HAVIKWAY Follow live →
HAVIKWAY timeline

Ten years.
One journey.

A long expedition cannot be reduced to fixed dates. The calendar is a framework for seasons, borders, recovery, visas and the changing reality of the road.

HAVIKWAY begins in Amsterdam and is designed to evolve over roughly a decade. The direction remains clear, but individual stages can move forward, pause or change when conditions require it.

View ten-year plan Explore route
Starting point Amsterdam
Planning horizon Approx. 10 years Flexible by design
Long-term direction Far North
Time is part of the route

The expedition moves when the conditions make sense.

The calendar exists to support the expedition, not to force it.

A journey of this scale crosses different climates, visa systems, political environments and seasonal windows. A fixed timetable created years in advance would quickly become unrealistic.

The timeline therefore works as a planning framework. It identifies broad regional stages while leaving enough space for waiting, recovery, route changes and unforeseen events.

Some years may cover greater distances. Others may be defined by difficult borders, extreme weather or long periods of preparation.

Long-term plan

A decade in practical phases.

These phases describe the intended direction of travel. They are not contractual deadlines and can shift as the expedition evolves.

01
Year 1 Europe

Amsterdam to Southern Europe

Establish the walking rhythm, test equipment under real conditions and move south through Western and Southern Europe.

Planning focus

Systems, endurance, public expedition record

02
Year 2 North-West Africa

Spain to Morocco and the Atlantic corridor

Cross into North Africa and continue south while adapting to heat, logistics, borders and increasingly remote sections.

Planning focus

Heat management, border planning, resupply

03
Year 3 West Africa

Atlantic Africa

Continue through the long western corridor with progress shaped by seasons, legal access and regional conditions.

Planning focus

Visas, seasonal movement, local conditions

04
Year 4 Southern Africa

Toward Cape Town

Move through Southern Africa toward Cape Town while maintaining flexibility for weather, safety and route alternatives.

Planning focus

Long-distance continuity, maintenance, recovery

05
Year 5 East Africa

Cape Town north toward Egypt

Begin the northbound African stage through changing climates, borders and regional security conditions.

Planning focus

Northbound transition, altitude, climate change

06
Year 6 Egypt & Arabian Peninsula

Cairo to Arabia

Transition from Africa toward the Arabian Peninsula with route choices strongly influenced by legal access and regional security.

Planning focus

Desert conditions, maritime crossings, legal access

07
Year 7 Pakistan

Arabia toward Pakistan

Continue east toward Pakistan while coordinating visas, seasons and the safest available overland corridors.

Planning focus

Visas, heat, mountainous transition

08
Year 8 China

Pakistan through China

Enter a major Asian phase where legal access, permits, altitude and long distances may shape the exact route.

Planning focus

High altitude, permits, long regional stages

09
Year 9 Mongolia & Russia

China to Mongolia and the Far North

Move north into colder and more remote environments where seasons become one of the dominant planning factors.

Planning focus

Cold weather, remoteness, seasonal windows

10
Year 10 Far North

Toward Alaska

The final northern phase depends on legal, maritime and seasonal access. The objective remains a direction, not a forced deadline.

Planning focus

Arctic timing, access, expedition completion

Seasonal planning

The calendar follows climate, not convenience.

Extreme heat, winter conditions, monsoon seasons and high-altitude access can all determine when a region is realistically passable.

Spring

Transition season.

Useful for moving between climate zones, restarting after winter and preparing for higher elevations.

Summer

Long daylight, greater heat.

Valuable in northern regions, but potentially dangerous in desert and low-latitude stages.

Autumn

A major movement window.

Often useful for leaving extreme summer heat behind and moving before severe winter conditions arrive.

Winter

Sometimes movement, sometimes waiting.

Lower latitudes may remain accessible while northern or mountainous regions may require rerouting or a planned pause.

Planned flexibility

Stopping can be part of moving forward.

Recovery

Rest periods allow the body to recover before another long-distance phase.

Maintenance

Equipment, electronics and communication systems may require replacement or repair during the expedition.

Visas

Applications and legal access can create waiting periods that are impossible to predict years in advance.

Seasons

Waiting several weeks can be safer and more efficient than entering a region during the wrong weather window.

THE RULE
No artificial deadline

Safety comes before schedule.

A planned date never has priority over safe and legal movement.

If a border becomes unsafe, a visa is delayed, weather closes a mountain corridor or health requires recovery, the calendar changes. The expedition does not fail because the timetable moves.

Read about expedition safety
A journey measured in years

The route has a direction.
The calendar has room to breathe.

Follow HAVIKWAY as the timeline becomes real through actual stages, changing seasons and decisions made on the road.

Follow live Explore the route