Sarsenbay Kotyrashov, a 76-year-old blacksmith from Kazakhstan, is preparing for a coast-to-coast walk through eight US states in 2027. The planned Atlantic-to-Pacific journey forms part of a broader ambition: to enter Guinness World Records by covering more than 40,000 kilometers on foot after the age of 75. Having practiced blacksmithing since an early age, Kotyrashov had never traveled far before embarking on his first long-distance expedition in 2022. He maintains that he does not consider himself old.
That initial journey took him 8,000 kilometers across Kazakhstan over six months. Leaving his native Ulytau region, he traveled through the country's south, east, and north before finishing in the western city of Aktau, on the Caspian Sea. A subsequent walk from Atyrau led him through Russia and the Caucasus to Istanbul, Turkey. On another expedition, he departed from Oskemen, crossed Russia's Altai region and Mongolia, and reached Beijing, also visiting the Great Wall. Known as Ulytauman, a nickname referencing his home region, he became recognizable for his hat and sticker-covered suitcase. People shared images of him online and stopped him for selfies.
For his 2026 European journey, Kotyrashov obtained funding and a Schengen visa. He walked approximately 3,000 kilometers in 53 days, starting in Belgrade, Serbia, and continuing through Hungary, Austria, and Germany to Paris, France. His travels have also involved severe hardship: he recalls once spending three and a half days in the wilderness without food or water. Nevertheless, his enthusiasm for further journeys remains undiminished.
