From journeying across the Atacama to exploring the fascinating reasons behind why we travel, discover the best travel books of 2024
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There’s often two sides to travelling. The exciting, informative – and often transformational – journey of discovering new places, people and cultures, and immersing yourself in experiences outside the realm of your everyday. Then there’s the challenges that come with it – whether that’s remedying a sunburn after a beach nap, or the organisational acrobatics of moving from place to place.
Similarly, scoping out the best travel book from the reams that line bookshelves can be a journey in itself. To make sure you find your way, we’ve rounded up six of our favourite travel books of 2024:
1. Mars On Earth by Mark Johanson
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Recommended by our reviewer Shafik Meghji
Journalist Mark Johanson takes readers on a fascinating journey through the Atacama Desert, the driest non-polar region on the planet and a landscape so alien that NASA uses it to simulate conditions on Mars. From wind-scoured plateaus and shimmering salt flats to volcanic horizons, Johanson reveals a world that, while harsh and extreme, is teeming with stories of resilience, history, and transformation.
Read more of Shafik’s recommended books here:
Read our full review of Mars on Earth here
2. Local by Alastair Humphreys
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In Local: A Search for Nearby Nature and Wildness, renowned adventurer Alastair Humphreys, known for traversing deserts, oceans, and continents, takes on a very different kind of journey – one close to home. Armed with nothing but an Ordnance Survey map, Humphreys dedicates a year to exploring the 20-kilometre radius around his house, uncovering unexpected beauty and adventure in the everyday.
Read our full review of Local here
3. The Mountains Are High by Alec Ash
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Alec Ash chronicles a transformative journey into the heart of China’s remote Yunnan province, where he joins a growing wave of urbanites retreating to the countryside. Leaving behind the frantic pace of Beijing, Ash moves to Dali, a serene valley framed by the Cang mountain range and a shimmering lake, to rebuild his life and seek clarity amid heartbreak and burnout.
Read our full review of The Mountains Are High here and an extract here
4. Why We Travel by Ash Bardwaj
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In Why We Travel, Ash Bhardwaj delves into the reasons behind humanity’s urge to travel the world. Combining essays and memoir, Bhardwaj revisits his own travels, reviewing them through 12 core motivations that illuminate why we seek new horizons and what we gain from the experience.
From discovering curiosity on a childhood trip to New Zealand to making friends through a shared love of Arsenal in Uganda, Bhardwaj reflects on how travel fosters growth, connection, and understanding. Through cultural exchanges, chance encounters and moments of personal reflection, he encourages readers to ask themselves why they travel, whether seeking connection, adventure or simply a deeper knowledge of the world and themselves.
Read our full review of Why We Travel here
5. Vagabond by Mark Everleigh
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Mark Everleigh takes readers on an enchanting journey across the Iberian Peninsula, walking 1,225 kilometres from Gibraltar to Spain’s northernmost tip at Estaca de Bares. Following the southern Camino de Santiago route, he embraces the simplicity of exploration—sleeping under the stars, enduring blisters and heat, and relishing the unexpected joys of life on foot.
6. Slow Trains to Istanbul by Tom Chesshyre
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In Slow Trains to Istanbul, Tom Chesshyre invites readers on an unforgettable 4,570-mile journey through the heart of Europe, following the echoes of the iconic Orient Express. From the bustling streets of London to the cultural crossroads of Istanbul and back, Chesshyre explores cities like Paris, Naples, Budapest, and Athens, as well as the hidden corners of Romania and Bulgaria, all while navigating the unpredictable joys of train travel.
