Guo Lilong hopes to promote low-carbon environmentalism through a global hiking journey.
There are many ways to travel the world, but this 23-year-old from Henan chose to do it on foot. Before setting off, he boldly declared that he would tour the globe solo within 800 days, using hiking as a way to practice low-carbon environmentalism. Yesterday, Guo Lilong, who had arrived in Xi'an, was interviewed by reporters.
Traveling secretly without telling his parents
Born in 1989, Guo Lilong is from Henan. Standing at just over 1.6 meters tall and lean, he carries all his belongings in a large backpack: a change of clothes, water bottles, a world map, a camera, a flashlight, and his favorite books. That’s all he has.
In May 2011, he set off from Mohe, walking over ten hours a day. When hungry, he ate instant noodles or biscuits; when thirsty, he drank tap water. Whenever possible, he’d sleep in an internet café at night; otherwise, he’d rough it in the wild. This way, he passed through Arctic Village, Hegang, Qiqihar, Daqing, Harbin, and later traveled via Qinhuangdao, Tangshan, and Tianjin, arriving in Beijing after more than three months.
In junior high, Guo Lilong once took a train to Beijing by himself. “Honestly, I was pretty scared back then. I felt like once I got on the train, I was entering another world,” he said. After spending two or three days in Beijing and returning to Henan, he felt much more relaxed. After graduating from high school, he didn’t go to college but instead worked part-time while traveling independently within China. Through years of experience, he gained some insights. “Young people today focus too much on money and often neglect the tempering of willpower. So I decided to travel on foot, taking 800 days to circle the globe. It’ll not only help build my body and strengthen my willpower, but also put low-carbon environmentalism into practice.” Packing light, with just a few hundred yuan and a backpack, Guo Lilong hit the road. Before departing, worried about alarming his parents, he didn’t tell them he was traveling, only saying he was going to Beijing for work.
Surviving on kindness from strangers for food and shelter
Because he set out unprepared, Guo Lilong quickly ran out of money. He decided to work temporarily in Beijing to save up. He did hourly jobs at restaurants during the day, waited tables at a tea restaurant in the afternoon, and worked evenings at a KTV. His only break was from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. After several months, on May 1st of this year, he left Beijing and continued his global hiking journey.
On his planned route, he intends to explore Asia first, followed by Europe, Africa, North America... “I’ve already applied for my passport,” Guo Lilong said. Although he speaks decent English, to ensure smooth communication abroad, he bought a set of “emergency phrasebooks” in various languages ahead of time.
In Taiyuan, Guo Lilong met a fellow traveler who sponsored him with 2000 yuan and introduced friends who showed him around major attractions in Shanxi, also providing support with food and lodging. In fact, throughout his global trek, Guo Lilong mostly relied on strangers and kind-hearted people offering him free meals and shelter. Some even donated money and items. Since leaving Mohe, he has gone through six pairs of shoes, four hiking backpacks, and essential gear like sleeping bags, trekking poles, and sleeping mats—all generously sponsored by friends he met along the way.
Travel experiences may become a book
With over ten hours of hiking each day, blisters have formed all over Guo Lilong’s feet, but he never stops. Some drivers offered him rides, but he declined, not wanting to “cheat.”
On July 9th, Guo Lilong will leave Xi'an, heading into the Qinling Mountains toward Sichuan. He plans to complete his journey through the world’s major cities in 800 days, though it might take longer. Guo Lilong says he won’t stop until he finishes his global hiking trip. “I’m still young, so I see this as a test of myself.” He insists on writing travel journals every day—these experiences will be lifelong treasures. “Maybe after completing the journey, I’ll write a book about this extraordinary trip. It could also be a way to thank all the kind people who helped me along the way,” he said.