travel adventure books for adults

17 Best Travel Adventure Books

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Dreaming of an adventure? These travel adventure books will spark your wanderlust!

While I am an avid traveler, I am also a bit of a wimp. The extent of my “extreme” travel adventures was attempting (and failing) to summit a volcano in Guatemala.

When it came down to it, I opted to stay in the warmth of my tent instead of scrambling the final 1,000 feet to the top in the pitch darkness at four in the morning.

So it’s safe to say that while I may not be that adventurous myself, I LOVE getting swept away reading about crazy adventures that happened to other people.

There is nothing like being on the edge of my seat as I read about people facing peril and defying death as they survive after being stranded in the wilderness, hiking solo across large swaths of land, or brave a deathly mountain summit. It transports me without leaving the comfort of home!

So if you are craving an adventure too, these are the best travel adventure books that will fuel your wanderlust and have you staying up late to finish them.

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Best Travel Adventure Books

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

This travel memoir follows Cheryl’s journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail solo. Driven by grief after her mother’s death, she embarked on a hike more than one thousand miles long at age twenty-six for an unforgettable experienced that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

Buy on Amazon | View in Goodreads

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

This gripping nonfiction account of a disastrous Mount Everest expedition is told in a way that will have you flipping the pages long through the night until you’ve finished it. Jon Krakauer is a journalist who was invited along on a fateful expedition that left several of his fellow hikers dead.

Bad Karma by Paul Wilson

In the summer of 1978, twenty-one-year-old Paul Wilson jumps at the chance to join two local icons on a dream surf trip to Mexico, unaware their ultimate destination lies in the heart of drug cartel country. This exhilarating travel memoir will make you feel like you are there.

Lands of Lost Borders by Kate Harris

Canadian Kate Harris dreamed of adventures ever since she was young. In between studying at Oxford and MIT, she set off with her childhood friend on the adventure of a lifetime: bicycling the Silk Road. Her memoir follows her journey exploring remote Central Asia by bike.

Tracks by Robyn Davidson

Robyn Davidson completed an epic adventure when she walked alone more than 1,700 miles through the Australian Outback with four camels and her dog at age twenty-seven. Tracks is her memoir detailing the experience and the people she met along the way.

The Lost City of the Monkey God by Douglas Preston

Journalist Douglas Preston and a team of scientists embark on a harrowing adventure into the heart of Honduras, in search of a legendary lost city in the middle of the jungle.

Alone in Antarctica by Felicity Aston

Felicity Aston, physicist and meteorologist, took two months off from all human contact as she became the first woman, and only the third person in history, to ski across the entire continent of Antarctica alone. With just her cross-country skis, she embarked on an epic journey across the ice.

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

The Appalachian Trail is one of America’s biggest adventures, stretching over 2,100 miles from Georgia to Maine, a journey not for the faint of heart. Travel writer Bill Bryson tackles the trail and writes about his experience in this memoir, which is both funny and moving.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

In 1925, a British explorer ventured into the Amazon rainforest in search of a fabled civilization. He never returned. Eighty years later, a journalist retraces his footsteps in an attempt to find out what really happened, and discover the truth of this mythical Amazonian city.

Wild by Nature by Sarah Marquis

Adventurer Sarah Marquis chronicles her ambitious journey hiking solo over 10,000 miles around the world, from the Gobi Desert to Siberia, in this travel memoir.

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

This harrowing story follows two young hikers attempting to complete an unclimbed route in the Peruvian Andes when a horrific accident during their descent occurs.

438 Days by Jonathan Franklin

This is a remarkable true survival story about a Salvadoran fisherman working in Mexico when he got lost at sea for 438 days before washing ashore on the far side of the Pacific.

The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost

He expected paradise, but what he got was an entirely different story. This memoir chronicles the author’s hilarious two-year odyssey in the distant South Pacific island nation of Kiribati, and all the mishaps and misadventures he had along the way while he was there.

Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux

A rattletrap bus, dugout canoe, cattle truck, armed convoy, ferry, and train are just some manners of transportation Paul Theroux takes on his overland journey from Cairo to Cape Town. In the course of his epic voyage, he endures danger, delay, and dismaying circumstances.

The Beach by Alex Garland

This is the book that inspired thousands of backpackers to make their way to Thailand in search of paradise. This novel is about a young backpacker who arrives in Bangkok, learning about a mythical location known only as “The Beach” that is the closest thing to Eden on Earth.

Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

Part travel memoir and part practical how-to guide, this book provides advice for the art of long-term travel, as told by veteran budget traveler Rolf Potts.

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Travel writer Bill Bryson provides a wonderful glimpse into traveling Australia in his book  In a Sunburned Country . He brings to life the land of the friendliest inhabitants, the hottest, driest weather, and the most peculiar and lethal wildlife to be found on the planet.

These are some of the best travel adventure books.

Have you read any of these travel adventure books? Do you have any other favorite books that I should add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

Related:  25 Brilliant Travel Memoirs by Women

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13 Best Adventure Travel Books to Inspire Wanderlust

Written By: Louisa Smith

Inspiration

Updated On: January 7, 2024

Adventure travel is all about facing the unknown, braving your fears, and taking on the most challenging, and possibly dangerous, way to travel. For adrenaline junkies, it’s the ultimate way to travel , and there can be no doubt that it leads to some compelling stories. Perhaps they can even inspire you to take on your own adventures.

Table of Contents

Best Travel Adventure Books

In these adventure travel books, you’ll find incredible stories of individuals who embarked on life-changing expeditions, they traveled to off-the-beaten-path locations, chased their destiny, and defied death in the ultimate feats of survival.

If you’re a thrill seeker who loves to read stories about the most extreme travel stories, these adventurous travel books will be right up your street. They also make great travel gift ideas for the adventurer in your life. You may also like our 25 Best Books About Traveling the World

1. Tracks by Robyn Davidson

Tracks is possibly the most inspirational story about travel and self-discovery of all time. It’s the true story of Robyn Davidson, who decided to walk across the length of Australia with her dog and four camels. 

Braving the harshness of the Australian outback possessed all kinds of challenges. She comes face to face with poisonous snakes, the wandering eyes of creepy men, and aboriginal people who prefer the solitude of their own people.

The 1700-mile epic adventure took her 9 months to complete and was well documented by a reporter for National Geographic, Rick Smolan, whom she met in Alice Springs. 

Robyn never intended to write about her journey, she was merely driven by her love of Australia’s landscape. Fortunately, she did, as her book is so inspiring, especially for all the solo female travelers out there looking to embark on their own epic adventures. Get it on Kindle or Paperback

2. The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

The Worst Journey in the World is the real life story of Apsley Cherry-Gerrard, who was the youngest member of the team accompanying Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to the South Pole. 

The expedition turned disastrous, leaving him the only survivor of the notorious journey. 

This novel recounts first-hand experiences, as well as sharing diary entries from his teammates, to give a detailed account of what happened during this legendary expedition. 

Apsley’s memoir not only keeps the memory of the brave Arctic explorers alive but tells of a remarkable feat of survival and one incredible adventure to a place most only hear about in books.  Pick it up on Amazon on Paperback or Kindle

3. Life Lessons From the Amazon by Pip Stewart

Pip Steward is an adventure traveler fueled by a zest for life. This travel book takes place over the course of three months, Pip and her team followed Guyana’s Essequibo River from its source to the sea. 

With the help of guides from the Waî Waî indigenous community, Pip and her team journeyed through dense rainforest, over perilous rapids, and across the mountainous Guiana Shield, battling off threats from poisonous insects and dangerous animals along the way.

Using everything she knows about survival, Pip encounters everything the rainforest could throw at her; from flesh-eating parasites to angry snakes. She also meets the indigenous tribes that call the forest their home.

In Life Lessons from the Amazon, you are not just given a detailed account of what a journey through the rainforest is like, but you learn about how the communities thrive here. 

It is a homage to the wilderness and one of the most thrilling adventure books of all time. Purchase it on Kindle or Paperback or Audiobook

4. Footloose: Twisted Travels Across Asia, From Australia To Azerbaijan by Mark Walters

Traveling has been made so easy for us with planes connecting every major city in the world. So in our modern-day society, it’s refreshing to read stories of people who travel without taking any flights – just trains, buses, and help from strangers along the road.

This is exactly how Mark Walters, an Australian adventure traveler, opted to travel. Wearing flip-flops for the entire journey, and failing to pack a towel or shorts, he traveled from his home in Australia across Asia and Europe using boats and land vehicles only. 

Along the way, he meets some risky characters whom he suspects as terrorists, comes face to face with Chinese tanks, and shares a beer with a naked ex-Soviet officer. If you’re looking for a hilarious travel book packed with adventure, this one will have you bent over laughing. Buy it on Amazon

5. Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart

Neil Peart had a devastating 10-month period where he lost both his wife and his daughter. Overcome with sadness and grief, he isolated himself from the rest of the world in his home by a lake.

Feeling lost and without direction, he decided to embark on an epic motorcycle journey across North America, Mexico, and Belize, covering a distance of 55,000 miles. 

This inspiring book follows Neil as he recounts his journey, he describes not only the memorable landscapes but the people who helped him back on the right emotional path. 

This is a personal odyssey of one man’s quest for self-discovery and healing. It reminds us that adventure is not just a way to explore off-the-beaten-path locations, but to find communities that teach us something, whether that’s how to deal with grief or learn a new meaning to life.  Check it out on Amazon

6. Tuk-Tuk to the Road by Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent

We’ve all heard of traveling by planes, trains, and buses, but how about traveling 12,000 miles in a tuk-tuk? Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent and her friend, Jo Huxster, decided to embark on an adventure no one else had done before.

They decided to buy a tuk-tuk in Thailand and drive it back home to Brighton, United Kingdom – a journey of 12,561 miles. The adventure was not just an inspirational road trip, but a way for the girls to raise money for the mental health charity, Mind, in which they raised £50,000.

Tuk Tuk on the Road describes the incredible journey they took across twelve countries and two continents. They tell of the people they met, how they endured an earthquake, and give a running commentary of every breakdown and hilarious moment.

This is an entertaining and honest travel memoir of sheer determination and prevalence. See it on Amazon / Kindle or Paperback available

7. Cycling Home from Siberia by Rob Lilwall

Cycling Home from Siberia is the thrilling adventure travel memoir by Rob Lilwall about his incredible journey cycling from Siberia to England, crossing the dense jungles of Papua New Guinea, through a cyclone in Australia, and across the war-torn Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan

Rob Lilwall used to be a high-school geography teacher, but all that changed when his sense of adventure took him and his bicycle to Siberia. 

Over the course of three and a half years, he cycles across the world, through some of the most perilous landscapes and encounters some of the most dangerous areas, to make it back home to England. This inspirational book will definitely get you itching to take on an adventure of your own. Get Kindle or paperback on Amazon

8. Riding With Strangers by Elijah Wald

Hitchhiking isn’t for everyone – it’s for the adventurous. Elijah Ward recounts the exciting journey he took hitchhiking his way across the United States in an effort to prove to the world that humanity remains hospitable. 

He recounts the pleasures and tribulations of the open road, as well as tells of the quirky characters he meets along the way – from regular people to businessmen to conspiracy theorists to friendly truck drivers. 

This memoir is funny and quirky, and a real eye-opening adventure travel book for the curious traveler. 

In Riding with Strangers, he aims to prove that hitchhiking is the ultimate form of adventure travel, not only because of the people you meet but because of the lessons you learn from them. See it on Amazon

9. Ubuntu: One Woman’s Motorcycle Odyssey across Africa by Heather Ellis

Ubuntu is an ancient African word that means humanity to others. It refers to how all mankind is bonded as one. It was a lesson that Heather Ellis learned while motorcycling across Africa in her late 20s. 

Leaving her small mining town of Jabiru, she headed to Durban of South Africa with her Yamaha TT600 and began her epic motorcycle road trip.

Her journey took her to the iconic Mt Kilimanjaro and the Rwenzori Mountains, across expansive deserts in northern Kenya, and across the mighty Zaire River.

Along the way, she meets a group of armed bandits and helps to rescue Turkana fishermen, battles against four aggressive Ugandan men, and aids many locals who were kind enough to take her into their homes. It was the people she met that made her truly understand the spirit of ubuntu.

This is a brave adventure travel book about a woman who defied all odds, traveled to the most extreme and dangerous places, and came out of it wiser and with plenty of stories to tell. You can buy it here for Kindle or paperback on Amazon

10. Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara

The Motorcycle Diaries is the highly acclaimed travel memoir by Ernesto “Che” Guevara, who is most famous for his role in the liberation of Cuba. This travel book is a classic for those who love cross country road trips.

In his early twenties, Che was a medical student, who left his home in Argentina to explore the countries of South America, before taking a volunteer position helping a leper colony in the Amazon basin.

On his 1939 Norton 500cc motorbike, which he called La Poderosa (or The Mighty One, in English), he and his friend Alberto Granado set out to see the sights they had only read about in books.

As well as historical landmarks and scenic nature spots, they also saw social injustice, poverty, exploited mine workers, the descendants of a tattered ancient civilization, and ostracized societies.

Che’s very real adventure memoir reminds us that although we see many fascinating sites on our travels, there is also poverty and injustice out there. It’s a travel book with a purpose, and this journey may have been the inspiration that sparked his future as a Marxist revolutionary. Buy it for Kindle or Paperback on Amazon

11. Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea by Steven Callahan

While being lost at sea isn’t exactly the plan, what you make out of a bad situation can turn into one heck of an adventure. And that’s what happened to Steven Callahan.

In 1981, Steven left the United States on a Napoleon Solo sailing boat in search of Bermuda. With his friend Chris Latchem, he reached Bermuda and then continued on to England, where he left Chris in Penzance, Cornwall. 

He then sailed for Antigua as part of the Mini Transat 6.50 single-handed sailing race. When he hit a storm in La Coruña, Spain, the weather sunk several boats and severely damaged Stevens’.

Determined to continue his voyage, he repaired his boat and continued on towards Antigua. He got caught in a gale that lasted several days until one night his boat hit an unknown object and created a bad hole in the boat. 

Unable to stay aboard the sinking boat, Steven was forced to abandon ship. He escapes in an inflatable life raft, and he dives aboard his boat to retrieve emergency supplies such as food, navigation charts, solar stills for creating water, and other rations. 

Eventually, the sailboat sank and he was alone in the raft. He spent 76 days lost at sea before he was picked up by fishermen. Adrift is the epic adventure story of Steven Callahan’s fight for survival while lost at sea. Get it now here.

12. Across the Empty Quarter by Wilfred Thesiger

Wilfred Thesiger was a British explorer who traveled across Saudi Arabia after the Second World War. 

He was hired to search for locust breeding grounds across Southern Arabia, which took him across the Rub’ al Khali desert and the Empty Quarter, from Oman to Yemen. 

With camels for company and Bedu’s as guides, he traveled through desolate lands that were threatened by tribal tensions, who opposed the presence of foreigners at the time. 

The journey showed a tremendous amount of strength, courage, and resilience. Across the Empty Quarter is the memoir of his travels from 19945-1950 and aims to bring to light the way of life of the Bedu which is vanishing from existence. 

Wilfred Thesiger’s life is of true adventure travel. He has lived in several African and Middle Eastern countries and didn’t return to England until 1990. He was Knighted in 1995. Available on Amazon

13. Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer

Into The Wild follows a young man from a middle-class family who seemingly had it all. Christopher Johnson McCandless had just graduated from college and was about to enter the world of work.

But instead, he abandoned his former life, changed his name to Alexander Supertramp, gave $25,000 to charity, and hitchhiked to Alaska.

Here he lived alone in the wilderness for four months just North of Mt. McKinley. One day, his body was found by a group of hunters, who also found his journal.

Jon Krakauer’s adventure novel, Into The Wild, is the story left behind in the journal, respectfully pieced together to retell what happened to this brave man whose solo adventure cost him his life. Get it on Amazon

So there you have it, the ten best adventure travel books to inspire wanderlust. Whether you’re looking for something action-packed and gripping, or something spiritual and enlightening, you’ll find something for everyone on this list.

If you are looking for more ideas for the best travel books, read our other recommendations at 25 Best Books About Traveling the World

These travel books are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many inspiring stories from the usual suspects like Bill Bryson and Jack Kerouac that a person could get lost going down the rabbit hole of best sellers and favorite travel novels. What is your favorite? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

• 25 Best Books About Traveling the World
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• Best Travel Tips From 21 Years Traveling the World

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About Louisa Smith

Louisa is the Founder of Epic Book Society , a book blog sharing the most epic reads. Louisa is a nomad traveler and travel content writer who has spent over five years living on the road. She has visited over 53 countries (and counting) and can often be found in the mountains or in far away, off-the-beaten-track locations. Follower Louisa on Facebook / Instagram

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2 thoughts on “13 Best Adventure Travel Books to Inspire Wanderlust”

I would also like to recommend…THE GREAT RAILWAY BAZAAR by Paul Theroux. I am 64 and read this as a teenager. I still find it fascinating and exciting to this day.

Interesting selection of books. I would add also Bill Bryson travel books. Thanks for sharing.

Best Adventure Books to Read: Top Adventure Travel Books to Spark Your Inner Explorer

You won’t be able to put down these adventure books for adults. These are sure to keep you up late at night and inspire your next great outdoor adventure.

Whether you’re a runner, hiker, trekker or explorer, we’ve got something for every type of adventurer. From classic adventure books, to memoirs, to epic poems, to tales of survival and deadly adventures, our list of the best adventure books has it all. 
I love having the opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes.

It’s kinda like Indiana Jones exploring some of the most beautiful trails in the world. Traveling back to the 10th century for a good sword fight.  While knowing that I have a warm place to sleep at night that is.

Adventure books also make a great gift for the outdoorsy person or adventurer in your life.

They’re especially thoughtful if the outdoorsy person is injured and suddenly has a lot of time on their hands.

I’ve experienced this on numerous occasions and reading adventure books has been a lifesaver, and they were by far the best gift I received. 

Not only that, but reading adventure books has other benefits too. According to a study by George Mason University, reading recreational books can: relieve stress, increase your enjoyment and relaxation, improve your concentration and memory, and even help you to become more empathetic. 

We’ve curated the best adventure novels into an Amazon list that you’re sure to love!

You’ll find: 

Extreme Adventure Books

Our recommend extreme adventure books will have you on the edge of your seat with excitement. Travel to remote islands, base camps, and into white whales as you read through the pages.

Enjoy some of the most gripping and exciting stories about hiking and the outdoors below. See our recommended extreme adventure books here .

Endurance and Ultra Trail Books

Ultramarathons are the ultimate test of endurance and ability. They are classified as any running distance over 50 kilometers and in many cases are set in wild and difficult terrain.

These ultramarathon adventure books follow some of the greatest ultra-trail and endurance runners and the amazing feats they have accomplished.

Reading these adventure books about unyielding ability and adventure will have you re-thinking your own abilities. See our recommended endurance and ultra trail adventure books here . 

Hiking the Appalachian Trail Books

The Appalachian Trail is one of the most exciting and memorable trails in the world. The trail is known for its intense hiking, nature and epic experiences.

This trail is more than just a hike though, for many people, it’s a life-changing inner  journey. Reading about the adventures on the Appalachian Trails will help you experience this  trail from anywhere. See our recommended adventures on the Appalachian Trail books here .  Recommended Reading: How a Hiking Trip Can Change Your Life And Why You Should Do One.

Trekking the John Muir Trail Books

Exploring one of the most beautiful trails in America has never been this exciting. These adventure books about the John Muir Trail will inspire and educate you about the famous hike that passes through some of the most iconic national parks in America. See our recommended adventures on the John Muir Trail books here . 

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail Books

The Pacific Crest Trail is a beautiful trail that is packed with adventure and the opportunity to find what nature has to offer.

These adventure books about the Pacific Crest Trail show you what it has to offer, from learning curves to self-realization and character building. See our recommended adventures on the Pacific Crest Trail books here . 

Raw Wilderness Books

These are stories from people who faced, experienced and studied the wilderness in its purest form. These are adventurers who spent long periods outdoors without the technology and comforts, mos of us are used to.

Reading these adventure books about how they managed to survive and what they learned at the edge of civilization will have you appreciating the creature comforts you probably take for granted. See our recommended raw wilderness adventure books here . 

Experiencing the Camino de Santiago Books

The Camino de Santiago is one of the most walked trails in the world. It’s so much more than just a walk, it’s a spiritual journey. These adventure books about the Camino de Santiago take a look into what it’s really is and what this trail brings to a hiker’s life. See our recommended adventures on the Camino de Santiago books here . 

• Recommended Reading: Camino Ways Review: What I Liked and What I Didn’t

Hiking Memoirs Books

There is nothing better than a hiker’s memoir to give you the motivation and inspiration for your own adventure. They’re also a great way to prepare if you’re planning on doing the trail in the book. See our recommended hiking memoirs books here .  And check out our recommended hiking books with even more suggestions. 

Recommended Reading: 25 Best Gifts for Hikers.

Exploring the Andes Books

The Andes is a diverse landscape with everything from volcanoes to remote unexplored areas to discover. These good adventure books about the Andes give you an inside view into what hiking and exploring  the Andes is really like. See our recommended adventures in the Andes books here . 

Recommended Reading: Virtual Hikes: The Best Way to Get out Without Leaving Home

Adventures in the Himalayas Books

The Himalayas are home to some of the most dangerous mountains in the world, not to mention the tallest mountain, Everest. With its many cultural icons and some of the most remote and unexplored places in the world, these adventure books about the Himalayas are a gripping read.

These books will shed light on one of the most unique, dangerous and beautiful places in the world. See our recommended adventures in the Himalayas books here . 

Making your way through our curated best adventure book recommendations is the perfect way to shake the restlessness and experience armchair adventure until your next excursion. 

This post has been updated and republished.

9 Books to Spark Your Wanderlust in 2023

Armchair travel. We’ve all indulged in it via daydreams and  Parts Unknown,  with weekly trips to  The White Lotus and afternoons spent leafing through the pages of this very magazine. But our editors, avid readers that they are, know that the most transportive (and transformative) stationary adventure is often to kick back with a good book. And we read a lot of those in 2022—from immersive  travel writing  that challenges the reader to breezy beach reads designed to be read on the sand. Here, we’ve rounded up the fiction and non-fiction books that sparked our wanderlust over the past year. Whether you are an accomplished bookworm yourself, or have simply resolved to crack even just one book in the New Year, we’ve got you covered.

All products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri

My lack of familiarity with Italy’s modern literature, combined with my interest in novelist Jhumpa Lahiri’s immersion in the country’s language and literary traditions, motivated me to order this collection of 40 tales from 20th-century Italian writers, which Lahiri edited. The Pulitzer Prize winner curated a super sharp collection from authors who were both known to me (Italo Calvino, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa) and those unfamiliar (I enjoyed discovering Natalia Ginzburg), translating many of them herself, to telegraph an Italy you don’t see through travel: The dusty backroads of  Sicily in the early 1900s; hardscrabble towns beyond  Florence ; male and female protagonists struggling through banal life choices. More than a varied journey that jumps between eras and places in an often-overlooked Italy, this collection demonstrates the power of fiction to enlighten audiences on cultures and histories that are not their own (nearly half of the stories had never been translated before), mostly thanks to the stewardship of Lahiri herself. — Erin Florio , executive editor

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

“It’s nothing to come to Europe … It doesn't seem to me one needs so many reasons for that. It is something to stay at home; this is much more important.” I found a weathered and water-damaged copy of this masterpiece sitting alone on a  Brooklyn stoop this spring and began devouring it immediately—it is by far the longest and most difficult spontaneous read I’ve ever embarked on, and my found edition quickly became mine as I underlined passages more than I did not. Protagonist Isabel Archer is a young American woman, one less in control of her own desires than she is aware, visiting distant relatives in England. Her aunt takes her as a companion on a tour of Europe, and as she traipses from  Paris to  Florence  Archer makes a suitor out of just about every man she encounters. Firmly declining proposal after marriage proposal, Isabel is determined  to accomplish the abstract and impossible: to know everything about the world and about herself before she can marry. What better way to do so than to travel?— Charlie Hobbs , editorial assistant

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

I was already planning a trip to  Savannah when I picked up the non-fiction novel by journalist John Berendt, which is a page-turning murder mystery and a human interest masterpiece all in one. But it inspired me to make sure I experienced all the smallest nooks and crannies of Georgia’s oldest city—from subterranean antique shops to Flannery O’Connor’s historic childhood home, the Spanish-moss-strewn cemeteries, and an beloved drag show (yes, Club One) that lived up to the hype. Berendt lived the remote-work life, well before we all caught on to it, in order to live out his dream of transplanting to Savannah in the 1980s. The Southern Gothic tale that unfolds shortly after his arrival is one that strings together the small community’s dark past and its many eccentric personalities to paint a colorful picture of a Low Country gem that you can only experience through its people. — Shannon McMahon , editor, destinations

Bluets by Maggie Nelson

In her poetic prose, Maggie Nelson writes a personal exploration of her encounters with the color blue in life and love, and misery and pain. Catching sight of fragments of blue in my own life, Nelson has inspired me to count the colors in all my adventures. Navigating and experiencing travel through the lens of color opens up new and exciting emotions, connections, and realizations. I now find myself asking questions like: Which other city have I seen with this palette before? What does the color of this food remind me of? I jot down my answers and it becomes a story of its own. — Jessica Chapel, editorial assistant

Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer

I fell for the somewhat hapless, super awkward, but rather relatable Arthur Less in Andrew Sean Greer's Pulitzer Prize-winning 2017 novel  Less during a jaunt around Europe, not unlike the protagonist. This fall, Less entered my life once again with Greer's sequel  Less is Lost . The novel—at times laugh-out-loud funny, deeply heart warming, and an apt portrayal of the current state of America—sees Less once again on a journey; this time on an unexpected  road trip across the United States where he finds himself in unpredictable situation after unpredictable situation. From beginning to end, I found myself armchair traveling through Greer's metaphors and vivid-yet-quirky descriptions from California to New Mexico to Georgia. I was ultimately left with an optimistic view of humanity—and an itch to rent a camper van, grab my dog, and get lost. — Scott Bay , associate editor

Lizzie and Dante by Mary Bly

This summer, when it seemed like everyone was traipsing around Europe, I was reading  Lizzie & Dante , a delicious rom-com about a woman who vacations at a seaside resort on Elba, an island off the  coast of Italy . The titular character, Lizzie (a Shakespeare scholar, because of course), meets a handsome Italian chef and his precocious daughter, and romance ensues. There are yachts,  secret ocean coves, and mouthwatering accounts of a crabby chef’s set menu that’ll have you ready to plan a trip to Elba (or at the very least, make a reservation at a very expensive Italian restaurant). The main character is on holiday with her best friend and his movie star boyfriend, giving it a touch of  The White Lotus  energy, but with far more likable characters. — Madison Flager , senior commerce editor

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

This year, I revisited a book I was assigned in high school when it caught my eye on a shelf in New York 's McNally Jackson Nolita, showcased with a group of “eerie” titles in the month of October. In the 1966 novel  Wide Sargasso Sea , Dominican-British author Jean Rhys gives the infamous madwoman in the attic from  Jane Eyre a story, and a life. The feminist, post-colonial prequel is set in the Caribbean, part one in  Jamaica during the protagonist’s childhood, and part two in Dominica during her toxic honeymoon with Mr. Rochester. The descriptions of these islands are at once beautiful and haunting. Take, for example: “The road climbed upward. On one side the wall of green, on the other a steep drop to the ravine below. We pulled up and looked at the hills, the mountains, and the blue-green sea. There was a soft warm wind blowing but I understand why the porter had called it a wild place. Not only wild but menacing. Those hills would close in on you.” These locations are not romanticized—they’re integral to the story Rhys tells about race, power, and assimilation—and in that way, this read will prompt your interest in them in more ways than one. — Alex Erdekian , travel bookings editor

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

I was utterly transported by the epic sweep of this beautiful, terribly sad historical novel about the Korean experience in  Japan over the course of the 20th century. (I read it right around the time Apple TV+ released its miniseries based on the book, and while I know many people who have enjoyed the screen version, this might be a case where the book hit me so hard I’ll never want to see the adaptation.) The vividly wrought locales are essential to Lee’s storytelling, especially the spartan but pristine world of Yeongdo, a fishing village on a tiny island off the coast of Busan more than a hundred years ago, and the rough-and-tumble milieu of Osaka at mid-century, with its squalid Korean ghetto, crowded markets, and illicit pachinko parlors. There are also gripping forays into Tokyo, Nagano, and the Japanese countryside. I found it to be such an illuminating portrayal of the fraught interlaced history of these two wonderful countries, and a reminder of how deeply I want to spend time in both. — Jesse Ashlock , deputy global editorial director and head of editorial content, U.S.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I read Madeline Miller’s  Circe years ago, and was blown away by how she brings Greek mythology to life in a totally fresh format. I finally got around to reading her debut novel,  The Song of Achilles  (2011), about that Achilles—and  that heel—this year, and it reminded me just how transportive mythology can be. It inspired me to buy a book on Sicilian mythology  while on the island over the summer , and my 2023 resolution is to read up on local stories before future trips. (Currently accepting recommendations of books tied to Kenyan and Peruvian folklore for my winter travels.) — Megan Spurrell , senior editor

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Blog – Posted on Wednesday, May 01

100 best adventure books of all time.

The first adventure novel that you ever read is hard to forget: after all, we all remember the first time our imaginations were lit by whispers of buried treasure, lost worlds, and faraway jungles. As Jane Eyre says: “It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.”

Luckily, we’ve made the act of finding action easy for you! We have 100 of the best adventure books for you in this post, ranging from rollicking journeys over land to tales of high-stakes survival on the sea. Who knows where your next book will take you? Let’s find out.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of amazing adventure books on hand, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a book recommendation that's personalized for your tastes  😉

Which adventure book should you read next?

Discover the perfect adventure book for you. Takes 30 seconds!

Classic Books of Adventure

Or: the books that started it all. From Don Quixote to Treasure Island , they invented many of the tropes that we still see in adventure novels today.

1. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Regarded as one of the greatest works in literature, Don Quixote recounts the adventures of Alonso Quixano: a middle-aged man so obsessed with chivalric books that he decides to imitate them and become a knight-errant. So begins his journey to find a faithful squire, save damsels in distress, and fight windmills.

2. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

In this classic by Dumas, a young man named d’Artagnan joins the Musketeers of the Guard. In doing so, he befriends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis — the King’s most celebrated musketeers — and embarks on a journey of his own.

3. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Written by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, this story of “buccaneers and buried gold” launched a million tropes of treasure maps, sea chests, Black Spots, and deserted islands.

4. King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard and A. C. Michael

The first English adventure novel set in Africa, this 1885 book is considered to be the origin of the Lost World literary genre. It boasts six adaptations, including a 1937 British film and a 2004 American television miniseries.

5. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

Journey to the Center of the Earth is exactly that: a trip to the inside of the world, which is where German professor Otto Lidenbrock theorizes that volcanic tubes will lead. Another one of Jules Verne’s magnum opuses — and one of the most famous examples of subterranean fiction.

6. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Part adventure story and part revenge thriller, The Count of Monte Cristo is the tale of Edmond Dantès, a man who is falsely imprisoned without trial in an island fortress off France. That is, until one day he escapes and seeks out the men who conspired against him. You’ll find yourself coming for the adventure, but staying for the vindication.

7. Ivanhoe by Walter Scott

First published in 1819, Ivanhoe is a tale of heroism set in 12th-century England after the failure of the Third Crusade. Looking for jousting tournaments, romance, kidnappings, and witch trials? Then you’ve come to the right book.

Adventures in the Jungle

There’s more to the jungle than just The Jungle Book . From boa constrictors to alligators, there’s danger lurking behind every tree in these classics.

8. Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Immortalized by the Disney adaptation, Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs launched the legend of an orphaned boy who is adopted by apes in the African jungle. Named Tarzan, the boy eventually has to prove himself on two fronts: the animal kingdom and the even more menacing world of humans.

9. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

One of the most famous and acclaimed English novels in history happens to be a grim adventure story. This 1899 novella by Joseph Conrad tells the doomed story of Charles Marlow, who wishes to leave behind the civilized world and sail up the Congo in Africa. But he does not encounter what he anticipated in his journey into the metaphorical — and very literal — heart of darkness in the middle of the jungle.

10. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Brian Robeson is only 13 years old when his bush plane crashes in the forest. Now he must survive — with nothing but a hatchet. This book won the 1987 Newberry Award and has since gone on to spawn four sequels.

Congo by Michael Crichton

Another one of Michael Crichton’s famous adventure-and-science-fiction books, Congo relates the gripping story of an expedition’s desire to find the Lost City of Zinj in Africa — despite the horrors of the jungle and previous deaths.

12. The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling published this book in 1894 as a collection of stories about a “man-cub” Mowgli who grows up with wolves in the forest. Here’s your chance to meet the original conceptions of these beloved characters yourself: from Baloo the bear to Bagheera the black panther and the villainous tiger Shere Khan.

13. The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

An expedition to an Amazon basin in South America to find prehistoric dinosaurs goes awry in this 1912 novel by Sir Arthur Doyle. Sherlock Holmes is nowhere to be found, but this book does introduce the notorious character of Professor Challenger, the founder of the mission.

Adventures of the Sea

The world is 71% sea, which might explain why so many adventure novels take place on these thrashing, unknown waters. From Moby-Dick to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, they dive under the surface to find the heart of adventure.

14. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

Hop on board Captain Nemo’s Nautilus to explore the Red Sea, Atlantis, Vigo Bay, and more — everything taking place in (as of 1870) a wild new frontier: the sea.

15. The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat

Before The Perfect Storm was The Cruel Sea . This 1951 novel, which takes place during World War II, is considered one of the foremost portrayals of the Royal Navy’s battle against both the sea and the Germans.

16. Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling

Fifteen-year-old Harvey Cheyne Jr. is the privileged, arrogant son of a powerful businessman. That is, until he almost drowns in the Atlantic Sea. Luckily, he’s saved from certain death by Portuguese fishermen. Thus begins his life onboard a ship that cares not a whit for his wealth — and his eventual journey back to America.

17. The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson

Written by Swedish writer Frans G. Bengtsson, The Long Ships today remains one of the most widely-read books in Sweden. In it, a kidnapped boy grows up as the son of a Swedish chieftain before setting out on a long adventure to find promised treasure.

18. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

Call me Ishmael , begins this epic story. Acclaimed as one of the greatest books of the sea that’s ever been written, Moby-Dick relates the timeless story of a voyage to hunt and kill the great white whale that rules the ocean and haunts cruel captain Ahab’s mind.

19. Jaws by Peter Benchley

The 1974 book that inspired Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movie — which then made beach attendance drop dramatically in 1975. Jaws is the story of three men’s quest to kill a human-eating great white shark. It’s a high-stakes adventure on the sea, which holds more dangers than anyone could have ever imagined.

20. The Odyssey by Homer

You won’t get any story closer to a purer definition of an adventure than The Odyssey . Homer tells the famous story of Odysseus in this Greek epic poem: from the moment that Troy falls to the journey that he must take to get home over the course of ten years.

21. The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe

Famed for his short stories, Edgar Allan Poe only ever wrote one actual novel: The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket . But what a thrilling adventure it is, as we follow the life of a young stowaway on a whaling ship who encounters shipwreck, cannibalism, and the South Pole along the way.

22. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Piscine Patel, nicknamed Pi, relates the story of how he lived on a small lifeboat with a spotted hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, and a tiger for 227 days. But is Pi telling the whole truth? This revelatory book has sold more than ten million copies worldwide and has been adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster.

23. Eric Brighteyes by Henry Rider Haggard

There is one thing that we don’t see enough in adventure fiction, and that’s Vikings. Eric Brighteyes fixes this for us. In this epic Viking saga, a young Eric Thorgrimursson (nicknamed “Brighteyes”) faces drama, love, and rousing adventure as he grows up in 10th century Iceland.

Adventures in the Desert

Remote, isolated, and desolated: what better setting for an adventure than a desert? Meet scorpions, nomadic tribes, and golden sands in the below books that feature desert adventures.

24. Dune by Frank Herbert

The first installment of the Dune series, Dune is an interstellar adventure that revolves around several different noble houses battling to control the desert island Arrakis, upon which the coveted spice mélange resides.

25. Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

An autobiographical work, Desert Solitaire is American writer Edward Abbey’s account of his experiences in the southwestern United States — a region that remains largely swathed in desert.

26. The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

An adventure novel that functions in the guise of spy fiction, The Riddle of the Sands is a fantastic example of how a regular yachting trip might quickly become a madcap investigation of the German’s plan to invade Britain. Plus, it’s perhaps one of the first modern thrillers ever written.

Adventures in Space and the Sky

It’s the X-factor in our knowledge of the world that has yet to be mapped: space and all that it implies. These books breach that border, and boldly go where no man has gone before.

27. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The British phenomenon by Douglas Adams that is still widely quoted everywhere today. When Earth is destroyed, only one man survives: Arthur Dent. He is picked up by Ford Prefect, an alien writer who’s working on an electronic book called The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . What follows is an adventure through the grandest landscape of all: the galaxy.

28. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

If you had a spare 80 days, what would you do with it? Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout decided to use the time to circumnavigate the world. The £20,000 wager helps, of course — but so does the adventure that lies ahead of them. Another shining adventure story that Jules Verne (him again!) published.

\n From \'America’s nerviest journalist\' ( Newsweek )--a breath-taking epic, a magnificent adventure story, and an investigation into the true heroism and courage of the first Americans to conquer space. \'Tom Wolfe at his very best\' ( The New York Times Book Review ) \n

29. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe

The Right Stuff directly confronts the unknown, as a group of American pilots engage in the space race against Russia. Inspired by the launch of Apollo 17, Tom Wolfe wrote this book to explore the courage that propels an astronaut to take to the air.

30. Children of the Comet by Donald Moffitt

In the far future, a small community resides in space and harvests frozen air to make a living. But what happens when hunters from neighboring comets — and humans on starships — appear on the scene? This is a cosmic adventure in a very literal sense, as our young hero, Torris, tries to survive on a comet made entirely of ice.

31. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Becky Chambers fundraised this adventure via a successful Kickstarter campaign . Re-published by Hodder & Stroughton, it tells the tale of a human named Rosemary Harper who joins the crew of the Wayfarer as a file clerk. Accidents and adventures ensue!

The Martian by Andy Weir

In the year 2035, a surprise dust storm traps botanist Mark Watney alone on the planet of Mars. Discover how Mark survives alone on this unexplored frontier in this book that took the literary world by a storm when it was self-published in 2011.

Adventures Featuring Animals

What’s better than a regular old tale of adventure, you might ask? Well, an adventure with animals. These books take readers on a journey into another world: where nature reigns supreme and a blade of grass can be the height of the Empire State Building.

33. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Set in Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, this story recounts the adventures of a dog named Buck, who must survive other dogs, nature, and man’s cruelty, to answer the call of the wild.

34. White Fang by Jack London

Considered to be a thematic mirror of The Call of the Wild , Jack London’s White Fang is about a titular wolfdog who is dragged from the wild into domestication — and all that that entails along the way.

35. Watership Down by Richard Adams

Rabbits? What on earth could be exciting or adventurous about rabbits? As it turns out, many things. When Hazel, Fiver, and company escape their warren and struggle their way to Watership Down in this classic book of valor, you’ll find yourself rooting hard for this brave, resourceful group of hoppy adventurers.

36. Raptor Red by Robert T. Bakker

Unlike any other book out there, Raptor Red is told entirely from the third-person point of view of Raptor Red, a female Utahraptor. Robert T. Bakker, the author, expertly draws upon heartfelt research about the Cretaceous Period to bring a prehistoric Earth to life as Raptor Red struggles to survive in a dinosaur-eat-dinosaur world.

Adventures of Identity

By day, you might be another nameless clerk at a nameless company. But when you put on the mask, the Earth opens up to you — along with a whole world of adventures.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore: A Novel by Robin Sloan

The US book cover of Mr Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore glows in the dark. Not already enough adventure for you? Then you can dive into the story to follow Clay Jannon’s sojourn as a worker for Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore — which is not, as you might expect, all that it may seem.

38. The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley

Originally published as The Curse of Capistrano , this is the first book to feature Señor Zorro: a mysterious, masked vigilante who defends the people of 19th-century California against villains like Captain Ramon and Sergeant Gonzales.

39. Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini

A romantic adventure against the backdrop of the French Revolution. Scaramouche is named after its hero, a lawyer who becomes a revolutionary and an actor playing “Scaramouche,” or a stock clown character in comic theatre.

Shipwrecked Island Adventures

You might think that you’re lucky to have survived a plane crash or shipwreck… until you realize that you’ve got a whole other problem on your hands: you now have to survive on an inaccessible island, with no rescue in sight.

40. Lord of the Flies by William Golding

A group of stranded schoolboys. One island. Limited resources. The adventure of a lifetime. What could go wrong? As it turns out, many things, as William Golding’s classic novel brilliantly and darkly illustrates.

41. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss

Written by Swiss pastor Johann David Wyss, this book about a family shipwrecked in the East Indies ignited Europe’s imagination in 1812. Read it if you like your adventure stories with a dose of family values and moral lessons.

42. The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne

Another adventure story by Jules Vernes, The Mysterious Island is actually a crossover sequel to Verne’s famous Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of the Castaways . Five prisoners of war escape by balloon but crash onto an unknown island off the coast of New Zealand. There they try to survive, not knowing that they may soon get a visitor: for they are residing on (spoiler alert) Captain Nemo’s home port for the Nautilus .

43. Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

The full title of this acclaimed 1886 book by Robert Louis Stevenson is (deep breath): Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: How he was Kidnapped and Cast away; his Sufferings in a Desert Isle; his Journey in the Wild Highlands; his acquaintance with Alan Breck Stewart and other notorious Highland Jacobites; with all that he Suffered at the hands of his Uncle, Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws, falsely so-called: Written by Himself and now set forth by Robert Louis Stevenson . That tells you nearly everything you need to know about this book — except that every page of it is a great adventure.

Robinson Crusoe (Signet Classics) by Daniel Defoe

The full title of this book is (another deep breath): The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver'd by Pyrates. Again, we think that this tells you just about all that you have to know about the novel before you start reading it. But, as a sidenote, it’s good to mention that this might perhaps be the first English work of realistic fiction ever written.

Adventure Taken by Foot

When human beings didn’t have planes, trains, or automobiles to travel, they still had their feet. These novels feature adventures that were all taken by putting one foot in front of the other.

45. The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper

The second installment in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Leatherstocking Tales and perhaps the most famous, The Last of the Mohicans recounts the journey of Alice and Cora Munro to Fort William Henry. Mark Twain once wrote a scathing review of Cooper’s dubious writing abilities , but the spirit of adventure in this book remains true.

46. True Grit: A Novel by Charles Portis

You might have watched the Academy Award-winning movie already — but, as always, the book is better! 14-year old Mattie Ross’s quest to avenge her father’s death takes her from one end of Arkansas to the other.

47. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

If you like your adventures grim, The Road might be the book for you. In this 2006 novel by Cormac McCarthy, an unnamed father and his son walk through a bleak and desolate post-apocalyptic landscape. What will happen to them along the way is anyone’s guess.

48. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn might be a cutting satire of society and racism, but at its heart, it is just that: a young boy’s adventure along the Mississippi River. Frequently called one of the Great American Novels, it’s one that you don’t want to miss.

49. The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling

The tin on this 1888 story written by Rudyard Kipling says it all. Two British explorers venture out in India, not knowing that one day they might end up being kings in Afghanistan.

Adventures Set in Foreign Countries

If you’re dreaming of escaping to another country, look no further than these adventure books, which can transport you anywhere from Transylvania to India.

50. A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

Adela Quested and Mrs. Moore travel to India in the 1920s, where Adela is to be engaged to Ronny Moore in Chandrapore. Set against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement, this is a formative text that deals not only with adventure but also with postcolonial discourse.

51. Kim by Rudyard Kipling

Kimball O’Hara, Kim for short, is an orphaned white boy scraping by in the streets of Lahore, India. But his life changes the day that he befriends a Tibetan Lama — and he embarks on an adventure of espionage and enlightenment in the Himalayas.

52. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

One of Australia’s most wanted men escapes Victoria’s Pentridge Prison and flees to India — where a dramatic adventure awaits him. Featuring Bollywood, the Mumbai underworld, and trips to Afghanistan, this book is so realistically well-drawn that many questioned whether or not it was an autobiography when it was first published.

53. Dracula by Bram Stoker

If you’re bored of the traditional historical adventures , we have an answer for you: vampires. More specifically, Dracula . Written by Bram Stoker, this novel the archetypical vampire fantasy in which the forces of good must battle against Dracula and the undead. Go here if you like creepy, electrifying adventures in Transylvania. 

Fantastical Adventures

Sometimes the best adventures are the ones that originate from our heads — and these fantasy adventure novels certainly bring us worlds that we couldn’t have begun to imagine for ourselves.

54. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

One day while grading essays, JRR Tolkien wrote, “In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit,” on the back of a student’s paper. That single sentence launched this beloved children’s story about one unwilling hobbit who is dragged there (and back again) onto an adventure to the Misty Mountains.

55. The Phoenix on the Sword by Robert Ervin Howard

One of the first stories that launched the legend of Conan the Cimmerian. Conceived by American writer Robert E. Howard, this sword and sorcery tale follows the adventures of its hero in the pseudo-historical Hyborian Age.

56. The Books of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

Regarded by many as one of the most influential series in fantasy, Earthsea is also an adventure that takes readers across the mountains and plains of — where else? — Earthsea. A Wizard of Earthsea is the first book published in the series, introducing us to Ged, a young boy who will become Archmage.

57. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

A classic adventure for all young adults. When Alanna of Trebond switches places with her twin to train as a page at the castle of King Roald, she gets more than she bargained for. So begins her epic journey to become a legend in her land.

58. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

One of Neil Gaiman’s earlier works, it’s nonetheless one of the most charming coming-of-age adventures that you’ll find. Young Tristan Thorn grows up in the village of Wall, not once stepping foot into the magical land of Faerie that lies just beyond the border. That is, until a star falls in the distance and he tells his sweetheart that he will do anything to fetch it for her…

59. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

Humorist Jonathan Swift chronicles the travels of Lemuel Gulliver in this satirical masterpiece of 1726. Read it if you like a healthy dash of satire with your adventure.

Arthurian Adventures

Camelot was the birthplace for many of the most famous adventures, from Gawain and the Green Knight to the eternal hunt for the Holy Grail. Here are some of the most classic novels that render King Arthur’s adventures faithfully.

60. Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory

Is there an adventure that’s more iconic than that of King Arthur and his Round Table? Sir Thomas Malory’s rendition of Camelot is perhaps the best compilation of this beloved tale, from the birth of Arthur to his ultimate death in Avalon.

61. The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Based upon Le Morte d’Arthur , T.H. White’s The Once and Future King may be a more gentle reinterpretation of Arthur’s journey to become king — but it’s no less iconic or rich with adventure, danger, and intrigue.

Adventures in a Series

If one standalone book isn’t enough to sustain your thirst for adventure, check out these acclaimed adventure series.

62. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian

A cracking nautical adventure set during the Napoleonic Wars, English author Patrick O’Brian’s epic Master and Commander series is grounded by the friendship between Jack Aubrey, the Master and Commander of his ship, and Stephen Maturin, his naval surgeon.

63. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two decades, you’ve probably heard of this story. In 1989, billionaire John Hammond contacts paleontologist Alan Grant and paleobotanist Ellie Sattler, inviting them to go on an adventure into the past — and the darkest parts of human ambition.

64. Sharpe's Tiger by Bernard Cornwell

The Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell is famous for its exhilarating depictions of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars — and Sharpe’s Tiger is no exception. As the chronological first installment, it introduces readers to the “brilliant but wayward” hero and features a thrilling jaunt through India during the Siege of Seringapatam in 1799 to boot.

Non-Fiction Adventures

Nowhere is the phrase, “The truth is stranger than fiction,” more accurate than in the context of adventure non-fiction . These authors serve up true stories of some of the most daring, hazardous, and tragic journeys that humankind has ever undertaken.  

65. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Bestselling author Jon Krakauer recounts his own experience climbing Everest. And it is a traumatizing story: Krakauer was a part of the doomed 1996 Mount Everest expedition, in which eight climbers were lost and many stranded by an errant storm.

66. The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux is one of America’s foremost travel writers, and he shows why in this seminal travelogue about his journey by train through Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. He returns by — what else? — the Trans-Siberian Railway.

67. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

The international bestseller that’s been adapted into a Hollywood blockbuster starring Julia Roberts, Eat, Pray, Love is the true story of one woman’s search for truth. As it so happens, that quest takes her all over the world, from India to Indonesia.

68. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

In 1990, Christopher Johnson McCandless gave away all of his money and left home, never to return. Two years later, he headed into the forest in Alaska, where his body would eventually be found. This is his story, related by adventure writer Jon Krakauer.

69. A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain’s exuberant, witty voice is as alive as ever in this bestselling book. Like other travel accounts, A Cook’s Tour documents Bourdain’s travels across the world. But there’s a twist in this fun travelogue: he’s in search of the perfect meal.

70. The Sea Runners by Ivan Doig

Based on a true story, The Sea Runners is a riveting account of four indentured servants’ plot to escape their Russian work camp in Alaska. But their plans reach a snag when they encounter their greatest foe: the Pacific Northwest coast. Masterfully written, this book pits man against all the elements that nature can throw him.

71. Into The Heart Of Borneo by Redmond Ohanlon

If you’ve never read a travelogue, start with this one. In 1983, a group of three friends embark on an expedition to the center of Borneo. Written with wit and sincerity, writer Redmond O’Hanlon brings the jungles and wilds of Borneo alive in this treasure of a book.

72. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is synonymous with humor when it comes to travel writing — and this might be one of his most famous installments. In the 1990s, Bryson takes up the challenge of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail with his friend Stephen Katz. Mishaps expectedly occur along this adventure. But, of course, it’s the journey and not the destination that counts.

73. A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols

In 1968, nine men set out to race each other around the world on boat. Only one would eventually cross the finish line. This is the true story about that fateful race, its “sad, heroic characters,” and how one decision can spell life or death.

74. Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed’s account of her trek along the 1,100-mile Pacific Crest Trail instantly became a New York Times bestseller when it was published. Fans of Eat, Pray, Love will particularly fall in love with this book.

75. Green Hills of Africa by Ernest Hemingway

One of Ernest Hemingway’s rare nonfiction books, Green Hills of Africa documents the month that he and his wife spent on a safari in East Africa. It’s a sparse, tightly-written book about the hunting that he pursued there, with some choice nuggets about writing interspersed in between.

76. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

In 1960, John Steinbeck took a road trip around the United States with his poodle (who was named Charley). From New York to California and back again, Travels with Charley is a ruminative reflection of America and everything that the country Steinbeck loved stood for.

77. The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard

You might think the title is an exaggeration, but let us be the first to assure you it’s not. This book is a memoir of the tragic 1910 British Antarctic Expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott, who wished to be the first in the world to reach the South Pole. The entire party to the Pole died on the journey. This memoir, written by a man on the support team, explains why in grim detail.

78. A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain

Famous for writing perhaps the greatest work of American literature in The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn , Mark Twain was nevertheless an accomplished traveler. This book details his travels through central and southern Europe. A must-read, if only for his chapter on ants.

79. Mawson's Will by Lennard Bickel

Sometimes adventures must be read in order to be believed. Douglas Mawson faced disease, snow, Herculean winds, the death of his dogs and only companions, starvation, and thirst — and still somehow survived while managing to map nearly 1,500 miles of the Antarctic coastline. This is the dramatic story of the expedition.

80. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Welcome to the true story that inspired the events of Melville’s Moby-Dick . In 1820, a whaling expedition was foiled when a sperm whale sunk the ship, Essex. For three months afterward, the crew lived on three small boats, facing wild winds, the sea itself, and cannibalism to survive.

81. Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The memoir of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry isn’t just a contemplation of life: it’s a full-fledged adventure book in its own right. Saint-Exupéry was an accomplished aviator and once crashed in 1935 in the Sahara Desert without water or food. This is his story.

82. In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

In November 1974, Bruce Chatwin flew to Peru and then made his way down to Patagonia. He would spend six months in the region, traveling over untraveled ground and writing down everything that he saw. This is the seminal work for anyone who wants to know more about this wild, beautiful, and desolate part of the world.

The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron

Published in 1938, The Road to Oxiana is one of the premiere examples of travel writing. You might not want to miss out on Robert Byron’s account of his ten-month travels in the Middle East, credited by writer Paul Fussell as being to poetry what Ulysses was to the novel.

Adventure Books for Children and Teens

Ignite the spirit of adventure early! From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to Wizard of Oz , these classic children's novels will show that people of any age can go on a journey.  

84. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Avi’s popular tale of intrigue on the high seas. 13-year old Charlotte Doyle finds herself the only passenger on a sea voyage that bristles with danger. Features a murder trial, cruel captains, and a brave young girl who has to use all of her wits and resources if she wants to survive.

85. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Ready for an adventure that’s the darling of children’s book world? Lewis Carroll wrote this book in 1865 but Alice’s journey through Wonderland (which she enters by falling through a rabbit hole) remains one of the most cherished — and extraordinary — stories in English literature.

86. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

This children’s classic all began with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe , in which the four Pevensie siblings step into a wardrobe… and into Narnia, where an entirely magical journey begins. Complete with talking animals, evil queens, and Turkish Delights.

87. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

When fifth grader Jesse Aarons befriends his new neighbor, Leslie Burke, a beautiful friendship — and kingdom — is born. Terabithia is the imaginary sanctuary of their minds, but the consequences of building it might be more tragic than they anticipated in this children’s book.

88. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Lyman Frank Baum

Does The Wizard of Oz even need an introduction? This whimsical story by Frank L. Baum turned into one of the most treasured children’s books in history, spawning spin-offs, sequels, movies, and even musicals. Follow Dorothy as she travels along the Yellow Brick Road in the magical Land of Oz, meeting a Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion in her quest to return back to Kansas.

89. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Edward Tulane is a china rabbit. Bet you didn’t expect that twist, did you? But life can get hard for china rabbits, as Edward falls into the sea and spends 297 days on the bottom of the ocean. One thing’s for certain: it’s a long way back to the surface.

90. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

You haven’t really read an adventure unless you’ve read Diana Wynne Jones’ timeless Howl’s Moving Castle ! This is the story about Sophie Hatter, the oldest of three sisters, and how she becomes an old crone and meets the powerful Wizard Howl. Delightful, charming, and twisty.

91. The BFG by Roald Dahl

Did you know that Big Friendly Giants provide the best adventures of all? That’s because of all the land they can cover with one stride — and you get an even better view if you’re sitting on their shoulders as they do so,. Follow Sophie and the BFG as they go into a world of frobscottles and snozzcumbers to battle the Fleshlumpeater.

92. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

You’ve probably never met a hero like Despereaux Tilling: a young but noble mouse. Now he is on a quest to rescue Princess Pea, a human girl, from evil rats. Beware of underestimating Despereaux: he might be small, but he’s as brave as the biggest adventurers.

93. Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques

Though Redwall is the first book that Brian Jacques published in the celebrated Redwall series Martin the Warrior is one of the first books chronologically — and it’s one of the more adventurous installments overall. A young heroic mouse named Martin escapes enslavement under the maniacal stout, Badrang the Tyrant. But then he must journey across the land to build an army that will be able to defeat Badrang once and for all.

94. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The book that spawned the line, “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” By turn brilliant, witty, romantic, and thrilling, The Princess Bride (along with Buttercup, Westley, and company) have enchanted hearts across the world. A rollicking adventure through a fantastical world that was later immortalized in film.

95. Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman came up with the idea for this book when he miswrote “Caroline” as “Coraline” one day. In this dark fantasy novella, Coraline Jones moves into an old house with a mysterious door. A neighbor tells her: “Don’t go through the door.” Of course, Coraline goes through the door — only to find a world that she could never have imagined.

Adventurous Short Stories

You don’t necessarily need 50,000 words to bring the thrill of adventure to life! If you only have 30 minutes on hand, the below short stories will be able to whet your appetite.

96. “The Sea Raiders” by H. G. Wells

Squid monsters. Need we say more? H.G. Wells wrote this short story in the fashion of Moby-Dick and the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea , but the tentacle-y thrills of this short story are all his own.

97. “A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury

Time travel has become a reality in 2055 — and a company called Time Safari Inc is advertising a chance to travel back in time to hunt dinosaurs. A lot of things can go wrong — and they do, in this masterful short story by Ray Bradbury about the butterfly effect.

98. “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

As you might be able to tell already, Jack London had a thirst for adventure and the wild. His famous short story, “To Build a Fire,” deals with one man’s struggle against the arctic winter in the Yukon Territory.

99. “Sandkings” by George R. R. Martin

Before A Song of Ice and Fire , George R.R. Martin wrote this fantastically dark novelette that won the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the Locus Award in 1980. Set on the fictional planet of Baldur, it’s about a playboy named Simon Kress who doubles as an exotic animal collector and one day comes across a terrarium filled with creatures called sandkings… and what happens next becomes the kind of dark adventure that only GRRM can write.

100. “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway was a big-game hunter, and he drew from his own experiences to write “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.” In it, Francis Macomber, his wife, and a friend are in Africa hunting buffalo, which does not turn out as they wanted.

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Tales of heroic deeds and erotic suspense await you.

So you're a kid on your way to visit your uncle, when suddenly you find yourself trapped in a mysterious, time-traveling cave. Or abducted by aliens. Or headed directly for the bottom of the sea. One wrong move, and you could be devoured by sharks, trapped forever in the future, or executed for space crime. If any of this sounds familiar, you probably read those choose your own adventure books back in the day (and you almost definitely cheated by keeping your thumb between the pages, just in case you made the wrong choice). Those books were a big part of our childhoods. But what if we told you there were choose your own adventure-style books for grown-ups , too?

Look, if you want to re-read the classic choose your own adventure books as an adult, that's totally fine too. You're never too old to be eaten alive by ant-people. But there are actually a few game books specifically designed for all ages or for slightly more mature readers. You can go on literary adventures through Shakespeare or Austen, role-play as a lazy slacker, or fight your way through a high octane fantasy world. Just get your thumb ready, in case you make the wrong choice and need to backtrack. Here are 23 choose your own adventure books for adults.

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1 To Be or Not To Be: A Chooseable-Path Adventure by Ryan North

You're the Prince of Denmark, and your dad has just died. Even worse, your mom has already gotten remarried... to your uncle (gross!). How are you going to handle that? Or are you going to skip all the Hamlet angst and roleplay as Ophelia instead? To Be or Not to Be is a clever, hilariously illustrated adventure through Shakespeare's famous tragedy, with you in control of all of Hamlet's choices (or lack thereof).

2 Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure by Emma Campbell Webster

As Elizabeth Bennet, you're looking for a fortuitous and loving marriage. But as you make your way through the choices of Lost in Austen, you might find that it's not a straight path from page one to Mr. Darcy. Along the way you might stop by Emma, Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, and pretty much every other novel that Jane Austen ever wrote.

3 Choose Your Own Disaster by Dana Schwartz

OK, to be fair, Choose Your Own Disaster is more of a memoir in the style of a choose your own adventure book than anything else. You're not going to get eaten by a yeti or trapped in outer space with this one. But if you're looking for an adventure that's just a little bit closer to home, this long-form personality quiz combines humor with unflinching honesty as one young woman tries to find herself amid the many, many choices that your 20s have to offer.

4 A Girl Walks Into a Bar: Your Fantasy, Your Rules by Helena S. Paige

Let's be real here. When you hear the words "choose your own adventure" and "adult" you start thinking about interactive erotica. Don't try to deny it. Lucky for you, Helena S. Paige has already beat you to that idea with the steamy A Girl Walks Into a Bar. Will you chat up a rock star? Get to known the bartender a little better? Follow a mysterious woman to a second location? The choice is in your hands in this fun, flirty gamebook.

5 Hotels of North America by Rick Moody

A missing traveller takes center stage in Rick Moody’s Hotels of North America . Told through the collected hotel reviews the man left throughout his long career, this inventive novel allows readers to enjoy the story in two ways: chronologically, by skipping around in the book to read the reviews in the order in which they were written, or from the first page to the last, to pick through a jumbled tangle of a life.

6 Infected by James Schannep

Speaking of gross, Infected puts you smack dab in the middle of a horrific zombie apocalypse. Will you survive? Or will you die and rise again? For fans of creepy adventure and zombie fiction, Infected is a fun ride with quite a few unexpected endings.

7 If by Nicolas Bourbaki

You start out as a nameless young dreamer from northern California. At the end of each chapter, you are presented with a choice. But unlike most choose your own adventure stories, each of your choices in If affects the literary style of the book as well as the plot. It's a slightly different kind of gamebook, but a fascinating take on an interactive novel with a whole slew of different endings to choose from.

8 My Lady's Choosing: An Interactive Romance Novel by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris

If you've ever been frustrated by a romantic heroine's choices, this book is for you. With My Lady's Choosing, you hold the power to control our heroine's fate: Will she fall for the beefy highlander, Captain Angus McTaggart? Will she chase after the scandalous Lord Garraway Craven? Will she become a “traveling companion” to the daring Lady Evangeline? It's up to you to create your own outrageously fun romance.

9 Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

Will you choose chocolate or vanilla? Mind-reading or time-travel or killer robot? Meanwhile takes the simplest of choices and spins them into a zany, adorable graphic novel that is fully under your power. Lead Jimmy through puzzles and mysteries as he tries not to destroy the universe in his quest for ice cream.

10 Into the Dungeon by Hari Conner

From illustrator Hari Conner comes this short adventure book that takes readers deep into the bowels of a loot-filled dungeon. Grab a pen and paper to trace your steps, and get ready to solve puzzles, strike it rich... or have an awful misadventure.

11 Pretty Little Mistakes: A Do-Over Novel by Heather McElhatton

With 150 different endings, you're definitely going to want to take a few "do-overs." Pretty Little Mistakes starts with your high school graduation and lets you find your own path through the rest of your life (just like real life, except that you can start over). Will you end up in a luxurious mansion? As an award-winning scientist? Pecked to death by ducks? You'll just have to read through and see for yourself.

12 What Lies Beneath the Clock Tower by Margaret Killjoy

You're just a steampunk character living in a fantastical steampunk city, when you suddenly find yourself entangled in the political struggles of gnomes and goblins. Or maybe you're taking to the air in a balloon to drink absinthe and hobnob with the wealthy. Or you could abscond with your lover and hide in some caverns. It's all on the table in Margaret Killjoy's wildly imaginative What Lies Beneath the Clock Tower, an "adventure book of your own choosing."

13 Beauty Queen Blowout by Lilla and Nora Zuckerman

Take on the role of beauty pageant contestant in this branching-path book from sisters and Fringe writers Lilla and Nora Zuckerman. The host is gross, and the other contestants will do whatever it takes to win, but can you choose your way to the top? Find out in Beauty Queen Blowout .

14 Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography by Neil Patrick Harris

An interactive book that’s also the memoir of one of the country’s most beloved actors? You betcha. Neil Patrick Harris’ Choose Your Own Autobiography makes it easy for readers to skip around to the parts of his life they actually want to read about. It’s pretty considerate, when you think about it.

15 Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar

Another literary branching-path novel, this winner of the National Book Award for Translation allows readers to enjoy a straightforward narrative... but one that only tells half the story. The second half of Hopscotch lives up to its name, asking readers to skip through the novel’s “extra” chapters to dig into the heart of the hero’s story. Far more than the tale of an Argentinian expat bouncing between odd — very odd — jobs, Julio Cortázar’s 1987 novel is an experience you have to read to believe.

16 You Are a Cat! by Sherwin Tija

Sherwin Tija’s choose your own adventure novel puts you in the body of the cat you’ve always wanted to be. Go from a streetwise stray to the four-legged therapist of a family on the brink in this “Pick-a-Plot!” book.

17 Behind Closed Doors by Alina Reyes

An erotic novel in two parts, The Butcher author Alina Reyes’ Behind Closed Doors lets readers choose a gender to “play” as, as they move through a sexy and surreal environment.

18 Undead Rising: Decide Your Destiny by M.E. Kinkade

Can you survive the zombie apocalypse? That’s the goal in M.E. Kinkade’s Undead Rising , a branching-path novel containing dozens of scenarios that explore what would happen if zombies took over New York City.

19 The Wandering by Intan Parmaditha

Readers take on the role of a Jakarta-based English teacher with a yearning for adventure in Intan Paramaditha’s The Wandering . This branching-path novel’s myriad endings range from delightful to grotesque, and they challenge readers to think about who gets to be what in our increasingly global society.

20 The Office Adventure by Mike MacDonald and Jilly Gagnon

A “choose your own misery” book by writers of The Onion , The Office Adventure is perfect for any interactive-fiction fan stuck in a job they hate. It’s less an adventure than a super relatable day-in-the-life, but you’ll enjoy it nonetheless.

21 Time Travel Dinosaur by Matt Youngmark

Your job as a time-traveling detective is surprisingly boring, but a major shift in the world’s timeline brings some much-needed entertainment into your life in this branching-path experience. When a mad scientist turns dinosaurs into the sentient world’s evolutionary ancestors, it’s up to you to find out what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.

22 Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance by Riane Konc

Looking for something a little less sexy and a lot more sweet? Check out Riane Konc’s Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance , which puts you in the director’s chair of your very own Hallmark movie.

23 Choose Your Own Death by Marianna Shek and Tara Brown

Eldritch evils abound in Marianna Shek and Tara Brown’s Choose Your Own Death . Goultown is a place full of smiles — literally. Smiley faces are popular tattoos and graffiti tags. But when one of the little ‘burg’s only children dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s up to her five friends to figure out what’s really going on in this interactive story.

This article was originally published on May 25, 2018

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Adventure , Opinions

23 must-read outdoor adventure books (updated 2023).

When we can’t actually get away from work or school to travel and explore, we satisfy our wanderlust with the adventures of others. I, for one, love reading outdoor adventure books. If it takes place on a river or mountain, perfect. If it’s a true story or memoir, even better. Continue reading for, what I believe, to be the best outdoor adventure books .

And why not forward this post to your adventure buddies? Choose a book and start an outdoor adventure book club!

23 Must-Read Outdoor Adventure Books

Endurance: shackleton’s incredible voyage.

By Alfred Lansing

This is the 22nd book to be added to this list and it’s going in the number one spot. I can’t believe I only learned about this book two weeks ago. It is perhaps the most incredible story I’ve ever read.

Endurance is a book written about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s incredible voyage and self-rescue in the Antarctic. Let’s set the scene. It’s 1915 and a team of 28 men hop aboard a wooden ship. They have 69 sled dogs and three lifeboats, canvas tents and wool clothing. There’s not an inch of Gore-tex or satellite communication to be found.

In the middle of 1915, their ship (named the Endurance) gets trapped in ice and the group is stuck on the ship for the long, dark nights of an Antarctic winter. Then the ship begins getting crushed by ice and they must move onto the floe. Once summer arrives, the floes begin to break and the team must move to increasingly smaller floes. I won’t go into the rest of the ordeal (believe me, it gets worse). But all 28 men survive. It’s the most miraculous survival story.

And what makes the novel itself so incredible is how it’s written. The author, Alfred Lansing, interviewed all of the men from the expedition at length. He read their diaries and included snippets throughout the story. Holy crap, I cannot believe the book I just read. If you take one recommendation from this list, let it be Endurance.

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Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man’s Miraculous Survival

By joe simpson.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. It’s a lot of ‘ no way Joe survives this’ and ‘ he is definitely about to die ‘ until you remember Joe is the one who wrote the book, so clearly he does survive. But oh my goodness I don’t think I’ve read a better survival story.

Joe and his climbing partner are mountain climbing in South America, attempting a first ascent. On the descent, there is a terrible storm, Joe is injured and from there on it’s just disaster-miracle-disaster-miracle.

There’s tension when his climbing partner must decide whether to stay or abandon his partner. You’ll hold your breath as Joe dangles over a crevasse, about to drop. If you have high blood pressure, maybe don’t read this book. But if you love to be kept up at night on the edge of your seat, you’ll love this book.

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Wild: from Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

By cheryl stayed.

In Wild, Cheryl’s life has just about hit rock bottom. She is grieving the death of her mother, her marriage has just ended, and she was dangerously close to a heroin addiction. Then, with no experience and very little guidance, she makes the impulsive decision to hike 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone .

If you don’t know anything about camping, this book will give you some confidence that it’s never too late to fall in love with hiking. If you do know camping, you’ll appreciate Cheryl’s descriptions of pain and perseverance on the trail. What’s beautiful about Wild is that it goes beyond just another trip report.

In the book, Cheryl tackles her demons throughout the hike and overcomes many of the barriers that had existed in her mind.

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A Woman in the Polar Night

By christiane ritter.

I read this book when I was on a 2-week canoe trip in the Canadian Arctic this summer and I couldn’t put it down. This is a first-hand account of the year Christiane spent living in Svalberg with her husband in the 1930s. Without modern luxuries like Gore-Tex, freeze-dried food, and satellite phones, it is truly incredible how resourceful and resislent people can be.

What I love about this book is its romanticism and lack of bravado. Christiane’s husband has spent many summers and winters in Svalberg, but it’s believed that Christiane was the first European woman to winter this far north. Everything is new to her as she adapts to the Arctic. For example, she struggles to mend socks (something she has done a thousand times back home) because she’s mending socks made of sealskin.

I think modern feminists will dislike how Christiane is responsible for all of the homemaking duties and is treated differently than the two men she lives with, but I think it needs to be remembered that this was the 1930s, and division of labor was necessary for survival. Christiane cooks, cleans, and mends clothing in their remote arctic cabin while the men are hunting – this is her role to keep the group alive and it is a vital role. And she performs plenty of male-dominant tasks as well, like learning to hunt and ski over glaciers.

While this book doesn’t have the adrenaline or excitement of others on this list, it’s a beautiful story about what the day-to-day was like in the Arctic back then. I highly recommend this book!

Into the Wild

By jon krakauer.

It’s likely you’ve already seen the movie Into the Wild , but I’d still urge you to read the book. If you haven’t read or seen it and you have no idea what it’s about, here is a quick summary. Into the Wild is the story of Chris McCandless.

Fed up with the commercialism and lack of authenticity in society, he donates all of his possessions, abandons his family and hitchhikes his way to Alaska. Both the movie and book are emotionally moving, however, the book provides more context.

Plus, Jon Krakauer draws a parallel between the reckless decisions both he and Chris made in their young lives, and how luck worked out in one person’s favour, but not the other. This novel sets the standard for outdoor adventure books – it’s a true classic.

Kings of the Yukon: A River Journey in Search of the Chinook

By adam weymouth.

While I was reading this book, I was always trying to convince people it was more interesting than it appeared. “ Mikaela, you’re reading a book about salmon?!? ” On the surface, it’s a story about paddling the Yukon River (Adam is in a canoe, after all) but the story goes so much deeper than that.

This is the journey of the Chinook Salmon and the communities along the Yukon River whose lives have been forever altered by the salmon’s near disappearance. The story goes into the history of the Chinook and Indigenous communities; it details salmon farming throughout the world; it reveals some (alarming!) information about the salmon we find in the grocery store.

Meanwhile, it’s all set in wild and vast Alaska. I know it sounds like a book about fish, but it’s seriously worth the read.

River of Fire: Conflict and Survival on the Seal River

By Hap Wilson

Hap Wilson is the father of modern canoeing, having paddled over 60,000 km, completed 250 expeditions and created the first canoe guide books for many of the most popular rivers we paddle now.

In River of Fire, Hap recounts his experience paddling the Seal River during an enormous and dangerous forest fire (one of the worst the Boreal Forest has ever seen). He has a terrible co-guide and two completely inexperienced clients. And this was during a time when you didn’t have satellite phones to call for help.

And all of this is set amid the beautiful scenery of the Seal River. I love Hap’s descriptions of the estuaries and eskers, the big sky and spiny trees.

I really enjoyed this book, though there were parts where I wanted to scream at Hap. There are so many red flags ahead of the trip and I know, personally, I never would have set out on this trip. I imagine that, were Hap in this situation today, he wouldn’t either.

But it’s because he moves forward with the trip, despite the emerging problems, that we get to read such an entertaining and thrilling account of a nearly disastrous trip. So I definitely recommend this book!

Beyond the Trees: A Journey Alone Across Canada’s Arctic

By adam shoalts.

I was so excited to read this book. I liked Adam’s first book (Alone Against the North, featured below) and I also love the arctic . So, no surprise I loved this book (much more than his first, actually).

In Beyond the Trees , Adam recounts his nearly 4000 km journey across Canada’s unforgiving arctic, alone.

It’s a race against time; he must reach his destination before winter sets in, so he cannot rest or make mistakes. On his journey, he battles gale winds, paddles upriver and has a handful of close wildlife encounters.

I want to emphasize just how much upriver paddling he does, because anyone who has paddled a whitewater river knows it takes skill to paddle down the river; paddling up seems impossible. Yet Adam manages to paddle up the Coppermine River.

It isn’t thrilling the way Touching the Void or River of Fire is, but instead of thrills, the reader will get a deep look into a landscape untouched by modern development. I found the book to read kind of like an elaborate love letter to the wilderness. Plus, Adam is so damn funny in his prose. I love it.

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Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube

By blair braverman.

This book will surprise you in many ways. Blair Braverman is a tough girl obsessed with the North. She has lived in Norway and Alaska, working with sled dogs and guiding on glaciers.

You’ll be fascinated by her descriptions of attending dog sledding school, panic when she gets trapped in snow, fear for her as she navigates empty tundra at night. And yet, while the story is exciting in nature, there is so much more to the book than sled dogs and chilly environments.

The novel also confronts the fear of living in extreme environments, sexism in adventure guiding, owning your story and your own body, among other topics. Also, Blair is a total badass and it’s an entertaining read. As far as outdoor books go, this one is a total knock-out.

Trails and Tribulations: Confessions of a Wilderness Pathfinder

I first learned about this book while researching the Missinaibi River before a summer of guiding. I came across a passage from the book about more than 30 fatalities that occurred on the river due to mistakes on the topographic maps (critical portages and waterfalls were incorrectly marked or missing altogether).

Years later I returned to read the book in its entirety and found it to be incredibly interesting. The book, written by canoeing legend Hap Wilson, resembles a memoir in parts but goes much further than that.

Hap details what it was like working as a wilderness guide in the 70s and 80s and how the canoeing infrastructure (both social and physical) has evolved over time. He touches on Indigenous history and I found the sections on Thunderhouse Falls and the Bloodvein River to be particularly chilling. There’s also stories of conservation efforts, especially in regards to Temagami and the old growth forest of Wolf Lake.

This is a great book for anyone, but I think it’s an especially important read for young wilderness trippers (myself included). The book illustrates a history for the recreational canoeing we’re familiar with now; it also provides insight into how the fight to conserve these areas is not over (and probably never will be).

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

By bill bryson.

I love the way Bill Bryson writes. In A Walk in the Woods , Bill Bryson and his recovering alcoholic friend set out to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. Neither are experienced hikers, so you can imagine the blunders encountered along the way.

This book is very different from all the others on the list because it isn’t about an impressive expedition or an insane survival story. In fact, the walk itself is pretty mundane. But then again, Bill Bryson wrote an entire (best selling) book on home furniture , so Bill can make literally anything an amusing book to read.

Honestly, this book will have you laughing out loud, thinking of your own hiking memories and continuously turning the pages. I found a few sections to be a little frustrating (the lack of preparation! ahh!) but once I let that go I found it very funny.

No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World’s 14 Highest Peaks

By eric viesturs.

This story takes you to the peaks of the world’s tallest mountains. Eric Viesturs was the sixth person to ever each of the 14 8,000 meter-plus mountains and in this memoir, he details everything from his early obsession with the mountains to the logistics of mountaineering and finally, the incredible feat that is climbing the tallest mountains in the world.

This is one of those “he did an impressive thing so let’s have him write a book about it”. I wasn’t taken on an emotional rollercoaster; there were no long nights where I couldn’t put the book down. That said, it was interesting learning about what goes into an expedition and how your mindset changes as you navigate an obsession.

Alone Against the North

In this book, Adam Shoalts sets out to paddle an unnamed river in the Hudson Bay Lowlands that has no record of ever being paddled. Without a map, anything can lie beyond the river bend (say, a 20 ft. waterfall…) and I can only imagine the courage it takes to paddle not knowing what you’re in for.

In total honestly, this is my least favourite Adam Shoalts book. When he began his journey as explorer-author, I think he placed a little too much emphasis on ‘discovery’ and ‘conquering the land’. He’s evolved so much as a story teller since this book and I don’t have this critique for anything else he’s written.

Despite it being my least favourite, I still think it’s a great read. Adam has incredible determination and courage to face the unknown, on his own, and the book is entertaining.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves canoeing, but even if you don’t you may find it sparks a desire in you to go paddling (or never get in a boat again).

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

Here is another book by Jon Krakauer (who also wrote Into The Wild ), and this is the epitome of outdoor adventure books. Into Thin Air is an exhilarating and heartbreaking account of the Mount Everest disaster of 1996. John, a writer for Outside Magazine , joins an Everest Expedition led by one of the world’s most celebrated climbers, Rob Hall.

On the summit day, a huge storm hits and those who did not abide by the 2:00 pm turnaround time get caught in it. Over the next day, eight people die, including Rob Hall. Jon does extensive research to support the personal account of what happened and he interviews survivors after the fact.

Honestly, it isn’t one of my favourites (I’d recommend Touching the Void over this one), but it’s celebrated enough to command a spot on this list.

The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest

By anatoli boukreev.

While Into Thin Air gets all the press and fanfare, it’s been brought to my attention that The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest is a more accurate depiction of the events of the 1996 disaster. I haven’t read this one personally, so I don’t know how good it is.

Check it out Here

Alone on the Wall

By alex honnold with david roberts.

Alex Honnold is a legend in the climbing community, and the outdoor adventure world overall. In this book, we get to see the world through Honnold’s eyes and the thoughts he had while alone on a sheer rock face.

In total honesty, I didn’t like this book (part of it is because Alex Honnold didn’t write it himself). If you want to learn more about Alex and his climbing, I would recommend watching the documentary Free Solo instead. That said, it’s a largely celebrated book so who am I to say it doesn’t below on this list?

Braving It: A Father, a Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild

By james campbell.

In Braving It, James Campbell and his daughter make three trips to the Alaska wilderness, each progressively more difficult. The first visit is a summer trip to help a friend construct a cabin, the second a visit to the constructed cabin in the winter, and the third a canoe trip.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was easy to read and provided vivid imagery of Alaska. I saw parts of myself in James’ daughter and could relate to her fascination and enthusiasm with the north.

While the book will have you longing for a trip to the Alaskan backcountry, I think the real story is about the connection between fathers and daughters. The worrying from both sides, the acknowledgment that not all feelings need to be said to be shared. It’s made me even more eager to plan a camping trip with my dad.

Paddling My Own Canoe

By audrey sutherland.

This book was excellent. I’ll admit I bought the book because it had the word “canoe” in the title and was disappointed that she isn’t actually in a canoe for much of the book. The misleading title, however, allowed me to read a book I’d likely never pick up otherwise – and I’m so glad I did.

In this story, Audrey is mesmerized by the Molokai coastline one on of Hawaii’s islands. With a terrain so rugged, walking the coastline is impossible. The waves are too much for a boat – something more nimble is needed… So Audrey elects to swim the coastline. She nearly dies on her first attempt, but her second is much more fruitful. In addition to being an amazing story, the imagery itself is lovely.

Also, I love this edition of the book specifically. There are beautiful watercolour paintings to illustrate the Hawaii coastline, and it really adds to the vivid descriptions Audrey uses. I love turning a page and seeing an illustration of the cascading waterfall I’ve just read about, or the bright yellow fish swimming under breaking waves.

Read it Now: Paddling My Own Canoe

Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Cano e Adventure

By don starkell.

I don’t know much about this book – other than that it involves canoeing the Amazon – however, if you scroll down to the comments this is the #1 recommendation (I even get people emailing me about this book so it must be good).

Read it Now: Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure

Currently Reading: A Woman in the Polar Night

Based on the recommendations below, I have picked up a copy of A Woman in the Polar Night . This is a memoir written in 1934 by the Austrian painter Christiane Ritter. She and her husband spend a year on the Spitsbergen, a remote island in the arctic.

For the first section of the book, Christiane isn’t a big fan of the arctic. It’s cold and barren and desolate. But over time she starts to fall in love with its charm. It reminds me a lot of my time in the arctic, where I spent the first part painfully lonely but completely fell in love with the region.

So far it’s been really good!

Find It Here: A Woman in the Polar Night

Currently Reading: The Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni

By rm patterson.

I was supposed to paddle the Nahanni River with my dad in 2020 but a pesky little virus cancelled those plans. Then we were supposed to in 2021 but couldn’t because of this gosh darn persistent pandemic. So while our Nahanni plans are on hold, I’ve gotten a copy of The Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni to tide me over.

In this memoir, RM Patterson details two journeys down the Nahanni River in the 1920s. After leaving a comfortable banking job in England, RM Pattersere journeys to the Canadian wilderness in search of gold. He hunted, trapped, fished, and explored, ultimately falling in love with the landscape.

Along the Nahanni River, he faced all of the hardships characterized by a wild, northern river. I am very excited to read this book next!

Find it Here: The Dangerous River: Adventure on the Nahanni

On the Reading List: The Last Season

By eric blehm.

Unlike most of the other books on this list, this is not a memoir. In The Last Season, Eric Belhm tells the story of an incredible park ranger in the Sierra Nevada. Randy Morgenson, a seasoned ranger of 28 years, protected the mountainous landscape and its visitors with introverted enthusiasm.

But then Randy faces a series of setbacks; tie in the intense isolation, and many suspected his disappearance as being a suicide… or the result of foul play.

So what happened? Well, read the book and piece the puzzle together yourself!

Find it Here: The Last Season

On the Reading List: To Shake the Sleeping Self

By jedidiah jenkins.

I haven’t jumped into this book myself, but it’s been recommended to me by quite a few people. The memoir is written about 2019 when 30-year-old Jedidiah quits his jobs and bikes from Oregon to Patagonia. He documents his travels on Instagram, winning over hundreds of thousands of followers – all the while questioning, what makes a life worth living?

Perhaps I am judging a book by its cover (well, specifically, its synopsis) but I don’t have a lot of desire to read a “meaning of life” book written by someone just 5 years my senior.

That said, I can’t deny that biking from Oregon to Patagonia is bloody impressive, so I’ll give it a try and let you know what I think.

Find it Here: To Shake the Sleeping Self

What’s your favourite outdoor adventure book?

This is an evolving list. Comment below your favourite outdoor adventure books and I’ll do my best to give them a read and add it to the list!

Mikaela | Voyageur Tripper

Mikaela has been canoeing, hiking and camping for over ten years. She previously worked as a canoeing guide in Canada, and spent a season guiding hiking and kayaking tours in the high Arctic. Mikaela is a Wilderness First Responder and Whitewater Rescue Technician.

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33 thoughts on “ 23 Must-Read Outdoor Adventure Books (Updated 2023) ”

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You should definitely read Mother of God by Paul Rosolie, he is a conservationist who works to protect the Amazon Rainforest!

Oh that sounds really interesting! Thanks for sharing Abby, I’ll be sure to check that out 🙂

The Climb: Tragic Ambitions on Everest by Anatoli Boukreev is another account of the tragic events on Everest in May 1996. A good read after diving into Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air. I also really enjoyed Latitude Zero by Mike Horn. The stuff this guy did on this journey is nuts!

I think Boukreev’s book is much more honest that Krakauer’s. Also of interest is Left For Dead by Beck Weathers, who was also a member of that ill-fated expedition.

Oh my goodness! An amazing article.

Thanks Gabriel! I hope you find your next great read!

You should read Only Fools & White Horses by Colin Skeath – The epic story of the first circumnavigation of the UK by open canoe

I haven’t heard of that one – I’ll check it out! Thanks Katrina!

Mikaela, nicely done blog and list of book recommendations. I’ve been a lifetime reader of outdoor adventure books and I’m always on the look out for new titles. A DON’T MISS recommendation is “A Woman in the Polar Night” by Christiane Ritter. Written in 1934, it chronicles her time spent on Spitsbergen Island in the Arctic. The writing is luminous. For a time, it was one of the most popular books amongst German speakers.

Hi Sam! Thanks for your comment! I haven’t heard of that book but it sounds right up my alley! I’ll check it out once I finish my current book and add it to the list. Thanks!!

The Last Season by Eric Blehm. Story is about a very knowledgeable and seasoned park ranger who goes missing. It’s was fantastic!

Thanks for the suggestion, Cade! That sounds super interesting – I’ll add it to my to-read list 🙂

Paddle to the Amazon is one of my favourite books of all time!

Thanks Rob! I think I’ll read this one next! So many people have suggested it – must be a good one!

“Paddle to the Amazon” by Don Starkell. A father and two sons set off from Winnipeg in a canoe to paddle to the Gulf of Mexico and then to the Amazon. It is a crazy read. Followed by “Paddle to the Arctic” also by Starkell of his attempt to kayak the North West Passage. Then you need to read “Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak” by Victoria Jason, also of Winnipeg, who accompanied Starkell on his first portion of the Arctic trip but ended up kayaking the Mackenzie river and then through the North West Passage by herself. She’s my hero! Then of course there are Freya Hoffmeister’s books about kayaking around Australia and South America and now the first one of kayaking around North America.

Those are some great recommendations – thanks so much Elizabeth! I’ll check out Paddle to the Amazon next and then, of course the one about the arctic. Though I’m keen to read Kabloona too – I’ve heard some great things about it

I have mixed feeling with Beyond the trees, I like that his trip is up north as I can relate because I live in the Yukon but there a bit too much of “nobody has done this river like I’m doing it and bla bla bla) I could die here and this and that” sort of feel a bit egocentric especially from the second half of the book. I really like the book “To shake the sleeping self” by Jedidiah Jenkins he bikes from the US to Patagonia.

That’s interesting! I had mixed feelings when I read his first book, Alone Against the North, again as it has a “I’m here to conquer this never paddled river” and that rubbed me the wrong way. But still incredible trips! I’ll check out To Shake the Sleeping Self- thanks!

I think you will be both impressed AND appalled by Paddle to the Amazon. It’s amazing that he and his sons survived given how many things they did wrong…

But if you would accept a book recommendation from me, ‘A Dangerous River’ by RM Patterson who explored the Nahanni and met people like Albert Faille is absolutely fantastic!

That’s next on my list! And I’ll check out A Dangerous River too – thanks!

The Worst Journey in the World. Its Epic…..

Oh I’ll check that out – thanks Darryl!

Check out Dude, Where’s My Walking Stick? by Kevin Moore. Great little adventure across New Zealand’s Te Araroa

I love the title of that – I will check it out! (My reading list has gotten so long haha!)

My favorite book is: Lands of Lost Borders by Kate Harris

The lost city of Z is a really good book. It’s a true story about a British explorer in the early 1900s looking for a lost city in the Amazon. Amazing what these guys put themselves through without modern conveniences.

ALONE AT THE TOP by Lonnie Dupre with Pam Louwagie. Easy read, but most definitely an inspiring story of a solo journey to the summit of Denali in the dead of winter. My wife and I met Lonnie at an outdoor expo in Denver a few years ago. I had no idea who he was until he handed us his book. After reading it, I wish I would have known of him before I met him. Much respect for him.

Oh that’s so cool! I’ll check out the book – sounds like a really cool story!

Great list! I can’t wait to order some of these. I came across your site while looking for some inspiration for spring reads. My favourites – The Sun is a Compass (Caroline Van Hemert), This Much Country (Kristin Knight Pace), Chasing Rivers (Tamar Glouberman).

Those all sound like great books! I’ll check them out!

Thanks for the list, I’ve already read several of these. Shackleton is great. You might enjoy these: 1. One Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey by Richard Louis Proenneke, Sam Keith , et al.

2. Outermost House by Henry Beston (Cape Cod)

and of course my favorite: 3. My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir

What a great list, so nice to stumble on this in a search. I would HIGHLY recommend the Emerald Mile which is perhaps the greatest book ever written about whitewater river running that wraps in histories of John Wesley Powell, Glen Canyon Dam, Martin Litton and the introduction of dories to whitewater all wrapped around three crazy guides’ attempt to break the speed descent of the Grand Canyon during the historic flood/Run-off of 1983. Compellingly written, impossible to put down, If you have even an inkling of interest in rivers this is a must read.

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21 Best Non-Fiction Adventure Books to Read

Posted by Mac Misseldine May 10, 2019 Updated February 01, 2024

We research, evaluate and select travel destinations based on a number of factors, including our writers’ experience, user reviews and more. We may earn a commission when you book or purchase through our links. See our editorial policy to learn more.

Fuel your passion for adventure by reading about some of the greatest adventures in human history.

Adventurous fiction is certainly entertaining, but true accounts of adventure and survival are inspiring on another level. Reading about the perils and excitement of fellow adventurers stirs the soul to push harder, achieve more, and appreciate the journey.

Some stories pique our curiosity in the great unknown, pushing us to expand our limits and travel outside of our comfort zone. Others lead us to marvel at the bounds of human achievement, even when the hero fails in their ultimate quest — though we certainly prefer when they succeed.

Weave in a bit of geographical and historical knowledge to fuel our intelligence, and you’ve got a solid weekend curled up with a timeless classic.

As we’re always seeking to inspire our readers, we’ve compiled a list of the best non-fiction adventure books that highlight a variety of human achievements in the great outdoors.

Tales of survival against all odds from the likes of Steven Callahan and Joe Simpson. Stories about finding yourself in the wild from Bill Bryson and Cheryl Strayed. And yes, stories of tragedy when the powerful forces of nature are too much to overcome.

Best Adventure Books – Our Top Picks

Whether you’re a history buff, an adventure junkie, a mystery reader, or a mindful soul seeking deeper insights into the human experience, you’ll find your next great read right here.

Into Thin Air By Jon Krakauer

If Mount Everest has ever piqued your curiosity, read Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster .

Adventurist and investigative journalist Jon Krakauer provides a first-hand account of the gargantuan blizzard that claimed eight lives between May 10-11, 1996 — the deadliest Everest climbing season until the avalanches in 2014 and 2015.

His eyewitness account of the events that unfolded at 29,000 feet is a remarkable achievement, a tale that he almost didn’t live to tell.

Krakauer also examines what it is about Mount Everest that continues to attract so many adventurous souls. Specifically, why do people ignore the warning signs, tune out concerned family members, and willingly embark on a journey that may very well kill them?

It’s a truly fascinating account, and yes — it’s better than the movie.

The Man Who Walked Through Time By Colin Fletcher

The Man Who Walked Through Time tells the amazing story of Colin Fletcher’s journey through Grand Canyon on foot. Only a few dozen people have ever traversed the entire length of Grand Canyon National Park, and even fewer have done it all in one trip. Colin Fletcher was the first to pull off the latter.

A self-described compulsive walker, Fletcher began his epic Grand Canyon hiking adventure in June 1963. What followed was two months of human struggle against heat and cold, lack of water, and dwindling supplies.

Despite almost impassable terrain and intense physical hardship, Fletcher walked away from the experience with a new awareness of how humans fit into the vast scheme of things.

His description of the wildlife, geography, and remnants of ancient cultures remind us that Grand Canyon has been around a hell of a lot longer than us, and it may well outlast us.

Grand Obsession By Elias Butler And Tom Myers

If you read The Man Who Walked Through Time , you owe it to yourself to read the biography of Colin Fletcher’s rival, Harvey Butchart. While Fletcher was the first to thru-hike Grand Canyon National Park, Butchart was the first to hike the length of the park in segments. To Butchart, Grand Canyon wasn’t just a pretty hole in the ground — it was a lifelong obsession.

It took Elias Butler and Tom Myers 15 years to complete the research for Grand Obsession: Harvey Butchart and the Exploration of Grand Canyon , and their exhaustive investigative efforts shine through on each page.

The book explores Butchart’s early years as a fatherless child in the rugged mountains of China, his struggles during the Great Depression, and his all-consuming drive for greatness exploring the deepest, most inhospitable reaches of Grand Canyon.

Part biography and part modern-day adventure, Grand Obsession traces Butchart’s footsteps as he climbs, hikes, floats, and bushwhacks his way into Grand Canyon lore, enduring heartbreaking tragedy and personal struggle on the road to eternal fame.

A Walk In The Woods By Bill Bryson

After spending 20 years living in England, Bill Bryson came up with a great way to reacquaint himself with his home country — walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail. After he and his buddy Stephen Katz completed their odyssey, he wrote about their adventures in the instant-classic A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail .

Stretching from Georgia to Maine, the Appalachian Trail delivers a stunning landscape of tranquil forests and pristine lakes.

Bryson does an excellent job at describing the beauty of the fragile trail and making a moving plea for its conservation, but it’s his comic genius that takes this adventure book from good to great.

Equal parts adventure, comedy, and celebration, you’ll find yourself longing to visit the Appalachian Trail as you laugh out loud at the bizarre assortment of characters Bryson and Katz encounter on their epic journey.

The Oregon Trail By Francis Parkman

The Oregon Trail: Sketches of Prairie and Rocky-Mountain Life  is one of the few non-fiction adventure books that earns the title of classic American literature.

It’s one of those books that’s proudly displayed on the bookshelf next to decorative copies of Treasure Island and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , yet often goes unread. A shame, as it’s truly a great story.

The Oregon Trail features the intriguing tale of Francis Parkman’s journey west across the Great Plains in 1846. After reaching Westport, Missouri, by way of stagecoach, boat, and wagon, Parkman embarks on horseback with three companions on a two thousand mile journey.

Since its publication, the book has emerged as a classic narrative of one man’s exploration of the American Wilderness.

Into the Wild By Jon Krakauer

Another excellent book from Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild is a compelling book that evokes the writings of Muir, Thoreau, and Jack London.

The book recounts the tragic mystery of young Chris McCandless, an affluent college graduate who forsook his possessions and personal wealth before hitchhiking to Alaska to live in the wilderness. McCandless’ emaciated body was discovered four months later in September 1992, but the intrigue of his story continues to live on today.

In Into the Wild , Krakauer addresses the questions surrounding Chris McCandless’ story by addressing the seductive and often dangerous pull of the outdoors.

Based on McCandless’ diary, letters, and notes found at his remote campsite, the book pieces together the young man’s story, from what inspired him to adopt a Tolstoyan renunciation of wealth and return to nature, to the costly mistakes that eventually cost him his life.

The movie  is great (Krakauer himself praises Sean Penn’s depiction of the story), but the book is still better.

The Lost City of Z By David Grann

Chances are you’ve seen the award-winning film The Lost City of Z , the story of legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett’s search for an ancient civilization in the Amazon and the mystery surrounding his disappearance in 1925. If you haven’t, it’s definitely worth a Saturday night and a bowl of popcorn.

I’m not always one to read the book after I’ve seen the movie, but in this case it’s absolutely worth reading The Lost City of Z . Yes, you’ll proceed through the narrative with the ultimate spoiler already on your brain, but it’s still a fascinating read.

Countless explorers have perished over the years trying to solve the greatest exploration mystery of the 20th century. The author himself has journeyed into the deadly jungle, so he’s able to speak with a rare sense of authority that only comes from personal experience. You’ll be transfixed from start to finish — even if you already know the ending.

Adrift By Steven Callahan

Adrift tells the true story of Steven Callahan’s harrowing 76 days at sea on an inflatable raft. Callahan is the only man known to have survived more than a month alone at sea, so his account is as unique as it is inspiring.

A seafaring classic, Adrift spent an astounding 36 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and is definitely a must-have in any adventure library.

It’s worth noting that Adrift by Steven Callahan is not the story behind the film of the same name that debuted in 2018. That story actually comes from the account of Tami Oldham, who spent 41 days at sea when her boat was crippled by Hurricane Raymond in 1983.

If you’re interested in Tami’s story, read Adrift: a True Story of Love and Loss by Tami Oldham Ashcraft.

The Perfect Storm By Sebastian Junger

When three weather systems collided off the coast of Nova Scotia in October 1991, it resulted in an unprecedented tempest with no warning that spawned 100+ foot swells and gale-force winds. It was the storm of the century — the perfect storm.

In his book The Perfect Storm , Sebastian Junger follows the ill-fated journey of six men aboard the Andrea Gail , a swordfishing boat that vanished without a trace during the storm.

Junger details the rescues that took place that night, some of which gave birth to heroes while others added more victims to the unforgiving sea. It’s a tale of courage, terror, and awe, mixed with a fascinating study of the history of the fishing industry and the science of storms.

In The Heart Of The Sea By Nathaniel Philbrick

The story of Captain Ahab and the white whale may have been fiction, but the inspiration for Herman Melville’s classic tale is absolutely real.

In the Heart of the Sea tells the incredible true story of the whaleship Essex , a 240-ton ship that was dashed to pieces by an 80-ton bull sperm whale in the farthest reaches of the South Pacific. Fearing cannibals on nearby islands, the surviving crew piloted their three small boats towards South America 3,000 miles away.

Without ruining the ending, let’s just say it wasn’t a pleasure cruise as the survivors gradually succumbed to thirst, hunger, disease, and fear along the 90-day journey.

In the Heart of the Sea is a gripping tale of adventure and survival at sea, delivering the ultimate portrait of man against nature. The story is impeccably researched and beautifully delivered, a page-turning narrative with a solid place in American literary history.

Wild By Cheryl Strayed

Hailed by critics as one of the best books of the year when it debuted in 2014, Wild shares the inspiring journey of Cheryl Strayed.

Feeling her life was in shambles, Strayed embarked on a personal odyssey to find herself on the Pacific Crest Trail. Driven by sheer will with no training or experience, Strayed hiked over a thousand miles from the Mojave Desert to Washington State by herself.

Strayed’s journey to find healing is a heartening tale of a woman forging ahead against all odds. It’s also wonderfully entertaining, sparkling with warmth and humor while capturing the suspense and fear of tackling such an epic undertaking on her own.

Touching the Void By Joe Simpson

Simon Yates and Joe Simpson had just reached the summit of a 21,000-foot peak in the Andes when Simpson plummeted from the vertical face of an ice ledge and broke his leg. Yates struggled to lower his partner to safety for hours in the midst of a raging blizzard, but was ultimately forced to cut the rope before he was pulled to his own death.

Certain that his friend had perished, Yates returned to base camp overcome with guilt and grief. Of course, if the story ended there, Touching the Void wouldn’t be much of a book — and the fact that Joe Simpson is the author is a bit of a spoiler.

Simpson miraculously survived the fall, and although he was trapped in a deep crevasse, starving, crippled, and severely frostbitten, he managed to crawl over the cliffs and canyons of the Andes to base camp, arriving mere hours before Yates planned to break camp.

How Simpson and Yates conquered the agony of those three traumatic days is a heroic tale of survival, suffering, and fear — a moving demonstration of true friendship and courage.

The Worst Journey In The World By Aspley Cherry-Garrard

In The Worst Journey in the World , Aspley Cherry-Garrard provides a gripping account of Robert Falcon’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole. One of only three men to survive the notorious winter journey, Cherry-Garrard himself was with the search party who discovered the remains of Scott and his men after they succumbed to starvation and the brutal cold.

Based on his personal experience as the youngest member of Scott’s team and the diaries of his fellow explorers, Cherry-Garrard lays out the legendary expedition in vivid detail.

It’s an adventurous narrative, but more importantly it’s an appropriate memorial for these early explorers who lost their lives attempting a feat that’s still nearly impossible today.

Endurance By Alfred Lansing

In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and 27 crewmembers set sail for the South Atlantic aboard the Endurance , planning to cross the Antarctic overland. By October 1915, the Endurance was stranded half a continent away from their destination, trapped in impenetrable ice.

The ship was crushed by the expanding ice in the spring, leaving Shackleton’s crew marooned without a ship in the harshest environment on the planet.

However, as the book Endurance goes on to demonstrate, you can crush a ship, but you cannot crush human grit. Shackleton and his crew miraculously survived for seventeen months, drifting on ice packs, attacked by sea leopards, and surviving on sea lion and polar bear meat while their extremities developed frostbite.

It’s a truly remarkable tale of dogged determination and the will to survive amidst seemingly insurmountable odds. To be honest, it makes modern expeditions look pretty pampered.

A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush By Eric Newby

After spending a decade in the fashion industry, Eric Newby decided he needed a change. So, as any logical career-changer would, he took four days of training in Wales before hiking the Hindu Kush.

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush follows Newby and his friend through the formidable peaks of the Nuristan Mountains in northeast Afghanistan on the greatest adventure of their lives.

The story takes the reader to a region few Westerners have visited, delivering a story that’s fraught with triumphant highs and terrifying lows. The author’s style is admittedly a little unorthodox, but the thrill of adventure combined with his keen wit make for an entertaining read.

Seven Years In Tibet By Heinrich Harrer

In Heinrich Harrer’s fascinating memoir Seven Years in Tibet , the Austrian mountaineer recounts his adventures as one of the first Westerners to enter Tibet and encounter the Dalai Lama.

The book covers his escape from a British internment camp in India in 1944, his journey to Lhasa, and the ensuing years he spent living with the Tibetan people. Harrer eventually grew to become a tutor and friend of the 14th Dalai Lama.

Given his kinship with the Dalai Lama and his presence in Tibet just before the Chinese invaded the country in 1950, Harrer’s memoir offers incredible insights into contemporary Tibetan culture.

On one hand, it’s a fascinating adventure book; on the other hand, it’s a sobering glimpse into the final days of an independent Tibetan state prior to the Chinese invasion.

Wind, Sand and Stars By Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

One of National Geographic’s Top 10 adventure titles, winner of the National Book Award, and recipient of the Grand Prix of the Académie Francaise, Wind, Sand and Stars is one of the most popular works ever written about flying. Even better, it’s written by the philosophical master of prose Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who you may be surprised to hear was an early pioneer of aviation.

Wind, Sand and Stars captures the grandeur, danger, and isolation of flight in eloquent prose. Saint-Exupéry offers his opinions and experiences on subjects like heroism, death, friendship, and solidarity among colleagues, ultimately illustrating his thoughts on what makes life worth living.

If you’re one of those adults who still gets a sense of childlike excitement when an airplane takes off and you feel the brief tug of gravity pulling you back to earth, this book belongs on your TBR list.

Kon-Tiki By Thor Heyerdahl

There’s an old story in Polynesian folklore that says the South Sea Islands were settled long ago by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east.

When scientists scorned Thor Heyerdahl, a respected biologist, for believing the stories were true, he set out to prove it was actually possible. What better way to prove the impossible than to do it yourself?

Heyerdahl rallied a group of five other adventurous souls and built a primitive raft from balsa wood, bamboo, and hemp — the same materials that would have been available to pre-Columbian sailors in South America. The group set sail in Peru, eventually traveling 4,300 nautical miles over three months until they reached the Polynesian island of Puka Puka.

Not only did Heyerdahl give credence to Polynesian folklore, his adventures on the high seas make for a riveting read in the book documenting their expedition — Kon-Tiki (named after their raft). Heyerdahl’s adventure has gone down in nautical legend as a feat of courage and endurance, a magnificent saga of man versus the sea.

Journal of the Dead By Jason Kersten

Journal of the Dead  is the perfect adventure book for true crime fans. Combining the best features of both genres, author Jason Kersten takes on the true story of two friends who become stranded in the desert at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Starving, dehydrated, and on the verge of death, the friends made a suicide pact as the buzzards circled overhead. When rescuers eventually discovered the lone survivor, they were shocked when he freely admitted to stabbing his friend in a mercy killing.

In Journal of the Dead , Kersten uses interviews, profiles, and the friends’ shared journal to retell the story of their fateful journey into the New Mexico desert.

The book combines the best features of the adventure and true crime genres, taking you through the gritty details of their expedition and the perplexing nature of the subsequent murder trial.

The Blue Tattoo By Margot Mifflin

When 13-year-old Olive Oatman and her family headed west to join the Mormon settlers in 1851, they had dreams of a bright future surrounded by people of like-minded faith. Six years later, Olive was ransomed back to “her people” by the Mohave Indians. What happened in between is an incredible story.

In The Blue Tattoo , Margot Mifflin tackles the story of Olive Oatman through the letters and diaries of Oatman’s friends and relatives. It details how her family was brutally murdered by Yavapai Indians before the orphan spent a year in slavery. She was traded to the Mohave Indians about a year later, who tattooed her face and raised her as their own, fully assimilating her into their tribe.

Olive Oatman was an instant celebrity when she returned to American society, and she ultimately married a wealthy banker in Texas. Her story has since become legend, inspiring radio plays, film, fiction, artwork, and an episode of Death Valley Days starring none other than Ronald Reagan. But Mifflin’s account raises an interesting perspective: did Olive Oatman actually want to go home?

Desert Solitaire By Edward Abbey

Desert Solitaire was originally published in 1968, but its cry to preserve the natural beauty of the American West is just as relevant today as it was half a century ago. Given the rapid development of the modern world and the gradual deterioration of the earth’s natural wonders, one could argue it’s even more poignant today.

Edward Abbey wrote Desert Solitaire while working as a ranger at Arches National Park (then a National Monument) outside Moab, Utah, and you can sense his deep devotion to the land in his work.

As Abbey reflects on the condition of our remaining wilderness and the dichotomy between the modern world and the natural world, he also delves into his own personal struggle with morality. The passionate, poetic memoir offers a rare view into a man’s quest to experience nature in its purest form.

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Posted by Mac Misseldine

Mac is a digital marketer and freelance writer based in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He enjoys exploring the countless trails that the Beehive State has to offer, though his favorite outdoor adventures involve a snowboard and fresh powder.

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15 Travel Books That Will Give You Serious Wanderlust

The end of the year is just that time for favorites lists – and I’ve written about the best travel books many times over! I love talking about travel books. Why? Because part of the tool belt of any traveler is a good book. Long bus, train, or plane rides can get pretty boring and can give you a lot of “dead” time if you haven’t mastered the art of the 10-hour blank stare. Additionally, reading travel books helps you learn about the destinations you are visiting. The more you know about a place, the more you can understand a place.

I am a voracious reader and even used to have a book club on this website where I shared all the books I read. Today is another one of those days where I share some of the books I’ve read recently! If you’re looking for some great reads, here are my current list of the best travel books to inspire you to travel to far-off lands:  

1. The Alchemist , by Paulo Coelho

Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop  

2. Love With a Chance of Drowning , by Torre DeRoche

3. The Caliph’s House: A Year in Casablanca  by Tahir Shah

4. On the Road , by Jack Kerouac

5. Looking for Transwonderland , by Noo Saro-Wiwa

6. The Lost City of Z , by David Grann

Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop

7. The Beach , by Alex Garland

8. Vagabonding , by Rolf Potts

9. In A Sunburned Country , by Bill Bryson

10. Dispatches from Pluto , by Richard Grant

11. Turn Right at Machu Picchu , by Mark Adams

12. A Year of Living Danishly , by Helen Russell

13. The Art of Travel , by Alain de Botton

14. From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home , by Tembi Locke

BONUS: Ten Years a Nomad: A Traveler’s Journey Home , by me!

Books about travel inspire us to go visit far-off lands and imagine us doing incredible things. Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country inspired me to visit Australia! I hope these travel books inspire you to travel the world and feed your wanderlust. If you have any suggestions that I can add to this best travel books list, leave them in the comments.

If you’d like to see some of the other books I’ve recommended (or are currently reading), check out this page I created on Amazon that lists them all!

You can also find them listed in our Bookshop store, which helps support locally-owned bookstores. If you’re in the US, click here to check out my Bookshop store!

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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18 Of The Best Travel Books: Real Life Adventures You Gotta Read

Packing a good book (digital or otherwise) is a must for traveling..

A stack of the best travel books is the perfect companion whether you are roaming solo or catch some downtime when with a crew.

Even better… not only is reading excellent entertainment on the road, the following titles are adventures in themselves . 👏

I wasn’t always a reader, but since I picked it up I’ve pummelled through my fair share…

And the ones that seem to be the most memorable, worth talking about, are real-life non-fiction adventure stories of people intentionally (or sometimes not) getting into the wildest shit.

So I thought it would be fun to put together a list of my favourite adventure travel books (including a few I haven’t read but keep hearing about ). Here we go:

18 of the best travel books that will instantly transport you to some of the most thrilling, incredible real-life journeys of all time.

Sailing Alone Around the World

by Joshua Slocum

When I started sailing I asked around for everyone’s favourite sailing books. This one by Slocum was on  everyone’s list, and for good reason – he’s a crazy old salt that sailed around the world, single-handed, to prove it could be done.

And GET THIS:

The first person to ever sail around the world could not swim. He considered it useless!

Can you say  Maniac? My kinda guy.

It’s an exciting read full of stuff like life-threatening seas and midnight attacks by savages. You’ll love it. ⛵️⚓️

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon

by David Grann 

I was bought this by my brother… and I’m ashamed to say I haven’t read it yet! I literally feel like I can’t turn around lately and not hear about this book…

… partly because there’s now a movie made about it but – as you know – ALWAYS read the book before watching the movie so I can’t vouch for that one either.

The gist: legendary British explorer Percy Fawcett takes his family into the jungle in the search of “mythical” Lost City of Z. I can’t wait to read this one.

The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey

by Ernesto Che Guevara

High on the To-Read-List is this story of young Ernesto Che Guevara cruising on his bike through Latin America.

Adventurous, entertaining, and a pretty cool insight into the kind of guy who became a cultural icon and revolutionary.

Travels with Charley in Search of America

by John Steinbeck

World renowned author John Steinbeck, at the tender age of 58, sets out with his French Poodle Charlie on a road trip to rediscover the America that had previously been such a focus in his writing.

Cool road trip story that gets you excited to meet strangers, hear their stories, and try to get a deeper outcome to a fun road trip.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand 

Holy shit. Like… wow. I can’t put into words how insane this story is and literally can’t think of anyone who’s gone through as much as Louis Zamperini has after his Army bomber went down in enemy territory during World War II.

Being lost at sea and having to fight sharks while being shot at from above becomes an easy part of this unfathomable journey. Pick it up, you won’t put it down.

In a Sunburned Country

by Bill Bryson

I spent a few months in Australia at different points and fell in love. The people, the outback, the ocean… amazing.

So I wanted to include this one because it’s a fun guided tour by an unreal travel writer. It’ll make you want to book a flight to Oz immediately.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

by Cheryl Strayed

Again, read the book before you see the movie (if you haven’t already seen it!). Cool story about a woman who decides to break the mold (#BurnYourCouch 😉), get into some adventure, and find out what really matters in life.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

by Jon Krakauer

A conversion telling of one of the worst Everest expedition seasons on record. Devastatingly, 8 people lost their lives in what’s now called The 1996 Mount Everest disaster . An inside look into the madness that is summering Everest. A thrilling read.

The Dolphin’s Tooth: A Decade in Search of Adventure

by Bruce Kirkby

Bruce Kirby is another of our heroes – escapes the cubicle in search of high-adventure…

And he finds it, all over the world. From falling in love with the wilderness as a guide on the Tatshenshini River of Canada’s Arctic to gun fights and crocodile attacks in Africa’s Blue Nile Gorge.

Get this book and, maybe, just maybe, you’ll be one step closer to taking that adventure you always wanted to.

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage

by Alfred Lansing

Ok so this is nuts… polar explorer Ernest Shackleton wants to cover the last uncharted continent – Antartica. So he puts out this infamous job application (I can’t get enough of this ad!):

“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in event of success.”

Ha! I know… nuts!

And it worked. He got his 27 hardy men and set out on  Endurance for Antartica…

They get trapped in the ice and are forced with a near-impossible chance of returning alive. Read the book to find out how it all ends. 😆

Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival

by Dean King

The historical account of 12 American sailors shipwrecked off the coast of Africa 1815. Sold into slavery, they’re driven through the scorching desert in a constant fight for their lives and, of course, their sanity.

by Robin L. Graham (Author),‎ Derek L. T. Gill (Contributor)

When people ask me for my favourite sailing book, this is the one I DEMAND they read…

16-year old (!) Robin Lee Graham sets out for a sail around the world on his 24 foot sloop. He comes back home five years later with a wife and daughter, and countless stories from all stretches of the world.

What I love most about this book is that it’s light, loving, almost innocent… a great depiction of life at sea through the eyes of 16-21 year old. It makes you want his life, and was definitely an inspiration to me getting my boat and hitting the sea.

If you ever wanted to sail, read this. Be warned, you might also buy a sail boat.

Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life

by William Finnegan

Full disclosure: I haven’t read this one yet. My brother Anders just did, and completely loved it. I always like what he does with books, so it’s high on my list.

The gist: William Finnegan’s memoir of his life-long obsession with, and love for, surfing… taking him to new breaks in the far reaches of the world where every new experience shaped him in a new way. 🤙🏽

The Innocents Abroad

by Mark Twain

Twain is hilarious, and seeing Europe and the Holy Land through his eyes is a ride you want to go on. You’ll love it.

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

by Nathaniel Philbrick 

I read this prior to reading Moby Dick because this one is the true story behind Moby Dick. The historical telling of Nantucket whaling and the “white whale” taking down the  Essex and leaving the crew adrift the Pacific for more than ninety days in three little skiffs.

This was made into a cool movie, but read it first (last time I’ll say it! 🤞).

In Patagonia

by Bruce Chatwin

What list of the best adventure travel books would be complete with at least one that dives into the beauty of Patagonia. Well, here ya go!

This visual telling of Chatwin’s trek through Patagonia will leave you jonesing to explore it yourself, and you should! 🤤

Into the Wild 

I think the wanderlust in us all sometimes gets jealous of the crazy ones who  actually do give it all away (and literally burn it in this case!) for a simpler, adventurous life. Sadly, this one doesn’t turn out too well, but what a story.

High Endeavours: The Extraordinary Life and Adventures of Miles & Beryl Smeeton

The only thing with this one is to be prepared for some family history, which I think if you get through it adds to the story. Otherwise, a completely entertaining, thrilling, and mind-boggling story of two of my favourite adventurers.

There you have it!

We guarantee that any of these titles will inspire some serious wanderlust.

What are some of your most beloved travel books? Comment below!

2 Responses

Awesome list! Give Me The World is also worth reading if you haven’t already- a travel classic!

Hey Carlye! Thanks for the heads up on that one… I haven’t hear of it yet so I’m excited to read it!

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The 16 Best Travel Books to Inspire Wanderlust

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Nothing inspires wanderlust like getting engrossed in a novel about traveling to a foreign land and the adventures that ensue. You can lose yourself in stories of love, heartbreak, redemption, and self-discovery whether you’re traveling abroad or back home planning your next adventure.

We have been traveling on and off for over 10 years, and along the way, we have taken a lot of long flights, train trips, and bus rides. We always make sure we have a good travel book tucked into our bag to get us through the journey. And if one of your friends is heading abroad, a good book with a heartfelt inscription from you on the front cover is a great travel gift !

Here is our list of the 16 best travel books that have inspired our trips around the globe! We hope that they inspire you to start planning your own adventure!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we may earn a small commission (don’t worry, it’s at no extra cost to you).

16 Great Travel Books to Inspire Wanderlust

1. A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisine

By anthony bourdain.

Anthony Bourdain changed the way the world thinks about food. He taught us to embrace all of the strange and unique cuisines across the globe and that some of the best meals are at a tiny plastic table down a random alleyway. Of course, most people are familiar with Bourdain due to his hit travel TV show , No Reservations . What most people don’t realize is that it was actually his take-no-prisoners, tell-all style of writing that launched his TV career.

A Cook’s Tour recounts Bourdain’s dining adventures across Portugal, France, Vietnam, Russia, Morocco, Japan, Cambodia, Mexico, and Spain . He eats a still-beating cobra heart in Hanoi (we’ve done this too!), samples half-formed duck embryos – otherwise known as balut  – in Cambodia (check!), and enjoys a  tagine in Morocco (been there too!).

Bourdain is a great storyteller, and by the end of this book, you’ll be both hungry and eager to plan your next trip.

2. The Beach

By alex garland.

If you’ve done a bit of traveling and can’t seem to get “off the beaten path,” then try giving Alex Garland’s The Beach a read.

Richard is a British backpacker who is disillusioned with the well-trodden tourist circuit of Southeast Asia. While staying in a cheap hotel on Khao San Road in Bangkok, he is given a mysterious map to a beautiful beach, unspoiled by tourism, hidden in the Gulf of Thailand. He befriends a French couple, Françoise and Étienne, and together they set off to find the secret beach.

It’s a tale of paradise found (and lost) with plenty of adventure, romance, betrayal, and cannabis. It’s truly one of the best travel books out there and anyone headed to Thailand for the first time should read it!

3. Marching Powder: A True Story of Friendship, Cocaine, and South America’s Strangest Jail

By rusty young.

Although Marching Powder  was written by Rusty Young, it is really the story of Thomas McFadden, a British drug trafficker who was caught in Bolivia and imprisoned in Bolivia’s San Pedro prison.

San Pedro turns out not to be your typical prison. Inside its walls, you must pay rent for your jail cell and imprisoned drug lords are joined by their wives and children who enter and leave the prison freely. There is also an onsite cocaine manufacturing operation and a small bribe can get you out of (or into) the prison for a day.

Thomas begins running tours of the bizarre prison and they become a staple of the South American backpacker circuit. When Rusty hears about the tours he signs up for a night in the prison. He winds up staying for 3 months in order to document Thomas’ story and life in San Pedro.

We actually tried to visit the San Pedro prison when we were in La Paz, but by that time the Bolivian government had cracked down on the illegal tours.

4. The Cloud Garden: A True Story of Adventure, Survival, and Extreme Horticulture

By tom hart dyke and paul winder.

The Cloud Garden  tells the story of a fearless young backpacker, Paul, and an impetuous botanist, Tom. Together they decide to attempt a crossing of the impenetrable stretch of swamp and jungle between Panama and Colombia known as The Darién Gap. This no man’s land is also full of guerrillas (not to be confused with gorillas) and drug smugglers. It’s not exactly the kind of place you want to go on vacation but Paul is hunting for adventure, and Tom is hunting for orchids.

Unfortunately, just a short way from the Colombian border, they are captured by a paramilitary group and held against their will for 9-months. Their tale is chock full of suspense, wit, and even a bit of Stockholm syndrome.

We are often told by friends and family not to go somewhere because it is too dangerous. For the most part, we go anyways and discover friendly people and fun adventures. But this travel novel is an example of what happens when you push your luck just a little too far!

5. Shantaram

By gregory david roberts.

Shantaram is an epic saga of loss, hope, faith, and redemption. The protagonist is a convicted Australian bank robber who escapes prison and flees to Mumbai, India (called ‘Bombay’ at the time) to build a new life. Along the way, he works as a slum doctor, drug dealer, passport forger, weapons smuggler, and Bollywood actor.

While some of the events mirror the author’s life, much of the story is obviously fiction or at least significantly embellished. It’s a beautiful read full of gang fights, romance, and impossibly heroic moments. A bit like the main character in your own Bollywood movie.

While many of our book recommendations are quick reads, Shantaram is almost 1,000 pages. It’s the perfect travel novel if you have an extremely long bus ride or flight ahead of you.

6. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

By bill bryson.

A Walk in the Woods  recounts Bill Bryson’s attempt to hike the entire 2,100 miles of America’s Appalachian Trail with his overweight, chain-smoking friend, Stephen Katz. Along the way, they meet a host of interesting thru-hikers and develop a begrudging appreciation for the beautiful and fragile wilderness of the United States.

Bryson has a great sense of humor and all of his books will make you chuckle, though this one makes a particularly great gift for hikers. Many people prefer his travel novel about Australia, In a Sunburned Country,  but I have a soft spot in my heart for A Walk in the Woods. Perhaps because I grew up in East Tennessee, just 20 miles from the Appalachian Trail.

7. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values

By robert m. pirsig.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is much more than just a travel book. It tells the story of a man and his son on a cross-country motorcycle trip from Minnesota to California. The book deviates from the main storyline quite often to delve into philosophical pondering (which is the real focus of the book).

It’s an incredibly interesting book if you have an interest in eastern philosophy or if you just want inspiration for a motorcycle trip across the US . Although according to the author, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance “should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It’s not very factual on motorcycles, either.”

8. Papillon

By henri charrière.

Papillon is the “autobiographical” story of Henri Charrière. He is a French safecracker wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to a life of hard labor on the penal colony of Devil’s Island (French Guiana). The ensuing tale spans 14 years and involves numerous jailbreak attempts – some successful, some not.

There is a question as to how much of the novel is true with some critics claiming it is about 90% fiction. Regardless, Charrière is a great storyteller and the book became an immediate success upon its release in 1969. It has since been translated into 21 languages and made into a movie three times.

9. Round Ireland with a Fridge

By tony hawks.

You’ve probably had a few too many drinks and made a ridiculous bet with your friends before. And you probably woke up the next morning with a hazy memory of the terms of your silly bet and never actually followed through with it. In the book  Round Ireland with a Fridge , Tony bets a friend that he can hitchhike around the circumference of Ireland with a refrigerator in one month.

He realizes the foolishness of this claim when he wakes up hungover the next morning. But rather than take the easy way out, he decides to give it his best shot. So with his trusty mini-fridge in tow, he sticks out his thumb and heads off on an adventure that turns him into a national hero.

It’s a hilarious tale that will have you believing in the kindness of strangers and the luck of the Irish!

10. The Damage Done: Twelve Years of Hell in a Bangkok Prison

By warren fellows.

Warren Fellows was a drug smuggler who trafficked heroin from Thailand to Australia and got caught. This book is not meant to proclaim his innocence. In fact, Fellows makes it clear that he was guilty (but mainly unlucky).

Fellows is given a life sentence in Bangkok’s notorious Bang Kwang prison. His account of the living conditions and punishment that he endured for over a decade makes prisons in the USA look like 5-star hotels.

It may be obvious to you at this point that I am very intrigued by foreign prisons. So intrigued, in fact, that I actually visited an inmate in Bangkwang prison during a trip to Bangkok in my youth. It turned out to be far less interesting than I was expecting and a bit strange as the inmate wanted me to deliver cryptic messages to people around Bangkok. Better to just stick to reading about them…

11. Heart of Darkness

By joseph conrad.

Heart of Darkness  was written over a century ago but still remains a fascinating read. It’s the tale of Charles Marlow, a riverboat captain and ivory transporter obsessed with the “blank places on the earth”. Otherwise known as those areas that are unmapped and uncivilized.

He journeys up the Congo River in Africa in search of the mysterious ivory trader, Krutz. Marlow’s trip into the heart of the African continent is full of vivid imagery and shines an uncomfortable light on the practice of imperialism in the 19th century.

While the story takes place in Africa, this book was the inspiration for the cult classic movie Apocalypse Now set in Vietnam (it’s also the namesake for one of the best new breweries in Saigon ). Whether you’re headed to Africa or Southeast Asia, this is a classic quick read.

12. Travels with Charley: In Search of America

By john steinbeck.

In Travels with Charley , John Steinbeck recounts his 1960s road trip around the United States with his French Poodle, Charley. Steinbeck was nearing the end of his life and wanted to see America one last time. So he bought a GMC pickup truck, outfitted it with a camper named Rocinante (after Don Quixote’s horse), and set off on his epic journey to rediscover the country he spent his life writing about.

It’s best to not take the story as an actual autobiography. His older son later remarked that “Steinbeck was at heart a novelist” who would never let the truth get in the way of a good story. And it is a great story. In fact, it’s one of the best travel books for anyone planning an American road trip .

13. The Alchemist

By paulo coelho.

Recommending The Alchemist  may be a bit cliché. However, it’s one of the best travel books in the world for good reason. The Alchemist is the quintessential traveler’s tale of learning to listen to your heart and following your dreams.

Santiago is a young Andalusian shepherd who decides to give up his flock of sheep and journey to Africa in pursuit of his personal “treasure” which he believes is at the Pyramids. Along the way, he loses everything he owns (a few times), meets a king, falls in love, and much more.

The Alchemist is a quick, easy read and is a great place to start if you’re looking for a little travel inspiration.

14. The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World

By lonely planet.

Lonely Planet’s The Travel Book is not actually a travel novel. It’s a brief overview of every country in the world. Each entry includes beautiful photos, fun facts, and a few key phrases in the local language. Lonely Planet describes it as “850 images. 230 countries. One complete picture.”

At approximately 450 pages, the Travel Book is huge and heavy. So you certainly wouldn’t want to bring it along on your trip. But it’s the perfect coffee table book to help you find inspiration to plan your next exotic vacation.

15. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders

By joshua foer, dylan thuras, and ella morton.

If you prefer visiting obscure destinations overstaying in 5-star hotels,  Atlas Obscura  is the perfect travel book for you! “Inspiring equal parts wonder and wanderlust”, this oddball travel book details 700 of the most bizarre sites around the world.

It’s another book that is better suited for the coffee table at home than your suitcase. But, flipping through the Atlas Obscura will definitely make even the most content homebody curious about visiting some of these off-the-beaten-path adventures.

16. Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes

By alastair humphreys.

Alastair offers a fresh take on the concepts of travel and adventure in his book Microadventures . He believes that you can take the spirit of a great big adventure and squeeze it into a short time period with a small budget.

He challenges everyone to get out of their comfort zone. Even if it’s just spending the weekend camped on a nearby hillside or taking a swim in a lake close by. You don’t have to book a plane ticket to experience adventure, sometimes it’s waiting for you right in your own backyard!

What’s your favorite travel book? Tell us in the comments so we can add it to our list!

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Nick took his first solo trip abroad to Ireland and Scotland when he was just 19. Since then he has visited over 70 countries around the world (plus 45 states in the USA). He coupled his passion for travel photography with Val’s passion for writing and thus Wandering Wheatleys was born. He now lives in Asheville with his two rambunctious kids, Humphrey and Wilhelminha. Besides photography, Nick loves eating the weirdest food he can find in a country (sheep’s brain currently sits in first place) and making Val get up an hour before sunrise to make sure he gets “the good light”.

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12 thoughts on “the 16 best travel books to inspire wanderlust”.

These are amazing books on the list that I noted everything except for the Alchemist as I’ve been reading that a lot of times already, it’s my favorite travel book that’s why. Although I am passionate about travel books, I’ve never heard the rest of the list so this is a good information for me. I will definitely start with “A Cook’s Tour” by Anthony Bourdain, that got me interested more.

Being passionate about books from childhood, books have always been the wings that fueled my travel imagination. Many of the places that I visit today are places that I have already visited through the books that I have read. This is an awesome list of books. I have read quite a few of them. my all time favourites are Papillon and The Alchemist.

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18 Best Outdoor Adventure Books You Must Read

By Author Paulina

Posted on Published: April 17, 2020  - Last updated: April 3, 2024

A list of the best outdoor adventure books to inspire you to travel to far off-lands!

Nothing beats the experience of an exciting outdoor adventure trip. However, sometimes life gets in the way, and the next best alternative is to find inspiration elsewhere.

To extend your adventurous feeling, I created this ultimate list of the best outdoor adventure books you should read.

If you enjoy reading and have a passion for traveling, it’s vital to have a collection of both coffee table books and adventure books to enrich your exploratory experiences.

I am a voracious reader, and today, I share some of the books I’ve read recently, and if you are looking for some great reads.

Here is my list of the best outdoor books to inspire you to travel to far-off lands. 

You, dear reader, support this blog. When you purchase through a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pssst…??!! You can’t get enough Book recommendations? Have a look at my other posts:

• Best Survival Books Non-Fiction
• Beach Coffee Table Books
• Books About The Sea

Table of Contents

Overview: Best Outdoor Adventure Books to Read This Year!

• The National Parks
• Feel the Wild
• No Shortcuts to the Top
• Deep Survival
• Wilderness Ethics

They are also a perfect match with these survival stories books based on true stories or the picks of these gorgeous travel coffee table books .

1. National Geographic: The National Parks, An Illustrated History

by Kim Heacox

This outdoor travel adventure book is an inspired tribute to the amazing beauty and priceless cultural treasures of America’s National Parks.

The writer takes you on a magical journey through America’s rich natural and cultural heritage.

This includes stories of the first female park ranger and an amateur scuba expedition that unearthed a submerged Civil War treasure trove.

The full sweep of wonders, from pristine coral reefs to the Gettysburg battlefield to glaciers and every one of the fantastic diversity, offers a wide-ranging tour of the best of America’s national treasures.

National Geographic – The National Parks has the very best of National Geographic’s photographs, combined with an expertly told history.

This book presents a breathtaking panorama of the National Parks.

2. Feel the Wild

by Daniel Fox

Feel the Wild is an intimate and powerful story about nature and our relationship with it told through stunning and delightful photography and through-provoking writing.

This is what happens when a solo wilderness explorer, who happens to be a professional photographer, creates a book about nature. 

I have seen many adventure books for adults filled with nature photography and many wonderful books about exploring nature, but I haven’t quite read a book like Daniel Fox’s Feel the Wild .

This is one of the wilderness adventure books that illustrates the journey of growth told through the lenses of humility, vulnerability, and perspective.

It connects you with nature emotionally, physically, spiritually, and philosophically.

This is one of the best nature adventure books that serves as a road map for experiencing nature and as a framework for personal transformation. 

3. Grinnell: America’s Environmental Pioneer and His Restless Drive to Save the West

by John Taliaferro

John Taliaferro, a former senior editor at Newsweek, delivers a powerful, eminently readable biography of the great conservationist George Bird Grinnell (1849–1938).

Taliaferro meticulously draws from 40,000 pages of correspondence, about 50 diaries, and notebooks covering Grinnell’s travels.

The son of a New York merchant, George Bird Grinnell saw a different future for a nation in the thrall of the Industrial Age.

Railroads damaged virgin lands, and the formerly vast buffalo herds were decimated; the country faced a crossroads.

The alarm that Grinnell sounded would spark America’s conservation movement. John Taliaferro’s commanding biography now sets right with historical care and narrative flair.

This book won a National Outdoor Book Award, and I consider it one of the best outdoor books of all time.

4. Turn Around Time

by David Guterson

Reflections on life and landscape expressed in elegant verse By the New York Times best-selling author, David Guterson. Most outdoor enthusiasts understand the phrase “turnaround time”.

It is a point in an adventure when you must stop moving forward so that you have enough time to safely return to camp or home, no matter whether you have reached your destination.

For the author, Turn Around Time is a metaphor for where we discover ourselves within the middle of our lives, and his new narrative poem explores this concept through a lyrical journey.

Similar to those in Washington’s mountain ranges which he hiked while growing up.

With a fast-moving, propulsive quality, his writing offers lush language, vivid imagery, and pacing that resonates as a journey on foot.

Outdoor lovers will relate to the hiking represented here, from endless trail switchbacks to pains, as well as observant descriptions of the mountain landscape.

Turn Around Time is truly one of the best books for outdoor enthusiasts.

5. No Shortcuts To The Top

by Ed Viesturs

This gripping and triumphant description from the author of The Mountain follows a living legend of utmost mountaineering as he assaults history, one 8,000-meter summit at a time.

In the opening scene of No Shortcuts to the Top , the protagonist is on a quest to become the first American to climb the 14 mountains in the world higher than 8,000 meters.

He and his friend nearly get thrown off the face of K2 when caught in an avalanche.

From his earliest climbs on the peaks of the Pacific Northwest to his final climb up the Himalayan mountain of Annapurna, Viesturs testifies to the sacrifices in giving your life over to a dream. 

This is one of the books about outdoor adventure that is truly inspiring and eye-opening.

6. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why

by Laurence Gonzales

“When challenged with a life-threatening situation, 90% of individuals freeze or panic”, says Laurence Gonzales in this exploration.

The author has covered many survival stories for National Geographic Explorer, Outside , and Men’s Journal .

This uncovers the biological and psychological reasons why people risk their lives and why some are better at it than others.

The opening scene is about the author talking to dozens of thrill-seekers like mountain climbers, sailors, jet pilots, and they all say the same thing: the danger is a great rush.

This can make you feel more alive because it is an integral part of saving your own life.

In Deep Survival , the author shares some rules for adventure gleaned from the survivors themselves, which are; stay calm , be decisive and never give up!

Remembering these rules when crisis strikes may be tough, but the vivid descriptions of life in the balance will stay with readers.

7. Wilderness Ethics

by Laura and Guy Waterman

In this environmental call-to-action book, Laura and Guy Waterman look beyond preserving the ecology of the backcountry to focus on what they call its spiritual dimension, and its fragile, untamed wilderness.

It’s nowadays considered one of the best adventure books and best wilderness books out there.

However, with too much management or the wrong kind of management, we can destroy the spiritual component of wildness in our passion to preserve its physical side.

Technology such as radios, cell phones, global positioning devices, and emergency helicopters, all have an impact on our experience of exploring the pristine beauty of the wild.

With humor and insight, the Watermans explore these difficult Wilderness Ethics and its related management issues.

They ask us to evaluate the impact that even “environmentally-conscious” values have on the wilderness experience, and to ask the question: “What are we trying to preserve?”

8. The Expedition

by Chris Fagan

The Expedition is an outdoor adventure book about Chris and Marty, a married couple who are working on their careers, raising their only child, and chasing their big adventures.

The Expedition, based on a true story, illustrates their biggest dream, ski 570 miles from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole, with no guide or resupply.

In midlife, they find themselves weighing the responsibility of parenthood against the likelihood of one more grand adventure.

From the luxurious Pacific Northwest to the barren landscape of Antarctica, Chris and Marty take on one of the toughest challenges on the earth.

In this outdoor adventure travel book, experience a boundless white wonderland like no other on Earth.

Know life-threatening dangers lurking in the bitter cold, feel the intensity of 220-pound sleds, relentless wind, 40-below temperatures, and mind-numbing isolation.

9. Dirty Gourmet: Food For Your Outdoor Adventures

by Aimee Trudeau

Aimee Trudeau, Mai-Yan Kwan, and Emily Nielson began blogging about their passion for the outdoors in 2009, complete with delicious provisions.

Their Dirty Gourmet showcases the Southern California landscape and some attractive and mouth-watering fine food in stunning color photos.

This is one of the outdoors books that highlights their philosophy that food is not just fuel for outdoor adventures but is also a significant part of a journey and a memory.

The book is divided into three sections: On the Trail, Car Camping, and Backcountry Camping. Each section covers useful meal-planning advice, cooking tips, a list of essential gear, and recipes.

The reader gets clear instructions and motivation to enjoy the outdoors.

Whether you are considering a simple day hike with a backpack filled with fun picnic foods or launching a week-long backwoods getaway capped with end-of-trail cocktails and desserts.

10. A Walk in the Woods

by Bill Bryson

Walking the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail becomes captivating in Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods .

This book about outdoor adventures earns a spot among the finest, not just for its humor but also for its powerful portrayal of nature’s unspoiled beauty.

Bryson skillfully weaves personal stories with important environmental discussions, leaving me laughing while subtly urging me to be more mindful of nature.

His vibrant storytelling whisked me away into the wilderness and ignited a desire for eco-conscious exploration.

But don’t just take my word for it; lace up your boots, dive into this treasure, and let it inspire you to tread lightly on your next outdoor escapade!

11. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster

by Jon Krakauer

I have to admit, when it comes to survival stories books based on true stories , Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air is definitely one of the top contenders.

It’s a gripping account of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster chronicling the harrowing experiences of climbers caught in a deadly blizzard.

Krakauer’s masterful storytelling and unflinching honesty make this a must-read for anyone interested in mountaineering or survival stories.

Many general outdoor books explore the ethics of climbing the world’s tallest mountain and the dangers that lurk even at the summit, but I really love it.

As I finished reading it, I was struck by the gripping intensity and unfiltered honesty woven into the story. No wonder it’s also one of National Geographic best adventure books.

The personal stories shared throughout add depth and humanity to the narrative, reminding us of both the beauty and the formidable power of nature.

For readers craving stories that blend the excitement of survival with profound moments of self-discovery, Into Thin Air stands as a towering peak.

12. Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness

by Edward Abbey

Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness , has left an indelible mark on my soul, rightfully securing its position among the finest wilderness adventure reads.

Desert Solitaire, one of the best wilderness adventure books, is a collection of essays by Edward Abbey.

With each page turn, Abbey skillfully transports readers into the rugged and untamed beauty of the American Southwest, evoking a profound respect for nature’s silent majesty.

Compelling and thought-provoking, this book serves as a poignant reminder to safeguard the remaining wild spaces.

Abbey’s seminal masterpiece is a must-have addition to your book collection if you seek to be both enthralled and motivated to advocate for our planet.

13. Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen

Diving into Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet was like learning survival skills through a story from the cozy spot where I read.

This fiction survival book is about a 13-year-old boy named Brian Robeson who survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness and must learn to live off the land with only a hatchet.

The story is gripping because it’s straightforward – just a boy trying to stay alive using his instincts. Paulsen’s detailed writing makes you feel the cold, hunger, and fear that Brian faces.

It’s a journey of emotions as you watch Brian change from a scared kid to a tough survivor.

Hatchet is a classic story that will keep you hooked from start to finish if you like adventurous tales with grown-up characters.

Best Outdoor Adventure Books for Women

14. Women Who Hike

by Heather Balogh Rochfort

A celebration of athleticism, wisdom, and skill!

The Women Who Hike features profiles of over twenty of America’s most inspiring women adventurers, ranging from legends to the rising stars of today.

Being an avid hiker, I liked this book a lot, and I consider it one of the best books about the outdoors.

It is inspirational and aspirational as each adventurer tells her story featuring their favorite hike, highlighting personal challenges and accomplishments.

It also provides readers with practical how-to suggestions on hiking.  

15. Rising: Becoming the First North American Woman on Everest

by Sharon Wood

Rising is a memoir of an elite alpinist Authentic story of rising above limitations to realize your potential. Written by Sharon Wood about her expedition to Mount Everest, this book is inspiring.

Sharon Wood was part of a self-supported Canadian team with big ambitions.

In 1986, they were attempting to reach the summit of Everest through a variation on the dangerous West Ridge and envisioned that Wood would be the first North American woman to reach the summit.

However, at the same time, there was an American team on the mountain with a plan to make Annie Whitehouse the first North American woman.

This book is fast-paced, with twists and turns, relatable characters, and dialogue to keep you glued. It’s a must-read when looking for outdoor adventure books.

16. The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story

by Dierdre Wolownick

The wife, mother, teacher, musician, marathoner, and rock climber Dierdre Wolownick became, at age 66, the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite.

In The Sharp End of Life , she shares her journey, revealing how her climbing achievements reflect a broader story of courage and persistence. 

She struggled in her marriage and after divorce, found inspiration in her now-adult children’s passions as well as new depths within herself.

She took up running at age 54 and completed several marathons, and at age 58, she took to rock climbing.

The author proves that age is just a number, and that determination is all that you need to pursue your dreams, and take you to unexpected heights.

The story of her drive to push her body beyond her mental limits serves as a stimulant for those yearning to do more with their lives.

The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story , one of the best outdoor recreation books, is a motivational tale of a woman who overcame her biggest critics to achieve one dream after another. 

17. Edge of the Map

by Johanna Garton

The Edge of the Map is an inspiring and dramatic adventure story based on the lives of trailblazing mountaineer Christine Boskoff and her partner Charlie Fowler.

Edge of the Map written by Johanna Garton traces Christine’s life as a high-altitude climber and mountain guide.

From a two-day climbing course to her remarkable leadership of Seattle’s Mountain Madness guiding company. 

Despite challenges both on the personal and professional level, Christine finally found freedom and balance with nature on the earth’s wildest peaks. 

It’s one of the most intriguing outdoor adventure books you can read.

18. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

by Cheryl Strayed

Cheryl Strayed’s Wild has firmly ingrained itself in my heart as one of the finest non-fiction survival books available.

You might have heard of it from the movie of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon.

This moving memoir transcends mere survival; it’s a powerful saga of conquering adversity that has reshaped my notion of bravery.

Strayed’s vivid storytelling whisked me alongside her journey on the Pacific Crest Trail, a 1,100-mile trek from Mexico to Canada.

Each obstacle she encountered showcased the unwavering strength of her resolve.

For those captivated by stories entwining self-discovery with the untamed wilderness, Wild is an essential read and the best outdoor adventure books of all time.

• Best Survival Books Fiction
• Beach Coffee Table Book You Must See!
• National Park Coffee Table Books

FAQs on the best Outdoor Adventure Books

What are the best outdoor adventure books for adults.

Some of the outdoor books about adventure for adults include “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer, “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, and “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson.

What are the best outdoor adventure books for young adults?

Some of the best outdoors books about adventure for young adults include “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen, “The Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and “The Maze Runner” series by James Dashner.

What are the best best outdoorsman books?

The best outdoorsman books often include classics like “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer, “Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness” by Edward Abbey, and “Wilderness and the American Mind” by Roderick Frazier Nash.

Hola! I’m Paulina, a seasoned travelette who crossed the Atlantic Ocean by Boat HitchHiking. On my blog, find expert insights for an extraordinary holiday through outdoor and sustainable travel like hiking, cycling, and sailing. Let’s embark on unforgettable journeys together! 🌍🚀