The thirty six year old former army officer,(he was in the British Parachute Regiment, where he served in Afghanistan fighting against Taliban insurgents in Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul in 2008),has made a name for himself walking through some of the world’s most challenging terrain and has to date visited over ninety countries in the world

In 2014 he walked the length of the Nile, and the following year trekked from Afghanistan to Bhutan across the Himalayas. He then walked 1800 miles along the length of Central America from Mexico to Colombia, including the notorious Darien Gap.

His most recent TV series ‘From Russia To Iran: Crossing The Wild Frontier’ aired on Channel 4 for four weeks in August 2017. His latest books include’Eastern Horizons’about his travels as a 22 year-old-man hitchhiking the Silk Road.

Levison will be bringing his second UK tour ‘Journeys Through The Badlands and Beyond’  to Manchester 

Why the desire to travel and undertake these long expeditions

I have always been interested in travel and exploration since I was a kid, I loved to hear stories of adventure, and I studied studied history and specialised in travel writing

How to you decide which journeys to undertake

I had travelled drove the length of Africa before joining the army working for a charity and had covered much of the route by truck so it was really a case of wanting to undertake the route. The journey across the Himalayas was inspired by his study of the Silk road,the idea of following the route of the ancient traders appealed to me

When have you really felt unsafe in your surroundings

Yes of course there has and I have been in some pretty hairy situations, (he cites Syria and Iraq and Yemen as being three in particular but as he points out, they do a lot of research before the trips)

The death of Matthew Power during the Nile walk must have made you think twice about these undertakings

It was a huge tragedy and it made me question the legitimacy of the project but I and the team felt that we had to carry on in Matt’s name.I keep in regular contact with Matt’s family

Do you think that travel is an important rite of passage-are there still places in the world that can be discovered

It breaks down barriers and is not about flag planting any more.Travel should be part of the rite of passage in discovery.

What would you say is the best country you have visited in the world

I like variety, it is a question that I get asked a lot but I always give the same answer, that I haven’t got one while its also the same answer for my least favourite

Future plans after your tour-I think i read somewhere that you were giving in walking to look for a wife?

At the moment I am taking a huge rest and putting my feet up.

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