Sophia Lee Nears Record as Youngest Person to Visit Every Country

Twenty-year-old Sophia Lee of Alaska is nine nations away from becoming the youngest traveler to set foot in all 195 UN-recognized countries. Launched in 2023 at age 17, the quest requires public transport only, a GPS tracker, and location logs for Guinness World Records. Lexie Alford holds the record, finishing at 21 years 177 days.

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Lee’s first solo trip was a 2019 journey to Costa Rica at age 13, after parental permission. Grandparents who served in Peace Corps and a homeschooling schedule let her graduate at 16 and pursue travel, driven by a desire to “keep moving.” Discovering Alford’s record later spurred her ambition.

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Guinness World Records approved Lee’s bid after she accepted three conditions: a GPS tracker, weekly location-file submissions, and a rule to revisit about 50 previously visited nations. All legs must be on public transport, banning private flights. The U.S. State Department’s Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Somalia, where she required a security escort, illustrates official safety constraints.

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By mid-2025 Lee has visited 186 of the 195 destinations, including Iran, Vietnam, Libya and Albania, while budgeting $100 per country before sponsorships lowered costs. She has traveled for seven years using buses, ferries and trains. Highlights include a February 2025 Uganda trek with her grandfather to Bwindi Gorilla Park, an escorted passage through Somalia, and a severe illness in Democratic Republic of Congo in April.

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Lee’s route faces warnings, notably the U.S. advisory for Somalia that mandates an escort, and visa rules for Bhutan, Turkmenistan and Sudan that require guided tours or permits. Health setbacks, such as the Congo illness, and mental fatigue from a nomadic life without a stable community are challenges. Possible aftershocks from Venezuela’s June 2024 earthquakes could delay her August finish.

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Lee says trip has built “self-confidence at a young age” and exposed her to diverse cultures, story she hopes will inspire youth, especially women, to travel solo. She aims to finish remaining nine countries, including Sudan and Venezuela, by August 2025. After record, she will create travel content, work with NGOs, and settle in a permanent home.

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• “I think they were concerned that I was running away or something like that… Or they weren’t sure what I was doing traveling solo.” — Sophia Lee, traveler

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• “Living out of a suitcase for seven years has been fun.” — Sophia Lee, traveler

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• “I think that was one of the most magical experiences, especially getting to go with him.” — Sophia Lee, traveler

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• “I think that’s the great thing about a record. More people can challenge it and take it on. And honestly, that’s the gift in it.” — Sophia Lee, traveler

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