Best Peru Travel Guides
While history has recast Bingham as a villain who stole both priceless artifacts and credit for finding the great archeological site, Mark Adams set out to retrace the explorer’s perilous path in search of the truth—except he’d written about adventure far more than he’d actually lived it. “Adams deftly weaves together Inca history, Bingham's story, and his own less heroic escapade....Those favoring a quirkier retelling [of Bingham's exploits] will relish Mr. Adam's wry, revealing romp through the Andes.”— The Wall Street Journal.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For his first endeavor, he chooses to follow in the footsteps of Hiram Bingham, the American explorer often credited with the discovery of Peru’s “lost city” of Machu Picchu. Interspersed with information about Incan history and Bingham’s expeditions, Adams relates his experiences trekking through the remote regions of Peru with his tough-as-nails Australian guide John Leivers."
"Adams alternates among his present-day experience, Bingham's experience, and the thoughts on the Incas (the builders) in the 1400-1500 times frame to attempt to explain the original purpose of Machu Pichu."
"I now know going anywhere other than from Cusco to Machu Picchu requires preparedness and awareness to keep from getting into trouble with vicious plants and stupid mistakes that can wreck things in a hurry."
"Mark Adams' account of his adventure has something for everyone...the middle aged male who shucks the cubicle for adventure, the adventurer who wants an authentic account of exploring the still remote corners of the globe and most...those who have long thought of making the trek to Peru and Machu Picchu."
"Having been to Machu Picchu 32 years ago I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mark's account of his travels there."
"If you are a true adventurer, then this is the book for you!"
"Part travelogue, part personal narrative, part history lesson, it read like a novel and I enjoyed the author's humor and turn of phrase."
"This book was not only an enjoyable read, but also a perfect preview before our trip to Peru."
Mark Adams has spent his career editing adventure and travel magazines, so his plan to investigate the allegations against Bingham by retracing the explorer's perilous path to Machu Picchu isn't completely far- fetched, even if it does require him to sleep in a tent for the first time. "Adams deftly weaves together Inca history, Bingham's story and his own less heroic escapade..[A] wry, revealing romp through the Andes. "Like Bill Bryson, Adams peppers his book with interesting anecdotes, trenchant observations and frequently hilarious asides. But..the book's scholarship and its organization also call to mind John McPhee's 'Coming into the Country'..You're guaranteed to be swept up in Adams' vivid descriptions. "Quite funny and unpretentiously well informed..Short of actually traveling to Machu Picchu yourself, it's the perfect way to acknowledge the lost city's 100th birthday as a modern-day tourist site.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For his first endeavor, he chooses to follow in the footsteps of Hiram Bingham, the American explorer often credited with the discovery of Peru’s “lost city” of Machu Picchu. Interspersed with information about Incan history and Bingham’s expeditions, Adams relates his experiences trekking through the remote regions of Peru with his tough-as-nails Australian guide John Leivers."
"Adams alternates among his present-day experience, Bingham's experience, and the thoughts on the Incas (the builders) in the 1400-1500 times frame to attempt to explain the original purpose of Machu Pichu."
"I now know going anywhere other than from Cusco to Machu Picchu requires preparedness and awareness to keep from getting into trouble with vicious plants and stupid mistakes that can wreck things in a hurry."
"Mark Adams' account of his adventure has something for everyone...the middle aged male who shucks the cubicle for adventure, the adventurer who wants an authentic account of exploring the still remote corners of the globe and most...those who have long thought of making the trek to Peru and Machu Picchu."
"Having been to Machu Picchu 32 years ago I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mark's account of his travels there."
"If you are a true adventurer, then this is the book for you!"
"Part travelogue, part personal narrative, part history lesson, it read like a novel and I enjoyed the author's humor and turn of phrase."
"This book was not only an enjoyable read, but also a perfect preview before our trip to Peru."
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Peru is your indispensable guide to this beautiful part of the world. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Peru truly shows you this country as no one else can. DK Eyewitness Travel Guides: the most maps, photographs, and illustrations of any guide. "Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There are more details in the book than we needed to know for a pleasure trip but there were many "a-ha" moments along the way that helped us enjoy some of the sites more."
"It gives a lot of details on the different places, and it was especially helpful when we went to Machu Picchu."
"This book contains a wealth of information about Rome. If you're looking for an over-all book that tells you everything you've ever wondered about Rome, from ancient to present times, a book that has detailed pictures and descriptions of WHAT you will see in the various tourist attractions, plus a wealth of general tourism information about Rome, this is your book."
"We have found that these DK Eyewitness guides make great reference books for researching our travels before we get there, figuring out where we wish to go and what to see."
"DK Eyewitness covered a lot for this city."
"It is worth knowing though that before deciding to purchase Eyewitness Rome through Amazon I read, or at least familiarized myself with the "Access Guide to Rome"; Lonely Planet's "Rome City Guide,"; Fodor's "Rome"; "Rick Steves' Rome"; Frommer's "Rome Day-by-Day"; "Rome for Dummies" (weakest of the lot btw); and even the Rome Michelin Guide's most recent edition on Rome from 2002."
"My husband loves this travel guide and says he thinks it is very helpful, so I am not going to give it a bad review. ****** Post Rome Trip update*******. This guidebook is hard to pick up and read straight through, but as far as a reference when you are AT a site it was tremendously helpful."
"Eyewitness guides are always the best."
Best South American Travel Guides
“Elemental, fundamental, and delicious” is how Anthony Bourdain describes the trailblazing live-fire cooking of Francis Mallmann. Francis Mallmann is the reigning star of food television in the Spanish-speaking world, and the most famous and popular chef in South America.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"His rustic and unfussy, but uncompromising and deeply considered, approach to live-fire cooking shows that grilling can be sophisticated and gourmet, and I've fallen in love, as he has, with the bittersweet, rich flavors of food charred over live fire. He elaborates on the incredibly strong foundation established in Seven Fires, incorporating the regional ingredients and influences of the locations he visits throughout the book while making the approach a bit more practical. Mallmann explicitly rejects elaborate grills and excessively fussy prep and technique here - the whole message is to resist the urge to overthink and overdo, and simply to get outside in beautiful surroundings and cook good food over fire. Some may feel that this is a compromise, but I think it's more a nod to the reality that a towering hardwood bonfire is not an everyday undertaking - whether you're a revered Argentine asador or a tired new dad making dinner after work - and that the perfect is often the enemy of the good. It's a little bit disappointing not to see recipes for lamb on iron crosses and salmon cooked in the infiernillo (a double-decker bonfire that forms the oven from hell) - simply because those approaches are so heroic and awesome."
"I want to eat every page in this book."
"Did Mallmann meet my expectations?"
"Beautiful photography and easy to follow recipes."
"The illustrations are inspiring."
"Beautiful photos and stories."
"Nice pictures and narrative."
Best General South America Travel Guides
Trek the ancient Inca trail, puzzle over the mystery of the Nasca lines, wander the stone temples of Machu Picchu or indulge in local delicacies in Lima; all with your trusted travel companion. Color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, cuisine, music, the arts, nature Over 70 color maps Covers Lima, Amazon Basin, Huaras, Cordilleras, Central Highlands, Chan Chan, Cuzco & the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, Arequipa, Canyon Country and more. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travelers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Love this book!"
"I JUST GOT THIS NEW ONE AS I HAVE BEEN USING AN OLDER ADITION."
"Needs minor updates but otherwise excellent travel guide."
"I went to Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo and of course Machu Picchu."
Best Central & South America Travel
Color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Budget-oriented recommendations with honest reviews - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, music, cuisine, sports, wildlife, environment, architecture, literature, cinema, current events Over 90 maps Covers Mexico's Yucatán & Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and more. Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing. Source: Nielsen BookScan.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great book with tons of great information."
"Came sooner than expected and the book is great."
"Call me crazy...but I feel like a book with "on a shoestring" in the title should really spend more time reviewing budget accommodations and skip the expensive hotels."
"Those who like to include off-the-beaten path travel, should consult Lonely Planet’s individual country books for gems that are even better than the easily-gotten-to sites."
"Really a god guide!"
"There should be separate (thin) books for each Central American country to spare single-country visitors from lugging such a thick volume; the country-specific e-chapters are a poor alternative due to careless layout and, in El Salvador, spotty Internet access."
Best Archaeology
In 1940, swashbuckling journalist Theodore Morde returned from the rainforest with hundreds of artifacts and an electrifying story of having found the Lost City of the Monkey God-but then committed suicide without revealing its location. Venturing into this raw, treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful wilderness to confirm the discovery, Preston and the team battled torrential rains, quickmud, disease-carrying insects, jaguars, and deadly snakes. Suspenseful and shocking, filled with colorful history, hair-raising adventure, and dramatic twists of fortune, THE LOST CITY OF THE MONKEY GOD is the absolutely true, eyewitness account of one of the great discoveries of the twenty-first century. An Amazon Best Book of January 2017: In 2012, author Douglas Preston joined a team of explorers searching for Ciudad Blanca (“The White City”), a legendary ruin hidden in the dense jungle of eastern Honduras. The fledgling Honduran government, having gained power through a military coup, sought to use the discovery to bolster its status with the population, while the academic community ripped the expedition with accusations of Indiana Jones-style exploitation and shoddy scientific methods, cries which could be uncharitably interpreted as sour grapes.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is NOT a book authored by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child that continues the adventures of Special Agent A. Pendergast and his unique circle of friends and assorted characters. However this is an intriguing and very interesting documentary written by Douglas Preston that takes you inside the planning and execution of a continual search for a mythical lost city (and/or civilization) that until 2015 remained nothing more than rumor and myth(s). You won't find a photograph of Harrison Ford inside the dust jacket but you will see a grinning shot of Douglas Preston bearing an uncanny resemblance to the (deceased) actor Edward Herrmann. A combination of legends and myths, some completely false and yet others bearing an element of truth, have circulated about this area, both intriguing and cautioning researchers and potential explorers."
"Getting to be part of the crew that went into the Honduran rainforest to see if there was any accuracy to the stories of ancient cities was just amazing! Another aspect of the book I found interesting was the possible reasons the ancient cities were abandoned."
"As engaging as a fictional archeological expedition."
"A fly over with imaging gear would be the thing to do."
"Douglas Preston (and his partner Lincoln Child) are quite possibly the best tandem writers in the world today."
"This is a modern day true adventure story."
"A classic read where it teleports you from your safe, clean, parasite free home and drops you straight into the perilous jungle of snakes and bugs and swashbuckling adventurers."
"Thoughtfully written, engaging and enlightening."
Best Chile Travel Guides
“Elemental, fundamental, and delicious” is how Anthony Bourdain describes the trailblazing live-fire cooking of Francis Mallmann. Francis Mallmann is the reigning star of food television in the Spanish-speaking world, and the most famous and popular chef in South America.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"His rustic and unfussy, but uncompromising and deeply considered, approach to live-fire cooking shows that grilling can be sophisticated and gourmet, and I've fallen in love, as he has, with the bittersweet, rich flavors of food charred over live fire. He elaborates on the incredibly strong foundation established in Seven Fires, incorporating the regional ingredients and influences of the locations he visits throughout the book while making the approach a bit more practical. Mallmann explicitly rejects elaborate grills and excessively fussy prep and technique here - the whole message is to resist the urge to overthink and overdo, and simply to get outside in beautiful surroundings and cook good food over fire. Some may feel that this is a compromise, but I think it's more a nod to the reality that a towering hardwood bonfire is not an everyday undertaking - whether you're a revered Argentine asador or a tired new dad making dinner after work - and that the perfect is often the enemy of the good. It's a little bit disappointing not to see recipes for lamb on iron crosses and salmon cooked in the infiernillo (a double-decker bonfire that forms the oven from hell) - simply because those approaches are so heroic and awesome."
"I want to eat every page in this book."
"Did Mallmann meet my expectations?"
"Beautiful photography and easy to follow recipes."
"The illustrations are inspiring."
"Beautiful photos and stories."
"Nice pictures and narrative."
Best Brazil Travel Guides
In 2003, David Miller left his job, family, and friends to fulfill a dream and hike the Appalachian Trail. David Miller's Top Five Items You Might Not Think to Pack for a Long-Distance Trek (But Will Wish You Did). Scissors: Scissors are better than a knife for common tasks like opening food packaging, cutting moleskin, or trimming your mustache. Chafing powder: Hikers disagree about whether hiking uphill or downhill is more demanding, but they all agree that hiking with chaffed, burning skin is less tolerable than the ups and downs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I feel privileged to have been able to hike vicariously on both coasts by reading the books."
"I read a lot of books about the Appalachian Trail so the subject matter was not at all new to me but I enjoyed the humor interspersed at regular intervals throughout the book."
"Enjoyed my vicarious journey."
"This book is not just for hikers or outdoors people."
"If you delight in an author's ability to make the printed page a canvas; if you relish rereading a paragraph just because of how smart it was--you'll love this whether you're a hiker or not. If there is a criticism, I'd offer that he might have left out the few mild obscenities in exchange for broadest appeal."
"Our trips were no longer than 2 or three hours and we experienced no real hardships, but this book awakened the memory of those wonderful imagined hikes into history."
"The author shared his respective periods of pain and elation, as he successfully traversed the almost 2,200 miles on the Appalachian Trail."
"Kudos to Awol for thru-hiking the AT, and kudos to Awol for writing a story that convinced me that I need to add a thru-hike of the AT to my bucket list."
Best Bolivia Travel Guides
Rusty Young was backpacking in South America when he heard about Thomas McFadden, a convicted English drug trafficker who ran tours inside Bolivia's notorious San Pedro prison. Rusty bribed the guards to allow him to stay and for the next three months he lived inside the prison, sharing a cell with Thomas and recording one of the strangest and most compelling prison stories of all time. This is cutting-edge travel-writing and a fascinating account of infiltration into the South American drug culture.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Amazing read."
"Wow can't believe there is a prison out there that allows families to live there and work there."
"A bizarre and intriguing tale."
"Two thumbs up for this amazing book. I've already passed this book off to my friend who thought I was telling her about a Novel I read as I recounted the "amazing book I just read.""
"I liked this book, its very interesting and a very good read."
"The tales of his own brief time drinking with Rusty were enough to whet my appetite, despite my having no foreknowledge of, or interest in, Bolivia or its San Pedro prison."
"Unbelievable crazy experience."
"The book started well, and there were good passages in between, but I got the feeling I was hearing what we call in the South "twice told tales" - more of a tall tale than actual facts."
Best Venezuela Travel Guides
Capitolio is New York documentary photographer Christopher Anderson's cinematic journey through the upheavals of contemporary Caracas, Venezuela, in the tradition of such earlier projects as William Klein's New York (1954-55) and Robert Frank's The Americans (1958).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As a venezuelan I was deeply touched and can imagine all the things Mr Anderson saw on his trips to Caracas during one of the most difficult times in our recent history."
"Incredible book."
"Drop dead killer photography by the master of B&W photo-J."
"The opening shot of the silhouette picture of the "devil" with curly hair in front of a cross sets the pace - we know we are not going to see just another line-up of pretty but boring pictures so common these days. Too often there is too many pictures so that it becomes repetitive, or there are too few so that you don't get a good impression of the story, and most commonly the pictures are incohesive and looks like they have been loosely scrambled together. It ranges from self-explanatory registrations to subjective pictures where you can hardly make out what is happening. Of course it would be a big letdown without top notch printing, but as others have mentioned it is pretty much as good as it gets in that regard."
"The best book about Venezuela today."
"I saw proofs of Capitolio on Chris Anderson's iPhone a few months ago (Chris is a friend) and I was stunned."
Best Argentina Travel Guides
“Elemental, fundamental, and delicious” is how Anthony Bourdain describes the trailblazing live-fire cooking of Francis Mallmann. Francis Mallmann is the reigning star of food television in the Spanish-speaking world, and the most famous and popular chef in South America.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"His rustic and unfussy, but uncompromising and deeply considered, approach to live-fire cooking shows that grilling can be sophisticated and gourmet, and I've fallen in love, as he has, with the bittersweet, rich flavors of food charred over live fire. He elaborates on the incredibly strong foundation established in Seven Fires, incorporating the regional ingredients and influences of the locations he visits throughout the book while making the approach a bit more practical. Mallmann explicitly rejects elaborate grills and excessively fussy prep and technique here - the whole message is to resist the urge to overthink and overdo, and simply to get outside in beautiful surroundings and cook good food over fire. Some may feel that this is a compromise, but I think it's more a nod to the reality that a towering hardwood bonfire is not an everyday undertaking - whether you're a revered Argentine asador or a tired new dad making dinner after work - and that the perfect is often the enemy of the good. It's a little bit disappointing not to see recipes for lamb on iron crosses and salmon cooked in the infiernillo (a double-decker bonfire that forms the oven from hell) - simply because those approaches are so heroic and awesome."
"I want to eat every page in this book."
"Beautiful photography and easy to follow recipes."
"The illustrations are inspiring."
"Beautiful photos and stories."
"Did Mallmann meet my expectations?"
"Nice pictures and narrative."
Best Colombia Travel Guides
Immerse yourself in regional festivals to experience Colombia's diverse music and dance traditions, enjoy nouvelle Colombian restaurants and hopping nightlife of Bogotà, or the perfect weather and locally-grown coffee of Medellín In-depth coverage of Bogotá, Cartagena and the Caribbean Coast, Boyacá and the Santanderes, Medellín and the Coffee region, Cali and Southwest Colombia, the Pacific Coast, San Andrés and Providencia, and the Amazon and Los Llanos Current background information on the landscape, culture, history, and environment, as well as a handy Spanish phrasebook, all packaged in a book light enough to fit in your carry-on Essential insight for travelers on trekking through jungles, accessing remote mountain ranges, and exploring ancient ruins, with tips for traveling safely and respectfully engaging with the local culture. Try Moon Bogotá, Moon Medellín or Moon Cartegena & Colombia's Caribbean Coast . Compared to other countries in South America, Colombia is a relative newcomer when it comes to tourism. But despite its steadily growing popularity, you will never feel part of the tourist hordes here: Colombia remains relatively undiscovered when compared to countries such as Mexico, Peru and Ecuador. Tourism, responsible with communities and the environment, can bring about opportunity, prosperity, and can be a bridge between peoples.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This book was amazing for Colombia! It turns out that back in 2010 (if i remember correctly), the lonely planet writer for Colombia never visited Colombia that year and just wrote the book based off of phone interviews he had with ppl, which resulted in poor recommendations and which is why a lot of ppl gave the book a low rating . The only additions i would make to this book is that when you visit Bogota (like the book says) don't trust local taxis, but instead download Uber or Tipsy (if i remember correctly) and always use those cabs no matter where u go in Colombia (maybe except for santa marta, which is really safe)."
"For example, print one book for Bogota and the surrounding and another book for Medallin."
"A good guidebook for Colombia."
"As a regular traveler, if the information proves accurate, I'll be buying more of the Moon guides."
"I really like the way the book is organized and very simple to understand and follow."
"This book had some good information for my trips to both Cartagena and Medellin."
"Generally okay, but I found myself struggling to find the information I wanted."
Best Paraguay & Uruguay Travel Guides
With background sections covering the rich history and culture of this hospitable country as well as all the practical information you will need, Margaret Hebblethwaite's Paraguay remains the essential choice for the curious visitor. 'Words fail me in attempting to praise adequately your masterly Bradt Guide to Paraguay which has been of inestimable help to me in my understanding of a country and a people which I had deluded myself that I already understood reasonably well.'.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The only inevitable inaccuracy is the appearance of new restaurants and hotels since it was written - but that is something that Google maps does well, so it's not a significant set back."
"Factual, extensive, well written, excellent."
"Excellent Travel Guide, detailed and very informative, a great source for getting to know a country that is situated in the center of the South American Continent among more known countries, which makes it all the more interesting."
"Excellent travel guide to Paraguay."
"I hate carrying around a hard copy travel book, but I really liked this one."
"Having both a local friend as a guide and this book were a great combo."
"I have always wanted to visit Paraguay, and now after reading the guide, it is on the top of my list."
"By far the best guide to Paraguay."
Best French Guiana, Guyana & Suriname Travel
Chris Doyle along with the collaborative efforts of Charlene Defrietas, Cathy Whitby, Jeff Fisher and Peter Hoad have explored these islands extensively, offering comprehensive information on a wide variety of facilities, ranging from marinas to haul-out yards and marine repair services. In this way his guides have always been highly innovative, leading the way in color sketch charts, then computerized color sketch charts, GPS waypoints, star charts and a guide-linked website where people can find corrections, download town maps, download GPS waypoints, access navigational advisories, and get links to down island businesses.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"DOYLE is always the best."
"Exactly as described - in new condition and always good from Chris Doyle."
Best Ecuador & Galapagos Islands Travel
This book is the most wide-ranging and beautifully illustrated book available on the famous islands. "This group of volcanic islands lying along the equator in the Pacific Ocean are famous for their rare species of fauna and flora. Stewart and five coauthors first decide the geological journey that sets each island's lifespan from volcanic birth to death and burial. Then they narrate what they label 'the human history of the Galapagos' and explain how Charles Darwin revealed the islands as a land of riches and triggered a revolution of scientific thought.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"An excellent introduction to the geological, biological, and human histories of the islands, with wonderful explanatory material and photographs of the highest quality."
"This is the perfect book with excellent pictures to read before going to the Galapagos Islands."
"History, habitat, birds, fish, mammals and geography (and geology) all succinctly reviewed."
"Well researched, more of a reference book than a travel guide, more in depth on the science and nature."
"bought it as a gift and the recipient really enjoys as a precursor to their trip."
"I am going to the Galapagos Islands next month and this was a great introduction to the geology, plant, animal, and sea life of the Islands."
"There are many books on the Galápagos Islands but Paul Stewart's work is certainly one of the most appealing and true representations of this famous spot in the Pacific Ocean."