SINGAPORE – Just over a year after taking his first solo overseas trip, Thilak Dharshan, 22, found himself standing at a remote border crossing between South Africa and Lesotho.

Over an 18-day journey in March, he travelled largely by shared minivan transport – also known as “kombis” in Africa – through South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique, navigating a series of overland border crossings that few have documented online.

Lesotho, often called the “Kingdom in the Sky”, is the world’s only independent country situated entirely above an elevation of 1,000m and has lush, mountainous landscapes.

Eswatini, which borders South Africa on all sides except its eastern frontier with Mozambique, is similarly known for its mountains and valleys.

English is an official language in both countries.

Until 2024, Dharshan’s travels had been limited to family holidays within South-east Asia, with Thailand being the furthest destination he had visited. That changed after his five-day solo trip to Melbourne in December 2024, which sparked his ambition to visit all 195 recognised countries in the world.

“After that trip, I realised I really enjoy travelling solo. I’m young and just starting to explore the world, so I thought why not aim to go to all 195 countries?” he says.

Turning that ambition into reality took a period of consistent saving. Dharshan, who has been working as a part-time concierge assistant at Shangri-La Rasa Sentsa hotel for around two years, budgeted $3,000 to fund his 18-day trip. 

About half the amount went towards flights from Singapore to Johannesburg on Ethiopian Airlines, and back home via Mozambique on Turkish Airlines. The remainder covered accommodation, food, public transport and sightseeing.

Rather than choosing a familiar destination, Dharshan wanted a journey that would push him beyond his comfort zone. “Africa feels so far away and it looks so different from where we are (in Singapore)....