Karl Bushby began his long walk in November 1998 when he was 29 years old. The former British paratrooper decided he would walk around the world without using any kind of motor vehicle. At the time, he had
no clear idea of how long it would take, only that he would not stop until he reached home again.
Now 56, Bushby is close to the end of his journey. Nearly three decades later, the world around him has changed completely. When he started, no one was watching him online, but now many people follow his journey on social media, which puts extra pressure on him. He is about 1,000 miles away from finishing what is believed to be one of the longest walking journeys ever attempted.
This is Karl Bushby.
In 1998, he made a bar bet that he could walk from Chile to England.
27 years later, he is still walking. He has survived the Darién Gap, 57 days in a Russian prison, and traversing the Bering Strait on shifting ice. pic.twitter.com/0gWfqGhwS2
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) December 6, 2025
How The Journey First Began
Bushby started what he calls the Goliath Expedition at Punta Arenas in Chile, at the southern edge of South America. His goal was simple but extreme: walk all the way back to Hull, England, without using any motorised transport. According to the Washington Post, he is expected to reach home by September 2026 if everything goes as planned.
Over 27 years, he has walked through 25 countries. His route has taken him across mountains, deserts, jungles, war zones, and frozen seas. He has crossed Patagonia, the Andes, Central America, Mexico, the United States, Russia, Mongolia, and parts of Asia, covering nearly 31,000 miles on foot, as per The Washington Post.
Why The Walk Took Much Longer Than Planned
Bushby once thought the journey might take eight to twelve years. Instead, it stretched into nearly 30. Major events slowed him down, including money problems, visa issues, the 2008 financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the most dangerous parts of the walk was the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia. In 2006, he also crossed the frozen Bering Strait on foot from Alaska to Siberia with another adventurer, Dimitri Kieffer. In Russia, his progress was delayed for years due to visa trouble and a temporary entry ban.
Dangerous Routes And Hard Choices
In 2024, Bushby avoided entering Iran or returning to Russia due to safety concerns. Instead, he swam across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan, as per The Washington Post. The swim covered 179 miles and took 31 days, with support boats allowing him to rest.
After that, he walked through the Caucasus and Turkey. In 2025, he crossed into Europe by walking over the Bosphorus Strait and later passed through Romania.
The Rule He Never Broke
Bushby has always followed the same rule: no mechanical transport and no returning home until he arrives on foot. “I can’t use transport to advance, and I can’t go home until I arrive on foot. If I get stuck somewhere, I have to figure it out,” he said as quoted by The Washington Post.
He is currently in Hungary, around 932 miles from Hull. If successful, he will become one of the few people to complete a continuous walk around the world without breaking the route.
