Who is Karl Bushby? British ex-paratrooper nears finish of 31,000-mile world walk after 27 years
Karl Bushby, a British ex-paratrooper, is currently on the final stretch of his 27-year-long journey, which kick-started in 1998. As part of his trek, the 56-year-old has crossed 25 countries, war zones, deserts, jungles, as well as remote and politically fraught places on the Earth, The Washington Post reported.
It all started when Bushby made a barroom bet in his 20s that required him to walk from the southern tip of South America to his home in England.
Who is Karl Bushby?
Born in 1969 in Hull, Bushby earlier served as a paratrooper in the British Army. This experience sparked his appetite to seek challenges, travel, and explore.
During his military life, Bushy was exposed to physical hardship and foreign terrain. Also, being in the army made him think about death, especially after losing several of his friends. “There was an emphasis on the fact that life is short, and you should live it the best you can,” The Washington Post quoted him as saying. These factors made up his desire to start his global walk at the age of 29. Interestingly, he did that with just $500.
All about the Goliath Expedition
Bushby began his journey, which he called the Goliath Expedition, by standing at the edge of Punta Arenas in Chile. Initially, Bushby mapped the walk by hand, as in those days, “it was all paper maps and pencils and a calculator”. He believed that the 31,000-mile expedition could take roughly 12 years. But it has been 27 years, and he is still walking.
So far, Bushby has been through Patagonia, Central America, the Andes, Mexico, the US, Russia, Mongolia, as well as parts of Asia.
He started his journey with two rules in mind: Not to use transport to advance and not to reach home until he arrives on foot.
His journey has taken way longer than he expected because of several reasons, including financial challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, visa problems, travel bans, and political barriers.
Now, he is on his final journey towards home in Hull and is expected to be back by September 2026.
Bushby said he had “no support” and mainly slept in a tent along the road or at times in people’s homes if invited. Later on, his family helped him financially, while people started donating when they heard of his trek.
When he reached Canada in 2003, he got a book deal and was even contacted by a production company for a film based on his life. He even walked through the Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia. Later on, he reached the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia in 2006. While in Russia, he spent 57 days in detention after entering the country at an incorrect border.
Bushby even faced financial problems in 2008 when his sponsors pulled out. Also, he was banned from re-entering Russia for five years in 2013.
In August last year, he swam across the Caspian Sea from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan. This took 31 days, while he slept on support boats each night. Thereafter, he walked through Turkey and into Europe. Recently, he was in Hungary and is now expected to be roughly 932 miles aways from his home in England’s Hull.
1. How long has Karl Bushby been walking on his Goliath Expedition?
Karl Bushby has been on his global walk since 1998. His journey has now stretched to 27 years because of financial struggles, visa issues, political restrictions and long pauses during the pandemic.
2. When is Karl Bushby expected to complete his journey?
Bushby is currently on the final leg of his walk through Europe and is expected to reach his hometown Hull in England by September 2026, completing his 31,000-mile expedition.
