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Home / Travel Tips

Best Backpacking Books 

Travel Tips Last Updated · Aug 25th, 2022 · Daniel James

Are you looking for backpacking books to inspire your next journey?

best backpacking books
Find the best backpacking books below

Want to find the best backpacking books for your next trip? Then you should make sure you look into the following books.

These all offer excellent, high-value reading experiences that you can learn a lot from when traveling.

Table of Contents

  • Best Backpacking Books 
    • Choosing A backpacking Book to Read
  • The best backpacking books
    • Lonely Planet South America on a shoestring
    • Sustainable Travel: The essential guide
    • Lighten Up! Backpacking Handbook
    • Backpacker The Complete Guide to Backpacking
    • Lonely Planet South America
    • Miss-adventures: Backpacking South America
    • To Find: Gringo Trail
    • Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Backpackin’ Book
  • Best Backpacking books 
    • Do You Need More Packing Inspiration?

Best Backpacking Books 

When looking for a good deal on backpacking books make sure that the book you are going to read provides you with suitable value.

Choosing A backpacking Book to Read

To help you make a choice, I suggest looking at the following factors:

  • Is it practical? Not every book is going to provide you with information you can actually use. Think about where you are traveling to and what your position is when it comes to things like reading and writing. This should help you to make a more informed choice down the line.
  • Is it a guidebook? Guidebooks can be very useful and could provide you with some useful information about a location you intend to visit. However, not every backpacking book has to be a guide – it should be useful, but non-guides can also make great reading aides when you’re traveling.
  • Is it gender specific? Some books will look to provide males or females with a very specific kind of idea. This is important as how males travel alone will differ from how females will travel alone. Keep that in mind before buying the book, though, as it could make the information less useful to you in general.

Keep the above in mind when looking for backpacking books, and you’ll have no problem choosing something that’s easy to enjoy.

The main thing to focus on here is the choice of book, based on your own personal needs and your level of experience on the road.

The best backpacking books

If you want to buy some quality reading material during your next trip, I recommend you add the following books to your reading list.

A portion of these books are from South America but each one offers great insight for backpackers of all experience levels and destinations.

Lonely Planet South America on a shoestring

lonely planet book

Features:

  • All about budget traveling
  • Understand South America better
  • Ideal for SA travel newbies

Price via Amazon

South America is a culture-rich part of the American continent that brings so many unique places to see and explore. With that in mind, you should definitely use this book if you want to make sure you can better explore this part of the world without spending excessively.


Sustainable Travel: The essential guide

sustainable travel book

Features:

  • Make your travel eco-friendly
  • Filled with useful information
  • Written by a sustainability expert

Price via Amazon

This book shows you the secrets of how to get around the world without having to tap into the eco and enviro damaging practices that so many travelers are part of. Make it easier to travel the world without causing pollution and leaving lasting damage to the locations visited.


Lighten Up! Backpacking Handbook

backpacking handbook

Features:

  • Ideal for reducing carry-load
  • Maximum distance, minimal effort
  • Perfect for hoarding travelers

Price via Amazon

A common headache for many travelers is trying to whittle down what they can and cannot bring with them. We highly recommend, then, that you look into this handbook for making sure that you get used to bringing what you truly need, not what you think you might need!


Backpacker The Complete Guide to Backpacking

complete guide to backpacking

Features:

  • Perfect for all backpackers
  • Filled with tips for experts and newbies alike
  • Enriching read filled with experiences

Price via Amazon

If you want to make your life a bit easier then you should definitely look to make sure you understand the intricate nature of backpacking. This guide does a fine job of breaking down everything you need to know prior to going backpacking.


Lonely Planet South America

lonely planet south america

Features:

  • Understand all major SA nations
  • Fully understand must-see locations
  • Arrive with cultural understanding

Price via Amazon

South America is a great place, but it is also an easy place to find yourself in a tough situation. This book is filled with ideas that can help you to avoid cultural faux pas and to make sure you know where to visit, and what to say/do.


Miss-adventures: Backpacking South America

backpacking south america book

Features:

  • Filled with hilarious insights
  • Avoid the travel time-wasters
  • Wise up, avoid scams

Price via Amazon

We love this book as it is a hilariously educational take on all of the many ways that we can ignore important advice when traveling. This will give you sore sides, but might also open your eyes to how many of the ‘too good to be true’ opportunities in SA are just that.


To Find: Gringo Trail

gringo trail book

Features:

  • A spectacular tale to read
  • Enlightening and heartwarming story
  • Great for any traveler to get inspired by

Price via Amazon

Tales of others on their travels can be a fun way to get inspired and to even set up part of your next itinerary. This book gives you a very enjoyable story to read through that sets the tone for your own next journey. A spectacular and enjoyable story that you should definitely make the time to read and analyze.


Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Backpackin’ Book

backpacking book for travelers

Features:

  • Filled with topical insights
  • Backpacking education sold with humor
  • One for fresh travelers

Price via Amazon

You can make your life much easier simply by taking the time to read through this little backpacking guidebook. It is loaded with useful ideas and educational insights from two of the best people in the backpacking industry. Definitely a book with plenty of backpacking lessons, even for veterans of the experience.


Best Backpacking books 

If you are someone who is unsure about what reading material to bring with you on your next trip, then you should look into the following.

They could be the little guides you need that better inform you of what you need to do, and when, on your next trip.

See this guide on backpacking to learn more about how the art of this unquie way of travel can help you become a better human being.

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backpacking books
backpacking books
Did this help your search for a backpacking book?

Do You Need More Packing Inspiration?

Hopefully, you’ve found the perfect book to inspire your travels.

Will you need any specific travel gear for your trip?

  • Rolling Laptop Bags – Laptop backpacks with wheels.
  • Men’s Personal Item Bags – Personal item bags for airlines.
  • Desert Clothing – Learn exactly what to carry in the desert.
  • Best Travel Kettles – The most portable travel kettles.
  • Travel Wallets – Best travel wallets for securing your stuff

Or, maybe you’re considering buying a gift for a fellow traveler? See this best travel gear page for even more ideas on what to shop for.


“Dear friend! Some links in this post contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, book a hostel or sign up for a tour, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support means a lot to me and helps me to keep traveling and maintaining the quality of this site for you.”

Filed Under: Travel Tips

Daniel James

Helping thousands of people worldwide with independent travel in Latin America. Layer Culture means to dig deeper into the ideas, customs, and behavior of a group of people.

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