Based on the world record nomination from the Australia Records Institute (AURI) and Decision No. WK/USA.INDIA/1433/2026/No.888, World Records Union (WorldKings) officially declared Helen Thayer as the world’s first woman to walk across the Sahara Desert.  

Helen Thayer is a New Zealand–born explorer, author, and motivational speaker known for her exceptional endurance expeditions in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. Over several decades, she has built a reputation as one of the world’s most accomplished female adventurers, consistently pushing the limits of age, distance, and isolation. Her work combines exploration with storytelling, often emphasizing resilience, self-reliance, and environmental awareness.

Thayer gained international recognition through a series of groundbreaking journeys. In 1988, she became the first woman to travel solo to the Magnetic North Pole without resupply, accompanied only by her dog. She later completed a historic 4,000-mile (about 6,400 km) trek across the Sahara Desert in 1991, becoming the first woman to walk its full length from Morocco to the Nile River. She also became the first woman to walk across the Gobi Desert and undertook extensive expeditions in the Amazon rainforest, including long-distance travel by kayak.

What makes Thayer’s achievements particularly notable is that many of her most demanding expeditions were completed later in life, often in her 50s and beyond. Her journeys required not only physical stamina but also advanced survival skills, navigation expertise, and psychological resilience in remote and hazardous conditions. Through her books and public speaking, she has continued to share insights from these experiences, encouraging others to pursue challenges regardless of age or perceived limitations.

According to the Internet