The Cost of Traveling Western Europe: Budgets, Prices, & Ways to Save

Updated: 05/27/18 | May 27th, 2018

Europe. It’s an expensive place and prices vary greatly depending on how far north, east, south or west your travel. Europe covers a huge area of the world with multiple visa zones and multiple currencies. For 20 euros, you can get a private room in Greece. For that same price in Paris, you may get a 16 person dorm room. You can eat for a few euros in Spain or Hungary, but a sit-down meal in Italy will cost around 15 euros, and triple that in Norway!

I’ve been going to Europe for close to ten years now.

A trip to Europe isn’t cheap, but there are plenty of ways to cut down costs. Since Europe is so big, today I want to talk about traveling around Western Europe and the Eurozone countries.

One of the most asked questions I get is “how much does it cost to travel to Europe?”

Well, today, let’s talk about planning a trip to Europe!

How much do things cost?

Here are some general costs for things in Europe, because as I said, prices can vary a lot depending on where you are:

• Accommodation: In most Western European countries, expect to pay 25–35 euros per night for a dorm room. (Though in Greece and Spain, it’s only 10–20 euros per night.) In Scandinavia, expect to pay around 30–35 Euros per night. In England, prices are usually around 20–30 pounds per night.
• Food: Food costs vary as wildly as accommodation costs. Cheap fast food meals cost 9–15 euros, while restaurants meals cost around 15–25 euros. Nicer establishments will cost 30 euros or more. You can cook your food for a week for around 65 euros>.
• Transportation: The easiest way to get around Europe is by train. Trains connect every major part of Europe, and they’re often very cheap. High-speed trains, though, can cost over 100 euros. Try to get the regional or slow trains for cheaper prices! The rise of cheap airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, and Transavia has made flying around Europe in a hurry really cheap. For flights, expect to pay around 50 euros if you book in advance. Transportation around most cities is only 1–2 euros.
• Activities: Most museums and tours start at around 14 euros. It’s cheaper, of course, in eastern Europe. Full-day tours cost 35–100 euros. Prices vary drastically per country, so it’s hard to give a good general cost of this budget item.

How to Save Money in Western Europe

• Picnic – Europe has a lot of tiny shops where you can be premade sandwiches or ingredients to make your own. Buy some food, eat outside, and watch the city go by. It’s a cheaper and more enjoyable way to eat.
• Eat Local and Cheap – Not into picnicking? That’s OK, there are other ways to save money on food. Eat at local sandwich shops, pizza parlors, Maoz, Wok to Walks, outdoor street vendors, and the like. Avoiding restaurants and eating at a lot of the local “grab ‘n go” places will give you a taste of the local cuisine at a much cheaper price.
• Couchsurf – Hostels can add up really quick in Europe. If you don’t have any friends you can stay with, consider using the service Couchsurfing, which lets you connect with locals who will let you stay with them for free.
• Fly Cheap – If you know where you’re going and a train won’t do, try to book flights early. You can often get one-euro fares from many of the discount airlines like Transavia, Easyjet, Air Berlin, and Ryanair. MORE: There are many cheap ways to get across Europe.
• Drink Less – Those five-euro beers really add up. Hit happy hour or pick and choose when you party. Hostel bars are a good place to get cheap drinks, or you can buy your alcohol at the supermarket. Partying your way across the continent will destroy your bank balance in no time.
• Take the Free Tours – One of the great things about Europe is that you can find free walking tours in all the major cities. They can be a great way to see the city attractions, learn some history, and get your bearings without spending any money. Almost every city in Europe has a free walking tour available. Your hostel or the tourism board will have details!
• Camp in a garden – A very good camping service specific is Campspace (formerly Camp in My Garden), which allows you to pitch a tent in someone’s backyard for free or a nominal fee (around 4-10 EUR). This is a new service that started in 2010 but more and more people are signing up for it each day. All of the garden owners have profiles that tell you what services and facilities they offer.
• Get a Rail Pass – Eurail Passes have saved me hundreds of dollars when I used them. If you are traveling far distances and through many countries, they are a great deal. Here’s more information how to pick a Eurail pass.
• Get a city tourist card – Local tourism offices issue a tourist card for all their attractions, tours, and restaurants. This card gives you free entry and substantial discounts on all the attractions and tours in a city, free local public transportation (a huge plus), and discounts at a few restaurants and shopping malls. They save a ton of money. If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, get one of these cards.
• Rideshare – Hugely popular and widespread in Europe, I did this to get around Switzerland, France, and UK. BlaBlaCar, the biggest website, connects drivers and riders and lets you get around much cheaper than a bus or train. Moreover, this way is amazing for getting off the highways, seeing more the countryside, and meeting locals. It’s money-saving and much more exciting than taking the train or bus!

What’s a good daily budget in Europe?

Recently, I went through Amsterdam, Greece, Italy, and Hungary. In 59 days of traveling, I spent 4,317 euros, which averages out to 73.17 euros per day. That includes a few flights, many a nice meal, too many drinks on Ios, a few nights of private rooms (it was my birthday, after all!), and some unexpected purchases (a jacket, a new iPhone charger, and new headphones).

So how much does it cost to travel Europe?

On a backpacker budget, if you were avoiding flights, occasionally Couchsurfing, staying in cheap dorms, and cooking most of your meals, you could average between 40-50 Eur per day. It would be a tight budget but you could definitely do it. One of the biggest costs in Europe is accommodation so reducing that cost will help a lot!

However, if you wanted some flexibility in your schedule, planned to eat out only stay in hostels, and visit a lot of places, plan for around 70 euros a day.

If you’re going to stay in only private rooms or Airbnb as well as eat at sit down restaurants every meal, I’d say budget closer to 100 euros to be safe.

***

A trip to Western Europe can cost a lot of money. It’s never going to be a cheap area of the world to travel but with some smart money management and follow the tips in this post, Western Europe can become at least an affordable place to visit. Control your costs and you can be able to see anything!

Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

My detailed, 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guidebooks and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money while backpacking around Europe. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more! Click here to learn more and get started!
 

Also look at my other Europe guides:

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Why I Love Solo Female Travel More in My Thirties

Posted: 11/1/2018 | November 1st, 2018

11/1/2018 | November 1st, 2018

Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes our regular column on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an expert to share her advice for other women travelers to help cover the topics important and specific to them!

The first time I went overseas alone, I was 21 years old and terrified. Everything was an unknown. Would I meet people? Would I be safe? Did I have what it took?

I had landed in Taiwan as a language student and finding a place to live, opening a bank account, and setting up a cell phone all seemed like insurmountable obstacles. I spent my first three days on the road hiding in a hotel room, afraid to emerge, and fumbled at a language I barely knew.

But, eventually, I met my new roommate via a forum online, made friends with her friends, and grew to love everything that traveling solo entailed.

That positive experience was the start to a journey that had me quitting my job to travel around the world at twenty-six.

Traveling solo in my twenties was fun and social. Staying in dorms made meeting people easy. All I had to do is walk into the dorm room, say hello, and, usually, I had a few built-in friends right off the bat. As anyone who frequents dorms knows, they tend to be party places. Almost every hostel has a bar and a common way of experiencing the freedom of being abroad is to do so with a drink in hand. My main objective back then was to go for as long as I could on the money I’d saved up and to have as much fun as possible.

As I crossed into my 30s I suddenly found that – without ever really realizing it – my travel style changed. I stopped wanting to stay in hostels, I stopped having as much interest in bars, I started to really like sleep and having my own room.

When I geared up to go backpacking again this year, I began to worry, am I going to be a weird girl who is in between, not staying in dorms as much anymore but still wanting to be social? Is traveling solo going to get tougher? Will it get harder to meet people?

I found that a lot has changed about how I travel now, but traveling in my thirties is proving to be much more fulfilling than in it was my twenties.

Why?

I can afford better accommodation.

For most

For most gap yearers and twentysomething travelers, it’s all about going for as long as possible on a tight budget. One of the easiest ways to do that is to stay in cheap dorms. They’re great for meeting others, and for two solid years in my 20s, I adored them. But for all of the benefits, there’s one big problem with dorms: They’re not so great if you actually like sleep.

Getting older has meant making a bit more money to spend on accommodation. I’ve been in my career for longer, have figured out budgeting a bit better, and have shifted my spending priorities. I now prefer staying in an Airbnb or a hotel over sharing a room with five other people and waiting in line for my turn to use the bathroom. So my dorm days are behind me. Gone are the days of suffering through someone snoring or gyrating in the bunk above me.

Though this means I have to work harder to meet people than just walking into a dorm room and asking someone where they’re from, this has pushed me to meet people in other ways. This leads me to the next big change:

I establish deeper connections with the people I meet.

Traveling in my twenties came with a pretty standard way of socializing: dorms and bars. I’d meet people where I was staying and wouldn’t worry about using other avenues. These connections were fun, but they also felt like the movie Groundhog Day. Someone was always leaving; someone was always arriving. Someone was always asking where I was from and where I’d been. I still made deep connections, but now I tend to spend more time with fewer people because I simply don’t meet as many, so I can give more individualized attention to those I do meet.

Traveling in my twenties came with a pretty standard way of socializing: dorms and bars. I’d meet people where I was staying and wouldn’t worry about using other avenues. These connections were fun, but they also felt like the movie Groundhog Day. Someone was always leaving; someone was always arriving. Someone was always asking where I was from and where I’d been. I still made deep connections, but now I tend to spend more time with fewer people because I simply don’t meet as many, so I can give more individualized attention to those I do meet.

These days I use tours and activities as a way to meet people, like a snorkeling day tour in Siargao, Philippines, or a cooking course in Chiang Mai, or a yoga class, a meditation retreat, a hiking trail, a diving trip, or a day at the beach. I find that when I’m in a position to meet people with similar interests, it gives us a chance to bond over a shared activity we’re both passionate about. By already having a shared passion, we have a common ground other than partying and can often have more meaningful connections this way.

I hang out with more locals.

When I was living the dorm life and hanging out in backpacker zones, that’s exactly who I was surrounded by — other backpackers. That was what I wanted back then – it was fun and easy – so I didn’t push myself outside of it.

When I was living the dorm life and hanging out in backpacker zones, that’s exactly who I was surrounded by — other backpackers. That was what I wanted back then – it was fun and easy – so I didn’t push myself outside of it.

But when I returned to some of the same places in my thirties, I realized that I was more likely to hang out with actual local residents or expats, since I was going to places like yoga studios or small cafés, or local cultural events I’d seen on flyers, and striking up conversations. To find local events, I often look on Facebook for regional groups of activities I enjoy, like Ecstatic Dance, or meditation, or even a workout class (I’m into pole but there are other activities like Soul Cycle, or aerial yoga, or rock climbing, depending on your pleasure).

Things like this often give me a better insight into the places I’m visiting because I am doing what the locals are doing and not just what travelers are doing. It’s not that this couldn’t happen before. It just didn’t as much before because I was so comfortable in my little bubble.

I care more about having nicer meals.

I knew street food was delicious in my twenties — and it’s still true in my thirties. I still love having a cheap bowl of soup — but I also love turning around and spending triple that on a latte, or going for a 5-star meal that you can only get from that chef in this place.

I knew street food was delicious in my twenties — and it’s still true in my thirties. I still love having a cheap bowl of soup — but I also love turning around and spending triple that on a latte, or going for a 5-star meal that you can only get from that chef in this place.

There were many times I had to give a one-of-a-kind dining experience a pass in my twenties due to budget constraints. I think I still could have made it work sparingly back then, but my priorities were different. I preferred a night out partying to eating more expensive food, and I now realize my mistake. Food is one of the best gateways to understanding a culture, and while street food can provide that gateway, it’s only one of many.

For example, I recently ate at a kaiseki restaurant in Japan, which is a multi-course meal that typically costs a bare minimum of $150. Weeks later, I’m still thinking about how creative the meal was, and how unique of an experience it was to sit across from the chefs as they made the food and presented it to me. That was an experience I’ll probably never forget, and though I love cheap noodles, I don’t often think about them the same way weeks later.

Sometimes being an (older) adult is awesome for joys like this.

I’m more comfortable with me.

I spent my 20s feeling serious FOMO if I wasn’t out enjoying the social aspect of traveling. I also spent way too much time worrying about what other people thought and I didn’t have a very strong sense of self. Traveling, especially solo, forced me to spend more time with myself than I ever had before,

I spent my 20s feeling serious FOMO if I wasn’t out enjoying the social aspect of traveling. I also spent way too much time worrying about what other people thought and I didn’t have a very strong sense of self. Traveling, especially solo, forced me to spend more time with myself than I ever had before, made me realize how resourceful and capable I am, and set me up for a more confident next decade.

Now I relish the time that I spend alone. I’m seeing a whole new world that was missing from my twenties, like the sunrise every day in Thailand, the first surf in Kuta, Indonesia, or the cenote in Mexico (a limestone sinkhole or cave with crystal clear water at the bottom) that doesn’t have anyone else around because they’re all sleeping off tequila hangovers, because they couldn’t handle the FOMO.

I thought that my twenties were the decade when I was supposed to be super energetic and that I would be old and decrepit in my thirties, but it turns out that since I am making healthier choices and setting different intentions with my travels, I actually accomplish so much more!

***

Though the changes have been slow and unconscious — there was never a pivotal “aha!” moment — I’m a different traveler now. Although I don’t have any more stories about late nights out or neon paint on the beach, there’s more purpose to my travels now instead.

And I’m ok with that.

I feel that the perks of being older and wiser keep compounding, and at an even quicker rate than they did in my twenties, when I was less sure of myself and where I wanted to go, both figuratively and while on the road. The confidence that came with more life experience has translated to even better trips abroad.

None of this is to say that traveling in one’s twenties is somehow inferior or less genuine, or that this is everyone’s travel progression. We’re all on our own personal journeys.

But for me, like a fine kombucha, traveling seems to just get better and better with age.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book and start reading it today!

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation
To find the best budget accommodation, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time. You can book your hostel – if you want that instead – with Hostelworld as they have the most comprehensive inventory.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!

How Gay Travel is Different (And Why it Matters)

In an effort to expand the site, I’ve been adding more guest contributors and, today, I’m announcing a LGBT column for the website. In this column, we will hear from voices in the LGBT community about their experiences on the road, safety tips, events, and, overall, advice for other LGBT travelers get the most out of their time on the road! So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce everyone to Adam from travelsofadam.com. He’s going to be the lead for this column (though we’ll shortly have writings from other voices in the community too!).

“Gay” travel can be an awkward topic for many, mostly because to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) is really to be a part of an incredibly diverse group of people. There are gay families who travel, solo gay travelers (like myself), solo lesbian travelers, ones who travel for festivals or nightlife or honeymoons, those that take cruises or splurge on luxury trips, and ones who rough it camping and backpacking in faraway places.

And just like every other type of traveler, we travel for our own personal reasons. Every aspect of what makes us unique also contributes to how, where, and why we travel. I travel because I love to travel, and I just happen to be gay.

That’s not to say I don’t also travel gay. Sometimes my sexuality also influences the how, why, and where I choose to visit a place. For example, I chose Berlin because I’d heard it was a gay hot spot, and I purposefully timed my trip to visit during the city’s annual gay pride celebrations, the Christopher Street Day parade — a time when I knew there’d be plenty of gay parties to attend and guys to meet. I was looking for a gay holiday (a gaycation, if you will), and I found it. Glitter and all.

But what does LGBT travel really mean?

It’s about safety, it’s about comfort, it’s about politics. But it’s also about welcoming events, friendly accommodation, and having fun with similar travelers.

The issues that LGBT travelers face are different than other travelers. To travel as a solo gay guy (hi!) is different than traveling as a lesbian couple or as a transgender person. There are different festivals and events, different meet-ups — and different reasons to worry.

There are still plenty of places around the world where being gay isn’t safe, nor is it comfortable — for locals or for tourists. But that doesn’t mean traveling as an LGBT individual is always dangerous. It’s frequently just a matter of having to know where and when one can disclose one’s sexuality through words or actions, and also the dangers or consequences (if any) for doing so. This is something straight people or opposite-sex couples almost never have to think about.

But in some places I’ve traveled, being gay isn’t even often considered an option. I’ve had awkward taxi rides in Jordan and Egypt, in Thailand and India: “Where’s your girlfriend? Why don’t you have a girl?”

I might respond with a visible sigh, trying to change the subject, or else a simple “I don’t have a girlfriend” and then avert my eyes and make myself look busy. In Jordan, at a café near Petra, one guy’s question was, “You gay?” Short and to the point. I replied with a grin and a “yeah”, and we left it at that, still sharing a bowl of hummus — just a bit quieter now.

Travel safety is different for every individual on every part of the LGBT spectrum. One friend (non-binary, genderfluid, queer identified) described to me an experience on a cruise to the Bahamas, where the ship hosted a “queer hour,” which was, in actuality, mostly heterosexual bachelor and bachelorette parties. And even when this friend tried to be “out” in their supposed safe space, they didn’t feel safe.

That’s not to say it’s all awkward, though. There was the time in Cambodia when I followed a group of backpackers from my hostel to what was supposed to be a cool local bar, the Lao-Lao Beer Garden. Little did I know it was also a hot spot for some of the gay locals, who after realizing I was gay offered me a number of tips for other LGBT things to see in the city.

Traveling somewhere as an LGBT traveler requires you to think about a lot of things:

• What’s the LGBT rights situation of the destination?
• Should I hide my sexuality? What is the safety situation like for openly LGBT travelers?
• What organizations are there for my safety? What is the attitude of the police?
• What LGBT resources are there (websites, newspapers, etc.)?
• Where is the LGBT scene?
• If I’m traveling with a partner, do we need to worry about booking one bed or two, or being more than friends in public?

The crowd-sourced website Equaldex.com curates LGBT rights and news around the world, and 76crimes.com reports on the 76+ countries where homosexuality is still illegal. Even the U.S. State Department publishes a useful page with LGBT travel information.

One of the joys of travel is meeting people and sharing experiences. But for LGBT travelers, it’s not always advisable to out oneself among strangers. Personally, as a gay traveler, I want to know and understand the world I’m in — so I seek out local LGBT organizations, places, events, and meet-ups (Couchsurfing, Meet-Up.com, and local LGBT have good lists of things going on) to learn more about the situation wherever I am.

There are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people all over the world. So when I feel safe to do so, I’m happy to talk about my sexuality, about who I am, with both foreigners and other travelers who might not immediately know another gay man.

All that said, traveling as an LGBT individual today is much easier than it used to be. In many places around the world, being gay isn’t much of a big deal anymore. And I suppose that’s the point about being gay and being a traveler today.

Many gay travelers I’ve spoken to have said the same. We don’t want to be labeled or put in boxes when traveling, and we’re certainly not always stereotypes. But the reality of the world is sometimes it’s just much more comfortable to travel to places already identified as LGBT friendly, to book with gay-friendly hotels, and to seek out other LGBTs abroad.

Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing my gay travel tips and stories here on Nomadic Matt. I’m really excited to share my big gay world of travel with you — it’s a subject often overlooked in the travel world. Pick up any guidebook and you’ll be lucky to find more than one or two gay bars mentioned for a single place, when in reality, there are many, many more (often underground, sometimes seedy, and usually a bit hard to track down).

Stay tuned for future posts about how to meet other LGBT travelers on the road (besides the obvious apps) and my tips for the best gay travel apps, destinations, festivals, and events. Comment below with other topics you’d like to see, or with any questions you might have about traveling as a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person.

Adam Groffman is a former graphic designer who left a publishing job in Boston to travel around the world, before settling in Berlin, Germany. He’s a gay travel expert, writer, and blogger and publishes a series of LGBT-friendly Hipster City Guides from around the world on his gay travel blog, Travels of Adam. When he’s not out exploring the coolest bars and clubs, he’s usually enjoying the local arts and culture scene. Find more of his travel tips (and embarrassing stories) on Twitter @travelsofadam.

P.S. Read about Auston and David, a gay couple traveling around the world, here. Like Adam, they offer lots of tips for LGBT travelers who want to get out and explore the world safely and happily!

Vagabonding: The Art of Long-Term World Travel

When I first started thinking about traveling the world, I bought a book most of you have probably heard of: Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts. It was a treatise on the personal and world benefits of travel, especially long-term travel. That book put into words all the thoughts and feelings I had about travel at the time and helped ease a lot of the fears I had about my decision to quit my job and travel the world.

In my view, if long-term travel and backpacking had a bible, this would be it. No book has ever come as close to expressing the philosophy of long-term travel as this one. I still have my original copy and occasionally thumb through chapters.

Since starting this website, Rolf and I have become friends (it’s cool being friends with someone whose words changed your life) and this month marks the tenth anniversary of his book. Rolf is re-releasing the book in an audio format (it’s also the first book in the Tim Ferriss Book Club) and, to celebrate the book turning ten, I wanted to bring Rolf back on the site to talk about the fine art of vagabonding (I first interviewed him in 2009).

Nomadic Matt:  O.K., first question: How do you feel that your baby is ten years old? What kind of emotions does that make you feel?
Rolf Potts: It feels great. Especially when, so far as I can tell, more people are reading it ten years on than did when it first came out. I had high hopes when the book debuted, but the response continues to exceed my expectations.

How do you feel about creating a book that people view as the bible of long-term travel?
It’s humbling. I remember all those months I spent alone in a room in southern Thailand, putting the book together sentence by sentence. In that situation it’s hard to know what will come of your labors, even if it feels like you’re creating something special. The initial response to the book was encouraging, especially considering that it came out around the time the U.S. military was invading Iraq and most news outlets were shying away from travel. It wasn’t until a couple of years after the book’s debut, when vagabonders started telling me about pirated copies for sale in the backpacker ghettos of Vietnam, that I knew it had caught on at a grassroots level.

When I first interviewed you in 2009, my site wasn’t even a year old and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. When you started writing this book, did you have any idea it would take you in the direction it has?
I think it’s hard to ever really know where you’re headed when you undertake a project like that. When I was first approached about writing the book I didn’t have grand ambitions to become a travel guru. The travel stories I’d been writing for Salon were reportorial and narrative, and rarely offered much in the way of travel advice. But Salon readers kept emailing and asking me how I was able to keep traveling for so long, and the suggestions I posted on my website tended to be philosophical in nature. At the time it didn’t occur to me to post budgeting strategies or packing tips, since I figured readers could figure that out on their own.

The most important motivating factors in my long-term travel career had been existential ones — factors that were rooted in cultivating a mindset that made vagabonding possible — so that’s what I detailed on my website, and that’s what caught the attention of an editor at Random House. Once I began writing Vagabonding the book took on a broad practical component, but its philosophical core is what resonated most with readers.

How did the success of the book shape your desires for being a writer? And is it hard to live up to the expectations such a big first book can create?
Because from the outset I was more vested in reportorial-narrative travel writing, Vagabonding has ended up being a nice complement to the rest of my career. In the introduction chapter of the book, I poke fun at the idea of creating a “Vagabonding publishing empire,” before going on to declare that I planned to write the book in such a way that it didn’t require sequels or spinoffs. So it’s been nice not to have to compete against myself. My second book, Marco Polo Didn’t Go There, won lots of awards, but it hasn’t sold nearly as many copies as Vagabonding — and that makes sense, because it’s a more specialized, narrative book, less given to broad advice. Vagabonding is for anyone who’s ever dreamed of travel, whereas the Marco Polo book has been embraced by a more specialized readership, one that is already interested in travel and travel writing.

So, while my public speaking gigs still tend to focus on vagabonding, I’ve taken my creative life in new directions. Instead of trying to live up to in-the-box expectations, I’ve taken on video and graphic narrative projects, I’ve done long-form reportage for Sports Illustrated, I’ve taught writing at Penn and Yale and the Paris American Academy. I may never write a book that proves as popular as Vagabonding, but I’d reckon that allows me to follow my heart and do what interests me rather than try to re-create or outdo my first book.

Many of your experiences in the book happened when you were young. When you think back to the book and re-read, have any of your thoughts and feelings changed?
I think those early travel experiences are the best ones to draw from when writing a book like Vagabonding, since those are the experiences readers will identify with. As I’m sure you know, there’s a point at which a lot of the motivations and routines of long-term travel become internalized and intuitive. But you don’t want to rely too much on a voice that infers travel as something normal; you want to convey how exciting and intimidating and extraordinary travel can be, and that’s why you draw so much on those early experiences. Some of those experiences happened almost 20 years ago now, but they still resonate with me. When I was listening to working-edits of the Vagabonding audiobook a few weeks ago, I kept getting caught up in the same feelings of wanderlust I felt when I was just starting out as a traveler. So the thoughts and feelings I convey in the book haven’t changed; I’ve just grown a little older since I wrote them down.

How do you feel about how traveling and backpacking has evolved?
It feels like the prospect of traveling and backpacking gets less intimidating with each passing year. There is just so much more information out there, so many ways to get online and see how people are doing it in real-time, so many gadgets and apps that make the workaday details of travel easier. This in mind, there’s less excuse than ever for not traveling. In some ways, long-term travel has become so easy that I kind of miss the old difficulties and hardships that made travel so surprising and rewarding — yet I like to think that today’s vagabonders can get just as much from the experience as those of a generation ago.

This is often just a matter of embracing the present moment for what it is and not worrying about the presumed glories of some bygone era. A few years ago I was giving a talk at a university in Italy, and the students kept telling me how jealous they were that I’d been to Southeast Asia in 1999, when “real travel” was still possible there. I had to laugh, since in 1999 backpackers often complained about how they wished they’d been to Thailand in, say, 1979. No doubt the backpackers of 1979 also looked back with fantasies of an even earlier era. But of course all we really have is the present moment, and vagabonding can be amazing as ever if you allow it to be, regardless of how things have changed.

I feel too many travelers/potential travelers long for this “real” experience that is, in part, mythic fantasy based on humans’ innate desire to discover. We all want to unleash our inner Indiana Jones. As you said, the core philosophical nature of the book hasn’t changed. Do you think part of the reason why your book has done well is that it articulates that desire so effectively?
I spend a lot of time in the book downplaying fantasies and daydreams, and encouraging readers to embrace reality — since reality itself is what will deliver the complex and challenging and utterly amazing experiences that make the journey worthwhile. I also talk about how getting off the beaten path is a lot easier than it seems. One reason backpackers have always worried that destinations are getting “spoiled” is that they instinctively seek out other backpackers. Thus, surrounded by other travelers at a given hangout, they assume the whole world has been discovered. As I point out in Vagabonding, you don’t need to be Indiana Jones to discover something new and amazing; you usually just have to walk 20 minutes in any direction, or take a bus to a town that isn’t listed in your guidebook. So yes, I try to strike a balance between acknowledging the desire to experience something “real,” and articulating how simple and counterintuitive it is to find “real” experiences on the road.

In our first interview, I asked you what advice you would have for a new traveler. You said “slow down and enjoy yourself.” Four years later, is that still your number one piece of advice?
Absolutely — and for all the reasons we’ve just been talking about. Thanks to technology, it’s easier than ever to know what you’re missing in 100 other places and thus miss out on where you are. Moreover, the temptation is greater than ever to micromanage each step of your journey, to the point where you end up chained to the abstraction of an itinerary rather than trusting your instincts and responding to what’s right in front of you. Forcing yourself to slow down and improvise your way through each new day on the road is the best way to break out of the habits of home and embrace the amazing possibilities a journey promises.

The new audio version of Rolf’s classic can be found on Audible. In celebration of the re-release, he created some videos for the book and I want to share the below about why “someday” will never come:

That excerpt comes from the first section of his book and it sums up perfectly why I made the decision to travel the world: you can’t put off your dreams until tomorrow.

Rolf’s book was extremely influential in my development as a traveler. If you haven’t read it yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. Vagabonding will leave you confident that your decision to travel was the right one.

Reflections on Traveling Through Morocco

Have you ever loved a destination but couldn’t figure out why, or a way to express your feelings? That’s my dilemma with Morocco.

In August, I went with Intrepid Travel and crossed off a country that has long been on my bucket list. I rode a camel, drank all the mint tea I could find, got lost in medinas, and ate more couscous than I thought was humanly possible.

I loved the tour. Our guide Rashid was friendly, took us out to smoke shisha, introduced us to the locals, and was generally very helpful. I made friends with my tour mates and got along with my roommate. And Morocco itself – wow! I loved walking down the street and being barraged by the smell of 1000 diffrent spices, getting lost in the maze-like medinas with their endless nooks and crannies, the chaos of millions of people shuffling about with vendors vying for your attention, and the crimson red of the Sahara with its endless rolling dunes — they were all I wanted them to be! Sure, there were many overwhelming moments when I felt like a fish out of water and things didn’t go my way but I relish those moments!

Travel is about feeling uncomfortable. It’s one of the reasons I enjoyed Ukraine so much, where I was completely out of my element. The country challenged me and I loved it. I fawn over it every chance I get!

Morocco was everything I wanted it to be. It lived up to all my expectations, but for some reason, my experience has been hard to verbalize. Why can’t I express how I feel about Morocco? It’s been bothering me for months.

I’ve racked my brain thinking about it, pondered it on trains, and stared at a blinking cursor while trying to write about it.

Then, suddenly a few weeks ago, the reason hit me.

One constant in my travels — and I’m sure many of you might feel the same — is that of a touchstone, one defining point where the trip all comes together and acts as a prism for everything the journey represented. On my trip to Japan, it was befriending a local who wanted to learn English. In Costa Rica, it was getting lost in a jungle. In Ukraine, it was drinking vodka with locals who knew less English than I knew Russian (and I only know “cheers” and “hello”). On my first visit to Thailand, it was meeting those five people who changed my life. In Ios, it was being taken to a local community festival by my hostel owner.

My trips revolve around one memory that crystalizes the trip and puts everything into focus. Each of the moments ties together all my other memories of a place: the food, the smells, the sights, the people. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the place and acts as the door to all other memories.

Despite the wonderful times I had and the amazing itinerary Intrepid put together, I’ve realized the reason I’m so ambivalent about Morocco is because I lack that touchstone. There’s no “whoa” moment I can point to where I felt ultra-connected to the country, where everything came together.

But writing this article has made me realize that I have thousands of little moments — staring at the a million stars in the backness of the desert, wandering the empty ruins of Volubilis, discovering new foods with some amazing Australians on my tour, befriending the fish sellers and gorging on fresh seafood in Essaouira, getting lost in medinas, haggling over a chess set and laughing with the seller, and drinking about 1,000 pots of mint tea (OK, slight exaggeration, it was more likely 999).

So maybe you don’t need that one special moment. Maybe I’ve relied on that touchstone as a crutch for too long.

Paul Theroux once said travel is only glamorous in retrospect. I’m not sure I agree with that but what I am sure about is that, in retrospect, I’m only now truly appreciating the time I spent in Morocco and how unique it was.

Sometimes your senses get so battered it takes time for the dust to settle, the thoughts to process, and the wonderful moments to shine through.

*****Editor’s Note: I went to Morocco with Intrepid Travel on their Best of Morocco tour. It was part of my ongoing partnership with

: I went to Morocco with Intrepid Travel on their Best of Morocco tour. It was part of my ongoing partnership with Intrepid Travel . They covered the cost of the tour, flight, and meals.

What I Learned Hitchhiking Around China

Posted: 12/10/2014 | December 10th, 2014

On the second Wednesday of the month, Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t cover so I brought in an expert to share her advice. 

It was February in China and, considering the town of Lijiang’s elevation in Yunnan province, still very much a cold winter wonderland. Standing outside waiting wasn’t how I wanted to spend the morning. But Ya Ting had such enthusiasm for the idea of hitchhiking that opting for the bus just seemed boring at this point. She had been hitchhiking around China for months and considered it such a casual and obvious option that it took the fear right out of me.

China had been on my bucket list ever since studying Mandarin in Taiwan seven years prior. I knew from conversations with friends that traveling around China would not be as carefree and easy as in Southeast Asia. What I didn’t plan on was spending about a month without coming across another foreigner, hitchhiking over 1,000 miles, and learning more about Chinese culture and hospitality than I think possible from traveling by bus or train.

Ya Ting had taken me under her wing after hearing me speaking Mandarin in a hostel dorm in Lijiang. She was fascinated by my fluency and wanted to travel together, which was how we ended up on the side of the road looking for a ride to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Within 20 minutes, we had our first ride. I guess it wouldn’t take hours after all. He couldn’t take us all the way and ended up dropping us at a freeway crossroads. I figured that would be the end of our luck, but almost immediately we got another ride.

Hitchhiking turned out to be more of a study of anthropology than a scary, irresponsible joy ride. It was astonishingly easy and drivers turned out to be incredibly nice and normal. As a new hitchhiker, I expected creeps and serial murderers I’d have to fight off with mace. In reality, they came from all normal walks of life: members of minority village tribes, university students, and businessmen returning home from a work trip.

Not once did I feel threatened or unsafe.

Our most noteworthy encounter was when a twenty-something kid picked us up. He couldn’t take us the whole way so his uncle bought us lunch and a bus ticket for the rest of the journey. It’s as though he felt obligated to help us find a way to complete our trip. It brought tears of joy and gratitude to my eyes. This was the first time I understood the importance of generosity and the high esteem that guests command in China. It was a selfless act that would repeat itself in the weeks to come.

Ya Ting’s theory had been that we were so getting so lucky because we were a local and a foreigner together, and that had sparked intrigue. She didn’t think we would get so lucky once we split up. After a few weeks traveling together, we said good-bye and I would test her theory.

I stood behind the tollbooth on a heavily trafficked highway on-ramp in Sichuan province, casually lowering my thumb each time a police car drove by. I was well aware of the challenge before me. Ya Ting was no longer around to do the talking, nor did I have someone to lean upon if something went wrong. Now I was just a strange foreigner on her own who suddenly had to manage with a borderline-conversational Mandarin ability.

At first, a few cars slowed down for a closer look, only to speed off. Then others simply weren’t going in my direction. Minutes stretched on, and I was feeling defeated. After about 30 minutes (or an eternity depending on who is counting), a kind duo picked me up and took me the entire eight hours to Chengdu. They hosted lunch on the way, and, as I had come to learn was typical of Chinese culture, refused to allow me to pay for any of it. I was amazed at the kindness that was still extended to me now that I was just a foreigner on her own and no longer had Ya Ting’s dynamic personality to help me along. This reinforced my belief that people weren’t being friendly because of Ya Ting but that Chinese culture dictates a hospitality we don’t often see in the West.

A week later, two business partners returning from a trip from Tibet picked me up. They drove about twice as fast as the buses and, in between white-knuckling it in the back seat and eating the occasional slice of yak jerky (delicious dehydrated beef-like meat with Tibetan spices), we discussed the topography of California as compared to Sichuan province.

They stopped on the way for a lunch of the famous ya an fish, which the driver, Mr. Li, had selected from the fish tank, along with some six other massive dishes to be split among us three people. He explained that the fish had a double-edged sword inside its head. Given my perplexed expression he elected to show me, calling over the waitress and asking her to break the fish’s head open.

I was all but convinced I was going to have to eat fish brain until the waitress triumphantly pulled out a sword-shaped bone from the fish’s head. She then cleaned it and fashioned it into a bracelet. It simultaneously became the most sharp and lethal yet genuinely interesting piece of jewelry anyone had ever given me. It felt like my heart grew two sizes it that moment.

China smashed many of my perceptions. Before this, I never understood why anyone hitchhiked. Getting into vehicles with strangers seemed dangerous and stupid. In reality, it taught me about kindness, improved my language ability immensely, and provided an insider’s view as a foreigner in China. From eating meals with locals, to sitting in their cars, to hearing the music they liked most, or whether they preferred bagged chicken feet to dried fruit, I witnessed Chinese life in a way that almost nobody else gets to see. Without hitchhiking, I may never have understood the generous and communal nature of Chinese people.

Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over four years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). There’s almost nothing she won’t try and almost nowhere she won’t explore. You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over 20 interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book, how it can help you, and you can start reading it today!

Book Your Trip to China: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight to China by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel in China with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on China?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on China for even more planning tips!

How Arielle Found a Job Working on a Yacht

Posted: 12/26/2013 | December 26th, 2013

Money is what keeps people from traveling more, but it doesn’t have to. There are a lot of ways to earn money and travel. I saved over $20,000 for my original trip, but after I decided I never wanted to stop traveling, I knew I had to find a way to earn more money, so I taught English in Thailand and Taiwan.

However, if teaching isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other jobs to choose from. One of those jobs is crewing a boat and sailing around the world (two of my friends have done this). Today’s reader story is of Arielle and how she found a job working on a yacht in order to realize her dream of seeing the world (cue Little Mermaid references).

Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone about yourself.
Arielle: I live and work onboard a 40-meter private yacht. I left my home in Maryland after graduating from university in 2010 and headed to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to get a job working on yachts in order to fulfill my lust for travel. Traveling by water is also a passion of mine (not surprisingly), and landlocked states freak me out. I guess I can thank having a father in the Navy for that. Unlike many Navy brats, I was lucky to be able to grow up mostly in one place; however, we spent a few years in Italy when I was younger and that probably contributed to my love of international travel.

What inspired you to want to see the world by boat?
I always wanted to travel, and becoming another cog in the corporate machine after school just didn’t seem right. I definitely got my wanderlust from my parents, who have both traveled extensively. An older friend of mine had been in the yachting industry for years, and looking at his pictures and Facebook posts always made me so envious. What made me choose to follow in his particular footsteps, though, was the ability to earn and save money while working and traveling on yachts. My parents worked tirelessly to instill a sense of financial responsibility in my brother and me, so depleting funds was something I didn’t feel comfortable doing. I’m a very “live in the moment” person, but I always have the future in the back of my mind.

Did you feel overwhelmed at all during the planning process? If so, how did you get over it?
I think with any big change like this it’s totally normal to go through a period of being overwhelmed, but I also felt excited, anxious, sad, and scared, sometimes all simultaneously. It helped that I have an amazing support system at home that has always encouraged and supported me in my crazy endeavors. Focusing on saving money also kept me busy. I also had a friend who had been in yachting for a few years already and who was an invaluable resource and definitely led me on the right path. Because I would have been lost without his insight, I am always excited and open to helping anyone who has questions about getting into this kind of work as well.

Where did you go on your trip?
It started in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, which is a major yacht hub and a great place to look for work. On the boat, we’ve been to Western Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, British Columbia, and Alaska, and we’ve currently been hopping around the Pacific Northwest having some repairs done.

How did you save for your trip?
I worked at two restaurants waiting tables and worked as a nanny during the day. It was definitely exhausting, but I was able to save a few thousand dollars over 3–4 months. Now, I work on a yacht, and that pays for my adventures.

You work on a yacht to fund your travels? What is that like?
I live and work onboard a private yacht as a nanny to the captain’s son. We have a small crew for the size of our vessel, so we actually all kind of pitch in in all areas, as maintaining a private yacht is a lot of work. There are only five of us (besides the child) and we are very close. On the financial side, it’s great. Because I live on the boat, I have little to no living expenses, so most everything I make I can save (plus I know I’ll have accommodation anywhere we go)! I also get to see places from an interesting perspective as we sail past coastlines, and the marinas are often in great locations in city centers.

Is it hard to find one of these jobs? Do you need experience?
It’s probably “hard” in the sense that people wouldn’t think to look into this industry. People forget that it takes whole crews to run and maintain yachts, so the lifestyle per se isn’t just for the rich and famous. I would say once you know where to look, though, and how to go about getting certified, it still takes a bit of persistence and ambition to score a job. It seems to me that as the economy struggles, more people look into alternative work, and there has been a huge influx of potential “yachties” into this somewhat limited job field. Most people won’t have yachting experience, so experience in the hospitality field is usually a big plus (especially for stewardesses). However, all potential yacht crew are required to obtain a STCW ’95 certificate, which covers all basic yacht training, including fire and water safety training. As long as you are motivated and hardworking and exude a professional demeanor, you should be able to eventually find a job working on a yacht. (Matt says: Some good job websites are Jobs on Yachts, All Yacht Jobs, and Crew 4 Crew.)

Do you switch boats often?
I’ve been on the same boat for the past two years, as I was lucky to find one with a crew that I really get along with and one that has had a great itinerary. It’s not uncommon for other yachties to jump around from season to season though. However, longevity in a given job usually looks better on your CV.

How much time do you get in each port?
One thing you learn quickly working on yachts is that one week can turn into two or three months! That being said, at most ports we spend a few months, with occasional hopping around within a specific region here and there. For instance, we were in Bali for an entire summer, but this summer in Alaska we spent a few days to a few weeks at each port in the southeast region. There really is no “normal” in yachting.

What advice would you have for people trying to do what you’ve done?
Make sure you are mentally ready to spend 24/7 with your coworkers and live where you work. There is no escape from the job, so if you don’t think you have the personality to handle that, it might not be for you. Being clean-cut or shaven and having minimal to no tattoos or piercings are a HUGE advantage, as many employers won’t hire those with visible tattoos or piercings. Other than that, just being motivated and relentless will get you a foot in the industry.

How much longer are you going to do this? What’s next?
This job began as a one-year commitment, but I’m now going on my third year, which is a testament to how much I’ve enjoyed it. I think I’ve got about another year left in me before it’s time to start a new adventure. My dream has always been to study and perfect my French at La Sorbonne in Paris, so that will probably be my next move. I’ve been dying to get back to Europe and travel and explore that part of the world.

****
Arielle got a job working on a boat in order to fulfill her desire to travel the world. When you have limited funds, find a job like Arielle and use your skill or passion to earn money and keep you on the road.

Arielle got a job working on a boat in order to fulfill her desire to travel the world. When you have limited funds, find a job like Arielle and use your skill or passion to earn money and keep you on the road.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to think outside the box a bit and figure out ways to use your passion and skills to get out there, escape the cubicle, and see more of this world.

Become the Next Success Story

One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way but there are many ways to fund your trips and travel the world. I hope these stories show you that there is more than one way to travel and that it is within your grasp to reach your travel goals. Here are more examples of people who found work overseas to fund their trips:

We all come from different places, but we all have one thing in common: we all want to travel more.

Make today the day you take one step closer to traveling — whether it is buying a guidebook, booking a hostel, creating an itinerary, or going all the way and buying a plane ticket.

Remember, tomorrow may never come so don’t wait.

Conquering Mountains: The Guide to Solo Female Travel

For a complete A-to-Z guide on solo female travel, check out Kristin’s new book, Conquering Mountains. Besides discussing many of the practical tips of preparing and planning your trip, the book addresses the fears, safety issues, and emotional concerns women have about traveling alone. It features over twenty interviews with other female travel writers and travelers. Click here to learn more about the book, how it can help you, and you can start reading it today!

10 Epic Films to Inspire You to Visit Africa

Welcome to the latest Africa related post by our resident experts Natasha and Cameron from The World Pursuit. While I’ve been to the continent in the past (and I’m actually there right now!), I’ve only seen a few countries, whereas these two spent close a year driving around the continent. This month, they share their favorite films about Africa. (I’ve seen some of them. They are really good.)

For us, learning about where you are in the world is an essential part of traveling. Instead of reading history books and researching your days away online, we’ve found that a fun way to learn is by watching movies. After a year traveling around Southern and East Africa, we’ve logged hours and hours doing just that.

Many of these movies gave us that initial urge to make our way to this less-traveled continent. Scenes of heartbreak, rolling landscapes, and wild animals told us we just had to get to Africa and explore for ourselves. We want to share our favorite movies set in Africa with you, so maybe you will watch them and feel inspired to travel there as well.

The movies below cover a wide range of topics and genres, but all are based on true events that happened in Africa and give a greater understanding of what traveling there is like.

Out of Africa is that movie about Africa that everyone knows and adores. Romance, rolling plains, and lions — what’s not to love? We couldn’t help mentioning it, because, as clichéd as it is, it is one of our favorite movies about Africa. The scenery and landscapes are entrancing, and the breathtaking cinematography convinced us to get ourselves to the continent. If you want to get a glimpse into colonial times in East Africa, with a bit of romance and drama sprinkled in, then set aside a few hours for this classic. Before the movie came out in 1988, Kenya was a place for the rich and elite to go on safari. After this hit the screen, tourism in Kenya exploded.

Did you know that there are only 800 mountain gorillas left in the world? Nowadays they are heavily protected in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, just a few decades ago there were no conservation efforts to help these mystical animals. But primatologist Diane Fossey spent 18 years of her life studying the social interactions of mountain gorilla families in the Virunga Mountains of Rwanda; without her efforts, it is a real possibility the animals would have been extinct today. This 1988 drama chronicles her life’s work — both her struggles and achievements — and her mysterious death. The film depicts just how deep a bond between animal and human can grow.

In 2003, Kenya made African history by offering free primary education to its citizens. Unlikely hero Kimani Maruge, who had never received an education during British colonial times, decided to go to school for the first time at the ripe old age of 84. The First Grader depicts how Maruge persevered and excelled in elementary school, and how determination truly has no age limit, thus putting the importance of education for all, especially in rural Africa, in front of an international audience.

The Last King of Scotland is a must-watch before visiting Uganda. The ruthless Idi Amin became known for human rights abuses, corruption, torture, killing, and ethnic persecution during his brutal regime in the 1970s, causing an estimated 100,000-500,000 deaths, mostly Ugandans. The film’s name is taken from one of Amin’s self-proclaimed titles, the “King of Scotland.” It portrays Amin’s presidency through the eyes of his fictitious physician and conveys a sense of the political turmoil and hardship that the Ugandan people faced.

Most people have heard of the 1994 genocide that killed 500,000-1,000,000 Rwandans. During those dark days, Paul Rusembegi, the manager of the prominent Hôtel des Mille Collines in downtown Kigali, took in thousands of refugees, while making it look like the hotel was operating as usual. Although it was a tragic time in Rwanda, the movie at least has happy and uplifting points and showcases how strong the human spirit is. Of course, it’s not 100% factual, but it is a good jumping-off point for those who want to learn more about the Rwandan genocide. (We decided to visit the hotel when we were road-tripping through Rwanda earlier this year and were surprised to find that it is still one of the most beautiful and affluent hotels in Kigali.)

Based on the book of the same name, Half of a Yellow Sun follows two Nigerian sisters as their country’s civil car (also known as the Biafran War) breaks out in the late ’60s. Minute by minute, we watch as the sisters’ lives are decimated: family members die, others starve, and intellectuals become refugees in their own country. Although we haven’t been to Nigeria, the film and book do a great job of showing the atrocities of war, its effect on African women, the role of Western media and expats, and the results of colonialism.

The Queen of Katwe is an inspirational real-life story about one young girl defying all odds. Phiona Mutesi is growing up in the slums of Uganda’s capital when she is introduced to the game of chess. With the help of her teachers and family, she goes on to be one of Uganda’s best female chess champions. The poverty her family endures and the constant struggles that so many face in Africa make this film a hard one to watch, especially after seeing it in real life.

When we were in high school, there were two very tall African boys who looked just a tiny bit older than everyone else. We later learned that they were Sudanese refugees, or some of “The Lost Boys of Sudan,” the name given to over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were orphaned or displaced during the Sudanese civil war.A US government program allowed about 3,800 of these refugees to resettle in the United States. The Good Lie tells the story of three of these Lost Boys and their sister, whose lives are torn apart by a terrible war, and how they are relocated and integrated into American society.

Based on of Mandela’s own autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom lends viewers a deeper understanding of the politics of South Africa. The movie does a great job at showcasing historical events, but still mixes in the drama and action to keep viewers entertained. During our three months in South Africa, we saw images of the anti-apartheid revolutionary everywhere. From statues and important buildings to street names and street art, you can truly see the impact of Mandela.

This is not a film you’ll find on many lists about Africa, but it’s one of the most fitting for travelers to the continent. It also happens to be one of the first surf films of all time and led to the birth of a genre. The iconic and classic Endless Summer inspired a generation of surfers and travelers alike. This documentary by Bruce Brown follows two surfers as they leave the cold Californian coast behind in search of an “endless summer” in the Southern Hemisphere. They end up traveling to the coastlines of Senegal, Ghana, and South Africa, showcasing the excellent surf that can still be found in the Western Cape to this day. As world travelers and wanna-be surfers, that’s why we love it so much.

***There are so many great films about Africa that lend a better sense of the continent. Even if you’re not heading that way, give them a watch anyway. They are all entertaining and great works of art.

There are so many great films about Africa that lend a better sense of the continent. Even if you’re not heading that way, give them a watch anyway. They are all entertaining and great works of art.

Natasha and Cameron run the blog The World Pursuit, focusing on adventure and cultural travel. The two of them met in the film industry before they decided to abandon the American lifestyle and travel the world together. They’ve been traveling together for three years across 55 countries and six continents. They bought a 4×4 at the tip of Africa and are traversing the continent while documenting their story on Instagram and Facebook.