Circumnavigating the world through Human Power while connecting different societies, civilizations and landscapes.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Nexus Expedition on its way to Saudi Arabia.

After having waited 1.5 years, working with 6 Saudi consuls in 3 countries, Dimitri finally obtained in December a transit visa for Saudi Arabia.

Indeed Dimitri has now received a 40 days transit visa allowing him to cycle the 2000 kms across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia towards Aqaba, Jordan.

He is very thankful to now have the privilege to be allowed to cycle across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and want to thank the authorities for entrusting him with this permission.




Dimitri plans to start cycling again today January 26th 2017 and first complete  the remaining 140 kms in United Arab Emirates



Click here to see details on the remaining section in United Arab Emirates.








Gulnara was not allowed to receive a visa to join Dimitri and cycle across Saudi Arabia because as of now, women are only allowed to cycle in city parks and in the desert but apparently not on open roads.

Therefore, Gulnara  is waiting for him to reach the Kingdom of Jordan so that they can be reunited and continue together towards Egypt and further to the southwestern coast of Africa, where the row across the Atlantic Ocean will begin.

Click here to see details on the planned detailed route through Saudi Arabia.

Click here for an explanation in Arabic and English on this route through Saudi Arabia.





Click here to follow Dimitri's progress.


Over the last few weeks, Dimitri and Gulnara took the opportunity that they were on the Arabian peninsula to connect with a very wide spectrum of  old and new friends in the United Arab Emirates, as well as in Bahrain and Qatar, which Dimitri was able to visit after Gulnara departed.

Arabian Peninsula


Hopefully soon, when Dimitri will finally start to write long posts again... he will share here what he has learned  and experienced during this enriching period.

Above all, Dimitri now wants to take the opportunity to thank everyone for the kindness, support and hospitality that they have demonstrated towards him and Gulnara, during their stay in the region.

Nexus Expedition in Saudi Arabia (لعَرَبِيَّة‎‎/English version)















To whom it may concern in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

My name is Dimitri Bernard Kieffer
I am a French and American citizen and I am currently in the midst of a human powered expedition around the world which I started in Anchorage, Alaska, USA in February 2005, progressing intermittently, according to local visa restrictions and weather conditions.

I have covered so far 21,807 kilometers (13, 550 miles) from Anchorage, Alaska to Ruweis (United Arab Emirates).
At first, trekking, swimming, skiing and rowing across Alaska, the Bering Strait and Chukotka (Russia). Then cycling through Far Eastern Russia, Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and United Arab Emirates.

I plan to enter Saudi Arabia around January 27th 2017 through the border crossing of Al Sila’a (United Arab Emirates) - Al Bat’ha (Saudi Arabia).
I have been granted a 40 days transit visa by the Saudi consul in Abu Dhabi (UAE).

In Al Bat’ha, I plan to cycle approximately 2000 kms through the towns and cities of
Riyadh, Tuwaiq, Shaqra, Buraydah, Tabuk, Halat Ammar.

In Halat Ammar, I will pass the Mudwara border crossing to enter the Kingdom of Jordan, for which I already have a Jordanian visa that I received at the Jordanian consulate in Abu Dhabi (UAE).

I apologize that I am not able to better communicate in your language. Nevertheless, I hope that we will be able to understand each other! Thank you in advance for your hospitality and your kind support!

Dimitri Bernard Kieffer
Nexus Expedition