Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Your Trusted Source for Independent Travel Guides
Bradt Guides was founded in 1974 with a pioneering spirit, driven by a passion for uncovering lesser-known destinations and sharing them with the world. Our commitment to comprehensive, authentic travel guides has made us the largest independently-owned guidebook publisher globally, with over 200 titles in print. We specialise in destinations overlooked by mainstream publishers, offering in-depth insights crafted by expert authors who prioritise cultural respect, wildlife conservation, and sustainable travel practices. Our award-winning publications, including the iconic South American Handbook and a dedicated Slow Travel series, reflect decades of experience and a deep understanding of niche travel needs. We have consistently led the industry in post-conflict and first-of-their-kind guides, from Rwanda to the Baltic States, ensuring our readers access unique, responsibly curated travel experiences.Our team combines editorial excellence with a global network of writers, photographers, and partners to deliver content that transcends superficial checklists. Recognised with multiple accolades, including British Guild of Travel Writers awards and Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, we remain dedicated to our founding ethos of thoughtful exploration. Our Travel Club fosters a community of like-minded adventurers, offering exclusive benefits and tailored trip planning services. With a legacy spanning 50 years, we continue to champion less-visited places, proving that travel, when taken seriously, can be transformative for both explorers and the communities they encounter.
Services
Travel Guidebooks
Slow Travel Guides
Wildlife Guidebooks
Travel Literature
Gift Cards
Details
- Year established: 1974
Highlights and features
- We have pioneered guidebooks to post-conflict and first-time destinations since 1974.
- Our guides are written by expert authors with on-the-ground experience in niche regions.
- We specialise in sustainable travel and conservation-focused content.
- Award-winning publications, including multiple British Guild of Travel Writers accolades.
- We offer exclusive Travel Club benefits, including tailored trip planning services.
Services
Travel Guidebooks
Bradt's comprehensive travel guidebooks provide expert insights into over 200 destinations worldwide. Each title combines historical context, cultural tips, and practical logistics for authentic exploration. Our guides prioritise lesser-known regions, offering detailed recommendations for accommodations, dining, and activities while emphasizing sustainable travel practices.
Slow Travel Guides
Our Slow Travel series encourages immersive, unhurried exploration of specific regions. These guides focus on local culture, hidden gems, and community-based experiences, helping travelers connect deeply with destinations like the UK's countryside and Europe's lesser-visited towns through curated itineraries and expert storytelling.
Wildlife Guidebooks
Bradt's wildlife-focused publications highlight biodiversity hotspots and conservation efforts globally. These guides combine ecological information with practical advice for responsible wildlife watching, covering destinations from African safaris to South American rainforests, authored by specialists with field expertise.
Travel Literature
Our travel literature collection features narrative-driven works that blend personal exploration with cultural analysis. These books offer reflective perspectives on global journeys, from historical travelogues to contemporary accounts of remote regions, appealing to readers seeking deeper engagement with destinations.
Gift Cards
Bradt's digital gift cards provide flexible options for travel enthusiasts. Available in custom denominations, they grant recipients access to our full range of guidebooks, ebooks, and travel club memberships, making ideal presents for those planning adventures to unique destinations.
People
Hilary Bradt
Co-Founder, Director
Hilary co-founded Bradt Guides in 1974 after extensive travels in South America and Africa. A former occupational therapist, she received an MBE in 2008 and the BGTW Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to travel publishing and exploration of remote regions.
Adrian Phillips
Managing Director
Adrian has led Bradt since 2014, combining publishing expertise with a career as an award-winning travel writer and broadcaster. He contributes to major media outlets and has authored several guidebooks, including titles on Hungary and Budapest.
Anna Moores
Editorial and Creative Director
Anna oversees Bradt's editorial and design teams, ensuring high-quality publications since 2005. A grammar enthusiast, she balances meticulous editing with a passion for wildlife travel, having visited destinations like Rwanda for conservation-focused journeys.
Hugh Brune
Commercial Director
Hugh leads sales and marketing at Bradt, leveraging his publishing industry experience since 2001. He also works in film and theatre writing, bringing creative and commercial expertise to expand Bradt's global reach.
Neil Matthews
Marketing Executive
Neil manages press and events for Bradt, combining a marketing career across diverse sectors with travel writing achievements. He co-authored Bradt guidebooks and contributes to publications like Wanderlust, blending promotional expertise with on-the-ground travel knowledge.
Questions
What makes Bradt Guides different from other travel publishers?
We specialise in lesser-visited destinations and post-conflict regions, offering in-depth, responsibly researched guides written by experts with firsthand experience.
Do Bradt Guides offer digital versions of their books?
Yes, we provide ebooks and audiobooks alongside printed editions for all our titles.
How can I join the Bradt Travel Club?
Visit our website to choose from three membership tiers, each offering exclusive travel content, discounts, and tailored trip planning services.
Are Bradt Guides suitable for independent travelers?
Absolutely. Our guides prioritise cultural immersion, local insights, and practical advice for self-guided exploration.
Does Bradt Guides focus on sustainable travel?
Yes, we champion responsible tourism practices, with guides highlighting eco-friendly accommodations and conservation efforts.
Can I purchase gift cards from Bradt Guides?
Yes, we offer digital gift cards in any denomination for travel enthusiasts.
Videos
Reviews (5)
Heather Kirkland
Apr 26, 2020
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Used the Cape Verde, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Azores and Alentejo, Portugal, all the guides were really great. Full of detail and very interesting places to visit.
Sal Davison
Jun 16, 2019
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As soon as I've decided where I'm going for holidays I treat myself to a Bradt Guide. These guides have become an important part of the holiday build up!
Bill Hall
Dec 15, 2018
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Bought our first Bradt Guide. We are travel bloggers ( , a shameless plug!) and headed to Bosnia next week. Travel guides for the Balkans are not as common as other places and we stumbled upon this one. What a fantastic book! While other travel guides show you places to see, this guide goes into the "how and why" of the… history and culture so you get a real understanding of the place you're visiting. FANTASTIC travel guide with a true nuts and bolts approach. With just one guidebook you've made me a believer. Bradt will be our go to guidebook for future trips!
Pavol Kuspan
Nov 12, 2018
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Great books for less usual destinations. I especially love the history and culture chapters. Have used many of them, for instance in Macedonia, Iran, Armenia and Karabagh... Next month I am going to São Tomé and next spring to Uzbekistan, of course with Bradt guides in my backpack :) Really great job, guys. And I was wondering, what about a guide for Comoros? :)
Daniel Austin
Oct 17, 2016
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This office is the headquarters of Bradt Travel Guides, a travel guidebook publisher founded in the 1970s, which specialises in unusual and off-the-beaten-track destinations. Bradt is often praised for publishing pioneering books that stimulate tourism in hidden corners of the world where other publishers don't dare to venture - especially in Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia. These guides typically lean towards ecotourism and responsible travel. Bradt also publishes regional guides to the UK in their slow travel series, which encourages deeper appreciation of these areas at a gentle
