British adventurer James Ketchell has become the first person to circumnavigate the globe by land, air, and sea, completing a historic journey that spanned more than a decade. Ketchell, 43, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, arrived back in the UK on Sunday after concluding the final leg of his sea voyage at Haslar Marina in Gosport, Hampshire. This last segment, covering approximately 8,700 miles from Cape Town, South Africa, took 45 days to complete.

Ketchell’s global adventures began in 2013 when he cycled 18,000 miles around the world. In 2019, he set a Guinness World Record by flying a gyrocopter 27,600 miles, becoming one of the few to achieve a double circumnavigation. The recent maritime voyage started around August 2025 on his 40-foot boat. During the trip, the vessel underwent emergency repairs in South Africa before Ketchell embarked on the longest portion of the route back to the UK.

Upon arrival, Ketchell was greeted by his family, including his parents Trisha and John, and his fiancée, Lisa Bulmer, who had last seen him in Cape Town six months earlier. Ketchell described the achievement as "the hardest thing I’ve ever worked on" and expressed disbelief that he was the first to accomplish such a multimodal circumnavigation, attributing it in part to luck.

Ketchell, who is also a motivational speaker for children, used parts of his journey to engage with young audiences in countries including Lanzarote, Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina. He emphasized that his expeditions aim to inspire young people to pursue their dreams, stating that adventure is meaningful when it encourages others to believe in themselves.

In addition to his cycling, flying, and sailing feats, Ketchell has previously climbed Mount Everest and rowed across the Atlantic. Looking ahead, he plans to focus on life on land and prepare for his upcoming marriage. Ketchell also serves as an ambassador for the National Oceanography Centre, highlighting the connections between exploration and education throughout his travels.