From true tales in national parks to futuristic stories set in the world’s largest ocean, these books touch on travel in new and, at times, surprising ways.

h.m. herget/national geographic creative Composed in the second millennium B.C., the Epic of Gilgamesh recounts the futile quest by its eponymous hero to find immortality.

5 of the best books to guide you around the Alps. Uncover the secrets of the peaks, with guides to Alpine flora and fauna, historic hotels, epic hikes and wild swimming spots.

Top travel reads for 2024, from memoirs to nature writing. From epic travelogues and nature writing to a pioneering travel publisher’s memoir, these titles will inspire adventure this year.

The Color Purple. Since it was first published in 1982, the critically acclaimed book has been targeted by movements pushing to censor the book's subject matter.

10 epic family adventures for last-minute planners These educational, kid-friendly North American trips teach lessons about science, culture, and conservation. By Heather Greenwood Davis ...

In the Welsh village of Hay-on-Wye, where sheep outnumber people and books spill onto the streets, a quiet revolution began. Antiquarian and academic Richard Booth inadvertently launched a global ...

Why Noah’s Ark will never be found. For more than a century, people have sought the Old Testament vessel that survived the biblical deluge. Archaeologists say it’s a fool’s errand.

National Geographic Explorer Tara Roberts considers Yemayá a powerful teacher of Black history. The West African Yoruba religion considers Yemayá the goddess of the rivers and seas.

This 6-foot-long, 200-pound catfish is a goliath—and makes an epic migration It’s the longest migration of any freshwater fish in the world, according to new research—and that creates a host ...

This mushroom season is one for the record books. Here’s why—and how to start shroom-hunting. More than 2,000 people showed up to Los Angeles Mycological Society's Wild Mushroom Fair in ...

Every trail offers a fresh adventure, whether you meander along a river, through a forest, or into a valley. With these 10 treks from around the globe, you'll take in views of gorgeous landscapes ...