15 Inspiring Books About Travel and Self-Discovery

I’m not sure about you, but for me, there’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and getting lost in the pages. But sometimes, it can be tough to find that perfect read when all your travel guides and maps surround you. So, we’ve put together this list of fifteen books on travel and self-discovery. Each one will give you something different, but all of them are sure to inspire wanderlust. So grab a cuppa tea, sit back, relax, and start reading.

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Everyone has a travel story to tell — a place they’ve visited and the memories that came with it, or someplace they’ve dreamed of going. Some travelers may go on long journeys around the world while others prefer to stay closer to home. In both cases, we can always find inspiration from other people’s travels or stories about places in the novels we read. 

Whether you’re looking for a way to get inspired for your next trip abroad, need something new to read in-between flights, or wish for something to read before heading off to sleep, we have the perfect list of books to inspire travel and self-discovery. These fifteen books about travel and self-discovery should take you on an adventure through words, images, and powerful storytelling. 

This list of books about travel and self-discovery is a collaborative effort by my traveling friends and me. I think you will find something you will love. Plus, let me know in the comments what you may add to this inspiring list.

15 Books About Travel and Self-Discovery

Affiliate Disclosure:  The book links are all affiliate links. Most of them are in My Bookshop Store, which you can check out by clicking here. If you purchase any of the books through the affiliate link I have provided, I receive a commission at no cost to you.  

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Recommended by me!

The Kite Runner is about two young Afghan boys growing up together in Kabul, and their struggles as their country changes around them. It is a story of friendship, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption.  And is a classic book about travel and self-discovery.

The story revolves around Hassan and his closest friend, Amir, who is also his servant’s son. A transgression that occurred when the boys were young weighs on the heart of Hassan and is the basis of much of the novel. In the end, Hassan’s sacrifice to atone for this transgression frees him from the guilt of his childhood and finally provides peace.

A poignant quote in the book that I felt resonated throughout the life of Hassan is this quote from his dad, “a boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.” And finally, Hassan dared to stand up to his past and present and redeem himself from his childhood actions.

The book had me thinking about a few things. First, what would life be like if I had been a woman born in Afghanistan during the time of the Taliban? Second, how would I deal with the philosophy of women’s role in society?

In addition, most of us have experienced transgressions in life that have changed us, motivated us, and challenged us. Sometimes, it takes a sacrifice or doing something difficult to find peace, forgive ourselves, and move on.

The Lost Girls: Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World.

Submitted by Nina from Nina Out and About.

I was gifted The Lost Girls during a dark period in my life where I was only seeing positives about travel. Everyone seemed to be having these magical journeys around the world, where my last trip – a study abroad in Scotland – had gone abysmally. So I started thinking I could never hack it as a traveler, even though I loved it. Then this book came into my life. 

The stories of three ex-editors from NYC who decided to take a year off to travel together are brutally honest. The friends shared when they fought, when they puked, and when everything went to hell. 

It’s one of the most inspirational books I’ve ever read, in large part because they don’t sugarcoat their experiences. They share the magical moments of leaping with the Masai Mara and the travel horror stories of being so ill in Peru that they could barely move. 

These women take turns narrating chapters, so you get honest perspectives of when their friends drove them crazy, when they wanted to quit, and how they persevered. Not only is the book hugely relatable, but it also includes destinations from around the globe that many women wouldn’t consider visiting. It unlocked a whole new side to travel that I’d never seen before, and I couldn’t wait to be a part of it. Thanks to this book, I took a year off after undergrad, which changed my life forever. 

The Agony and the Ecstasy, A Biographical Novel on Michelangelo by Irving Stone.

Submitted by Kam Price of Our Family Passport.

Art is truly up to the eye of the beholder. However, Stone’s novel covering Michelangelo’s creation of the Sistine Chapel is a work of art within itself. Following Michelangelo’s self-discovery as an artist provides emotional context to one of the most famous artists in the world and gives insight into what the reader considers “art” and how we as humans are art. 

If you enjoy learning about art and art history, this book is an absolute must! 

As an art history professor and lover of art myself, you can see my simple guide on visiting an art museum anywhere in the world and enjoying it by clicking here.

The Alchemist by Paula Coelho.

Recommended by me!

The Alchemist is a novel by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho — the story of Santiago’s quest for personal enlightenment and a masterpiece in self-discovery.

Santiago is a young shepherd boy who has a lifelong dream of finding treasure at the Pyramids of Egypt. The tale follows Santiago as he encounters various mystical people and phenomena and learns valuable lessons shaping his journey and life.  

In the end, Santiago finds out that his journey was not about finding a buried treasure at all; it was about finding himself.

I have read The Alchemist three times, each in different seasons of my life. Each time I read it, it meant something different, but the theme remained the same. You can search far and wide, but it is all about what is inside your heart and soul. The Alchemist is a quintessential book about travel and self-discovery.

Step by Step by Simon Reeve.

Submitted by Ben from Ticket 4 Two Please.

If you are looking for a book that encourages you to go out and explore the world and challenges you to do it while on a journey of self-discovery, then it is difficult to look past Step by Step. You may already be familiar with the journalist and broadcaster Simon Reeve, particularly if you are from the U.K. The loveable travel character has appeared on British TV screens since the early 2000s. His documentaries have transported us all from our cozy living rooms to some of the most remote destinations across the planet. 

What fewer people are familiar with, however, is how Simon came to be who he is today. In his autobiography, he vividly illustrates how his poor and sometimes desperate upbringing in inner-city London sent him to the brink of suicide in his late teens. Slowly, Step-by-Step, he lowered himself from the bridge he was precariously standing on the edge of, and he began to forge himself the career we are now all familiar with. 

From getting his big journalism break in the wake of the 9/11 disaster to traveling from the Southern tip of South Africa all the way across the Indian Ocean to Yemen, Simon Reeve opens our hearts and minds through his incredibly intimate, harrowing, and inspiring recollection of his life. 

Step by Step challenges us all to discover who we are, and most importantly, where in the world we want to discover next. 

The World by Hitchhiking: 5 years at the University of Life by Ludovic Hubler.

Submitted by Claire from ZigZagonearth.com.

After business school, the young French Ludovic wanted another education. He wanted to get a “Life Ph.D.” So he decided to hitchhike around the world, and it lasted for five years (including some “boat-hitching” and “ice-breaker-hitching”). 

The World of Hitchhiking: 5 years at the University of Life is a story of discovery, both of people from 59 countries and of oneself. It is full of beautiful life lessons in kindness as he meets so many individuals and families who welcome him into their vehicles, their home, and their life. It is a book that makes you want to meet all mankind. 

The author’s stories are one-of-a-kind. They break the stereotypes conveyed by the media. They are honest, full of wander and emotions. And I felt as if I was traveling with him. I am more of a landscape seeker kind of traveler, but this book pushed me to try connecting more with the locals. And since then, some of my best travel memories have been those of meeting people.

Seven Years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrier.

Submitted by Dave from Silverbackpacker.

I first read this book in the school library when I was around eight years old and have reread it many times since. Being one of my first travel books, it left me with a feeling of “Wanderlust” and amazement of the big wide world that awaited me. 

Heinrich Harrier was a European mountaineer who went to the Himalayas to climb Mt. Everest. During his journey, the Second World War started, and being Austrian, he was taken prisoner in India and placed in a British internment camp. Harrier escaped with a friend, and they traveled through Asia for twenty-one months and had many adventures along the way. 

They eventually arrived in Tibet and were one of the first foreigners to enter the holy city of Lhasa, home of the Dalai Lama. Heinrich struck up a special friendship with the Dalai Lama, who was just a young boy at the time. It truly is an amazing story of lost worlds, courage, spirituality, and true friendships. 

In later years rereading the book made me realize that the Tibet of the book is long gone and, since the Chinese invasion, has changed completely. Nevertheless, it still fueled my fascination with Buddhism, and it inspired me to want to visit the majestic country of Tibet ever since. A humbling tale with lessons for all – great stuff.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

Submitted by Erika from Erika’s Travelventures.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac takes place in America during the 1950’s “Beatnik” movement. A generation of “Beatniks” was characterized by wanting to live life to the fullest, rejecting a society they believed to be too conformist and materialistic, and embracing their individualism. The book is based on Jack Kerouac’s own vagabond adventures and will inspire readers to pack their bags and hit the road. 

Readers with itchy feet will be able to imagine the wind blowing through their hair while sharing a car with Sal and Dean, the two mischievous protagonists of the novel, as they hitchhike around the U.S. They left all of their responsibilities behind to road-trip everywhere from San Francisco to Denver, New York City, New Orleans, and even all the way down to Mexico. 

Their whirlwind adventures will remind all of us of a time when we felt carefree (maybe sometimes a little too carefree) and when we were living life to its fullest. Although sometimes their devil-may-care attitudes got them into trouble, they never lost sight of how rich life was and how free they felt when experiencing the world while “ever so on the road.” 

A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco.

Recommended by me!

A House in Fez is written by Suzanna Clarke, a photojournalist from Australia, who bought a run-down riad, a traditional Moroccan home built around a garden, in Fez, Morocco, with her husband, Sandy. They decide to embark on the adventure of remodeling the old home using local craftsmen and materials, modernizing yet keeping the cultural significance of the house intact. The experience brought new friendships, an appreciation and respect of Moroccan culture, and patience into their lives.

The way the author describes the culture, food, and tightness of the community in Fez with detail, honesty, and humor inspires me to further research Morocco for future travel. One of these days.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard.

Submitted by Sky from Sky vs World.

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard is my all-time favorite travel book because it features a high school senior who heads off to explore Central America just after graduation. I read it while I was in high school and planning to travel to Central America, and it was so special to read about another young, sometimes scared, female doing what I dreamed of doing.

I had already visited Guatemala, where part of the book takes place, so reading about it through the lens of someone else was magical. I actually loved it so much that I now have a “Wanderlove” tattoo. 

Wanderlove continues to inspire me to this day. Every time I start to feel anxious about travel or lose my adventurous spirit, I give it a reread and always remember why I love to travel. 

During COVID, I dove into it as an escape when I couldn’t travel. Even though I’m now ten years older than the main character, I never get tired of reading about the world through her eyes, and I still have many destinations she visits on my bucket list.

On Foot Through Africa by Ffyona Campbell.

Jonny Duncan from Backpackingman.

On Foot Through Africa was an inspiring book to me at the age of 18 when I started to seriously think about heading away from home in the U.K. and looking for adventure overseas. I had a fascination with Africa and travel, and Ffyona Campbell’s book came out around the same time, so I picked it up to read for inspiration. 

First, some perspective, Ffyona Campbell was on a mission to walk around the world, and crossing Africa was her third continent. She walked from Cape Town in South Africa to Tangier in Morocco, covering at times 50km a day, so this is not a travel book in the traditional sense as she walked fast and didn’t see all the “sites.” But it’s a great book explaining the environment of where she was, especially when meeting the native people, and the obstacles she had to overcome. The journey, like so many, was not just about the end destination but also about discovering oneself, which was very inspirational.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

Melody Fanslau of The Winding Road Tripper.

Reading the book, Wild inspired me to spend time with myself. Wild is an amazing story of Cheryl Strayed’s trials and tribulations on the Pacific Crest Trail. And while I loved reading about her physical adventure, what really spoke to me was how she grew when she had just herself and no one else. 

Reading the book, you can feel how much Cheryl became her own best friend. She fell in love with being by herself, being with nature, and just being. The book reminded me that time spent alone doing the things that I love, hiking and camping, is therapeutic and necessary for me. Spending time with just me can tune out the rest of the world and focus on what my body and mind are saying to me. 

Since finishing the book, I have completed my first solo camping trip and can’t wait for the next.

Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts.

Brodi Cole from Our Offbeat Life.

Vagabonding is one of the most influential books that led to my digital nomad lifestyle. It’s a fairly unconventional how-to guide that offers advice on how to achieve international travel goals. Author Ralph Potts discusses everything from choosing destinations and financing travel to dealing with adversity and adjusting to a full-time travel lifestyle. 

After I read Vagabonding, I insisted that my husband read it as well. Then, we discussed how to implement Potts’ strategies in our own lives. It was a game-changer in encouraging us to live the unorthodox life we dreamed about for our family. 

While he also offers advice for rejoining ordinary life when travels are over, I haven’t needed to reference that chapter yet. After 2.5 years of full-time travel, I’m still not done vagabonding yet!

Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson.

Ada from Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: A Travel Blog.

When it comes to travel writing, Bill Bryson is the OG. During a study abroad semester in Ireland, an English professor introduced me to him when she assigned excerpts from his humorous memoir Neither Here Nor There in a travel writing class. 

I loved his curmudgeonly take on solo travel through Europe. Upon returning home to the States, I read the entire book. In it, he recounts his 1990 solo backpacking trip through western Europe. His goal is to recreate an epic backpacking trip he took in the 1970s immediately after college with his much-maligned friend, Stephan Katz. 

As I read through his misadventures traveling by train and foot from Norway across the European continent all the way to Istanbul, I felt my desire to travel the world and write about my experience solidify. It’s no exaggeration to say this book made me the travel writer I am today. Bryson emboldened me as a solo traveler and gave me permission to admit that travel can sometimes be a bit of a slog. However, he also helped me realize that most travel pitfalls can be overcome with a sense of humor, a good sleep, and a beer. 

The Backpacker by John Harris.

Victoria from Guide your Travel.

The Backpacker by John Harris is a book about a young man who leaves his regular life to explore South East Asia. John Harris writes about his true life story, although some parts might be a little bit embellished. 

The Backpacker is a crazy story about finding yourself and embracing the strange parts of life. Sometimes you might feel as though you’ve got a plan for what you want to do, but you might just be surprised what happens if you go with the flow. 

If you need a book to boost your wanderlust for Asia, this is the one for you. John Harris tells it as it is without sugarcoating the inconvenient parts of travel. He perfectly describes what it’s like to meet people on the road and have to say goodbye again and how to choose between your life at home and your new life on the road. 

Into the Wild.

Submitted by Joydeep Phukan from The Gypsy Chiring.

“Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer is a book based on the life of a young American adventurer named Christopher Johnson McCandless, who after his graduation, gave up his possessions, wealth, and identity to live a nomadic lifestyle. 

Though belonging to a wealthy family and accustomed to the urban way of life, Chris had always yearned for a life away from worldly pleasures and amidst nature. Chris completed several hiking trips, kayaked a part of the Colorado River, and eventually hitchhiked to the Alaskan wilderness seeking his true self. 

The book talks about family struggles, the ideals of Chris McCandless, and the reason behind his choice. He sought absolute freedom by pursuing his dream and defying the stereotypical life put forward by society. The book teaches us to seek new experiences, humility, and to live in the present. It also depicts how unpreparedness can sometimes be fatal against the forces of nature. 

 “That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”

– Jhumpa Lahiri

Meaningful and Inspiring Book Quotes.

Book quotes are a great way to summarize what a character has said or felt at a given time in the story. They can also be used to highlight an important theme in the novel, or they can be used as a kind of inspirational message at the end of a book.

A good quote will often have the power to move us. It also may be just what we need to hear at that moment, or it may have the power to motivate us for an upcoming event or travel.

Here are meaningful and inspirational quotes from the books listed above. I hope they speak to you, too.

“A boy who doesn’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.”

― Baba in The Kite Runner.

“One should not become an artist because he can, but because he must. It is only for those who would be miserable without it.”

― Irving Stone, The Agony and the Ecstasy (shared by Kam Price of Our Family Passport).

“I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.”

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist.

Favorite quote from the book as I feel this myself when traveling: “Expeditions started as explorations, but the world has been explored. What remains is an exploration of self, the need to make a journey. Native people understand this as part of life.”

― Ffyona Campbell, On Foot Through Africa (shared by Jonny Duncan from Backpackingman).

“I’d finally come to understand what it had been: a yearning for a way out, when actually what I had wanted to find was a way in.”

― Cheryl Strayed, Wild (shared by Melody Fanslau of The Winding Road Tripper).

“There was nowhere to go but everywhere, so just keep on rolling under the stars.”

― Jack Kerouac, On the Road. This quote perfectly encompasses the need that’s ingrained in me to keep traveling and keep moving because there’s “everywhere” left to go (shared by Erika from Erika’s Travelventures).

“The value of your travels does not hinge on how many stamps you have in your passport when you get home — and the slow nuanced experience of a single country is always better than the hurried, superficial experience of forty countries.”

― Rolf Potts, Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts (shared by Brodi Cole from Our Offbeat Life). This quote inspired me to slow travel and really get to know a place. Spending 1-3 months in a destination also lowers travel costs to make full-time travel more affordable. 

The quote, “It’s not always necessary to be strong, but to feel strong.” by the author in the book is something that I relate to the most. Above all, we become what we believe, don’t we?

Shared by Joydeep Phukan from The Gypsy Chiring.

Whether it’s a book about the world or just your own backyard, these books about travel and self-discovery will take you on an adventure. They’ll make you want to travel and explore what life has in store for you. 

What are some of the best books about travel and self-discovery that you have read? Do they inspire your wanderlust or remind you to slow down and enjoy life in a new place?

Please share with us what stories on this topic keep you reading late into the night.