Visit 150 Countries
Still to do
Past 100 the easy countries run out, and every new stamp becomes an expedition in itself.
The adventure
After 100, the map starts to look different. The remaining countries are scattered across the Pacific, tucked away in Central Asia or locked behind complex visa rules, and every one needs a plan. You learn to read flight schedules for islands with only a handful of flights a week, chase letters of invitation and work out which border crossings are open this year.
The rewards are worth it. You drive the Pamir Highway through Tajikistan, watch the sun set over a Pacific atoll with no tourists in sight, and cross land borders where the guard is surprised to see a British passport. Countries that most people can't place on a map become some of your favourite memories. By 150, you'll have visited more than three quarters of the world's nations, and the dream of all of them starts to look within reach.
Why it’s epic
- 150 UN member states is more than three quarters of the world's 193 nations.
- The Pamir Highway through Tajikistan is one of the highest international roads in the world.
- Pacific islands such as Tuvalu, Nauru and Kiribati see very few tourists each year.
- Each country past 100 tends to bring stories that easier trips never do.
What it is
Beyond 100 countries the remaining ones are often harder to reach, need complicated visas or require overland expeditions.
How to do it
Group the harder countries into dedicated trips, such as an overland route through Central Asia or island-hopping in the Pacific, and keep track of visa rules as they change.
Top tip
Keep a spare passport if your country allows it, so one can be at an embassy while you travel on the other.
Need to know
- Many remaining countries need visas arranged in advance, sometimes with letters of invitation or guided tours.
- Check official travel advice before every trip, as some countries can be unsafe or have limited consular help.
- Group the hardest countries into regional trips, such as Central Asia or the Pacific, and expect flight cancellations.
- Insurance that covers remote destinations, and evacuation if needed, is essential.
Why it’s on my list
By the time I reach this landmark, I imagine most of the easier countries in the world will have been visited. What is likely to remain will be war zones and territories that are tricky to get a visa for or tricky to visit, but the challenge will go on, I want to get to every country!
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