Books to Inspire Travel in Central & South America

There’s a certain magic in traveling through the pages of a great book — especially when the setting matches your next destination. Whether you’re backpacking through the Andes or sipping coffee in a Peruvian plaza, the right story can crack open a place in a way no guidebook ever could. So, here’s your literary passport to some of Central & South America’s most popular travel destinations.

Books Set in Peru

Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams

Equal parts travelogue, history lesson, and hilarious fish-out-of-water memoir, this book is for anyone who’s ever dreamed of trekking to the lost city but also really enjoys hot showers. Published in 2011, Adams retraces the steps of Hiram Bingham — yes, that Hiram Bingham who introduced Machu Picchu to the modern world in 1911. Think Indiana Jones with an REI loyalty card.

Bonus shoutout: Lost City of the Incas by Bingham himself. It's the dusty academic tome that inspired generations of adventurers, even if it reads like a dissertation with altitude sickness.

Death in the Andes by Mario Vargas Llosa

A murder mystery wrapped in political commentary and set high in Peru’s bleak and beautiful Andean highlands, this 1993 novel is a literary thriller as well as an anthropological deep dive. Vargas Llosa uses the investigation of a series of disappearances to explore the intersection of myth, superstition, and state violence in a land where ancient spirits are just as feared as terrorist insurgents. Dark, haunting, and deeply human, it’s a must-read if you’re intrigued by the complexities beneath Peru’s postcard-perfect mountains.

Books Set in Chile

The Poetry of Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda didn’t just write poems, he wrote Chile into every stanza. Whether he's singing to onions or unraveling politics, Neruda’s odes carry the scent of the Pacific, the fire of revolution, and the slow dance of Santiago sunsets. Start with Residence on Earth or his Odes if you're feeling romantic or revolutionary (or both). His most famous work, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair, deserves a place on every romantic’s bookshelf. Published in 1924 when the poet was just 19 years old, it comes about as close to capturing young love as the written word ever could.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende

Isabel Allende published her debut novel in 1982 — a multigenerational saga soaked in magical realism, political turmoil, and familial drama. While she would go on to write dozens of acclaimed novels in the years proceeding, The House of the Spirits remains her most celebrated. Here, Allende blends the mystical with the historical in a way that feels like peeling back the layers of Chile itself. If you like your fiction with a side of spirits (literal and metaphorical), this one’s essential.

Books Set in Patagonia

In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin

A cult classic among travel lit nerds, Chatwin’s 1977 travel memoir is fragmented, curious, and impossible to categorize. Patagonia becomes a mythic landscape, peopled with outlaws, dreamers, and eccentrics. If you’re headed to the edge of the world — or just want to feel like you are — this is your must-read.

The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux

Part railway adventure, part cultural excavation, Theroux’s 1979 book begins in Boston and ends in the windswept far south of Argentina — but it’s the stretch through Patagonia that lingers. With his trademark blend of sharp observation and dry humor, the legendary travel writer captures the melancholic grandeur of the region, all while reflecting on the nature of travel itself. Expect cranky train rides, unexpected friendships, and a vivid sense of place.

Books Set in Ecuador

Galápagos by Kurt Vonnegut

If you already love Vonnegut, then you won’t need much convincing — but this bizarre evolutionary sci-fi romp written in 1985 kicks off in Ecuador before stranding its misfit cast in the Galápagos Islands. The satire is sharp, the ideas are big, and it pairs well with wind-blown isolation and existential questions. Vonnegut plays with time, genetics, and the absurdity of human behavior as a pandemic and financial collapse reshape the future of our species. A darkly funny meditation on what it means to be human — and what might come after.

The Queen of Water by Laura Resau and María Virginia Farinango

Based on a true story, this powerful coming-of-age novel follows Virginia, a young Indigenous girl from the Ecuadorian Andes, who is taken from her family to work as a servant in a mestizo household. The book vividly portrays the social and cultural tensions of Ecuador while celebrating resilience, identity, and the fight for self-determination. It's a deeply human story rooted in a very specific landscape — one that offers an important perspective on life beyond the usual tourist lens.

Books Set in Costa Rica

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Okay, so it’s not the most accurate depiction of Costa Rica, but it’s certainly the most iconic. Crichton set the launchpad for dino chaos in Costa Rican waters, and the jungle vibes are real — even if the velociraptors aren’t. A fun, pulpy read to match the region’s wild biodiversity.

Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World by Peter Chapman

Less fun, more furious — but essential. This fast-paced nonfiction unpacks how a fruit turned into a geopolitical weapon. From corporate coups to banana republics (literally), it offers sharp insight into how the history of Costa Rica — and much of Central America — was carved by capitalism.

Books Set Somewhere in South America…

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez While García Márquez’s book is set in the fictional town of Macondo (said to be inspired by his hometown of Aracataca, Colombia), this 1967 masterpiece is like stepping into a fever dream you never want to leave. Generations blur, time loops, and butterflies follow you through the jungle. It’s the heartbeat of Latin American literature and a must-read whether your passport’s stamped or not. Yes, the book got a Netflix adaptation in 2024, but trust us — read the book first.

Ready to Pack?

Books are one of the easiest things to pack and one of the best ways to travel deeper. Whether you’re tracing ancient ruins, navigating political history, or just kicking back in a hammock, these titles will let you explore Central & South America from the inside out.

Where’s your next literary layover?

Learn more about Collette’s tours to Central & South America.