The dream: the World Walk Tour
Who hasn't dreamed of traveling around the world? By cruise ship, sailboat, plane, motorcycle, bicycle - many throughout history have embarked on this grand adventure.
But on foot?
Walking is the most primitive way to travel and the one that connects us most deeply with the land and the people who inhabit it. The hiker's effort, exhaustion, vulnerability and slowness are rewarded by the ability to reach places cyclists, motorcyclists or sailors could never imagine. It's a rhythm that allows you to see what’s in front of you… and beside you. To stop whenever you want, talk to whoever you meet, and better understand the places you pass through.
When did this crazy idea occur to me?
Around 2020, during the pandemic, we were locked indoors when suddenly - like so many others - I felt a craving for nature like never before. I went on YouTube and became obsessed with videos of people undertaking epic adventures. One day I discovered Nacho Dean, a man from Málaga who walked around the world from 2013 to 2016, and I thought: I want to do that! And document it on YouTube.
Five years later, after many doubts, I've taken the plunge - it's now or never.
A Dream
The Mother of All Adventures
The Ultimate Thru Hike
An Impossible Challenge
The Walking World Tour
...in Catalan (with English subtitles 😉)
The rules of the Walking World Tour
Why 26,232 km? What route will you take? What counts as a walking world tour?
I have designed my route and the rules of the project following in the footsteps of other adventurers who have walked around the world, as well as the criteria of the Guinness World Records and the World Runners Association, an organization made up of some of the eight people who have completed a walk or run around the planet.
In short, the main rules are these:
Start and finish at the same place. In my case, at Plaça Catalunya in Barcelona.
Walk a minimum of 26,232 km.
Cross all longitudinal lines of the earth either on foot or by other means of transport such as plane, bus or ship. Kilometers traveled by transport cannot be added to the 26,232 km on foot.
Cross at least 4 continents from coast to coast, walking a minimum of 3,000 km on each of them.
The 4 continents must be covered consecutively in a longitudinal manner.
Pass through antipodal points of the globe. On my route, New Zealand is the antipode of Catalonia and Thailand is the antipode of Peru.
The accumulated rest days during the entire journey cannot exceed 6 months or 25% of the total duration. This rule only counts rest periods longer than 3 days (4 or more).
The route
Taking these rules into account, I have designed several possible routes, such as the one shown on the map above. During the more than two years I’ll be walking, many unexpected situations may arise —bureaucratic issues, illnesses, delays, or visa difficulties— that could make me change my itinerary. Depending on the season and how I feel at each moment, I’ll follow one route or another to complete the challenge.
I’ve tried to explain the different aspects of the route in detail in the following video: all the countries I’ll cross, where I’ll sleep, visas, alternative routes, the challenges of each country, and more.