How Long Does It Take to Walk Around The World?

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   Karl Bushby completes 28-year, 31,000-mile walk around world, returns to Hull

   British adventurer Karl Bushby finished a 31,000-mile circumnavigation on foot this week, arriving at his mother's house in Hull, England, 28 years after departing at age 29. The journey, known as the Goliath Expedition, crossed six continents and required Bushby to walk across the Bering Strait ice, traverse the Darién Gap, and navigate years of visa denials and border closures. He is now 57. Multiple major news outlets confirmed the completion on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, publishing accounts of his emotional reunion with his mother.

   Why it matters

   Bushby began the Goliath Expedition in 1998 from Punta Arenas, Chile, aiming to walk an unbroken path around the globe. The route demanded crossing the Bering Strait on foot, a feat that led to his arrest and deportation from Russia in 2006, and later pushing through the lawless Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama. Bureaucratic hurdles stalled him for years in Russia, Iran, and Afghanistan. The expedition is widely regarded as the first continuous walk around the world.

   What is confirmed

   • Karl Bushby walked 31,000 miles over 28 years to complete a circumnavigation of the globe on foot.
   • He started the Goliath Expedition in 1998 at age 29 from Punta Arenas, Chile.
   • He crossed the Bering Strait on foot and traversed the Darién Gap during the journey.
   • He was arrested and deported by Russia in 2006 while attempting the Bering Strait crossing.
   • Bushby arrived at his mother's house in Hull, England, on 10 November 2026 at age 57.

   Still unconfirmed

   • This is the first verified unbroken walk around the world by a single person.

   What to watch next

   • Verification by Guinness World Records or similar body for "first continuous walk around the world" title
   • Publication of Bushby's planned memoir or documentary detailing the expedition
   • Potential speaking tour or media appearances in the UK and internationally
   Sources used for this update (29)

   1. travel.yahoo.com — People Around The World Say You Should Never, Ever Visit These Cities
   2. www.runnersworld.com — This Self-Coached Data Scientist Has Never Run a Marathon Before. Here’s Why He Could Win NYC.
   3. BBC — World trekker Karl Bushby's final push home to Hull
   4. AP News — In 28 years of walking, Karl Bushby has overcome jungle, desert and red tape. Now he's nearly home
   5. AP News — Karl Bushby completes 28-year, 31,000-mile walk around world and returns to mother’s house
   6. The Guardian — ‘It’s been a while’: hero’s welcome for UK man after 28-year walk across the world
   7. Reuters — UK adventurer returns home after 28-year trek around the world
   8. BBC — 'Where have you been?': Karl Bushby reunites with tearful mum in Hull after 28-year journey
   9. CBS News — Englishman Karl Bushby returns home after 28 years walking 30,000 miles around the world
   10. The New York Times — A 31,000-Mile Walk Ends in England, at Mom’s House
   11. Fodors Travel Guide — How Long Does It Take to Walk Around The World?
   12. U.S. News & World Report — Karl Bushby Embraces Emotional Mother as He Completes His 28-Year, 31,000-Mile Walk Around World
   confidence 92%