Most travel pages tell you where someone has been. This one is built to prove it.
Below is every country I have visited since my first trip abroad in October 1999 — 146 countries — followed by the border crossings almost nobody else has made, and a continuous year-by-year log of my movements from 1999 to today.
I have been keeping a version of this page online for more than twenty years. The Internet Archive has the copies to show for it.
The Numbers
- Counted
- 146 / 266 UN+ countries and territories
- Since
- First trip abroad: Versailles and Paris, October 1999 · publishing online since 2002
- Repeats
- Morocco 220+ border crossings · Poland 25× · Turkey 16× · UAE 13× · France 11×
- Extremes
- 11 Antarctic landings · North Korea · the world's newest country on its first morning
- The rule
- Airport connections don't count. Sleeping there, crossing it, meeting people — that counts.
South Sudan, on the morning it became a country
When the land border opened at dawn on 9 July 2011 — independence day — I was the first traveler to cross the land border from Uganda that morning — among the very first foreigners to enter the world's newest country.
There was no procedure yet, because the country was hours old. The bus from Kampala rolled toward Juba through the celebrations.
South Sudan also gave me malaria. That part of the story continues in the next chapter.
The Congo crossing — and the Moroccan blue helmets
From South Sudan I entered the Democratic Republic of the Congo through a northern border that had been effectively closed to travelers for decades — a crossing used by UN vehicles and almost nobody else.
In a dangerous stretch of the northeast I was pulled out of trouble by Moroccan UN peacekeepers, who put me inside their Humvee and drove me through the jungle night. Years of living in Morocco meant we could speak Darija together in the middle of Central Africa.
The malaria I carried from South Sudan broke properly in the DRC: hospital in Congo, a clinic in Uganda, and finally a hospital in Nairobi. I kept the paperwork. That is also part of a travel ledger.
Iran in 2004, when there were no tourists
I backpacked Iran in 2004, in an era when foreign travelers were so rare that entire towns would produce a crowd to ask where I came from.
No tourism infrastructure, no other backpackers on the buses — just Iranians, endlessly curious and endlessly generous.
Training Kung-Fu To'a in Iranian gyms
That 2004 trip had a second layer: I trained Kung-Fu To'a — the Iranian martial art — inside local gyms in Isfahan and on Qeshm Island.
Not as a demonstration for a visitor. As a student on the mat, in classes that had never had a foreigner before.
Nagorno-Karabakh, from both sides
I visited Nagorno-Karabakh from both directions: from the Azerbaijani side and from the Armenian side.
Very few travelers ever saw the territory from both perspectives — the two entries belonged to two different worlds, with two different names for every town. Since 2023 the entity I visited no longer exists, which turns those visits into historical documents.
Évora–Tambacounda 2004: the UNESCO expedition
In 2004 I organized and drove the Évora Tambacounda 2004 expedition — more than 13,000 km in 32 days from Évora, Portugal to Tambacounda, Senegal and back, through Morocco and Mauritania.
The expedition was sponsored by the Municipality of Évora — itself a UNESCO World Heritage city — and I carried official UNESCO books and medals from Évora's mayor to mayors and UNESCO sites across West Africa.
It is documented on Wikipedia, which is not something most road trips can say.
Two rallies in old cars
In 2008 I drove the Caucasian Challenge: 4,000 km from Hungary to Armenia in a 1986 Moskvitch, weeks after the Russian-Georgian war, with VirtualTourist sponsoring our team.
In 2012 I did it again, bigger: the Central Asia Rally, 6,500 km from Hungary to Kyrgyzstan.
Old cars, new borders. The formula never failed.
The long ways round
Some entries on this list are not single countries but lines across the map: a two-year trip around the world through every continent. A full year living in a camper van across Central Asia and the Middle East. Driving from Mitad del Mundo in Ecuador — the middle of the world — to Ushuaia, the end of it. Hitchhiking through West Africa. Driving Portugal to Finland and back. Russia in deep winter. Three separate Interrail passes across Europe.
And between the moving: living. I have lived more than six months each in Portugal, Morocco, Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
There is also the professional ledger: since 2000 I have led groups for a living. Twenty overland expeditions from Portugal into the Sahara between 2000 and 2007. More than thirty Marrakech-to-desert group tours in Morocco. Fifteen-plus Egypt itineraries from Cairo through Luxor and Aswan to Alexandria, two months a year. Years of tour leading in Libya, Iraq, Iran and Tunisia. The travel agency work I do today grew out of a quarter-century of standing at the front of the bus.
The far ends
North Korea — visited, with everything that visiting North Korea means.
Antarctica — eleven landings: Horseshoe Island, Stonington Island, Petermann Island, Port Lockroy, Jougla Point, Neko Harbour, Almirante Brown, Danco Island, Cuverville Island, and Deception and Half Moon islands in the South Shetlands.
Online since 2002 — the paper trail
I am one of the longest-continuously-publishing travel bloggers anywhere, and this is a claim with receipts.
My photography site joaoleitaofoto.com went online in November 2002 — the Internet Archive has preserved it since 2003, already showing photographs from trips dating back to 1999, and already carrying a visited-countries list. In May 2003 I joined VirtualTourist; my profile survives in the Archive from 2004 and 2006, listing trips back to October 1999. This blog, Nomad Revelations, has been publishing since November 2006.
In other words: this page has existed, in one form or another, for more than twenty years. You are reading its latest edition.
Every country, region by region
The multipliers are real counts, not decoration — 220+ crossings into Morocco is its own kind of statistic.
- Africa · North Africa
Egypt 7×, Morocco (more than 220 border crossings), Sudan, Tunisia 3×, Libya 2× - Africa · West Africa
Cape Verde, Gambia, Senegal 2×, Mali, Mauritania 7× - Africa · East Africa
Ethiopia 2×, Kenya 2×, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda 2× - Africa · Central Africa
the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Africa · Southern Africa
Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa 4×, Zambia, Zimbabwe - Asia · Central Asia
Kazakhstan 4×, Kyrgyzstan 2×, Tajikistan 4×, Uzbekistan 5× - Asia · South Asia
Afghanistan 2×, Bangladesh, India, Iran 4×, Nepal 2× - Asia · East Asia
China 3×, North Korea, Japan - Asia · Southeast Asia
Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand 2× - Asia · Middle East
Armenia 3×, Azerbaijan 2×, Bahrain, Georgia 6×, Iraq 3×, Israel 2×, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon 4×, Oman 3×, Qatar, Saudi Arabia 3×, Syria 2×, Turkey 16×, United Arab Emirates 13×, Yemen - Europe · Southern Europe
Albania 2×, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia 3×, Cyprus, Greece 3×, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal (where I was born), Slovenia, Spain (hundreds of border crossings), Vatican - Europe · Western Europe
Austria 2×, Belgium 2×, France 11×, Germany 10×, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands 2×, Switzerland 3× - Europe · Eastern Europe
Bulgaria 5×, Czech Republic 5×, Hungary 6×, Moldova, Poland 25×, Romania 5×, Russia 3×, Slovakia 5×, Ukraine 4× - Europe · Northern Europe
Iceland, Denmark 2×, Norway, Sweden, Finland 4×, Estonia 2×, Latvia 2×, Lithuania 2×, United Kingdom 6×, Republic of Ireland - Americas & Oceania · Caribbean
Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago 2× - Americas & Oceania · Central America
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama - Americas & Oceania · North America
Canada, Mexico, United States of America 5× - Americas & Oceania · South America
Argentina 2×, Brazil 4×, Bolivia, Chile 3×, Colombia 2×, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru 3×, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela - Americas & Oceania · Polynesia
New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa - Americas & Oceania · Melanesia
Fiji - Americas & Oceania · Australasia
Australia - Antarctica · Antarctica Peninsula
Horseshoe Island, Stonington Island, Petermann Island, Port Lockroy, Jougla Point, Neko Harbour, Almirante Brown Antarctic Base, Danco Island, Cuverville Island - Antarctica · South Shetland Islands
Deception Island, Half Moon Island
The 28-year log
A continuous record, 1999 to today. Open any year.
2026 — Egypt · Morocco · Portugal · Saudi Arabia · Spain · UAE
January Morocco (Agadir), Saudi Arabia (Riyadh), Spain (Algeciras), Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon)
February Portugal (Portimão, Faro), Morocco (Agadir), Egypt (Cairo, Luxor)
March Egypt (Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel), Morocco (Agadir)
April Morocco (Agadir), UAE (Dubai)
May UAE (Dubai), Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
June UAE (Dubai), Morocco (Agadir), Portugal (Lisbon)
July, August Morocco (Agadir)
September Morocco (Agadir), Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon)
October Morocco (Agadir), Egypt (Cairo, Luxor)
November Egypt (Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel), Morocco (Agadir)
December Morocco (Agadir)
2025 — Egypt · Georgia · Lebanon · Libya · Morocco · Poland · Portugal · Syria
January Morocco (Agadir)
February Morocco (Agadir), Egypt (Cairo)
March Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel), Morocco (Agadir)
April Morocco (Agadir), UAE (Dubai)
May UAE (Dubai, Sharjah), Lebanon (Beirut), Syria (Damascus, Aleppo, Qalb Loze, KirkBiza, Hatra, Idlib, Homs, Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi Monastery), Georgia (Tbilisi), Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon)
June Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon)
July Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon), Poland (Poznan)
August Poland (Poznan)
September Morocco (Agadir), Tunisia (Tunes, Hammamet, Sousse, Kairouane, Tozeur, Tizika, Nefta, Douz, Monastir)
October Tunisia (Douggha, Marsa, Sidi Bou Said, Tunis), Libya (Tripoli, Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Ghadames, Kabaw), Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon), Morocco (Agadir), UAE (Dubai), Egypt (Cairo)
November Egypt (Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel), Morocco (Agadir, Ouarzazate)
December Morocco (Ouarzazate, Agadir)
2024 — Morocco · Portugal · Spain · UAE · UK
January Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech), Spain (Seville), Portugal (Portimão, Lisbon)
February Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud), Portugal (Lisbon)
March Portugal (Lisbon), Morocco (Ouarzazate)
April Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Agadir)
May Morocco (Ouarzazate, Agadir), UAE (Dubai)
June Morocco (Ouarzazate)
July, August Morocco (Ouarzazate, Agadir)
September, October Morocco (Agadir, Tafraoute)
November Morocco (Agadir, Marrakech), UK (London), UAE (Dubai)
December Morocco (Agadir)
2023 — Afghanistan · Libya · Morocco · Poland · Portugal · Spain · Tunisia · Turkey
January, February Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech), Portugal (Lisbon)
March Portugal (Lisbon), Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Tinfou Dunes, Zagora, Agdz, Mhamid El Ghizlane, Casablanca, Rabat, Asilah, Tangier), Spain (Tarifa)
April Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Zagora), Turkey (Istanbul), UAE (Dubai, Sharjah)
May UAE (Dubai, Sharjah), Afghanistan (Kabul, Bamiyan, Band e Amir National Park, Ghazni)
June UAE (Dubai), Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Casablanca, Rabat), Poland (Poznan)
July Poland (Poznan)
August Poland (Poznan), Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
September Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech), Tunisia (Tunis), Libya (Tripoli, Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Ghadames, Kabaw)
October Morocco (Ouarzazate, Agadir, Aglou, Tiznit)
November Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech), UK (London), UAE (Dubai)
December Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech)
2022 — Azerbaijan · France · Morocco · Portugal · Spain · Turkey · UK
January, February Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech)
March Morocco (Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud)
April Morocco (Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud, Marrakech, Essaouira, Rabat, Casablanca)
May Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Fes, Volubilis, Chefchaouen, Casablanca, Rabat), Portugal (Lisboa, Portimão)
June Morocco (Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud, Marrakech, Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca), France (Marseille), Portugal (Lisboa)
July Portugal (Lisboa, Portimão, Lagos), Spain (Seville), Morocco (Agadir, Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
August Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud)
September Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud), Turkey (Istanbul)
October Turkey (Istanbul), Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud)
November Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech), UK (London), Azerbaijan (Baku, Susa, Sheki, Lahic)
December Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Agadir)
2021 — Morocco
January until August Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Rabat, Casablanca, Ait Benhaddou, Ait Ourir, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud)
September Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Volubilis)
October Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Chefchaouen, Meknes, Volubilis, Tangier, Essaouira)
November, December Morocco (Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Marrakech, Merzouga, Rissani, Erfoud)
2020 — France · Lebanon · Morocco · Syria · Thailand
January Morocco (Ouarzazate), Thailand (Phuket, Cape Panwa, Phang Nga Bay, Koh Panyee floating village, James Bond Island, Khao Lak, Taku Apa, Banyan Tree Forest, Little Amazon, Similan Islands, Elephant Hills Camp)
February Morocco (Ouarzazate), France (Paris), Lebanon (Beirut), Syria (Damascus, Maaloula, Crac des Chevaliers, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Latakia, Saladin Fortress, Kassab, Ugarit, Jableh, Marqab Castle, Tartus, Arwad Island, Palmira, Busra)
March until December Morocco (Ouarzazate, Agadir, Tinfou Dunes)
2019 — Czech Republic · France · Germany · Iran · Morocco · Poland · Portugal · Spain
January Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakesh), Portugal (Oporto)
February Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakesh), Spain (Madrid)
March Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakesh), Portugal (Lisbon), Spain (Madrid)
April Morocco (Ouarzazate, Fez, Chefchaouen, Tétouan, Tangier)
May Morocco (Ouarzazate)
June Morocco (Ouarzazate, Casablanca, Meknes, Fez, Ifrane, Bhalil), France (Bordeaux), Portugal (Porto)
July Morocco (Ouarzazate, Skoura)
August Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakesh), Germany (Berlin), Poland (Poznan, Karpacz), Czech Republic (Prague)
September Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakesh, Skoura, Boumalne Dades, Merzouga, Ait Benhaddou)
October Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Agadir, Taroudant, Fint)
November Morocco (Ouarzazate, Ait Benhaddou, Agdz, Tamegrout, Mhamid, Foum Zguid, Tissint, Tata, Tafraoute, Tiznit, Sidi R’bat, Agadir, Taroudant, Fint)
December Morocco (Merzouga, Ouarzazate), Iran (Tehran, Shiraz, Yazd, Kashan)
2018 — Armenia · Azerbaijan · Bulgaria · Croatia · Czech Republic · Extensive travel through Iran · Georgia · Greece
January Uzbekistan (Khiva, Bustan, Chilpyk, Nukus, Khujayli, Muynak), Kazakhstan (Aktau), Azerbaijan (Gobustan, Baku, Absheron Natural Park, Ramana Castle, Shamakhi, Lahij, Nic, Fazil, Qax, Ilisu, Zaqatala), Georgia (Sighnaghi, Khornabuji, Chailuri Fortress, David Gareja Monastery, Udabno, Nekresi, Gremi Fortress, Alaverdi, Telavi, Mtskheta)
February Armenia (Anipemza, Dashtadem, Saghmosavank, Ohanavank, Agarak, Metsamor, Vagharshapat, Yerevan, Garni, Geghard, Dvin, Khor Virap, Artashat, Areni, Goris, Karashen, Meghri)
March–August Extensive travel through Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland (detailed sites including Persepolis, Erbil, Göbekli Tepe, Cappadocia, Troy, Belgrade, etc.)
September Poland (Poznan), Oman (Salalah), Yemen (Wadi Dawan, Shibam, Seiyun), Morocco (Agadir, Ouarzazate)
October Morocco (Ouarzazate)
November Japan
December Japan, Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Al Ula, Jubbah, Riyadh), Morocco (Ouarzazate)
2017 — Albania · Denmark · Egypt · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Kazakhstan · Kyrgyzstan
January Morocco (Ouarzazate, Merzouga, Erfoud), Poland (Poznan)
February Poland (Poznan), Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir, Ephesus, Bergama, Pergamon, Sirince)
March Poland (Poznan, Warsaw), Hungary (Budapest)
April Poland (Poznan), Germany (Berlin), Turkey (Istanbul)
May Poland (Poznan, Warsaw), Egypt (Hurghada, Edfu, Aswan, Abu Simbel), Sudan (Wadi Halfa, Karma, Dongola, Old Dongola, Dabbah, Karima, El Kurru, Nuri, Meroe, Khartoum, Omdurman), Turkey (Istanbul)
June Poland (Poznan), Netherlands (Amsterdam, Zaandam, Volendam, Zaanse Schans), Denmark (Copenhagen)
July Lebanon (Beirut, Anjar, Baalbek, Byblos), Greece (Athens, Corfu), Albania (Gjirokaster, Berat, Ksamil, Butrint)
August Poland (Poznan)
September Poland (Poznan), Ukraine (Chernihiv, Baturyn)
October Russia (Kursk, Yelets, Voronezh, Saratov), Kazakhstan (Oralsk, Aral, Sawran, Turkestan, Otrar, Shymkent, Aishabibi)
November Kyrgyzstan (Talas, Tash-Aryk, Sary Chelek, Uzgen, Osh, Aravan, Kyrgyz-Ata, Kolduk Lakes, Sary-Moghol, Lenin Peak Base Camp, Tulpar-Kol), Tajikistan (Karakul, Rangkul, Murghab, Bash Gumbaz, Alichur, Khorog, Ishkashim, Darshai, Yamchun Fort, Tamg, Vrang, Langar, Karon, Kulob, Ajina Tepa)
December Tajikistan (Dushanbe, Panjrud, Panjakent, Sarazm, Istarawshan, Khujand), Uzbekistan (Kanka, Tashkent, Samarkand, Navoiy, Gijduvan, Bukhara, Urgench, Khiva)
2016 — Bangladesh · France · Germany · India · Iraq · Monaco · Morocco · Myanmar
January Morocco (Ouarzazate, Rabat, Marrakesh), Poland (Poznan), Turkey (Istanbul)
February Iraq (Najaf, Karbala, Babylon, Baghdad, Ctesiphon, Ur, Basra, Al Qurnah, Marshes of Mesopotamia, Kufa), Poland (Poznan, Wroclaw), France (Nice, Cannes), Monaco (Monte Carlo), Morocco (Marrakesh, Telouet, Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Merzouga, Nkob)
March Morocco (Marrakesh, Telouet, Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Merzouga, Taous, Khamlia, Nkob), Portugal (Lisbon), Germany (Berlin), Poland (Poznan)
April UAE (Dubai, Nazwa Dunes), Philippines (Manila), Thailand (Bangkok, Damnoen Saduak, Rai, Golden Triangle), Myanmar (Bagan, Inle Lake, Yangon)
May Myanmar (Yangon), Bangladesh (Dhaka), India (Calcutta, Varanasi, Sarnath, Agra, Jaipur, Amritsar, Srinagar, Leh, New Delhi)
June Poland (Poznan), Spain (Girona), Morocco (Rabat, Ouarzazate)
July–August Morocco (Ouarzazate)
September Morocco (Ouarzazate), Poland (Poznan, Muszyna, Binarowa, Biecz, Kwiaton)
October Poland (Muszyna, Zamek, Debno), Slovakia (Stara Lubovna, Spissky Hrad, Levoca)
November Morocco (Marrakesh, Ouarzazate)
December Morocco (Marrakesh, Ouzoud Falls, Demnate, Imilchil, Agoudal, Merzouga, Ouarzazate)
2015 — Bahrain · Botswana · Cape Verde · Kuwait · Lesotho · Mauritania · Morocco · Namibia
January Morocco (Ouarzazate, Agadir, Tiznit, Mirleft, Sidi Ifni, Tan-Tan, Khnifiss National Parc, Tarfaya, Laayoune, Boujdour, Dakhla, Guerguerat), Mauritania (Nouadhibou)
February Morocco (Marrakesh, Errachidia, Tinghir, Ouarzazate, Missour), Portugal (Lisboa, Portimão, Praia da Rocha)
March Morocco (Marrakesh, Telouet, Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Agdz, Nkob, Foum Mharech, Taouz, Khemliya, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Erfoud)
April Morocco (Ouarzazate, Casablanca, Rabat, Missour, Boulemane, Enjil des Ait Lahsene)
May Morocco (Ouarzazate), Tunisia (Tunis, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said, Tozeur, Chebika, Tamerza, Midès, Kerkennah, El Jem, Sousse)
June Morocco (Ouarzazate, Casablanca), South Africa (Vredefort Dome, Clarens, Golden Gate Highlands, Maloti-Drakensberg, St. Lucia, iSimangaliso, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi), Lesotho (Hlotse, Bokong, Mantsonyane, Mohale Dam, Ha Khotso, Maseru), Swaziland (Lobamba, Mantenga)
July South Africa (Graskop, Blyde River Canyon, Ben Lavin, Mapungubwe, Pilanesberg), Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Khami Ruins, Matobo, Great Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls), Zambia (Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Mosi-oa-Tunya), Namibia (Caprivi Strip: Bwabwata, Mudumu), Botswana (Tsodilo Hills, Maun, Okavango Delta), Kuwait
August Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Morocco (Ouarzazate)
September–November Morocco (Ouarzazate)
December Morocco (Ouarzazate, Skoura, Marrakech), Cape Verde (Praia, Cidade Velha, Furnas, Fajã de Água, Vila Nova de Sintra, São Filipe, Chã da Caldeira, Mosteiro)
2014 — Antarctica · Argentina · Australia · Belize · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · China
January Peru (Kuelap, Chachapoyas, Revash, Cerro Olán, Leimebamba, Cajamarca, Ventanillas de Otuzco, Cumbe Mayo, Kuntur Wasi, Huanchaco, Trujillo, Chan Chan, El Brujo, Moche Pyramids, Cerro Sechín, Chankillo, Paramonga, Caral, Lima, Pachacamac, Paracas, Islas Ballestas, Huacachina, Ica, Huayuri, Palpa, Nasca, Cerro Blanco, Cahuachi, Chauchilla, Puerto Inca, Toro Muerto, Arequipa, Tacna), Chile (Arica, Tiliviche, Humberstone, Santa Laura, Iquique, Punta Gruesa, Salar Grande, Calama, Chuquicamata, El Tatio, San Pedro de Atacama, Valle de la Luna, Salar de Atacama, Toconao, Socaire)
February Chile (Mano del Desierto, Bahia Inglesa, Valparaiso, San Gregorio, Punta Arenas, Onaisín, Parque Pingüino Rey), Argentina (Villa la Angostura, Bariloche, Cueva de las Manos, El Calafate, Perito Moreno, Ushuaia), Antarctica (Drake Passage, Antarctic Circle, Horseshoe Island, Stonington Island, Petermann Island)
March Antarctica (Jougla Point, Port Lockroy, Neko Harbour, Paradise Harbour, Almirante Brown, Danco Island, Wilhelmina Bay, Cuverville Island, Deception Island, Half Moon Island), Argentina (Ushuaia, Río Grande, Puerto San Julian, Petrified Forest, Puerto Deseado, Punta Tombo, Puerto Madryn, Trelew, Gaiman, Puerto Piramides, Punta Norte, Caleta Valdes, Buenos Aires), Chile (Manantiales, Strait of Magellan)
April Argentina (Buenos Aires), Uruguay (Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo), Brazil (Rio Grande, São João do Norte, Mostardas, Ilha de Santa Catarina, Barra da Lagoa, Campeche, Solidão, Ribeirão da Ilha, Daniela, Porto Belo, Bombinhas, Curitiba, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro)
May Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
June Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Colombia (Salento, Cocora Valley, Cartagena, Mompox, El Banco, Zipaquira, Bogota), Panama (Panama City, Porto Belo, Bocas del Toro), Costa Rica (Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, San Jose, Los Chiles), Nicaragua (San Carlos, El Castillo, Managua, Granada)
July Nicaragua (Granada, Masaya, Momotombo, León Viejo, León), Honduras (La Ceiba, Útila, Gracias, Copán), El Salvador (Suchitoto, Joya de Cerén, San Salvador, Tazumal, Ahuachapán), Guatemala (Antigua, San Pedro La Laguna, Chichicastenango, Cobán, Flores, Tikal), Belize (Benque Viejo, Xunantunich, Belize City, Caye Caulker), Mexico (Chetumal, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Holbox, Chichen Itza, Merida, Mexico City, Teotihuacan)
August Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Iguazu Falls), Paraguay (Ciudad del Este, Trinidad, Jesús de Tavarangue, Asunción), Bolivia (Santa Cruz, Samaipata, Sucre, Potosi, La Paz, Copacabana, Isla de la Luna, Isla del Sol), Peru (Puno, Uros, Sillustani, Cusco, Águas Calientes, Machu Picchu), Chile (Iquique, Santiago)
September New Zealand (Auckland), Tonga (Nuku’Alofa, Ha’atafu, Oholei, Tsunami Rock, Abel Tasman site, Captain Cook site), Fiji (Nadi, Pacific Harbour, Levuka, Leleuvia, Suva), Samoa (Apia, Lalomano, Falefa, Papapapaitai, Sopoaga, To Sua), Australia (Sydney)
October Australia (Canberra, Melbourne, Halls Gap, Great Ocean Road, Grampians, Phillip Island, Blue Mountains), Singapore, Malaysia (Malaca, Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown, Penang), China (Beijing, Dandong), North Korea (Pyongyang, Kaesong, DMZ, Dariwon, Mt Ryongak, Nampho, Mt Kuwol, Woljong Temple, Samsong Temple, Oguk-ri)
November China (Datong, Yungang Caves, Pingyao, Jingshen, Jiexiu, Zhangbi, Mian Shan, Luoyang, Longmen, Shaolin, Xi’an, Chengdu, Shangli, Bifengxia Panda Center), Morocco (Marrakesh)
December Morocco (Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga, Khemliya, Tinghir)
2013 — Brazil · Colombia · Ecuador · Ethiopia · French Guiana · Guyana · Italy · Morocco
January Morocco (Ouarzazate)
February Morocco (Ouarzazate), Ethiopia (Addis Ababa, Harer, Gondor, Gorgora, Axum, Yeha, Lalibela), Somalia (Hargeisa, Las Gel, Berbera)
March Ethiopia (Lalibela, Addis Ababa), Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
April Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ait Benhaddou, Oasis Fint, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Hassilabied, Merzouga)
May Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat), Portugal (Lisbon, Sintra)
June Portugal (Lisbon), Italy (Venice, Ferrara, Ravenna, Urbino, Amalfi, Pompeii, Rome), Vatican, San Marino, Poland (Katowice, Poznan, Gdansk), Trinidad & Tobago (Charlotteville, Bateaux Bay, Englishman’s Bay, Scarborough, Crown Point, Port of Spain)
July Trinidad & Tobago (Port of Spain), Guyana (Georgetown, New Amsterdam), Suriname (Paramaribo, Peperpot, Albina), French Guiana (Mana, Yalimapo, Iracoubo, Cayenne), Brazil (Oiapoque, Macapá, Nova Mazagão, Mazagão Velho, Santana)
August Brazil (Santarém, Alter-do-Chão, Belterra, Pindobal, Óbidos, Manaus)
September Brazil (Manaus), Venezuela (Santa Elena de Uairén, Gran Sabana, Ciudad Bolivar, Canaima, Salto Ángel)
October Venezuela (Santa Elena de Uairén), Brazil (Manaus, Ponta Negra, Jutaí, Tonantins, São Paulo de Olivença, Benjamin Constant, Tabatinga), Peru (Islandia, Santa Rosa), Colombia (Leticia)
November Peru (Caballo Cocha, Pebas, Iquitos, Padre Cocha, Tacshacuraray, Santa Clotilde, Buena Vista, Torres Causana, Tempestad, Cabo Pantoja), Ecuador (Nueva Rocafuerte, El Coca, Quito)
December Ecuador (Cotopaxi, Machachi, Lasso, Quilotoa, Zumbahua, El Corazón, Puebloviejo, Guayaquil, Galápagos: Puerto Ayora – Santa Cruz, Bartolome, Genovesa, Plaza, Santa Fe, Villamil – Isabela, Baquerizo Moreno – San Cristobal), Peru (Baños Termales El Almendral, Lamud, Pueblo de los Muertos, Karajía, Luya)
2012 — Afghanistan · Bulgaria · Cyprus · England · Georgia · Germany · Holland · Hungary
January Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech), England (Cambridge, London, Marlow), Northern Ireland (Belfast), Ireland (Dublin), Germany (Berlin)
February Morocco (Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Tinejdad, Jorf, Erfoud)
March Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech)
April Morocco (Ouarzazate, Kellat M’Gouna, Goulmima, Errachidia, Missour)
May Morocco (Ouarzazate), Hungary (Budapest), Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia (Batumi), Russia (North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Astrakhan), Kazakhstan (Atyrau / Revneu)
June Uzbekistan (Muynaq, Khiva), Tajikistan (Nurek, Tavildara, Khorog, Murghab), Afghanistan (Kunduz, Baghlan, Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh), Iran (Qom, Esfahan, Shiraz, Persepolis, Pasargadae, Rayen, Bam, Yazd, Chak Chak, Meybod, Kharanaq)
July Iran (Tehran, Mashhad), Tajikistan (Dushanbe), Uzbekistan (Shakhrisabz, Langan, Bukhara, Nurota, Lake Aydar, Uxhum, Tashkent, Qo’qon, Fergana, Margilan), Kyrgyzstan (Osh, Kazarman, Baetov, Tash Rabat, Lake Issyk Kul, Tamcy, Bishkek), Portugal (Lisbon, Carcavelos, Sintra, Colares, Cabo da Roca)
August Portugal, Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
September Morocco (Ouarzazate)
October Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Essaouira, Safi, Oualidia, El Jadida, Casablanca, Fes, Errachidia, Boumalne Dades)
November Morocco (Ouarzazate, Zagora, Mhamid, Chegaga Dunes, Rissani, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Marrakech, Asilah, Tangier), Portugal (Comenda, Sintra, Lisbon), Holland (Amsterdam), Norway (Oslo)
December Norway (Oslo), Cyprus (Ayia Napa, Cape Greco, Paralimni, Nicosia), Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Famagusta, Dipkarpaz, Karpas Peninsula, Girne), Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
2011 — Bulgaria · Democratic Republic of Congo · Georgia · Kenya · Morocco · Nepal · Oman · Portugal
January Morocco (Erfoud, Rissani, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Ouarzazate)
February Morocco (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Midelt, Missour, Errachidia)
March Morocco (Ouarzazate, Fint oasis, Ksar Tissergate, Marrakech)
April Morocco, Turkey, Bulgaria (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Rabat, Casablanca, Istanbul, Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Dryanovski, Lyaskovets, Arbanasi, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Cherven, Ivanovo, Basarbovski, Ruze, Isperih, Sveshtari, Pliska, Madara)
May Turkey, Georgia (Istanbul, Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Mestia, Ushguli, Batumi, Rize)
June Turkey (Istanbul)
July Turkey, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, UAE (Istanbul, Nairobi, Kampala, Nakaseke, Kituka, Juba, Yei, Lassu, Aba, Faradje, Durba, Aru, Pakwatch, Sharjah, Dubai)
August UAE, Nepal, Tibet (Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Medina Zaid, Liwa Oasis, Al Ain, Fujairah, Khor Fakkan, Ras Al Khaima, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Tansen, Lumbini, Janakpur, Bhaktapur, Nyalam, Lhatse, Shigatse, Gyantse)
September Tibet, Nepal, UAE, Ras Musandam, Oman, Turkey, Morocco (Lhasa, Kathmandu, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaima, Khasab, Telegraph Island, Muscat, Samail, Masirah Island, Cape Madrakah, Salalah, Taqah, Mirbat, Shisr, Fuhud, Nizwa, Bahla, Jabrin, Ar Rustaq, Al Hazm, Sharjah, Istanbul, Casablanca, Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
October Morocco, Portugal (Ouarzazate, Erfoud, Marrakech, Porto, Lisbon)
November Portugal (Lisbon, Evora), Morocco (Marrakech, Ouarzazate)
December Morocco (Ouarzazate)
2010 — Gozo · Italy · Malta · Morocco
January–September Morocco
October Morocco, Italy, Malta, Gozo (Erfoud, Meknes, Fez, Pisa, San Miniato, Florence, Valletta, Rabat, Mdina, Cirkewwa, Ghajnsielem, Victoria, Xaghra, Rambla Bay)
November Morocco (Erfoud, Maadid, Ouarzazate, Alnif, Tinghir)
December Morocco (Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga, Ouarzazate)
2009 — Gagauzia · Germany · Iraq · Mauritania · Moldova · Morocco · Poland
January Morocco (Erfoud, Merzouga, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Rissani, Ouarzazate)
February Morocco, Mauritania (Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir, Laayoune, Dakhla, La Gouira, Nouadhibou)
March Mauritania, Morocco (Nouadhibou, Bou Lanouar, Ben Amera, Atar, Chinguetti)
April Morocco, Spain, Portugal (Erfoud, Errachidia, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Rich, Casablanca, Rabat, Seville, Tarifa, Evora, Lisbon)
May Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Germany, Poland, Ukraine (Lisbon, Evora, Erfoud, Errachidia, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Barcelona, Berlin, Warsaw, Przemysl, Lviv)
June Ukraine, Poland (Przemysl, Lviv)
July Ukraine, Moldova, Gagauzia, Pridnestrovie (Lviv, Chisinau, Comrat, Tiraspol)
August Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Iraq, Ukraine (Chisinau, Bucharest, Istanbul, Cizre, Erbil, Salahudin, Dohuk, Aqrah, Amedia, Barzan, Zakho, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Bucharest, Chernivtsi, Lviv)
September Ukraine, Germany, Portugal (Lviv, Dortmund, Darmstadt, Faro, Portimão, Praia da Rocha, Lisbon)
October Portugal (Lisbon, Évora)
November Portugal, Morocco (Lisbon, Sintra, Tanger, Erfoud)
December Morocco (Erfoud, Merzouga, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Maadid, Ouarzazate)
2008 — Albania · Armenia · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bosnia-Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Denmark
January Morocco
February Morocco, Gibraltar, Portugal, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Palestine
March, April Portugal, Morocco
May Morocco, Mali
June Mali, Morocco
July Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Iceland
August Iceland, Denmark, Belgium, Morocco, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina
September Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia, Portugal
October Portugal, Morocco, England (Lisbon, Évora, Faro, Erfoud, Marrakech, Casablanca, London)
November England, Morocco (London, Marrakech, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga)
December Morocco
2007 — Canada · Cuba · Morocco · United States of America
April Morocco, United States of America, Canada
July, August Morocco
September Morocco, Cuba
October Cuba
November, December Morocco
2006 — Morocco
January–May Morocco
August Morocco
2005 — Andorra · Austria · Czech Republic · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Latvia
January France, Luxembourg, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland
February Finland, Sweden, Russia
March Russia, Finland
April United States of America
May Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Germany, France, Andorra
June United States (New York)
July, August Morocco
December Morocco
2004 — Gambia · Germany · Iran · Kazakhstan · Mauritania · Morocco · Portugal
January Mauritania, Morocco (Nouadhibou, Dakhla, La Gouira)
March Spain, Morocco, Mauritania (Casablanca, Marrakech, Cape Boujador, Dakhla, Nouadhibou, Banc d’Arguin, Nouakchott, Akjouit, Chinguetti, Rosso)
April Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Morocco (Tambacounda, Dakar, Ile de Goree, Atar, Choum, Zouerat, Fderik, Bir Moghrein, Gueltat Zemmour, Laayoune, Seville)
June Portugal, Germany, Kazakhstan (Lisbon, Frankfurt am Main, Almaty)
July Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan (Almaty, Medeu, Bear Gorge, Ile Alatau, Shymkent, Turkestan, Tashkent, Charvik, Bukhara, Samarkand)
August Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Morocco (Tashkent, Tehran, Qom, Shiraz, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Marv Dasht, Persepolis, Istanbul, Beykoz, Seville, Evora, Lisbon, Chefchaouen, Fez, Meknes, Volubilis, Friouato Caves, Mount Bou Iblane, Errachidia, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga, Hassilabied)
September Morocco, Portugal (Tinghir, Tamtettoucht, Ait Hani, Imilchil, Asilah, Ceuta, Évora)
December Morocco
2003 — Austria · Bulgaria · France · Germany · Greece · Macedonia · Mauritania · Morocco
February Morocco
May Morocco
August Morocco, France, Switzerland, Austria, Poland
September Germany, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland, Poland
October Poland, Germany (Wroclaw, Poznan, Berlin)
December Morocco, Mauritania (Fez, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga, Hassilabied, Tinghir, Tamtettoucht, Agadir, Inzegane, Cape Boujador, Laayoune, Dakhla, La Gouira, Nouadhibou, Banc d’Arguin, Diawling, Diama)
2002 — Czech Republic · England · Morocco · Poland · Romania · Slovakia
January Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, England, Morocco (Wroclaw, Poznan, Bucharest, London, Fez, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Merzouga)
April Morocco
August Morocco
2001 — Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Czech Republic · England · France · Hungary · Morocco
January Morocco, Spain, Portugal, United States of America (Gorges du Todra, Kellat M’Gouna, Ouarzazate, Marrakech, Ceuta, Algeciras, Seville, Lisbon, New York)
February–April United States, Portugal (New York, Middletown, Swan Lake, White Lake, Liberty, Lisbon, Évora)
June Portugal, France, Belgium, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria (Berlin, Prague, Brno, Bratislava, Budapest, Bucharest, Constanta, Costinesti, Neptun, Mangalia, Varna)
July Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, United States of America (Plovdiv, Asenovgrad, Bachkovo, Sofia, Sighisoara, Brasov, Zagreb, Lisbon, New York)
August United States of America (New York)
December Portugal (Évora, Lisbon), England (London), Romania (Bucharest), Hungary (Budapest), Yugoslavia (Subotica, Mali Ides), Poland (Poznan, Wroclaw), Czech Republic (Olomouc)
2000 — Morocco · Portugal · Spain · United States of America
May Portugal (Évora, Lisbon), Morocco (Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes)
October, November Portugal (Lisbon, Évora, Faro), United States of America (New York)
December Portugal (Évora, Lisbon), Morocco (Tangier, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Kellat Mgouna, Tinghir, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi Dunes, Errachidia, Midelt), Spain (Algeciras, Madrid)
1999 — France · Portugal
October Portugal (Lisbon, Évora, Faro), France (Paris, Versailles)
Who is the person behind this list? That story is on the About page — and the best of these journeys are told in full in my best travel experiences.
