- Kurtjmac reached Minecraft’s Far Lands in legacy Beta 1.7.3 after a 14-year trek.
- The Far Lands appear about 12.5 million blocks from spawn due to a world-gen glitch fixed in Beta 1.8.
- He traveled on foot without mods or teleport commands, documenting the journey in 800+ videos.
- More than $525,000 was raised for charity through Twitch and YouTube during the project.
After years of steady progress and patient streaming, YouTuber and streamer kurtjmac has finally arrived at Minecraft’s Far Lands, the long-mythologized terrain glitch that sits far beyond a typical player’s horizon.
Reaching this quirk of the game required playing a legacy build where the bug still exists—specifically Beta 1.7.3—and walking for an astonishing in-game distance over time, all while keeping a measured, documentary-style approach.
What exactly are the Far Lands?
In older versions of Minecraft, the terrain generator begins to behave erratically about 12.5 million blocks from the world’s origin, producing warped vertical formations and broken geometry instead of normal hills and biomes.
This phenomenon wasn’t an intended destination but a world-generation glitch caused by how noise functions behaved at extreme coordinates, forming cliff-like walls and fragmented structures that look surreal from a distance.
Mojang later corrected the issue, so the effect no longer appears in modern builds; the bug was fixed with the Beta 1.8 update in 2011, making legacy versions the only way to encounter the Far Lands today.
The trek that made it possible
The journey began back in 2011 with a series titled Far Lands or Bust, where kurtjmac committed to reaching the glitch on foot without teleport commands or game-altering mods.
Over the years, he advanced steadily across roughly 12,500 in-game kilometers (since each block is about a meter), occasionally using a boat when oceans demanded it and meticulously documenting every step.
He marked the finish line on October 4 during day 69 of a charity subathon; while circling an island in an open ocean, the unmistakable distorted formations emerged on the horizon and confirmed the goal at last.
Across more than 800 uploaded episodes, the trek became not just a personal goal but a long-running chronicle of exploration, routine, and careful survival in a single-player world.
Charity at the heart of the project
From the outset, the expedition doubled as a fundraiser, with streams on Twitch and YouTube encouraging viewers to support vetted causes while following the slow approach to the Far Lands.
By the time the destination came into view, the community had helped raise over $525,000 for charity, underscoring how a single-player challenge can rally a broad audience around positive outcomes.
The project’s format emphasized patience and transparency, letting viewers witness unmodified gameplay and the small, incremental milestones that add up over a very long timeline.
How far is 12.5 million blocks, really?
To put the scale in perspective, the distance translates to around 12,500 kilometers in Minecraft terms, an undertaking that demands thousands of sessions and an eye for safe navigation through unpredictable terrain.
Even basic logistics—like food, shelter, and avoiding hazards—become a constant consideration when you commit to walking millions of blocks without shortcuts.
Because modern versions no longer generate the glitch, the only viable route was to keep playing on Beta 1.7.3, preserving the exact conditions that make the Far Lands appear.
Why this milestone matters to players
Beyond the novelty of witnessing broken terrain, the achievement highlights a form of long-haul play that favors routine, determination over spectacle, and community accountability over quick wins.
It’s a reminder that even familiar games can still host open-ended, multi-year challenges, especially when an audience is invested in both the journey and the cause behind it.
Quick answers to common questions
What are the Far Lands?
They’re a legacy generation bug that creates distorted walls and fragmented terrain about 12.5 million blocks from spawn in pre-Beta 1.8 versions.
Who reached them?
The creator known as kurtjmac, who documented the trek in his long-running Far Lands or Bust series across hundreds of episodes.
Can you get there in current Minecraft?
No—the behavior was removed in Beta 1.8, so players must use older versions like Beta 1.7.3 to see the Far Lands.
Why did it take so long?
Travel was done entirely without teleportation or mods, covering millions of blocks at walking pace and prioritizing safety and persistence.
This milestone ties together a decade-plus of gameplay, a community-driven fundraiser, and a piece of Minecraft’s history that only exists in older builds—a rare blend of technical curiosity and human perseverance that few projects can match, including interest in Minecraft 2.
