Standfirst: Sarsenbay Kotyrashov has already walked thousands of kilometres across Kazakhstan, Asia and Europe. After completing a 3,000-kilometre European route in 2026, the 76-year-old blacksmith is preparing for a much longer challenge across the United States.
Sarsenbay Kotyrashov was already 70 when he began his first long-distance walk. Four years later, the 76-year-old traveller from Kazakhstan has crossed several countries on foot and is planning to continue his journey across eight US states in 2027.
His story is an unusual piece of Europe news, connecting Central Asia with destinations across the continent and highlighting how endurance, curiosity and personal ambition can reshape later life.
From a blacksmith’s workshop to the open road
Kotyrashov works as a blacksmith in Kazakhstan, a craft he learned when he was young. The physical demands of working with hot iron have shaped much of his life, but his international travels began only recently.
“I had never travelled far in my life. But it is never too late to travel. Age doesn’t matter,” he says.
In 2022, Kotyrashov set out from Kazakhstan’s Ulytau region and walked across the country. His route passed through the south, east and north before ending in Aktau on the Caspian Sea. The journey covered about 8,000 kilometres and took six months.
Completing that expedition convinced him that he could travel beyond Kazakhstan’s borders. His next journey took him from Atyrau into Russia, across parts of the Caucasus and onwards to Türkiye, ending in Istanbul.
A recognisable figure across Asia and Europe
As his journeys continued, Kotyrashov became known by the nickname Ulytauman, referring to his home region. His appearance also became part of his identity: a strong, lean figure wearing a distinctive leather hat and pulling a sticker-covered suitcase.
Travellers and residents encountered him on roads and in towns, while photographs and videos shared on social media helped make him more recognisable. Along the way, he met people from different cultures and visited places he had never previously seen.
His travels later took him through Russia’s Altai region and Mongolia before he reached China. The route ended in Beijing, where he visited the Great Wall and posed for photographs.
His 2026 European journey
Kotyrashov’s latest expedition brought him to Europe. After securing funding and obtaining a Schengen visa, he began walking from Belgrade in Serbia.
He then travelled through Hungary, Austria and Germany before reaching Paris in France. The European route covered approximately 3,000 kilometres in 53 days and took him through five countries.
The journey crossed several different national and cultural settings, although it should not be confused with an EU-wide programme or official European initiative. It was a personal expedition undertaken by Kotyrashov, with the Schengen visa enabling travel through the relevant participating countries.
Key details from the European route
- Starting point: Belgrade, Serbia
- Final destination: Paris, France
- Countries crossed: Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Germany and France
- Distance: Approximately 3,000 kilometres
- Duration: 53 days
For readers following Europe news today, the journey offers a human-interest view of movement across the continent, alongside the formal rules and border arrangements that govern travel in the Schengen Area. Ireland is not part of the Schengen Area, so the route does not represent travel through Ireland.
Hardship, resilience and an ambition for the record books
Kotyrashov says some sections of his travels have been physically demanding. He recalls spending three and a half days in wilderness without food or water, describing the experience as a test of his determination and will to survive.
Despite those difficulties, he remains focused on the next stage of his plan. In 2027, he hopes to walk across eight US states, travelling from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast.
The planned American journey forms part of a larger ambition: covering more than 40,000 kilometres on foot after the age of 75 and seeking recognition from Guinness World Records.
Any future record claim would need to be assessed and verified by Guinness World Records. At present, Kotyrashov’s ambition is a personal goal rather than a confirmed record.
What comes next?
The next major stage of Kotyrashov’s journey is expected to take place in the United States in 2027. The planned route would cross eight states from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but the source information does not specify the precise states, dates or logistical arrangements.
His European journey is complete, while the American expedition remains a future plan. That distinction matters: the walk across Europe has already taken place, whereas the US crossing has not yet begun.
Kotyrashov rejects the idea that his age should define what he can do. He says he does not consider himself old and intends to keep travelling until he completes his wider walking challenge and pursues his Guinness World Records ambition.
The wider significance of his journey
Kotyrashov’s travels are not an EU policy story or a new European rule, but they offer a rare personal perspective on the distances connecting Europe and Central Asia. His route has crossed national borders, languages and landscapes while relying on a simple method of travel: walking.
His experience also challenges assumptions about older travellers. Beginning long-distance travel in his seventies, he has completed journeys that many younger people would find demanding and is now preparing for an even greater test.
The key takeaway from this European news story is clear: Sarsenbay Kotyrashov’s European walk is finished, but his global journey is still continuing. His next target is an eight-state crossing of the United States in 2027, followed by an attempt to reach more than 40,000 kilometres walked after the age of 75.
