The pictures of extreme athlete Arda Saatçi after his 600-kilometer run through Death Valley are currently going around the world. Falstaff TRAVEL takes a look at its extraordinary marathon routes - and discovers impressive travel routes worldwide.
His goal was to run 600 kilometers in 96 hours. In 123 hours, he finally made it - from the lowest point in North America, Badwater, to Santa Monica Pier in California. Arda Saatçi has inspired millions of people and his marathon is full of emotion in pictures. As questionable as the sporting achievement may seem, the content creator's routes also provide inspiration for extraordinary trips by car, train or plane. Falstaff TRAVEL traces them.
On May 10, 2026, he made it: After a 600-kilometer run in one go, Saatçi reached the Santa Monica Pier. He had started five days earlier in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, 85.5 meters below sea level. Where endless salt flats glisten today, water once collected that was spurned even by the mules of the first surveyors due to its high salt content - hence the name "Badwater". Despite warning signs, visitors venture out onto the crunching salt flats even in extreme heat. No wonder; the surreal landscape in Death Valley is one of the most impressive natural backdrops in the USA.
From there, the marathon route led west through the Californian desert - past barren expanses, spectacular rocky landscapes and endless highways - to Los Angeles. Our destination was the Santa Monica Pier, where the ocean, Venice Beach and the typical Southern California lifestyle meet.
In 2025, Saatçi traveled across Japan - a 3000-kilometer route that is also ideal for tracing a travel route. In the north, his route began in Wakkanai, in the Hokkaido region, where national parks, volcanoes and hot springs characterize the landscape. Travelers move on to Tokyo, one of the most exciting metropolises in the world with districts such as Shibuya and Asakusa, outstanding cuisine and street food markets as well as futuristic architecture. Then it's off to Kyoto with its temples, Zen gardens and traditional wooden quarters - a clear contrast to the capital. The marathon runner's route then leads along Mount Fuji to Osaka and finally ends in Hiroshima.
The Europe-USA route for 2024 also reads like a classic, albeit unusual, itinerary. It starts in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate and continues across Germany to Belgium and France. Travelers could choose Paris as a cultural highlight. The route then continues along the Atlantic coast via Spain to Portugal, where cities such as Porto await with their riverbanks and historic alleyways. Across the "big pond", Saatçi suspended his marathon and flew from Porto to Boston. The city is considered America's most intellectual metropolis: a think tank with colonial pavement, academic splendor and culinary creativity. The route finally ends in New York City at Times Square - in the middle of Manhattan's sea of lights.
