Category: Hiking
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Nukus – Winter Journey from Russia to Turkmenistan
Deutsch unten / 中文下边 My last entry here was over a month ago, which has led to concerned inquiries about whether everything is still alright with me. I also understand that not everyone is willing to download the Polarsteps app to read my daily updates there. After three very interesting and diverse weeks in Russia,…
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Exploring the Diversity of Russia: From the Caucasus to Astrakhan
Deutsch unten / 中文下边 Dear everyone, So much has happened in the three weeks since I arrived in Tbilisi that it’s impossible to recount everything here. As always, I refer you to my travel diary on Polarsteps for the full story. Since it remained uncertain whether I could get a visa for Iran, I set…
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Test from Ingushetia
This is just a test, if I can post from Russia. Deutsch unten 中文下边 Friday, 31 October 2025, Kizlyar (Кизляр), Republic of Dagestan, Russia 🇷🇺 Elevation: 1 m Today’s distance: 57 km | Total distance: 9119 km Hotel Imperiya, €50 (5000 rubles) Weather: Clear, 6°C to 18°C Guang’s feet urgently needed rest today to allow…
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Tbilisi
Hiking in Georgia
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Trabzon
Long distance hiking Langstreckenwandern 长途步行
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Samsun
Deutsch unten 中文见下方 If you’re interested in daily updates, check out my PolarSteps! Upon starting in Istanbul, I had to interrupt my hike for the second time after a few hundred meters and take the ferry across the Bosphorus. Obtaining permission to cross one of the bridges on foot is a tedious bureaucratic process. When…
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265 km Through Turkey: My Journey from Edirne to Istanbul
Deutsch unten 中文见下方 If you’re interested in daily updates, check out my PolarSteps! Over the past five days, I’ve walked 265 km from Edirne to Istanbul — that’s an average of 53 km per day! Shortly after setting out from Edirne, I reached the small town of Havsa around noon. After a long lunch break,…
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Edirne: Balkan Update
Deutsch unten 中文见下方 If you’re interested in daily updates, check out my PolarSteps! I have now been on the road for half a year! On February 26, I began my hike from the southwesternmost point of Europe, Cabo de São Vicente in Portugal. Today is the 13th rest day of this journey, and I will…
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Sarajevo
Deutsch unten 中文见下方 English If you’re interested in daily updates, check out my PolarSteps! Summary: After 5,242 km over 135 hiking days, I’ve reached another milestone: Sarajevo. The past 20 days since my last entry were filled with exhausting but spectacular mountain stages. Due to the heat, I often woke up at 3:00 AM…
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Klagenfurt – Smart Tips Surviving the Heat
Deutsch unten 中文见下方 If you’re interested in daily updates, check out my Polarsteps! After 4,500 km and 115 days of hiking, I’ve reached my milestone destination: Klagenfurt. Since my last post in Munich two weeks ago, I’ve crossed beautiful Austria and am now close to the Slovenian border. I’d love to spend more time here—Austria…
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Munich – München – 慕尼黑
Deutsch unten 中文下邊 Daily Update on Polarsteps! English In 104 days of hiking, I covered 4,101 km from Portugal through Spain, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Excluding 10 rest days (4 in Zurich, 4 in Wiesbaden, and 2 in Munich), this averages 39.4 km per day. Total accommodation costs came to €6,238, averaging €60 per night—significantly cheaper…
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My hometown Wiesbaden
Deutsch unten 中文下边 Daily Update on Polarsteps! After 88 days of hiking, I reached my hometown of Wiesbaden from Portugal—a major milestone on my long journey. Following a 4-day break at my home in Zurich, I left quietly and alone at 7 a.m. on a Sunday. For me, it was an emotional farewell, one without a…
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Zurich: Warm Welcome and 4-Day Pit Stop
Deutsch unten 中文下边 Daily Update on Polarsteps! What an overwhelming welcome I received upon my arrival in Switzerland! During my journey through Switzerland, six friends (mostly one after the other) joined me along the route to accompany me for a stretch. When I finally arrived in Zurich on May 13, 2025, my former colleagues organized a…
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Reaching Avignon and itinerary for Switzerland & Germany
Deutsch unten 中文下边 Daily Update on Polarsteps! We have now reached the Rhône near Avignon! After walking 2,268 kilometers in 56 days, our average is over 40 km per day, and we still haven’t taken a single rest day. Here’s a small interim report on my rule of not using any other means of transport: I…
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46 Days Across Iberia: A Summary
Deutsch unten 中文下边 Daily Update on Polarsteps! After 46 days, I’ve traversed Portugal and Spain, arriving in Figueres—the final town before the French border. Having covered nearly 1,900 km, I’ve averaged a marathon per day without a single break. Originally, I planned for 30 km daily with occasional rest days, but an inner drive kept…
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València – Why My Right Earlobe Got Sunburned
Deutsch unten 中文下边 Daily Update on Polarsteps! After accompanying Guang to the airport train in Málaga, I set off alone for the first time. Walking along the sunlit promenades, I couldn’t help but reminisce about our many hikes together—until the first tears rolled down my cheeks. Covering such a distance that day would have delighted…
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Málaga – The Tale of Rain goes on
Deutsch unten 中文下边 Málaga, Andalusia, Day 16. Total Kilometers: 600. Daily Updates on Polarsteps. We set off early in the morning while it was still dark, aiming to reach a warm hotel room in Málaga as soon as possible. For once, Guang was the one who woke me up, as she was eager to get…
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Battling Rivers, Mud, and Storms: A Day of Survival in Southern Spain
Deutsch unten中文下边 Guang says: “You won’t find one woman in a hundred who would put up with this.” And she’s right! What we experienced today truly pushed us to our limits.We followed a path far from the roads when suddenly, a river with no bridge appeared before us. I tried to cross it alone first,…
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Sevilla – Stuck in Mud
Deutsch unten 中文下边 My daily update on Polarsteps. The past week can best be summarized with the two words “mud” and “water.” Spain is not well-prepared for heavy rainfall. As soon as we leave the road, we get stuck in the mud. Guang often chose the road proactively, while I, overly optimistic, kept trying to…
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Perfekt First 3 Days of Hiking!
Deutsch unten & 中文下面 It was not a technical error that the last two blog posts were published without email notifications. I certainly don’t want to overwhelm my subscribers and will continue to send emails at most once a month in the future. For those who want to follow my journey more closely, feel free…
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Long Hike Started Today! 长途徒步今日开始！
Lagos, Hiking-KM: 39 We experienced a beautiful first day of hiking, with sunny weather, meadows covered in yellow flowers, and a spectacular cliff coast.We reached Cabo de São Vicente, the southwesternmost point of Europe, easily with Uber. This should be my last means of transportation for a long time! On this February morning, we had…
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Last Preparation Before Start 启程前的最后准备
Here is a short video of my VERY short haircut…
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My Revised Packing List under 10 kg – 我的轻于10 公斤的行李装箱清单
*** Deutsche Version 中文*** Our hike begins on February 26th 2025 in Sagres. During our hike, you can view our daily position on Polarsteps. I also use this tool to share our photos with you. I have optimised for a smarter packing list towards less weight. The items below make up a backpack base weight…
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FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions – 常见问题
*** 中文。Dieses Mal auch eine deutsche Version der Seite *** Our departure is getting closer! I talk about my project often and with enthusiasm. A number of questions come up in the discussions, which I will answer here. Will you walk the entire route? Yes, I plan to walk the entire journey without relying on…
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While Counting down to the Long Hike: Trip to Eritrea
It is now 6 weeks until my hiking life will start at the end of February 2025. I am currently dealing with administrative stuff that needs to be done. But I don’t want to bore you with it. Over New Year’s, we have traveled to Eritrea. This trip is not connected with my Long Hike,…
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Strictness and Sojourn
Walking Every Inch: My Strict Hiking Guidelines According to my current planning, the big hike will start in the last week of February 2025 – there are barely 3 months left until the start – time for a little update. As you know, I would like to test in a self-experiment whether it is possible…
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Timing & Packlist
Timing: The seasonal timing is crucial for a pleasant hike, if not a prerequisite. Due to seasonal extreme temperatures in Asia, the best starting time for Lisbon would be the end of February. Since I can’t make it this year, the start will be in February 2025! This gives me more time for planning, and…
Rainer Mautz, Long Hike Mainpage 