, and an abundance of relatable details on the realities of train travel – hanging around in train stations for hours at horrible times of day, the lottery of carriage companions, strikes and delays – it’s an excellent memoir to escape into.
Wanderlust Mediterranean: Exploring Trails along the Mediterranean Sea by Cam Honan
gestalten publishes some of the most beautiful hardcover lifestyle books in the world, especially in the travel genre. Many of my favourites belong to their Wanderlust series, of which there’s a new stunning hardcover to enjoy: Wanderlust Mediterranean.
If you want to dream up a hiking trip to France, Portugal, the Balkans, Morocco, or other countries along the Mediterranean Sea, this is a perfect choice to add to your reading list. You can also find Wanderlust Mediterranean in my collection of beautiful new coffee table books for 2024.
The Color of Everything: A Journey to Quiet the Chaos Within by Cory Richards
“In order to escape madness, I will live madly. I will risk my life in order to save it.” Penned by renowned climber and National Geographic photographer Cory Richards, The Color of Everything reads like a modern classic.
As the only American to summit an 8,000-meter peak in winter, Cory’s achievements are mind-boggling. That said, The Color of Everything is not only a memoir of breathtaking risk and adventure, but also a story of mental illness, trauma, and trying to outrun demons in the farthest reaches of the world, culminating in a catastrophic avalanche that forced Cory to rethink everything. It’s remarkably vulnerable and beautifully written.
For more of the best books of 2024, you might also enjoy reading…
Happy reading!
