Paul Salopek's Out of Eden Walk: Retracing Humanity's Ancient 21,000-Mile Migration from Africa
Since 2013, award-winning journalist and National Geographic Fellow Paul Salopek has undertaken an extraordinary 21,000-mile walk across continents, retracing the migration routes of early humans out of Africa. As a seasoned foreign correspondent, he weaves together contemporary stories on politics, climate change, culture, and conflict—humanizing global news through immersive, on-foot reporting.
“The walk is primarily a storytelling project. When I was reporting in Africa and elsewhere as a foreign correspondent, I thought, ‘Can there be a more human way to convey the global news of our day that doesn’t involve putting current events into artificial boxes?’ I came up with the idea for the walk as a way to braid all these issues together in a more truthful manner—because in real life, topics like conflict, health, and culture are not siloed: All human experiences are interwoven; they touch each other,” Salopek shared with Lonely Planet.
Dubbed the Out of Eden Walk, this project slows journalism to walking pace—5 km per hour—revealing interconnected human stories overlooked in our fast-moving world. From Africa, the route crosses the Middle East and Asia, with plans for a boat leg to the Americas. Originally estimated at seven years, Salopek has covered 9,000 miles and expects it to take longer. “By carrying out this walk along the pathways of the Stone Age ancestors who first traversed the world, it’s all the better. Then the narrative becomes a collective journey of rediscovery that belongs to everyone,” he explains.
In southern Turkey, Salopek passed through pistachio orchards amid Syrian refugees fleeing civil war, then followed the Silk Road across Central Asia. He has lived with local families, capturing intimate photos of diverse cultures worldwide. Firsthand, he's documented climate change's toll on communities and witnessed political unrest.
The COVID-19 pandemic paused his trek; Salopek is now in Myanmar, finishing a book drawn from his experiences.
Explore more about the Out of Eden Walk on the dedicated National Geographic page.
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