On the Hippie Trail Audiobook By Rick Steves cover art

On the Hippie Trail

Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer

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On the Hippie Trail

By: Rick Steves
Narrated by: Rick Steves
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A 2026 Audie Awards Finalist!

Stow away with Rick Steves for a glimpse into the unforgettable moments, misadventures, and memories of his 1978 journey on the legendary Hippie Trail.

In the 1970s, the ultimate trip for any backpacker was the storied “Hippie Trail” from Istanbul to Kathmandu. A 23-year old Rick Steves made the trek, and like a travel writer in training, he documented everything along the way: jumping off a moving train, making friends in Tehran, getting lost in Lahore, getting high for the first time in Herat, battling leeches in Pokhara, and much more. The experience ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world.

This book contains edited selections from Rick’s journal and travel photos with a 45-years-later preface and postscript reflecting on how the journey changed his life. Stow away with Rick Steves on the adventure of a lifetime through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal.

You know Rick Steves. Now discover the adventure that made him the travel writer he is today.

Accolades & Awards

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Editors Select Travel Writing & Commentary Biographies & Memoirs Asia Nepal Iran Middle East

Editorial Review

The road no longer taken
A look at a world that is no more. That’s the gift contained in Rick Steves’s 1978 travel diary, which recounts his and pal Gene’s adventures on this countercultural rite of passage. There are days spent with party-hearty Tehran twentysomethings obsessed with American TV Westerns, mere months before the Islamic Revolution. And there's a Kabul trolley ride to the last stop—a standard Stevesian travel tip—where he falls into a robust debate with an Afghan professor as whispers of a Soviet invasion loom. Credit the elder Steves for not editing out some of the ignorant musings of his younger self, be they awkward, cringeworthy, or smacking of privilege. As the trip winds down, the self-awareness rises up, and we hear him grappling with the gulf and guilt of negotiating a good taxi price while surrounded by people struggling for sustenance. World events would soon put this popular bucket-list trek out of reach for most people. But the lessons are as indelible as a passport stamp: Go, lose the judgment at the border, be, and savor the time in the place you find yourself in. You may not have the chance to go that way again. —Maggie M., Audible Editor

Enlightening Travel Experiences • Authentic Cultural Insights • Authentic Narration • Life-changing Journey • Unique Voice

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Great story telling and written in a way that brings you along for the journey. Inspired by his message to keep on traveling.

Rick Never Disappoints!!!

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I didn’t dislike anything. I loved the stories. Loved all the unique experiences and imagining a boy of 23 with his buddy that no longer exists

Cutting it up in Asia.

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Goodness. I loved hearing 23 year old Steve’s perspective of the world. I especially loved his narration AS that 23 year old!

Wonderful Journey

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If you’re a fan of Rick Steves or even if you’re not, this is a must listen. Read by the author, it’s a recollection of his trip from Istanbul to Kathmandu and how his experiences changed him.

A great adventure and travel story

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Naive and nerdy first impressions are a thing of my adolescence. I have long admired and appreciated Rick’s Unique Voice and vision. He’s a folksy force of fun and world peace. His vivid descriptions of his formative foray into the far east is remarkably fully-formed. As frank, fluent and fun as his current work. Long may he continue. I hope this isn’t the last narration or memoir from this godly goofball.

Unique Voice and vision

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