Most journeys around the world are measured in miles. This one was measured in borders crossed, oceans traversed, conversations shared, and the slow, extraordinary unfolding of the planet at ground level.
In April 2026, newlyweds Daniel Nackasha-Keyworth and his wife Mema and completed an ambitious circumnavigation of the globe without taking a single flight — travelling entirely by land and sea across 51 UN countries and 5 continents. From Arctic tundra to African savannahs, Himalayan passes to Central American coastlines, their 8.5-month journey became not just a feat of endurance and logistics, but a rare opportunity to experience the world without shortcuts.
What emerged was a deeply human story: one of generosity, resilience, curiosity, and connection in an age increasingly defined by division and distance. Their route carried them through some of the world’s richest and poorest nations, across remote borders and iconic landscapes, and into communities far beyond the usual tourist trail.
Returning full circle to London’s Reform Club — the fictional finishing point of Phileas Fogg’s legendary wager — they arrived with a renewed perspective on travel, on people, and on what the world looks like when you move through it slowly enough to truly see it.
Enter Dan…
In April 2026, we officially completed our flightless adventure around the world, achieving a feat very few have ever attempted. While many have travelled, only a handful have navigated to 51countries across 5 continents in a single, unbroken land and sea circumnavigation without once taking to the skies.
With a touch of nostalgia, we returned to The Reform Club in Pall Mall – the same finishing point reached by the fictional Phileas Fogg in 1872. Since departing London at this exact point last August 1st, we have relied entirely on surface travel: from trains, ships, cars, and coaches to cable-lifts, tuk-tuks, bikes, and our own four feet.
The world we saw from the ground:
The Extremes
Our journey didn’t just take us anticlockwise entirely around the globe, but to the Arctic Circle, Greenland, and Alaska in the north, and to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. We traversed the International Date Line at sea, and crossed the Equator on several occasions – navigating deserts, oceans, mountains, savannahs, volcanoes, and rainforests along the way.
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The Landscapes
We trekked the Lost City of the Colombian jungle, scaled the Great Wall of China, climbed the Namibian dunes, dipped into the Ganges, visited the DMZ in Korea, and reached Everest Base Camp from within Tibet. We visited dozens of UNESCO World Heritage Sites; passed through the Himalayas, Alps, Drakensberg, and African Great Lakes; and even navigated the maritime transit of the Darien Gap – twice.
The Wildlife
We stood up close to some of the most incredible animals on Planet Earth, seeing gorillas, big cats, penguins, puffins, rhinos, whales, wild dogs, giant tortoises, and pandas thriving in their natural habitats. We spotted some of the world’s rarest and largest birds too. We camped out in the Serengeti, tracked Nepalese tigers on foot (unsuccessfully!), and hiked through the world’s most biodiverse rainforest in Costa Rica.
The Human Scale
We moved between the world’s poorest nations by GDP, Burundi and Malawi, and the wealthiest, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. We spent time in some of the world’s largest informal settlements and townships – including Dharavi (Mumbai), Kibera (Nairobi), Soweto (Johannesburg), and Comuna 13 (Medellín). We saw the power of technology in phenomenal and diverse guises, a world apart from our own.
The Logistics
Our path required navigating the shifting landscape of global diplomacy, obtaining visas, crossing land borders, and entering ports that few foreigners ever see. We walked from Zambia to Zimbabwe over Victoria Falls, arrived in eastern China by ferry, and speed-boated from Nicaragua to El Salvador. After Christmas in Nepal, we were the first ever to cross the Raxaul Indian land border via the new eVisa protocols introduced at the end of 2025.
A Once in a Lifetime Experience
We had the most magical wedding in July 2025, and decided to take a beat amidst our busy career lives, so that with our first steps as a newly-married couple we could truly be together and see the world as it actually is. We can confirm, unequivocally, the Earth is indeed round – and that whilst planes are undeniably convenient, there’s a whole other side of our magnificent planet to explore when instead you travel through.
At a time when the world seems to be turning in on itself and putting up borders, what we found over the last 8.5 months wasn’t places of insularity, divisiveness, or distrust. Instead, we found communities defined by their openness and warmth, their resilience, and their brilliance – and a profound sense of connection. Our encounters were full of love and of friendship, where the borders humans put up seem like the least desirable things about us.
The journey has ended, but our passion and commitment to bring insight and connections to make a real difference remains, stronger than ever. We’re back in London now, with a really open mind to what comes next!
Mema and Dan 🙂
P.S. You can watch our brief highlights reel here.
