British adventurer Karl Bushby returns home after 28-year walk around world

What the report says

British adventurer Karl Bushby has returned to his hometown of Hull, northern England, after completing a 28-year walking journey around the world, Al Jazeera reported on 2 November 2026. The 57-year-old was greeted by his mother, Angela, outside her home, where a banner welcomed him back, after an emotional final stretch that drew crowds and supporters in the city centre.

According to the report, Bushby started the so-called Goliath Expedition in Punta Arenas, Chile, in November 1998. He set out to travel home by an unbroken route without using motorised transport, carrying limited supplies and intending to walk across continents and borders. The journey ultimately covered about 50,000km and took him through the Americas, the Bering Strait, Russia, Mongolia, China and the Caspian Sea route toward Europe.

The path was shaped by major obstacles, including difficult terrain in the Darien Gap, detention after entering Russia, visa problems and funding setbacks. Al Jazeera said the 2008 global financial crisis cost him key sponsors and helped extend a trip he had expected to last 12 years into nearly three decades.

Bushby recently completed the final major hurdle by swimming across the English Channel before finishing the walk home. He said the journey depended on help from many people and nations. A documentary is in production, and he plans to begin a speaking tour in England in the coming weeks.