A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Travel Audiobook: 11 Best Travel Audiobooks That Inspire You For Next Vacation

Audiobooks have become a popular way to pass the time while travelling. Whether you’re on a long road trip or a flight across the world, an engaging audiobook can make the journey fly by. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know where to start. This guide will help you choose the best travel audiobooks to add to your collection.

Nothing can ever compare to the thrill of seeing a new city or country for the first time in person, but when written by a talented author with a sharp eye for detail, a well-written travel book can come surprisingly close. The best travel writers frequently return from far-flung locations that the average traveller is unlikely to visit on their own.

Currently, one of the simplest ways to escape is through a travel story or best travel audiobooks. Through vivid descriptions of exotic locales, daring storylines, and eccentric characters, readers may travel without ever leaving their homes.

We believe you’ll like these narratives whether you’re a frequent traveller looking for ideas for your upcoming vacation or you just want to immerse yourself in a strange, fascinating place.

So, here are the best travel audiobooks that are definitely worth listening to if you’re feeling pent up and could need a short escape or are hoping to start planning a trip soon. All of them will take you to places you’ve never been before.

Rahul Siddharth, the author of the article, is a seasoned travel expert with over 10 years of experience. With a wealth of knowledge and a passion for travel, Rahul has become an expert in the field and is well-equipped to provide readers with insightful recommendations for the best travel audiobooks.


What is an audiobook and how does it work?

Audiobooks are audio recordings of a book’s text that you can listen to instead of reading. Abridged or accurate word-for-word versions of novels are both possible with audiobooks. Any smartphone, tablet, computer or Laptop, home speaker system, or in-car entertainment system can be used to listen to audiobooks.


How To Get Audibel 3 Months Free Trial?

Currently, the first three months of service for new Audible Premium Plus subscribers are free. With this offer, you may test out the service for two extra months without spending a penny. Normally, the trial is only valid for 30 days. Now, only Amazon Prime subscribers may access the three-month trial.


Understanding the Benefits of Travel Audiobooks

Travel audiobooks offer a number of benefits compared to traditional books. For one, they allow you to enjoy a good story without having to physically hold a book. This is especially useful for travellers with little luggage space because audiobooks take up no space.

Additionally, listening to audiobooks while travelling can make you feel less stressed and bored. You can break up the boredom of the trip or the discomfort of a long flight by listening to an interesting story.


List Of 11 Best Travel Audiobooks For Nomads

The top travel audiobooks that let listeners experience both fictitious and factual journeys from all around the world were carefully chosen by our team.

1. On the Road

This American classic by Jack Kerouac tells the timeless story of a thrill-seeking road trip across the country in a fascinating stream-of-consciousness style.

In all its chaotic, gritty 1950s glory, listeners will be taken on a wild ride throughout the country. Will Patton, who narrates, does a fantastic job of bringing this thrilling story of reckless adventure to life and stirring up memories of the limitless potential of youth.

Unquestionably one of the best travel audiobooks, On the Road is sure to make you long for a trip that will change your life.

On the Road: 50th Anniversary Edition
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Jack Kerouac (Author) - Will Patton (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 10/18/2007 (Publication Date) - Penguin Audio...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Also Read: Best Headphones For Travel


2. A Walk in the Woods

Adventurer and talented writer Bill Bryson describes his action-packed hike along the entire Appalachian Trail in this compelling real narrative.

There are many amusing stories about the beauty and perils of the unexpected environment in Bryson’s five-month trip along America’s longest pathway.

Wildlife encounters and human interactions are vividly portrayed with such acute attention to detail by narrator Rob McQuay that listeners can feel as though they are standing in the forest themselves.

It’s understandable why A walk in the woods New York Times top seller quickly became popular among Audible users.

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the...
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Bill Bryson (Author) - Rob McQuay (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 09/25/2012 (Publication Date) - Random House Audio...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Also Read: 13 Best Travel Essentials For Women


3. Travels with Charley in Search of America

Legendary author John Steinbeck travels across America with his dog Charley in Travels with Charley in Search of America, making some fascinating observations along the way.

Listeners get a taste of what it could have been like to travel throughout America in the 1960s because of Steinbeck’s distinctive style of writing about his experiences.

Steinbeck creates a remarkable portrait of the United States during this turbulent time in its history through a series of interactions with both strangers and friends.

This audiobook has a compelling appeal that invites listeners to come along for an amazing trip with one of America’s most well-loved authors. It is narrated by award-winning film and television star Gary Sinise.

Travels with Charley in Search of America
  • Audible Audiobook
  • John Steinbeck (Author) - Gary Sinise (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 06/15/2011 (Publication Date) - Penguin Audio...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


4. Carsick

Listeners will be on the edge of their seats from Baltimore to San Francisco as they hear Carsick, the true account of movie director John Waters’s cross-country hitchhiking expedition.

It seems unlikely that a famous Hollywood veteran, whose filmography includes cult favourites like Hairspray and Cry-Baby, would pose as a regular guy looking for transportation across the country while acting “undercover.”

Listeners are left wanting another spontaneous adventure because of Waters’ theatrical storytelling and captivating passion.

One of the best audiobooks for comedy lovers who will enjoy going on this incredibly entertaining road trip is Carsick.

Carsick: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America
  • Audible Audiobook
  • John Waters (Author) - John Waters (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 06/03/2014 (Publication Date) - Macmillan Audio...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Also Read: Best Amazon Prime Perks For Travel


5. My Life in France

Julia Child relates the story of her formative years as an American chef in France with the help of her grand-nephew, Alex Prud’Homme.

My life in France audiobook is a fascinating story of a Child’s journey to culinary success, expertly told by Kimberly Farr.

The renowned chef gives listeners an intimate look into how her love of cooking began and the numerous challenges and rejections she faced before she became well-known. (Oh, and the vivid images of Paris in the 1950s might just inspire readers to make an impulsive flight reservation to France.)

My Life in France
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Julia Child (Author) - Kimberly Farr (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 04/14/2006 (Publication Date) - Random House Audio...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


6. Wild

The genuine story of one courageous woman’s journey over the Pacific Crest Trail in search of comfort from grief and adversity is told in the book Wild.

Cheryl Strayed conveys her difficult but gratifying path with a rawness that seizes the listener’s attention right away.

Strayed beautifully details the mental and emotional obstacles she overcame on her 1,000-mile journey, which is sure to inspire.

Even the least outdoorsy person will wish for some time spent outside after listening to Bernadette Dunne’s magnificent descriptions of West Coast wildness, winner of six Golden Earphones Awards.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest...
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Cheryl Strayed (Author) - Bernadette Dunne...
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 03/20/2012 (Publication Date) - Random House Audio...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Also Read: 15 Best Travel Pillows That Will Make Your Journey Comfortable


7. A House in the Sky

The autobiography A House in the Sky describes the adventures of international television journalist Amanda Lindhout while she was taken to Somalia as a young woman.

This terrible warning story of captivity in one of the world’s most dangerous countries is expertly told by Lindhout herself.

The way Lindhout’s mental process changed throughout the course of her 460-day captivity will surprise listeners, as will her incredible capacity for compassion.

As you wait to hear about Lindhout’s successful escape, A House in the Sky is the kind of audiobook you can’t put down.

A House in the Sky: A Memoir
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Amanda Lindhout (Author) - Amanda Lindhout...
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 09/10/2013 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


8. Running in the Family

Michael Ondaatje, a talented storyteller, discusses his own journey back to Sri Lanka in the late 1970s.

This book Running In The Family is a collection of Ondaatje’s poetic observations about his return to Sri Lanka and meeting a member of his family he had missed terribly.

Thanks to Ondaatje’s rich voice, easy narration, and powerful imagery, the listening experience is pleasurable from beginning to end; as one listener notes, “Ondaatje’s reading offers quite another layer to the novel.”

Running in the Family
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Michael Ondaatje (Author) - Michael Ondaatje...
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 11/28/2017 (Publication Date) - Audible Studios...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


9. The Sex Lives of Cannibals

This travelogue, thankfully, has nothing to do with what its title suggests, so we’ll let you know that right away. However, it focuses on daily living on a small island in the South Pacific.

Author J. Maarten Troost describes his real-life experiences of living on the island of Tarawa with his girlfriend and the numerous difficulties they encountered, which resulted in some absolutely hilarious circumstances.

Listeners can travel with Troost on a life-altering experience without having to deal with the polluted surroundings, distrusting natives, unreliable electricity, and unbearable heat.

The narration is given just the right amount of theatrical flair by Simon Vance to make it even funnier.

Sale
The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the...
  • Audible Audiobook
  • J. Maarten Troost (Author) - Simon Vance...
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 04/23/2007 (Publication Date) - Blackstone Audio,...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


10. West with the Night

Beryl Markham’s memoir, West with the Night, details her adventures as a lifetime traveller while living in East Africa. Markham has had a successful career as a pilot, which is nothing short of amazing.

The world’s greatest adventure stories were almost entirely told by men when she published her memoir in the 1940s.

Markham was the first person to ever fly nonstop from Europe to America, and he was a talented and courageous pilot.

It’s understandable why writers like Ernest Hemingway commended her for her excellent storytelling skills.

One of the best travel audiobooks to whet your desire for adventure is West with the Night, regarded as one of the most underrated classics of the 20th century.

West with the Night
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Beryl Markham (Author) - Anna Fields (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 06/03/2005 (Publication Date) - Blackstone Audio,...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Also Read: 15 Best Amazon Prime Day Deals For Travelers


11. In the Weeds by Tom Vitale

A brand-new book takes readers back to those locations and describes what it was like to film there after Anthony Bourdain’s award-winning shows “Parts Unknown” and “No Reservations” introduced viewers to some of the most amazing places in the world.

In the Weeds is much more than just a fascinating inside look at the creation of two iconic television programmes; it was written by Bourdain’s longtime director and producer, Tom Vitale, who also narrates the audiobook himself.

It’s understandable why writers like Ernest Hemingway admired her for her excellent storytelling skills.

One of the best travel audiobooks to feed your appetite for adventure is West with the Night, considered one of the most underappreciated classics of the 20th century.

Sale
In the Weeds: Around the World and Behind the...
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Tom Vitale (Author) - Tom Vitale (Narrator)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 10/05/2021 (Publication Date) - Hachette Books...

Last update on 2024-03-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


Choosing the Right Travel Audiobook

The length of your trip should be taken into consideration when choosing a travel audiobook. Choose a book with a shorter duration if you’re going on a short journey. You should pick a longer book that will keep you engaged for the entire ride if your trip will last many hours.

The kind of story you want to listen to should also be kept in mind. Pick a comedy or romance if you want something light and enjoyable. Choose a historical or political book if you want something more thought-provoking to consume. The secret is to pick a book that you’ll enjoy because doing so will make the experience better.


Tips for Listening to Travel Audiobooks

To make the most of your travel audiobook experience, consider the following tips:

  • Invest in a good pair of headphones: Quality headphones will enhance the audio experience and make it easier to hear the book.
  • Find a comfortable listening position: Whether you’re sitting or lying down, make sure you’re comfortable before starting your book.
  • Adjust the volume: Make sure the volume is set at a level that is comfortable for you.
  • Take breaks: If you’re listening for a long time, take breaks every hour or so to stretch your legs and rest your eyes.

Conclusion

Travel audiobooks are a great way to pass the time and add some excitement to your travels. With so many options available, you’re sure to find the perfect book for your journey. So, pack your headphones and get ready to be transported to another world!


FAQs About Best Travel Audiobooks

There are a lot of questions that come to mind related to travel audiobooks some of the commonly asked questions are answered below.

Can you listen to audiobooks for free?

However, there are a number of platforms on which you can legally stream and/or download free audiobooks. LibriVox, Project Gutenberg, and Spotify are a few of them.
Audible also offers a 30-day free trial

Do Amazon Prime members get free audiobooks?

Thanks to Prime Reading, which offers Amazon Prime members a changing selection of books and magazines as part of their membership, Prime users do, however, have access to free Audible content.

How can I download audiobooks from Audible?

The Audible app makes it simple to add Audible audiobooks to your library. On a tablet, smartphone, or pretty much any other device, you may download it from the app store. It only takes a few clicks after that to start downloading excellent music.

Can I listen to unlimited books with Audible?

More options are available to users of Audible Plus thanks to unlimited access to a large collection that includes over 11,000 titles and over 68,000 hours of content from a wide range of genres, including documentaries, comedy, self-help, kids’ books, wellness, and journalism.

What are some good travel audiobooks to start with?

Some great travel audiobooks to get you started to include “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams, “1984” by George Orwell, “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank.


Tell Us In The Comments As Per You Which Are The Best Travel Audiobooks?

Also, don’t forget to book your personalized holiday package with Fiery Trippers. Let us make your vacation a romantic as well as a dreamy getaway.

Avatar of Rahul Siddharth

He is a dedicated travel writer with a wealth of 10 Years + experience that enriches his narratives. He holds a degree in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from IHM Dehradun, which he couples with hands-on expertise in the field. Drawing from his diverse experiences, Rahul's writings offer readers a captivating glimpse into the world of travel. Embark on a journey of exploration and inspiration with Rahul as your guide. Read More

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