In a world driven by speed and convenience, one explorer reminds us that the most meaningful journeys are measured by moments, not miles.

Frenchwoman Sandrine Roy arrived in Kathmandu in late September, marking a significant chapter in her bold quest to circumnavigate the globe. Over four years, she has traversed deserts, mountains, and oceans, combining cycling, sailing, and paragliding in an extraordinary journey she calls Un Tour d’Aile (A Winged Tour).

Roy’s odyssey spans 19 countries across four continents, covering 16,000 km by bike, 30,500 km by sailboat, and soaring through the skies with her paraglider. Along the way, she has faced storms, crossed three oceans, and navigated countless challenges, all while advocating for ecological resilience and human care.

Reinventing exploration

“This journey goes beyond merely reaching destinations. It redefines the very art of exploration,” the 32-year-old explorer shared during an interaction at Alliance Française in Kathmandu on Monday. The geologist, who holds a PhD from the University of Savoie Mont-Blanc, lives by a mantra that is both simple and profound: “Slow down to see more.”

She spent over three months immersed in Nepal’s landscapes and culture. On Tuesday, she headed for Raxaul, India, en route home, carrying with her the rich experiences she had gained.

Roy kicked off her adventure on December 31, 2020, with Steve Durville, a physiotherapist from Hurigny, France. Leaving Chambéry, they adopted a “slow adventure” ethos to minimise their carbon footprint. Hitchhiking by sailboat and cycling across continents, their journey began with a sail across the Mediterranean to the Canary Islands, followed by a 23-day Atlantic crossing to Central America.

The duo travelled through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Mexico, braving six-meter waves off Colombia and enduring a 31-day stretch without sighting land in the Pacific. After reaching Tahiti, their paths diverged, and Roy continued solo, exploring islands like Bora Bora before sailing to Fiji.

Roy’s next challenge was cycling over 6,500 km across Australia, including more than 1,000 km of rugged tracks. On her recumbent bike, she traversed the Simpson Desert and the Oodnadatta Track, facing both harsh landscapes and unsettling encounters.

A Close Call

“The wild animals never scared me,” Roy noted, flipping through photographs of Australia’s native wildlife. “It was the unpredictability of people that truly tested my courage.”

One harrowing incident in the outback involved a late-night encounter with strangers near her tent, a moment that tested her resolve.

In the dead of night, as she slept in her tent, a four-wheel-drive vehicle sped dangerously close. Four men stepped out, their footsteps a haunting sound against the still desert air. “I stayed silent, holding my breath until they left,” she recounted.

Despite the challenges, the journey offered moments of inspiration, like meeting ultra-runners in the Simpson Desert. Their bodies battered from completing The Track, the longest footrace in the world, she said. “Their feat made my cycling journey seem, for a moment, insignificant.”

Beyond the miles and milestones, her journey has been deeply personal. Halfway through her travels, her dream of visiting Nepal and the Himalayas was fraught with obstacles. Battling grief after losing her mother and grandmother and dealing with legal matters, had kept her grounded.

“The hardest challenges weren’t physical,” she reflected. “It was the silence of grief, the loneliness of the open road, and the moments when fear and exhaustion set in.”

However, she drew strength from family and friends, who played a pivotal role in shaping her path. Her determination led her to Asia, where she cycled nearly 2,000 km through Malaysia and Thailand before recovering from dengue fever in Laos.

Approaching the Himalayas

In August 2024, she entered China. But she had to travel 3,000 km by train from Chengdu to reach Tibet due to travel restrictions. Along the way, she pedalled up to an elevation of 4,300 metres. She crossed into Nepal from Korala, Upper Mustang, in September. Here, she attempted Naya Khanga, a 5,864-metre peak, and experienced the thrill of paragliding above the Langtang Valley.

“It’s a factory of laughter,” she said, reflecting on the moments when the wind carried her above valleys and peaks, bridging earth and sky.

Beyond exploration, Roy has aligned her journey with meaningful causes. She volunteered for projects promoting sustainability and shared her adventures with children facing illness, inspiring them with her resilience.

Now, as she prepares to cross into India and continue through Pakistan, Iran, and beyond, Roy is focused on completing her circumnavigation. Throughout this journey, her cycling speeds have been a matter of perseverance, not haste. Averaging 17 km/h and hitting a top speed of 89 km/h in Martinique, Roy’s longest cycling day spanned 10 hours across the blistering central desert of Australia. As her legs pedal towards the finish line, she plans to pick up speed.

She aims to reach France by August to complete her journey. She aims to finish it as she began—powered by human connection, perseverance, and the beauty of the world.

“The road twists and turns, but the journey is always worth it,” she said, her story proof of the enduring power of dreams.

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