While most people dream about Paris, New York, or Niagara Falls, Brazilian traveler Silvia Tate decided to go in the opposite direction.
After visiting more than 157 countries, exploring war zones, walking through Chernobyl, facing active volcanoes, and crossing borders where tourism rarely reaches, she is now preparing for what she considers the most complex mission of her life: attempting to enter North Korea.
One of the most closed and controlled countries in the world, North Korea represents a challenge that few travelers ever attempt.
Silvia says her relationship with travel changed when she stopped collecting monuments and started searching for genuine human connections.
For her, being where history actually happened transforms distant images into living experiences.
What Silvia looks for today in travel is far from conventional tourism.
She wants to understand how cultures rebuild after wars, how people preserve their identity in isolation, and how life continues even in difficult environments.
For many travelers, North Korea is considered the ultimate challenge.
In a hyper-connected world, entering a country with no open internet, limited communication, and strict control can cause a deep psychological shock.
Silvia does not romanticize the risks. She knows surveillance is constant and protocols are strict.
The trip was originally planned for 2020 but was interrupted by border closures during the pandemic.
Now, she has a rare opportunity to enter the country through participation in an international marathon event.
Nothing about this journey allows improvisation. Silvia had to adapt documents, routes, and her mindset.
If she manages to enter North Korea, Silvia does not promise shocking revelations.
And that curiosity is exactly what drives her to continue exploring the world.
When she returns, a new report will reveal what she experienced inside one of the most mysterious countries on Earth.
Follow Silvia’s adventures on Instagram: @silvia.aroundtheworld