Traveller Nears World Record For Youngest Person To Visit Every Country
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Twenty-year-old Sophia Lee is on the verge of making history as the youngest person to visit every country on Earth. According to posts shared on her X (@sophialeetravel) account, Lee has been regularly updating followers about her journey, travel milestones, and the remaining countries left on her record attempt. Having already traveled to 186 countries and territories, she needs to check just nine more off her list to claim the title. If she succeeds, she will break the current global record set by Lexie Alford in 2019. Lee has been on the move almost continuously since she was 17, an experience she says has fundamentally shaped her independence and confidence.
A Dream Rooted in a Single Solo Trip
Lee’s passion for exploration reportedly took off during her very first solo trip to Costa Rica in 2019, when she was just 13 years old.
To fund her massive undertaking, Lee reportedly worked along the way as a yoga instructor and managed social media accounts for businesses in exchange for food and lodging, as per reports.
The Race for the Record and Its Steepest Hurdles
After realizing a world record was within reach, Lee officially registered her journey with Guinness World Records. The distinction comes with a demanding rulebook: she must primarily rely on public transportation, carry an active GPS tracking device at all times, and even revisit certain countries she went to prior to her official registration. Though a family emergency temporarily halted her plans, she restarted her itinerary in 2024 and hasn’t stopped since.
Fast Facts on Lee’s Journey:
- First Solo Flight: Age 13 (Costa Rica)
- Official Record Attempt Started: Age 17
- Current Count: 186 countries and territories
- Remaining Destinations: 9 countries
- Primary Transit: Public transportation (per Guinness regulations)
The journey hasn't been without severe risks. Lee fell dangerously ill during a stop in Congo and had to navigate Somalia under the protection of security guards due to local safety threats. Bureaucratic red tape also proved difficult, causing major visa bottlenecks in highly restricted nations like Bhutan, Turkmenistan, and Sudan.
Discovering Favorites Along the Way
Out of nearly two hundred destinations, Lee reportedly names India as her absolute favorite.
Journey Highlights:
- Top Destination: India
- Most Cherished Memory: Spotting mountain gorillas alongside her grandfather in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Most Challenging Stretches: Somalia, Congo, and Turkmenistan
- The Final Stop: Scheduled to conclude in Venezuela, pending local travel conditions
Looking to the Horizon
Lee hopes her historic trek inspires other young people to push past their comfort zones and learn from the world firsthand. As the finish line approaches, she admits to feeling a wave of mixed emotions; constant travel has been her baseline reality for seven years, as per reports. Once the record is officially secured, she plans to transition into travel content creation, partner with international charities, and eventually find a permanent place to call home.
