A century-old travel companion is worth celebrating — especially one that shaped my five-month journey through Latin America in 1973. The South American Handbook just released its Centenary Edition (2025), marking over 100 years as the longest-running English‑language travel guide.
Few travel books can claim to have shaped the lives of generations of wanderlust trekkers. Fewer still can say they have done so for more than a century. The South American Handbook—first published in 1921 and now celebrating its 100th anniversary edition under the stewardship of Daniel Austin and Ben Box—belongs to that rare lineage of books that are not merely guides but cultural artifacts, historical documents, and, for many of us, lifelong companions.
I carried the Handbook with me for five months in 1973, hitchhiking, bussing, and walking my way across the Andes, the Amazon basin, and the Southern Cone. It was heavy, dog-eared, and indispensable. In an era before smartphones, before GPS, before the internet itself, the Handbook was the one object I trusted more than my own instincts. It was known as the Bible among Gringo backpackers and for good reason: it told you where to go, how to get there, what to expect, and—crucially—what not to do. It was authoritative without being authoritarian, practical without being dull, and worldly without being cynical.
Although I lost my original 1973 Handbook, as the author of the Yin and Yang of Travel, I’ve pulled out a copy of my latest version as a reminder of the places I’ve visited and the ones on which my stories are based. And reminders of where the places are located, the local culture and places I might have eaten or stayed at.
Over the years, the Handbook has provided information and inspiration as I write the books that make up my Yin and Yang of Travel Series. This series represents the duality of travel—both the outer journey of exploration and the inner journey of transformation. Through it, readers experience cultural immersion that goes beyond typical tourism, forging meaningful human connections and understanding across borders.
The centenary edition honors that legacy while expanding it. At 1,824 pages, it is a monumental achievement: a compendium of routes, histories, cultural insights, and logistical details that still feels surprisingly nimble in a traveler’s hands. Austin and Box, who have collectively shepherded the Handbook for decades, understand that the book’s power lies not in glossy photography or breezy anecdotes but in its commitment to useful, verified, on‑the‑ground knowledge.
Since 1921, the Handbook has maintained a consistent editorial philosophy: accuracy over flash, depth over trendiness, and respect for local cultures over tourist spectacle.
This continuity is no accident. The Handbook has had only a handful of editors across its entire lifespan—a remarkable fact in publishing. That stability allowed the guide to develop a distinctive voice: calm, informed, and quietly confident. It also attracted a remarkable roster of updaters over the decades, including two of my favorite writers, Paul Theroux and Graham Greene, who contributed field notes and updates during their own travels. Their involvement speaks to the Handbook’s reputation among serious travelers: it was the guide you used if you wanted to understand a place, not just pass through it.
In an age when most travelers rely on phones, apps, and ephemeral digital content, why does the Handbook persist as a physical book, even a hard copy? Authority and durability are the keys. Cell service fails, as do batteries, especially in the far-off places we like to explore, but not the hard copy.
The book is famously heavy. Travelers have been known to tear out the sections they need and discard the rest, as my fellow travel writers did. A practice as old as the Handbook itself, but that, too, is part of its mythology. A guide that can be disassembled and remain whole in spirit is a guide that has earned its place in the canon.
Other characteristics of the Handbook that have survived the years are country-by-country depth, precise prose, practical transportation, lodging, food, and services, cultural and historical context that reflect the complexity of South America, maps that are both functional and decorative, and spectacular photographs.
And yet, the centenary edition reflects the region’s geopolitical, cultural, and infrastructural changes. Borders have shifted; roads, airports, and ferry routes have changed; safety, visas, and transportation logistics have been updated, and the “Essential A-Z has expanded, including valuable tips for those traveling with children.
Austin and Box have preserved the Handbook’s soul while ensuring it remains relevant to contemporary travelers. The Handbook excels in the categories that matter, like where to stay (I never spent more than $2.45 on a hotel); where to eat (local and affordable), and how to get there, whether by train, bus, or foot. and what to avoid (although never with an alarmist tone).
The “Essentials A–Z” section is a masterclass in practical travel writing. It covers everything from banking and border crossings to children, communications, customs, and cultural etiquette. It is the kind of reference section that becomes more valuable the longer you travel.
The Handbook has endured because it is built on a simple but radical premise: travel is serious, and travelers deserve serious information. It does not pander. It does not simplify. It does not assume that the reader is a tourist. It assumes the reader is curious, capable, and willing to engage with South America on its own terms. That respect—for the traveler and for the continent—is what has kept the Handbook alive for 101 years.
The South American Handbook: 100th Anniversary Edition is more than a guidebook. It is a century-long conversation between travelers, editors, and the continent itself. For those of us who carried it through jungles, deserts, and high-altitude passes, it remains a symbol of curiosity, resilience, and the belief that the world is worth knowing deeply.
In an era of fleeting digital information, the Handbook stands as a reminder that some knowledge is best held in the hand, not the cloud.
About the Editors
Daniel Austin is a writer, photographer, and longtime Bradt Guide updater, known for his meticulous research and commitment to responsible travel. Ben Box has been the Handbook’s guiding voice for decades, overseeing countless editions and ensuring its tone, accuracy, and depth remain consistent. Together, they have carried the Handbook into its second century with intelligence, humility, and respect for the travelers who rely on it.
About the Reviewer
Mark D Walker was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala and spent over forty years helping disadvantaged people in the developing world. Walker’s three books are: Different Latitudes: My Life in the Peace Corps and Beyond; My Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road, named Best Travel Book of the Year; and The Guatemala Reader: Extraordinary Lives and Amazing Stories. He’s written 80 book reviews, and of his 30 published essays, two were recognized by the Solas Awards for Best Travel Writing. He’s a contributing writer for the “Arizona Authors Association Digest,” “The Wanderlust Journal,” “Literary Traveler,” and “The Great Writers You Should be Reading. “His wife and three children were born in Guatemala. You can learn more at www.MillionMileWalker.com