498 days, 195 countries: American tourist circumnavigated the world at record speed!

American tourist Michael Zervos visited all 195 countries recognized by the Guinness World Records in just 498 days, achieving a remarkable feat.

A new country nearly every three days

Zervos began his journey in January 2024 and completed it in May 2025.

He spent just over 1 year and 4 months traveling around the entire world.

Most remarkably, the tourist spent an average of less than three days in each country.

Such a journey requires not only substantial financial resources and time, but also constant flights, visas, border crossings and meticulous planning.

Michael Zervos’s achievement was recorded as the record for visiting all 195 countries in the shortest time.