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, documented everything along the way, from jumping off a moving train to making friends in Tehran to getting lost in Lahore to battling leeches in Pokhara. The experience ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world.

Forty-seven years-later, Steves reflects on how the journey through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal changed his life. He shares stories and the unforgettable moments, misadventures, and memories of his life-changing 1978 experience.

Steves’ new book On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer is available for purchase.

Book Sale Information

• Purchase your copy of On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer by Rick Steves here.
• SPECIAL NOTE: Politics and Prose is offering a 10% discount to Smithsonian Associates ticket-holders. To claim your discount, enter the code SPECIAL10 (no space between letters and numbers) in the “Coupon discount” or “Comments” section on Politics and Prose's check-out page.

General Information

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