Books

Relevant travel guides are included on the 'Travel' page in most sections of this website.

Exploration in the past

Barrow's Boys by Fergus Fleming (Granta Books, 1998) £8.99.
Between 1816 and 1845, John Barrow launched the most ambitious programme of exploration the world had ever seen. His hand-picked teams of élite naval officers scoured the globe's empty spaces, often at odds with each other and in surreal conditions. This book is an account of the immense expense and human sacrifice that was made in the name of exploration.

Bright Paradise by Peter Raby (Pimlico, 1997) £10.00.
Accounts of the Victorian naturalists and scientists who set out from Britain to explore tropical forests and mountain ranges.

The Exploration of Africa by Anne Hugon (Thames & Hudson, 1993) £6.95.
The stories of Burton, Speke, Grant, Baker and Kingsley, who in the space of barely 50 years travelled to the sources of the Nile and tracked the course of the Congo and Zambezi.

The National Geographic Society by C D B Bryan (Harry N Abrams, 1994) £24.99.
A centennial history of the National Geographic Society with insights into the behind-the-scenes workings of this American institution.

The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron (Penguin, 1992) £10.99.
About Persia and Afghanistan, this is one of the classic travel books. Robert Byron made the journey in 1933-4 and vividly describes the people he met and what he saw.

In the footsteps of...

In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great by Michael Wood (BBC Consumer Publishing) £17.99.
Michael Wood follows Alexander the Great's 20,000-mile journey from Greece to India, travelling by plane, train, boat and camel and on foot through many of the 20th century's major trouble spots, including Beirut and Kurdistan.

Quest for Kim by Peter Hopkirk (Oxford University Press, 1997) £7.99.
Peter Hopkirk had long been fascinated by Rudyard Kipling's Kim. In Quest for Kim, he fulfils a life-long ambition to retrace his hero's footsteps across India, a task that was made simpler because many of the book's characters and locations were based on real people and places.

Saddled with Darwin by Toby Green (Orion, 1999) £20.00.
About 165 years after it was first done, Toby Green reproduced Darwin's epic journey through six South American countries, which eventually led to his theory of evolution. Travelling mainly on horseback, Green was beset by mishap and adventure, tales of which he interweaves with Darwin's own experiences and ideas in this most individual of travelogues.

Roughing it

Backpacker's Handbook by Hugh McManners (Dorling Kindersley, 1995) £7.99.
A guide to backpacking, including planning and preparing, getting physically fit, what food and equipment will be needed and information on different terrains and conditions.

The SAS Survival Handbook by John Lofty Wiseman (HarperCollins, 1999) £9.99.
Based on the training techniques of the Special Air Service, the famous élite fighting force, this book shows how to survive outdoors, on land or at sea, in any weather, in any part of the world.

Present-day travellers

Anatomy of Restlessness by Bruce Chatwin, edited by Jan Borm and Matthew Graves (Picador, 1997) £6.99.
Collection of essays and other writings – from the late 1960s onwards – by the traveller and writer Bruce Chatwin, including short stories, travel sketches and criticism.

The Traveller's Handbook (WEXAS, 1997, out of print).
This traveller's handbook contains over 150 articles by top travel writers and experts in their fields, including Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Mark Tully, Dervia Murphy, David Bellamy, Michael Palin, Chris Bonington, Benedict Allen, Clive Anderson and Sir Crispin Tickell. Every conceivable traveller and every imaginable form of conveyance is covered – from diabetics to travelling musicians and from microlighting to cargo ship. There's also a 350-page global travel directory listing embassies, airlines, specialist organisations and so on.

Zen Explorations in Remotest New Guinea by Neville Shulman (Summersdale, 1997) £12.99.
The author joins a fund-raising expedition and treks through primordial Irian Jaya, part of New Guinea.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism: An introduction by David A Fennell (Routledge, 1999) £15.99.
Using international case studies and photographs, this is an introduction to the key foundations, concepts and issues related to ecotourism.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who owns paradise? by Martha Honey (Island Press, 1998, out of print).
An investigation into the past and future of ecotourism, with examples from across the world.

Lonely Planet Journeys: Green dream travels in Central America by Steve Benz (Lonely Planet, 1998) £6.99.
Investigating the 'green dreams' – those well-intentioned but often misguided visions – that inspire tourism in Central America, questioning the impact that visitors are having on the region and its people.

Top

Organisations

See also Websites for more organisations.

Royal Geographical Society
1 Kensington Gore
London SW7 2AR
Tel: 020 7591 3000
Fax: 020 7591 3001
E-mail: info@rgs.org
Website: www.rgs.org
Dedicated to the advancement of geographical knowledge and understanding, and its application to help solve the challenges of our world.

Survival International
11-15 Emerald Street
London WC1N 3QL
Tel: 020 7242 1441
Fax: 020 7242 1771
E-mail: info@survival-international.org
Website: www.survival-international.org
Worldwide organisation that supports tribal people and their right to decide their own future and helps them to protect their livelihoods and human rights.

Tourism Concern
277-281 Holloway Road
London N7 8HN
Tel: 020 7753 3330
Fax: 020 7753 3331
E-mail: tourconcern@gn.apc
Website: www.tourismconcern.org.uk
Non-government organisation working to promote sustainable and ethical tourism.

Wanderlust
PO Box 1832
Windsor
Berkshire SL4 6YP
Tel: 01753 620426
Fax: 01753 620474
E-mail: info@wanderlust.co.uk
Website: www.wanderlust.co.uk
UK-based magazine for people with a passion for travelling. Contact the above address for subscription details.

Top

Websites

The Earthwatch Institute
www.earthwatch.org/index.html
International non-profit organisation that supports scientific field research worldwide to improve our understanding and management of the Earth; also creates partnerships between scientists, educators and the general public. Information on news and expeditions from around the world.

E-Conflict World Encyclopedia
www.emulateme.com/
Information on the economies, geography, history, politics and weather conditions of countries around the world.

Expedition News
www.microship.com/latestnews/index.html
Monthly review of significant expeditions, research projects and newsworthy adventures. Website aims to cover projects that stimulate, motivate and educate.

The Explorers Club
www.explorers.org
International society that unifies explorers and scientists worldwide and is dedicated to the advancement of field research, scientific exploration and the ideal that it is vital to preserve the instinct to explore. The website gives details of trips, funding and links to other sites.

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
www.iied.org
Independent, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable patterns of world development through collaborative research, policy studies, consensus building and public information. Website has reports and information on environmental and developmental issues from across the world.

National Geographic
www.nationalgeographic.com/
Informative site that has articles from the National Geographic magazine, interactive features and news from around the world.

Planeta.com
www.greenbuilder.com/mader/ecotravel/ecotravel.html
Environmental news and ecotourism information for the Americas. Website is dedicated to promoting environmental conservation, cultural understanding and local economic development, particularly through responsible tourism.

South American Explorers
www.samexplo.org/opening.htm
Membership website providing travel information on the people, geography and environment of South and Central American countries.

Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA)
www.ttra.com
This is a resource for those involved in, interested in or studying the travel and tourism industry. It provides information on research skills, facilitates access to travel resources and contains news about the industry.

Top