From first solo trip at 13, she’s now just 9 countries away from becoming the youngest person to visit every country

Sophia Lee began travelling alone at 13 with a trip to Costa Rica. Now 20, the American traveller is pursuing a record to become the youngest person to visit every UN-recognised country, with nine destinations left.

When Sophia Lee took her first solo trip to Costa Rica at the age of 13, she could hardly have known that the journey would eventually become an attempt to travel to every country in the world.

Sophia Lee’s journey from a solo trip at 13

The American traveller is now pursuing a record that would make her the youngest person to visit all 195 countries recognised by the United Nations. At the time of CNN's report, Lee was just nine countries away from completing the journey.

Her ambition began taking shape a year after that first trip. Lee learnt about the record for the youngest person to visit every country and became interested in attempting it herself. She continued travelling while growing up, initially without treating the challenge as a full-time pursuit.

By the time she was 17, however, she had already visited more than 50 of the UN's 195 recognised countries. That was when the possibility of pursuing the record seriously began to take shape.

There was one major complication. Visiting a country was not enough.

Lee discovered that a Guinness World Records attempt required extensive documentation to prove where and when she had travelled. As a result, she had to revisit several countries to collect the necessary evidence and ensure that her trips met the record requirements.

That process eventually turned her passion for travel into a highly organised undertaking involving visas, flights, accommodation, documentation and careful planning.

The journey has also taken her to places where travelling is considerably more complicated than simply booking a flight.

How many countries has Lee visited?

Reports have highlighted destinations including Iran, Libya, Somalia and Turkmenistan among the countries she has visited. In Somalia, she travelled with a security escort, while visiting Turkmenistan required her to join an organised tour. During a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, she became seriously ill and considered ending the attempt.

Lee has also been clear that she does not view a country merely as another tick on a list.

She has described wanting a meaningful experience in each destination, whether that involves meeting local people, trying traditional food or visiting important cultural sites. That approach has shaped the way she documents the journey and the stories she shares with her growing online audience.

The scale of the undertaking has also changed her life. Travelling full-time has meant missing some conventional school experiences and family events, according to her interviews. At the same time, she has built friendships with people across the world.

“I have friends in India and friends in Ghana and all over the world,” Lee told People earlier this year.

Her journey has also attracted commercial partnerships and sponsorships, helping finance the increasingly expensive final stages of the attempt. Earlier in the journey, Lee reportedly travelled on a budget of around $100 per country. As her audience grew, sponsorship opportunities helped support her continued travels.

The record she is chasing has already been held by Lexie Alford, who completed her journey to all countries at the age of 21 years and 177 days in 2019.

Lee's challenge is therefore not simply about how many passport stamps she can collect. It is also a race against time, requiring her to navigate some of the world's most difficult travel destinations while meeting the evidence requirements for the record.

And it all traces back to that first solo journey to Costa Rica at 13 - a trip that turned a young traveller's curiosity into an ambition spanning almost the entire globe.

About the Author

Trisha Bhattacharya is a Senior Content Producer at Livemint, with over two years of experience covering entertainment news from India and beyond. She spends her days tracking what’s trending, breaking down pop culture moments, and turning fast-moving entertainment stories into sharp, engaging reads that actually make people want to click — and stay. <br> She holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Lucknow University, a background that shapes her love for layered narratives, strong voices, and stories that linger long after they’re told. Before joining Livemint, Trisha worked with India Today as an entertainment journalist and film critic. There, she reviewed films, covered industry news, and built a strong foundation in storytelling and cultural analysis. <br> Trisha enjoys working at the intersection of media, culture, and audience interest, always looking for fresh angles and formats. Films, shows, and music are not just her beat but her biggest passion — something that naturally reflects in her writing. Whether it’s cinema, streaming shows, music, or internet trends, she approaches every story with curiosity and intent. <br> Outside the job description, she’s unapologetically passionate about films, shows, and music — sometimes a little too passionate, if you ask her. That enthusiasm often spills into her work, adding personality, urgency, and a touch of chaos that keeps her writing alive. For Trisha, entertainment isn’t just a beat — it’s a language she speaks fluently.

^{Get Latest real-time updates}

Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news.

HomeNewsTrendsFrom first solo trip at 13, she’s now just 9 countries away from becoming the youngest person to visit every country