man with guide and camels

Out of Eden Walk

Writer and National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek is on a 24,000-mile (38,000-kilometer) storytelling trek across the world called the "Out of Eden Walk." The National Geographic Society, committed to illuminating and protecting the wonder of our world, has been the primary sponsor of Out of Eden Walk since 2013.Follow the journey on Instagram @outofedenwalk and sign up for the project newsletter here to receive stories directly to your inbox.

Supported By

The National Geographic Society

Edited By

Lex WeaverLWLex Weaver
John Stanmeyer, National Geographic/Out of Eden Walk
Pile of freshly caught silver salmon with visible scales, fins, and blood from the harvest
Out of Eden Walk
The ‘fishing link’: The role of salmon in the human migration to North America 
7:33
Out of Eden Walk
What tech powers a global walk?
7:33
Out of Eden Walk
How art augments a global walk
7:22
Out of Eden Walk
How gender shapes a global walk
8:13
Person wearing hiking boots and plaid pants standing on rocky terrain with a water bottle and backpack nearby.
Out of Eden Walk
How an interview project ‘shows the continuity of the human family’
7:56
A person wearing a backpack looks out at the ocean from a rocky coastline with pine trees and a cloudy sky.
Out of Eden Walk
How coastlines propelled ancient humans across the planet 
7:36
Two people stand with a white horse in a calm lake, surrounded by rolling hills under a blue sky.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: The music of animal husbandry
8:01
A person leads two camels laden with goods across a desert, with a clear sky in the background.
Out of Eden Walk
To rediscover time, go for a walk
7:25
A person pouring red wine into a glass, with other filled glasses in the background, on a wooden table.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Raising a glass to global wine
7:39
A large gathering of people seated on the ground, sharing a communal meal during a religious event, with many wearing traditional white clothing.
Out of Eden Walk
Celebrating Eid al-Fitr in one of Islam’s holiest cities
7:30
Two hikers wearing cold-weather gear traverse a snowy mountain slope, with snow-covered peaks visible in the background under a clear blue sky.
Out of Eden Walk
As climate change melts permafrost, landslides are becoming more dangerous 
7:23
Two hikers with backpacks stand on a hill overlooking a glacier, snow-capped mountains, and a turquoise lake below, surrounded by lush green vegetation.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: 13 years on the road and counting
7:36
Six people smiling at the camera; the group appears to be outdoors, surrounded by greenery and a cloudy sky. Some are wearing backpacks, suggesting they are on a hike or travel adventure.
Out of Eden Walk
Walking around the world takes a village
9:33
A group of soldiers in military uniforms and helmets stand guard with rifles in hand, with civilians and a vehicle visible in the background, under a clear sky.
Environment
Out of Eden Walk: When you walk across entire continents, police take notice
7:35
A person wearing a hat and backpack stands at the end of a narrow, brick tunnel, which appears part of an ancient ruin, with rocky terrain visible outside.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Is the world closing its doors?
7:26
A hand holding a mix of small red and dark blue berries against a forest background.
Out of Eden Walk
What foods power a walk around the globe?
6:29
Two individuals exploring a rocky cave, with ropes hanging from above, and sunlight illuminating the entrance at the far end.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: The origin story of the human species is still being written
7:40
Close-up of a person's hands holding several metal rods, with visible texture and age on the hands, wearing a ring and a green fabric visible in the background.
Out of Eden Walk
Staying healthy on the Out of Eden Walk
6:39
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking through Turkey between conflicts
7:23
Out of Eden Walk
Small talk on the Eden Walk
8:27
Out of Eden Walk
80 years after atomic blast, Hiroshima’s trees still tell the story
7:21
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Finding privacy and solitude on a long journey across the globe
8:22
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Getting by on the generosity of strangers
7:30
Out of Eden Walk
Recycled whirligigs remain a fixture in the Japanese countryside
7:24
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: An eerie walk through Japanese ghost towns
6:03
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Record-breaking heat in Japan is hurting rice farms
7:18
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Sea Crossings
7:30
Out of Eden Walk
Surprising places on the Out of Eden Walk
7:27
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking through COVID
6:57
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Cellophane oasis
3:47
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: South Korea’s Mud Mausoleum 
7:28
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: A 12-year walk between oceans
7:36
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: South Korea’s love motels
3:28
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Korea’s Stone Age
7:28
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking Gangnam Style
7:44
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking the DMZ
7:32
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: An untold history of the US presence in Korea
7:28
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Among the tea pickers and plantations in Sichuan, China
7:40
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking through western China
8:09
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Witnessing the 2021 Myanmar coup
8:22
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Northeastern India, by foot
7:38
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: On foot across northern India
8:17
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Food to power a walk around the world
8:23
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking through unknown Pakistan
7:33
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor 
7:44
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Trekking through Uzbekistan
7:23
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: The ethos of Kazakhstan
12:11
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking Tbilisi
8:11
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking Across Anatolia
7:36
Man taking photo of self in mirror with a desert background
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Cyprus
Structures built by the Nabateans more than two millennia ago, like this remnant at Mada’in Salih, Saudi Arabia, rival those of ancient Rome and Greece.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Walking to the Holy Land
Build it, and they will come: The dream of King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. Join the journey at outofedenwalk.org.
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Paul Salopek traverses the Arabian Peninsula via Saudi Arabia
Selfie of a man with a camel int he background
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: Djibouti and the Red Sea
A back shot of a man wearing a bookbag and hat looking into a grass pathway
Out of Eden Walk
Out of Eden Walk: The first steps
man in front of river
Out of Eden Walk
Paul Salopek treks across China as part of his yearslong ‘Out of Eden Walk’