One of the best ways to learn about a destination is to read someone else’s account of it. These non-fiction books will inspire wanderlust all over the globe. In this post we asked bloggers for their recommendations for their favourite non-fiction travel books and this post is full of inspiring destinations, memoirs and books about travel and self-discovery. Here are the 25 best travel memoirs and non-fiction travel books to inspire wanderlust.

How Not to Travel the World: Adventures of a Disaster-Prone Backpacker by Lauren Juliffe

Recommended by Book It Let’s Go!

How not to travel the world is a travel memoir by well-known travel blogger Lauren Juliffe who set off on a yearlong adventure to see the world with zero experience and common sense. Lauren elaborates on stories from her blog Never Ending Footsteps and tells stories about how she navigates her way through Europe before meeting a guy online and on a whim decides to jet off to Thailand to meet him in person.

There are a series of misadventures that make you cringe, roll your eyes at her naivety and laugh out loud but ultimately you end up rooting for her all the way through and wondering what could possibly happen next.

Step by Step By Simon Reeve

Recommended by Ben from Ticket 4 Two Please

If you’re from the UK, you’ll be familiar with the work of Simon Reeve. The TV presenter and travel journalist has been gracing our screens since the early 2000s, bringing far-flung destinations directly to our living rooms for over 20 years. 

What you may be less familiar with however, is his journey to where he is today. Through his book, Step by Step, you are given a unique insight into the early life of the TV personality and how he became the face of contemporary British travel documentaries. 

In Step by Step, a fascinating recount of his life, you will learn how the 9/11 disaster had a profound impact on Reeve’s career, as well as how he was able to overcome challenging circumstances in his youth, to become the man he is today. From overcoming deadly diseases in Gabon, to discovering the ‘gates to hell’ in Turkmenistan, Reeve has had some truly wonderful life experiences.

If you can be sure of one thing, after reading Step by Step, even the most avid stay-at-home person will have a sense of wanderlust that they simply cannot shake. If you are a fan of adventure travel and discovering remote, often inhospitable destinations, then Step by Step is the perfect read for you.

The White Masai by Corinne Hofmann

Recommended by Martina from PlacesOfJuma

One of my favourite travel books about Kenya is the “The White Masai” by Corinne Hofmann. This piece is autobiographical and gives deep insights into the cultural life of Africa. It is about a 27 years young Swiss woman named Corinne, who is on vacation in Kenya and fell in love with the Maasai warrior Lketinga.

Overwhelmed by her feelings, she decides to settle down with him in Kenya and give up her old life including her relationship, her lovely boutique and she also sold her apartment in Switzerland. In this exciting book you experience Corinne’s unique story about the simple life in the bush, about her love for Kenya, but also the tragic problems of this unusual relationship and the severe illnesses she had to endure.

The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Guevara

Recommended by Carley from Home to Havana

One of the most classic road trip books of all time, the Motorcycle Diaries is a compilation of the diaries of Ernesto “Che” Guevara as he travelled from his home in Argentina across all of South America, and the inspiration he found along the way.

The diaries follow his mishaps and misadventures through some of Latin America’s most well-known destinations, including Chilean Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, Machu Picchu, and much more. While this book is the perfect travel companion or inspiration for a trip to South America and some of its most emblematic landmarks, the Motorcycle Diaries is also one of the most important books for travel to Cuba. This inside peek at the personal story and inspiration of the future revolutionary who shaped Cuba offers important insight into the impact he still has on Cuba today.

The Bone Man of Benares by Terry Tarnoff

Recommended by Nadine from The Expat Mummy

The Bone Man of Benares is the book that inspired me to travel and to take each day at a time.  A story of a hippie who headed out across the world during the 1970’s.  This true life account, follows Terry across the globe, through Thailand, Laos, Sweden, Amsterdam, Paris, Greece, Kenya, India, Nepal and Indonesia, amongst others.  His freewheeling attitude sees him bounce from country-to-country meeting mad characters and learning a whole lot about himself in the process.  I love the insight into tourist hotspots before they were ‘cool’, including my own current home, Kenya. It was a different time of life for travelling. A time when you could bum your way around the world with little more than a guitar and a smile.

Terry has an enviable, laid back attitude, to some pretty dark encounters. I love that he shares his raw emotions regarding love and life, his description of the places he visits and the facts that he immerses himself in the destinations spending months or years in each place rather than just drifting through. 

To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins

Recommended by James from Wanderus Living

To Shake the Sleeping Self is a true story about a young man who biked from Oregon to Argentina. The non-fiction book is not just a synopsis of different countries, but more focused on the journey and struggles that he endured. For anyone wanting to explore and travel in a more connected way, a bicycle is a great cheap option. 

The book highlights how travel and adventure is more than just visiting unique places, but rather made by the people, your state of mind and attitude. Jedidiah followed the California coast, to pass into Mexico and then went all the way to Patagonia. His story is truly moving and empowering as it might make you want to bike the Pan-American trail.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

Recommended by Anisa from Norfolk Local Guide

Wild is the true story of Cheryl Strayed’s solo 1,100 mile hike of the Pacific Coast Trail.  At age 26, after her mother’s death and the end of her marriage, she goes on the hike to discover more about herself and deal with her grief.  She had no previous hiking experience. 

The travel memoir starts by explaining the course of events that lead Cheryl to do the challenging hike.  Then you go along on the journey, starting in the Mojave Desert, through California and Oregon to the Bridge of the Gods in Washington where she reached her goal.  

It was inspiring to read about how Cheryl managed to complete the journey on her own.  She came close to running out of money and got herself in several precarious situations. In addition to the long distance, she had to overcome difficult terrain, weather, and even other hikers.   It wasn’t easy but by the end, she had grown so much as a person and had experiences to treasure for the rest of her life.  The book has made me consider doing a similar challenge, hopefully one day.

Wild was made into a movie in 2014, starring Reese Witherspoon.

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan

Recommended by Erin from Flying off the Bookshelf

William Finnegan doesn’t just love to surf — he’s obsessed with it. This travel memoir chronicles his love for surfing and how it has taken him around the world, from his beginnings in California, to his childhood in Hawaii, to his journey through Fiji to find waves no one had ever discovered. Waves also call to him in Australia, South Africa, Portugal and New York.

In fact, no matter where he finds himself in the world (he spent many years as an international journalist), he is always seeking out the closest surf. His love for the sport is contagious, and you’ll find yourself falling in love with the idea of surfing and longing to travel to some of the places he finds as his obsession takes him around the globe.

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long & Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles 

Recommended by Alyse from The Invisible Tourist

This non-fiction travel book is the result of months of research into why people on the islands of Okinawa, Japan live the longest in the world. In fact, the book is a deep-dive into the reasons why these small islands have the highest concentration of supercentenarians (people who live to reach 110 years or more). What’s their secret?

The answer is the residents have all found their ikigai – their reason for being. The very thing that makes them happy to continue to get out of bed each day, even in their old age! Due to the islands being rather isolated, Okinawans embrace a close-knit community and have a strong connection with nature. Their healthy diets and dedication to each other provide them with a sense of purpose, contributing to improved health.

Whether you have already found your ikigai or are still searching for it deep within, this is one of the most unique books on Japan and their culture to inspire you. The intriguing principles discussed in the book are enough to entice you to jump on the next plane to tropical Okinawa to immerse yourself amongst the friendly warmth of locals and see the ideology in action!

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

 Recommended by Debbie from World Adventurists

A married woman realizes that though she has what most dream of, she is unhappy in her marriage. She realizes that materialistic possessions are meaningless and begins her search to find her life’s true meaning. Taking a leap of faith, she risks everything to embark on a travel journey of self-discovery around the world, traveling solo for a year. As she travels, she finds nourishment in food in Italy, the power of prayer and spiritual development in India, and inner peace and true love in Bali.

Eat Pray Love is a great lesson about self-discovery and what is possible when you start living life on your terms, instead of what society expects of you.

Eat Pray Love was also made into a movie in 2010, starring Julia Roberts.

Holy Cow! An Indian Adventure by Sarah Macdonald

Recommended by Nilima from The Traveling CA

Sarah Macdonald is an Australian journalist, author and radio presenter. She left her successful career in Australia for love, to join her boyfriend in New Delhi. The extreme contrast between the two worlds and her journey to try and find herself in India is narrated hilariously in this book.

Through Sarah’s experiences, we learn more about the many cultures and traditional religious practices across this immense country like when she went to Kerala and was stunned by the extravagant temple celebrations of the state. Holy Cow takes us on a spiritual adventure across all of India and her encounter with the various religions practised in India-Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, Parsis, Jainism, Buddhism & Christianity.

From the extravagant festivals to the quiet reflections, Sarah wants to explore all that India has to offer. India is a land of festivals where she has enjoyed and described their exuberant celebrations. 

She hoped that she may gain answers to the perplexing life questions about her own existence amidst the chaos in her life. These spiritual experiences finally help her come to terms with her inner peace.

For anyone planning to travel to India, I recommend reading this travel book to understand different religious and spiritual offerings of the country and soften the cultural differences.

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung

Recommended by Anna from Packing Light Travel

A compelling read before or after visiting Cambodia is Loung Ung’s stirring account of her life under the Pol Pot regime in First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. The non-fictional account helps place the Khmer Rouge era of 1975 to 1979 into perspective and provides a powerful background for visiting Cambodia’s dark tourism sites. It also helps explain the relative absence of people aged 60 or older in Cambodian society and enhances a visitor’s appreciation for how Cambodians have emerged from such a tragic period.

Exploring Cambodia’s dark history is a critical component of a visit to this South-East Asian country that has suffered more than most places on earth. One of the best ways to do so is to visit the interrogation centre of S-21 (Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crime) and the ‘killing fields’ of Choeung Ek in Phnom Penh.

Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy

Recommended by Sophie from Just Heading Out

Full Tilt is a memoir based on Dervla Murphy’s travel log and the letters she wrote home to friends and family during her epic adventure. In 1963, she decided to travel from her home country of Ireland to India, by bicycle. She was only 21 at the time!

She sets out with minimal luggage during one of the worst winters in Europe. Of course, she encounters many more obstacles along the way, such as melting tires while cycling through the desert, exhaustion, and injuries. She has to trade her bike for the back of a truck, a donkey, or an airplane on occasion, but never relents from her goal of reaching India.

Throughout the book Dervla remains amazed by the warm hospitality, natural beauty, and rich cultures she encounters. Her descriptions of the world as she gets to know it, especially her love for the Middle East, are poetic yet realistic. She doesn’t sugar coat, but appreciates everything for what it is.

The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

Recommended by Erica from Travels With Erica

The Places in Between is written by former British diplomat Rory Stewart and chronicles his journey walking across north eastern Afghanistan in 2002.  Rory makes the journey alone and relies on friendly locals to help him along the way. 

Rory does an excellent job sharing a different side of Afghanistan than the one you typically see in the media.  He shares a more gentle, personal side of the country and focuses on the locals and their experiences rather than the broader socio-political part of the country.

It is a must read for any travel lover looking for an exciting story about a country that is often not talked about.

Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

Recommended by Trisha from Try Wandering More

Turn Right at Machu Pichu details Mark Adam’s fascinating journey through the treacherous yet stunning landscapes of Peru’s Inca Trail. He retraces the footsteps of the explorer Hiram Bingham, who supposedly discovered Macchu Picchu back in 1911, to understand why the explorer is recast as a villain a century later.  He visits several Inca sites, tells Bingham’s story, discusses Peruvian history, and ultimately brings to light exactly what Macchu Pichu is.

This non-fiction travel book not only interests the reader with its telling of Peruvian history, but also entertains through observations, anecdotes, and humourous tidbits by the author- an office-going adventure writer who finally goes on an adventure himself. 

Amazon Woman: Facing Fears, Chasing Dreams, and a Quest to Kayak the World’s Largest River from Source to Sea by Darcy Gaetcher

Recommended by Megan from Red Around The World

Amazon Woman by Darcy Gaetcher is a non-fiction travel book chronicling her time kayaking from the Amazon headwaters to the Atlantic Ocean with her two kayaking companions.  This is perfect for adventure lovers, whether you love adventure yourself or just reading about it.  It’s even better if you’re very interested in the Amazon Rainforest.  

This 148-day endeavor began on Darcy’s 35th birthday.  She planned to kayak the entire length of the Amazon River through Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil with her boyfriend of twelve years and a mutual kayaking friend/colleague.  She would also be the first woman to do this.  Ever.

They encounter twenty-five days of whitewater rapids, illegal loggers, narco-traffickers, Shining Path rebels, ruthless poachers, and surprisingly friendly locals.  More often than not, the emotional waters were more difficult than the class five rapids on the river.  

Elsewhere: One Woman, One Rucksack, One Lifetime of Travel by Rosita Boland

Recommended by Megan from Hey I’m Reading

Elsewhere by Rosita Boland is an inspiring solo female travel memoir from her time galivanting across the globe, always dreaming of Elsewhere.  

After her first life-changing solo trip to Australia as a young graduate, Rosita became enchanted with travel.  Over the next 30 years, she visited some of the most remote parts of the world on her own carrying little more than a backpack and a diary.  

This is a collection of nine journeys from her life exploring the world, showing how people you meet and experiences you have can change the shape and course of your life dramatically.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

Recommended by Erin from Savannah First Timer

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt is a must-read before any trip to Savannah! The book was on the New York Times best seller list for a record-breaking (at the time) 216 weeks and is widely credited for the millions of travelers who visit Savannah each year.

The non-fiction book focuses on the story of Savannahian Jim Williams, a local antiques dealer and philanthropist who was tried four times for the murder of his lover, a male prostitute named Danny Hansford.

 Williams was finally acquitted but then died shortly thereafter — in the same room where he was alleged to have shot Mr. Hansford. The book is filled with fascinating characters, such as The Lady Chablis – a transgender performance artist – who bring the eccentricities of Savannah to full light.

Many of the homes and landmarks featured within the book are currently available for touring, such as the Mercer Williams House and Bonaventure Cemetery, which is considered one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world.  

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Recommended by Agnes from The Van Escape

Into the Wild is a book by the American journalist, writer, and traveler Jon Krakauer, published in 1996. It is non-fiction. It tells a true story about the life of Chris McCandless.

Chris McCandless as a young man, has abandoned everything. He left loving family and friends. He gave away the money intended for his studies to start on a journey that would give him real freedom. To find this freedom, he decided to travel through America to Alaska. But when he reached Alaska, he clashes with the power of nature, which has no mercy for inexperienced travelers. And he realizes that he misses society.

Based on the memories of Chris’s friends and people he met along the way, and the journal he left behind, the author creates an intriguing portrait of an idealist and a loner. Jon Krakauer is following the “Supertramp” as McCandles called himself. He tries to explain the mystery of Chris’s decisions and his motives.

This beautiful and moving story of youth, rebellion, and the search for freedom has been inspiring for years. On its basis, Sean Penn directed an unforgettable film, Into the Wild, in 2007. It started a series of young tourists’ trips to Alaska in the footsteps of Chris.

Into the wild was made into a movie in 2007, starring Emile Hirsch

All Roads Lead to Ganga by Ruskin Bond

Recommended by Sinjana from Backpack N Xplore

Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent whose literary works have made our childhood memorable. No one has been able to capture the Himalayan landscape, its people and culture with so much love and authenticity as Ruskin bond. In this travel memoir Ruskin Bond talks about the different villages on the banks of river Ganga – the holy river of India.

Ganga, the longest river in India originates from the snowclad mountains in the North and flows through the entire northern plains till it merges with the Bay of Bengal in the East. Ruskin Bond tells stories of the villages he went to, the people, the culture in his unique delightful style that is sure to bring a smile to your face. It is one of the best books about India that will take you on a virtual journey through the offbeat places in the country.

A Month in Siena, by Hisham Matar

Recommended by Isabelle from Issys Escapades

A Month in Siena is a memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Hisham Matar. A short book of just over 100 pages, the memoir traces the month that Matar spent in Siena Italy, observing art, dealing with grief and interacting with the local Sienese people. 

When he was a teenager, Matar’s father disappeared, a victim of the Gaddafi regime in Libya of whom he had been a vocal opponent of. In his grief, Matar took to visiting galleries and developed a keen appreciation and affinity for the centuries old Sienese school of artists. Burnt out after the success of The Return, Matar decides that it’s finally time to visit the hometown of the source of his comfort, booking a solo trip for himself to Siena, Italy. 

While Matar clearly knows his art history, the book is not just about the art, but is as much the tale of a man dealing with grief and passing his observations on the human condition. A beautifully written read, that will have readers both mulling over humankind and lusting for Siena.

How to Be a Family: The Year I Dragged My Kids Around the World to Find a New Way to Be Together by Dan Kois

Recommended by Erin from Three Is Us

Author Dan Kois lives in the Eastern United States with his wife and two kids. They worked long hours and had a busy extra-curricular life with their girls. On a work trip, Kois visits Iceland and sees how families there spend time together every night, soaking in hot pools while in America, his family is too busy and unhappy. He wonders how this family time is possible, and how to achieve it for his family?

Kois and his family decide to take a year to travel and discover how to be happy as a family. Over the next year, they spend four months each in New Zealand, Costa Rica, the Netherlands and end in rural America.

While the book doesn’t read like a travel guide, the author is honest, relatable and gives an insight into slow travel and what it’s like living in each of the four places. It also highlights some of the challenges of travelling as a family, especially with pre-teens.

This is a must-read book for any family thinking of travelling long-term and will open your eyes to the possibilities of living like locals while slow travelling.

Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck

Recommended by Chris from Chrisismink

John Steinbeck may be better known for his other works such as, Of Mice and Men or The Grapes of Wrath, but Travels with Charley provides a unique insight into mid-century America and the open road. Travels with Charley is a travel memoir based on Steinbeck’s cross-country journey from New York to the West Coast and back along the Southern United States with his dog, Charley, and his old pick-up truck.

Along the way, he laments about the state of America including industrialization, the attitude of the people, and the countryside in his journal and letters to his wife back in New York. In many ways, some of the views in the book still reflect the world today.  As we go on our journeys in the present day with our own canine companions, take a moment to journal your observations about your country and reflect, is this the country you want for the future?

Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China by Paul Theroux

Recommended by Ariana from World of Travels with Kids

You either like Paul Theroux or you don’t.  He can be cynical and not politically correct; yet his insights into the places he travels are fascinating! I’m showing my age as I share two books that inspired much of my own 20 something wanderlust through Central Asia and China. 

Paul Theroux published the Great Railway Bazaar in the mid 1970’s, and Riding the Iron Rooster in the 1980’s. The memoir was the perfect travel companion to learning more about the deep heart of China and its fascinating people.  It’s also about travel, the good and the bad, and the travellers you meet on the way.  In fact, I loved this so much I’m going to start reading it again after writing this review.

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner

Recommended by Amy from The Fairies Travel Blog

My favourite travel book is ‘The Geography of Bliss’ by Eric Weiner. It is a travel memoir of a self-confessed grump on a journey to find the worlds happiest nation. In the book, Eric travels to the Netherlands, home of the World Happiness Database, to study the facts about happiness before embarking on a round the world trip to some of the most happy countries, like Iceland, Qatar and Thailand, and one of the least happy, Moldova.

The Geography of Bliss explores what these countries are doing that makes the nation so happy, physical and cultural differences and whether we can achieve this level of happiness by visiting or even living in these countries. It ponders some deep questions such as whether money can buy happiness, whether the government should take an active role in a nation’s happiness and whether your level of happiness can change over time but is still light enough that it’s an enjoyable read. The book is funny, interesting and most of all makes me want to set off on a similar journey of my own!

Looking for fiction books for wanderlust inspiration? Check out this post!

Some great recommendations here and we have added loads of these travel memoirs to our ‘to be read’ list. Let us know in the comments which is your favourite non-fiction travel book.

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