Circumnavigation Expedition Route
Nexus Expedition's World Circumnavigation began in Anchorage, Alaska in 2005. So far the expedition has taken Dimitri 24,215 kilometers (15,046 miles) from Anchorage, Alaska to Tala Bay, Aqaba (Jordan): trekking, swimming, skiing, rowing and cycling across Alaska, the Bering Strait, Far Eastern Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran; kayaking across the Strait of Hormuz and then cycling across Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
The future of the expedition are an Atlantic crossing, the second antipode in Argentina, and a return trek North to return to the starting point in Alaska. At completion, the expedition will total approximately 65,500 kms / 44,700 miles.
The future of the expedition are an Atlantic crossing, the second antipode in Argentina, and a return trek North to return to the starting point in Alaska. At completion, the expedition will total approximately 65,500 kms / 44,700 miles.
Where We Are Now
2015 Nexus Expedition Route: Uzbekistan - Turkmenistan - Iran and more...
Visa status as of today, Monday July 20th 2015
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman: YES
Saudi Arabia: Maybe....
After a required very long hiatus which we have had to take for multiple administrative reasons, since we last stopped our route in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, on August 28th 2015, almost 11 months ago, we are finally getting close to resume our Nexus expedition!
It has not been easy to secure all of the visas needed for the countries we are hoping to cycle through over the next few months, taking as well into account the combination of Gulnara's Russian passport and my French one!
Indeed, since our current immediate goal is to reach, by human power, South Africa, to start the rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, we hope we will be able to travel via the eastern coast of Africa.
But to be able to reach Eastern Africa the most directly, we first and foremost need to cross the Arabian Peninsula, while skipping obviously any country which are currently facing domestic wars and/or facing the threat of potential ISIS, al-Qaeda, or else, related kidnapping and/or murdering, especially in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya.
We spent the last two months in our respective native countries of France and Russia, where we have been already able to secure our visas for Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman.
We also have secured visas for Kazakhstan and Russia, if for one reason or another, we are no longer allowed to cycle entirely across Iran, and therefore need to go around the northern side of the Caspian sea, via Kazakhstan, Russia and Georgia.
We expect as well to be able to get while "on the road", the "easier" visas for the countries of United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Egypt.
In order to obtain our visas, we have had to provide to either the Saudi, Iranian, Omani and/or Kazakh consulates, a multitude of documents and received an approval from each country Ministry of Interior.
For example, the Saudis asked us to submit a notarized and certified letter by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs justifying the legitimacy of our Nexus Expedition, as well as medical reports, copies of our wedding certificate, birth certificates and filled out applications where we were asked to share a large amount of personal information such as our religious affiliation.
The Iranians asked us to disclose the complete list of all the countries we have ever visited, a proof of international insurance and a registration number provided by a travel company in Tehran.
They also explained very clearly to each one of us, (at the Iranian consulate in Paris, France for myself and at the Iranian consulate in Kazan, Russia for Gulnara) that in no shape nor form we should hold the Iranian government accountable for any harm which could be done to us physically, materially or financially while crossing their country.
This request can be quite intimidating but this was not the first time for us and probably not the last...
Indeed, in the past, I have had to sign similar waivers with local authorities in order to be able to secure visas/permits to cross by foot remote parts of Russia (Chukotka) and the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan, which in the end, we had to skip because of Tajik administrative reasons.
Now, the remaining main obstacle to secure our entire route to Egypt, is whether or not we are going to be allowed to cross Saudi Arabia by bicycle.
Indeed, over the last two months in Paris, Gulnara and I have met with three subsequent Saudi consuls in Paris, whom thankfully, were all very supportive of our expedition.
While in Paris, we were able to stay with my cousin Babeth Rouzeau who very kindly welcomed us in her apartment for such an extensive period of time.
Being told to be extremely patient, we have, nevertheless, checked once or twice a week with the Saudi consulate in Paris for any further development, submitting additional documents when requested.
The closures of the Saudi consulate during the month of Ramadan, as well as the large amount of pilgrims applying for visas for their Hajj to Mecca, probably did not help as well the expediency of our case.
We have been told repeatedly that this was the first time they ever had, at this consulate in France, a request to cycle across the entire Saudi Arabia, and this is probably why it is taking so long to obtain an answer.
Although, apparently, the legacy of Nexus Expedition with its 17,814 kilometers trekked, skied, cycled and swam since Anchorage, Alaska, has helped gain some legitimacy in the eyes of this consulate.
Spending countless hours in the Saudi consulate in Paris over the last few weeks, we have seen a large amount of applicants been swiftly rejected because they did not properly "dot their i's and cross their t's" in their business visa applications or for their Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
So, the fact that after two months, we have not been rejected yet, allow us to remain hopeful for a positive outcome.
So far, we have heard of only three non Saudi individuals who have been able to recently cross Saudi Arabia by human power:
- In 2015, the Turk long distance cyclist Gürkan Genç.
- In 2013, The American journalist Pulitzer prize winner Paul Salopek with his "Out of Eden" 7 years walk, sponsored by the National Geographic.
Paul Salopek recently shared with me:
"It took eight months of personally lobbying the royal family with the considerable leverage of National Geographic behind me. The only basis on which the Saudis agreed was that it was a cultural and scientific undertaking.
I suggest writing to the Saudi embassy in your home country, and playing up the cultural value of your journey. Be persistent. It is a long process. "
- In 2006, the German long distance cyclist Peter Smolka was allowed to pedal across Saudi Arabia from Egypt to Yemen on a 15 days Transit visa.
At the time, apparently, the Saudi officials were extremely accommodating, they even provided to him a motorcade which escorted him the whole way and allowed him to cycle the entire distance.
Note: Soon enough, we will either hopefully receive a positive answer from the Saudi consulate or go on with an alternate route through Iran which instead of taking us southbound towards the strait of Hormuz, will take us straight west towards Turkey, southern Europe, etc...
At that point, we will revise our route and maps, and shared it on this site.
But for the time being, here is the plan which we are excited to share with you!
Uzbekistan:
105 kms
We are scheduled to return in Bukhrara, where we last stopped on July 31st 2015.
There, we plan to spend a few days regrouping our gear and tuning our bicycles which we were kindly allowed to store in the Nazira and Azizbek guesthouse over the last 11 months.
If time allows, prior to resuming the expedition, we would like to take the opportunity to venture out west in order to visit the ancient city of Khiva, the Karapalkastan region and the Uzbek side of the quickly vanishing Aral Sea.
From there, back in Bukhara, we will cycle 105 kms southwest and cross the Uzbek-Turkmen border between Alat (Uzbekistan) and Farap (Turkmenistan).
Turkmenistan:
455 kms
Turkmenistan is one of the most reclusive countries in the world, let alone in central asia.
Therefore it can be quite complicated to secure a visa to cross this country freely.
In addition, we were told that Gulnara, as a Russian citizen may even have a more difficult time to secure a tourist visa to be able to cross this ex-Soviet state, which is keen on showing its independence from its ex colonial Slavic ruler.
Nevertheless, we thought that we might still go for one of the two following options:
- A 5 days transit visa to quickly cycle the shorter distance across the country of 455 kms of windy desert roads with our laden expedition cycles, in high 30's Celsius temperatures.
or
- A 10-15 days tourist visas, where we can somewhat cycle freely but are requested to hire an escorting "guide" with whom we need to be in contact on a nightly basis.
Having heard of a few rare cases, where cyclists were given an exceptional transit visa of 7-10 days, we decided to get in touch with the Turkmen consul in Paris, with whom we met twice.
Nope, he was definitely not willing to give us anything more than 5 days, and actually stated, as could be expected from a diplomat / bureaucrat:
"7 days, ludicrous! you are lucky to get 5! I could cycle the whole thing myself in 2 days!"
We recalled than that we heard from french contacts we met on the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, last summer, that they had a great experience cycling through Turkmenistan while being required to meet on a nightly basis with their guide Artem Gubaev and his company Travel Notoria.
We contacted Mr Gubaev and this is how we have decided to secure our tourist visas, allowing us to not only cycle through this country (via the towns of Turkmenabat, Mary, Saraghs) but also to take the time to visit intriguing sites such as the capital Ashgabat and the Crater of Darvaza, also known as "The Door to Hell".
This is not going to be the cheapest solution to cross Turkmenistan but at least it will give us ample time along our way to see what seems to be such a fascinating country.
After that, we plan to leave the country through the Turkmen-Iranian border crossing of Saraghs (Turkmenistan) – Sarakhs (Iran).
Iran:
1600 kms
To secure our Iranian visa, we worked with the company Iranianvisa.com.
In Iran, we plan to cycle approximately 1600 kms, south through the towns of Sarakhs, Mashhad, Torbat-e-Heydariyeh, Gonabad, Ferdows, Deyhuk, Nayband, Ravat, Kerman, Bardsir, Sirjan, Gahkom and Bandar Abbas.
This route has been marked in Green on the map, attached below.
In Bandar Abbas, we plan to row in a rowing boat or paddle in a kayak across the Strait of Hormuz to reach Kumzar in Oman.
Note on alternate route:
If we are not able to secure Saudi visas, we will then have to find an alternate route to continue our expedition and that is the 1900 kms alternate route marked in orange on our map.
Through the cities of Sarakhs, Mashhad, Sabzevar, Shahrud, Semnan, Tehran, Qazvin, Zanjan, Mianeh, Tabriz, Marand, Khvoy, Maku and finally cross the Iranian Turkish border in Gurbulak.
Oman:
45 kms
We plan to enter Oman by water after having either kayaked or rowed across the strait of Hormuz, coming from Bandar Abbas in Iran.
We plan to land near either the towns of Bukha or Kahsab in the Musandam peninsula and cycled afterwards 45 kms through the Musandam peninsula to the Oman-UAE border crossing towards the Saudi town of Ras al Khaimah.
United Arab Emirates:
600 kms
We plan to enter the United Arab Emirates through the Oman-UAE border crossing of Bukha/Musadam (Oman) - Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates).
While in the United Arab Emirates, we plan to cycle 600 kms through the towns of Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi and Tarif.
We plan to leave United Arab Emirates through the border crossing of Al Ghuwaifat (United Arab Emirates) – Al Bat’ha (Saudi Arabia).
Saudi Arabia:
1870 kms
We plan to enter Saudia Arabia through the UAE-Saudi Arabia border crossing between Al Ghewfiat (UAE) and Al Bat’ha (Saudi Arabia).
From Al Bat’ha, we have two options to consider:
A. Cycle approximately 1870 kms through the Central route.
Through the towns of Al Kharj – Riyadh – Al Majmaah – Buraydah – Abu Ajram and Al-Qurayat where we will pass the Umari Border Crossing to enter the country of Jordan.
or
B. Cycle approximately 1820 kms through the Northern route.
Through the towns of Al Hofuf, Nairyah, Hafar al’Batin, Rafha, Arar, Turaif and Al Qurayyat where we will pass the Umari Border Crossing to enter the country of Jordan.
Additional notes for anyone planning to apply for a Saudi visa:
It has been difficult to get into Saudi Arabia for many years, as a "westerner" unless you are:
- an engineer or equivalent, invited by a company to come and work in the oil/gas/construction/manufacturing industry.
- a teacher/ professor invited by a university/school.
- a Muslim going to either Mecca and/or Medina on your Hajj / Pilgrimage.
The Hajj visa also usually limits your visit to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, (which only Muslims can visit). It does not allow anyone to freely cycle across the entire country.
- an overland traveler, crossing the country in his car, and for which he might be able to receive a 3-4 days transit visa. It is very difficult to obtain a transit visa for a longer period of time.
One needs to follow a proper dress code to be allowed to cross the country by bicycle.
Men can wear bicycling shorts while riding but need to put on pants when they stop.
Women need to wear an abaya and probably need to cover their hair.
Saudi regulations are currently changing and more women are now allowed to cycle, as long as they are in company of a man.
If anyone ever plan to enter the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is also highly recommended to show that he/she have no affiliation whatsoever with the state of Israel.
Finally, the current situation in neighboring Yemen, turmoil in Bahrain and recent arrests in Saudi Arabia does not help anyone, by any means, getting a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia.
Jordan:
400 kms
We plan to enter Jordan through the Saudi Arabia - Jordan border crossing between Al Hadithah (Saudi Arabia) and Al Ghadaf (Jordan).
In Jordan, we plan to cycle approximatively 400 kms, south through the towns of Al Umari, Al Jafr, Maan, Ras An Naqb and Aqaba.
In Aqaba, we plan to row in a rowing boat or paddle in a kayak across the Red Sea to reach Nuweiba in Egypt.
Egypt:
1280 kms
We plan to enter Egypt after having either kayaked or rowed through the Red Sea, coming from Aqaba in Jordan.
We plan to land in the town of Nuweiba and afterwards cycle 1280 kms through Egypt to the border crossing South of Aswan on Lake Nasser.
We plan to cross the towns of Nuweiba, Taba, Suez, Cairo, Al Jizah, Al Minya, Asyut, Suhaj, Qina and Aswan.
In Aswan, we plan to row in a rowing boat or paddle in a kayak across the Lake Nasser to reach Wadi Alfa in Sudan.
Visa status as of today, Monday July 20th 2015
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman: YES
Saudi Arabia: Maybe....
After a required very long hiatus which we have had to take for multiple administrative reasons, since we last stopped our route in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, on August 28th 2015, almost 11 months ago, we are finally getting close to resume our Nexus expedition!
It has not been easy to secure all of the visas needed for the countries we are hoping to cycle through over the next few months, taking as well into account the combination of Gulnara's Russian passport and my French one!
Indeed, since our current immediate goal is to reach, by human power, South Africa, to start the rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, we hope we will be able to travel via the eastern coast of Africa.
But to be able to reach Eastern Africa the most directly, we first and foremost need to cross the Arabian Peninsula, while skipping obviously any country which are currently facing domestic wars and/or facing the threat of potential ISIS, al-Qaeda, or else, related kidnapping and/or murdering, especially in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya.
We spent the last two months in our respective native countries of France and Russia, where we have been already able to secure our visas for Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman.
We also have secured visas for Kazakhstan and Russia, if for one reason or another, we are no longer allowed to cycle entirely across Iran, and therefore need to go around the northern side of the Caspian sea, via Kazakhstan, Russia and Georgia.
We expect as well to be able to get while "on the road", the "easier" visas for the countries of United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Egypt.
In order to obtain our visas, we have had to provide to either the Saudi, Iranian, Omani and/or Kazakh consulates, a multitude of documents and received an approval from each country Ministry of Interior.
For example, the Saudis asked us to submit a notarized and certified letter by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs justifying the legitimacy of our Nexus Expedition, as well as medical reports, copies of our wedding certificate, birth certificates and filled out applications where we were asked to share a large amount of personal information such as our religious affiliation.
The Iranians asked us to disclose the complete list of all the countries we have ever visited, a proof of international insurance and a registration number provided by a travel company in Tehran.
They also explained very clearly to each one of us, (at the Iranian consulate in Paris, France for myself and at the Iranian consulate in Kazan, Russia for Gulnara) that in no shape nor form we should hold the Iranian government accountable for any harm which could be done to us physically, materially or financially while crossing their country.
This request can be quite intimidating but this was not the first time for us and probably not the last...
Indeed, in the past, I have had to sign similar waivers with local authorities in order to be able to secure visas/permits to cross by foot remote parts of Russia (Chukotka) and the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan, which in the end, we had to skip because of Tajik administrative reasons.
Now, the remaining main obstacle to secure our entire route to Egypt, is whether or not we are going to be allowed to cross Saudi Arabia by bicycle.
Indeed, over the last two months in Paris, Gulnara and I have met with three subsequent Saudi consuls in Paris, whom thankfully, were all very supportive of our expedition.
While in Paris, we were able to stay with my cousin Babeth Rouzeau who very kindly welcomed us in her apartment for such an extensive period of time.
Being told to be extremely patient, we have, nevertheless, checked once or twice a week with the Saudi consulate in Paris for any further development, submitting additional documents when requested.
The closures of the Saudi consulate during the month of Ramadan, as well as the large amount of pilgrims applying for visas for their Hajj to Mecca, probably did not help as well the expediency of our case.
We have been told repeatedly that this was the first time they ever had, at this consulate in France, a request to cycle across the entire Saudi Arabia, and this is probably why it is taking so long to obtain an answer.
Although, apparently, the legacy of Nexus Expedition with its 17,814 kilometers trekked, skied, cycled and swam since Anchorage, Alaska, has helped gain some legitimacy in the eyes of this consulate.
Spending countless hours in the Saudi consulate in Paris over the last few weeks, we have seen a large amount of applicants been swiftly rejected because they did not properly "dot their i's and cross their t's" in their business visa applications or for their Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
So, the fact that after two months, we have not been rejected yet, allow us to remain hopeful for a positive outcome.
So far, we have heard of only three non Saudi individuals who have been able to recently cross Saudi Arabia by human power:
- In 2015, the Turk long distance cyclist Gürkan Genç.
- In 2013, The American journalist Pulitzer prize winner Paul Salopek with his "Out of Eden" 7 years walk, sponsored by the National Geographic.
Paul Salopek recently shared with me:
"It took eight months of personally lobbying the royal family with the considerable leverage of National Geographic behind me. The only basis on which the Saudis agreed was that it was a cultural and scientific undertaking.
I suggest writing to the Saudi embassy in your home country, and playing up the cultural value of your journey. Be persistent. It is a long process. "
- In 2006, the German long distance cyclist Peter Smolka was allowed to pedal across Saudi Arabia from Egypt to Yemen on a 15 days Transit visa.
At the time, apparently, the Saudi officials were extremely accommodating, they even provided to him a motorcade which escorted him the whole way and allowed him to cycle the entire distance.
Note: Soon enough, we will either hopefully receive a positive answer from the Saudi consulate or go on with an alternate route through Iran which instead of taking us southbound towards the strait of Hormuz, will take us straight west towards Turkey, southern Europe, etc...
At that point, we will revise our route and maps, and shared it on this site.
But for the time being, here is the plan which we are excited to share with you!
Uzbekistan:
105 kms
We are scheduled to return in Bukhrara, where we last stopped on July 31st 2015.
There, we plan to spend a few days regrouping our gear and tuning our bicycles which we were kindly allowed to store in the Nazira and Azizbek guesthouse over the last 11 months.
If time allows, prior to resuming the expedition, we would like to take the opportunity to venture out west in order to visit the ancient city of Khiva, the Karapalkastan region and the Uzbek side of the quickly vanishing Aral Sea.
From there, back in Bukhara, we will cycle 105 kms southwest and cross the Uzbek-Turkmen border between Alat (Uzbekistan) and Farap (Turkmenistan).
Turkmenistan:
455 kms
Turkmenistan is one of the most reclusive countries in the world, let alone in central asia.
Therefore it can be quite complicated to secure a visa to cross this country freely.
In addition, we were told that Gulnara, as a Russian citizen may even have a more difficult time to secure a tourist visa to be able to cross this ex-Soviet state, which is keen on showing its independence from its ex colonial Slavic ruler.
Nevertheless, we thought that we might still go for one of the two following options:
- A 5 days transit visa to quickly cycle the shorter distance across the country of 455 kms of windy desert roads with our laden expedition cycles, in high 30's Celsius temperatures.
or
- A 10-15 days tourist visas, where we can somewhat cycle freely but are requested to hire an escorting "guide" with whom we need to be in contact on a nightly basis.
Having heard of a few rare cases, where cyclists were given an exceptional transit visa of 7-10 days, we decided to get in touch with the Turkmen consul in Paris, with whom we met twice.
Nope, he was definitely not willing to give us anything more than 5 days, and actually stated, as could be expected from a diplomat / bureaucrat:
"7 days, ludicrous! you are lucky to get 5! I could cycle the whole thing myself in 2 days!"
We recalled than that we heard from french contacts we met on the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan, last summer, that they had a great experience cycling through Turkmenistan while being required to meet on a nightly basis with their guide Artem Gubaev and his company Travel Notoria.
We contacted Mr Gubaev and this is how we have decided to secure our tourist visas, allowing us to not only cycle through this country (via the towns of Turkmenabat, Mary, Saraghs) but also to take the time to visit intriguing sites such as the capital Ashgabat and the Crater of Darvaza, also known as "The Door to Hell".
This is not going to be the cheapest solution to cross Turkmenistan but at least it will give us ample time along our way to see what seems to be such a fascinating country.
After that, we plan to leave the country through the Turkmen-Iranian border crossing of Saraghs (Turkmenistan) – Sarakhs (Iran).
Iran:
1600 kms
To secure our Iranian visa, we worked with the company Iranianvisa.com.
In Iran, we plan to cycle approximately 1600 kms, south through the towns of Sarakhs, Mashhad, Torbat-e-Heydariyeh, Gonabad, Ferdows, Deyhuk, Nayband, Ravat, Kerman, Bardsir, Sirjan, Gahkom and Bandar Abbas.
This route has been marked in Green on the map, attached below.
In Bandar Abbas, we plan to row in a rowing boat or paddle in a kayak across the Strait of Hormuz to reach Kumzar in Oman.
Note on alternate route:
If we are not able to secure Saudi visas, we will then have to find an alternate route to continue our expedition and that is the 1900 kms alternate route marked in orange on our map.
Through the cities of Sarakhs, Mashhad, Sabzevar, Shahrud, Semnan, Tehran, Qazvin, Zanjan, Mianeh, Tabriz, Marand, Khvoy, Maku and finally cross the Iranian Turkish border in Gurbulak.
Oman:
45 kms
We plan to enter Oman by water after having either kayaked or rowed across the strait of Hormuz, coming from Bandar Abbas in Iran.
We plan to land near either the towns of Bukha or Kahsab in the Musandam peninsula and cycled afterwards 45 kms through the Musandam peninsula to the Oman-UAE border crossing towards the Saudi town of Ras al Khaimah.
United Arab Emirates:
600 kms
We plan to enter the United Arab Emirates through the Oman-UAE border crossing of Bukha/Musadam (Oman) - Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates).
While in the United Arab Emirates, we plan to cycle 600 kms through the towns of Ajman, Sharjah, Dubai, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi and Tarif.
We plan to leave United Arab Emirates through the border crossing of Al Ghuwaifat (United Arab Emirates) – Al Bat’ha (Saudi Arabia).
Saudi Arabia:
1870 kms
We plan to enter Saudia Arabia through the UAE-Saudi Arabia border crossing between Al Ghewfiat (UAE) and Al Bat’ha (Saudi Arabia).
From Al Bat’ha, we have two options to consider:
A. Cycle approximately 1870 kms through the Central route.
Through the towns of Al Kharj – Riyadh – Al Majmaah – Buraydah – Abu Ajram and Al-Qurayat where we will pass the Umari Border Crossing to enter the country of Jordan.
or
B. Cycle approximately 1820 kms through the Northern route.
Through the towns of Al Hofuf, Nairyah, Hafar al’Batin, Rafha, Arar, Turaif and Al Qurayyat where we will pass the Umari Border Crossing to enter the country of Jordan.
Additional notes for anyone planning to apply for a Saudi visa:
It has been difficult to get into Saudi Arabia for many years, as a "westerner" unless you are:
- an engineer or equivalent, invited by a company to come and work in the oil/gas/construction/manufacturing industry.
- a teacher/ professor invited by a university/school.
- a Muslim going to either Mecca and/or Medina on your Hajj / Pilgrimage.
The Hajj visa also usually limits your visit to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, (which only Muslims can visit). It does not allow anyone to freely cycle across the entire country.
- an overland traveler, crossing the country in his car, and for which he might be able to receive a 3-4 days transit visa. It is very difficult to obtain a transit visa for a longer period of time.
One needs to follow a proper dress code to be allowed to cross the country by bicycle.
Men can wear bicycling shorts while riding but need to put on pants when they stop.
Women need to wear an abaya and probably need to cover their hair.
Saudi regulations are currently changing and more women are now allowed to cycle, as long as they are in company of a man.
If anyone ever plan to enter the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is also highly recommended to show that he/she have no affiliation whatsoever with the state of Israel.
Finally, the current situation in neighboring Yemen, turmoil in Bahrain and recent arrests in Saudi Arabia does not help anyone, by any means, getting a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia.
Jordan:
400 kms
We plan to enter Jordan through the Saudi Arabia - Jordan border crossing between Al Hadithah (Saudi Arabia) and Al Ghadaf (Jordan).
In Jordan, we plan to cycle approximatively 400 kms, south through the towns of Al Umari, Al Jafr, Maan, Ras An Naqb and Aqaba.
In Aqaba, we plan to row in a rowing boat or paddle in a kayak across the Red Sea to reach Nuweiba in Egypt.
Egypt:
1280 kms
We plan to enter Egypt after having either kayaked or rowed through the Red Sea, coming from Aqaba in Jordan.
We plan to land in the town of Nuweiba and afterwards cycle 1280 kms through Egypt to the border crossing South of Aswan on Lake Nasser.
We plan to cross the towns of Nuweiba, Taba, Suez, Cairo, Al Jizah, Al Minya, Asyut, Suhaj, Qina and Aswan.
In Aswan, we plan to row in a rowing boat or paddle in a kayak across the Lake Nasser to reach Wadi Alfa in Sudan.
Future Sections
Thirteenth section from Bukhara, Uzbekistan to Aswan, Egypt
Distance: Cycling 6530 kms (1718 miles) from Bukhara, Uzbekistan until Aswan, Egypt.
Time frame: Starting August 14th 2015 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
Note: If we are not able to obtain the permission to be able to cycle across Saudi Arabia, we will then proceed with our alternate route through Iran which instead of taking us southbound towards the strait of Hormuz, will take us straight west towards Turkey, southern Europe, etc...
At that point, we will revise our route and maps, and shared it on this site.
Fourteenth section: From Aswan, Egypt to Cape Town
Distance: Cycling 9524 kms
Time frame: TBD
Fifteenth section: Cape Town to Florianópolis, Brazil
Distance: Rowing 7000 kms
Time frame: 4 months
Sixteenth section: Florianópolis to Tres Cerros, Argentina (2d Antipode)
Distance: Cycling 3736 kms
Time frame: TBD
Seventeenth section: Tres Cerros to Seattle, Washington USA
Distance: Cycling 15249 kms
Time frame: TBD
Eighteenth section: Seattle to Knik Lake, Alaska (The starting and ending point of this circumnavigation.)
Distance: Kayaking 3641 kms
Time frame: TBD
We will have completed the entire expedition, upon reaching Knik Lake, after having circumnavigated the globe, crossed the equator and reached two antipodes via human power.
Update on antipodes
July 30th 2015
While further studying our Nexus Expedition route (completed and future sections), and the antipode map, we have been able to define a new set of antipodes, which will be easier to reach, 600 kms closer.
This is once again, in order to comply with the current definition of a Human Powered True Circumnavigation.
Indeed, the new antipode is going to be near the town of Tres Cerros, Argentina.
It is located on the eastern coast of the southern hemisphere, 600 kms, east of the previous antipode which was located in Caleta Yungay, Chile, on the western coast of the southern hemisphere.
As a result, the two new antipodes are:
1st antipode: N 47° 49' 8.7278" E 112° 31' 46.2158"
Location: On the trail between Choibalsan and Bayan Ovoo, Mongolia, which I crossed in October 2014.
2d antipode: S 47° 49' 8.7278" W 67° 28' 13.7842"
Location: North of Tres Cerros, Argentina, which we plan to reach in the next few years.
So, here we are.... Going for a human-powered Mongolian-Argentinian "Earth Sandwich"!
Distance: Cycling 6530 kms (1718 miles) from Bukhara, Uzbekistan until Aswan, Egypt.
Time frame: Starting August 14th 2015 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
Note: If we are not able to obtain the permission to be able to cycle across Saudi Arabia, we will then proceed with our alternate route through Iran which instead of taking us southbound towards the strait of Hormuz, will take us straight west towards Turkey, southern Europe, etc...
At that point, we will revise our route and maps, and shared it on this site.
Fourteenth section: From Aswan, Egypt to Cape Town
Distance: Cycling 9524 kms
Time frame: TBD
Fifteenth section: Cape Town to Florianópolis, Brazil
Distance: Rowing 7000 kms
Time frame: 4 months
Sixteenth section: Florianópolis to Tres Cerros, Argentina (2d Antipode)
Distance: Cycling 3736 kms
Time frame: TBD
Seventeenth section: Tres Cerros to Seattle, Washington USA
Distance: Cycling 15249 kms
Time frame: TBD
Eighteenth section: Seattle to Knik Lake, Alaska (The starting and ending point of this circumnavigation.)
Distance: Kayaking 3641 kms
Time frame: TBD
We will have completed the entire expedition, upon reaching Knik Lake, after having circumnavigated the globe, crossed the equator and reached two antipodes via human power.
Update on antipodes
July 30th 2015
While further studying our Nexus Expedition route (completed and future sections), and the antipode map, we have been able to define a new set of antipodes, which will be easier to reach, 600 kms closer.
This is once again, in order to comply with the current definition of a Human Powered True Circumnavigation.
Indeed, the new antipode is going to be near the town of Tres Cerros, Argentina.
It is located on the eastern coast of the southern hemisphere, 600 kms, east of the previous antipode which was located in Caleta Yungay, Chile, on the western coast of the southern hemisphere.
As a result, the two new antipodes are:
1st antipode: N 47° 49' 8.7278" E 112° 31' 46.2158"
Location: On the trail between Choibalsan and Bayan Ovoo, Mongolia, which I crossed in October 2014.
2d antipode: S 47° 49' 8.7278" W 67° 28' 13.7842"
Location: North of Tres Cerros, Argentina, which we plan to reach in the next few years.
So, here we are.... Going for a human-powered Mongolian-Argentinian "Earth Sandwich"!
Expedition Route History
Dimitri Kieffer is currently in the middle of a human powered expedition around the world which he started in Anchorage, Alaska, USA in February 2005.
Since his departure, he has walked across Alaska from Anchorage to Wales and then proceeded to swim, walk and ski across the Bering Strait to land in Russia at Uelen, Chukotka Okrug in April 2006.
He then continued to trek and ski, progressing southwest through Egvekinot, Anadyr, (Chukotka Okrug), Kamenskoye, Manily, Paren, (Kamchatka Koryak Okrug), Evensk and finally Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast).
In August 2011, Dimitri returned to Omsukchan, where he started to cycle westbound in company of his girlfriend Gulnara Miftakhova, who since then has become his wife. Together, they cycled 1962 kms to reach Nizhny Bestyakh (Yakutsk) on the Kolyma Highway, also known as the "road of bones".
Summers 2012, 2013 and 2014, Dimitri cycled further southwest a total amount of 10,472 kms (6506 miles) from Yakutsk, Russia to Bukhara, Uzbekistan. He was accompanied by his wife Gulnara Kieffer for some of these sections.
Total Mileage covered (as of July 25th 2015):
Dimitri has covered so far 17,812 kms (11,067 miles) since he started, which he has accomplished over the course of 514 days of motion (279 days trekking/skiing/swimming and 235 days cycling/rowing).
- 5228 kms (3248 miles) in 6 winters (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011) while trekking, snowshoeing, skiing and swimming through Alaska, the Bering Strait and Far Eastern Russia.
- 12,584 kms (7,819 miles) in 4 summers (2011, 2012,2013,2014) while cycling through Far Eastern Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and rowed across the Aldan river in Yakutia/Sakha Republic, Russia.
Summary per year:
2014:
Dimitri and Gulnara cycled 2950 kilometers (1833 miles) across the Central Asian nations of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
They cycled through the famous Pamir Highway (M41), where they climbed through mountain passes as high as 4600 meters (15,000 feet).
Pamir Mountains : mountain range in Central Asia at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains, and since Victorian times, they have been known as the "Roof of the World".
Kyrgyz, Tajik, Pamiri, Afghan sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders
Uzbek melon/watermelons/apple/grapes farmers.
Silk Road Cities of Bukhara and Samarqand: blacksmiths, rug makers, artists, painters, puppet makers
2013:
Dimitri cycled further 3473 kms (2158 miles) from Kharkhorin, Mongolia to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Gulnara was able to join him for 1504 kms (934 miles) from Urumqi, China to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolian steppe, Chinese desert, Mongols, Han Chinese, Uighurs, Hui Chinese, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders, factory workers, miners, farmers, cotton and pimentos hand pickers.
2012:
Cycling 4049 kms (2515 miles) from Yakutsk to Kharkhorin, through Russian Far East and Eastern Mongolia.
Taiga, steppe, sand dunes, Yakuts/ Sakhas, Evens, Buriats, Mongols, lamas, road wokers, miners, herders, Takhi wild horses, camels, yaks, eagles, prairie dogs and reached the first antipode of the expedition.
2011:
Trekking and skiing 595 kms (370 miles) from Paren to Omsukchan through Far Eastern Russian tundra
Cycling 2110 kms ( 1310 miles) from Omsukchan to Kachitkatsy, through the mountainous Omsukchan road and the M 56 Kolyma Highway, aka "Road of Bones", with Gulnara. Gold and Coal mines, Gulag relics, Road workers camps, Sakha farmers and Sakha horses.
Rowed across the Aldan River in Yakutia/ Sakha Republic, Russia.
Rode the last 150 kilometers alone from Nizhny Betyakh to Katchikatsy and had to stop there for the winter because of mechanical failure (broken free hub).
2010:
Back on the Trail! Trekking and skiing 700 kms (430 miles) from Vayegi (Chukotka) to Paren (Kamchatka), Far Eastern Russia, tundra, reindeer herders, trekking in company at first of Nyurgun Efremov and afterwards in company of the dogs Rice, Rex and Dunia.
2009:
Dimitri sustained a tragic accident at home while working on his roof, unsecured.. Fell 15 feet on a concrete floor. Back surgery: split L1 lombar vertebrae and relate joint were successfully fused with T12 and L2 vertebrae with the help of 6 titanium screws and wire, therefore avoiding potential paralysis.
Consequently, Dimitri was forced to take a year of convalescence, wearing a "turtle shell" for the first three months,and reflecting on Kafka's "The Metamorphosis"
Followed intense physical therapy, travelled in europe, hiked the GR20 in Corsica, rode a motorcycle through the continent and met Gulnara Miftakhova while visiting friends in Morocco.
2008:
April: Knee arthroscopy to repair a torn meniscus.
Spring: Trekked and skied 965 kms (600 miles) from Egvekinot to Vayegi, Chukotka.
Fought the Spring conditions: rapid melting snow!
First skiing, then trekking with a backpack and pulling the sled simultaneously then finally swimming and/or using the sled as a kayak while going down remote Chukotkan rivers. Encountered numerous grizzly bears but no humans in a 30 days timeframe!
Late Fall: Returned to Vayegi! Started too early in the season: rivers were not yet solidly frozen, had a limited amount hours of daylight, equipment failure. Therefore aborted after one week and decided to come back in the winter.
2007:
Return in Russia! Trekked and skied 685 kilometers (425 miles) from Uelen to Egvekinot through desolate Chukotkan tundra with Karl Bushby. Reflecting on the Bering Strait, the history of civilization and species migration and recognition from Seattle Metropolitan Magazine...
2006:
Trekked 185 kilometers (115 miles) from Nome to Wales, Alaska with Karl Bushby.
Completed Bering Strait Crossing successfully in 322 kilometers (200 miles) with Karl Bushby, trekking, skiing and swimming from one ice surge to the next, among spotted seals and polar bears. First Eastbound crossing completed in modern times. Recognition from National Geographic, and Seattle declares June 23rd 'Dimitri Kieffer Day'...
2005:
Nexus Expeditions began in February of 2005 at Knik Lake in Alaska. Dimitri Kieffer competed in the Iditarod Invitational Race, traveling 1,770 kilometers (1,100 miles) in 37 days by foot and snowshoe from Knik Lake (near Anchorage) to Nome. He was the 6th person to ever finish this race by foot since the race started in 1989, following the trail of the infamous Iditarod dog race.
As a surprise, his father, Henri, met him near the village of Solomon after flying all the way from France and having travelled on a snowmobile to surprise him.
During the course of the race, Dimitri met Karl Bushy and together they spent the rest of the year for their 2006 Bering Strait crossing.
From this beginning, Dimitri would embark on a human-powered journey to circumnavigate the world.
Stages already completed
Knik Lake (near Anchorage, Alaska) - Nome (Alaska)
Feb – April 2005
1100 miles 1770 kilometers in 37 days
Completed by foot (Trekking & Snowshoeing)
Iditarod Trail Invitational race
Nome (Alaska) – Wales (Alaska)
Feb 2006
115 miles 185 kilometers in 9 days
Completed by foot (Trekking & Back Country Skiing)
With Goliath expedition - Karl Bushby
Wales (Alaska) – Uelen (Russia), Bering Strait Crossing
March 17-31 2006
200 miles 322 kilometers, 14 days, 5 days where swimming was required
Completed by foot (Trekking & Back Country Skiing) + Swimming With Goliath expedition - Karl Bushby
See articles describing the Bering Strait crossing:
Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2003036574_dimitri03m.html
New York Times: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E2DB1030F936A35757C0A9609C8B63
Uelen to Egvekinot (Chukotka, Russia)
April 12- May 16 2007
425 miles 684 kilometers in 34 days
Completed by foot (Back Country Skiing and only trekking after Vastoshisno)
Uelen- Anguema(with Goliath expedition - Karl Bushby)
Anguema- Uelen (solo)
For more information on this 4th section, see: http://nexusexpeditions.blogspot.com/2007/05/confirmed-dimitri-and-karl-split-routes.html
Egvekinot to Vayegi (Chukotka, Russia)
April 15- June 7 2008
Approximatively 600 miles / 965 kms in 83 days.
Completed by foot (Back Country Skiing, trekking with a backpack and pulling the sled simultaneously, swimming, using the sled as kayak while going down rivers).
Article on Explorers Web
Vayegi (Chukotka, Russia)-Paren (Kamchatka Koryak Okrug, Russia
March 11th - May 13th 2010
707 kms completed in 63 days.
For more information on this 6th section, see: http://www.explorersweb.com/polar/news.php?id=19375
Paren (Kamchatka Koryak Okrug, Russia) - Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast, Russia)
March 6th - April 25th 2011
595 kms completed in 51 days (39 trekking days & 12 storm/rest & repair days)
For more information on this 7th section, see: http://www.explorersweb.com/polar/news.php?id=20123
Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast, Russia) - Yakutsk/ Nizhny Bestyakh (Republic of Sakha, Yakutia)
Aug 13th - Sept 30th 2011
1962 kilometers completed in 49 days (including 7 rest/visiting/repair days) and rowing across the Aldan River in Yakutia / Sakha Republic, Russia.
For more information on this 8th section, see: http://nexusexpeditions.blogspot.com/2011/10/departing-yakutsk-southbound-on-lena.html
Yakutsk/ Nizhny Bestyakh (Republic of Sakha, Yakutia) to KM150 marker on Lena Highway between Katchikatsi and Ulu
Oct 10th - 12th 2011 150 kilometers completed in 3 days
For more information on this 9th section, see: http://nexusexpeditions.blogspot.com/2011/10/nexus-expedition-halted-until-2012.html
Yakutsk (Republic of Sakha, Yakutia) to Kharkhorin (Mongolia).
June 1st - Oct 31st 2013
4049 kilometers (2515 miles) completed, from Yakutsk to Kharkhorin, through Russian Far East and Eastern Mongolia, cycling for 63 days.
In this section: Taiga, steppe, sand dunes, Yakuts/Sakhas, Evens, Buriats, Mongols, lamas, road wokers, miners, herders, Takhi wild horses, camels, yaks, eagles, prairie dogs and reaching the first antipode of the expedition.
Eleventh section: Kharkhorin (Mongolia) - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.Aug 18th - Dec 18th 2013
Dimitri cycled 3473 kms (2158 miles) from Kharkhorin, Mongolia to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
64 cycling days
Gulnara was able to join him for 30 days: 1504 kms (934 miles) from Urumqi, China to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolian steppe, Chinese desert, Mongols, , Han Chinese, Uighurs, Hui Chinese, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders, factory workers, miners, farmers, cotton and pimentos hand pickers.
Damages caused by Mongolian sandy trails: broken freehub, gear shifter, derailleur and a few flats.
Twelfth section: Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) - Bukhara (Uzbekistan)
2950 kms (1833 miles) 63 cycling days
Dimitri and Gulnara cycled across the Central Asian nations of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
They cycled through the famous Pamir Highway (M41), where they climbed through mountain passes as high as 4600 meters (15,000 feet).
Pamir Mountains : mountain range in Central Asia at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains, and since Victorian times, they have been known as the "Roof of the World".
Kyrgyz, Tajik, Pamiri, Afghan sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders
Uzbek melon/watermelons/grapes farmers, Silk Road Cities of Bukhara and Samarqand: blacksmiths, rug makers, painters, puppet makers.
Since his departure, he has walked across Alaska from Anchorage to Wales and then proceeded to swim, walk and ski across the Bering Strait to land in Russia at Uelen, Chukotka Okrug in April 2006.
He then continued to trek and ski, progressing southwest through Egvekinot, Anadyr, (Chukotka Okrug), Kamenskoye, Manily, Paren, (Kamchatka Koryak Okrug), Evensk and finally Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast).
In August 2011, Dimitri returned to Omsukchan, where he started to cycle westbound in company of his girlfriend Gulnara Miftakhova, who since then has become his wife. Together, they cycled 1962 kms to reach Nizhny Bestyakh (Yakutsk) on the Kolyma Highway, also known as the "road of bones".
Summers 2012, 2013 and 2014, Dimitri cycled further southwest a total amount of 10,472 kms (6506 miles) from Yakutsk, Russia to Bukhara, Uzbekistan. He was accompanied by his wife Gulnara Kieffer for some of these sections.
Total Mileage covered (as of July 25th 2015):
Dimitri has covered so far 17,812 kms (11,067 miles) since he started, which he has accomplished over the course of 514 days of motion (279 days trekking/skiing/swimming and 235 days cycling/rowing).
- 5228 kms (3248 miles) in 6 winters (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011) while trekking, snowshoeing, skiing and swimming through Alaska, the Bering Strait and Far Eastern Russia.
- 12,584 kms (7,819 miles) in 4 summers (2011, 2012,2013,2014) while cycling through Far Eastern Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and rowed across the Aldan river in Yakutia/Sakha Republic, Russia.
Summary per year:
2014:
Dimitri and Gulnara cycled 2950 kilometers (1833 miles) across the Central Asian nations of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
They cycled through the famous Pamir Highway (M41), where they climbed through mountain passes as high as 4600 meters (15,000 feet).
Pamir Mountains : mountain range in Central Asia at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains, and since Victorian times, they have been known as the "Roof of the World".
Kyrgyz, Tajik, Pamiri, Afghan sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders
Uzbek melon/watermelons/apple/grapes farmers.
Silk Road Cities of Bukhara and Samarqand: blacksmiths, rug makers, artists, painters, puppet makers
2013:
Dimitri cycled further 3473 kms (2158 miles) from Kharkhorin, Mongolia to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Gulnara was able to join him for 1504 kms (934 miles) from Urumqi, China to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolian steppe, Chinese desert, Mongols, Han Chinese, Uighurs, Hui Chinese, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders, factory workers, miners, farmers, cotton and pimentos hand pickers.
2012:
Cycling 4049 kms (2515 miles) from Yakutsk to Kharkhorin, through Russian Far East and Eastern Mongolia.
Taiga, steppe, sand dunes, Yakuts/ Sakhas, Evens, Buriats, Mongols, lamas, road wokers, miners, herders, Takhi wild horses, camels, yaks, eagles, prairie dogs and reached the first antipode of the expedition.
2011:
Trekking and skiing 595 kms (370 miles) from Paren to Omsukchan through Far Eastern Russian tundra
Cycling 2110 kms ( 1310 miles) from Omsukchan to Kachitkatsy, through the mountainous Omsukchan road and the M 56 Kolyma Highway, aka "Road of Bones", with Gulnara. Gold and Coal mines, Gulag relics, Road workers camps, Sakha farmers and Sakha horses.
Rowed across the Aldan River in Yakutia/ Sakha Republic, Russia.
Rode the last 150 kilometers alone from Nizhny Betyakh to Katchikatsy and had to stop there for the winter because of mechanical failure (broken free hub).
2010:
Back on the Trail! Trekking and skiing 700 kms (430 miles) from Vayegi (Chukotka) to Paren (Kamchatka), Far Eastern Russia, tundra, reindeer herders, trekking in company at first of Nyurgun Efremov and afterwards in company of the dogs Rice, Rex and Dunia.
2009:
Dimitri sustained a tragic accident at home while working on his roof, unsecured.. Fell 15 feet on a concrete floor. Back surgery: split L1 lombar vertebrae and relate joint were successfully fused with T12 and L2 vertebrae with the help of 6 titanium screws and wire, therefore avoiding potential paralysis.
Consequently, Dimitri was forced to take a year of convalescence, wearing a "turtle shell" for the first three months,and reflecting on Kafka's "The Metamorphosis"
Followed intense physical therapy, travelled in europe, hiked the GR20 in Corsica, rode a motorcycle through the continent and met Gulnara Miftakhova while visiting friends in Morocco.
2008:
April: Knee arthroscopy to repair a torn meniscus.
Spring: Trekked and skied 965 kms (600 miles) from Egvekinot to Vayegi, Chukotka.
Fought the Spring conditions: rapid melting snow!
First skiing, then trekking with a backpack and pulling the sled simultaneously then finally swimming and/or using the sled as a kayak while going down remote Chukotkan rivers. Encountered numerous grizzly bears but no humans in a 30 days timeframe!
Late Fall: Returned to Vayegi! Started too early in the season: rivers were not yet solidly frozen, had a limited amount hours of daylight, equipment failure. Therefore aborted after one week and decided to come back in the winter.
2007:
Return in Russia! Trekked and skied 685 kilometers (425 miles) from Uelen to Egvekinot through desolate Chukotkan tundra with Karl Bushby. Reflecting on the Bering Strait, the history of civilization and species migration and recognition from Seattle Metropolitan Magazine...
2006:
Trekked 185 kilometers (115 miles) from Nome to Wales, Alaska with Karl Bushby.
Completed Bering Strait Crossing successfully in 322 kilometers (200 miles) with Karl Bushby, trekking, skiing and swimming from one ice surge to the next, among spotted seals and polar bears. First Eastbound crossing completed in modern times. Recognition from National Geographic, and Seattle declares June 23rd 'Dimitri Kieffer Day'...
2005:
Nexus Expeditions began in February of 2005 at Knik Lake in Alaska. Dimitri Kieffer competed in the Iditarod Invitational Race, traveling 1,770 kilometers (1,100 miles) in 37 days by foot and snowshoe from Knik Lake (near Anchorage) to Nome. He was the 6th person to ever finish this race by foot since the race started in 1989, following the trail of the infamous Iditarod dog race.
As a surprise, his father, Henri, met him near the village of Solomon after flying all the way from France and having travelled on a snowmobile to surprise him.
During the course of the race, Dimitri met Karl Bushy and together they spent the rest of the year for their 2006 Bering Strait crossing.
From this beginning, Dimitri would embark on a human-powered journey to circumnavigate the world.
Stages already completed
First Section:
Knik Lake (near Anchorage, Alaska) - Nome (Alaska)
Feb – April 2005
1100 miles 1770 kilometers in 37 days
Completed by foot (Trekking & Snowshoeing)
Iditarod Trail Invitational race
Second Section:
Nome (Alaska) – Wales (Alaska)
Feb 2006
115 miles 185 kilometers in 9 days
Completed by foot (Trekking & Back Country Skiing)
With Goliath expedition - Karl Bushby
Third Section:
Wales (Alaska) – Uelen (Russia), Bering Strait Crossing
March 17-31 2006
200 miles 322 kilometers, 14 days, 5 days where swimming was required
Completed by foot (Trekking & Back Country Skiing) + Swimming With Goliath expedition - Karl Bushby
See articles describing the Bering Strait crossing:
Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2003036574_dimitri03m.html
New York Times: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E2DB1030F936A35757C0A9609C8B63
Fourth section:
Uelen to Egvekinot (Chukotka, Russia)
April 12- May 16 2007
425 miles 684 kilometers in 34 days
Completed by foot (Back Country Skiing and only trekking after Vastoshisno)
Uelen- Anguema(with Goliath expedition - Karl Bushby)
Anguema- Uelen (solo)
For more information on this 4th section, see: http://nexusexpeditions.blogspot.com/2007/05/confirmed-dimitri-and-karl-split-routes.html
Fifth section:
Egvekinot to Vayegi (Chukotka, Russia)
April 15- June 7 2008
Approximatively 600 miles / 965 kms in 83 days.
Completed by foot (Back Country Skiing, trekking with a backpack and pulling the sled simultaneously, swimming, using the sled as kayak while going down rivers).
Article on Explorers Web
Sixth section:
Vayegi (Chukotka, Russia)-Paren (Kamchatka Koryak Okrug, Russia
March 11th - May 13th 2010
707 kms completed in 63 days.
For more information on this 6th section, see: http://www.explorersweb.com/polar/news.php?id=19375
Seventh section:
Paren (Kamchatka Koryak Okrug, Russia) - Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast, Russia)
March 6th - April 25th 2011
595 kms completed in 51 days (39 trekking days & 12 storm/rest & repair days)
For more information on this 7th section, see: http://www.explorersweb.com/polar/news.php?id=20123
Eight section:
Omsukchan (Magadanskaya Oblast, Russia) - Yakutsk/ Nizhny Bestyakh (Republic of Sakha, Yakutia)
Aug 13th - Sept 30th 2011
1962 kilometers completed in 49 days (including 7 rest/visiting/repair days) and rowing across the Aldan River in Yakutia / Sakha Republic, Russia.
For more information on this 8th section, see: http://nexusexpeditions.blogspot.com/2011/10/departing-yakutsk-southbound-on-lena.html
Ninth section:
Yakutsk/ Nizhny Bestyakh (Republic of Sakha, Yakutia) to KM150 marker on Lena Highway between Katchikatsi and Ulu
Oct 10th - 12th 2011 150 kilometers completed in 3 days
For more information on this 9th section, see: http://nexusexpeditions.blogspot.com/2011/10/nexus-expedition-halted-until-2012.html
Tenth section:
Yakutsk (Republic of Sakha, Yakutia) to Kharkhorin (Mongolia).
June 1st - Oct 31st 2013
4049 kilometers (2515 miles) completed, from Yakutsk to Kharkhorin, through Russian Far East and Eastern Mongolia, cycling for 63 days.
In this section: Taiga, steppe, sand dunes, Yakuts/Sakhas, Evens, Buriats, Mongols, lamas, road wokers, miners, herders, Takhi wild horses, camels, yaks, eagles, prairie dogs and reaching the first antipode of the expedition.
Eleventh section: Kharkhorin (Mongolia) - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.Aug 18th - Dec 18th 2013
Dimitri cycled 3473 kms (2158 miles) from Kharkhorin, Mongolia to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
64 cycling days
Gulnara was able to join him for 30 days: 1504 kms (934 miles) from Urumqi, China to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolian steppe, Chinese desert, Mongols, , Han Chinese, Uighurs, Hui Chinese, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders, factory workers, miners, farmers, cotton and pimentos hand pickers.
Damages caused by Mongolian sandy trails: broken freehub, gear shifter, derailleur and a few flats.
Twelfth section: Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) - Bukhara (Uzbekistan)
2950 kms (1833 miles) 63 cycling days
Dimitri and Gulnara cycled across the Central Asian nations of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
They cycled through the famous Pamir Highway (M41), where they climbed through mountain passes as high as 4600 meters (15,000 feet).
Pamir Mountains : mountain range in Central Asia at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, and Hindu Kush ranges. They are among the world’s highest mountains, and since Victorian times, they have been known as the "Roof of the World".
Kyrgyz, Tajik, Pamiri, Afghan sheep/camels/goats/horses/yaks herders
Uzbek melon/watermelons/grapes farmers, Silk Road Cities of Bukhara and Samarqand: blacksmiths, rug makers, painters, puppet makers.
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