What is the Out of Eden Walk?
The Out of Eden Walk is a storytelling project led by National Geographic Explorer and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Paul Salopek that uses the deep past as a mirror to reflect on humanity’s collective future as we stride together into a challenging new century. This 42,000-kilometer/26,000-mile walking odyssey follows the path of the first human dispersal out of Africa during the Stone Age. It uses “slow journalism” to explore human conditions at boot level, across borders and cultures, and makes connections between ordinary peoples’ lives and the global headlines of our day. Salopek and a growing community of walking partners from many different nations and backgrounds are examining the major stories of our time, from climate change and technological innovation to mass migration and shifting cultural identity.
Once the journey ends, the Out of Eden Walk project will have built an unparalleled narrative of our shared humanity at the start of a new millennium.
What is slow journalism?
Slow journalism is a deliberate process of observing and reporting that prioritizes depth, full context, and human connection over the rapid-fire turnover of traditional breaking news. Slow journalism aims to capture the complex realities of everyday people that are often overlooked by traditional media.
What is the significance of Salopek’s route?
Salopek is walking across four continents, retracing the groundbreaking trails blazed by humans who first migrated out of Africa some 60,000 to 120,000 years ago and eventually reached South America. This continuous, multiyear 42,000-kilometer/26,000-mile trek that began in Ethiopia — our evolutionary "Eden" — in January 2013 and will end in Tierra del Fuego at the southern tip of South America, a region that helped shape Charles Darwin’s ideas on evolutionary theory.
How did Salopek decide the route?
General corridors of travel are decided according to the best available science on ancient human dispersals out of Africa and across the globe. He consults regularly with archaeologists, anthropologists and geneticists on these matters.
How does the Walk work?
National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek walks with a walking partner, an individual local to the area who acts as a guide and connection into the local community. Each day, Salopek and his walking partner walk together, stopping to speak with people they encounter or interviewing people for an upcoming dispatch.
What does a walking day look like?
Every day is different based on weather, borders, invitations, chance encounters, or other factors. Spontaneity is a defining feature—Salopek and walking partners often start the day not knowing where they’ll sleep that night. A day might include 15 to 20 miles of walking with frequent stops to observe, report, and talk with local people.
In “The Yellow River Falls From the White Clouds,” walking partner Luo Xin reflected on the routine of the Walk in China: “The previous night, we had stayed in an inn—a small cave house—in a village called Zhaojiapan, where Paul and I shared a room. When I went to bed at midnight, he was still writing on the big round table covered with white plastic. When I awoke at six, he was already packing his backpack. I believe this had been his routine for the past 10 years.”
Who are walking partners and how are they selected?
Walking partners represent a diverse cross-section of humanity. Since the beginning of the Walk, Paul has walked with hundreds of people including but not limited to:
Local Experts: scientists, paleoanthropologists and historians
Guides and trackers: nomadic herders, professional mountain guides and camel handlers
Journalists and Artists: writers and photographers who help document the journey and share their perspectives
Community Members: teachers, lawyers, and students who join for specific legs of the journey to share their local landscape with the walk
The selection process for walking partners is organic and community driven, it’s primarily by word of mouth. Paul often finds his next walking partner through the recommendation of his current one, being passed hand to hand. In some instances, Paul will reach out to experts like a scientist or mountain guide to provide their specific expertise for the walk.
Can I join Paul on the Walk?
Thank you for your interest in joining Paul on the Walk! While Paul has walked with hundreds of people since the beginning of the journey, joining is a rare and a challenging proposition limited by logistics and is a rare occurrence. Paul occasionally walks with readers for brief periods of time, typically when they want to share their home landscapes with the Walk.
How many miles/kilometers has Salopek walked?
As of June 2025, Salopek has traveled over 35,000 kilometers (21,000 miles) — 23,815 kilometers (15,387 miles) of which have been on foot. Approximately 11,000 kilometers (6,000 miles) traversed have been on motorized forms of transportation, mostly involving cargo ship passage across the North Pacific Ocean. There are about 17,541 kilometers (10,900 miles) remaining.
What regions has Salopek passed through so far?
Salopek has walked through:
Ethiopia
Djibouti
Red Sea (cargo ship)
Saudi Arabia
Jordan
West Bank
Israel
Mediterranean Sea (cargo ship)
Cyprus
Northern Cyprus
Turkey
Georgia
Azerbaijan
Caspian Sea (cargo ship)
Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Afghanistan
Pakistan
India
Myanmar
China
South Korea
Japan
Pacific Ocean (cargo ship)
Canada
Alaska (in progress)
How many dispatches has Salopek written?
To date, Salopek has written more than half a million words of online Dispatches and Milestones, along with creating thousands of videos, photos and audio recordings. They reveal the interconnected joys and struggles of the people encountered — nomads, students, villagers, scientists, urbanites, artists, farmers, and more — whose extraordinary life stories seldom make the news.
Where is he now?
The walk is paused in Gustavus, Alaska, until the worst winter storms pass, and the weather warms.
How are his feet doing?
Salopek’s feet are holding up so far.
What does Salopek eat on the trail?
Salopek only carries food when necessary and relies heavily on local hospitality and whatever regional cuisine is within reach. He has said he’ll “pretty much eat everything that is put on [his] plate,” in part because refusing would be impolite. He says that walking has pushed him into a kind of hyper-local food system, with much of what he eats being grown nearby or raised locally. As shown in dispatches like “Tomatoes,” “Aftertaste” and “Eat Your Country,” food on the Walk serves as another entry point to examining themes such as migration, trade, history, cultural preservation, and landscape.
How many pairs of shoes has Salopek used since the Walk began?
Salopek doesn’t keep a precise count of how many pairs of shoes he’s needed. He buys shoes wherever he is—in local markets or bazaars—and, occasionally, visitors to the trail may bring him a replacement pair.
What is Salopek’s future route?
The Out of Eden Walk route ahead includes Alaska's rugged Lost Coast, a multi-month paddling segment along the Inside Passage, and the resumption of the Walk on dry land across British Columbia. Eventually, Salopek will enter the "Lower 48" states, loosely following the Continental Divide, traversing Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico, crossing into Central and South America. You can find a map of Salopek’s projected route on the Out of Eden Walk website.
Where can I learn more about the Walk?
Can I listen to the dispatches?
Yes. We continually add audio narratives directly to the dispatches published on the Out of Eden Walk website and Soundcloud. You can also hear Salopek’s insights on the journey through his regular radio interviews with GBH’s The World.
When does Salopek anticipate ending the journey?
It’s difficult to pinpoint, but he is aiming for the summer of 2028.
Glossary
Dispatch: Primary stories and reports from the Walk authored by Paul Salopek. Dispatches blend written word, photography, video and audio recordings.
Milestone: A regular update that provides a snapshot of the landscape and culture at specific intervals along the trail. Milestones are recorded approximately every 100 miles.
Slow Journalism: A deliberate process of observing and reporting that prioritizes depth, full context, and human connection over the rapid-fire turnover of traditional breaking news.
Walking Partner: Local individuals who accompany Paul Salopek for specific segments of his trek. These partners are a diverse group—journalists, photographers, guides, artists, poets, and fellow National Geographic Explorers. Beyond guiding Salopek through their home regions, many partners contribute their own unique perspectives and dispatches to the project’s global record.