13 best world travel books

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The Travel Book

A Journey Through Every Country in the World.

From Flavorwire:

'A journey through every country in the world' is the theme of this epic coffee table book and, indeed, it is. Get your red pen and Post-it notes prepared to spend hours flipping through photos and facts about every single country and region on the globe, from Barundi to Saint Lucia. It’s light-hearted and gorgeous, showing off the best of every nation. If you don’t salivate over this enormous wishlist, you might not have wanderlust after all.'

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

'It's Lonely Planet's ambitious, alphabetized tribute to more than 200 countries and their customs. A whopping 448 pages, this coffee table book provides two pages of info (and images) per country - regardless of size - and showcases destinations that don't always receive their fair share of ink and airtime. The succinct travel tips and smatterings of trivia allow the reader to quickly get the gist of a country.'

From Bookpage:

'This weighty tome provides photographic and textual coverage of every nation and commonwealth on the planet, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Each destination is covered in a colorful two-page spread featuring photos, both small and very large, which capture glimpses of local terrain and cityscapes, but which more keenly focus on indigenous people, flora and fauna, and cultural customs. The accompanying text efficiently whets the appetite of the prospective world traveler with once-over-lightly discussion of peak travel periods and things to do, incisive tidbits about the character of the country, an instructive phrase or two in the native language, and a small map delineating key areas and urban centers... Perhaps no less astonishing is the book's price tag, since this kind of pictorially opulent coffee-table item often costs twice as much.'

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Discover 500 of the World's Greatest Trips

Featuring 120 new destinations, this best-selling inspirational travel guide reveals 500 celebrated and lesser-known destinations around the globe, from ocean cruises in Antarctica to horse treks in the Andes. Each chapter features stunning photography, full-color maps, and practical tips, including how to get there, when to visit, and how to make the most of your journey. Informative and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure for years to come.

Paria Canyon

Thousands of years of river water wearing away at faults in the rock have created this wondrous twisting “slot” canyon, running across the border between Utah and Arizona. As you enter it from White House, Utah, you vanish into a fantastical world, where sunlight seeping down from above creates unusual plays of light and dark on its high, sculpted red-rock walls. In places, the cliffs are only a few yards apart and rise up to 1,000 feet on either side. At—and often around—your feet, the Paria River (“muddy water” in the Paiute language) flows fast over sand and boulders. From time to time, you pass a tree sprouting from the rock with a mini Garden of Eden of greenery and wildflowers spreading out around it. As night falls, you find a ledge to camp on, and the next day it starts all over again.

Climbing Mount Fiji

Sacred and snow-capped, Fuji-san—rising 12,388 feet above sea level—is a dormant volcano, its image immortalized by the printmaker Hokusai in “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.” The most popular starting point is Kawaguchiko 5th Station, more than halfway up the mountain, where tourists and locals congregate, creating a sense of camaraderie as they get ready for the nighttime trek to watch the dawning of the day. The trail winds upward, with long sections of steep steps that take a toll on calf muscles. As you climb, the forest known as Aokigahara (Sea of Trees) falls away and you enter a moonscape of rocks and shrubs. Look up and you will see a pristine night sky dusted with the Milky Way. The temperature drops quickly, and the rest stops and huts become more frequent. A pinpoint of sun pierces the horizon, pauses, then explodes with light, and bathes the vast panorama of metropolitan Tokyo in its morning glow.

The Tongariro Crossing

Set in the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, Tongariro National Park is home to three active volcanoes: Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu, and Tongariro. It owes its existence to Te Heuheu, Chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa Maori nation, who gifted the land to the New Zealand government in 1887 to protect it from farmers and loggers. The area is a paradise for hikers. From the Mangatepopo Valley, the trail climbs bare volcanic rock in steep zigzags to the rim of South Crater. To the south the towering mass of Ngauruhoe looms, its top venting steam and smoke in a steady stream. After crossing the flat expanse of South Crater, another steep climb leads along an exposed ridge to the Red Crater, where a hot upward draft reminds you that you are walking on a very active volcano.

On Foot

A journey on foot is the purest and simplest of pleasures. Walking offers perfect freedom—no tickets, no timetables, no limits apart from those geography or your own desire dictates. An amble around New York’s Greenwich Village becomes a journey into the lives of famous artists and writers. A few hours browsing through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar becomes a treasure hunt through time and space—as well as a lesson in the art of bargaining. At the other end of the spectrum are demanding wilderness treks, taking days or weeks to accomplish. Peru’s Inca Trail literally rises above the clouds on its way to the Lost Citadel of the Inca Empire. In between lies a world of inviting hikes, from the Great Wall of China to California’s John Muir Trail. No other form of travel brings you so close to nature, including human nature. And no other form is so kind to the planet—nor so satisfying to body, mind, and soul.