A British explorer left Chile 28 years ago to reach his home in England on foot: what his journey is like

After leaving Chile almost 28 years ago, Karl Bushby came close to completing a walk around the world without using transport to advance, a journey that began in 1998 and still maintains the rule he defined from the very first day. The former British paratrooper set off from Punta Arenas with the goal of returning to Hull, in England, solely by his own means.

Bushby’s story has regained attention as he approaches the final stretch of the so-called Goliath Expedition, a journey that has accumulated tens of thousands of kilometers, multiple interruptions, and several extreme crossings. As reconstructed by The Hull Story, the traveler plans to reach his hometown toward the end of 2026 if he manages to resolve the final obstacle of his itinerary.

Who is Karl Bushby and how did his journey begin

In 1998, Karl Bushby was 28 years old and had just left the British Parachute Regiment when he made the decision to begin a long-distance trek that, over time, became one of the most extensive on record. His starting point was Punta Arenas, at the southern tip of Chile, and his goal was to return to his home in Hull without boarding planes, trains, cars, or other means to help him advance.

According to The Hull Story, Bushby named the project Expedition Goliath and set a rule that he maintained for nearly three decades. “Cover every meter by his own means, whether walking, climbing, swimming, or crawling,” he explained to the media outlet that followed much of his story. That definition also meant redoing segments when any detention or forced transfer interrupted the continuity of the journey.

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Data on the total distance varies depending on the time of recording and the method of counting repetitions, detours, and extra stages. A survey updated as of June 6, 2026, placed the route at more than 49,110 kilometers, with about 900 kilometers remaining to reach the United Kingdom. Other references released by the expedition’s entourage raise the figure to over 58,000 kilometers.

Bushby crossed 25 countries and traveled through Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, Central Asia, and areas near the Arctic.

What has Karl Bushby done so far

Since leaving South America, Bushby crossed 25 countries and advanced through landscapes that were very different from one another. The route included Patagonia, the Atacama desert, jungle regions, mountain ranges, remote routes in Central Asia, and areas near the Arctic. As detailed by The Hull Story, during those years he relied on help from local communities, donations, sponsors, and contributions from his family to sustain the trip.

One of the most complex sections was the passage through the Darien Gap, the jungle that separates Colombia from Panama. There, he faced hostile geographical conditions and security risks, as well as an arrest for entering unauthorized areas. After regaining his freedom, he had to return to the point where he had been removed to repeat that part of the journey on foot and keep the logic of the expedition intact.

Another extreme moment came in 2006, when he crossed the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia during the winter. The advance over unstable ice became one of the most delicate episodes of the project. His father, Keith Bushby, told The Hull Story that “the Bering Strait in winter is a moving freight train of crushed and broken ice” and added that in some sectors it was necessary to swim between blocks of ice before returning to the frozen surface.

British ex-paratrooper Karl Bushby, who has been walking across the world for 27 years, walks in Komarom, Hungary, November 25, 2025.

To the physical demands were added bureaucratic obstacles that modified the initial plan of 12 years. The passage through Russia generated immigration problems and the advance through Central Asia was halted by visas and official restrictions. Later, the coronavirus pandemic also affected international circulation and pushed the arrival date even further.

In another of the most unique chapters of the route, Bushby decided to swim across the Caspian Sea to reach Azerbaijan without using transport and without passing through Russia or Iran. The trip records place that stretch at nearly 288 kilometers, although other references approximate it to 300. That stage took 31 days and the Briton used a vessel only to rest, without counting it as part of the progress.

Bushby is considering crossing the Channel Tunnel with authorization or swimming the English Channel to complete his arrival in England.

What has Karl Bushby stated about his journey

Karl Bushby‘s statements about the expedition revolve around a constant idea: completing the journey without breaking continuity or returning home early. In his dialogue with The Hull Story, he established that the goal is not just to arrive, but to cover every meter through his own effort. That stance explains why he decided to redo entire segments after arrests or interruptions imposed by authorities.

He also explained that logic on his official website and social media, where he documented stages, obstacles, and route changes. There, he showed that the Goliath Expedition did not follow a simple line, but rather a journey conditioned by immigration procedures, regional conflicts, geographical limits, and personal decisions to preserve the original rule.

In the final stage, Bushby focuses his attention on the pending issue between Europe and the United Kingdom. His intention is to reach Calais, in France, and obtain authorization to cross through the Eurotunnel service tunnel. If he does not receive that permission, he is evaluating swimming the 33.7 kilometers of the English Channel, the final challenge that separates him from his hometown.