UN Masters Weekend
+ NomadMania Awards
UN Masters Weekend
+ NomadMania Awards
UN Masters Weekend
+ NomadMania Awards
Vote
Best Digital Travel Creator 2025
The content creator whose videos, posts or podcasts excite, motivate, entertain and educate in terms of travelling globally
You voted for:
Kasem, known online as Ibn Hattuta, is a Jordanian-Palestinian travel content creator and storyteller born on October 30, 1994. He’s one of the Arab world’s most recognised travel influencers, celebrated for documenting immersive journeys across more than 100 countries since 2017 while also becoming a frequent speaker at international events. Through his blog, Ibn Hattuta, he blends adventure, culture, and history to inspire curiosity and connection among his millions of followers. Featured by Forbes Middle East’s 30 Under 30, Kasem uses his storytelling to highlight humanity beyond borders, combining cinematic visuals with reflective narratives that celebrate freedom, exploration, and purpose. His deep, uncompromising presentations celebrate diversity and unusual angles of the countries he visits, thereby becoming not only a celebration of travel but also a valuable educational tool.

Bruno Maltor 🇫🇷
Agwo is a Dubai-based travel creator and storyteller who has explored over 30 countries, capturing the world’s beauty through his cinematic lens. His work, aiming to be both highly professional and yet innovative, highlights the charm of every destination, from tropical islands to underrated locations and hidden gems waiting to be discovered. Deeply passionate about travel, culture, and adventure, he aims to inspire others, and especially younger people, to venture beyond the ordinary and embrace the joy of discovery. In this, he especially focuses on colourful, yet less-known angles of the African continent. Combining stunning visuals with meaningful storytelling, his content reaches millions worldwide, motivating people to travel, connect, and live fully. Through his platform, “TheLensofT,” Agwo continues to celebrate global diversity and remind audiences of the world’s true beauty.
Best Travel Book 2025
The book that takes readers on new adventures, sparking the love for travel with every page
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"Slow Trains to Istanbul: ...And Back: A 4,570-Mile Adventure on 55 Rides"
Tom is the author of twelve travel books. He has travelled 40,000 miles around the world for his train books; among which for Slow Trains Around Spain: A 3,000-Mile Adventure on 52 Rides. His book writing has also taken him across North Africa after the Arab Spring, round the “dark side” of the Maldives on cargo ships, along the length of the River Thames and on a journey through “unsung Britain” (in To Hull and Back). He worked on the travel desk of The Times for 21 years and is now freelance, contributing to The Critic and New European magazines. Slow Trains to Istanbul can be seen as the ideal combination of a travel ‘geek’ train ride and a keen observation of the history and culture of the many places visited written with the author’s characteristic wit and perceptiveness.

"The Impossible Journey: An Incredible Voyage Through Every Country in the World Without Flying"
Thor is a Danish adventurer, author, speaker, husband, and father – the only person in history to visit every country in the world entirely without flying. From 2013 to 2023, he travelled across every nation by land and sea in a continuous journey that redefined the meaning of modern exploration. Born in Denmark and partly raised in North America, Thor relied on his background in shipping and logistics to navigate immense challenges. His book, The Impossible Journey, offers a raw and introspective look at ambition, humanity, and adventure—an unconventional travel memoir that explores both the road and the people along it. Having served as a goodwill ambassador for the Red Cross during his expedition, Thor continues to inspire others through powerful stories of perseverance, human connection, and the courage to keep moving forward.

"One Way Ticket To Everywhere"
Anna-Katri is an environmental consultant, entrepreneur, and author. Her book, One-Way Ticket to Everywhere – Solo Traveler’s Handbook, is a powerful and inspiring story of a solo female traveller who became the first Finnish woman to visit every country in the world. Through her remarkable journey, she shares not only captivating stories and unforgettable encounters but also the deeper meaning of exploring the world alone — with awareness, courage, and compassion. The book is both a personal memoir and a conscious travel guide, inviting readers to see the world and themselves in a more meaningful way and inspiring them to go beyond simply visiting each country. With honesty and reflection, the author reveals what it means to belong everywhere and nowhere, to find strength in solitude, and to embrace the world with open eyes and heart. One-Way Ticket to Everywhere celebrates freedom, curiosity, and the transformative power of solo travel.

"Why Not?"
Ankitha saves every penny, plans for months. Juggles spreadsheets and time zones with her full time job. Carries a passport that makes borders feel like walls. Yet Anki has stood in 117 countries, including places people warned her against. Why would you go there? What’s left but ruins? Her book answers simply: Why Not? As a woman from India, she travels to understand – herself, the world, the stories buried in those “ruins.” Every visa rejection taught patience. Every stranger’s kindness reshaped what she thought she knew. Travel became less about ticking boxes and more about unlearning fear, embracing vulnerability, shedding assumptions, growing beyond the person she was yesterday. She doesn’t have unlimited funds or time. She has something better: the stubborn belief that the world belongs to her too, and curiosity that won’t quiet down.

"It's All in the State of Mind"
Odette was the first Filipina to reach 193 and is considered a legend in the travel community. A prolific, dedicated writer of numerous travel books, her latest publication It’s All in the State of Mind is in many ways a celebration of travel as a whole and a summary of her life, zig-zagging through past and present as a compilation of a life well lived. Much of it is composed of poems and thoughts, as well as poignant travel descriptions, as much as it is often dedicated to other travellers and community moments, a reflection of the magnanimity and generosity of its author. With locations as unusual and diverse as Chad and the Austral islands being proof of a life well-travelled, this touching book is a worthy reflection of the adventures of a community icon who clearly has the travel state of mind.
Most Intrepid Traveller 2025
A traveller whose travels in the last year have required considerable courage, risk-taking and craziness
You voted for:
From the summit of Everest to the frozen expanse of the South Pole, Jason embodies the spirit of intrepid exploration. Having recently completed a grueling 45-day expedition to summit Mount Everest, he has become one of the very few travellers to have conquered the 7 Summits, standing atop the highest peak on each continent. With 179 UN countries explored and counting, his travels span from remote African villages to Antarctic ice fields, always with cameras in hand to document the extraordinary and inspire others to go beyond their comfort zone. Whether scaling treacherous mountain faces at extreme altitude or navigating the logistical challenges of reaching Earth’s most remote corners, Jason combines a positive attitude and the ability to withstand physical challenges with a photographer’s eye for capturing the world’s most challenging destinations.
Most Purposeful Traveller 2025
The one whose efforts to create community, help local communities and, in general, travel with a purpose
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As a traveller, Anibal seeks more than movement; he seeks meaning. His journeys focus on documenting and sharing the voices of minority cultures, creating bridges of understanding between worlds that rarely meet. With a background in computer engineering and systems biology, he applies his researcher’s curiosity to human diversity, exploring how tradition, identity, and resilience shape communities across the globe. Through his ethnographic travel agency, he organizes expeditions that generate local income that ensures local sustainability, respecting and preserving cultural heritage while connecting travellers to the people behind the landscapes. His photography and storytelling aim to foster empathy and respect, reminding audiences that cultural diversity is not an obstacle but a treasure. For him, travel is a form of dialogue, and every encounter is an opportunity to build community and purpose.
Mario is an explorer and sustainability advocate dedicated to using human-powered travel to reconnect people with the planet. From walking across Africa from Cape Town to Cairo to kayaking, cycling, and driving electric vehicles across continents, his expeditions demonstrate that meaningful adventure can be achieved without harming the Earth. Along the way, he has built bridges across cultures, amplifying local voices and sharing stories that inspire collective responsibility and environmental stewardship. As an Explorer-in-Residence with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, his mission is to redefine exploration as a force for good — one that values empathy over ego and sustainability over speed. He believes the most purposeful journeys don’t just change landscapes; they change perspectives and deepen our connection to the world we share.
Biggest LPI Traveller 2025
The one who doesn’t let the bureaucracy and passport nor nationality issues stop him/her in their travelling.
To be eligible for this, travellers have to be from one of the countries that rank the lowest on Henley Passport Index Ranking. Full list is available on the LPI ranking page.
You voted for:
Kazi is breaking barriers with the 8th Weakest Passport and has travelled to 158 countries. Despite frequent immigration harassment and even detention, her determination remains unshaken. She is more than a traveller. Kazi is a changemaker breaking social barriers and inspiring thousands as a motivational speaker. Her message, “Traveling is a fun way to learn,” has reached over 70,000 people through talks at more than 700 schools, colleges, universities, and organizations. Her goal is to visit all 193 countries and inspire 100,000 youths and women to dream beyond borders. In Khulna, she runs a public library and community learning centre, promoting education and empowerment at the grassroots. Kazi is redefining what’s possible for women from underrepresented countries – proving that with courage and purpose, even the world’s toughest challenges can be overcome.

Pav Mbeda 🇰🇪
What began as childhood curiosity evolved into a lifelong dream: to visit every country. So far, he has reached 104. His journey has not been without obstacles—visa complications, extra security checks, and countless hours and money spent obtaining the necessary documents. These experiences have taught him that simply traveling from A to B is a privilege, one that has opened his eyes to the wider world and his place within it.”
Biggest Traveller 2025
The one and only, whose travels in the past year, in terms of both quantity (days on the road and number of trips) AND quality (difficulty and variety of destinations), render them a truly big traveller even by the standards of the NomadMania Community.
You voted for:
Born in Panama, Jaime started travelling at the age of 19 during a year-abroad student program in France. He subsequently went on a trip around the world on a student boat named the SS Universe, departing from Miami and visiting various countries in Africa and Asia before finishing the trip in California. During that time, he developed a passion for travel that would last a lifetime. A prominent lawyer and diplomat, a husband of 45 years and a father of three, in March 2020 he became the first Hispanic American to visit every country in the world, finishing in Nauru just as the world was shutting down. In 2024, he visited the South and North Poles, and this year he travelled to space aboard a Blue Origin capsule, thus becoming the first person in history to visit all 193 UN countries, plus the Poles and Space.
Sascha, a ski instructor at 15 years old, has been on the road for 40 years, hitchhiking well over a million km in all countries but North Korea and Bhutan. He’s known as an Africa expert, having overlanded the continent and worked in Sierra Leone’s repatriation effort. He has reached almost 3000 provinces in the SISO/CHAD administrative division lists (ranked number one by a large margin), solo-climbed the highest point in over 30 countries and was imprisoned in Somalia and Bougainville. Probably the first foreigner since WWII to have walked Papua coast-to-coast Port Moresby to Lae, his current trip started in 2023. This year he hitchhiked from California to Belize, solo-climbed Central America’s highest peak and island-hopped the Aleutians on the Alaska Marine Highway. He has just left Christmas Island, Kiribati, taking a local boat to Tabuaeran. An all-rounder and a tireless travel legend, Sascha never stops.
Joao Paulo was the first Portuguese to complete a visit to every country, back in 2011. This year, he reached number 1 in the NomadMania rankings and will soon finish visiting every country a second time. He is also close to 1000 UNESCO sites, one of his passions. Among his multiple trips, there are major crossings, like the Northeast and Northwest Passage, Ross Sea, Cape to Cairo and Pacific to Atlantic crossing. He also achieved the feat of going to the North Pole, the equator and South Pole in the same year. He is the creator of the Magallanes Travel Index, a measure of travel based on the quantity and quality. He maintains a lively family life (a proud father of 6 children) and an intense professional life (he is a University Professor and Dean of Atlântico Business School), which make his exploits all the more extraordinary.
What the NomadMania Awards are about
The NomadMania Travel Awards is the annual event to celebrate achievements in travel organized since 2021. They are meant to celebrate travelling efforts in the past year.
Our aim is not to make people travel for the award, but rather to award the ones who travel regardless of that and to inspire new generations of travellers!
This year the NomadMania Travel Awards is happening online during the UN Masters Weekend.
Read more about the NomadMania Travel Awards here.
For any inquiries contact us at info@nomadmania.com 🙂

























