Egyptian man visits all 7 Wonders of the World in record time

An Egyptian man’s whirlwind world tour has been verified as a new world record.

Magdy Eissa, 45, achieved the fastest time to visit the New 7 Wonders of the World, doing so in 6 days 11 hrs 52 min – four and a half hours quicker than the previous record set last year by Englishman Jamie McDonald.

Beginning at the Great Wall of China, Magdy visited India’s Taj Mahal, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, Rome’s Colosseum, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Machu Picchu in Peru, and finally the ancient Mayan city Chichén Itzá in Mexico.

Only scheduled public transport may be used when attempting this record, as Guinness World Records cannot endorse a race against the clock on public roads.

Magdy said that planning his record-breaking route was a “monumental” task which took almost one and a half years.

“I had to navigate a complex web of flights, trains, buses, subways and walking between transportation hubs and the Wonders,” he explained.

“A single disruption could derail the entire itinerary and result in a flight back home!”

Each leg of the journey required researching transit times, mapping out the best public transportation options, accounting for immigration queues, layovers, and connections to the next destination.

Some legs were more straightforward, such as the overnight transatlantic flight from Europe to Rio de Janeiro. However, reaching Machu Picchu afterwards proved to be a challenge, taking over a day and requiring several forms of public transport (as well as lots of walking).

Magdy was fortunate to not suffer any major disruptions to his schedule, but he did have a few close calls.

He overslept and missed the daily bus to Petra, forcing him to scramble to find another public bus, which was difficult as the site is primarily served by private tour operators and taxis.

And he almost didn’t make it to the seventh Wonder because he nearly missed his flight from Peru to Mexico – luckily, airline staff reopened the check-in counter after Magdy explained that he was attempting to break a world record.

The biggest issue he faced thankfully came after he’d completed his record attempt. Having sped around the world in under a week, it took him two whole days just to get back home to Cairo due to flight cancellations.

Magdy’s personal highlights of the trip included seeing alpacas in Peru and randomly bumping into an old friend whom he hadn’t seen in years.

“Being able to reconnect, even briefly, with a familiar face amidst the whirlwind of the record attempt was a cherished moment,” he said.

Having accomplished a childhood dream by visiting the New 7 Wonders, in addition to breaking a world record in the process, Magdy says he feels an “immense sense of personal accomplishment”.

He added: “Beyond the personal satisfaction, this challenge also allowed me to momentarily let go of the daily stresses and pressures of normal life.

“The frenetic pace and problem-solving required throughout the record attempt served as an effective outlet to vent and decompress.

“Everyone should experience and invest in travel, an enriching experience that everyone should have at some point in their lives. It opens minds, broadens perspectives, and allows people to discover new cultures, ideas, and ways of life.”