The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

10 best travel books to satisfy your wanderlust in lockdown

These fiction and non-fiction reads are the ultimate armchair escapism

Stacey Smith
Wednesday 06 May 2020 11:00 BST
From travelling the globe by train to the memoirs of a war correspondent, these books will take you beyond your four walls
From travelling the globe by train to the memoirs of a war correspondent, these books will take you beyond your four walls (iStock/The Independent)
Our Top Picks
  • ‘My Family and the Galapagos’ by Monty Halls. Published by HeadlineRead review
     £11
    ‘Tuk-Tuk for Two: Two Strangers, One Unforgettable Race Through India in a Tuk-Tuk Named Winnie’ by Adam FletcherRead review
     £8

Although physical travel may be on hold for the time being, there’s nothing to stop us exploring the globe from the comfort of our own sofas.

We’ve rounded up a selection of wanderlust-inducing titles, documenting some of the best globetrotting adventures which took place back when freedom of movement was still something we very much took for granted.

This extended lockdown period has given us the opportunity to get lost in these colourful tales, offering a dose of inspiration but also time to reflect on the natural world around us.

According to a survey by The Reading Agency, 1 in 3 adults have found themselves reading more during lockdown, and rising to almost one in two (45 per cent) in 18-24 year olds.

Allowing us to daydream about the places we’ll visit when restrictions are once again lifted and how we’ll do it when the time comes, these books also prompt questions.

Will we be more mindful, more appreciative? Will different modes of travel hold more allure or will travelling closer to home provide more excitement than it once did?

A mixture of fiction and non-fiction with travel at their heart, we hope you find these titles uplifting, inspiring and a source of much needed escapism.

You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

‘My Family and the Galapagos’ by Monty Halls. Published by Headline

my-family-galapagos-indybest.jpg

Home to unique wildlife and extraordinary volcanic landscape, the Galapagos Islands have long held an allure for conservationists and been the ultimate bucket list destination for keen explorers. Of huge ecological importance and one of the first Unesco World Heritage sites, today this archipelago is under threat from increased tourism. Taking his wife and two young daughters (aged just five and three at the time) along for the ride, this book documents marine biologist Monty Halls time living 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador for three months, in his role as president of the Galapagos Conservation Trust. If you’ve always dreamt about uprooting your family for an adventure of a lifetime, this one’s for you.

  1.  £11 from Amazon
Prices may vary
Back to top

‘Tuk-Tuk for Two: Two Strangers, One Unforgettable Race Through India in a Tuk-Tuk Named Winnie’ by Adam Fletcher

tuk-tuk-for-two-indybest.jpg

Based on a true story, Tuk-Tuk for Two is the third in Adam Fletcher’s self-published Weird Travel series. With lots of laugh out loud moments, newly single Adam finds himself travelling around India in this slightly surreal mode of transport with a beautiful stranger. What could possibly go wrong? Armchair escapism that you’ll gobble up in one sitting.

  1.  £8 from Amazon
Prices may vary
Back to top

The verdict: Best books to satisfying your wanderlust while we can't go on holiday

Equal parts utterly heart-breaking, uplifting and inspiring, Claire Nelson’s gripping real-life account of her ordeal in Things I Learned from Falling is the first title we’ll be snuggling up with while under lockdown. However, if you prefer fiction allow Theatre for Dreamers to transport you to sunnier climes.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in