Travel related world records

These contemporary records continue a tradition rooted in the late 19th century, when the first "globetrotters" began circumnavigating the world with rudimentary means, inspired by Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days." While those Victorian-era pioneers explored unmapped territories driven by geographical discovery, today's adventurers challenge already-mapped terrain through increasingly creative methods, transforming travel into artistic and social expression.

Fastest circumnavigation by scheduled flights

From 14 to 15 Jun 2022, Tomas Reisinger (CZE) flew round the world in 41 hr 18 min – more than 5 hr faster than the previous record. He did so in just two hops, taking Singapore Airlines flight SQ 22 from Singapore Changi Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, USA, and then boarding return flight SQ 21 via the same airline. (SQ 21 also currently represents the longest duration non-stop scheduled flight, at 18 hr 30 min.) As Reisinger's feat cannot be meaningfully improved on using current technology, Guinness World Records is resting the record. Aspiring globetrotters are invited to apply for a related category: fastest circumnavigation by scheduled surface transport.

Fastest circumnavigation by bicycle

Mark Beaumont (UK) cycled the globe in 78 days 14 hr 40 min between 2 Jul and 18 Sep 2017, beginning and ending near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. He passed through 16 countries during his record-breaking ride. Fellow Brit Jenny Graham holds the women's record – 124 days 11 hr – in a round trip from Berlin, Germany, from 16 Jun to 18 Oct 2018.

Fastest circumnavigation by car

The record for the first and fastest man and woman to have circumnavigated the Earth by car covering six continents under the rules applicable in 1989 and 1991 embracing more than an equator's length of driving (24,901 road miles; 40,075 km), is held by Saloo Choudhury and his wife Neena Choudhury (both India). The journey took 69 days 19 hours 5 minutes from 9 September to 17 November 1989. The couple drove a 1989 Hindustan "Contessa Classic" starting and finishing in Delhi, India.

Fastest crossing of the USA by skateboard

Chad Caruso (USA) took only 57 days 6 hr 56 min to travel from Venice Beach, California, to Virginia Beach, Virginia, between 24 Mar and 19 May 2023. To build up stamina, Caruso made a string of long-distance skates in the six months leading up to his attempt. He used his feat to promote awareness about the causes of addiction and poor mental health.

Fastest sail around Antarctica

From 21 Feb to 25 May 2022, Lisa Blair (AUS) circled Antarctica in 92 days 18 hr 21 min 22 sec in her 50-ft (15.2-m) monohull Climate Action Now. She is only the third adventurer to complete this journey. The feat – a round trip from Albany in Western Australia – won her the 25,920-km (14,000-nautical‑mi) Antarctica Cup Ocean Race.

Fastest crossing of New Zealand by foot (female)

It took Emma Timmis only 20 days 17 hr 15 min 57 sec to traverse her home country between 18 Dec 2021 and 7 Jan 2022. She averaged more than 100 km (62 mi) per day on her run from Cape Reinga in North Island to the town of Bluff at the bottom of South Island.

Fastest west-to-east crossing of India by bicycle (female)

Preeti Maske (IND) rode between the states of Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh in 13 days 18 hr 38 min, ending on 15 Nov 2022. She used her 3,954‑km (2,457‑mi) trek to raise awareness of the ReBirth Foundation, which promotes organ donation. Maske also holds the north-to-south record – 11 days 22 hr 23 min – achieved on 24 Feb 2023 when she arrived in Tamil Nadu, at the southernmost tip of the country.

Fastest bicycle circumnavigation by a married couple

Caroline Soubayroux (FRA) and David Ferguson (UK) cycled around the world in 204 days 17 hr 25 min between 25 Sep 2021 and 16 Apr 2022. Their rapid ride raised money for Barts Health NHS Trust. The journey started and finished at the Royal London Hospital, UK.

Fastest Atlantic crossing in a Mini-class sailboat

Jay Thompson (USA) set off from New York City in Speedy Gonzales at 6:35 p.m. on 3 Aug 2023. After just 17 days 9 hr 51 min 9 sec, and despite bad weather and equipment failures, he passed Lizard Point in Cornwall, UK, at 4:26 a.m. on 21 Aug. Thompson then continued, ending his journey at Port du Château in Brest, France. Mini-class vessels are 6.5 m (21 ft 3 in) long, 3 m (9 ft 10 in) wide and designed to be operated single‑handed.

Longest journey by stand‑up paddleboard

From 4 Mar to 11 Jun 2023, Peter Charlesworth (AUS) rowed 2,677.34 km (1,663.62 mi) standing on a paddleboard. Travelling solo and unsupported, he navigated the length of Australia's longest river (the Murray) while executing a full lap of lakes Hume, Mulwala, Albert and Alexandrina along the way. Charlesworth embarked on the challenge, which was 18 months in the planning, to advocate for greater heart-health awareness following his triple-bypass surgery in 2020.

Longest barefoot journey

On 19 Jul 2023, a shoeless Paweł Durakiewicz (POL) put his best foot forward to explore 3,409.7 km (2,118.7 mi) of the Iberian Peninsula. He called time in San José, Andalusia, Spain, on 9 Jan 2024.

Largest GPS drawing by bicycle (team)

Mathilde de Lanouvelle celebrated turning 16 by going on an epic journey with her father, Frédéric (both FRA). The pair cycled 2,162 km (1,343 mi) on a tandem around France to create the largest GPS drawing by bicycle (team) from 16 to 31 Aug 2023. What's more, their big-hearted feat raised €26,000 ($28,331; £22,348) for charity.

Fastest time to visit the New Seven Wonders of the World

On 6–12 Mar 2023, Jamie "Adventureman" McDonald (UK), aided by Travelport, visited the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India, Petra in Jordan, the Colosseum in Italy, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Machu Picchu in Peru and Chichén Itzá in Mexico all within 6 days 16 hr 14 min.

Fastest time to cross all 10 Australian deserts by motorcycle

Nicholas Arley (AUS) rode his 2021 Suzuki DR650 through every desert in Australia in 14 days 2 hr 12 min, from 25 Jul to 7 Aug 2023 – two weeks faster than the previous holder. He began in South Australia and ended in Northern Territory.

Source: Guinness Book of World Records 2025.

Fastest circumnavigation by bicycle (female)
In just 152 days, 1 hour, Juliana Buhring (DEU) cycled a total distance of 29’069 km (18’063 miles). The journey started and finished at Piazza Plebiscito in Naples, Italy, and lasted from 23 July until 22 December 2012.

Longest Journey On crutches
From 21 March to 27 July 2011 , Guy Amalfitano (FRA) journeyed 4’004 km (2’488 miles) through France on crutches. His journey took him from Salies-de-Béarn to the Centre Hospitalier in Orthez.

Longest Jouney By Bicycle (Individual)
The greatest mileage amassed in a cycle tour was more than 646’960 km (402’000 miles), by the itinerant lecturer Walter Stolle (CZE) from 24 January 1959 to 12 December 1976. He visited 159 countries, starting out from Romford in Essex, UK.

Longest Journey Walking backwards
To date, the greatest exponent of reverse pedestrianism is Plennie L. Wingo (USA). From 15 April 1931 to 24 October 1932, he walked 12’875 km (8’000 miles) from Santa Monica in California, USA, to Istanbul in Turkey at a rate of 24.89 km (15.47 miles) per day.

Fastest crossing of the USA by bicycle
During the Race Across America in 2013, Christoph Strasser (AUT) cycled across the USA in 7 days, 22 hours 11 minutes, completing the trip on 19 June. In doing so, the indefatigable cyclist also became the first person to cross the USA coast to coast in under 8 days.

Longest ongoing pilgrimage
As of 24 April 2013, the greatest distance claimed for an around the world pilgrimage is 64'752 km (40'235 miles) by Arthur Blessit (USA), who has been walking on a mission since 25 December 1969. He has visited all seven continents, including Artarctica, having traversed 321 nations, island groups and territories carrying a 3.7 m tall (12 feet) wooden cross and preaching from the Bible throughout.

Fastest circumnavigation by car
The record for the first and fastest man and woman to have circumnavigated the Earth by car covering six continents under the rules applicable in 1989 and  1991 embracing more than an equator's length of driving (24’901 road miles; 40’075 km), is held by Saloo Choudhury and his wife Neena Choudhury (both India). The journey took 69 days, 19 hours, 5 minutes from 9 September to 17 November 1989. The couple drove a 1989 Hindustan "Contessa Classic" starting and finishing in Delhi, India.

Longest Journey by 50-cc scooter
Theodore Rezvoy and Evgeniy Stoyanov (both UKR) rode 14’434 km (8’968 miles) from Odessa in Ukraine to Ulan-Ude in Russia on two 50-cc Honda Zoomer scooters between 11 July and 11 September 2013. In doing so, they surpassed the previous record, set in 2010, by approximately 2’000 km (1’240 miles).

Longest journey by electric motorcycle
As part of the Meneghina Express event – a project to investigate global food nutrition and sustainability – Nicola Colombo and Valerio Fumagalli (both ITA) covered 12’379 km (7’691 miles) on electric motorcycles. The duo rode from Shanghai, China, to Milan, Italy, between 10 June and 23 July 2013.
www.meneghinaexpress.com

Source: Guinness Book of World Records 2015

First circumnavigation by car
Racing driver Clärenore Stinnes (Germany), accompanied by film-maker Carl-Axel Söderström (Sweden), embarked upon what is considered to be the first round-the-world drive on 25 May 1927, setting off from Frankfurt in Germany and finishing just beyond the starting point in Berlin on 24 June 1929, a total of 46’063 km (28’622 miles). The pair drove a 50-hp Adler Standard 6 automobile that was unmodified save for two lounge seats, added to give extra comfort. The entire trip took 2 years, 1 month and encompassed 23 countries. The following year, Stinnes and Söderström, who had met just two days prior to their departure in 1927, married.

First circumnavigation by hydrogen-powered car
Mercedes-Benz was the first car manufacturer to circumnavigate the world with a hydrogen-powered “fuel cell” vehicle. It took a fleet of three identical cars (based on the company’s B-Class hatchback) on a 125-day journey to celebrate the car-maker’s 125th anniversary. The excursion started and finished in Stuttgart, Germany, taking in 14 countries.

First circumnavigation by amphibious car
“Frederick Benjamin “Ben” Carlin (Australia) and his American wife Elinore left Montreal, Canada, in Half-Safe, a modified Ford GPA amphibious jeep, on 24 July 1950 intent on travelling around the world over land and sea. It proved to be an eventful trip – Elinore left her husband in India and filed for divorce – but eventually Ben arrived back in Montreal on 8 May 1958, after travelling 62’765 km (39’000 miles) over land and 15’450 km (9’600 miles) by water. For the trans-Pacific stage (Tokyo, Japan, to Anchorage in Alaska, USA), Carlin was joined by The Japan Times journalist Boyé Lafayette De Mente.

Longest journey in a wind-powered car
Between January and February 2011, Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer (both Germany) travelled 5’000 km (3’100 miles) from Perth to Melbourne in Australia in Wind Explorer, a wind-powered car. A wind turbine charged a lithium-ion battery pack to provide propulsion and, when the wind was strong enough, a kite was used to harness the power of the wind.

Longest journey by car using alternative fuel
From 15 November 2009 to 4 May 2010, Tyson Jerry (Canada) of the Driven to Sustain project – an educational scheme to teach environmental awareness – drove 48’535.5 km (30’158.5 miles) across North America in a Mitsubishi Delica fuelled solely by biodiesel and vegetable oil. Joining Tyson for some of the route was Chloe Whittaker.

Longest driven journey
As of 18 December 2012, Emil and Liliana Schmid (Switzerland) had covered 668’485 km (413’653 miles) in their Toyota Land Cruiser. The adventurous couple – who have no permanent home – embarked on their epic journey on 16 October 1984 and, to date, have crossed 172 countries and territories.

Longest journey by taxi
Leigh Purnell, Paul Archer and Johno Ellison (UK) left Covent Garden in London, UK, by taxi on 17 February 2011 and travelled 69’716.12 km (43’319.5 miles) around the globe, returning to Covent Garden on 11 May 2012. The journey, in Hannah – a 1992 LTI Fairway FX4 London black taxi cab – clocked up £79’006.80 ($127’530; €98’490) on the meter. In the process, the team also achieved the highest altitude by taxi, reaching 5’225.4 m (17’143 ft) in Qinghai Province, China, on 29 August 2011.

Source: Guinness Book of World Records 2014